Category: Previews

02Nov

Ohio State – Illinois Preview

Posted in Buckeyes, Football, Previews | Comments Off

Illinois at Ohio State
3:30 Eastern/1:30 Mountain (ESPN)

We don’t want to step on YOB’s excellent post so this will be short and sweet.

Illinois is turrible. In our scientific NCAA 13 Buckeye Result Prediction Trials, the Fightin’ Buckeyes of the Olentangy won handily 28-13. It wasn’t a huge win but Simon and Hankins basically ate Scheelhaase alive. Which could totally happen tomorrow.

Also the Buckeye offense false started on the first play of the game and the defense gave up a stupid touchdown when they allowed a TE to get wide open deep in the first quarter. Who says video games aren’t realistic?

Our guaranteed* prediction: OSU 42, Illinois 10

26Oct

Preview: Ohio State – Penn State

Posted in Buckeyes, Previews | Comments Off

Ohio State at Penn State
5:30 Eastern/3:30 Mountain (ESPN)

We have a bad feeling about this.

Before the season there were four or five games that looked to be more worrisome to the Fightin’ Buckeyes of the Olentangy than this one. PSU was seemingly in disarray, their football program disgraced and their star players being wooed by everyone from Lane Kiffin to Tim Brewster. It’s both a statement about the job Bill O’Brien has done and a statement about the level of football in the B1G that this game is as big as it is.

What we will be looking for on Saturday:

  1. Can the team avoid coming out slow as has been their habit this season?
  2. Will PSU be able to take a lead and grind out a win? Our feeling is that a shootout favors the Buckeyes.
  3. Is Braxton Miller healthy enough to play?
  4. Would it be too much to ask for one excellent defensive performance, beginning to end, and if so, can we get it the weekend after Thanksgiving? (Unlike certain other schools’ fan bases, we know who our rival is.)

Our guaranteed* score prediction: Buckeyes 24, Nittany Lions 21

*-all predictions true or your money back.

19Oct

Preview: Ohio State – Purdue

Posted in Buckeyes, Football, Previews | Comments Off

Purdue at Ohio State
12pm Eastern/10am Mountain (ABC/ESPN)

It would be nice if the Buckeyes could play a complete game from beginning to end, playing at their best in all three facets of the game: offense, defense, and special teams. However, if they’re not going to do so, I’d much rather they fail in one or two of those facets against a team like Indiana than, say, the first Saturday after Thanksgiving.

So far the Fighting’ Buckeyes of the Olentangy have exacted revenge on two of the teams that conspired to embarrass us last season. This week the third comes to town in the form of the Boilermakers,

Full disclosure – I have an irrational dislike for Purdue that far outshines any irritation the school or its fan base has given me. Yes, two years ago in Vegas two fat, white, bald guys in Purdue basketball jerseys saw me in my Buckeye t-shirt and did the whole cough-DOUCHEBAG-cough thing in my direction, but I thought the situation was funny more than offensive.

Because, you know, they were two fat, white, bald guys in basketball jerseys in Vegas. Calling someone else a douchebag.

It’s not even because over Memorial Day weekend, 1998, my car saw the signs off I-65 for West Lafayette and summarily committed suicide. Don’t get me wrong, that sucked, but it’s not why Purdue bothers me.

It’s not even Drew Brees and his terrifying birthmark/tumor (I kind of like Brees actually.) Its not Bob Griese and his douchebag commentary while calling OSU games in the late 90′s, Gary Danielson and his douchebag commentary while calling OSU games in the late 90′s, or for that matter his douchebag SEC homerism nowadays.

It’s not that we needed a miracle on fourth down to beat them in 2002. It’s not the salt in the wound upset loss to them in 2004. It’s not the missed XP leading to an overtime loss last year.

You know what? I lost my train of thought. Fuck Purdue.

13Oct

Preview: Ohio State – Indiana

Posted in Buckeyes, Football, Previews | 1 Comment

Welcome to our first Buckeye preview since the move from NDNS!

Ohio State at Indiana
8pm Eastern/6pm Central (BTN)

Before last week’s matchup with Nebraska it seemed to us that the Buckeyes were a talented, flawed team in search of an identity or a signature win. We realize that a lot of fans and players considered the win over Sparty to be that defining moment, but for some reason it didn’t quite click for us.

The thrashing of Nebraska in prime time, on the other hand, showed us the Buckeye team we expected when Urban was introduced as head coach back in November: a team that could outscore anybody and wouldn’t let off the gas until the clock read triple zeroes.

For the team to be undefeated at this point is pretty amazing, even though ultimately this season is kind of a soft opening for the true beginning of the Urban Era next year. (Our editorial stance is the AP championship is incredibly unlikely and ultimately meaningless.)

So the Fightin’ Buckeyes of the Olentangy roll into Bloomington for a matchup with the Hoosiers. While they are 2-3, it could be argued that they put up a lot more fight in their losses than anyone expected. They put a scare into Sparty last week before ultimately collapsing, but have the second-rated offense in the B1G, for the love of Archie.

Unfortunately for the Hoosier faithful, their defense is not so good. This game seems (to us) to be setting up as a shootout much like that which we saw last week.

Our guaranteed* prediction: Ohio State 56, Hoosiers 27

* – If any of our predictions are wrong, you’re guaranteed to get your money back.