National Chaampionship Hopes

[osustamm]

Lets just win the rest of our games and see where we end up. Truth is we can't do anything about it and with one loss there are way too many things that need to fall into place for us to even have a shot.

Like all of you i have all the hope in the world for our Buckeyes but i've always been a believer that the national champion should be an undefeated team or it's meanind is down the drain. I know i wouldn't feel as good wearing a 13 - 1 shirt as i do my 14 - 0 for the 2002 season.

With that being said, i'm buying my rose bowl tickets!!! :)

 

[bassbuckeye07]

Someone may have brought this up but Michigan and Iowa kind of screwed us, looking like turds on saturday. Yes its kind of funny watching Henne look like he was crapping in his dipers but their inability to represent the big ten is hurting tOSU in the long run.

 

[bucknut4life]

I applaud scheduling these types of games early. Texas is the best team we will face this year, and we should have won. The rest of the season doesn't look quite so daunting now. The pressure is off the Bucks and on everyone else to stay a game up on us. No team in the country wants a piece of this defense. Period.

great post..and i couldnt agree more, theres not a head coach out there that would want to face us in a game..

 

[AirForceBuck]

Look guys, its only the second week, teams are going to be 2-0 easily with cupcake OOC games. There are somebig games on this weekend that can help us out in the polls:

- Minn vs. FAU - This should be all Minnesota, as they are knocking on the Top 25's door. A win here will and some good games in the Big10 will help OSU later when we beat Minnesota.

- MSU vs. Notre Dame - ND is looking like the Patriots with Weis at the helm. But if MSU can take out ND, itwill be one less team nipping at our toes for a top 10/5 spot and one less undefeated team. MSUs win should give a positional rating and if we can beat them in 4 weeks, it will make us look better.

- Oregon St. @ Lousiville - On paper Lousiville should be the victor. If OrSt can take this game, Louisville will fall in the polls and should give tOSU some breathing room as another undefeated bites the dust. Big East looks to be having a down year - lets go Beavers!

- Tenn @ Florida - Tenn has struggled against UAB, winning it in OT while Florida seems to be on the field looking to prove they are a Florida team not to mess with. If Tenn can beat up on Florida away, this should drop Florida a spot or two behind us. I cant see Tenn staying undefeated in the SEC, but Florida has the same outlook. Even if Urban Meyer can get it done against the Vols, no need to worry, Tenn will fall behind us and be aone loss team that has struggled early.

-Oklahoma @ UCLA - Not that Oklahoma has played dominant or that they are anywhere the top 15, but the Big12 seems to be having a down year. A win over Oklahoma by the Bruins may keep Oklahoma out of the Big12 at least untill middle of Big12 play. This is a good thing for the Buckeyes.

- Arkansas @ USC - Any gambler would tell you to let it all ride on the Trojans in this matchup. Arkansas has pumped out less than stellar performances with Houston Nutt (regular 5 season loss's), BUT anything can happend on a Saturday (ie. TCU @ OU). I would love to see USC fall here and be a one loss team, staying top 5, but Texas would swiftly move to number 1 - makingour loss have a little bit moresun light.

- FSU @ BC - I believe that #17 BC has a legit chance to knock off FSU. Florida St looked horrible against a mediocre Miami squad and was only up 13-10 on the Citadel at the half while BC routed Army 44-7, never being down. If Boston College can prove to the nation that FSU is truely the team we all saw struggle against Miami, then they will drop outof the Top10 for a fair amount of time and allow OSU to make an advancement in the polls. But, if FSU can pull out a win, then BC will be a 1 loss team, forcing them into the mid 20s and out of harms way.

- C. Michigan @ Penn St. - We need for Pen St. to look extra good in this matchup and force their way into the bottom/mid 20s by the time we lineup with them on the gridiron in 3 weeks. A win here can only help pad their strength and a winn over Penn St in a couple weeks can only help but pad our muscles.

