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

Basketball Time--OSU @ KU

Thought I needed to start some thoughts on the basketball Buckeyes. The Bucks entered Phog Allen Fieldhouse without (arguably) their best player. I've heard many apologists that say that OSU is a 'good' team without Sully and a 'great' team with him. I disagree with this assessment as I believe this Buckeye team is still a 'great' team without Sully and a nearly unstoppable one with him. Listen, the offense certainly struggled yesterday, but we lost in one of college basketball's most intimidating venues without our number 1 in a game in which we were never out of it (within 4 with 4 to go and 5 with 2 min. to go). Kansas (a good team--not great) couldn't shake a team with no rhythm. This Buckeye team showed me a lot of heart and talent in the loss. I have a hard time finding a team that will beat us when we have the whole lineup.

Now, some X's and O's:
--Craft had a poor game (by his standards) which may be attributed to the loss of the rock in the middle. He was out of sync on offense but his usual pesty self on defense. I was concerned with the lack of drives to the buckets from #4 but again, this may be due to the absence of Sully as the bigs could double the drive. Craft has to improve his jump shot then he will be the best guard in the nation.
--Thomas was the hot hand in the 1st and kept us hanging around. I don't understand why the team left him in the 2nd but when 'Shooter McGavin' feels it, feed the beast.
--Buford shows that he is our number 2 (Sully as number 1) offensive threat. He was cold as ice in the first, but you have to keep feeding him without Sully as he'll get it done eventually. If we had more offensive threats, I'd say spread the wealth, but our other guards aren't great scoring options (especially when Craft can't drive the bucket).
--Ravenel had a really nice game filling in for Sully. Not perfect by any stretch, but he's stepped up big time when needed.
--Amir Williams is the guy who struggled mightily, but that will happen with a freshman on the road. He will get better, but experience is needed. Also, guarding Thomas Robinson in major minutes isn't a baptism by fire, it's a baptism by an inferno.
--Smith and Sibert need to step up their presence on the offensive end. Sibert needs to develop into a 3-point (consistent) threat and Lenzelle just needs to get a shot worked out--his shot needs work. I love their defensive intensity, but you need to play both ends (usually it's defense that suffers but they need to polish the O).
--Matta is always criticized for not using the bench, but I didn't see a real problem. I might have seen if Scott could have provided a little more offense than Craft early on, and perhaps give Weatherspoon a couple minutes to spell Smith/Sibert to spark some offense, but I trust the coach.

Two issues going forward:
1) Lack of depth for the big men.
--This has always been an issue for Matta but I like what I saw from Ravenel. Sully will be back so this isn't a huge problem in the future unless injuries flare. I think Craft and Buford are more integral but we have depth at the guard position. Underneath, there's Sully, Ravenel, and Williams (maybe count Ross in the future but not a true post guy). Having a freshman in the post is always a scare (unless it was Sully--but he still had Lauderdale to learn from). This can't be fixed so let's just not get hurt and develop Williams (I think Matta's on this).
2) 3-point consistency
--I said coming into this season that the only glaring weakness is consistency from long range. The loss of Jon Diebler is always going to hurt, but we just don't have anyone to stretch the defense. Thankfully, Sully can create for himself, but without him, we need to have the threat of the 3-ball. Buford is probably the best, but that's not his game. Thomas and Sibert are streaky. If Shooter, Craft, and Sibert can get the 3-ball around 50+%, we'll be unstoppable.

Overall, this loss means little going forward. I love the fight the team showed and I'm very excited going forward. If Sully comes back healthy, I find it hard to see a loss before the tournament. Kohl center is always tough and IU is starting to emerge as a contender, but OSU is still the force in the B1G. Keep the train rolling and we'll be fine. Congrats to KU on a big win, and I hope we get a chance for revenge in March (with Sully of course)!

