Game Thread Ohio State v Northwestern B1G Championship, @ Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, IN 12/1/18 8PM, FOX

[Systems_id]

One thing that irritates me is this notion that we didn't beat NW convincingly enough despite the fact that NW could easily hang with Texas and probably beat them. Anyone here think OU could beat NW by 3 TDs? I don't.

 

[Telekinesis]

One thing that irritates me is this notion that we didn't beat NW convincingly enough despite the fact that NW could easily hang with Texas and probably beat them. Anyone here think OU could beat NW by 3 TDs? I don't.

I don’t think Notre Dame or Oklahoma could beat Ohio State. In fact, I think there’s a good chance Ohio State dominates either of them. I don’t think it will matter since the committee has already set the field, though.

 

[pnuts34]

If we’re going by the best 4 teams, I think Ohio State is better than Oklahoma and Notre Dame. And I don’t think it’s close.

Unfortunately, I’d bet money that Ohio State doesn’t get in.

Moot point because we don't play them. And I would disagree that OSU is better than either, yes we've had a nice 2 last games, but I can't get the taste out of my mouth from Nebraska, Maryland, and of course Purdue! OSU doesn't deserve to be in the playoff this year, and the other 2 have better arguments, IMO.

 

[NJ-Buckeye]

Did Bowen play yesterday?

 

[LordJeffBuck]

Post-Game Notes

1. With the win yesterday, Ohio State improved to 12-1 on the season and earned its 38th Big Ten title (although its share of the 2010 title was vacated). Ohio State's record in Big Ten Championship games is now 3-1, and the Buckeyes have nine seasons with 12+ wins (although the 12 wins from the 2010 season were vacated). Urban Meyer has won 12 or more games in six of his seven seasons at Ohio State, and he improved his record at Ohio State to 82-9 (.901 winning percentage).

2. Dwayne Haskins broke his own Ohio State single-game passing record with 499 yards. On the season, Haskins has completed 348 of 496 passes (for a school record a .702 completion percentage) for 4,580 yards and 47 touchdowns (both school records) and just 8 interceptions. Haskins's passer efficiency rating this year is 175.77, also a school record.

3. J.K. Dobbins had a pedestrian game, rushing 17 times for 68 yards and a touchdown (although he did add 4 receptions for 50 yards and another score). For the season, Dobbins has now eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark, with 1,029 yards on 223 carries (4.61 per carry). Urban Meyer's offense has now produced eight 1,000-yard rushers in seven seasons at Ohio State.

4. Mike Weber added 17 carries for 51 yards, bringing his season totals to 157 rushes for 858 yards (5.46 per carry).

5. Parris Campbell had 7 receptions for 89 yards, increasing his season totals to 79 receptions for 992 yards and 11 touchdowns. Campbell needs just 8 yards to become the fifth receiver at Ohio State to have a 1,000-yard season, and seven receptions to break Ohio State's single-season mark (85 by David Boston in 1998).

6. Johnnie Dixon had 7 receptions for 129 yards and a touchdown. It was Dixon's second 100-yard game of the season, and marked the ninth time that a Buckeye receiver has gone over 100 yards for a game in 2018 (Parris Campbell has 3; Dixon, K.J. Hill, and Terry McLaurin each have 2).

7. K.J. Hill had just one reception for 8 yards. For the season, Hill has 67 receptions (6th-best single season at Ohio State) for 831 yards and 6 touchdowns.

8. Terry McLaurin added 3 receptions for 78 yards and 2 touchdowns, including one from 42 yards out. McLaurin leads the team with an average per reception of 19.7 yards, which places him just outside of Ohio State's top-10 for a single season.

9. Ohio State's quick-strike offense easily won the time of possession battle, 35:52 to 24:08, including 20:51 to 9:09 in the first half.

10. Ohio State's defense played alright, although they did manage to give up 418 total yards and surrendered a 77-yard touchdown run on the fifth play of the game. On the positive side, the defense did force 3 turnovers and 7 punts, and held Northwestern to 5 of 15 on 3rd down conversions.

11. Chase Young finally showed up to play, as he recorded 3 sacks for 19 yards lost and forced a fumble (recovered by Jordan Fuller). Damon Arnette and Shaun Wade each had an interception.

