Ohio State vs Clemson Bowl Preview

Discover Orange Bowl Clemson vs. Ohio State, Jan. 3 (ESPN, 8:30 p.m. ET) Why to watch: The Orange Bowl might feature the best matchup of quarterbacks: Clemson's Tajh Boyd vs. Ohio State's Braxton Miller. Boyd threw for 3,473 yards with 29 touchdowns and nine interceptions, while Miller threw for 1,860 yards with 22 touchdowns and five interceptions. The Buckeyes and Tigers have played only once previously -- the infamous 1978 Gator Bowl in which OSU coach Woody Hayes punched Clemson linebacker Charlie Bauman after he intercepted a pass in the Tigers' 17-15 win. Hayes was fired the next morning. Who to watch: Clemson wide receiver Sammy Watkins, a Biletnikoff Award finalist, had 85 catches for 1,237 yards with 10 touchdowns, bouncing back from what was a mediocre sophomore season in 2012. Watkins could find holes in OSU's secondary, which hasn't been the same since safety Christian Bryant broke his ankle in the Big Ten opener. Cornerback Bradley Roby struggled at times this season, but will be an intriguing matchup against Watkins. Motivating factor for Clemson: Few teams figure to be more motivated than Clemson, which will be trying to make amends for its embarrassing 70-33 loss to West Virginia in the 2012 Orange Bowl. The Tigers surrendered 595 yards of offense and 10 touchdowns in the beatdown. Motivating factor for Ohio State: The Buckeyes had won 24 games in a row before losing to Michigan State in the Big Ten championship game. But there wasn't a lot of meat on the winning streak, and beating an opponent of Clemson's caliber might quiet some critics. Pick: Clemson 27, Ohio State 24 According to www.espn.com

Art Schlichter is in Trouble Again - Buckeye Recruit Will Not Face Criminal Charges - Buckeyes Ranked 10th in most 2011 Recruiting Classes -

Buckeye Recruit Will Not Face Criminal Charges

CLEVELAND (AP) -- Authorities say Ohio State football recruit Chris Carter won't face criminal charges stemming from his arrest last week on an allegation he fondled a girl while pretending to measure her for an ROTC uniform.
Carter is a senior offensive lineman at John F. Kennedy High School in Cleveland. The 15-year-old girl told police Carter took her to a room behind the school's auditorium and tried to pull up her bra. He was arrested on suspicion of sexual imposition and spent a night in jail.
Cleveland spokeswoman Maureen Harper said in a statement Monday a full review found there wasn't enough evidence of sexual contact or conduct.
Carter's attorney Harvey Bruner says the city's conclusion verifies what he has said about there being insufficient evidence. He says Carter looks forward to attending Ohio State in the fall.


Buckeyes Ranked 10th in most 2011 Recruiting Classes

RANK SCHOOL TOTAL COMMITS 5-STAR 4-STAR 3-STAR AVG. STARS
10 23 1 14 7 3.65
Headliners: QB Braxton Miller, DT Michael Bennett

The skinny: Just as Terrelle Pryor readies for his final season in Columbus, coach Jim Tressel and the Buckeyes will be welcoming his understudy in Braxton Miller. Miller doesn't have the size of Pryor, but he does have the athleticism and can really throw the football. A bevy of terrific linemen continue Ohio State's strong defensive tradition in Michael Bennett, Kenny Hayes, and Steve Miller. The Buckeyes also landed one of the most complete corners in the country in Doran Grant. Ohio State also stole one of the best from the Sunshine State in Ryan Shazier -- one of the nation's most athletic linebackers.

The ones that got away: OG Aundrey Walker, LB Trey DePriest




Art Schlichter is in Trouble Again

One of the great quarterbacks in Ohio State history, Art Schlichter, has been in and out of prison for much of the last 30 years because of the need to feed his self-confessed gambling addiction.

In fact, he’s been to prison or jail 44 times, mostly for fraud and forgery and writing bad checks.

After he was released from prison in 2006, he vowed to a reporter that he would stay clean, and he wrote a book in 2009, called Busted: The Rise and Fall of Art Schlichter that told his tales of highs and lows and about how his gambling addiction helped ruin huge parts of his life.

Apparently, he’s back at another low spot.

According to the Columbus Dispatch, Schlichter is the target of a federal and local investigation “centering on a sports-ticket scheme that has swindled numerous people out of several million dollars.”

The big payoff was supposed to come around the Super Bowl, where Schlichter was going to sell dozens of tickets for hundreds of thousands of dollars. According to the Dispatch’s sources, though, Schlichter couldn’t deliver the tickets, meaning some of his buyers are stranded in Dallas with no way to get into the game.

Schlichter, when contacted by the paper, said he would turn himself into authorities in the near future, writing in a text message, "It will help a lot of people. This addiction is a [expletive]."

In a life gone wrong, it’s just another sad, yet entirely predictable, moment for Schlichter.

Cory Browns 4x4 Relay Video

Any Buckeye fan has to watch this race! Cory Brown runs the last leg of the 4x4 relay. Simply amazing!

Ohio State Basketball - College Gameday Final - Heisman Watch

Jared Sullinger
6-9, PF, Ohio State
How convenient, for the Buckeyes, to have a 280-pound beast like Jared Sullinger grow up in their backyard. The Columbus product, and younger brother of former Ohio State player J.J., should be a hit as a freshman. Jared plays a no-nonsense, physical brand of basketball in the post, and could very well be the Big Ten's most imposing big man -- in any class -- in 2010-11. He, fellow elite recruit Deshaun Thomas and senior Dallas Lauderdale will form one imposing frontcourt.








Master salesman Matta keeps OSU on top despite steady NBA attrition
si.com
In 1997, Scott Robisch was an all-state high school player from Springfield, Ill., and Thad Matta was an ambitious assistant coach at Butler. Butler coach Barry Collier badly wanted Robisch, a 6-foot-11 center who would have been a big signing for the Bulldogs.
Robisch seemed out of reach. Matta had done everything within NCAA rules to woo Robisch, who was leaning toward Oklahoma State. Finally, Matta said, "Scott, my wife is pregnant. If it's a boy, I will name him Scott.''
Nice, but as Matta recalls, "I already knew we were having a girl.''
Robisch signed with Oklahoma State. Two years later, he transferred to Butler.
Matta covered the usual recruiting bases over the years as an assistant coach. He used the entire recruiter's catalog: Daily for three weeks, he got up at 4 a.m. and drove from the Butler campus in Indianapolis to East Lansing, Mich., just so a hotshot recruit would notice Matta's car in the lot when the kid got to school. As an assistant at Miami (Ohio), Matta once spent considerable time writing the number "3'' on pieces of paper, then cutting out the threes and stuffing them in an envelope. He sent hundreds of 3s, so when the sweet-shooting recruit opened the envelope, all the little 3s would sprinkle out.
Matta didn't lose his recruiting zeal when he transitioned from assistant to head coach. He has always programmed the radio presents in his BMW SUV to hip-hop stations, so when he's hauling around recruits, they can punch up the stations and think the coach is cool. In the recruitment of Greg Oden, Matta once told the coveted big man, "I will add on to my house if you come to Ohio State.''
Why would Oden care about that?
"I was doing anything I could,'' Matta said.
Matta is entering his seventh season at Ohio State. He has won 156 games and got to the national title game, even though every year the Buckeyes seem to donate an exorbitant amount of quality goods to the NBA and beyond. Since Nov. 9, 2005, the day Matta formed The Thad Five -- a recruiting class that consisted of Oden, Mike Conley Jr., Othello Hunter, Daequan Cook and David Lighty -- the wonder in Columbus always has been how good the Buckeyes could have been if all five had stayed on campus. Imagine that quintet along with Evan Turner and Kosta Koufos -- on the same team.
Matta has different wonders. Such as: How do I keep replacing these people?
Matta's top returning scorer for the upcoming season is a 6-5 guard named William Buford. As a freshman, Matta recalls, "Buford would score six of our first eight (points) and I'd find myself thinking, 'He's gone.' I'm not thinking about what defense we should be in. I'm thinking about how we're going to replace Buford.''
In 2007, Ohio State lost the national title game to Florida -- then freshmen Conley, Oden and Cook left for the NBA. In '08, Matta brought in Koufos to replace Oden, and he left after a year. Hunter stayed two years. Turner left last spring, after three seasons.
A coach could get a complex.
"It would make it easier to say, like in football, 'I've got this guy for three years,''' Matta said.
Instead, he keeps selling the program. Matta keeps working it, the way he does that single hunk of gum he chews every game. Ask him how, he says what they all say: Matta sells the school. Matta sells the program. Matta says his players "have fun'' at his urging. He recalls taking high school seniors Oden, Conley and Cook on a campus tour one especially beautiful spring day. It was warm. The coeds were out in force, looking the way coeds do on warm, spring days.
"Coach,'' Matta recalls Cook saying, "this is (bleeping) college.'' Matta agreed. He said his eyes popped, too, as much as Midwestern eyes are allowed.
Matta likes playing the folksy farm kid from the aptly named Hoopeston, Ill. He claims not to know what Twitter is. He says "gosh.'' Matta says the older he gets (he's 43 now), the less in touch he is with the culture of the players he recruits. "When I'm mad at them, I make them listen to country music,'' Matta says.
OK. But why do they come to Columbus to play basketball? Matta might be living his Big Ten dream, but he's still doing it in Woody's shadow. Hoping to lure more students to home games, the university is moving its faculty and administrators from their center-court seats to behind the baskets. Students now will get the plum perches. This is never an issue when Jim Tressel's team plays.
Despite many rival coaches telling recruits that Ohio State is a football school, Matta is able to bring in top players year after year. This year it's Jared Sullinger, a 6-9, 280-pound force of nature who was rated either the best or second-best prospect in the country last year. Sullinger wasn't a hard sell: His brother played at OSU and is from Columbus.
He'll join Buford, who didn't leave, and Lighty, the last of the Thad Five. The Buckeyes will be solid, again, even as good players come and go like the harvest. Matta knows who to sign, and how to charm them.
"I became a better coach the day I had my own children,'' Matta says. He cites Christmas as proof. He remembers Christmas Day now. Frequently, he takes an hour or two to celebrate it. "When I was a young whippersnapper, I used to think, 'Who cares about Christmas?''' Matta says
"Sometimes, you still make that mistake,'' a reporter suggests.
"Yeah,'' Matta concedes. "I do.''



