Reality check

[jwinslow]

The top portion of the SEC is what makes it great, as does the depth from which that top portion can come.

Where it gets ridiculously hyperbolic is when the middling teams somehow tag along for the ride, when they aren't near that top portion during that year. (from their play, not just record) Teams like Auburn, Tennessee, Arkansas. The SEC has proven it can produce top teams from a deep list of teams, but for all the talk of how great the lower teams are every year, they still struggle with supposedly inferior talent in bowl games.

You'll have your tough teams like LSU/UGA last year, or UF/LSU the year before. And yes, Tenn/Aub are good teams, but they're really not separating themselves from the pack OOC when they aren't atop their conference. If they were as advertised, they would blow the afterthought teams like Wisconsin, Penn State and such out of the water. Instead they usually are in for a dogfight, and don't really have a meaningful edge in W-L.

Obviously this current batch of OSU players has not been up to the task against the elite teams. I'm pretty sure all three would get worked by 02 & 05 OSU, and probably lose an ugly game to 03. OSU has earned their lumps, and has to dig itself out and earn that back. But the bragging rights belong to the top SEC clubs, not the 2nd/3rd tier ones who struggle with and/or lose to Penn State in SEC-region bowl games.

 

[spurrier]

The top portion of the SEC is what makes it great, as does the depth from which that top portion can come.

Where it gets ridiculously hyperbolic is when the middling teams somehow tag along for the ride, when they aren't near that top portion during that year. (from their play, not just record) Teams like Auburn, Tennessee, Arkansas. The SEC has proven it can produce top teams from a deep list of teams, but for all the talk of how great the lower teams are every year, they still struggle with supposedly inferior talent in bowl games.

You'll have your tough teams like LSU/UGA last year, or UF/LSU the year before. And yes, Tenn/Aub are good teams, but they're really not separating themselves from the pack OOC when they aren't atop their conference. If they were as advertised, they would blow the afterthought teams like Wisconsin, Penn State and such out of the water. Instead they usually are in for a dogfight, and don't really have a meaningful edge in W-L.

Obviously this current batch of OSU players has not been up to the task against the elite teams. I'm pretty sure all three would get worked by 02 & 05 OSU, and probably lose an ugly game to 03. OSU has earned their lumps, and has to dig itself out and earn that back. But the bragging rights belong to the top SEC clubs, not the 2nd/3rd tier ones who struggle with and/or lose to Penn State in SEC-region bowl games.

agreed. also if u guys start consistently getting guys as good as terrell pryor, i see a nc as a serious possibility when you take in the schedule and not having to play a ccg. qb play is a must to win a nc and pryor appears to give you that opportunity. i may be wrong but he might be getting a much larger role in the near future.

 

[jwinslow]

08 & 09 is well on the way to getting top notch talent, at least on paper according to recruiting sites. As Oh8ch pointed out, OSU had 4 5-stars on roster from the past 4 years, and 1 was starting, compared with 31 5-stars over that period for SC.

Really though, give me studs in the trenches and the rest of the discrepancy dissipates quickly.

not having to play a ccg.

CCG's are exactly what's wrong with CFB, selling out for money, often at the cost of a better product. I can't count the number of times unworthy teams have had a shot at conference supremacy thanks to $$$-hungry CCG games. FSU losing 3 straight before CCG, endless streams of bad b12 north teams (one even cashing in vs OU), etc.

 

[Steve19]

Last time I checked, the Big Ten versus the SEC in recent years hasn't exactly been an embarrassment to the Big Ten. Ohio State's two losses do not indicate how the conference to conference matchup has gone.

 

[spurrier]

qute=Steve19;1262389;]Last time I checked, the Big Ten versus the SEC in recent years hasn't exactly been an embarrassment to the Big Ten. Ohio State's two losses do not indicate how the conference to conference matchup has gone.[/quote]
you may be right on the ole mark, but i agree with another poster who says that its at the very top that counts. what purdue does in the outback bowl has no bearing at all on osu.

osu is judged by creme de la creme competition. your outback bowl days vs south carolina are over. to really garner that national respect you have to show up and win these big games because we all know the big ten really gives you little competition. if i was looking at the osu schedule i would KNOW that the table is going to be run..you have nobody else to challenge you. just start preparing for another pac ten team cause that is the hardest game you have left.

 

[BUCKYLE]

sorry about the last part..you are totally right..how can it be within the rules for a team to get 3 bye weeks.

i am somewhat confused on the first part. i take it to mean that you believe the sec teams arent a challenge BUT the teams that beat the sec teams are..i have to be misinterpreting your meaning because as of yet you havent come close to the sec teams. how is it that the those are suddenly not a challenge

I definately didn't mean the SEC teams weren't a challenge. That would be stupid.

