Ohio State Football 2013

[kaldaniels]

Bama had a loss each of the last two seasons and did not get significantly dinged lower in the polls. I'm just saying, I wouldn't count any chickens if your schedule is considered weak. For instance, Louisville has virtually no chance of being in the BCS championship game although they started in the top ten and look like they'll run the table. And right now there is a compelling case to be made that Oregon, Stanford, Bama, FSU and Clemson are all better teams than OSU. Vegas doesn't even think OSU is better than Georgia, A&M, or LSU-all one loss teams. There is what one thinks should happen to their team and then there is what the system that is in it's last year because of the arguments it has caused does to one's team.

As far as winning the BCS, Vegas thinks the Bucks are better odds. They consider OSU at least 4 times as likely to win the BCS title than any of the other teams.

Head to head would be another story...but the discussion at hand revolves around OSU making and/or winning the BCS title.

Sportsbook.com
OSU +550
UGA +2500
LSU +3000
JohnnyFootball +7500

[Boston Red]

Bama had a loss each of the last two seasons and did not get significantly dinged lower in the polls. I'm just saying, I wouldn't count any chickens if your schedule is considered weak. For instance, Louisville has virtually no chance of being in the BCS championship game although they started in the top ten and look like they'll run the table. And right now there is a compelling case to be made that Oregon, Stanford, Bama, FSU and Clemson are all better teams than OSU. Vegas doesn't even think OSU is better than Georgia, A&M, or LSU-all one loss teams. There is what one thinks should happen to their team and then there is what the system that is in it's last year because of the arguments it has caused does to one's team.

Louisville's schedule is beyond terrible. Ohio State's is just bad. OSU is not getting into the title game over an undefeated team from the SEC or the Pac-12. That may also be true of an undefeated ACC team. But OSU is not being left out for ANY one loss team.

[kaldaniels]

Sportsbook actually has some interesting BCS title odds.

Bama +200
Oregon +225
Baylor +550

Northwestern +500000

If there is any path to NW winning the BCS...you would win 25000 on a 5 dollar bet.

[BuckeyeRed27]

It's too early to start worrying about all this stuff. There is a ton of big games left to play and there is always some crazy upset.

The only top team that concerns me is Oregon. They haven't really played anyone yet, but with the way OSU's defense has looked the past couple weeks I'm not sure that is a good match up. I would give OSU at least a coin flip against Alabama, Stanford, and Clemson.

[medford]

How many times have we sat in the middle or late October and asked ourselves, what happens if these 3, 4, or 5 teams go undefeated? How many times have we looked at the schedules in early October and thought, we'll certainly these 3, 4, or 5 teams are going to go undefeated, just look at who they have left remaining? How many times have we christened in the New Year with more than 2 undefeated teams? One time? USC, Oklahoma & LSU in 2004(?), can't think of any others. More often than not, we're debating b/w multiple teams with 1 (or more losses) to match up w/ the only undefeated major conference team.

As an OSU fan, I'm not really worried about being left out of the championship game. If the Buckeyes run the table, history indicates they will likely get an invite. If this happens to be one of those rare years, then such is life. Go to LA, win the rosebowl and celebrate 26 straight wins. I don't care who you are, I don't care what conference you play in, going undefeated over an entire season is very, very difficult. Going undefeated over 2 seasons is doubly tough. It would be kind of fun to watch them make a run at going undefeated over 3 seasons.

[bucksfan2]

Louisville's schedule is beyond terrible. Ohio State's is just bad. OSU is not getting into the title game over an undefeated team from the SEC or the Pac-12. That may also be true of an undefeated ACC team. But OSU is not being left out for ANY one loss team.

Ohio State schedule both Cal and Vandy this season. It isn't their fault that Cal sucked and Vandy backed out. I found it ironic about how much was made from OSU playing Florida A&M when Alabama played Georgia St. in week 6 and then Chattanooga in its second last game of the season.

If OSU runs the table a 1 loss team isn't going to leapfrog them. I doubt that there will be more than 2 undefeated teams this season. It kind of reminds me of how ND was going to get left out last season, that was until they finished the season ranked #1 and Alabama who needed help and lots of it got into the title game.