Buckeyes' loss shakes up Big Ten race
By Adam Rittenberg
ESPN.com
MADISON, Wis. -- Before boarding the team bus to the airport, Ohio State players stood outside Camp Randall Stadium late Saturday, pondering a new and sobering reality.
They brainstormed who needed to lose and how it could help them reach their goals, namely another Big Ten championship. It's an exercise the Buckeyes would rather avoid, but after falling to Wisconsin, they had no choice.
Ohio State no longer controls its destiny, and as a result, the Big Ten title race just got a lot more interesting.
The consensus preseason Big Ten favorite is looking up at Michigan State, Iowa and yes, even Purdue in the Big Ten standings. Michigan State is the Big Ten's only unbeaten team, and with a favorable November schedule, the Spartans' fate likely will be determined in the next two weeks, when they visit Northwestern and Iowa.
Speaking of the Hawkeyes, they might have the most control in the league title push. Iowa will host Wisconsin, Michigan State and Ohio State in the next five weeks. Although the Hawkeyes won't play Purdue, if they defend their home turf, they should be heading to Pasadena, Calif.
Wisconsin is in a boat similar to Ohio State, but the Badgers are much happier to be there. They'll need to win out and have Michigan State lose twice to earn a trip to the Rose Bowl. It won't be easy, but after beating Ohio State, Wisconsin has earned the right to think big.
No one expected Purdue to be 2-0 in league play after it lost starting quarterback Robert Marve to a season-ending knee injury. The Boilers have a rough road ahead, beginning this week at Ohio State, but for now, they're still in the conversation.
Ohio State's stumble in Madison makes the Big Ten title chase a lot harder to size up.
And a lot more interesting.


Ohio State's streak of league titles in jeopardy: The Buckeyes now need to win out and get some help to extend their streak of Big Ten titles to six. Ohio State not only lost the No. 1 ranking on Saturday night, but also control of its own destiny in the league title race. Jim Tressel's team must win out and hope Michigan State stumbles at least once to ensure a co-championship. To get back to the Rose Bowl, Ohio State should root for Iowa to keep winning until Nov. 20, when the Buckeyes visit Iowa City. Every Saturday can change the picture in college football, and Ohio State's picture just got a lot cloudier.





Heisman Watch
Tracking the CandidatesOct. 17, 2010
1 Kellen MooreQB | Boise StateNext Game: 10/26 vs. LT
There's still a long way to go, but the dominoes are falling in Boise State's favor as far as its national title hopes are concerned. As for Moore's Heisman candidacy, he continues to do no wrong, albeit against the likes of San Jose State. Moore threw for 231 yards and two touchdowns in limited action in the Broncos' 48-0 win.
WEEK 7 AT SAN JOSE STATE
PASSING
RAT YDS TD INT CMP%
250.0 231 2 0 87.5

RUSHING
YDS TD YPC
4 0 4.0


2010 SEASON
PASSING
RAT YDS TD INT CMP%
190.3 1567 16 1 69.5

RUSHING
YDS TD YPC
-11 0 -1.4


2 Terrelle PryorQB | Ohio StateNext Game: 10/23 vs. PUR
The game got away from Ohio State early, and it wasn't able to stem the tide against Wisconsin as its stay at No. 1 proved to be short-lived. Pryor was 14-of-28 passing for 156 yards with no touchdowns and a late interception. He also rushed for only 56 yards in the Buckeyes' 31-18 loss, which takes control of the Big Ten title race out of their hands.
WEEK 7 AT WISCONSIN
PASSING
RAT YDS TD INT CMP%
89.7 156 0 1 50.0

RUSHING
YDS TD YPC
56 0 3.1


2010 SEASON
PASSING
RAT YDS TD INT CMP%
158.0 1505 15 4 65.2

RUSHING
YDS TD YPC
410 3 5.5


3 LaMichael JamesRB | OregonNext Game: 10/21 vs. UCLA
Oregon was off this weekend and will return to action Thursday night against UCLA, likely with a new No. 1 ranking. James remains the nation's No. 1 rusher with more than 169 yards per game.
WEEK 6 AT WASHINGTON STATE
RUSHING
YDS TD YPC
136 2 5.4

RECEIVING
REC YDS YPR TD
2 87 43.5 1


2010 SEASON
RUSHING
YDS TD YPC
848 9 7.4

RECEIVING
REC YDS YPR TD
3 96 32.0 1


4 Cameron NewtonQB | AuburnNext Game: 10/23 vs. LSU
Newton did it all for Auburn in a 65-43 win over Arkansas, rushing for three touchdowns and adding a touchdown pass. Any time the Tigers needed him to make a play, he obliged, sending them to 7-0 and keeping them unbeaten in SEC play ahead of their visit from LSU.
WEEK 7 VS. ARKANSAS
PASSING
RAT YDS TD INT CMP%
179.0 140 1 0 71.4

RUSHING
YDS TD YPC
188 3 7.5


2010 SEASON
PASSING
RAT YDS TD INT CMP%
180.5 1278 13 5 65.6

RUSHING
YDS TD YPC
860 12 6.7


5 Denard RobinsonQB | MichiganNext Game: 10/30 at PSU
It was another frustrating outing for Robinson, who, despite rushing for more than 100 yards against a stout Iowa defense, couldn't keep Michigan on pace with the Hawkeyes. It was only when he went to the sideline with an injury and Tate Forcier took over that the Wolverines mounted a comeback before falling short 38-28.
WEEK 7 VS. IOWA
PASSING
RAT YDS TD INT CMP%
124.2 96 1 1 72.2

RUSHING
YDS TD YPC
105 0 5.8


2010 SEASON
PASSING
RAT YDS TD INT CMP%
159.1 1319 9 5 67.8

RUSHING
YDS TD YPC
1096 9 8.0

Ohio State Football Wrap-Up - Top 25 Polls - Gameday Final

10 Things We Learned From a Turbulent Victory at Illinois
By Brandon Castel
Brandon is always spot on with his articles. I agree with him 100%! I think it is time to give the younger backs some carries. Everybody says Jordan Hall, but I think Jamal Berry is the guy for the job. Boom did not do anything til the end of the game when our line wore them down. We all know he didn't get the first down on another 4th and 1. Spot????????? I do believe that Berry could get you a yard against anyone! Boom will not be able to keep Pryor from having to pass against Indiana! Place Saine out wide, give Boom some carries and when he gets us 1 or 2 yards a carry, which he will, then give it to the young pups and away we go!

1.Terrelle Pryor is not Superman.
It might be hard to believe, considering some of the things Pryor has accomplished during his time at Ohio State, but Pryor does not have superpowers. He was flying around like a speeding bullet Saturday in the first half against Illinois, but watching him fall to the turf with a strained quad, we were reminded of his mortality. He looked so invincible streaking past defenders on his long runs that it was hard to watch as he was helped off the field and into the locker room.
Pryor said that when he returned, his teammates were waiting for him to lead them the way he has for the last two years, but he was a shell of his old self. He couldn’t scramble because of the injury, but just as importantly, he couldn’t really throw the ball either because it hurt to drop back or plant on his left leg.


2. Buckeyes could be in trouble.
Strained quads are not the most insignificant of injuries. If not given the proper rest and treatment, it could continue to hamper Pryor for the remained of the 2010 season. These injuries are especially tricky because they can flair back up at any moment, even after the player starts to feel good again. Like Tressel has often said, that can be a dangerous moment because a player feels good enough to open it back up again, but as soon as he does that, the quad could restrain, starting the process all over again.

3. Pryor’s progress will be tested.
That means Pryor will likely be relegated to a pocket passer for the foreseeable future. That might not hurt them next week against Indiana, despite the Hoosiers’ success against Michigan’s feeble defense, but they have a huge trip to Wisconsin coming in two weeks. The Badgers are coming off a loss at Michigan State, but their defensive line is going to bring the heat on Pryor. He probably won’t be able to escape it the way he has in the past, which means that Pryor’s progress as a passer will be put to the test. He's shown definite improvement over the last year, but this is going to take things to the next level.


4. Offensive line was not prepared for this game.
Speaking of taking things to the next level, the offensive line will also be put to the test while Pryor is limited by the injury. He won’t have the same type of escapability, which means the pass protection has to be better. Just as importantly, the run blocking must improve as well. The Buckeyes simply weren’t prepared for what Illinois did up front Saturday, and that has to fall on the coaching staff. This group has been together long enough now that they should be able to move guys off the ball, which I believe they can do. Illinois used movement to offset that and the offensive line simply didn’t know how to counter it. That’s unacceptable considering the big games this team has played in and the big games they have left on their schedule.

5. Posey could use another year of seasoning.
The offensive linemen weren’t the only ones who had a bad game Saturday. Wideout DeVier Posey struggled mightily in the Big Ten opener. He dropped a pair of passes, missed a downfield block and picked up a critical 15-yard penalty on a chop block. It was the drops, however, that really hurt the Buckeyes—in particular the deep in route.
This is a guy who is going to play on Sundays. Talent-wise, he might be one of the top four or five receivers in the country, but he isn’t ready to make an early jump to the NFL. He has good speed, great body control and good route running. He is a big play threat and a guy who Pryor can go to over and over again on the intermediate passing game, but that’s only if the concentration is there. He has good hands, but they don’t always show up on Saturday’s. He dropped a touchdown in the Rose Bowl, and although he came back to make one in the second half, great players don’t drop the first one.


6. Buckeyes can’t count on Saine in the running game.
Brandon Saine is a good football player and a fine individual, but it appears the days of thinking of him as a weapon in the running game are over. After topping 100 yards in the season-opener against Marshall, Saine has all but disappeared from the running game over the last four weeks. The Buckeyes continue to give him carries, but I’m really not sure why. Tressel continues to say that it’s because he can take it 60 yards to the house at any moment. Except he hasn’t, and when he doesn’t, he isn’t the same back he was last season when ran for over 700 yards. He has good hands and can definitely contribute in the passing game, but Saine has very few moves and simply hasn’t shown the toughness running inside that he did last November.

7. Tressel doesn’t want to rock the boat.
Saine doesn’t seem to be the same player when he is nicked up, but for some reason no one on the staff can bring themselves to see it. Since rushing for 103 yards on nine carries in the opener, Saine is averaging just 2.4 yards per carry. It is clear to everyone outside the coaching staff that Boom Herron should be the starter and Jordan Hall should be the No. 2 back, but it seems like Tressel is hesitant to rock the boat. Saine is a senior captain and a former Ohio Mr. Football. He definitely has that home run ability, but this team needs guys who can do the consistent, hard running it takes to win in the Big Ten. Very rarely, if ever, does a back go 60 yards to the house in conference play, but a guy like Hall is averaging more than double what Saine is per carry over the last month.


