Grading the Bucks: B1G Championship: Michigan State "A Lost Opportunity"

Offense: C-
This game showed one thing that has been an issue for the past 3 weeks: Braxton can't throw.  The passing game has been nonexistent of late and it's now biting the Buckeyes. The receivers dropped passes left and right, but most were off target or late.  Braxton is a freakish athlete and ran like a beast, but the throws were not there.  The TD to Philly Brown showed me problems in the passing game for Braxton (yes, the TD made me angry).  On that pass (which was surprisingly well thrown), Braxton read the safety and threw into coverage....but he had Hyde and Wilson WIDE OPEN in the flat. So wide open they wouldn't have been touched yet...and he missed 2 people with no defenders within 15 yards.  The rushing attack worked (regardless of what you hear).  Carlos still ran like a beast...but why only 18 carries? see below.  Last offense comment concerns the O-line.  They were awful in the 1st quarter but became their monstrous selves throughout the rest of the game.  Pulling guards often had to seek out someone to block as the holes opened were so large.

Defense: C
The defense wasn't why we lost this game.  I'll say it again: the defense wasn't the reason we lost this game.  Overall, the defense played pretty well.  The mistakes came on stupid mistakes and big plays.  Most of the problems came from the safety position.  Pitt Brown and C.J. Barnett were just awful and continually got beat deep.  This cannot happen from the safety position.  Overall, the run D was fine until the game was more or less over.  Shazier (aside from the stupid DPI on the first drive) was fantastic and Bosa was a manchild.  Spence wasn't called often since the Spartans avoided his side and rolled away.  The defense still has problems defensing throwback screens.  Minimize the big plays and we'd be fine.

Special Teams: B-
Shazier blocks a punt which was great, but the kick catch interference was terrible.  Another negative was the onside/pooch kick in the 4th was unbelievably close to being recovered by the Spartans.  Only a stroke of good luck allowed the Buckeyes to prevent disaster, and the crowd had no clue.  I'll credit Dantonio for the surprise attack, but the Buckeyes weren't ready.

Coaching: D-/F
And now we come to my biggest complaint: playcalling.  Many blame Fickell and the defense, but I blame Herman and the horrendous playcalling.  OSU is one of the most dynamic offenses in the country due to their fantastic run game.  The Buckeyes seemed to fear the #1 MSU rush defense...and they torched it.  However, even though the Buckeyes ran for 7.7 yards a carry, there was a unfounded dedication to the passing game...which wasn't working at all.  The 3rd down conversion percentage was atrocious because almost every 3rd down was a pass.  3rd and 3? 4th and 2? Put the ball in the hands of your best player...here's a hint: It's not Braxton.  Braxton is a freakish athlete that makes something out of nothing, but Carlos Hyde is the bread and butter.  I've heard it said on the radio that this team cannot win without a balanced attack.  I totally disagree.  The backfield of the Bucks is special enough to pound it out and steamroll anyone (even MSU).  Some say predictability is a prescription for disaster, but I say that the O-line, RB, and QB, are good enough to beat the defense even if they know what's coming.  This was an absolute failure of preparation and knowledge of your team's skills.  Watch the runs up the middle.  They gained 5 a pop...even when MSU stuffed the box.  Ride the beast of El Guapo and victory is assured.

Overall: C-
Don't listen to the talking heads.  Michigan State's defense did not win this game/slow the OSU offense.  The OSU offense slowed the OSU offense.  I'll give credit to Connor Cook for an excellent game, a MSU defense that shut down the passing game, and to a Spartan coaching staff that didn't play scared, but I won't say that the Bucks couldn't beat the Spartan D.  MSU gave up 0 100-yard rushers all year...until we played them...and we had 2.  Maybe if OSU utilized their own strengths more efficiently, the outcome would be different.  All in all, this was a lost opportunity.