Week 12

Texas Longhorns vs. Kansas Jayhawks
Gomer: I like Texas to re-assert themselves to get back in the national title picture. UT: 38 - KU: 21

Chief: The Longhorns look to continue their hopes for a Big 12 south title, but they don’t control their own destiny with the multitude of tie-breaking scenarios. The Jayhawks have been disappointing of late, but a win against UT would turn the season around. Reesing is still pretty good, but Kansas is a blah team. While that may work against mediocre teams, they need some fireworks to defeat the mighty Horns. Colt McCoy will continue to impress and keep himself a solid number 2 in the Heisman race. KU lost to Nebraska last week and Texas needs style points so I see a blow out. Orakpo will wreak havoc while McCoy to Cosby racks the points up. UT: 48—KU: 17

Boston College Eagles vs. Florida State Seminoles
Gomer: I really like the 'Noles in this ACC night tilt. The FSU defense has been stout all season (for the most part) and the Eagles are a shell of their former selves. Not to mention I get to be there! BC: 17 - FSU: 28

Chief: Gameday comes to Tallahassee…for the FAMU game down the road? Unfortunately for ESPN, the much bigger (and better) game is in Doak Campbell. Both I and my colleague will be attending the night time black-out in Tallahassee. I’m expecting a great game where the Nole defense continues to hold sway. Ponder is coming into his own with targets like Surrency, Carr, and Easterling, while Smith continues to tote the rock. BC has been mediocre all year but is on a high after shutting out the Irish. This week, their lack of Matt Ryan will be more than the difference. The Noles hit much harder than anyone the Eagles have played thus far and the night atmosphere will shake them to the core. Everette Smith might knock the BC QB to the sideline early. Send Bobby out with a conference title…the way it should be! BC: 10—FSU: 31

South Carolina Gamecocks vs. Florida Gators
Gomer: I completely expect this to be a blowout. South Carolina's quarterback play is terrible, and the Gator defense is stout at home in "The Swamp". Timmy Tebow will have a big day further getting him back into the Heisman talk. USC: 16 - UF: 45

Chief: As Florida is the media-proclaimed juggernaut that cannot be stop, we might as well hand them the hardware now. I can think of a team in 2006 that was unstoppable and this same Gator team ended their magical wire-to-wire run. The Gators are a very good team, but South Carolina has an excellent defense (best in the SEC) and let’s not forget the whole intrigue factor of Spurrier’s return to The Swamp. In 2006, the Old Ball Coach entered the Swamp and came within a blocked field goal of a monumental upset. This year will be very interesting and not without its charm, but I think the Gator’s pull out a victory that is closer than the experts think. USC:10—UF:13
Ohio State Buckeyes vs. Illinois Illini
Gomer: When you continuously put your offense in a position to fail, it is bound to happen eventually. The coaching staff hung the offense out to dry with atrocious play calls on 1st and 2nd down to force what seemed like 50 3rd and longs for Pryor and the offense. Luckily for the Bucks the Terrelle decided to make some miraculous runs and keep the drives going all day in Evanston. I don't think that happens this week. When the Illinois D holds the Bucks to 1 or 2 yards on first down, worry, big time. The playbook to stop Ohio State is the same, load up against the run, and make Pryor beat you through the air, which I'm still not 100% convinced he can (last week against Northwestern was a huge improvement in my mind). Illinois still has Juice, Dufrene, and Benn who all tore up the Bucks last year. Some will say without Mendenhall they don't have a chance, he accounted for only 88 yds on the ground while Dufrene and Williams combined for 176. The game will come down to Pryor's ability to throw, and for the first time ever (and mostly because I'm down by a BAJILLION games to Chief) I'm gonna pick the Illini. OSU: 21 - UI: 28

Chief: The rematch of the lone regular season blemish for the Bucks returns as the prep for the Big Game. Juice Williams had his way last year, but he had current Steelers bench warmer Rashard Mendenhall to carry the load and grind out the tough yards. This year has been one of supreme disappointment for the Zooker and the Juice capped off by the upset by Western Michigan threatening to keep the Illini at home this holiday season. Wells has found his game again and TP is playing very well. The passing game is starting to work in Columbus, and once the coach’s realize that, the Bucks will start lighting up scoreboards. Silver Bullets squeeze the Juice in some payback to take back the Illibuck. OSU: 37—UI: 17

Georgia vs. Auburn, Gomer: Aub Chief: UGA
North Carolina vs. Maryland, Gomer: Mary Chief: UNC
Brigham Young vs. Air Force, Gomer: UAF Chief: BYU
California vs. Oregon State, Gomer: OSU Chief: OSU
USC vs. Stanford, Gomer: USC Chief: USC