8. Ohio State still capable of winning games with defense.
Even if the quad injury does limit Pryor’s ability to be a Heisman Trophy candidate, the Buckeyes are capable of winning games. They need their running game to find itself, but the key, as always, will be the defense. They gave up a touchdown on Illinois’ first possession Saturday and then shut down Nathan Scheelhaase and the Illini offense the rest of the day. After giving up 95 yards in the first quarter, they gave up 130 over the next three while holding Illinois to a pair of field goals.
There are still question marks with this defense, especially on the back end, but they are one of the best units in the country and should give the Buckeyes a chance to win every game they play the rest of the season. There’s no one better at shutting down the run than Ohio State, which means they still have a chance to walk into Camp Randall and come out victorious


9. Bryant has star potential.
One reason they played so well Saturday was the play of freshman Christian Bryant. When Tyler Moeller went down with an injury in the first period, it was Bryant who stepped in and played the star position. He looked nervous early—and what true freshman wouldn’t be—but settled into the position with the help of senior Jermale Hines, who did an excellent job getting him lined up. Bryant is small, but packs a huge punch and we could be seeing the early stages of a future star for the Buckeyes. It wasn’t exactly like James Laurinaitis stepping in for Bobby Carpenter against Michigan, but then again, Bryant made a lot more of an impact on this game than Laurinaitis did in his first action.


10. The Buckeyes will miss Moeller.
There have been multiple reports that Moeller might be out for the season with a torn muscle. If that’s the case, he should be able to get an extra year for all the medical hardships he has endured over the last two season, but the Buckeyes are going to miss him the rest of 2010. Moeller was second on the team in tackles coming into the Illinois game, and regardless of how well Bryant plays, there’s no way he can duplicate what Moeller brought to the position. One of the fastest players on the defense, Moeller was also one of the hardest hitters. He gave them a blitzing element and helped take away the stretch run plays. Bryant will give them an upgrade in coverage, which was actually important against Illinois, but there will be a lot more switching between Bryant and Andrew Sweat than there was when Moeller was healthy.



AP Top 25 College Football
RK TEAM RECORD PTS PVS
1 Alabama (58) 5-0 1497 1
2 Ohio State (1) 5-0 1401 2
3 Oregon 5-0 1379 4
4 Boise State (1) 4-0 1341 3
5 TCU 5-0 1250 5
6 Oklahoma 5-0 1183 8
7 Nebraska 4-0 1172 6
8 Auburn 5-0 1045 10
9 Arizona 4-0 898 14
10 Utah 4-0 860 13
11 Arkansas 3-1 825 15
12 LSU 5-0 819 12
13 Miami (FL) 3-1 769 16
14 Florida 4-1 681 7
15 Iowa 4-1 670 17
16 Stanford 4-1 663 9
17 Michigan State 5-0 607 24
18 Michigan 5-0 555 19
19 South Carolina 3-1 450 20
20 Wisconsin 4-1 316 11
21 Nevada 5-0 286 25
22 Oklahoma State 4-0 173 NR
23 Florida State 4-1 162 NR
24 Missouri 4-0 99 NR
25 Air Force 4-1 94 NR

Dropped from rankings: USC 18, Texas 21, Penn State 22
Others receiving votes: West Virginia 83, Kansas State 69, USC 52, Texas 33, Northwestern 25, Oregon State 12, Baylor 10, UCLA 8, Virginia Tech 8, North Carolina State 4, Penn State 1

Gameday Final
LOU HOLTZ
All you want to do every week is find a way to win, and that's what Ohio State and LSU did. It may not be pretty, but a win is a win no matter how you do it. You have to find a way to win every week. Here we are five weeks into the season, and things are really starting to take shape.

No. 2 Ohio State looked less than great in a 24-13 win over Illinois. If the Buckeyes produce several more unimpressive wins like that, they could get jumped if Oregon continues to look as dominant as it has. The Buckeyes will play at Wisconsin on Oct. 16, but that game has lost a bit of its luster after the Badgers lost to Michigan State on Saturday. The tough stretch comes in November with three straight games against Penn State, at Iowa and then home against Michigan. It's not unmanageable, but if Adrian Clayborn plays the way he did in a win over the Nittany Lions on Saturday, Terrelle Pryor could be in trouble.

College Football Power Rankings - Pryor and Adams Nursing Injuries for the Buckeyes

Pryor’s Knee Okay, Adams’ Shoulder in Question
By Brandon Castel

COLUMBUS — The Buckeyes scored 10 touchdowns in Saturday’s 73-20 win over Eastern Michigan, but only one of them left Ohio State fans holding their collective breath.
It wasn’t the 53-yard scramble from quarterback Terrelle Pryor on Ohio State’s opening drive of the game, or even the 20-yard touchdown pass to Pryor on a trick play from tailback Jordan Hall.
Instead, it was the 31-yard touchdown pass from Pryor to wide receiver Dane Sanzenbacher on the team’s second drive. It was the first of four touchdown catches for the senior from Toledo, but few watched him cross the goal line.
Just as Pryor released the pass, he took a blow to the left knee from Eastern Michigan defensive lineman Brad Ohrman, who had come through clean on the left side. He kept his eyes glued to his target, who was now celebrating in the end zone, but Pryor was a little slow to get up and center Michael Brewster rushed over to help him off the ground.
“It’s cool. It was a little sore after,” said Pryor, who underwent arthroscopic surgery on that same knee during the off-season.
“I’m just glad I had that knee brace on.”
Maybe the most disturbing part of the play was that left tackle Mike Adams, the man in charge of protecting Pryor’s blindside, didn’t seem to block anyone on the play as Eastern Michigan got a free shot at Ohio State’s star quarterback.
On Wednesday, Pryor cleared the air about the missed block.
“I felt like it was a clean block, but what happened was Mike Adams separated his shoulder on that play,” he said of his 2008 classmate.
“Once you separate that shoulder, you can’t do anything about that.”
It allowed Ohrman, a 6-foot-4, 270-pound defensive lineman, to get exactly the kind of shot on Pryor that Ohio State Head Coach Jim Tressel and quarterbacks coach Nic Siciliano want to avoid. Had Pryor not been wearing the protective knee brace, something he started doing midway through spring ball, the hit could have put an end to his season and the Buckeyes’ national title chances.
Instead, Pryor went back out there Saturday and threw three more touchdown passes on his way to tying the school record with six total touchdowns. As for the hit, it’s now a thing of the past.
“His shoulder slipped out, so the guy got in free. It’s football,” Pryor said, shrugging it off.
“He said sorry. He apologized and I accepted. It’s not a big deal. Weird things happen. Something silly like that, a lot of guys get injured making cuts and stuff like that. It’s a blessing to even be playing this sport so you just try to get back up and keep playing.”
The hit might not be a big deal from Pryor’s vantage point, but a shoulder injury that allows clean shots at the quarterback is certainly something the staff will be concerned with. A highly-touted U.S. Army All-American out of high school, the 6-foot-8 Dublin Coffman product played in only four games as a true freshman before he was lost for the season with a foot injury.
Adams also suffered a shoulder injury during his freshman campaign, and he re-aggravated it the following spring, requiring offseason surgery. It wasn’t a complete tear, and offensive line coach Jim Bollman said that Adams could have played with the injury had it happened during the season, waiting until after the season for surgery.
He was replaced by senior Andrew Miller on the series after the Pryor hit, but returned to his left tackle spot on the following one. Miller, who had not played with the first-team offensive line in the first three games of the season, got at least one more series with the ones against EMU as he and Adams rotated much like they had during spring practice.
Miller started the first three games last season at left tackle, but fell out of competition with Adams this fall because of an elbow injury that occasionally limited the strength in his left arm.
“My elbow deal is pretty good. I practiced with an elbow brace and all that stuff throughout the week,” the 6-foot-6, 290-pound tackle said.
“It is just a fatigue kind of thing. If it starts to wear down and I don't have that brace on come game day it is pretty fatigued.”
That could leave the Buckeyes with two left tackles who are less-than 100 percent heading into Big Ten play—especially with sophomore Marcus Hall taking a redshirt—but Miller doesn’t think the elbow will be a problem.
“I have been able to figure out a system between anti-inflammatory (medications), rest, and rehab,” Miller said.
“So come game day I don't necessarily need to wear the brace. It isn't anything that is slowing me down at all.”
The question, however, will be how much the shoulder injury slows down Adams, who had established himself as the fifth guy on an offensive line that returned four starters from last season.





NCAA Football Power Rankings September 30, 2010
1 Last Week: 1 Alabama Crimson Tide (4-0)
Arkansas made the Crimson Tide bleed Saturday. Now all those aspiring Rockys know college football's Ivan Drago isn't a machine. Still, it was astounding how quickly Alabama closed that wound and took over when necessary in Fayetteville. The offense got cute for a while -- with near-disastrous results -- but when it mattered most, offensive coordinator Jim McElwain fed Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram and Juggernaut Trent Richardson and let the line maul defenders. If Alabama never gets any cuter than that the rest of the way, it may not matter. Quarterback Greg McElroy could hoist a sign declaring "I'm handing this one to Ingram through the four hole," and only a handful of defenses would have the personnel to stop the Tide's forward progress.
Last game: Beat Arkansas, 24-20
Next game: Saturday vs. Florida

2 Last Week: 2 Ohio St. Buckeyes (4-0)
Saturday's touchdown pass from tailback Jordan Hall to quarterback Terrelle Pryor might not even be the best pass Hall has ever thrown to his former Jeanette (Pa.) High teammate. (That would be this one, or perhaps the 28-yard touchdown pass Hall threw to Pryor in the 2007 Class 2A state title game.) No matter where the pass ranks, it's simply another reminder that Sweatervestball is a lot more fun this season than it used to be. And it's about to be unleashed upon the Big Ten.
Last game: Beat Eastern Michigan, 73-20
Next game: Saturday at Illinois

3 Last Week: 3 Boise St. Broncos (3-0)
Barring a letdown of epic proportions, the Broncos will go 12-0 after dispatching Virginia Tech and Oregon State. Will that be good enough to make the BCS title game? Who knows? Now Boise State must wait, avoid slipping and hope the dominoes fall in a precise pattern.
Last game: Beat Oregon State, 37-24
Next game: Saturday at New Mexico State

4 Last Week: 4 Oregon Ducks (4-0)
The Ducks gave up 597 yards to Arizona State. That's positively mind-blowing. Even more mind-blowing is that they still won by 11. Not all of the Sun Devils' seven turnovers were unforced errors, so Oregon's defense deserves some credit for stiffening when needed most. But mark this down: If Stanford's offensive output comes anywhere near 597 yards Saturday, the score will be quite lopsided, and the Ducks' national title hopes will suffer a serious blow. But if Oregon plays better defense between the 20s and scores a few more lightning-strike touchdowns, the Ducks can beat the team that might be the top challenger for the Pac-10 title.
Last game: Beat Arizona State, 42-31
Next game: Saturday vs. Stanford