[Boston Red]

. I found it ironic about how much was made from OSU playing Florida A&M

I don't know how, but someone should have found a way for Louisville and Ohio State to play each other that weekend instead of each pounding Florida Nobody 70+ to 0.

[jojo]

Ohio State schedule both Cal and Vandy this season. It isn't their fault that Cal sucked and Vandy backed out. I found it ironic about how much was made from OSU playing Florida A&M when Alabama played Georgia St. in week 6 and then Chattanooga in its second last game of the season.

If OSU runs the table a 1 loss team isn't going to leapfrog them. I doubt that there will be more than 2 undefeated teams this season. It kind of reminds me of how ND was going to get left out last season, that was until they finished the season ranked #1 and Alabama who needed help and lots of it got into the title game.

It may not be anyone's fault but the meaning of undefeated is nonetheless altered and for whatever reason OSU's schedule leaves that interpretation in the hands of others more than what I think is ideal.

[Hillsdale87]

Bama had a loss each of the last two seasons and did not get significantly dinged lower in the polls. I'm just saying, I wouldn't count any chickens if your schedule is considered weak. For instance, Louisville has virtually no chance of being in the BCS championship game although they started in the top ten and look like they'll run the table. And right now there is a compelling case to be made that Oregon, Stanford, Bama, FSU and Clemson are all better teams than OSU. Vegas doesn't even think OSU is better than Georgia, A&M, or LSU-all one loss teams. There is what one thinks should happen to their team and then there is what the system that is in it's last year because of the arguments it has caused does to one's team.

I don't think there's any way that OSU belongs in the conversation for the National Championship at this point. I'm an OSU fan, but I'm not sure they're even a top 10 team right now.

The defense is bad. It is a serious liability, and there is no reason for that considering the talent on that side of the ball. To give up the passing yards to Wisconsin and NW, teams that don't even like to pass the ball, is inexcusable. If that doesn't get fixed by the end of the year, Fickell needs to go. The defense made a lot of progress throughout the year last year, so hopefully we will see the same thing this year. But unless and until that happens, OSU is just not a great team. I think any of those top 5 teams that jojo listed would embarrass OSU at this point.

[LoganBuck]

I don't think there's any way that OSU belongs in the conversation for the National Championship at this point. I'm an OSU fan, but I'm not sure they're even a top 10 team right now.

The defense is bad. It is a serious liability, and there is no reason for that considering the talent on that side of the ball. To give up the passing yards to Wisconsin and NW, teams that don't even like to pass the ball, is inexcusable. If that doesn't get fixed by the end of the year, Fickell needs to go. The defense made a lot of progress throughout the year last year, so hopefully we will see the same thing this year. But unless and until that happens, OSU is just not a great team. I think any of those top 5 teams that jojo listed would embarrass OSU at this point.

People seem to forget that Ohio State has a very young defense. Ryan Shazier is the only returning starter in the front 7, then subtract Christian Bryant from the back end at S. True Freshmen are logging important minutes. Lets just see what this looks like in three weeks. Teams grow and develop. I don't know why people don't think that the young Ohio State defense won't get better. I often think back to the 2004 team, that was very young on Offense and Defense. They were a train wreck in the early part of the Big Ten season. But the young guys started to catch on, the coaches knew what they had to work with, and by November they were a serious handful. Including beating a veteran Michigan squad. The defensive line has been very good. The linebackers have been ok. The secondary has been a problem. Give them some time. The schedule opens up a little.

[traderumor]

I don't think there's any way that OSU belongs in the conversation for the National Championship at this point. I'm an OSU fan, but I'm not sure they're even a top 10 team right now.

The defense is bad. It is a serious liability, and there is no reason for that considering the talent on that side of the ball. To give up the passing yards to Wisconsin and NW, teams that don't even like to pass the ball, is inexcusable. If that doesn't get fixed by the end of the year, Fickell needs to go. The defense made a lot of progress throughout the year last year, so hopefully we will see the same thing this year. But unless and until that happens, OSU is just not a great team. I think any of those top 5 teams that jojo listed would embarrass OSU at this point.

