Week 6 - I Went Back to Ohio...

Standings
1) Seeberg               19-7    (0-5 upset)
2) Draper                 17-9    (3-2 upset) 
3) Schweinfurth     16-10    (1-4 upset)
3) Hoying                16-10    (1-4 upset)

A few loyal fans in Buckeye Nation may have been a bit worried at times on Saturday, but Ohio State is coming home after another tough road test, still undefeated and #1 in both polls (ay, oh, way to go, Ohio). The ranks of the undefeateds also feature a few surprise teams that find themselves in put-up-or-shut-up games this week. When the dust settles, we'll have a better idea of who are the contenders, and who are the pretenders.

Navy Midshipmen @ Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Draper: Navy finally got over the hurdle vs. the Irish but for this contest, we return to South Bend and an angry Irish squad.  I'll be honest, I was surprised with the fight that ND showed at Death Valley.  The option attack puts up some points, but not enough as the Midshipman falls short under the shadow of touchdown Jesus.  Navy: 24--ND: 31
Hoying: It's October and Navy is still undefeated! Sure, they have 4 wins vs. crap, but that was Notre Dame's entire resume until they Clemsoned against Clemson last week. The Irish are blowing through QBs as fast as a certain other team near and dear to our hearts, yet still getting pretty consistent play (except on 2-point conversions, but I don't think Malik Zaire is calling the plays). Navy doesn't really have to worry about their passing game, focusing instead on how many ligaments their O-line can snap in opposing defenses' knees as they cut block all over the field. The United States Armed Forces offense enjoys a tactical advantage but their officers-in-training aren't quite as home on the football field as on the battlefield. Navy: 21--ND: 31
Schweinfurth: Even with the injuries, Notre Dame is still the better team here.  The Navy option game is like playing a shell game. The Irish see it every year and usually handle Navy pretty well. Navy's offense will keep them in this game but Notre Dame is just too much. Navy: 21--ND: 28
Seeberg:  Navy spoiled my upset pick last week as they are very at-home in the water... I mean that both as a terrible joke and also literally in football terms with their triple-option rushing attack.  As a result they are the undefeated team in this matchup- a matchup Navy has kept very close the last couple years, scoring 34 and 39 points respectively in narrow defeats.  I see a similar game playing out here, though slightly lower scoring.  Navy will get some traction in the triple-option, but Zaire has proven a more than capable backup and he will keep ND up enough on the scoreboard that Navy will be forced to throw late, spelling their doom.  NAVY: 27--ND: 35

Northwestern Wildcats @ Michigan Wolverines
Draper:  Northwestern is just chugging along like a machine right now.  Everything is set up for the Wildcats to have success (aka no OSU on the schedule).  Just 2 years ago, Evanston was rocking after a 6-0 start that the Buckeyes squelched (and backdoor covered).  Has NW turned the corner, or is it time for TSUN to believe again?  Michigan has shellacked an overrated (albeit still good) BYU team and a pathetic Maryland squad.  Are they that good? I don't think so.  Can they beat the Wildcats at home? Sure why not.  Adds more fuel to the Sun and Blue fire.  Sorry Greeny.  NW: 16--UM: 20
Hoying: As soon as Harbaugh was hired, I predicted the immediate resurrection of That Demon Up North. QB Jake Rudock wasn't ready for prime time against a better-than-expected Utah team, but the Maize and Blue have looked the part since, pitching back-to-back shutouts against...2 bad offenses. And look! Another bad offense is coming to town! The B1G enjoyed last week's Iowa-Wisconsin game so much that they scheduled a sequel. Northwestern runs the ball as well as anyone, but they can't throw (are we picking the Navy game again?). Kind of sounds like...Michigan. This would be a great opportunity for Northwestern's coming out party, but they're facing their slight superiors in every phase of the game...on the road. Big picture: it's better this game isn't in Evanston, or the Wildcats would be broken for another 2 years after another devastating loss. NW: 9--Mich: 13
Schweinfurth: Raise your hand if you saw one loss between these two teams at this point in the season. Anyone? I didn't think so. TUN has looked good against some "decent" competition (if you count a BYU team that won two games on Hail Mary's decent). Northwestern's defense has looked good this year and shut down a pretty good Stanford team. The Cardinal have a better QB than Jake Rudock and Northwestern just confused him. The Wolverines run a very similar offense to Stanford but worse. I'll take the Wildcats in an upset. Can't wait to see the look on Khaki Man's face. NW: 17--UM: 14 
Seeberg:  Pains me to admit it, but these may be the two most consistent, competent teams in the B1G thus far.  Both feature very stingy defenses and offenses that, with Jake Rudock beginning to understand which jerseys to throw to, limit mistakes and don't stop themselves too often (imagine if the Bucks did that??).  TTUN actually opened as 10-point favorites which I find shocking because it's reasonably plausible that neither team even scores 10 points.  It's not likely to be pretty, but the maize and blue are about to make some noise in the B1G again.  Heaven help us.  NW: 13--MICH: 20

