Game Thread Ohio State 37, Penn State 17 (final)

[WaitingforKickoff]

Great game by Marcus Freeman. I was probably his biggest doubter/critic, especially for his performance against PSU last season, but this season he is getting around traffic much faster, making more sure tackles and just flat out making his presence felt more on the field.

Great performance tonight but if there's anything I can point finger at, it's that we need more depth at DT. Laurinatis was restricted tonight because PSU OLers were able to get to the second level, and to have a dominating defense, that shouldn't happen. Our interior DL is good, but to get to where we want to be, it can and should be better. Recruit more DTs Tressel!

 

[Coqui]

Let me guess, you only started watching him last year?

Since 95

 

[OHSportsFan]

it's been said before

Musberger loves the underdog...no matter who that is.

 

[OSU_Buckguy]

Are you listening to the same Mussburger that I am? He is always hating on us. He loves Michigan.

 

[PlanetFrnd]

This Muss argument should be taken somewhere else - lets focus on the Bucks passing a big "test" today with flying colors...

 

[Dryden]

Sorry about that last garbage TD by PSU's return team. After PSU took the lead my wife left the room and went to the basement for the next three quarters since we'd determined she was bad luck. She came out later thinking the lead was safe.

I should've locked her down there.

 

[Mike80]

Great game by Marcus Freeman. I was probably his biggest doubter/critic, especially for his performance against PSU last season, but this season he is getting around traffic much faster, making more sure tackles and just flat out making his presence felt more on the field.

Freeman has been blowing people up all year long. It's awesome to watch.

Great performance tonight but if there's anything I can point finger at, it's that we need more depth at DT. Laurinatis was restricted tonight because PSU OLers were able to get to the second level, and to have a dominating defense, that shouldn't happen. Our interior DL is good, but to get to where we want to be, it can and should be better. Recruit more DTs Tressel!

I don't know if it was all on the DTs, I think Penn State game-planned that way. It really looked like they were trying to get a body on JL immediately. JL didn't have typical game we are used to seeing, but Freeman and Jenkins and Coleman and Gholston and a whole list of guys stepped up and made the plays.

 

[Mike80]

Really, this was not a big test. PSU barely got by Indiana. They are an average team.

horseshit.

A night game against 110,000 something fans and a good defense isn't exactly a walk in the park DESPITE what this team did to Penn State tonight.

This was a big game, the first really large test for this offense especially, and they more or less had their way with them.

 

[PlanetFrnd]

Freeman has been blowing people up all year long. It's awesome to watch.



I don't know if it was all on the DTs, I think Penn State game-planned that way. It really looked like they were trying to get a body on JL immediately. JL didn't have typical game we are used to seeing, but Freeman and Jenkins and Coleman and Gholston and a whole list of guys stepped up and made the plays.

I thought they were avoiding JL - they ran plays away from him on numerous occasions.

 

[jlb1705]

Wow. What a performance!

Besides the final score, one statistic completely tells the story of this game...

Ohio State: 0 punts.

There are only three basic outcomes when a possession doesn't end in a punt - a score, a turnover or end of half/game. Ohio State had the one turnover and had possession of the ball at the end of both halves. Besides those three posessions, the Buckeyes scored every time they had the ball. That is about as dominating a performance as you can have as a team.

Obviously there were a lot of good things happening tonight. The Buckeyes really took it to them physically, and it all started up front with the offensive line. They plowed through the Penn State defense to clear the way for the running game, and were phenomenal in pass protection. This led to few negative plays, manageable situations on second and third downs and startling efficiency in converting third downs. Additionally, whatever Buckeye player had the ball imposed themselves physically on Penn State tacklers. A guy like Chris Wells is expected to punish defenders with his running style and pick up yards after contact. The great thing about tonight was that other players got in on the act. Maurice Wells fell forward most of the times he carried the ball, and the TE just plain ran over people during the runs after catches. You would probably expect that kind of physical domination from the Buckeye defense, but tonight it was the offense that was physically imposing. You can really tell that the offensive line took those two big mistakes from last week's game personally, and Penn State was unlucky that they happened to be the ones that were in their path this week.

 

[Mike80]

[quote='BusNative;97434;8]I thought they were avoiding JL - they ran plays away from him on numerous occasions. [/quote]

They were doing that too, but when they went his way, it was JL they were aiming for. Of course I guess I should preface that by saying I missed a few plays here and there because I was either feeding or changing Ella

Let them. It might hurt JL's stats (although I don't think it would hurt them for long because everyone would adjust), we have the players on defense to make up the difference.

 

[PlanetFrnd]

Really, this was not a big test. PSU barely got by Indiana. They are an average team.

First of all "test" was in quotes... meaning I don't think they were a great match, but still...

horseshit.

A night game against 110,000 something fans and a good defense isn't exactly a walk in the park DESPITE what this team did to Penn State tonight.

This was a big game, the first really large test for this offense especially, and they more or less had their way with them.

...this was obviously the feeling before the game, and PSU was 18-1 in their last 19 at home. This was supposed to be a big test, the Bucks can't help they were so dominant.

 

[Best Buckeye]

Dang , I kind of thought that siince we just beat a good team in a very hard place to play that people wouldn' whine about anything at least until tomorrow. It's almost like you don't know how to celebrate or something.
Go outside and Burn a couch or something.

 

[Mike80]

Playing at night has nothing to do with it. Sure penn State is a tough place today, but again, they are average AT BEST. The tests will come in the next three weeks. If you think PSU is a good team, you don't know anything about football. I suppose you think the Bengals are good too.

Anyway, this was a big win. Quite a few "experts" were calling this the first landmine of the year.

Ohio State ALWAYS seems to struggle in Happy Valley.

And I'm not entirely sure what not knowing anything about football has anything to do with it. I mean hell they gave Craig James a friggin Color analyst job.....

And I'm ALSO not entirely sure what the Bengals have to do with anything either......

 

[jlb1705]

I don't know if it was all on the DTs, I think Penn State game-planned that way. It really looked like they were trying to get a body on JL immediately. JL didn't have typical game we are used to seeing, but Freeman and Jenkins and Coleman and Gholston and a whole list of guys stepped up and made the plays.

Agreed. It appeared to me that they had gameplanned to sell out to block Laurinaitis and on the first drive at least, it worked for them. It felt pretty similar to the approach they had to eliminate AJ Hawk in 2005. Fortunately, they made good adjustments after that drive and other guys around Laurinaitis stepped up to make plays.