- Northern Iowa @ Iowa - After Iowas dissapointing loss this weeked to ISU, look for them to be thirsty for revenge against the next team in their way. That team just happends to be N. Iowa University. The confidence in Iowa will rise, as should their position in the polls a few spots (depending on how large the victory margin is). The following week Iowa will come to The Shoe where OSU should not lose another home game this season and this will in turn help OSUs points in the Top 10.

Illinois @ Cal - Cal seems to be the victor already - but slow down there, Illinois has Ron Zook as their leader. Remember last weekend with the second half 26 point come behind win against the favored Rutgers. Illinois may be outmatched with talent, but this game will be about leaders. A struggle on Cals part, or a win for Illinois will help add to the Big Tens reputation and Cal will also be a team we wont have to worry about lurking around, waiting to make a move for the top 10.


The most important game of all:

San Diego St @ OSU. - We need a solid, confident Offense. At the helm should be the #1 and only QB to guide us (looks like Smith). A needed big win here will show that we arent just a mid major victor. Pittman should have a solid day, we need 5 catches at least by Holmes, Gonzolez and Hall. Hamby needs to redeem himself with a pass or two, while Ginn should get some looks in the backfield off of reverses and lateralls/dumps to do his thing. A needed 15 touches of the ball minimum for Ginn is what our OC should be thinking. The secondary needs to work on the coverage when pressed on the heels. Our DLine may need some adjusting to stop the run and figure out how to make big Anthony Schlegal a force in the middle.

 

[jlb1705]

I haven't read this whole thread so if this is a repeat... deal with it.

We shouldn't need USC to lose twice. Any loss they may sustain would be worse than OSU's loss to Texas.

 

[cincibuck]

The ONLY way we have a shot:

USC and Texas loses twice.

Do you think this will happen?

We can survive an early loss...hell, Oklahoma survived two late season losses and made a BCS bowl. But someone in our region needs to beat Notre Dame. If Notre Dame beats MSU and Purdue they'll be the top team from this region and we'll have to kill everybody else on our schedule to stay even with them. The East Coast votes and votes and votes.

 

[EdgarStyles]

With everything we've seen in the BCS during it's existence, we should know by now that anything can happen. Remember in 2000 when Miami beat Flordia State, but Flordia State still ended up going to the Sugar Bowl? If Texas looses a late-season game to say, A&M, there is a very good chance that we could jump them if we have one-loss as well.

USC will still go to the Rose Bowl, even with one loss. They are media darlings, and would have to drop two games to end up going somewhere other than <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:City><ST1:pPasadena. </ST1:p</st1:City>Notre Shame has to loose before long as well. Hell, at the rate their going, if they win two more games they will be a unanimous number 1 in both polls.


First and foremost, for us to have any shot at the Rose Bowl, we have to win out. If we do in fact win out, I belive that we will be the highest ranked one loss team. With USC's cakewalk, I really can't see them dropping a game.

 

[crzykillernut]

If USC loses to someone they will drop beneath us (unless it is ND), for atleast two reasons.

1). East Coast Bias - The Media, as much as they hype USC and get on their knees for them, are only doing so because the situation dictates it. If USC loses to anyone on their schedule, save Notre Dame, the Media will call a spade a spade. Regardless of talent, USC will have a lost a game they had no reason losing. There won't be another Oklahoma-late-loss debacle.

2). Ranked Factor - As the season progresses, a loss is more and more devastating. If USC loses to someone other than ND, that loss will be terrible. There are not many high-ranking teams on USC's schedule. No #2 Texas' like our loss. Any loss they suffer is going to look worse than ours - an end of the game loss to the #2 ranked team. They will drop atleast one this season, and it will be late enough (past ours) and to a crap enough team that they move beneath us (as we'll be moving up.. If we win, a #5 ranking is inevitable very soon, due to top 10 teams playing eachother.)

 

[WoodyWorshiper]

Michigan and Iowa were Security "Crutches" in case we lost to Texas. Keeping them in the top 10 would have given us a chance. As many were "self high-fiving" watching them get beat on saturday, so went any chance of us getting back into the NC hunt.

