I'll most likely be accused by a select few of posting this just because I like to dig at Ohio State....but hey....they're ranked number ONE so don't complain.... http://www.sportsline.com/collegefootball/story/10813944 8)
I offer this from Mandel of SI as an example of why I disagree with Dodd that should OSU lose at USC they will still have a shot at yet a third consecutive NC game: Stewart: I'm of the belief that college football benefits from the presence of a perennial powerhouse to root for/against. This role has been filled recently by USC and, to some degree, Oklahoma and LSU. Do you see any team asserting itself in the next few years and filling the role? -- Marc P., Somerville, Mass. I'm pretty sure that team already exists -- and it's The Ohio State University. In nearly a decade covering this sport, I've never seen such universal animosity toward a program (Notre Dame notwithstanding) than what currently surrounds the Buckeyes. Based on some of the e-mails I receive, you would think Jim Tressel has been caravanning around the country egging houses. It's pretty interesting when you think about it. Normally, people root against the teams that win a lot; in this case, the ill will has been generated entirely by the Buckeyes having lost in consecutive national championship games. The good news is, this should all be resolved fairly early this season. As mentioned earlier, Ohio State plays at USC the third week of the season. If they win, no one will be able to accuse the Buckeyes of "backing into" the title game this time. (By the way, what's with the short-term memory, people? With the amount of complaints I receive about Ohio State's schedule you would never guess they played Texas as recently as 2006.) If the Buckeyes get crushed again, I give you my word as a pollster they will quietly disappear into the night. From MCG: Folks....I can't agree more that should the Bucks lose at USC they could win the rest of their Big Ten games by an average of 35 points each and still have no chance for the NC game. ...and this ties into the playoff scenario some people want because this USC-OSU game is in and of itself a national semi-final for Ohio State. Lose and they're done but win and they have a great shot to play for it all again. In fact... a mid-season Big Ten loss would not hurt their chances so much provided they win at USC.
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Pretty damned funny..... :lol: On the topic I just want to make one final comment here and that is the notion that will be kicked around quite a bit in the CFB media circles and among fans alike this coming season that OSU must beat USC to have a shot at the NC game this year. I do believe this will be one of the biggest controversys of the season if the Bucks lose that game but blast through the rest of their schedule which they are likely to do and there are other one loss teams available to play for the NC. Of course should there be two unbeatens or OSU wins at USC then no controversy but the chance is very good this typical BCS debate will come to fruition because winning at USC might be a tough chore for OSU.
If you're Ohio State that's a good principle to go by BT....at least until Sept. 13th.... :wink: But hey....Bo used to say the Big Ten title and Rose Bowl was the ultimate prize so that looks to be almost a lock for OSU this year and it has been awhile since we have seen OSU in the Rose Bowl.
B10 has been a bit down, but listening to you beat this drum gets old. Too bad you couldn't do your part and beat a team from our pansy @ss league last year.
Didn't realize how loaded you guys are this year. That game in L.A. is huge for both USC and Ohio State. I wonder if Ohio State fans will buy the town out of maps of Hollywood! Terry
Stu, we've been to three title games in six years and we are 1-2 and this year will field a very talented, veteran team that will likely be in the title hunt till the end, again. It takes a great effort to find something to criticize but MCG in his obsession is to be commended for his energy and enthusiasm. Didn't somebody post something about fans obsessed by the success of another program and what one should conclude from said obsession???? Surely somebody besides me remembers that one.....
" The B10 has been a bit down, but listening to you beat this drum gets old." It is obviously too painful for you guys to just read the article by Dodd. This is not about me.....not even about the Big Ten specifically. It is about Ohio State laying an egg two years in a row in the NC game and especially last year after playing a somewhat weak looking schedule that caused their NC credentials to be questioned further this year should OSU steamroll the Big Ten as expected but lose to the Trojans. Losing on the one big national stage at USC prior to NC game selection will be a huge factor against the Buckeyes going to the NC game with one loss. So this is a very big national topic and a potential enormous point of debate for the coming season....not to mention the huge spotlight it casts on what normally would be just a very good non-conference game in September. The whole scenario makes the OSU-USC game a national championship playoff for OSU in a large way and that I do find to be quite interesting as a college football fan in general. Hey I have an idea... When ESPN or CFN, ABC or CBS or just about any of the media bring this same topic up in the weeks leading up the OSU-USC game why don't you guys just get on Skybox here and vent against MCG for bringing up the whole thing in first place. :roll: Oh....and of course Michigan did beat a 3 loss Florida team in Orlando but deep down if you really paid attention to both the OSU-Mich and Mich-Fla games you know that was a healthy, different Michigan offense than the one the Buckeyes were fortunate to face in Ann Arbor 6 weeks earlier. It's laughable if you truly think you caught the Wolverines best that day in November.