I think this is unintended hyperbole. The offense is one of the best in the nation. It is explosive, has a big back, some scat backs, a QB that can run and with a strong arm, above average receivers, and a very good offensive line. The defense is giving up points, but this isn't Tressel ball anymore. The defensive line has shown dramatic improvement and some stars are emerging. The LBers have been pretty good despite playing a bunch of spread O's so far. The dbacks are a cause for grave concern, but they can develop as the Dline continues to pressure the QB increasingly each week.

The highlighted part makes me wonder, NW doesn't like to pass the ball? They run the spread. And Wisconsin, they were dared to beat us with the pass after stopping their glaring strength to run the ball in its tracks. How did that turn out?

I think the pass coverage crew keeps this team from championship game talk as of today, but to say they are not even top 10 is little more than hyperbole.

[Sea Ray]

Ohio State schedule both Cal and Vandy this season. It isn't their fault that Cal sucked and Vandy backed out. I found it ironic about how much was made from OSU playing Florida A&M when Alabama played Georgia St. in week 6 and then Chattanooga in its second last game of the season.

If OSU runs the table a 1 loss team isn't going to leapfrog them. I doubt that there will be more than 2 undefeated teams this season. It kind of reminds me of how ND was going to get left out last season, that was until they finished the season ranked #1 and Alabama who needed help and lots of it got into the title game.

It's not about faults here. It's not OSU's fault that the Big Ten is so weak either but it's a fact when evaluating OSU's season. Computers looking at strength of schedule don't have a program installed for "fault".

All in all, I do think if OSU is undefeated that they will find themselves in the NC game. Other teams will take on enough losses to see to it that that happens. Then the issue is will OSU once again embarrass itself and the Big Ten since that may very well be the first really good team they've played

[jojo]

I don't think there's any way that OSU belongs in the conversation for the National Championship at this point. I'm an OSU fan, but I'm not sure they're even a top 10 team right now.

The defense is bad. It is a serious liability, and there is no reason for that considering the talent on that side of the ball. To give up the passing yards to Wisconsin and NW, teams that don't even like to pass the ball, is inexcusable. If that doesn't get fixed by the end of the year, Fickell needs to go. The defense made a lot of progress throughout the year last year, so hopefully we will see the same thing this year. But unless and until that happens, OSU is just not a great team. I think any of those top 5 teams that jojo listed would embarrass OSU at this point.

With Michigan's loss to Penn State, it's very possible that even if OSU wins out, they will not have a single victory against a top 15 opponent since Meyer took the helm. Undefeated may not be an instant ticket for OSU.

[traderumor]

Watched a little bit of Oregon Saturday. WOW is all I can for the offense. Either Pac-12 D's are pathetic (I don't know how good UW D was), but that offense is talented. Still, I don't know what they're doing, but they had wide receivers running wide open 25-30 yards down the field, no defenders even in the picture. Ohio State's O is pretty good, but what I saw Saturday night was head and shoulders above anything else I've seen.

But then, I think Oregon gets the same rap Ohio State does--weak non-conference + weak conference = weak schedule and hard to say if they are legitimate. However, is SEC full of reputation moreso than greatness this year?

[BuckeyeRed27]

Watched a little bit of Oregon Saturday. WOW is all I can for the offense. Either Pac-12 D's are pathetic (I don't know how good UW D was), but that offense is talented. Still, I don't know what they're doing, but they had wide receivers running wide open 25-30 yards down the field, no defenders even in the picture. Ohio State's O is pretty good, but what I saw Saturday night was head and shoulders above anything else I've seen.

But then, I think Oregon gets the same rap Ohio State does--weak non-conference + weak conference = weak schedule and hard to say if they are legitimate. However, is SEC full of reputation moreso than greatness this year?

Oregon won't have that problem this year as the Pac12 might be better than the SEC. Oregon had a terrible schedule to open the season, but gets much tougher starting with last weeks game. Oregon has always looked amazing every year until the run into a really good defense (e.g. LSU, Ohio St, Auburn) and all of the sudden they can only score 21 points. Maybe this verision is different, but I doubt it.

Ohio St just needs to take care of business and not have a scare against a team like Iowa or Pudue and it will probably work out.