 

[AirForceBuck]

Michigan and Iowa were Security "Crutches" in case we lost to Texas. Keeping them in the top 10 would have given us a chance. As many were "self high-fiving" watching them get beat on saturday, so went any chance of us getting back into the NC hunt.

You gotta think that both Iowa and Michigan were saying the same thing on Saturday as you just did. However, Im sure they have the same gameplan to win every game from here on out which should put Michigan back into the top 10 , and Iowa will stay in the top 20 till we get ahold of them in 2 weeks. Also, note that Wisky, Penn St., Minnesota are all knocing on the top 25's door and will help our rank out by beating more 25's weekly.

 

[Steve19]

I agree. Right now, things look pretty dim, in part because losses by teams we play have lowered their poll and computer rankings. If our opponents have had good years by the end of the season and we win out, there is still a good chance.

A lot will depend on how Big Ten teams take care of business in the OOC part of the season. If we don't do comparatively well, then we carry that "between league" comparative performance into our "within league" computer ratings. The last weekend was really not good for us all because it set the bar against the Big 12 in particular. We need everyone to take care of business and for Miami Ohio to get back on the winning track with KSU this week.

 

[BUCKS 1]

NC Hopes Gone

Fact of the matter is we don't control our destiny as we did a few days ago. The reason for that was your #1 QB put himself in front of the team and took cash. He jeopardized the teams future and lost. Because of that he was not prepared enough to play Saturday and forced us into the situation we are in. If he played against Miami I don't think he muffs the ball around like he did and we open the play book a little more. He was not sharp like we needed him to be and so we played Justin to compensate. [mask]Troy lost us this years NC last year, just as that unemployed thug of a RB ruined the previous years. [/mask]I'd like to see us go with Todd.

 

[Buckin' A]

Do you really believe we would go to the Rose Bowl instead of a one-loss Texas and USC team? Or any one-loss SEC team for that matter.

We don't win big enough to jump those teams.

Yes, I believe that. Considering that we lost EARLY to the #2 team in the nation. Which of the other possible one loss teams will be able to say that?

 

[Folanator]

In '02 we were ranked 12th after 2 games. You tell me if it is possible?

Here are the Historical rankings after 6 games ON OCTOBER 21st 2002!