You're saying we don't get challenged in the big ten. You say SEC teams DO get challenged by the SEC conference schedule.

If B10 teams beat your challenging teams, how are we not getting challenged?

That probably isn't going to clarify, and I'm either not capable, or don't care enough to expand.

Basically, Gator nailed it. We beat TSUN, TSUN beats Florida. Florida is a challenging game for the SEC teams, but TSUN isn't a challenge for tOSU?

 

[jimotis4heisman]

I definately didn't mean the SEC teams weren't a challenge. That would be stupid.

You're saying we don't get challenged in the big ten. You say SEC teams DO get challenged by the SEC conference schedule.

If B10 teams beat your challenging teams, how are we not getting challenged?

That probably isn't going to clarify, and I'm either not capable, or don't care enough to expand.

Basically, Gator nailed it. We beat TSUN, TSUN beats Florida. Florida is a challenging game for the SEC teams, but TSUN isn't a challenge for tOSU?

the transitive property does not apply to sec teams... duh.

 

[morbitzerker]

We beat TSUN, TSUN beats Florida. Florida is a challenging game for the SEC teams, but TSUN isn't a challenge for tOSU?

That's what the Media wants you to believe.

People buy into it too.

 

[BUCKYLE]

One more thing...

I'm tired of hearing "we wouldn't have won if Beanie had played"...

I'm not making excuses whatsoever, but to say that as a fact is ridiculous. Beanie is the x-factor on tOSU. There's no way of knowing what happens if he plays. He busts one on the opening drive, it's a whole different ballgame.

 

[matcar]

One more thing...

I'm tired of hearing "we wouldn't have won if Beanie had played"...

I'm not making excuses whatsoever, but to say that as a fact is ridiculous. Beanie is the x-factor on tOSU. There's no way of knowing what happens if he plays. He busts one on the opening drive, it's a whole different ballgame.

Meh, I'm just as tired of hearing the opposite. If you watched that game and honestly thought we were a player away from competing, you were watching a different game than I was. JT too...otherwise why would he be considering some of the other changes that have been rumored.

 

[BUCKYLE]

Meh, I'm just as tired of hearing the opposite. If you watched that game and honestly thought we were a player away from competing, you were watching a different game than I was. JT too...otherwise why would he be considering some of the other changes that have been rumored.

You mean the same game where a drive stalled, resulting in a FG? Yeah, no way Beanie picks up a first down. Or the same game that was 14-3 at half? Yeah, Beanie's never scored a touchdown.

Everyone likes to mention the fires being stoked when Pryor played. Beanie has that same effect.

I'm not even saying we would've won. Just that it's nowhere near as cut and dried as people like to think, imo.

 

[Gatorubet]

I definately didn't mean the SEC teams weren't a challenge. That would be stupid.

You're saying we don't get challenged in the big ten. You say SEC teams DO get challenged by the SEC conference schedule.

If B10 teams beat your challenging teams, how are we not getting challenged?

That probably isn't going to clarify, and I'm either not capable, or don't care enough to expand.

Basically, Gator nailed it. We beat TSUN, TSUN beats Florida. Florida is a challenging game for the SEC teams, but TSUN isn't a challenge for tOSU?

To be fair to Spurrier, that was before DickRod tanked the entire Michigan progarm for a decade. :tongue2:

 

[smithlabs]

How about if Beanie played and Joe Mc Knight was hurt?

Even without Beanie running I think he could pick up a block or two that Herron could not. The threat to run and compatent blocking slows down the pass rush. TB has time to find the open receivers and doesn't make turn overs. OSU isn't playing from behind and can continue to make time consuming drives. SC defense gets tired. USC was a better team by more than a Beanie but it would have been a much better game with a chance of winning on any given Saturday.

 

[Ttown]

One more thing...

I'm tired of hearing "we wouldn't have won if Beanie had played"...

I'm not making excuses whatsoever, but to say that as a fact is ridiculous. Beanie is the x-factor on tOSU. There's no way of knowing what happens if he plays. He busts one on the opening drive, it's a whole different ballgame.

Agree Buckyle, PLayers like Beanie and Pryor make their teammates play better, and give them more confidence.
Perhaps with Beanie we could have won the game.

 

[BUCKYLE]

How about if Beanie played and Joe Mc Knight was hurt?

Nope. Doesn't matter. :p

I just think if the last two OOC games hadn't went down like they did, Even ESPN would be saying "if only Beanie had played". But since it's been three in a row, nothing could've changed the inevitable drubbing. It's horseshit. You can't accurately gauge what a leader like Beanie would bring to the table. Like I said, I want to make it clear that I'm not saying it would've been a W, but to say it wasn't even possible is absurd.

Take A.J. Hawk out of the '05 Texas game and tell me what the score was.