5 Last Week: 5 TCU Horned Frogs (4-0)
I'm not sure why the rest of the Associated Press Poll electorate and the coaches suddenly decided to leap Oregon over TCU -- I did it after Week 1 -- but the Horned Frogs needn't worry. If the power conference teams knock one another off and TCU can win out, the Frogs may be the ones doing the hopping. Boise State's win against Oregon State was more or less comparable to TCU's. Fairly or unfairly, that's how Boise State and TCU will be judged against one another. The difference is that if TCU wins out, it also would have a win against Utah on its résumé (or vice-versa if Utah beats the Frogs and wins out). Unless Virginia Tech surges and saves the perception of Boise State's schedule, the Mountain West's marquee matchup on Nov. 6 may be the deciding factor between the would-be BCS busters.
Last game: Beat SMU, 41-24
Next game: Saturday at Colorado State

6 Last Week: 6 Nebraska Cornhuskers (4-0)
Nebraska coach Bo Pelini sounded like the losing coach after his team's lackluster effort Saturday against South Dakota State. "Obviously, I'm not pushing the panic button because this is the same football team that went out to Washington last week and played pretty good football," Pelini said. "You have to have consistency. For us to show up like that at home today, I'm embarrassed. Like I said, it's my fault." Fortunately for the Cornhuskers, they still won. Now they have some extra time to prepare for a Thursday night special in the Little Apple against tailback Daniel Thomas and Kansas State.
Last game: Beat South Dakota State, 17-3
Next game: Oct. 7 at Kansas State

7 Last Week: 11 Florida Gators (4-0)
The Gators sputtered on offense with a quarterback better suited for a pro-style scheme than for Coach Urban Meyer's spread option. Then Florida found a freshman backup quarterback who can run like a bull, giving the Gators the between-the-tackles running threat they needed to open up the rest of the offense. Any of this sound familiar? Let's not project the career of Tim Tebow onto Trey Burton after one great game. After all, while Burton is officially Florida's backup quarterback, he also plays fullback, tight end and receiver. Burton could have a far more negative experience in Tuscaloosa on Saturday than he did in a six-touchdown breakout against Kentucky in The Swamp this past weekend. Still, if Burton's emergence helps the Gators' offense diversify to complement a playmaking defense, Florida may not have as much trouble reloading as we thought it would in the post-Tebow era.
Last game: Beat Kentucky, 48-14
Next game: Saturday at Alabama

8 Last Week: 15 Stanford Cardinal (4-0)
This week's Told You So doesn't come in the form of an e-mail. It came in person from Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck at the Pac-10's media event in New York in July. Luck had read my column about the delightfully cryptic messages on Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh's Twitter feed, but Luck regretted to inform me that I had guessed wrong on one. On June 23, Harbaugh wrote that he dreamed of the Greek god Kairos gliding across the field. I guessed this message had to do with a lanky receiver prospect who had recently committed to the Cardinal. Luck set the record straight. Luck told me that on the night Harbaugh sent the tweet, a Stanford professor had offered a lecture on Kairos, the god of opportunity -- or, more specifically, of the opportune moment. Maybe it's time to bring that professor in for a pep talk. Because Stanford's moment will come Saturday in a game moved to East Coast prime time to showcase the Pac-10's two best teams so far.
Last game: Beat Notre Dame, 37-14
Next game: Saturday at Oregon

9 Last Week: 8 Arizona Wildcats (4-0)
You didn't need binoculars to see Arizona's Saturday struggles coming a mile away. Cal, which isn't a bad team, had just been embarrassed on national television by Nevada. Arizona had just beaten Iowa for its biggest nonconference win in years. Motivated opponent plus hangover equals letdown. The good news for the Wildcats? They survived thanks to a three-yard touchdown pass from Nick Foles to Juron Criner with 1:11 remaining. Now, the Bear Down Bunch has a week off to calm its nerves and get back to normal. If the Wildcats hope to win the Pac-10 title, they'll have to learn to refocus better after big wins.
Last game: Beat Cal, 10-9
Next game: Oct. 9 vs. Oregon State

10 Last Week: 9 Oklahoma Sooners (4-0)
It would be easy to blame Texas for the tepid anticipation for this year's Red River game, but the Sooners also nearly gagged one away on Saturday. Oklahoma is one of the tougher-to-gauge teams in college football. The Sooners looked unstoppable against Florida State on Sept. 11, but they have looked quite mortal against Utah State, Air Force and Cincinnati. So it's impossible to guess which Oklahoma team will show up at the Cotton Bowl on Saturday.
Last game: Beat Cincinnati, 31-29
Next game: Saturday vs. Texas in Dallas



No. 2 Ohio State at Illinois
AWAY LOCATION HOME
CHAMPAIGN, IL
Oct. 2, 12:00 PM ET
Big Ten Network

It was the Terrelle Pryor show last week in a 73-20 win over Eastern Michigan, as the junior quarterback scored six touchdowns. The Buckeyes' Big Ten-opening trip to Champaign, Ill., will be their first venture outside the cozy confines of the Horseshoe, where they'll face a 2-1 Illinois team coming off a bye week. It's not an inhospitable setting for Ohio State, which hasn't lost at Illinois since 1991.

Cavs Moving On - Buckeye Football EMU Recap

10 Things We Learned From Tressel’s Highest-Scoring Game
By Brandon Castel
Brandon's always right on with his articles. If you get a chance head over to theozone.net and read all of his work. Simply fantastic!
1.73 is a lot of points. Rarely has Tressel been accused of running up the score. In fact, his Ohio State teams had only topped the 50-point mark four times in over nine seasons before their 73-point outburst Saturday. They scored 15 more points than any other Tressel-coached OSU team, and became just the third OSU team in the last 60 years to score more than 70 points. The last time it was done was 1996 when the Buckeyes had David Boston, Orlando Pace, Pepe Pearson and a defense that allowed 131 points all season. It takes a lot of scoring to get to 70 points, and the Buckeyes only got three the cheap way. They had one Devin Barclay field goal and 10 offensive touchdowns, including six by Pryor.

2. Tressel wants this team to feel good. There are some years when it seems like Tressel is intentionally trying to hold his team back from busting the flood gates. He doesn’t seem to go for the jugular against lesser opponents because he seemingly doesn’t want his team to think too highly of itself. This is not one of those seasons. This team is good. Very good. Tressel knows it and he wants his players to know it. It reminds me of the 2006 season the way they are rolling over teams with no regard. That ’06 was a confident bunch, and they needed the confidence to beat Michigan 42-39 in the “Game of the Century,” but by the bowl game they were too confident.



3. Terrelle Pryor is going to re-write the record books. Don’t look now, but Pryor is shooting up the record books in just about every conceivable category. With his four touchdown passes Saturday, he moved past Greg Frey (37) for fifth place on the all-time list with 40. He needs 18 more to break Bobby Hoying’s all-time school record. He could break that this season, and by next year he could set the mark so high that no one will touch it for another 50-100 years.
More impressively, he passed Joe Germaine and Pete Johnson (56) for fourth on the all-time touchdowns list with 58. Assuming he stays for his senior season, which he has said he plans to do, Pryor would have 22 more games in a Buckeye uniform, including two assumed bowl games. By the time it’s all said and done, he might be at the top of the list in just about everything. He will likely pass Craig Krenzel for 9th on the all-time passing yards list next week. It won’t be long before he cruises past Troy Smith and he could be as high as fifth on the all-time list by season’s end. It might be a long-shot for him to catch Art Schlichter for the all-time record, but second place is within reach.
But that’s not all. His 3,089 career rushing yards rank seventh in school history, ahead of guys like Carlos Snow, Michael Wiley and Raymont Harris. By the end of the 2010 season, it’s possible that only Archie Griffin and Eddie George will have more career rushing yards than Pryor. If he somehow manages to rush for 1,000 yards this season, Pryor would pass Eddie for second-place on the all time list.


4. The OSU defense is not invincible. Despite the fact they allowed a late touchdown against the Hurricanes, Ohio State’s defense had been nearly perfect in the first three weeks. When they weren’t turning teams over, they were forcing three-and-outs or even scoring points of their own. It looked like this OSU defense might go down as one of the best in school history, but Saturday definitely poked holes in the armor.
Defensive coordinator Jim Heacock said after the game that it was good to have some teaching points because they haven’t had many as of late, but there’s no way anyone on the team can be happy allowing three long touchdown drives to a team that has lost 16 games in a row. Someone close to the team said before the game that the coaching staff felt EMU had a better offense than Ohio, and they proved it. Quarterback Alex Gillett did a great job selling the play-fake and OSU couldn’t rotate their defense fast enough to make him pay for throwing the ball down field.
The Buckeyes still won the game by 53 points, but they had to score 10 touchdowns to get there.


5. Secondary is a major concern. If there’s one area of the defense that draws special attention after this game it has to be the secondary. Starting corner Devon Torrence suffered a hip pointer against Ohio and barely practiced this week. Then Chimdi Chekwa left the game with back spasms and the Buckeyes almost gave up a long touchdown on the very next series. The No. 3 corner, Travis Howard is out with a shoulder injury and Donnie Evege could miss the rest of the season with a dislocate elbow.
Redshirt freshman Corey Brown looks like he has a bright future, but he and Dominic Clarke got picked on a little bit today while Chekwa was out; enough so that they put Chekwa back in the game in the fourth quarter. Making matters worse, Orhian Johnson seemed lost on a few plays and didn’t rotate to help over the top the way C.J. Barnett had been doing before he went down with a knee injury.
Chekwa’s health has to be a major concern right now. He has had issues with his hips, his hamstrings and now his back. If he can’t stay healthy, the Buckeyes could have major issues in the secondary.


6. Dane Sanzenbacher is underappreciated. There will be some surprised people around the country tonight when they watch highlights of the Ohio State game and hear that a guy named Dane Sanzenbacher caught four touchdown passes. He wasn’t highly thought of coming out of high school, but you can bet he is highly thought of around the Woody Hayes Athletic Center.
“I think that guy might be the most impressive guy on the team, in my mind,” center Michael Brewster said.
All of about 5-foot-10 and 185 pounds, Sanzenbacher always seems to be where he is supposed to be, and more importantly, where Pryor needs him to be.



7. The word is out on Berry and Hall. There is no way anyone can deny what Jordan Hall and Jaamal Berry can bring to this football team. What used to be rumor and speculation has now been seen with our own two eyes and the product is good. If the Buckeyes want to stick with the horses they rode in on (Saine and Herron), that’s fine because both of them bring something to the table, but they better find a way to get Hall and Berry some action as well. They are both big plays waiting to happen, and they don’t need perfect blocking to get it done. Ultimately the grind of the Big Ten season will probably thrust one of them into the rotation, but these guys are too good to wait on an injury.