<TABLE><TBODY>
<CENTER><TR align=middle bgColor=#ffffff><TD class=small vAlign=top align=middle>1</TD><TD class=small vAlign=top align=left width=100>Oklahoma</TD><TD class=small align=middle>2</TD><TD class=small align=middle>2</TD><TD class=small align=middle bgColor=#000000>2</TD><TD class=small align=middle>2</TD><TD class=small align=middle>1</TD><TD class=small align=middle>3</TD><TD class=small align=middle>2</TD><TD class=small align=middle>2</TD><TD class=small align=middle>1</TD><TD class=small align=middle>1</TD><TD class=small align=middle bgColor=#000000>1.50</TD><TD class=small align=middle>13</TD><TD class=small align=middle>0.52</TD><TD class=small align=middle>0</TD><TD class=small align=middle>4.02</TD><TD class=small align=middle>0.1</TD><TD class=small align=middle bgColor=#000000>3.92</TD></TR><TR align=middle bgColor=#eeeeee><TD class=small vAlign=top align=middle>2</TD><TD class=small vAlign=top align=left width=100>Miami</TD><TD class=small align=middle>1</TD><TD class=small align=middle>1</TD><TD class=small align=middle bgColor=#000000>1</TD><TD class=small align=middle>4</TD><TD class=small align=middle>2</TD><TD class=small align=middle>6</TD><TD class=small align=middle>4</TD><TD class=small align=middle>4</TD><TD class=small align=middle>6</TD><TD class=small align=middle>6</TD><TD class=small align=middle bgColor=#000000>4.33</TD><TD class=small align=middle>27</TD><TD class=small align=middle>1.08</TD><TD class=small align=middle>0</TD><TD class=small align=middle>6.41</TD><TD class=small align=middle></TD><TD class=small align=middle bgColor=#000000>6.41</TD></TR><TR align=middle bgColor=#ffffff><TD class=small vAlign=top align=middle>3</TD><TD class=small vAlign=top align=left width=100>Notre Dame</TD><TD class=small align=middle>6</TD><TD class=small align=middle>6</TD><TD class=small align=middle bgColor=#000000>6</TD><TD class=small align=middle>1</TD><TD class=small align=middle>4</TD><TD class=small align=middle>1</TD><TD class=small align=middle>1</TD><TD class=small align=middle>1</TD><TD class=small align=middle>2</TD><TD class=small align=middle>2</TD><TD class=small align=middle bgColor=#000000>1.33</TD><TD class=small align=middle>1</TD><TD class=small align=middle>0.04</TD><TD class=small align=middle>0</TD><TD class=small align=middle>7.37</TD><TD class=small align=middle>0.3</TD><TD class=small align=middle bgColor=#000000>7.07</TD></TR><TR align=middle bgColor=#eeeeee><TD class=small vAlign=top align=middle>4</TD><TD class=small vAlign=top align=left width=100>Va Tech</TD><TD class=small align=middle>3</TD><TD class=small align=middle>3</TD><TD class=small align=middle bgColor=#000000>3</TD><TD class=small align=middle>6</TD><TD class=small align=middle>3</TD><TD class=small align=middle>5</TD><TD class=small align=middle>6</TD><TD class=small align=middle>5</TD><TD class=small align=middle>5</TD><TD class=small align=middle>5</TD><TD class=small align=middle bgColor=#000000>4.83</TD><TD class=small align=middle>25</TD><TD class=small align=middle>1.00</TD><TD class=small align=middle>0</TD><TD class=small align=middle>8.83</TD><TD class=small align=middle>0.2</TD><TD class=small align=middle bgColor=#000000>8.63</TD></TR><TR align=middle bgColor=#ffffff><TD class=small vAlign=top align=middle>5</TD><TD class=small vAlign=top align=left width=100>Georgia</TD><TD class=small align=middle>5</TD><TD class=small align=middle>5</TD><TD class=small align=middle bgColor=#000000>5</TD><TD class=small align=middle>5</TD><TD class=small align=middle>5</TD><TD class=small align=middle>2</TD><TD class=small align=middle>3</TD><TD class=small align=middle>3</TD><TD class=small align=middle>3</TD><TD class=small align=middle>4</TD><TD class=small align=middle bgColor=#000000>3.33</TD><TD class=small align=middle>9</TD><TD class=small align=middle>0.36</TD><TD class=small align=middle>0</TD><TD class=small align=middle>8.69</TD><TD class=small align=middle></TD><TD class=small align=middle bgColor=#000000>8.69</TD></TR><TR align=middle bgColor=#eeeeee><TD class=small vAlign=top align=middle>6</TD><TD class=small vAlign=top align=left width=100>Ohio State</TD><TD class=small align=middle>4</TD><TD class=small align=middle>4</TD><TD class=small align=middle bgColor=#000000>4</TD><TD class=small align=middle>3</TD><TD class=small align=middle>7</TD><TD class=small align=middle>4</TD><TD class=small align=middle>5</TD><TD class=small align=middle>6</TD><TD class=small align=middle>4</TD><TD class=small align=middle>3</TD><TD class=small align=middle bgColor=#000000>4.17</TD><TD class=small align=middle>28</TD><TD class=small align=middle>1.12</TD><TD class=small align=middle>0</TD><TD class=small align=middle>9.29</TD><TD class=small align=middle>0.4</TD><TD class=small align=middle bgColor=#000000>8.89</TD></TR><TR align=middle bgColor=#ffffff><TD class=small vAlign=top align=middle>7</TD><TD class=small vAlign=top align=left width=100>Wash St</TD><TD class=small align=middle>9</TD><TD class=small align=middle>11</TD><TD class=small align=middle bgColor=#000000>10</TD><TD class=small align=middle>9</TD><TD class=small align=middle>11</TD><TD class=small align=middle>7</TD><TD class=small align=middle>7</TD><TD class=small align=middle>9</TD><TD class=small align=middle>8</TD><TD class=small align=middle>8</TD><TD class=small align=middle bgColor=#000000>8.00</TD><TD class=small align=middle>11</TD><TD class=small align=middle>0.44</TD><TD class=small align=middle>1</TD><TD class=small align=middle>19.44</TD><TD class=small align=middle></TD><TD class=small align=middle bgColor=#000000>19.44</TD></TR><TR align=middle bgColor=#eeeeee><TD class=small vAlign=top align=middle>8</TD><TD class=small vAlign=top align=left width=100>Michigan</TD><TD class=small align=middle>8</TD><TD class=small align=middle>8</TD><TD class=small align=middle bgColor=#000000>8</TD><TD class=small align=middle>8</TD><TD class=small align=middle>15</TD><TD class=small align=middle>10</TD><TD class=small align=middle>8</TD><TD class=small align=middle>10</TD><TD class=small align=middle>12</TD><TD class=small align=middle>10</TD><TD class=small align=middle bgColor=#000000>9.67</TD><TD class=small align=middle>29</TD><TD class=small align=middle>1.16</TD><TD class=small align=middle>1</TD><TD class=small align=middle>19.83</TD><TD class=small align=middle></TD><TD class=small align=middle bgColor=#000000>19.83</TD></TR><TR align=middle bgColor=#ffffff><TD class=small vAlign=top align=middle>9</TD><TD class=small vAlign=top align=left width=100>LSU</TD><TD class=small align=middle>10</TD><TD class=small align=middle>10</TD><TD class=small align=middle bgColor=#000000>10</TD><TD class=small align=middle>10</TD><TD class=small align=middle>9</TD><TD class=small align=middle>9</TD><TD class=small align=middle>9</TD><TD class=small align=middle>7</TD><TD class=small align=middle>9</TD><TD class=small align=middle>9</TD><TD class=small align=middle bgColor=#000000>8.67</TD><TD class=small align=middle>26</TD><TD class=small align=middle>1.04</TD><TD class=small align=middle>1</TD><TD class=small align=middle>20.71</TD><TD class=small align=middle></TD><TD class=small align=middle bgColor=#000000>20.71</TD></TR><TR align=middle bgColor=#eeeeee><TD class=small vAlign=top align=middle>10</TD><TD class=small vAlign=top align=left width=100>Texas</TD><TD class=small align=middle>7</TD><TD class=small align=middle>7</TD><TD class=small align=middle bgColor=#000000>7</TD><TD class=small align=middle>13</TD><TD class=small align=middle>6</TD><TD class=small align=middle>13</TD><TD class=small align=middle>16</TD><TD class=small align=middle>17</TD><TD class=small align=middle>13</TD><TD class=small align=middle>12</TD><TD class=small align=middle bgColor=#000000>12.17</TD><TD class=small align=middle>30</TD><TD class=small align=middle>1.20</TD><TD class=small align=middle>1</TD><TD class=small align=middle>21.37</TD><TD class=small align=middle></TD><TD class=small align=middle bgColor=#000000>21.37</TD></TR><TR align=middle bgColor=#ffffff><TD class=small vAlign=top align=middle>11</TD><TD class=small vAlign=top align=left width=100>NC State</TD><TD class=small align=middle>12</TD><TD class=small align=middle>9</TD><TD class=small align=middle bgColor=#000000>10.5</TD><TD class=small align=middle>7</TD><TD class=small align=middle>12</TD><TD class=small align=middle>8</TD><TD