Week 9

Put-up or shut-up week. Gameday returns to Columbus for the first time since "The Game of the Century" (#1 OSU vs. #2 Michigan, November 2006) in which the Buckeyes were victorious. Here are the records so far: Gomer (60-27) Chief (62-25)

Texas Tech Red Raiders vs. Kansas Jayhawks
Gomer: This game will probably be a shootout much like Oklahoma State/Missouri was a couple weeks ago. Graham Harrell and Michael Crabtree will have another statistically big day and will put up just enough to get by the talented Jayhawks and Todd Reesing. TT: 51 - KU: 42

Chief: This is probably the most underrated matchup of the weekend. Texas Tech puts their top 10 ranking and video game offense on the field against slow and steady Kansas. Kansas does not make mistakes which has been their shining star under the Mark Mangino era. Reesing is coldly efficient and let’s not forget that they hung with OU for most of the game last week. Harrell to Crabtree, early and often, is the TT slogan and it works, but that has just barely been enough to beat so-so Nebraska and Texas A&M in the last few weeks. Tech and their contest winning kicker go down in a shootout (but become extremely dangerous in the future). TT: 35—KU: 38
Oklahoma State Cowboys vs. Texas Longhorns
Gomer: Texas has owned this series as of late and I look for that to continue today. Colt McCoy is the real deal and Oklahoma State does not have a defensive answer to counter the Texas attack. With Dez Bryant leading the OSU attack the Pokes will put up points, but the Texas D-line will get enough pressure to force some 3-and-outs and turnovers to seal the deal. OSU: 28 - UT: 45

Chief: Oklahoma State is a very, very good team and their coach is a man…he’s 41! But they are running into a buzzsaw that is Texas. Colt McCoy has been almost perfect, but watching them against Missouri, I saw that his efficiency is purely due to short, dump-down passes that make up, I’d guess, 80% of his throws. Don’t get me wrong, he’s been phenomenal at managing the game, but his unbelievable accuracy is due to the play selection. Ogbonnaya totes the rock very well, the lines block extremely well, and the Will Muschamp defense led by monster Brian Orakpo is extremely tough. The Poke defense looked pretty good against Mizzou, but the offense led by the ground game in tandem with QB Zac Robinson and WR Dez Bryant is fun to watch. I think the Longhorn D comes up big to end this OSU’s title run in Austin—the only thing that can stop Texas is the brutal schedule. OSU: 24—UT: 34
Georgia Bulldogs vs. LSU Tigers
Gomer: I can't really peg how I feel about this game. LSU was shredded by Florida's run game, and that isn't saying much. Knowshon Moreno has a good chance to get back into the thick of the Heisman talk with a big performance. The LSU D-Line should have Jean-Francois back and should help put pressure on Stafford, however Stafford isn't your typically rattled QB and could very possibly lead the Bulldogs in an overtime upset. UGA: 31 - LSU : 27

Chief: Oh boy, another SEC game. Let’s slobber all over them as usual. Note to college football fans: The SEC is not the best conference this year. That honor is bestowed on the Big 12. The SEC this year is living off media hype alone and thriving. The offenses stink which make the defenses shine, and the non-conference schedules are putrid. The SEC is afraid to exit the southern confines and the media is content to bolster their strength by supporting this saying “Why should they have to play anyone when the conference features the top 12 teams in the nation?” More proof was provided on Thursday night as former top 10 Auburn started strong and petered out against a mediocre West Virginia squad. Don’t worry Tommy, you’ll be back in the South soon and not have to play running QBs (or decent offenses) anymore. Ok, now that that’s out, let’s look at this game. All the focus is on LSU playing in Baton Rouge—a place where the Bayou Bengals traditionally take care of business. The big difference is that this year’s squad is not earth-shatteringly good. I like Georgia to establish the run early with Moreno and mix in some timely passes to freshman star A.J. Green. LSU has a strong defense, but giving up 17 last week to an anemic Gamecock offense is nothing to be proud of. The LSU offense led by Hatch or Lee is nothing special either. The Tigers will need Scott to pound the ball, but I think UGA jumps on them early forcing Mr. Miles to throw the ball….not in the LSU gameplan. Advantage Dawgs and Richt on the road. UGA: 27—LSU: 17
Penn State Lions vs. Ohio State Buckeyes
Gomer: For weeks and weeks I have looked at this looming matchup and could not see a way that the Buckeyes would be able to get by the Lions. Penn State is ranked ahead of the Buckeyes in just about every statistical category in the Big Ten. My biggest worry is Pryor's reaction to severe pressure, the OSU O-Line could make us all feel how we did during the USC game, but there is something special about Beanie on the big stage that makes me confident. I look for this to be an epic clash of titans that will come down to field position and turnovers. We Are... OHIO STATE! PSU: 28 - OSU: 30