This is essentially the same senario as 2005 when Texas and Ohio State played in Columbus. The winner was on the way to the NC game. The loser wasn't completely out but had a tall hill to climb. If it's like last year the loser could end up the #1 BCS team if the winner stumbles later in the season. Sort of like LSU losing 2x and still getting to the BCS championship game. Besides losing a couple of previous NC games doesn't make a subsequent team lesser because of it, if that were true then that 96 UF team shouldn't have been there given the humping it took from Neb in '95. Of course back then I didn't think the rematch of FSU and UF should have happened in the first place any more than a rematch of Mich and OSU in 2006 should have happened. Terry
What's laughable is a guy who continually obsesses with the same thing. What's laughable is you trying to compare your motives to ESPN's...didn't realize you were such an unbiased, unobsessed reporter...thanks for helping us out. What's laughable is that you never think of anything else to post. What's laughable is trying to say that Michigan's (apparent) lack of health had anything to do with what I'm trying to say...I'm saying that healthy or not when WE played them...YOU didn't beat them...the team that lost to App. St...the loss that contributed to all this lack of respect for the B10...couldn't do it could ya???? What's laughable is continually dissing Ohio State's schedule...a team that traveled to Texas two years ago, traveled to Washington last year, and travels to USC this year...especially from a guy who's team barely ever leaves the state of Florida. What's laughable is dissing the schedule of a team that just the year before last played three #2 teams and beat two of them. What's laughable is me even caring what you think because we've worked our way (with some breaks) into three BCS title games in six years and won one of them. What's laughable is the fact that yeah, we stepped on our crank last year...but please tell me which team didn't...there aren't any. LSU was clearly the better team...but both they and OSU benefited from the fact that everybody else screwed the pooch. What's laughable is me misspelling "laughable" every time I try to type it.
The post-spring ranking was of interest I thought Stu but in that article crops up the OSU debate again as brought up by Dodd. On the "obssession" angle I will admit to being obssessed with college football in general and that most definitely includes any and all debates about which teams should be playing for the national title. The Ohio State selection last year and subsequent performance vs. LSU will continually keep coming up before the game vs. USC and most definitely afterward win or lose for the Bucks. Great, positive rewards for a win and lots of negativity if OSU loses. These things will happen no matter how mum I am on the subject, like it or not. No one is complaining about the 2006 OSU schedule the year before but it is last year's repeat appearance in the NC game based on last year's performance vs. last year's schedule that has really precipitated all of this discussion. And yes....the game against Michigan has bearing because it was arguably the toughest game for OSU....on paper anyway. I follow Michigan pretty closely and I know what went down that day. :wink:
Far be it from me <r>to defend one of MCG's posts <E>:!:</E> , but the questions about OSU being in the MNC game this year are very similar to the questions about Oklahoma being in the MNC game several years ago after multiple losses in the top game.</r>
OU was esp egregious since their last appearance in the NC game came AFTER they lost to Kansas State in the B12 Championship game. A quirk of the math formula kept them at #2. The other BCS quirk that is problematic is that if two top conference teams meet early enough in the season like Tenn and Fla do or Texas and OU do the loser could win out and end up ranked #2 while the winner could lose in the Conf Championship game and a team that didn't even win it's division would end up in the BCS. Texas has several times been in the position for that to happen. BCS has considered but not implemented a rule that says you must win (or tie as in the case of the B10/Pac10) inorder to play in the BCS championship game. I think making an exception for independent ND is the fly in that ointment though.
Last year OSU lost at home to Illinois the week before their final game vs. Michigan which in spite of what some want to say was in a weakened condition playing without Mike Hart entirely and with Chad Henne severely limited due to a serious shoulder/arm injury. In spite of those advantages OSU sputtered to a win over the Wolverines on a day where the Michigan defense kept UM in the game and you could see that with any normal offense by Michigan that the Buckeyes could have been in serious trouble. In any event OSU won the Big Ten and that's what got them in but there were questions that began to grow after the big loss to LSU. Now USC looms as OSU's only real test outside of the Big Ten and I am saying along with many others that a simple Big Ten championship will not get OSU a third consecutive shot at the NC without a victory over USC.
Oh...and Stu if you want comparisons I offer that Florida played LSU in Baton Rouge on a Sat. night and the Tigers needed FIVE 4th down conversions to eek out a very hard fought game over Florida who by the way I acknowledge had no business being in a BCS game last season much less the NC game. OSU on the other hand was completely manhandled by LSU and even though it was in New Orleans there were thousands upon thousands of OSU fans in attendance.
:lol: :lol: :lol: I see where Beanie sputtered for 222 yards that day in the ice and snow and Gholston sputtered his way past #1 pick Jake Long and his counterparts on Senior Day in their last game together in the Big House on his way to 3 sacks and countless knockdowns in his regular visits to the Stripehead backfield.....sputter on Buckeyes! :lol: :lol: :lol: