Game Thread Ohio State 20, Wisconsin 17 (Oct. 4)

[buckeyesin07]

Wisconsin stormed to a big first half lead indicative of the team's strength and in the 2nd half succumbed to the losing history at the Big House of Horrors which was bandied about amidst the media previous to the game.

Actually, Wisconsin only "stormed to a big first half lead" due to UM's sheer ineptitude on the offensive side of the ball, turning the ball over at a laughable rate. Wisconsin could have (and should have) put the game away in the first half, as any ability to capitalize on UM's mistakes would have given Wisconsin a lead of about 35-0 rather than 19-0. IMO, if the first half of the game was "indicative of the team's strength," then I REALLY like OSU's chances this weekend.

 

[OregonBuckeye]

Wells' success directly correlates with Chapman's departure from the game.

 

[Bill Lucas]

Yeah, it's silly how some people factor in yardage lost on sacks into their rush defense. Sacks are part of the pass defense. Ohio State did a good job of containing a P.J. Hillless Wisconsin running attack, but not 12 yards allowed good. BTW, if P.J. Hill is available last season, Wisconsin actually probably fares even worse on the ground. He would have been wholly incapable of circumventing OSU's defensive line penetration, and he only gains what the offensive line gives him, which in that game wasn't particulary much. Zack Brown did a nice job of working with what the Wisconsin offensive line gave him I thought, in spite of his 3.2 YPC finish.

On defense the Badgers were doing a great job of containing Beanie Wells until starting DT Jason Chapman suffered a season ending knee injury. Wells' success directly correlates with Chapman's departure from the game. You can somewhat attribute the turnaround to Wisconsin's continual 3 and outs on offense, forcing the defense to remain on the field too long. But the avalanche of momentum in OSU's favor and corresponding substantial deficit created wouldn't likely have occurred with Jason Chapman on the field. I might have said in the pre-game thread that the position where Wisconsin could least afford attrition was defensive lineman. Regardless, take my word for it, I had that discussion elsewhere. Wisconsin only went about 5-deep on the defensive line, with the depth being an undersized rush end. The same situation occurs this season. The 2nd half success OSU had against Wisconsin last season only translates if one of the 2 starting DT's sustain an injury and OSU is forcing continual 3 and outs against the Wisconsin O in the 2nd half.

From a caliber standpoint I'm not very concerned about the Michigan game's implication on this particular match-up. Wisconsin stormed to a big first half lead indicative of the team's strength and in the 2nd half succumbed to the losing history at the Big House of Horrors which was bandied about amidst the media previous to the game. Wisconsin doesn't have the same history against OSU, nor at Camp Randall. What I am concerned about is the potential hangover from a demoralizing loss. But I've recovered for the most part, and so should they. Wisconsin still controls their destiny basically when it comes to winning the Big Ten and the schedule unfolds very favorably.

No prediction about the outcome at this time....I'll provide it closer to gametime. There are a lot of important variables like: Beckum's health, Graham's health, and the expected role of John Clay; which are still unknown.

It's not how "some people" factor yards lost on sacks it is how the NCAA factors it. The NFL counts it against passing yardage but the NCAA counts it against rushing yardage.

 

[MililaniBuckeye]

UH, what? You make it sound is if we won on some fluke play. Beanie kicking ass doesn't make JT lucky to beat UW.

Uh, Beanie wasn't used all that much (go back and check) until Beanie went up and said, "Give me the ball". It wasn't like JT was toying with Wisconsin until he decided to spring Beanie loose.

The point is that without an exceptional second half by an exceptional player, Tressel's record against Wiscy would be a game worse, furthering countering bucknutt76's claim that Tressel owns Wisconsin...he doesn't, by a long shot.

 

[scarletngray]

Let's not underestimate these guys. Wisky has the ability to run the ball down our throats the entire game. Make no mistake about it. Question is: Can our D step up and stop their running game. IF not, it could be a long day for the good guys.

:osu:

 

[OregonBuckeye]

Uh, Beanie wasn't used all that much (go back and check) until Beanie went up and said, "Give me the ball". It wasn't like JT was toying with Wisconsin until he decided to spring Beanie loose.

The point is that without an exceptional second half by an exceptional player, Tressel's record against Wiscy would be a game worse, furthering countering the claim the Tressel owns Wisconsin...he doesn't, by a long shot.

You're really grasping at straws here. JT made second half adjustments and we won by 21. But yeah, he could easily be 1-4 against them.

 

[MililaniBuckeye]

You're really grasping at straws here. JT made second half adjustments and we won by 21. But yeah, he could easily be 1-4 against them.

I ain't graspin' at shit, son. Oh, you mean the "second half adjustments" that led to two Wisconsin TDs on their first two drives and our first drive getting stuffed like Thanksgiving turkey? Riiiight.

Tressel didn't adjust a damn thing. Beanie told the staff to give him the ball, and they did. If you want to call that an "adjustment", feel free. Most others will call it was it is...a bad ass player totally pissed off that the game was getting out of hand and who said, "Fuck this...just give me the ball and I'll win the game for you."

Just go do your homework or something...

 

[Poe McKnoe]

I ain't graspin' at [censored], son. Oh, you mean the "second half adjustments" that led to two Wisconsin TDs on their first two drives and our first drive getting stuffed like Thanksgiving turkey? Riiiight.

Tressel didn't adjust a damn thing. Beanie told the staff to give him the ball, and they did. If you want to call that an "adjustment", feel free. Most others will call it was it is...a bad ass player totally [censored]ed off that the game was getting out of hand and who said, "[censored] this...just give me the ball and I'll win the game for you."

Just go do your homework or something...

I have to side with OregonBuckeye.

I think the half time adjustments WERE to give Beanie the ball. There's no way you accidentally give Beanie 6 carries for good yardage in the first half.

6 carries.

I'd have a hard time believing that it wasn't planned that way. Boeckman had a big game at Penn State and the staff wanted to keep him going. Boecks had 21 or 22 passes in the first half and 7 or 8 in the second.

 

[bukIpower]

PJ Hill does NOT scare me. Clay/#30 do though.

PJ Hill is too slow to do much damage against our defense. We'll stop him before he starts and is not fast enough to hit the holes before they close. We've never struggled against Power teams with power backs... It's the teams with the backs in the 200 range or great moves that do.


As for beanie who gives a shit that was last year. We won. We adjusted and Beanie won us the game. Beanie cannot be who we lean on for this game though. I think we need the biggest effort from Pryor seen to date this upcoming saturday. Something like 100 yards rushing/150 passing with a total of 2-4 scores which IMO is very possible.

For some reason I have a good feeling about this game and always have. This team is tremendously one demensional. Their QB is not good whatsoever throwing the ball (running he's good though), and their defense has always under performed for what they have over there. I think there's holes all over on their defense. Their secondary isn't as strong, and thier linebackers (minus Casilla) aren't that great either. There's yards to get on this team. The only way OSU loses this game is if our defense is for some odd reason playing nickle all game (whcih I wouldn't be surprised if we did).

It's not offensively that could lose us this game it's Defense and Special teams that could. We need to finally step up and play nasty on defense. I want to see 8-9 players on the TV screen for OSU on defense. I hate when I'm watching TV and it looks like we have 4-5 guys in the box. WTF, of course there's goin to be running lanes when our players are all over the damn field. Play a standard 4-3 bring up Hines/Coleman from the saftey to add another to the box and finally just trust our talented Corners. Because to be honest their recievers.... not so much.

STOP THE RUN. WIN THE GAME. IT IS THAT SIMPLE FOR THIS GAME.

 

[Bernini]

It's not how "some people" factor yards lost on sacks it is how the NCAA factors it. The NFL counts it against passing yardage but the NCAA counts it against rushing yardage.

Who gives a fuck? The reality is it has no pertinence in argument about how well a team defended the opponent's running game.

 

[Bernini]

.....pointing out indisputable facts are hilarious. Nobody said the correlation proved causation. Just that it existed and it was probably one of multiple factors.

 

[jwinslow]

Nobody said the correlation proved causation.

It certainly was implied, at least to an extent.

That whole not getting the ball might have been a bigger factor. He was running the ball well enough in the first half, but they relied on the passing game too much.

 

[Bernini]

It certainly was implied, at least to an extent.

That whole not getting the ball might have been a bigger factor. He was running the ball well enough in the first half, but they relied on the passing game too much.

12 rushes for 49 yards (4.1 ypc) or thereabouts previous to the Chapman injury. I say thereabouts because I know he got injured near the end of the game tying drive but I don't recall if it was immediately previous to the touchdown. 12 carries is a pretty good sized sample. The discrepancy is dramatic between that sample and the 9 following in which he averaged 13.3. JWins, I think anybody who doesn't acknowledge it probably was a factor to some magnitude is being dishonest or arrogant.

 

[MililaniBuckeye]

I think the half time adjustments WERE to give Beanie the ball. There's no way you accidentally give Beanie 6 carries for good yardage in the first half.

6 carries.

I'd have a hard time believing that it wasn't planned that way. Boeckman had a big game at Penn State and the staff wanted to keep him going. Boecks had 21 or 22 passes in the first half and 7 or 8 in the second.

No wonder you're in the red so deep. You really think Tressel planned to not give Beanie the ball in the first half and then planned to run the shit out of him in the second?

After Wiscy scored on the opening drive of the second half, Boeckman threw two incompletions on our first drive of the second half (three-and-out). After Wiscy scored on their second possession, that's when Beanie told the coaches to give him the ball. After Boeckman threw an incompletion on his first attempt, and getting only 9 yards on his next attempt (first completion of the half), then and only then did Beanie start getting the ball consistently. In fact, from that 3-and-1 play, he ran the ball six of the next eight plays (the two other plays were rushes by Hartline and Boeckman).

The fact that Boeckman still got to throw the ball on four of the first five plays of the half (1 for 4 for only 9 nine yards) clearly shows that Tressel did NOT make a halftime adjustment to use Beanie, and turned to him only when we needed to get that 3-and-1 on our second drive after Wiscy had score their second TD and had seized momentum. If you remember that play, Beanie went through the line so fast that had he not tripped up (he had lowered his head to ensure he git the nedded yard) he could've broke it big. From that point on the staff saw that Beanie, to his word, wasn't going to be stopped.

 

[osugrad21]

Link

Confusion surrounding Beckum's role vs. Michigan
September 29, 2008 5:19 PM
Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg
Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema said today that star H-back/tight end Travis Beckum will be fully available for Saturday's home showdown against No. 14 Ohio State (ABC, 8 p.m.).
That's good news for the 18th-ranked Badgers, who could use a boost in an offense plagued by dropped passes against Michigan.
Beckum has been a nonfactor so far this season because of a lingering hamstring injury, and his role in Saturday's stunning collapse at Michigan Stadium raised some questions. The senior spent most of the game on the sideline holding his helmet but was inserted after Wisconsin fell behind in the fourth quarter. Bielema said after the game that he didn't play Beckum earlier because the star had missed practice time last week.
But Monday, Bielema said Beckum had been cleared by the medical staff and that the decision to play was left up to the player.
"[At kickoff] he didn't feel comfortable," Bielema said. "At halftime we asked him again and he didn't feel comfortable. Then the competitive nature of Travis... he felt compelled to get out there and play."
I'm confused.
Cont...