8. Stoneburner or no Stoneburner, tight end is part of the offense. Would you believe that three tight ends caught passes Saturday and not one of them was named Jake Stoneburner? Ohio State’s starting tight end left the game in the first half after rolling his ankle, but his backups caught four passes for 36 yards. Although he is 6-foot-8, Red Fragel is not nearly the same kind of weapon that Stoneburner is, but it’s clear that Pryor feels comfortable throwing the ball to the tight ends, something he did very little of before the Rose Bowl.

9. Special teams not fixed. Anyone who thought what they saw out there Saturday meant the special teams worries were a thing of the past should re-watch the game as soon as they finish reading this column. Just because the Buckeyes did not have a kick blocked or allow a big return touchdown doesn’t mean they have things under control. They might be headed in the right direction, but there were a few times where Eastern Michigan had a lane. Corey Welch averaged over 20 yards on seven kick returns and Ryan Downard took his punt back 27 yards. If that’s not enough, Drew Basil had to make two tackles on kick coverage and Ben Buchanan had to make one on his only punt of the game.


10. Basil does have the leg. Yes, Brian Rolle blocked an extra point, but the best thing to happen for OSU on special teams this week was kick offs. Basil still had a few ducks that were caught around the 10 yard line, but he also had three touchbacks. Right now, the freshman is inconsistent, and that is probably how it’s going to be for a bulk of the season. The good news, however, is that we know now that Basil has the leg to boot the ball to the back of the end zone. Once he learns how to do it consistently, it’s going to be a tremendous weapon for the Buckeyes.




Mo Williams puts LeBron James in Past

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio -- Surrounded by cameras and familiar faces Mo Williams hadn't seen in months, Cleveland's guard looked up, stretched his arms out to both sides and announced what the world has known about the Cavaliers since a fateful decision this summer.
"There is no LeBron in this building," Williams said Monday, his voice carrying across the practice floor of Cleveland Clinic Courts. "Whether we believe it or not, he's not coming back. This is who we've got. I don't see the big TNT trailers, the ESPN trailers.
"This is what we've got. This is the hand we're dealt, and we have to play the best we can."
Like it or not, the Cavaliers are moving on without LeBron James.
For the first time in eight seasons, James, who revived the Cavs and carried them closer than they've ever been to an NBA title, was not at media day Monday as the Cavaliers embarked on a new -- and daunting -- era minus their homegrown superstar.
James was in Miami, where the two-time MVP's talents will be on display this season with Heat teammates Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.
His departure rocked Cleveland, the Cavaliers' franchise and their fans, who are still struggling with the separation.
Williams was particularly troubled by James' decision to leave. Teammates for two seasons, Williams was so hurt that he reportedly considered retirement.
In an interview with Yahoo! Williams said he lost some of his love for the game and thought about walking away from it.
"That's how bad it got," Williams said in the story. "I contemplated it. I really sat down and envisioned life after basketball. I really saw myself not playing."
In his first comments since the article was published, the 27-year-old Williams, who has three years and $26 million left on his contract, backtracked on talk of quitting anytime soon.
"At some point, you have to think about what you're going to do after you play," he said. "It makes no sense for me with three years left on my deal to give money I've felt I've earned back. It don't make sense, and the article wasn't even about me retiring. It kind of got blown out of proportion."
Williams explained that he had posted a comment on his Twitter account that may have been taken out of context, complicating matters. What is perfectly clear is that Williams was deeply affected by James' decision and experienced the same sense of loss and betrayal as any fan.
"I felt the same exact pain," said Williams, who will be limited in training camp by a groin injury. "I feel the same love for this organization and this team as they do. So yes, it was a time where I felt their same pain. But at the same time, when you get here and get around this organization and the new team and the new coaches, you feel excited. You get to turn things around and start something new."
New was in abundance as the Cavaliers convened for the first time since losing to Boston in last season's Eastern Conference semifinals.
The Summer of LeBron changed everything.
Coach Mike Brown was fired and replaced by Byron Scott, who has turned teams far less talented than the one he inherited in Cleveland into winners and is excited about the Cavs' upside. General manager Danny Ferry decided not to renew his contract, and assistant GM Lance Blanks left for Phoenix's front office.
Center Shaquille O'Neal left after one season for Boston and guard Delonte West, whose off-the-court problems hindered the Cavaliers more than they will acknowledge publicly, is also wearing Celtics green.
These Cavs are not the same Cavs, and GM Chris Grant said any perceived post-LeBron hangover is unfounded.
"We're looking forward to moving forward," he said.
Maybe, but there's no escaping a look back in the rearview mirror.
Shortly after James announced his decision during a now infamous hourlong TV special, Cavs owner Dan Gilbert accused the 25-year-old of quitting on his teammates.
Williams was asked if James quit.
"No," he said. "This game is too competitive to quit. We ain't playing checkers. This is basketball. You play this game long enough and anybody who's competitive understands no matter what's going on with you, people don't just quit. I don't care who you are."
Although their national profile has lessened in the aftermath of James's exit, the Cavs believe they still can compete at a playoff level. For months, they've read the unflattering predictions they're about to slide back among the league's also-rans.
Scott finds the negative talk inspiring.
"I kind of love that," he said. "I've been an underdog my whole life. In my conversations with guys this summer, they felt the same way and that's a good thing. So hopefully we can bring that into training camp and it's going to carry over into the season.
"We're going forward. We're moving on. It's a new era."



OSU's Terrelle Pryor Named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week
From Big Ten Press Release

Pryor accounted for six touchdowns to help lead Ohio State to 73 points against Eastern Michigan, the most points for the Buckeyes since 1950.
The junior quarterback completed 20 of 26 passes (76.9 percent) for 224 yards and four touchdowns, rushed seven times for 104 yards (14.9 yards per carry) and another touchdown and also hauled in a 20-yard scoring toss. He matched a career high with four scoring strikes and all four went to wide receiver Dane Sanzenbacher, just the second time in school history two Buckeyes have hooked up on four scoring tosses in a single game.
Ohio State’s 73 points rank ninth in school annals and are the most for the Buckeyes since tallying 83 points against Iowa in 1950. Pryor earns his first weekly offensive accolade.

LAST OSU OFFENSIVE POW: RB Chris “Beanie” Wells on Nov. 10, 2008.

Ohio State Depth Chart - Scheduling

Ohio State
Official Ohio Game Depth Chart
There are a few changes with 19 Orhian Johnson starting at SS for CJ Barnett. Grant Swartz moved up on the WR Depth Chart as did Storm Klein in MLB Chart.
Changes from last week are in Bold
Offense Defense
Pos. Num. Name Ht., Wt., Cl. Pos. Num. Name Ht., Wt., Cl.

QB 2 Terrelle Pryor (6-6, 233, Jr.) DE 43 Nathan Williams (6-3, 260, Jr.)
14 Joe Bauserman (6-1, 233, Jr.) 98 Solomon Thomas (6-5, 226, Jr.)

FB 44 Zach Boren (6-0, 252, So.) DT 72 Dexter Larimore (6-2, 310, Sr.)
49 Adam Homan (6-2, 238, So.) 52 Johnathan Hankins (6-3, 335, Fr.)

TB 3 Brandon Saine OR (6-1, 219, Sr.)
DT 54 John Simon (6-2, 270, So.)
1 Dan Herron (5-10, 202, Jr.) 93 Adam Bellamy (6-4, 295, RFr.)
Adam Bellamy and Garrett Goebel swapped backup positions.
TE 11 Jake Stoneburner (6-5, 245, So.)
DE 97 Cameron Heyward (6-5, 288, Sr.)
88 Reid Fragel (6-8, 260, So.) 53 Garrett Goebel (6-3, 281, So.)
Adam Bellamy and Garrett Goebel swapped backup positions.
WR 12 Dane Sanzenbacher (5-11, 180, Sr.) WLB 51 Ross Homan (6-0, 227, Sr.)
80 Chris Fields OR (6-0, 185, RFr.) 11 Dorian Bell (6-1, 225, RFr.)
10 Corey Brown (5-11, 170, Fr.)

MLB 36 Brian Rolle (5-11, 218, Sr.)
WR 8 DeVier Posey (6-2, 213, Jr.) 32 Storm Klein (6-2, 230, So.)
5 Taurian Washington OR (6-1, 181, Sr.) Etienne Sabino removed and Storm Kliem moved up.
17 Grant Schwartz (6-0, 210, Sr.) SLB 42 Andrew Sweat (6-2, 238, Jr.)
Grant Schwartz added with an "OR" after Washington. 55 Jon Newsome (6-3, 219, So.)
LT 75 Mike Adams (6-8, 300, Jr.)
55 Andrew Miller (6-6, 288, Sr.) CB 5 Chimdi Chekwa (6-0, 190, Sr.)
3 Corey Brown (6-0, 189, RFr.)
LG 65 Justin Boren (6-3, 320, Sr.) Corey Brown and Travis Howard swap backup positions.
77 Connor Smith (6-4, 313, Sr.) FS 7 Jermale Hines (6-1, 216, Sr.)
8 Aaron Gant (6-0, 206, Sr.)
C 50 Mike Brewster (6-5, 293, Jr.)
71 Corey Linsley (6-2, 298, RFr.) SS 19 Orhian Johnson (6-2, 203, So.)
8 Aaron Gant (6-0, 206, Sr.)
RG 70 Bryant Browning (6-4, 313, Sr.) CJ Barnett removed, Johnson moved up and Garnt added.
74 Jack Mewhort (6-6, 288, RFr.) CB 10 Devon Torrence (6-1, 200, Sr.)
18 Travis Howard (6-0, 190, So.)
RT 76 J.B. Shugarts (6-7, 297, Jr.) Corey Brown and Travis Howard swap backup positions.
78 Andrew Norwell (6-5, 308, Fr.) Star 26 Tyler Moeller (6-0, 210, Sr.)

2 Christian Bryant (5-9, 178, Fr.)
Jermale Hines removed and Christian Bryant moved up.

Specialists
Pos. Num. Name Ht., Wt., Cl.

K 23 Devin Barclay (5-10, 204, Sr.)
24 Drew Basil (6-1, 200, Fr.)

KO 24 Drew Basil (6-1, 200, Fr.)
23 Devin Barclay (5-10, 204, Sr.)

P 17 Ben Buchanan (6-0, 195, So.)
39 Derek Erwin (5-10, 203, So.)

LS 96 Jake McQuaide (6-3, 234, Sr.)
56 George Makridis (5-11, 236, RFr.)

H 14 Joe Bauserman (6-1, 233, Jr.)
39 Derek Erwin (5-10, 203, So.)