12. Now we wait until noon to see whether Ohio State goes to the playoffs or the Rose Bowl....

 

[Jagdaddy]

Moot point because we don't play them. And I would disagree that OSU is better than either, yes we've had a nice 2 last games, but I can't get the taste out of my mouth from Nebraska, Maryland, and of course Purdue! OSU doesn't deserve to be in the playoff this year, and the other 2 have better arguments, IMO.

At a really basic level, the committee knows what they're getting with OU (great offense and consistently bur predictably awful D) and ND (general solidity all the way around without much glittery excitement). I have no doubt whatsoever that OSU's ceiling or "A" game is higher than OU's and far higher than ND's, but they've also clearly established that they can't actually play their "A" game for four quarters, much less with any consistency over the course of a season. 2018 OSU might be he lowest football IQ team in the history of the program and they can't be trusted to not give up huge plays on defense, commit a plethora of moronic penalties, and generally, for a least a portion of every single game, look like they've never been coached (even the scUM game featured the massive fuckery at the end of the 1st half and a boatload of dumb penalties even excluding the b.s. penalties). WE don't trust them and want to see some coaches fired, so why should the Committee have a higher opinion of them?

It's a huge bummer because I do believe that this team, when it plays sound assignment football on defense and limits penalties, can hang with anybody, and Haskins gives them an X factor that can overcome a lot of flaws, but as a fan (or a Committee member) if you like to watch well-coached high-level football and don't want to run the risk of a team laying an absolute egg, it's hard to like them.

Having said that, the best argument for OSU is the mediocrity of every other team not named Alabama.

 

[Telekinesis]

Moot point because we don't play them. And I would disagree that OSU is better than either, yes we've had a nice 2 last games, but I can't get the taste out of my mouth from Nebraska, Maryland, and of course Purdue! OSU doesn't deserve to be in the playoff this year, and the other 2 have better arguments, IMO.

Notre Dame vs Ohio State:

Two common opponents (better wins for Ohio State against both) and a conference championship win for Ohio State. These are supposed to be two of the main criteria for making the playoffs. Bucks have a bad loss on the road, at night, in bad weather against Purdue, but Notre Dame doesn’t even play an extra game and had a bunch of ugly games against poor competition as well.

Ohio State also has more wins against ranked opponents and plays in the toughest division in the nation, while Notre Dame excuses themselves of a conference and plays against ACC competition, which is one of the worst conferences to begin with. Top this off with the fact that they don’t even have to play the best team in that conference.

I say force ND to play in a conference championship or complain to TCU and Baylor. Won’t happen, but it should to drive a point home that conference play and conference championships matter.

 

[BUCKDUBBS007]

 

[Buck I in Mich]

At a really basic level, the committee knows what they're getting with OU (great offense and consistently bur predictably awful D) and ND (general solidity all the way around without much glittery excitement). I have no doubt whatsoever that OSU's ceiling or "A" game is higher than OU's and far higher than ND's, but they've also clearly established that they can't actually play their "A" game for four quarters, much less with any consistency over the course of a season. 2018 OSU might be he lowest football IQ team in the history of the program and they can't be trusted to not give up huge plays on defense, commit a plethora of moronic penalties, and generally, for a least a portion of every single game, look like they've never been coached (even the scUM game featured the massive fuckery at the end of the 1st half and a boatload of dumb penalties even excluding the b.s. penalties). WE don't trust them and want to see some coaches fired, so why should the Committee have a higher opinion of them?

It's a huge bummer because I do believe that this team, when it plays sound assignment football on defense and limits penalties, can hang with anybody, and Haskins gives them an X factor that can overcome a lot of flaws, but as a fan (or a Committee member) if you like to watch well-coached high-level football and don't want to run the risk of a team laying an absolute egg, it's hard to like them.

Having said that, the best argument for OSU is the mediocrity of every other team not named Alabama.

My thoughts exactly. You can't trust the Buckeyes.

 

[Buckeneye]

I hear Pasadena is nice this time of year.

 

[Gizmo]

Notre Dame vs Ohio State:

Two common opponents (better wins for Ohio State against both) and a conference championship win for Ohio State. These are supposed to be two of the main criteria for making the playoffs. Bucks have a bad loss on the road, at night, in bad weather against Purdue, but Notre Dame doesn’t even play an extra game and had a bunch of ugly games against poor competition as well.