class=small align=middle>11</TD><TD class=small align=middle>11.5</TD><TD class=small align=middle>7</TD><TD class=small align=middle>7</TD><TD class=small align=middle bgColor=#000000>8.58</TD><TD class=small align=middle>86</TD><TD class=small align=middle>3.44</TD><TD class=small align=middle>0</TD><TD class=small align=middle>22.52</TD><TD class=small align=middle></TD><TD class=small align=middle bgColor=#000000>22.52</TD></TR><TR align=middle bgColor=#eeeeee><TD class=small vAlign=top align=middle>12</TD><TD class=small vAlign=top align=left width=100>Florida St</TD><TD class=small align=middle>11</TD><TD class=small align=middle>13</TD><TD class=small align=middle bgColor=#000000>12</TD><TD class=small align=middle>11</TD><TD class=small align=middle>24</TD><TD class=small align=middle>12</TD><TD class=small align=middle>10</TD><TD class=small align=middle>19</TD><TD class=small align=middle>11</TD><TD class=small align=middle>13</TD><TD class=small align=middle bgColor=#000000>12.67</TD><TD class=small align=middle>3</TD><TD class=small align=middle>0.12</TD><TD class=small align=middle>2</TD><TD class=small align=middle>26.79</TD><TD class=small align=middle></TD><TD class=small align=middle bgColor=#000000>26.79</TD></TR><TR align=middle bgColor=#ffffff><TD class=small vAlign=top align=middle>13</TD><TD class=small vAlign=top align=left width=100>Iowa</TD><TD class=small align=middle>13</TD><TD class=small align=middle>14</TD><TD class=small align=middle bgColor=#000000>13.5</TD><TD class=small align=middle>12</TD><TD class=small align=middle>14</TD><TD class=small align=middle>11</TD><TD class=small align=middle>14</TD><TD class=small align=middle>11.5</TD><TD class=small align=middle>16</TD><TD class=small align=middle>14</TD><TD class=small align=middle bgColor=#000000>12.75</TD><TD class=small align=middle>46</TD><TD class=small align=middle>1.84</TD><TD class=small align=middle>1</TD><TD class=small align=middle>29.09</TD><TD class=small align=middle></TD><TD class=small align=middle bgColor=#000000>29.09</TD></TR><TR align=middle bgColor=#eeeeee><TD class=small vAlign=top align=middle>14</TD><TD class=small vAlign=top align=left width=100>USC</TD><TD class=small align=middle>15</TD><TD class=small align=middle>16</TD><TD class=small align=middle bgColor=#000000>15.5</TD><TD class=small align=middle>14</TD><TD class=small align=middle>23</TD><TD class=small align=middle>14</TD><TD class=small align=middle>12</TD><TD class=small align=middle>8</TD><TD class=small align=middle>17</TD><TD class=small align=middle>16</TD><TD class=small align=middle bgColor=#000000>13.50</TD><TD class=small align=middle>4</TD><TD class=small align=middle>0.16</TD><TD class=small align=middle>2</TD><TD class=small align=middle>31.16</TD><TD class=small align=middle></TD><TD class=small align=middle bgColor=#000000>31.16</TD></TR><TR align=middle bgColor=#ffffff><TD class=small vAlign=top align=middle>15</TD><TD class=small vAlign=top align=left width=100>Oregon</TD><TD class=small align=middle>14</TD><TD class=small align=middle>12</TD><TD class=small align=middle bgColor=#000000>13</TD><TD class=small align=middle>21</TD><TD class=small align=middle>8</TD><TD class=small align=middle>19</TD><TD class=small align=middle>20</TD><TD class=small align=middle>23</TD><TD class=small align=middle>28</TD><TD class=small align=middle>20</TD><TD class=small align=middle bgColor=#000000>18.50</TD><TD class=small align=middle>63</TD><TD class=small align=middle>2.52</TD><TD class=small align=middle>1</TD><TD class=small align=middle>35.02</TD><TD class=small align=middle></TD><TD class=small align=middle bgColor=#000000>35.02</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>


</CENTER><CENTER></CENTER>

Hell for that matter look at USC, they ended up #1 in a few polls in just a few weeks. Anything can happen, and yes I believe we can will it all.​

 

[BUCKS 1]

ND vs USC

Who do we root for? ND or USC? Kind of like ND vs scUM? I tend to think ND because I think their novelty will wear off and someone will knock them off in addition to USC. Maybe even this weekend. scUM is not that good which helps us out. Still going to be tough up there.