California Bears @ Utah Utes
Draper:  Cal is undefeated after feasting on terrible defenses...but note those teams also feasted on their defense.  Goff and the Bears are fun to watch, but no one is really taking them seriously...yet.  Utah is the current flavor of the month after obliterating Oregon in Eugene, but how good is Oregon, really?  That being said, I want the team that has at least a small semblance of a defense.  Cal is fun, but Utah is better.  Salt Lake City will be rockin as usual.  Cal: 34--Utah: 45
Hoying: Stop me if you've heard this one before. Cal has a skinny little twig at QB putting up ridiculous numbers as the Bear offense rolls along...and actually stops their opponents on a drive or two?!? That's right, Cal has shut down the HIGH-POWERED Texas, Washington, and Washington State attacks on their way to a 5-0 start. The Utes, led by somewhat disappointing RB Devontae Booker and dual-threat QB Travis Wilson, will pose a bit of a tougher challenge to the Cal defense, but it's not like Cal QB Jared Moss...er...Goff is going anywhere. Utah may have held Oregon to 20 points, but Cal's attack is undoubtedly better. It won't be enough, especially with 2 weeks for the Utes to prepare, but Cal's rise continues with a hard-fought close loss. Cal: 27--Utah: 34
Schweinfurth: I've watched a little of Utah and none of Cal. Utah has been pretty impressive and it will be interesting once they play some better teams in the PAC-12. Until then, the Utes win. Cal: 28--Utah: 42
Seeberg:  Hey Cal is 5-0, who knew?  They even have 3 wins over power 5 opponents.  Unfortunately, those wins are a by a combined 13 points over Texas, Washington and Washington State.  Those three teams have a COMBINED 1 win over power 5 schools, WSU's 3-point win over powerhouse *cough not so much cough* Rutgers.  Had Cal seen Utah the week after blasting Oregon, they might have gotten the Utes squad on a letdown week and kept it close enough to pull off the upset.  Not with two weeks to prepare for the Utes though.  I don't know how "for real" either team is, but my money is on Utah. CAL: 21--UTAH: 38

Baylor Bears @ Kansas Jayhawks
Draper: This....is gonna be gross.  I expect Art Briles to pour it on as much as he can before being arrested for beating the stepson.  The important question is: Will Kansas score? The shutout is a tall order, considering the Baylor drives should last about 2 plays on average.  The Baylor defense will be super tired, but I think they'll go for it.  BU: 70--KU: 0
Hoying: Oh, those crafty Bears. While Ohio State, TCU, Alabama, Michigan State, Auburn, Oregon, USC, Georgia, Florida State, Notre Dame, Clemson, UCLA, LSU, Arizona State, Georgia Tech, Ole Miss, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Wisconsin, Stanford, Arizona, Boise State, Missouri, and Tennessee have each found themselves in tight spots in this young season, Baylor hasn't been close to being touched, thanks to their masterful scheduling. And the hits keep right on rolling as the Bears visit the winless Jayhawks, the only 1-A team to lose to Rutgers this season. In 2007, Kansas went 12-1 and beat Baylor 58-10 in Lawrence. The Jayhawk faithful would do well to stay home and watch that one again. Then cry. BU: 63--KU: 7
Schweinfurth: Are we picking this against the spread? Even if we did, Baylor would win. Kansas is SOOOOOOOO bad. Baylor may try to break the scoreboard. BU: 70--KU: 7
Seeberg:  Not 100% sure why we're picking this one.  4-0 Baylor, 0-4 Kansas.  Oh, and Kansas is starting its true freshman 3rd-string QB due to injuries to the top two signal-callers.  Will Baylor score 100?  It's conceivable.  This is a pad-your-stats game for the crew of Let's Go Bucks.  Baylor rolls and rolls and rolls some more.  BU: 77--KU: 13

