USC vs. OSU: A fun Idea for a Prediction Thread

[Kurt Sexington]

OSU wins because: Beanie rushes for more than 150 yards, defense gets pressure on Sanchez, offense doesn't turn the ball over.

OSU loses because: Offensive line can't get any push, defensive line can't pressure Sanchez, offense can't finish with 6 in the red zone.

USC wins because: Defensive back seven isn't forced to respect the pass and shuts down Beanie. Offensive line delivers on potential and keeps Sanchez vertical.

USC loses because: Offensive line wilts under a bright spotlight, Sanchez gets smacked around. Defensive front 7 can't get penetration and keep Beanie from reaching the second level, where he proceeds to stiff arm the living hell out of anything that moves.

Prediction: USC 42, OSU 17. The offensive line has looked so bad the past two weeks that I can't see this going well.

That's pretty dire! I'm a USC fan so I would be happy to see that type of score on Saturday but I just do not believe that Jim Tressell will have his players so poorly prepared for such a big game. Tress has to be sick and tired of hearing about the last two big game collapses and he's probably been looking torwards this matchup for months. I would be shocked if he didnt have his boys ready.

 

[TheIronColonel]

You think I enjoyed writing that? I'm a hellacious homer, but based on how the team has performed, I'm not convinced they can hang. I also expect Pete Carroll to try and pile on if he has the chance, because that's how he rolls (hence 42).

 

[Kurt Sexington]

You think I enjoyed writing that? I'm a hellacious homer, but based on how the team has performed, I'm not convinced they can hang. I also expect Pete Carroll to try and pile on if he has the chance, because that's how he rolls (hence 42).

I really dont want to be the opposing team`s fan who comes here and furiously fluffs his hosts. If there`s anything I hate more than blind homers, it`s posters who spend their time flattering the opponent.
That said, I really cannot bring myself to believe that Tressell, a guy with one of the best records of the new century if CFB, won't have his troops ready for this one. Sure, OSU may still lose, and frankly I predict they will, but not by a whole lot. The bucks O Line has played like crap, I agree, but there is talent and experience on the O Line and all it takes to right the ship is to light a fire under the collective ass of the O Line and get these guys to finish their blocks and protect the QB for a whole 60 minutes. If they can do that, the game will be close.

 

[LordJeffBuck]

1. OSU wins because they make big plays on offense, defense, and special teams.

2. OSU loses because they stall in the red zone and have to settle for FG's.

3. USC wins because they are the better team, period.

4. USC loses because they shoot themselves in the feet (see #1, above).

The total yards should be fairly even, but OSU will bog down in the red zone, and USC will hit big plays early and pile on late....

USC 41
OSU 22

Just what ESPN ordered.... :(

 

[LitlBuck]

OSU will lose if Boeckman does not see the entire field and hit the open man rather than throw into double coverage.

USC will lose if Ohio State gets more aggressive on defense gives Joe Burrito time to throw the ball:)

OSU will win if Beanie plays the entire game.

USC will win if Ohio State plays like they did against OU

Ohio State 35
USC 28

 

[GoodLifeSean]

OSU wins because: Beanie Blows up, Boecks doesn't make mistakes, our Recievers get seperation and catch balls, our defense plays with more instinct

OSU loses because: OU wasn't a fluke

USC wins because: Sanchez picks apart the OSU secondary, Cushing, Malauaga, and USC D proves the ESPN pundits right.

USC loses because: 16-0 Victory over Richmond, Richmond is good for FCS, but they [Virginia] are still a BCS conference member . USC is overconfident due to this and OSU's struggles

Prediction: OSU 31, USC 27- They won't be looking past this to Troy

 

[jimotis4heisman]

1. OSU wins because they make big plays on offense, defense, and special teams.

2. OSU loses because they stall in the red zone and have to settle for FG's.

3. USC wins because they are the better team, period.

4. USC loses because they shoot themselves in the feet (see #1, above).

The total yards should be fairly even, but OSU will bog down in the red zone, and USC will hit big plays early and pile on late....

