Game Thread tOSU at Illinois, Sat Oct 2, Noon ET, BTN

[utgrad73]

The Illinois crying has begun

http://mbd.scout.com/mb.aspx?s=169&f=2617&t=6463151&p=2

No mention of the 9 or 10 Ill penalties that REALY hurt them.

 

[NFBuck]

the primary differences are vision and shiftiness, which are considerable differences.

Exactly. Boom is your classic workman-like back who is going to run through the holes...but he's not gonna make people miss or create a lot of yardage. From what we've seen in Hall, he has that ability. I'm withholding judgment on Berry until I see him against a decent defense.

 

[utgrad73]

I lost all my vbucks:(

Didn't cover and lost the over/under - even now from last weeks winnings :(

 

[daddyphatsacs]

I said it last night and I'll rehash my thoughts. This game went as I expected it to. Big Ten road wins are not easy, especially when it's your first road game of the year, playing against a team coming off of a buy, with a coach on the hot seat. Plus, Ohio State has struggled against Illinois in the past. Don't discount history, it does somehow factor in to these games.

That being said I think Tressel was happy to get out with a win and not give a damn about style points. I agree with him. All great teams have bad games. You are going to have games where you struggle, you just hope that it's against an inferior opponent and you live to fight another day. Hopefully we got our uninspired, flat game out of our system, because a better team (ie Wisconsin, Iowa) will beat us. That being said, I fully expect the boys to be pinning their ears back in those games. These overlooked Big Ten games can sometimes set traps (Purdue last year, Northwestern 2004) and catch you if you are flat.

 

[Gatorubet]

Nice conference win guys. I think playing for the wind was a good call with a questionable (injury wise) TP. That said, playing a few more games like that could win you the Big-10 title and a #3 BCS ranking at year's end.

Even if you disagree with what voters want to see, they want to see you dominate and can punish you in the polls for not getting style points. This was a one score game for all but a few minutes. With the Pac-10 teams putting up points, and the extra bump the press gives the SEC after our four straight BCSNCs, you being #1 or #2 at the end is not a given by any means. It will continue to be a threat that you might get jumped if you have some more - non-spectacular shall we say - close wins. Yeah, 2002, I know. But the situation is different this year with an undefeated, ABC championed Boise State, and maybe an undefeated TCU, and maybe an undefeated SEC and a Pac-10 team too could be an issue down the road. Hell, if Bama or UF win the SEC CG after an epic game today a one loss SEC team might slide by you if you falter down the stretch if the Big-10 is deemed to be in a down year by the talking heads, through no fault of tOSU.

But I am often puzzled when Tress does not unleash the talent y'all have in certain situations. I think that a young OC with a more innovative set of plays - coupled with your beast of a defense and Tress' generalship - would be able to light up the points.

 

[MondayAMGenius]

In our last scoring drive, Illi knew OSU was going to run but Herron gashed them over and over.

Cry all they want about the one face mask, but they just can't line up and beat the Buckeyes.

Maybe Zook gets bonuses for moral victories?

:osu:

 

[Fungo Squiggly]

For you people have random recall of numbers and football scores, this is the same score as OSU's 2004 home loss to Wisconsin. Why do I remember that? No clue.

 

[Rookie]

Ooooo! Get your popcorn ready Nascar is on next after the UM/Clemson game!!!

I don't think we'll get leapfrogged. I'm confident we'll stay #2 if we just keep on winning.

 

[NFBuck]

But I am often puzzled when Tress does not unleash the talent y'all have in certain situations. I think that a young OC with a more innovative set of plays - coupled with your beast of a defense and Tress' generalship - would be able to light up the points.

I'm not sure one game warrants that criticism. The talent has been unleashed this year up until today. They were playing in 28-35 mph winds against a conference opponent that is almost always "up" for us. Add in the fact that your star player is hobbled in the 3rd quarter and I have no problem with "Tressel-ball" for one game. That could be the difference between this outcome and Purdue last year.

He knows he has the defense to stop those guys, hell they need gimmicks and gadgetry to score their only TD. When they're whipping that stuff out on the opening drive, you know you have them.

 

[WaitingforKickoff]

Nice conference win guys. I think playing for the wind was a good call with a questionable (injury wise) TP. That said, playing a few more games like that could win you the Big-10 title and a #3 BCS ranking at year's end.

