Michael Smith
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What does November Have in Store for Ohio State?
Michael Smith via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Hello everyone, well its that week we all hate, BYE week. There’s no game to look forward to, no game to preview or anything like that. This week it’s trick or treat, raking leaves, and catching up on anything else that’s been sitting around during football season.
However, its the perfect time to see what is coming up for our beloved Buckeyes.
Ohio State has a tough November schedule and I’m here to preview it with you. Lets go game by game and see what we can predict might happen as Ohio State looks to repeat as Big 10 and National Champions.
Ohio State plays on all 4 Saturdays in November and here is what I think will happen in those games.
November 7: Minnesota at Ohio State 8pm ABC/ESPN
Minnesota is not the same team as last year. They badly miss David Cobb their star RB from last year. He torched Ohio State for 145 yards and 3 TDs.
This year Minnesota has struggled on offense.
Against teams like Kent State, Ohio U, and Colorado State. They were shut out against Northwestern and scored just 10 points against the Golden Flashes. Their defense does seem to be good. Now, they did give up 48 to Nebraska, but if you take away that game, the most they gave up was 27 and they held TCU to just 23 points.
Last year’s game shouldn’t have been as close as it was. The weather in Minnesota and Jalin Marshall fumbling kept Minnesota from getting blown out. With Ohio State getting a bye the week before, J.T. Barrett back at QB, and Minnesota’s struggles on offense I can see a comfortable win here for the Buckeyes.
November 14: Ohio State at Illinois Kickoff TBD
I really don’t like having to play at Illinois in November. Ohio State always seems to struggle in Champaign. One of the main reasons is because Memorial Stadium, after the middle of October, turns into a wind tunnel.
Its just really hard to throw or kick the ball with the swirling winds around the stadium. Illinois is actually an improved team as well. They are not as a bad as previously thought. They have a winning record at 4-3 and have only been blown out one time this year at North Carolina. They only lost to Iowa by 9, and Wisconsin by 11.
Three of their wins are against Kent State, Western Illinois, and Middle Tennessee State. Which is not exactly Murder’s Row. Their defense has only given up more than 30 points one time this year.
This game will most likely be your typical Ohio State at Illinois game.
It’ll be very clear too, who the better team is on the field. The only question is, “Will the weather keep this game closer than it should be?” I expect a very heavy dose of Ezekiel Elliott and J.T. Barrett running the ball. Look for Miller to run instead of catch too.
The final will be like 28-17 or 24-14 and we will have to hear how we struggled to win.
November 21: Michigan State at Ohio State Kickoff TBD
If this game isn’t 8pm on ABC I’ll be shocked. We all know what happened last year. Ohio State traveled to East Lansing to take on the higher ranked and favored Michigan State team.
Ohio State just ran up and down the field on them, winning 49-37.
The Buckeyes had the revenge factor having lost the Big 10 title game the year before to Michigan State, ending Ohio State’s unbeaten streak and chance at playing for a National Championship.
Now the revenge factor will be on Michigan State’s side.
This game has high scoring written all over it. Michigan State has gotten a little pass happy lately, watch for them to go back to the run this game. I’m really glad Jeremy Langford is gone, he seemed to give Ohio State a lot of problems whenever they played him.
Michigan State does have a replacement for him named LJ Scott, who is from my back yard.
He played high school football a few miles away from where I live. This game will be hard fought with both teams throwing haymakers at each other.
I think Ohio State will win in a shoot out though.
November 28: Ohio State at TTUN Kickoff TBD
We all know this will be at noon on ABC. Tradition will not allow it to be played at any other time.
Having to play this game a week after Michigan State is going to be hard. Ohio State will be coming off either a real tough win or a real tough loss — then they have to get up for ttun.
Now, don’t get me wrong, its very easy to get up for ttun emotionally, but physically it is a whole different ball game.
If you’re beat up, you’re beat up, it’s that simple. Ttun fans have had this game circled since Jim Harbaugh was announced as their new head coach.
They want so bad to beat us. I can’t say that I blame them.
If Ohio State had the same record over the same period of time vs them I’d be wanting a win so bad too. The very strange thing about this game is that in years past ttun’s offense would’ve been tailor made for Ohio State’s defense.
Ohio State used to be so good against the run and terrible against spread offenses. Ttun ran the spread for years and it always gave Ohio State problems. Ttun in the last 4 games against Ohio State has scored 40, 21, 41, and 28 points in those games.
Now they’ve gone back to the I formation and a running offense.
Ohio State has gotten way better against the spread it seems but now can’t stop the run very well. I never predict the outcome of the Ohio State/ttun game, it’s just a superstition I have. All I’ll say is the purists who wanted this game to mean something again and wanted it to be exciting again have gotten their wish.
So there you have it. It will be a tough road ahead for Ohio State to repeat as Big 10 and National Champions. They have the talent and team to do it, there’s no question about that.
Let’s hope what we saw this past Saturday in New Jersey keeps going.
The post What does November Have in Store for Ohio State? appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.