USC 41
OSU 22

Just what ESPN ordered.... :(

950 yards of offense?

 

[JXC]

Why OSU will win: Defense. Experience, speed, and stength in all parts of the defense will control the game.
Why OSU will lose: Offense. The O-line is allowing too much pressure, and our recievers are not stepping up. Beanie isn't 100%.

Why USC will win: Talent and speed on both sides of the ball. They may not be as experienced, but they are just as talented. They will be fired up at home.
Why USC will lose: Sanchez. A pressure situation, where he should actually get pressured in the pocket...that spells turnovers. Maybe too many to overcome.

Prediction: Ohio State's secondary forces turnovers, and creates some short field situations. Even though Ohio State struggles to move the ball, they take advantage of these turnovers to get a few key touchdowns. USC moves the ball better than Ohio State, but Ohio State's redzone D forces USC to kick some field goals, and go for it on fourth down late in the 4th quarter, in which they get stopped. A move that Pete Carroll will be questioned about for the rest of the season. The bright spot for USC is an early saftey which puts them up 9-3, but after that the Ohio State offense makes no more mistakes and lets their defense win the game.

Ohio State 31 USC 22

 

[Mac]

Why OSU will win: The boys come to play, stellar D, Beanie, Boeckman has a hell of a game
Why OSU will lose: Boeckman doesn't play his best and WR's are a let down

Why USC will win: They are at home
Why USC will lose: OSU puts pressure on Sanchez and the D holds USC under 300yrd of Offense


Prediction: OSU 27 - USC 21

 

[LordJeffBuck]

950 yards of offense?

I think that each team will get about 350-400 yards of offense, but that Ohio State will have several 40-60 yard drives that end in FG's, not TD's.

Prediction: Ohio State's secondary forces turnovers, and creates some short field situations. Even though Ohio State struggles to move the ball, they take advantage of these turnovers to get a few key touchdowns. USC moves the ball better than Ohio State, but Ohio State's redzone D forces USC to kick some field goals, and go for it on fourth down late in the 4th quarter, in which they get stopped. A move that Pete Carroll will be questioned about for the rest of the season. The bright spot for USC is an early saftey which puts them up 9-3, but after that the Ohio State offense makes no more mistakes and lets their defense win the game.

Ohio State 31 USC 22

Pretty much the exact opposite of what I said ... lol ... I hope that you are right and I am wrong....

 

[Jake]

OSU wins because Beanie comes back at 100%, gains over 100 yards and the Bucks control the clock.

OSU loses because Beanie isn't 100%, Boeckman has to throw too much and the defense spends too much time on the field getting picked apart by the Trojans.

USC wins because their offense controls the game as UF and LSU did to us.

USC loses because the Bucks pressure Sanchez and he gets dirty.

I suspect it'll look a lot like what we've seen the last two Januarys:

38-20, USC.

 

[3074326]

That's pretty dire! I'm a USC fan so I would be happy to see that type of score on Saturday but I just do not believe that Jim Tressell will have his players so poorly prepared for such a big game. Tress has to be sick and tired of hearing about the last two big game collapses and he's probably been looking torwards this matchup for months. I would be shocked if he didnt have his boys ready.

I remember saying something like that before the LSU game.

"No way this team comes out and gets hammered like they did against Florida."

Didn't work out. I'm not doing this "fun" thing because this particular team hasn't proven that it's one of the elite teams. I'm not picking us to lose, but I'm not picking us to win. This game will tell us a lot about the team..

 

[BGBUCKEYE]

Why OSU will win: Beanie is healthy (and stays that way). JT open up the playbook and gets TP involved enough to keep USC defense honest.

Why OSU will lose: Beanie is not 100% and the game is placed in Boeckman's hands. Todd is a mediocre quarterback but does not have the speed or decision making abilities to be the key to an OSU win.