Even if you disagree with what voters want to see, they want to see you dominate and can punish you in the polls for not getting style points. This was a one score game for all but a few minutes. With the Pac-10 teams putting up points, and the extra bump the press gives the SEC after our four straight BCSNCs, you being #1 or #2 at the end is not a given by any means. It will continue to be a threat that you might get jumped if you have some more - non-spectacular shall we say - close wins. Yeah, 2002, I know. But the situation is different this year with an undefeated, ABC championed Boise State, and maybe an undefeated TCU, and maybe an undefeated SEC and a Pac-10 team too could be an issue down the road. Hell, if Bama or UF win the SEC CG after an epic game today a one loss SEC team might slide by you if you falter down the stretch if the Big-10 is deemed to be in a down year by the talking heads, through no fault of tOSU.

But I am often puzzled when Tress does not unleash the talent y'all have in certain situations. I think that a young OC with a more innovative set of plays - coupled with your beast of a defense and Tress' generalship - would be able to light up the points.

First conference game of the year gator. It's like telling a baby that if he doesn't drink his milk he's not going to be president. Every game is going to be a high stake game for these teams at the top. No way they all don't crack.

 

[scott91575]

The Illinois crying has begun

http://mbd.scout.com/mb.aspx?s=169&f=2617&t=6463151&p=2

I think they have some reasons to cry about the refs. Of course they could have also been called for about 10 holding penalties. Heyward was being held every time I saw him. Illinois blockers had 2 handfuls of his jersey every play, and on the outside of the shoulder pads where it is obvious.

 

[FrancisSoyer]

Nice conference win guys. I think playing for the wind was a good call with a questionable (injury wise) TP. That said, playing a few more games like that could win you the Big-10 title and a #3 BCS ranking at year's end.

Even if you disagree with what voters want to see, they want to see you dominate and can punish you in the polls for not getting style points. This was a one score game for all but a few minutes. With the Pac-10 teams putting up points, and the extra bump the press gives the SEC after our four straight BCSNCs, you being #1 or #2 at the end is not a given by any means. It will continue to be a threat that you might get jumped if you have some more - non-spectacular shall we say - close wins. Yeah, 2002, I know. But the situation is different this year with an undefeated, ABC championed Boise State, and maybe an undefeated TCU, and maybe an undefeated SEC and a Pac-10 team too could be an issue down the road. Hell, if Bama or UF win the SEC CG after an epic game today a one loss SEC team might slide by you if you falter down the stretch if the Big-10 is deemed to be in a down year by the talking heads, through no fault of tOSU.

But I am often puzzled when Tress does not unleash the talent y'all have in certain situations. I think that a young OC with a more innovative set of plays - coupled with your beast of a defense and Tress' generalship - would be able to light up the points.

Agree with hiring an OC but it's never going to happen. Tress has been criticized for the offensive performances since he's been here. Considering his overall record there's no reason for him to change. I often wonder if we could be even better with a good OC onboard.

 

[OSU_Buckguy]

Exactly. Boom is your classic workman-like back who is going to run through the holes...but he's not gonna make people miss or create a lot of yardage. From what we've seen in Hall, he has that ability. I'm withholding judgment on Berry until I see him against a decent defense.

boom will get you plenty of singles and a few doubles. he doesn't swing for the yard, though, which is why i can't recall any homeruns from him. berry and hall? those guys can swing the bat. saine? he needs to start wearing women's panties in order to break the slump.

next time, i'm going with cricket as my metaphor.

 

[SEREbuckeye]

To be honest, nothing special happened today. Some younger guys played well, but thats to be expected of a 5-star athlete that plays at OSU, IMO.

Most disappointing sight was that our offense has zero game without Pryor at the helm.

We have a lot of work to get done this week, but a win-is a win-is a win...Go Bucks.

 

[MondayAMGenius]

I'm not sure one game warrants that criticism. The talent has been unleashed this year up until today. They were playing in 28-35 mph winds against a conference opponent that is almost always "up" for us. Add in the fact that your star player is hobbled in the 3rd quarter and I have no problem with "Tressel-ball" for one game. ....

Agreed. This is the type of muck that Tress is master of.