Chief: Welcome back Bucks! The game in East Lansing was what every true Buckeye fan expected coming into this year. Beanie and Pryor ran all over the Spartans while the defense shut down the leading rusher in the big 10. Efficiency and excellence was the name of the game. That being said, Penn State is very balanced. PSU’s main strength is their exceptional line play on both sides. The Lions hope is to establish Royster on the ground, get a big play or 2 out of Clark and/or Williams, and rattle Pryor early. The Bucks need to get Beanie going up the middle and take some safe intermediate passes to get Pryor in the zone. Defensively, the OSU plan is stick with what’s been working. The last 2 games the Bullets have been firing strong: stuff the run, bother the QB, and get turnovers. PSU is solid, but coming into the Shoe at night is a tall order, especially when the team hasn’t faced adversity this year (100th strength of schedule) and old man Joe ‘Oops, I crapped my pants’ Paterno hasn’t won in Columbus since 1978. Edge OSU for home field, better schedule so far, and experience in handling adversity. OSU wins a close one to scare the nation—can the Bucks still go to Miami? (I still think ‘slim to no chance’, but it’s a step in the right direction.) PSU: 13—OSU: 20

Virginia Tech vs. Florida State, Gomer: VT Chief: FSU
Michigan State vs. Michigan, Gomer: UM Chief: MSU
Alabama vs. Tennessee, Gomer: Bama Chief: Bama
Notre Dame vs. Washington, Gomer: ND Chief: ND
Oregon vs. Arizona State, Gomer: UO Chief: UO
USC vs. Arizona, Gomer: USC Chief: USC

Week 8

Buckeye Boredom! Now that the easy game versus Purdue is past... wait, that wasn't easy. Now that the Bucks have struggled with the lowly Boilers the rest of the season is seemingly a toss-up (minus the game with The School Up North) The Buckeyes begin a run of the gauntlet right now with the trip to MSU (6-1) , welcoming PSU (7-0), traveling to Evanston (5-1), and Champaign (Juice Williams anyone). The Buckeyes can win out and make the Rose Bowl or lose one or two and go Captial One/Outback Bowling. Records so far: Gomer (53-27) Chief (57-23)

Kansas Jayhawks vs. Oklahoma Sooners
Gomer: This could get ugly, Todd Reesing and the rest of the Jayhawks are walking into a potential blowout at OU. The Sooners are coming off the heartbreak against Texas, so they will look to take out some frustrations on the 'Hawks. Sam Bradford didn't fall far out of the Heisman race so this game could be a nice rebound to get the bid going to pass Colt McCoy. KU: 17 - OU: 41

Chief: Kansas gets the distinct honor of playing the Sooners after a loss. Let’s not forget that Sam Bradford was brilliant last week against the Longhorns throwing 5 TD passes. Reesing and the Jayhawks are the epitome of smart play—they don’t turn it over or make dumb mistakes (penalties) very often. Regardless, the Sooners are really good. I think the Jayhawks are in for a major butt-whooping. Remember, Bob Stoops doesn’t call off the dogs. KU: 17—OU: 41

Missouri Tigers vs. Texas Longhorns
Gomer: The Rising Star's fall from glory will continue this week. I've said for a few weeks that Chase Daniel would arguably be one of the worst Heisman winners EVER, and thank the Lord for last week's clunker against the Cowboys (bang bang). Texas was able to pull out a thriller against the Sooners and are now in the driver's seat for a spot in the BCS National Championship Game against either 'Bama, USC, or Florida. The question of the day will be if Colt McCoy will be able to handle last weeks success and pick apart the average Mizzou defense. The other glaring question is if Texas will bring the pressure that the Pokes brought on Chase Daniel to help force him to make poor decisions. This should easily be the best game of the week. UM: 28 - UT: 38