PR 7 Jordan Hall (5-9, 195, So.)
10 Corey Brown (5-11, 170, Fr.)
8 DeVier Posey (6-2, 213, Jr.)

KR 7 Jordan Hall (5-9, 195, So.)
4 Jaamal Berry (5-10, 200, RFr.)
3 Brandon Saine (6-1, 219, Sr.)
1 Dan Herron (5-10, 202, Jr.)








Ohio State Will Continue to Schedule In-State OpponentsCOLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - Imagine an Ohio State team allowing just 14 points all season with a defense putting up five shutouts, one of which was an impressive 14-0 victory over archrival Michigan.
Pretty good season, right?
But that 1921 campaign also marked the last time the Buckeyes lost to an in-state school. On Oct. 8, Oberlin hung a humiliating 7-6 defeat on Ohio State.
Since that game, which predated now ancient Ohio Stadium, the biggest school in the Buckeye state has gone 40-0-1 against Ohio teams.
"If Mars had dropped from its place in the solar system and bumped into Mother Earth yesterday, it wouldn't have caused any greater surprise in Columbus than that kicked up by little Oberlin when it licked Ohio State's football team 7 to 6 in the Buckeyes' own back yard," read The Ohio State Journal's report from the game.
The game was played before 9,000 at Ohio Field which was, basically, a field on campus.
In its 121 years of football, Ohio State has played in-state teams 240 times. On Saturday, the second-ranked Buckeyes will pay Ohio University $850,000 to make the hour-long trip north to Columbus for a noon kickoff to be the 241st.
When the college sport was just getting started, Ohio State played almost exclusively Ohio teams because travel in those days was slow and costly. Then, in 1934, not long after a 76-0 rout of Western Reserve, the Buckeyes stopped playing schools from within the borders until a contest with Bowling Green in 1992.
The Falcons almost made Ohio State regret the scheduling decision, hanging with the 22nd-ranked Buckeyes all day before falling 17-6.
Most years since then, at least one or even two in-state schools have dotted Ohio State's schedule. It's been a win-win, with Ohio State getting a lucrative home date, the other school getting a sizable check for its trouble and the money staying within the state.
"It works well for us," Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith said. "When I came here (in 2005), (coach Jim Tressel) and I had a conversation about our schedule and we decided to try and schedule MAC schools. Then we went to the 12th game. We really got on it hard to try and schedule MAC schools, but with the real focus on Ohio. So we've been able to make it happen so far. Hopefully, we can keep it going."
Tressel believes there are benefits for all.
"It's a special opportunity for people to play in the Horseshoe and it's a financial gain for sister institutions," he said. "It's probably not the easiest thing for the home team because you don't want to not do well against your in-state brethren. It's been a real part of the last few years of Ohio State football and I think it's been a positive thing."
There have been some close calls, but for the most part the Buckeyes have dominated. Over the 20 games played since 1992, the Buckeyes have outscored their neighboring rivals by an average of 34-10.
The last time Ohio came to town, the Bobcats led 14-12 going into the fourth quarter against the nation's No. 3-ranked team. The Buckeyes scored twice to win 25-14.
"We could be playing Pickerington High School and we wouldn't be looking past them," Ohio State offensive lineman Justin Boren said, using his former high school as a reference point. "It's OU. They're a good team. We almost lost in 2008."
The lone game played away from Ohio Stadium since the in-state games returned to Ohio State's schedule in 1992 was one of the most memorable. The Buckeyes would go on to win the 2002 national championship with a 14-0 record, but they were fortunate to survive a 23-19 victory over Cincinnati at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium in that season's fourth game. Bearcats receivers dropped two potential game-winning touchdown passes in the closing seconds of that game.
"We haven't played a good game every time we've played in-state foes," Tressel said. "Cincinnati catches a pass in the corner of the end zone, you know, we don't have a (championship) ring."
Smith says the in-state games are ideal for everybody - until the Buckeyes lose one.
"It's risky," he said. "We understand that because every now and then there's a program that can get us. ... But it's the right thing to do, to be able to keep the money in state and help those schools."
Ohio State, by the way, is favored by 31 1/2 points against Ohio in the latest matchup.
The old newspaper account of that 1921 loss to Oberlin provides a cautionary tale for future Buckeyes teams.
"The real story of what happened is brief," the Journal article said. "The Buckeye eleven entered the contest confident that no matter what happened Ohio State would win. Oberlin licked the Buckeyes in a fair and square manner and deserved the victory."

Buckeye Swagger - Reggie Bush's Fall from Grace

Ohio State's Swagger
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- With his team's 36-24 win over Miami safely in hand and just over a minute and a half remaining on the game clock, Terrelle Pryor took a knee, got up and started raising his hands toward the screaming student
What was he feeling at that moment?
"Relief," said Ohio State's third-year quarterback. "This is the first time [in my career] I've won a Week 2 game."
His teammates echoed similar sentiments. For four years, they've been haunted by the ghosts of nonconference meltdowns, from BCS championship losses to Florida and LSU to the pair of early season defeats against USC Pryor was referencing. Last year's Rose Bowl win over Oregon offered some salvation, but even the normally button-lipped Buckeyes had to admit there was something special about silencing "The U" and its patented, Florida-born-and-bred "swagger."
"If I could just say," boasted OSU linebacker and South Florida native Brian Rolle, "our defense 'outswagged' them."
Granted, no one would mistake the 2010 'Canes for the 2002 squad against which Jim Tressel's program notched its double-overtime BCS championship victory. But Randy Shannon's 12th-ranked team came to Columbus looking to prove it's at least headed back in that direction. Neither team looked championship-ready here today, but the Buckeyes certainly appeared a whole lot closer.
Led by a fast, suffocating defense that intercepted four Jacory Harris passes and limited the 'Canes to one offensive touchdown (the first they'd allowed on the season), No. 2 Ohio State looked to be in every way the better team. Its one notable flaw: allowing Miami to return both a kick and a punt return for touchdowns in the first half, the first time since at least 1936 an Ohio State opponent had done such a thing. ("I'll be sure to put that in my memoir," joked Tressel when told of the fact afterward.)
The Buckeyes are far from a finished product, and no one offers reminders of that more constantly than their star quarterback. Even in this, his third year as starter, the 6-foot-6, 233-pound signal-caller has moments that make the stadium cringe, like right before halftime when, with the clock ticking down under 10 seconds, he attempted to beat it to the sideline rather than spike the ball or use OSU's final timeout. (He made it with two seconds to spare, setting up a Devin Barclay field goal.)
Pryor completed just 12 of 27 passes, but the Buckeyes would never have won this game without both his athleticism and his vastly improved decision making. Time and again, with Miami's speedy pass rushers collapsing around him, Pryor stepped off and took off, notching a career-high 113 rushing yards on 20 attempts. And those 12 completions produced nearly 20 yards per play.
Down 10-3 early in the second quarter, Pryor helped change the momentum in the blink of two plays, hitting receiver DeVier Posey downfield for a 62-yard pass, then following it up with an 18-yard touchdown strike to running back Brandon Saine.
Later, following a Chimidi Chekwa interception deep in Miami territory, Pryor hit Dane Sanzenbacher for a 15-yard strike, then executed a perfect option pitch to Dan Herron for a score that pushed OSU's lead to 20-10.
Those still waiting for Pryor to morph into Vince Young may be left waiting forever. It's not going to happen. But there are worse things to have than a veteran QB who accounts for 346 yards, avoids turnovers (he had none on the day) and can make plays with his feet.
"Part of passing is deciding when not to pass," said Tressel. "If they're going to play man-to-man and edge rush you with speed and so forth, if [Pryor] can step up, they're dead. I don't know how many of his 113 yards rushing were on passing plays, but I think some of them were. So that's a pretty good job passing."
The Buckeyes don't necessarily need Pryor to put up Denard Robinson-like rushing numbers, because their defense simply doesn't give up a lot of points.
Miami's Harris spent most of the night fending off pass-rushers like 6-5, 288-pound beast Cameron Heyward (who, in the game's most important play, picked off a pass deep in OSU territory and rumbled 80 yards, breaking Miami's back), Dexter Larimore, Nathan Williams and Jon Simon. Veteran linebackers Rolle and Ross Homan, along with safeties Jermale Hines and C.J. Barrett, helped snuff out Harris' underneath throws and wrap up his receivers. Corners Chekwa and Devon Torrence each had pass breakups in the end zone.
"Defensively, we flew around," said Tressel. "Our guys up front are relentless and those linebackers are active and the DBs, even if you might catch a few on them, they'll hit you."
What is that we're detecting from the Senator's mouth? Is that ... swagger? It seems to be going around the Buckeyes' locker room these days.
Two years ago this week, then fifth-ranked Ohio State went to Los Angeles and got hammered by Mark Sanchez's top-ranked Trojans, 35-3. In interviews afterward, the Buckeyes players' looked not just defeated but beaten down, not from one loss but from the cumulative effect of yet another big-stage blowout and the accompanying criticism. It's taken two years and a new crop of players to bury those demons and transform Ohio State into a legitimately confident contender.
Going back to last November, the Buckeyes have now beaten four top 15 opponents (Iowa, Penn State, Oregon and Miami) in their past six games. That kind of success tends to have an effect.
"Our confidence level is very high right now," said offensive lineman Michael Brewster. "This game meant a lot. We haven't done well the past few years on the big stage, and now we've done well the past couple of games. So I think this will pay off big down the road."
Many big games remain if Ohio State hopes to earn its ultimate redemption on the biggest stage of all. Coincidentally, the BCS championship game returns to Glendale, Ariz., this January, which is where the Buckeyes first drew the nation's ire with their 41-14 beatdown against Florida following the 2006 season.
However, Arizona was also the site of Tressel's biggest triumph, the stunning Miami upset, now nearly eight years ago. The way he speaks about this team, it's clear Tressel feels this has the makings of a similarly special season.
"As long as we continue to grow," Tressel cautioned, "we've got a chance."
And as long as they continue to grow their swagger







Bush has forever cemented legacy by forfeiting Heisman Trophy
si.com
In 11 years on this beat, the 2005 season was by far the most memorable I've covered. I'll never forget watching Matt Leinart's 61-yard pass to Dwayne Jarrett from the sideline of Notre Dame Stadium. I'll never forget watching from the press box above the L.A. Coliseum as Reggie Bush ran off 260 yards against UCLA. And of course, I'll never forget watching Vince Young scamper to the end zone literally just a few feet in front of me to clinch the BCS championship.
It's a good thing I have such a sharp memory, too, because one by one, the events of that season are being erased from the record books.
That Leinart sneak to deliver USC victory at Notre Dame? It never happened. Neither did any of the Trojans' other victories that season. And now, five years after the fact, it turns out Bush was not in fact the Heisman Trophy winner in 2005.