Why USC will win: They are in the coliseum and ooze talent at nearly all positions.

Why USC will Lose: OSU defense gets pressure on Sanchez and gets him rattled early (cue Wilson/Freeman). USC comes in confident/overconfident after an off week and OSU's pathetic recent performances.

28-16 USC (Please JT proove me wrong... i know Beanie isn't really hurt and you were playing poorly on purpose to lul USC into flase sense of security)

 

[iambrutus]

TOSU wins because they execute and play like they are capable of

TOSU loses because they kick too many FG's


USC wins because they are a solid team and make the plays needed

USC loses because they make too many mistakes


Final - 24-23

 

[powerlifter]

Ok i'll take a stab at this..Totally opinions,but that's what you asked for

OSU wins- Oline plays outstanding ball. I think that's the biggie no matter what condition wells is in. If usc gets a lot of pressure on TB then I have a bad feeling about it. I think he has to stay in the pocket and pass,when called upon. His small scrambles are ok,but usc is uber fast on defense. In return the receivers absolutely have to get some separation,which is going to be a difficult task in it's own. Watching the last two national title games it has a common them,and doing whatever it takes to prevent things like that happening would be great. I HOPE they can stretch the field with Ray Small's speed at times. That would open up the offense to more then just short passing.TB has to watch out for the rolling safeties and read into it more then just forcing a pass.I would like to see them go ala 2002 on usc and run the ball and win the game with defense. I think that's the best possibility to avoid a "shootout" type game. Those kinds of games with a team of USC's caliber play right into their hands.

Hartline and Robiskie have to get more physical,and not get pushed around. You can't blame TB for scrambling if he has noone to throw to at times.Playing a somewhat conservative game with a lot of beanie and a lot of defense would be great. I think Terrelle Pryor needs to be on the field at times,and I wouldn't even mind seeing a long pass from him to set the defense on it's heals. He is an athlete on the field that USC cannot prepare for in real time. JL has to play a monster game. If he steps up it will keep the momentum on the defense's side. He is the leader.

Obviously,the condition of beanie makes a huge difference. I'm not even going to bother stating the super obvious.

One last thing. I would like to see OSU come out and adapt to the game at halftime. If something isn't working then do something different. Running the same stuff over and over just isn't working in big games.It's almost impossible to build on momentum with the same exact playbook from the first half. Every aspect of the team needs to be looked at during halftime,and they need to really figure out what is working and what isn't.

USC wins- Pete Carroll's game plan is dynamic and efficient. If they can jump out to a decent margin ahead of OSU it will be hard to shut them down the rest of the time and make up points.

Spreading around the talent. I like the way LSU last year would throw everything they had at you. They had the depth to do that and there's no way of knowing what's coming. I think USC can do the same type of thing. Sanchez doesn't have to be a world beater for them to win. He needs to be accurate,and occasionally drop a long ball to test the defensive backs.USC is almost guaranteed to make those crucial halftime adjustments. Petey is a big time coach,and regardless of what some people think. He can ball with the best of them,when it comes to the playbook.

Use Joe Mcknight for some dynamics. Even if he doesn't bust something loose it's a nice card to show just for the benefits of forcing the defense to watch him at all times.(much like I would like to see with Terrelle on the OSU side of the ball)

Defensive- If they can be super aggressive and dictate the pace of OSU's offense(pressure-oddball blizing-brusing defensive secondary play) they can win the battle on that side of the ball.

USC's offensive line plays,and holds off our defensive line. I think it's crucial and will have a huge impact on what happens. Right now that is looking like a severe strong point for the buckeyes. I don't see their line stopping our ends. That is going to be a key element.

I will say usc ,but to believe that I might be right sucks. So I'm going to say that anything could happen,but I'm just using this score as a probables/possibilities add up..Nothing more

USC 31
OSU 17