Continue reading...
Michael Smith via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Hello everyone, well its that week we all hate, BYE week. There’s no game to look forward to, no game to preview or anything like that. This week it’s trick or treat, raking leaves, and catching up on anything else that’s been sitting around during football season.
However, its the perfect time to see what is coming up for our beloved Buckeyes.
Ohio State has a tough November schedule and I’m here to preview it with you. Lets go game by game and see what we can predict might happen as Ohio State looks to repeat as Big 10 and National Champions.
Ohio State plays on all 4 Saturdays in November and here is what I think will happen in those games.
November 7: Minnesota at Ohio State 8pm ABC/ESPN
Minnesota is not the same team as last year. They badly miss David Cobb their star RB from last year. He torched Ohio State for 145 yards and 3 TDs.
This year Minnesota has struggled on offense.
Against teams like Kent State, Ohio U, and Colorado State. They were shut out against Northwestern and scored just 10 points against the Golden Flashes. Their defense does seem to be good. Now, they did give up 48 to Nebraska, but if you take away that game, the most they gave up was 27 and they held TCU to just 23 points.
Last year’s game shouldn’t have been as close as it was. The weather in Minnesota and Jalin Marshall fumbling kept Minnesota from getting blown out. With Ohio State getting a bye the week before, J.T. Barrett back at QB, and Minnesota’s struggles on offense I can see a comfortable win here for the Buckeyes.
November 14: Ohio State at Illinois Kickoff TBD
I really don’t like having to play at Illinois in November. Ohio State always seems to struggle in Champaign. One of the main reasons is because Memorial Stadium, after the middle of October, turns into a wind tunnel.
Its just really hard to throw or kick the ball with the swirling winds around the stadium. Illinois is actually an improved team as well. They are not as a bad as previously thought. They have a winning record at 4-3 and have only been blown out one time this year at North Carolina. They only lost to Iowa by 9, and Wisconsin by 11.
Three of their wins are against Kent State, Western Illinois, and Middle Tennessee State. Which is not exactly Murder’s Row. Their defense has only given up more than 30 points one time this year.
This game will most likely be your typical Ohio State at Illinois game.
It’ll be very clear too, who the better team is on the field. The only question is, “Will the weather keep this game closer than it should be?” I expect a very heavy dose of Ezekiel Elliott and J.T. Barrett running the ball. Look for Miller to run instead of catch too.
The final will be like 28-17 or 24-14 and we will have to hear how we struggled to win.
November 21: Michigan State at Ohio State Kickoff TBD
If this game isn’t 8pm on ABC I’ll be shocked. We all know what happened last year. Ohio State traveled to East Lansing to take on the higher ranked and favored Michigan State team.
Ohio State just ran up and down the field on them, winning 49-37.
The Buckeyes had the revenge factor having lost the Big 10 title game the year before to Michigan State, ending Ohio State’s unbeaten streak and chance at playing for a National Championship.
Now the revenge factor will be on Michigan State’s side.
This game has high scoring written all over it. Michigan State has gotten a little pass happy lately, watch for them to go back to the run this game. I’m really glad Jeremy Langford is gone, he seemed to give Ohio State a lot of problems whenever they played him.
Michigan State does have a replacement for him named LJ Scott, who is from my back yard.
He played high school football a few miles away from where I live. This game will be hard fought with both teams throwing haymakers at each other.
I think Ohio State will win in a shoot out though.
November 28: Ohio State at TTUN Kickoff TBD
We all know this will be at noon on ABC. Tradition will not allow it to be played at any other time.
Having to play this game a week after Michigan State is going to be hard. Ohio State will be coming off either a real tough win or a real tough loss — then they have to get up for ttun.
Now, don’t get me wrong, its very easy to get up for ttun emotionally, but physically it is a whole different ball game.
If you’re beat up, you’re beat up, it’s that simple. Ttun fans have had this game circled since Jim Harbaugh was announced as their new head coach.
They want so bad to beat us. I can’t say that I blame them.
If Ohio State had the same record over the same period of time vs them I’d be wanting a win so bad too. The very strange thing about this game is that in years past ttun’s offense would’ve been tailor made for Ohio State’s defense.
Ohio State used to be so good against the run and terrible against spread offenses. Ttun ran the spread for years and it always gave Ohio State problems. Ttun in the last 4 games against Ohio State has scored 40, 21, 41, and 28 points in those games.
Now they’ve gone back to the I formation and a running offense.
Ohio State has gotten way better against the spread it seems but now can’t stop the run very well. I never predict the outcome of the Ohio State/ttun game, it’s just a superstition I have. All I’ll say is the purists who wanted this game to mean something again and wanted it to be exciting again have gotten their wish.
So there you have it. It will be a tough road ahead for Ohio State to repeat as Big 10 and National Champions. They have the talent and team to do it, there’s no question about that.
Let’s hope what we saw this past Saturday in New Jersey keeps going.
The post What does November Have in Store for Ohio State? appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.
Continue reading...