Bush's decision Tuesday to forfeit his Heisman -- the first such occurrence in the award's 75-year history -- allowed him to avoid the indignity of having it taken for him. It's no coincidence that Bush's statement came on the same day members of the Heisman Trust met, reportedly to vote on said decision. Bush gets to save face a little by saying he did so to preserve "the dignity of this award," while pledging to "work with the Trustees to establish an educational program which will assist student-athletes and their families avoid some of the mistakes that I made." (Note that he still has yet to specify, admit to, or apologize for any of his alleged "mistakes.")
We knew this day was coming one way or the other. Whether it wanted to or not, there was no way the members of the Heisman Trust could ignore their own published policy that "the recipients must be in compliance with the bylaws defining an NCAA student athlete."
That doesn't make it any less clunky.
I'm not a fan of rewriting history. Bush obviously deserved to pay a price for violating NCAA rules -- certainly more so than the current USC players now being penalized by his actions -- but what happened, happened. Vacating victories and forfeiting trophies five years after the fact does not wash the memories from our brains or the images from YouTube.
Hopefully, the Heisman Trust will not rewrite history even further by making the mistake of handing over Bush's forfeited trophy to someone else. That's not meant to disrespect Young, every bit as dominant a college player as Bush and a deserving runner-up. Had the Heisman vote that year been held after his epic 467-yard Rose Bowl performance, there's little doubt he, not Bush, would have won the award originally.
But it wasn't. And he didn't. And unless we're all going to pile into a DeLorean and travel back to 2005, Bush still won the Heisman Trophy, whether or not it remains in his physical possession. The envelope was opened, his name was called, and he gave a speech. We watched it. We remember it. Boxing the thing up and mailing it to Nashville won't change that.
No less than Young himself agrees. "Reg will continue to be the 2005 Award recipient and I will continue to be honored to have been in the 2005 Heisman campaign with such a talented athlete," he tweeted Tuesday night.
Bush's legacy was tarnished well before Tuesday's news, but this part will ultimately become the most lasting reminder of his scandal. USC will one day recover from its sanctions, but Bush will never get back his trophy. USC will one day return to being a clean, winning program, but Bush will always be the first player in history who had to give back his Heisman.
But he did win it. Not somebody else. The record book may no longer reflect it, but our tarnished memories will.

C.J. Barnett likely out for season
Ohio State sophomore strong safety C.J. Barnett likely will miss the rest of the season following knee surgery.
Barnett, who started the first two games for the Buckeyes, suffered a right knee injury late in the third quarter of Saturday's 36-24 win against Miami.
Coach Jim Tressel confirmed Tuesday that Barnett needs surgery and likely will miss the rest of the year.
The 6-foot, 190-pound Barnett moved into the starting spot following a preseason injury to Orhian Johnson and performed well in the first two games, recording several hard hits and a pass breakup that likely saved a touchdown against Miami.
"We really hate to lose him," Tressel said, "because I thought he was playing very physical and he was really starting to learn the game."
Tressel expects Johnson, who has recovered from a pulled calf muscle, to step into Barnett's place.

Ohio State Wrap-Up - Week 2 Observations

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Terrelle Pryor is not the most talked-about quarterback in college football. He's not even the most talked-about quarterback in the Big Ten Conference, not after Michigan's Denard Robinson went Vince Young Plus Tax on Notre Dame Saturday.
But Pryor reigns as the most argued-about quarterback in America. That much is inarguable.
Reasonable people can completely disagree about the Ohio State quarterback's performance and his fit in Jim Tressel's offense -- from year to year, from week to week, even from play to play.
Take Saturday, when Pryor and the No. 2 Buckeyes won an entertainingly weird game over No. 12 Miami, 36-24. And take a side.
Impressed by Pryor's 233 passing yards, including the gorgeous 62-yard bomb to DeVier Posey? Dazzled by Pryor's 113 rushing yards, including several demoralizing scrambles through a gritty-but-gassed Miami defense? Swayed by the zero turnovers he had on a day when Hurricanes counterpart Jacory Harris was saddled with four interceptions?
Or are you unimpressed by his 44 percent passing accuracy, including several poorly thrown short balls? Skeptical about a guy who flirted with at least a couple of interceptions and had several stalled drives in the red zone? Unsure whether the nation's No. 1 QB recruit in 2008 will ever live up to the massive hype that accompanied him here from Jeannette, Pa.?
Here's my take on Terrelle: He was plenty good enough Saturday. And in the course of 25 career starts, he's gotten better. Significantly better.
Steady progress defies the sweeping judgments we tend to want to make after every game, or sometimes after every throw. Steady progress is kind of boring. But steady progress is working for Pryor and his team.
"He's made great steps every year," said Buckeyes receiver Dane Sanzenbacher. "Freshman year, he was thrown into the spotlight and handled it well. Sophomore year, he was more comfortable and did even more. Through two games this year, he's gotten better. It's been step after step."
Problem is, a lot of people expected quantum leaps.
Seduced by his lavish physical gifts, most of us wanted to rush the kid into superstardom from the start. He wasn't ready for that. After his brilliant performance against Oregon in the 2010 Rose Bowl, some of us wanted to elevate him to Heisman Trophy favorite. Doesn't look like he's ready for that yet, either.
But even the Pryor bashers should find these facts difficult to argue:
He's 21-4 as a starter, including eight victories in a row. Half of those eight have come against ranked opponents.
He's thrown 52 passes this season without an interception and run it 28 times without a fumble. And if you know his coach, you know how vital 80 unblemished plays are.
"Going into the game I was thinking, 'no turnovers,'" Pryor said, a mindset that should earn him a bushel of Buckeye helmet stickers from Tressel.
He's become a more sophisticated reader of defenses and has a better grasp of the offense. He's not just an athlete playing quarterback.
"The kid is taking his time a lot more," Posey said. "He's going through his reads. I feel like he over-prepares. When he over-prepares, he can relax at game time."
He was relaxed enough to pronounce himself "the most calm I ever was" before a game. And he was confident enough in the game to suggest several times what play he wanted to run, as opposed to having everything dictated to him by the coaches.
"It took me three years to get to that point," he said with a smile.
He's playing more physical football. Pryor's speed has always been impressive for a guy his size, but he was something of a dainty runner in years past. At 6-foot-6 and 233 pounds, the sight of Pryor running out of bounds instead of taking on defensive backs was confounding. He didn't do that Saturday, repeatedly hammering into the Hurricanes for extra yardage and keeping the clock moving.
"He's a big boy," Sanzenbacher said. "You probably won't see him run out of bounds too many times."
He's not just a big boy. He's becoming a big man. A grownup.
Pryor said he's trying to live by Drew Brees' mantra of improving one percent every day. If he continues doing that throughout this season, he will end up in the Heisman discussion based on merit, not just hype.
And Ohio State will remain in the national championship discussion.
True to Tressel form, the Buckeyes have played eight quarters in 2010 without a turnover and are a plus-seven in turnover margin. That remains the most important stat in the game. Their defense has been characteristically opportunistic and the offense has been free from major error.
The concerns at this point are twofold: special teams and finishing drives.
Completely untrue to Tressel form, Ohio State has been awful in special teams lately. The Buckeyes gave up a kickoff return touchdown in the Big Ten showdown with Iowa last year, were torched in that area by Oregon in the Rose Bowl and then surrendered two kick returns for TDs Saturday. That was a first in school history.
"Gonna put that in my memoirs," Tressel deadpanned.
And the Buckeyes must get into the end zone when presented with short fields by the defense. After interceptions, Ohio State started drives at the Miami 25, 19, 27 and 15. Only one of those possessions ended in a touchdown.
That meant a lot of work for kicker Devin Barclay, who attempted six field goals and made a school-record-tying five. And that prompted Tressel to say, "This was the first time I've ever been in a game where the kicker cramped up."
So there is work to be done for the scarlet and gray. But they have a month of dress-rehearsal games between now and a trip to Wisconsin Oct. 16, and then a rigorous closing stretch of Penn State, at Iowa and Michigan.
If Terrelle Pryor continues his steady progress from now until then, don't be surprised to see Ohio State playing in Glendale Jan. 10. Then we can argue whether he's national championship good.




College Football Top 25 September 13th, 2010

AP Top 25
RK TEAM RECORD PTS
1 Alabama (52) 2-0 1466
2 Ohio State (5) 2-0 1410
3 Boise State (1) 1-0 1306
4 TCU 2-0 1235
5 Oregon 2-0 1172
6 Texas (1) 2-0 1150
7 Oklahoma 2-0 1123
8 Nebraska 2-0 1083
9 Iowa 2-0 1037
10 Florida 2-0 1036
11 Wisconsin 2-0 855
12 Arkansas 2-0 755
13 South Carolina 2-0 642
14 Utah 2-0 627
15 LSU 2-0 595
16 Auburn 2-0 538
17 Miami (FL) 1-1 530
18 USC 2-0 481
19 Stanford 2-0 446
20 Michigan 2-0 437
21 West Virginia 2-0 197
22 Penn State 1-1 171
23 Houston 2-0 169
24 Arizona 2-0 138
25 Oregon State 0-1 75
Dropped from rankings: Virginia Tech 13, Georgia Tech 15, Georgia 22
Others receiving votes: Pittsburgh 62, Fresno State 48, Air Force 46, California 45, Georgia 42, Florida State 41, Missouri 37, Georgia Tech 35, Clemson 25, North Carolina 23, Texas A&M 18, Texas Tech 17, Michigan State 15, James Madison 11, Kansas State 10, Oklahoma State 10, Maryland 6, East Carolina 4, Nevada 2, Baylor 1, Boston College 1, North Carolina State 1, Northwestern 1,


USA Today Poll
RK TEAM RECORD PTS
1 Alabama (55) 2-0 1470
2 Ohio State (4) 2-0 1410
3 Boise State 1-0 1278
4 Texas 2-0 1262
5 TCU 2-0 1168
6 Oregon 2-0 1122
7 Florida 2-0 1108
8 Nebraska 2-0 1095
9 Oklahoma 2-0 1062
10 Iowa 2-0 1050
11 Wisconsin 2-0 889
12 LSU 2-0 740
13 Arkansas 2-0 738
14 Utah 2-0 625
15 Auburn 2-0 618
16 South Carolina 2-0 527
17 Miami (FL) 1-1 417
18 Arizona 2-0 410
19 Stanford 2-0 338
20 Penn State 1-1 296
21 West Virginia 2-0 264
22 Michigan 2-0 254
23 Houston 2-0 220
24 California 2-0 131
25 Missouri 2-0 82
Dropped from rankings: Virginia Tech 13, Georgia Tech 17, Georgia 19, Brigham Young 24
Others receiving votes: Clemson 68, Florida State 63, Oklahoma State 55, Air Force 51, Pittsburgh 50, Georgia 39, Michigan State 35, Oregon State 33, Texas Tech 28, Georgia Tech 26, North Carolina 23, Brigham Young 17, Washington 14, Nevada 12, Cincinnati 11, Arizona State 11, Boston College 11, Northwestern 10, Fresno State 9, Maryland 7, Texas A&M 7, Notre Dame 5, Connecticut 5, Virginia Tech 4, Kansas State 3, Mississippi State 2, EASTCAROLINA 1, Temple 1


