tOSU at Minnesota, Thurs. Sep 2nd, 8 ET on Fox

[Fungo Squiggly]

I'm conflicted, because I feel Minny could do enough offensively to limit possessions and keep tOSU offense off the field. By the same mold, I think the Bucks can do the same thing. We have a mammoth Oline (my thoughts on our straight drop pass pro aside) who will move bodies off the ball.

I also believe Day will be intent on keeping our young QB from harming the offense in any way. So the points might just not be 40+...

It remains to be seen if the minny defense has improved and by that same token - the Buckeye secondary. Tanner Morgan is good enough to exploit them if they play like last year.

I guess that's why I'm feeling a 10-13 point win feeling about right.

Anyone care to chime in and possibly correct my thinking?

I agree. I can see it going a lot like the 2018 game where Minnesota was running the PA (RPO?) play with either a run with Ibrahim or slant to a WR being covered by a LB. I think this game will tell us an awful lot about how much better we can expect the defensive gameplans to be.

 

[bukIpower]

I agree. I can see it going a lot like the 2018 game where Minnesota was running the PA (RPO?) play with either a run with Ibrahim or slant to a WR being covered by a LB. I think this game will tell us an awful lot about how much better we can expect the defensive gameplays to be.

Yep.. they're a tough scheme to track when they can get some success on the ground. If I remember right Hilliard came in and did well to shut down the slants.

We would be wise to run more zone this game

 

[AKAK]

Is this really tomorrow?

Oh, I am NOT ready.

 

[808 Buck]

I think this game will tell us an awful lot about how much better we can expect the defensive gameplays to be.

What will be interesting will be the adjustments to the game plan. Game planning is not that difficult (when you have great talent). It’s the tweaks and changes that need to be made on the fly that separates the great coordinators from the average. We shall see tomorrow.

 

[Buckeye86]

Yep.. they're a tough scheme to track when they can get some success on the ground. If I remember right Hilliard came in and did well to shut down the slants.

We would be wise to run more zone this game

I agree. I can see it going a lot like the 2018 game where Minnesota was running the PA (RPO?) play with either a run with Ibrahim or slant to a WR being covered by a LB. I think this game will tell us an awful lot about how much better we can expect the defensive gameplans to be.

I feel like the point of running a 4-2-5 with one deep safety and a cover safety/nickel and bullet LB/S is to do a better job covering that quick hitting stuff over the middle. It will be pretty disappointing if there isn’t a large amount of improvement in this specific area.

 

[Oh8ch]

I'm conflicted, because I feel Minny could do enough offensively to limit possessions and keep tOSU offense off the field. By the same mold, I think the Bucks can do the same thing. We have a mammoth Oline (my thoughts on our straight drop pass pro aside) who will move bodies off the ball.

I also believe Day will be intent on keeping our young QB from harming the offense in any way. So the points might just not be 40+...

It remains to be seen if the minny defense has improved and by that same token - the Buckeye secondary. Tanner Morgan is good enough to exploit them if they play like last year.

I guess that's why I'm feeling a 10-13 point win feeling about right.

Anyone care to chime in and possibly correct my thinking?

Limiting our possessions certainly evens the odds.

To that end I feel that this being the first game is to our advantage. Fleck does not have any film of this years D to look for things to exploit and keep drives alive.

 

[Telekinesis]

Pregame warmup:

 

[cincibuck]

Well, that's certainly mamerizing - er, mesmerizing.

 

[Jaxbuck]

Anyone care to chime in and possibly correct my thinking?

My crystal ball is in the shop. Big ol’ fucking crack in it.

My thinking is simple: it’s the first game, at night, likely in the rain, on the road, against a conference opponent and we’ve got a QB who’s never attempted a pass in anger at the college level.

Hold your junk in one hand and your drink in the other. Any fucking thing could goddamn happen.

If we emerge victorious it’s mission accomplished because every other B1G East team that’s opening with a conference opponent is an underdog. It would be great to get a game up on all those asswipes no matter how close, or not, this one ends up.

I, personally, don’t see the Bucks covering but would love to be wrong.

 

[Buckeye86]

My crystal ball is in the shop. Big ol’ fucking crack in it.

My thinking is simple: it’s the first game, at night, likely in the rain, on the road, against a conference opponent and we’ve got a QB who’s never attempted a pass in anger at the college level.

Hold your junk in one hand and your drink in the other. Any fucking thing could goddamn happen.

If we emerge victorious it’s mission accomplished because every other B1G East team that’s opening with a conference opponent is an underdog. It would be great to get a game up on all those asswipes no matter how close, or not, this one ends up.

I, personally, don’t see the Bucks covering but would love to be wrong.

I’m glad our oline is huge and should be dominant.

 

[Jaxbuck]

I’m glad our oline is huge and should be dominant.

I don’t care if we win by kicking FG’s while they scored TD’s.

Just win.

 

[bukIpower]

My crystal ball is in the shop. Big ol’ fucking crack in it.

My thinking is simple: it’s the first game, at night, likely in the rain, on the road, against a conference opponent and we’ve got a QB who’s never attempted a pass in anger at the college level.

Hold your junk in one hand and your drink in the other. Any fucking thing could goddamn happen.

If we emerge victorious it’s mission accomplished because every other B1G East team that’s opening with a conference opponent is an underdog. It would be great to get a game up on all those asswipes no matter how close, or not, this one ends up.

I, personally, don’t see the Bucks covering but would love to be wrong.

Forgot that they're wearing black, they have 20 starters back, and a 3 year starter at QB who's probably playing for his father who passed away recently. Add that to more than likely the best OL we will play all year and them being double digit under dogs? Yeah, anything could happen.

 

[1926Buckeyes]

Unless it's pouring, I think they pass to open up the run early. End up grinding out a decent victory unless they hit quite a few home run plays and OSU can win by a lot.

Not sure how good Minnesota will be this year, but I think they're a .500 or above team and it's not an easy opener with the night game and weather playing a factor. Biggest things I'm looking for other than a win are

• Stroud looking strong (doesn't have to be for a ton of yards, just confident and sharp)
• The RZ offense remaining as good as it has been in the last few years
• The revamped OL showing us why they made the gamble to move the AA OT to OG
• The DL playing up to their potential & the LBs playing solid, disciplined ball

Might not see all of those things, but if we do, that would make me pretty confident in this team's potential.

 

[bukIpower]

I don’t care if we win by kicking FG’s while they scored TD’s.

Just win.

Yep. You won't hear any complaints from me after the game should we just win.

 

[buckeyeintn]

I don’t care if we win by kicking FG’s while they scored TD’s.

Just win.

I've been there when that happened (albeit in The Shoe) and still remember the awesome feeling (this from a guy who has trouble remembering what he had for breakfast).