Ohio State also has more wins against ranked opponents and plays in the toughest division in the nation, while Notre Dame excuses themselves of a conference and plays against ACC competition, which is one of the worst conferences to begin with. Top this off with the fact that they don’t even have to play the best team in that conference.

I say force ND to play in a conference championship or complain to TCU and Baylor. Won’t happen, but it should to drive a point home that conference play and conference championships matter.

While true, I've heard this addressed no where outside of this board. Unless the committee surprises us nd actually looks at these facts, we already know the results.

 

[pnuts34]

Notre Dame vs Ohio State:

Two common opponents (better wins for Ohio State against both) and a conference championship win for Ohio State. These are supposed to be two of the main criteria for making the playoffs. Bucks have a bad loss on the road, at night, in bad weather against Purdue, but Notre Dame doesn’t even play an extra game and had a bunch of ugly games against poor competition as well.

Ohio State also has more wins against ranked opponents and plays in the toughest division in the nation, while Notre Dame excuses themselves of a conference and plays against ACC competition, which is one of the worst conferences to begin with. Top this off with the fact that they don’t even have to play the best team in that conference.

I say force ND to play in a conference championship or complain to TCU and Baylor. Won’t happen, but it should to drive a point home that conference play and conference championships matter.

2017 Bama(eventual NCs) are waving at you and laughing...

And though I don't disagree with you, @Jagdaddy expressed my thoughts best. We can't trust this team, and no matter what they say, I'm sure the committee keeps in their memory's past bad losses. And they(and I honestly I as well) have to feel that this Jeckyll and Hyde OSU team will see the same fate that they did in 2016. Whether we like it or not, the fact that games against mediocre teams was closer than they shouldn't have been speaks loudly in the minds of the committee, IMO. ND won't join a conference ever, until they absolutely are forced to.

Just be happy that we root for our team, that our "down" years we still make it to NY6 bowls. How many teams can honestly say that???

 

[Jaxbuck]

2017 Bama(eventual NCs) are waving at you and laughing...

And though I don't disagree with you, @Jagdaddy expressed my thoughts best. We can't trust this team, and no matter what they say, I'm sure the committee keeps in their memory's past bad losses. And they(and I honestly I as well) have to feel that this Jeckyll and Hyde OSU team will see the same fate that they did in 2016. Whether we like it or not, the fact that games against mediocre teams was closer than they shouldn't have been speaks loudly in the minds of the committee, IMO. ND won't join a conference ever, until they absolutely are forced to.

Just be happy that we root for our team, that our "down" years we still make it to NY6 bowls. How many teams can honestly say that???

and the Jekyll and Hyde nature of the 2014 team they gave a shot to?

I just don't quite buy the fact that the 2016 CFP game permanently scares off the committee while Oklahoma who has also been blown out in a CFP game and is 0-2 in their brief history there, is assumed to be the more reliable team and being given an inexplicable benefit of the doubt in '18.

It's a weak argument to mask the fact ESPN has a financial interest in the B12.

 

[ScriptOhio]

 

[pnuts34]

and the Jekyll and Hyde nature of the 2014 team they gave a shot to?

I just don't quite buy the fact that the 2016 CFP game permanently scares off the committee while Oklahoma who has also been blown out in a CFP game and is 0-2 in their brief history there, is assumed to be the more reliable team and being given an inexplicable benefit of the doubt in '18.

It's a weak argument to mask the fact ESPN has a financial interest in the B12.

Blown out, OSU didn't even score a point!
And OSU wasn't near as Jekyll and Hyde in 2014 as this year, where we literally give up a teams biggest gain of the season weekly. I don't say that the committee is permanently scared off from OSU, but a loss to Texas isn't nearly as bad as a blowout loss to Purdue(regardless of the conditions). Financial interest angle is BS to me, OU and OSU both are suspect teams who would both lose in the 1st round to Bama, but OU is a slightly better team(on paper), IMO. I could be wrong, and I'm fine with that, but yet another season where OSU has a BAD loss to a below average team and it comes to bite us in the ass at season's end. If OSU even found a way to grind out a W against Purdue by 1, I feel like we would've been in the CFP, but that didn't happen. But scarlet colored glasses will make it seem like its a valid argument between OSU and OU, when clearly OU shouldn't be punished for winning their conference, and OSU shouldn't move up