Heisman Watch
1Kellen MooreQB | Boise StateNext Game: 9/18 at WYO
The Broncos took a break after Monday night's thrilling comeback win against Virginia Tech (the Hokies' subsequent loss to FCS James Madison this weekend must have been a sore sight to Boise State). Moore returns to action against Wyoming on Saturday.
WEEK 1 AT VIRGINIA TECH
PASSING
RAT YDS TD INT CMP%
134.1 215 3 0 60.5

RUSHING
YDS TD YPC
-19 0 -9.5




2Terrelle PryorQB | Ohio StateNext Game: 9/18 vs. OHIO
Week 2's most anticipated matchup belonged to Pryor and Ohio State as the Buckeyes handled Miami at home in a 36-24 win. He wasn't spectacular against the Hurricanes, but he didn't need to be. In a game that was largely decided by turnovers, Pryor committed none.
WEEK 2 VS. MIAMI (FL)
PASSING
RAT YDS TD INT CMP%
129.2 233 1 0 44.4

RUSHING
YDS TD YPC
113 1 5.7





3Ryan MallettQB | ArkansasNext Game: 9/18 at UGA
It looked as if the Razorbacks hit the snooze button through much of the first half, but Mallett helped Arkansas flip the switch in the second half in what ended in a convincing win over Louisiana-Monroe. He finished with 400 yards passing and three touchdowns with a rushing TD to boot.
WEEK 2 AT LOUISIANA-MONROE
PASSING
RAT YDS TD INT CMP%
161.6 400 3 1 65.1

RUSHING
YDS TD YPC
1 1 0.2



4Christian PonderQB | Florida StateNext Game: 9/18 vs. BYU
Things spiraled out of control early for Florida State in Norman, and Ponder and the Seminoles seemed helpless to control the damage. In perhaps his best opportunity to strengthen his candidacy, he might have ended it altogether instead as he completed only 11 of 28 passes for 113 yards and two INTs in a blowout loss.
WEEK 2 AT OKLAHOMA
PASSING
RAT YDS TD INT CMP%
58.9 113 0 2 39.3

RUSHING
YDS TD YPC
23 0 2.6





5Mark IngramRB | AlabamaNext Game: 9/18 at DUKE
Perhaps the two biggest impediments to Ingram defending his trophy were injury and the emergence of backfield running mate Trent Richardson. As Ingram missed his second game to injury, Richardson might have proved the latter true with a 144-yard, one-TD performance in a win over Penn State.
2009 SEASON
RUSHING
YDS TD YPC
1658 17 6.1

RECEIVING
REC YDS YPR TD
32 334 10.4 3


6 Patrick PetersonCB | LSUNext Game: 9/18 vs. MSST
He didn't break off the big play on special teams as he did in Week 1 against North Carolina, but Patrick Peterson and the LSU defense kept the Tigers out of danger at Vanderbilt while the offense struggled. A fourth-quarter burst sent LSU to a 27-3 win to open SEC play.
WEEK 2 AT VANDERBILT

Great Article on Ohio State Football from a Michigan Fan

Wolverine Fan Warns Miami Nation of the Wrath of Buckeye Nation
By Thom Darrt and John Porentas
This is by far the best article I have read in a long time. I will now cheer for Michigan a lot more than I ever did. Especially this weekend! This guy will be forever loved in Columbus whether he likes Michigan or not. I hope everyone reads this article.
The Buckeye Nation found a friend in an unusual place yesterday, in the Wolverine Nation.
The whole thing started with all the talk coming out of Miami that the game this Saturday somehow is a grudge match for the 2003 Fiesta Bowl. Miami fans have been barking that bark all week, and some players on the Miami roster have taken up that howl.
Things came to a head a little later this week when Miami Head Coach Randy Shannon said the following about the prospect of playing in Columbus and in Ohio Stadium.
"You see a lot of traditions in small towns and little cities like Columbus.
"But the guys (his players) aren't enamored with it because of what we see when we go out.
"You may see an Alex Rodriguiz, a Wayans Brother, or Dwayne Wade. Those are big name guys."
A rebuttal coming from a Buckeye fan to the revenge theory or to Shannon's remarks might sound like just so much chest beating or bickering between fan bases, but last night a Michigan Wolverine fan posted a rebuttal on the-Ozone Fan Forum. With his permission, this is what Thom Dartt, a MICHIGAN FAN who has no real use for the Buckeyes, had to say to Miami Nation and Shannon.
"Randy Shannon does what people who don't understand Ohio State football and its fans tend to do: Underestimate them and RUN THEIR MOUTHS.
"Shannon, who obviously has his Doctorate in Geography, referred to Columbus as a "small town."
"Pssssst! Randy! Over here! Yeah, um Miami has a population of about 362,000. Mmmm hmmm, and Columbus has a population of about 710,000. That's TWICE the size of LITTLE Miami. In fact, Miami would be the 4th largest city in Ohio, JUST ahead of Toledo and Dayton.
"Then he says his team sees 'stars all the time' like THE WAYANS BROTHERS. Hang on just a second. I have to check my definition of 'star'/'celebrity.' Yep, I thought so. NONE of the Wayans brothers, sisters, parents or grandparents are stars or celebrities, unless they were at the Bellbrook festival. And even then...
"See, what this idiot fails to realize is that this game is about the Ohio State fans. None of the players even remember 2002. Few, if any of Miami's coaches, were on their staff in 2002. Some of Ohio State's were.
"Ah, but the fans were all there THEN and they're all here NOW. And the Scarlet and Gray legions have had to hear over and over and over and over how they got lucky to win the Fiesta Bowl, that Miami REALLY won that game, that Miami was robbed...
"Guilty. I was one of the ones that said they were lucky. After further review, Ohio State out-played Miami.
"Anyway, Ohio State fans have been seething about those comments and couldn't wait for this game. Nope, it's not a 'rematch,' but to Ohio State's fans this means A LOT!
"So, Randy, as a Michigan fan, whom the Buckeye faithful HATE, let me help you to understand what you'll face on Saturday: 100,000+ FREAKING WACKOS who have had time to let that hate and anger for that stupid U build for nearly eight years (And they WON! Can you imagine if they had lost on that call???), who have an anger management issue with people who talk smack about their team/town, who will have several hours to enjoy a few adult beverages, and who want to win every game like their lives depend on it.
"They will yell incessantly, cheer every one of their good plays (followed by the chords of various Buckeye songs after those plays), REALLY cheer every one of your bad plays, and never sit down. Oh, and unlike the LITTLE stadiums you play in, this one is BIG and it will be FULL, and IT WILL BE LOUD.
"See, Randy, this isn't Boston College, North Carolina or even Florida State you're playing. Those LIBRARIES would be sweet compared to the insane asylum that awaits your team on Saturday. Trust me. I've been there five times for Michigan games, and several more for other games.
"You made a mistake and the Buckeye fans do NOT forgive.
"Oh, and one other trivial matter: YOU WILL LOSE. Badly."
First the Beatles said it, then Joe Cocker said it. You can get by with a little help from your friends.
I'm not sure if Thom would like to known as a friend to the Buckeye Nation, but he certainly endeared himself to a few with his comments yesterday.



Predictions
No. 12 Miami at No. 2 Ohio St.
3:30 p.m. ET, ESPNIn this rematch of the 2002 national championship game, the quarterbacks are considerably more exciting. No offense to Craig Krenzel and Ken Dorsey, but we could watch Terrelle Pryor and Jacory Harris play football all day.
In his last two games (the 2010 Rose Bowl and last week’s 45-7 scrimmage with Marshall), Pryor is 40-of-62 for 513 yards and five touchdowns.
Harris is a better pocket passer than Pryor, but his fearlessness with the football played a role in him throwing 17 interceptions last year. That could be a problem if Buckeye DE Cameron Heyward is allowed to get loose and speed up Harris’ timing.
Both triggermen have the luxury of being surrounded by top-notch supporting casts, but Ohio State’s running game will provide a solid shoulder to lean on when push comes to shove in crucial situations.
We’re hearing more than enough talk about “The U” being back. Even if that’s true, it doesn’t necessarily mean the Hurricanes are ready to effectively deal with the Buckeyes.
Miami’s fans will certainly want to exact revenge for Ohio State winning that 31-24 double-overtime thriller in Tempe eight years ago, but how does that assist the Hurricanes on the field at the Horseshoe?
The Buckeyes won’t need any help from a field judge to win this one.
Opening point spread: Ohio State by 10
Pick: Ohio State 27-23




Pryor to Buckeye fans: Don't be mean to your former King
Unless you've been living under a rock -- or The Rock, given the subject matter -- for the past couple of months, you no doubt know that LeBron James pissed off/broke the hearts of an entire state back in July by leaving his quasi-hometown Cleveland Cavaliers for the Miami Heat.
To say that there is a wee bit of angst left over two months after The Decision would be like saying Southerners are a little proud of their college football conference.
With the latest "Game of the Year" looming on the horizon between Miami and Ohio State, James took to Twitter last week to say that, one, his Buckeyes "will prevail for sure" and, two, he was "thinking bout going down to the Horseshoe" for this weekend's match-up of ranked teams.
One of the key performers in this weekend's gridiron soap opera will be Terrelle Pryor, the Buckeyes quarterback who also happens to be good friends with the former King of Cleveland. And also happens to be keenly aware of the raw nerves still exposed statewide following his mentor's departure.
With that in mind, Pryor has made a plea to all OSU fans who will be in attendance, peeing into the wind asking for them to be courteous and respectful to James should he ultimately decide to show-up on the sidelines for the Hurricanes game in Columbus.
"If LeBron does come, just treat him with respect, and respect his decision," Pryor said. "Please, no name calling, or booing, or anything like that. Because that's my mentor, and I've got a lot of respect for him, a lot of love for him."
Yeah, good luck with that Terrelle. Given the current state of mind of professional sports fans in Ohio, you'd have a better shot at getting one of your other friends/idols/mentors a standing "O" at a Westminster Kennel Club event than this "Be Kind to Your King" agenda.