Maryland Terrapins @ THE Ohio State University Buckeyes
Draper: Maryland is bad....I mean, really, REALLY bad.  The program has all but confirmed that Edsall will be out as soon as our game ends.  IU may not be great, but they're having a nice season and improving.  Maryland is moving in the other direction.  Once again, this is the perfect medicine for a struggling Buckeye offense.  Cardale still can't diagnose a defense and has lost the trust of the coaches.  Zeke will continue carrying the load, but the rest of the weapons need to step up.  Marshall needs to hold on to the ball, JT needs to run the option (what? he's not the QB yet? Why?), Michael Thomas needs to see more balls his way, etc.  The defense had too many lapses that led to big plays last week.  Firm it up and we're back on track.  MD: 9--OSU: 48
Hoying: Remember the Michigan State game in 1998? The Purdue game in 2009? Almost every great team seems to have that one game against an inferior opponent on which nothing seems to go right. This season, every game feels like that, except that the Buckeyes keep winning. Imagine what would happen if the Buckeyes played well, or averagely. For the next 5 games, it would probably mean a 30-40 point blowout. But for that to happen, Ohio State needs to overcome penalties, turnovers, and third down and red zone futility. There seems to be an easy answer (*cough JT Barrett cough*) but we'll have to wait for Cardale to come around and achieve the Craig Krenzel-level athletic greatness we know he can reach. Best news: Maryland is BAD, like worse than any of our other incredibly crappy opponents bad, so we can afford to do whatever the hell we think will help work out the kinks, without worrying about actually putting points on the board. Still, it would be nice to see us dominate just once before the tough games start, for the benefit of the collective cardiac health of the Let's Go Bucks! crew. I'm not 16 anymore like I was in 2002. MD: 6--OSU: 35
Schweinfurth: Maryland is the team Ohio State needs to play right now. Everyone says the Buckeye offense is worse this year, but the stats say otherwise. The big difference this year is the turnovers. Urban has had the team working hard at protecting the ball better (should have been done in camp). Urban has also emphasized getting Samuel and Miller more involved in the offense. Is this the week we finally see some short screens to Braxton and get him in space? I'm gonna call for Marshall to catch a deep ball and Miller shows some flashes. If Zeke gets his 20 carries, he gets at least 200 yards. I'm really not too worried about the Terps offense versus the Buckeye defense. I see 2 or 3 picks from the Silver Bullets and hopefully some Bosa shrugging in the backfield. This one gets ugly and we see JT in the 4th quarter. MD: 3--OSU: 42
Seeberg:  As- crap, what's the politically correct phrase- severely lacking in talent and execution (read:  bad) as Maryland is, I'm intrigued for this game.  Granted the weather was lousy, but TTUN went to Maryland and pitched their second straight shut out.  If our defense is as elite as we'd like to think it is (I personally think it's solid, but not elite yet), we better come close to pitching a shutout as well.  I'm also curious if we'll throw a slant, or a crossing route, or an in route, or ANY route within 15 yards of the line of scrimmage that isn't a swing pass or a pop pass.  Aside from Michael Thomas I don't know if our receivers are getting consistent separation, which might be the reason for the odd playcalling, but all the more reason to keep routes short so Cardale doesn't have to hang in the pocket too long before looking to run or for a safety valve.  In any case, a healthy dose of N-S Zeke (that would be North-South Zeke, fyi), some better play-calling (one hopes), and a solid defensive effort should make this one a lot less harrowing than IU.  MD: 10--OSU: 45

Upset Special
Draper: Texas over Oklahoma (because football makes no sense)
Hoying: West Virginia over Oklahoma State
Schweinfurth: Illinois over Iowa
Seeberg:  Missouri over Florida

Grading the Bucks: Week 5--Indiana

Is this the new normal?

Offense (no Zeke): D- / Zeke: A
This offense just isn't clicking.  I'm petrified that we saw this week that the coaches don't trust the starting quarterback to throw a pass.  Cardale seems to be unable to go through his progressions and when he sees a receiver open, he fires it 100 mph and misses the receiver.  Zeke has been fantastic even when the entire defense knows he's coming (couldn't get going because IU had 10 people in the box every play).  Receiver play was eh as was the O-line.  O-line opened some holes for Zeke and protected fairly well.  Also, it needs to be said.  Jalin Marshall is a liability.  He has some flash and dash, but the crushing turnovers and overall stupid play is taking it's toll.  To his credit, he blocked very well, but the turnovers... Say what you will, but I believe QB and WR are the issues. Cardale's final stats weren't terrible, but based on what I saw, he wasn't up to acceptable standards.  I know I'm completely blinded by JT's greatness...but he needs to be there.  I want a leader than can play the mental game.  Cardale is not playing the mental game.

Defense: C-
Penalties are killing us.  This defense has been solid all year but they disappointed me this week.  Look no further than the long run by Diamont.  Tyvis Powell absolutely layed an egg by taking the worst angle a safety has ever taken.  Apple continues to get picked on (even though he sealed the win on the final play).  Bell had a so-so game (not like his solid games of the recent past). The front seven was actually pretty good, but the big plays can't happen.  Glad to see Perry and McMillan stop the leading rusher in the conference. Early in the game, there was a huge miscommunication that can't happen on a long pass to a receiver.  Too sloppy for me.

Special Teams: B+
Nothing special.  Some nice punts and punt coverage.  Dropping the ball into the endzone on the punt was a huge swing that can't happen.  Overall...another mediocre performance (which I'm fine with).  They didn't cost us anything which is a win in my Special Teams book.

Coaching: D
Play calling is still an absolute joke.  Know your personnel when formulating a gameplan.  I'm not a 'give it to Zeke on every play' guy, but I support more north south running with Zeke and more short quick hitter passes (which don't seem to be in the playbook).  I'm also a fan (especially against the 126th ranked pass defense in the nation) of a few chuck it up and let your receiver go get it...you know the entire offense during the playoff for Cardale.  Yes, Devin Smith is gone, but even an arm punt isn't terrible at times when there's the chance of a homerun.  I don't think we threw a single deep bomb all game.  THAT'S WHAT CARDALE'S STRENGTH IS!!

Overall: D+
Maybe Indiana is secret good.  Maybe not.  Doesn't matter to me.  This Buckeye team can't roll it out there like that and hope to win every game.  You're either getting better or getting worse...and I don't see us getting better.  Next week is definitely good for what ails you in Maryland.  They are butt, and we must expose them for what they are (hehe).  JT, I love you.  Come back to us...