Chief: Boy, those first picks were boring…well, I need to have an upset somewhere and here it is. The number 1 team in the country after an epic rivalry win last week will not hold sway in week 8. The Chase Daniel/Jeremy Maclin led Tigers enter DKR with a bad taste in their mouths after being beaten by a man…he’s 41. The Pokes beat the Tigers on the scoreboard, but Mizzou couldn’t get out of their own way last week. I think this week we see another Clash of the Titans with both quarterbacks doing everything to keep their teams’ dreams alive, but Chase Daniel has just enough to outduel Colt McCoy with that last second comeback everyone expected last week. Mizzou in my upset special squeaker of the week. UM: 31—UT: 30

Ohio State Buckeyes vs. Michigan State Spartans
Gomer: The Bucks come into East Lansing with the defense showing some signs of life but struggling mightily on offense. The O struggled to put up any yardage on the 95th worst defense in the nation (Purdue, giving up 400yds/game) while offensive statistics have plummeted to make OSU the 94th worst offense in the nation (averaging 320yds/game). Michigan State has been solid in all aspects of the game... almost. Brandon Hoyer has matured throughout the last two seasons but consistenly shows poor decision making when pressure is on, problem is, the OSU d-line can't generate pressure (75th in the nation in sacks, 97th in tackles for loss). While the defense isn't getting the necessary pressure and the offense is sputtering, the Bucks tend to play much better on the road in the Big Ten the last few years than they do at home. I would not be surprised if Dantonio gets his first signature win as the head man in East Lansing, he is the D-coordinator I would do anything to have back on the side lines with Coach Tressel. If Ringer gets his Heisman groove on, we should worry, if he has less yards than Beanie, all is well for another week in Buckeye land. OSU: 19 - MSU: 17

Chief: Welcome back to 2003 Buckeye Nation! Last week, the offense couldn’t get a thing going while the defense remembered how good they were supposed to be. Malcolm Jenkins finally had a coming out party as the Bullets held the Purdue offense to 3 points on their longest field goal in school history. That being said, MSU is another animal. Javon Ringer leads the Spartan attack and this guy is good. The defense will have their hands full, but I think the edge at QB actually stays with the Bucks. Hoyer is terrible, and Pryor, while not perfect, is slowly getting better (if the coaches would start calling better plays (quick slants please!!!). MSU clobbered NU last week, but looked very suspect against a bad Iowa at home 2 weeks ago. I like Beanie and the Bucks to awaken on offense and Laurinaitis to hold Ringer to a mediocre day. This won’t mark the traditional MSU meltdown, but OSU take another step to the 3rd consecutive outright Big 10 title. OSU: 24—MSU: 13

Michigan vs. Penn State - Gomer: PSU - Chief: PSU
LSU vs. South Carolina - Gomer: LSU - Chief: LSU (close)
Virginia Tech vs. Boston College - Gomer: VT - Chief: VT
California vs. Arizona - Gomer: UA - Chief: Cal

Week 3 of Gomer & Chiefs Picks

More surprises than expected as ECU continues to impress! Last weeks records: Gomer (14-11) Chief (15-10)

Kansas Jayhawks vs. South Florida Bulls
Gomer: I like the Bulls in this BCS Caliber show down on what should be an exciting Friday night. USF seems to be a hornets nest when a big name (err Kansas, big name?) opponent comes to town, even if the visitor has almost every plausible advantage, the crowd seems to truly be an inspiration for the home team. Todd Reesing should be spot on but look for a late turnover to seal the deal for the Big East banner carriers, the USF Bulls. Kansas: 28 – USF: 34

Chief: This is a very interesting matchup. These are two programs that emerged onto the scene last year from relative obscurity. Kansas has been great this year, but their opponents have been the same level as last year’s---awful. USF struggled mightily last week, but they are capable of exploding against anyone. The Jayhawks are coldly efficient but I believe USF was looking ahead last week. Look for George Selvie to get to Reesing early and often to shake the unshakeable QB. The home crowd is the X factor KU: 31—USF: 34


Wisconsin Badgers vs. Fresno State Bulldogs
Gomer: Despite averaging 45 points per game so far this season most “experts” are not giving another “slow” Big Ten team a chance. PJ Hill went nuts in the first week against lowly Akron but was held to only 57 yards this week against Marshall. This week the Badgers get back All-American Tight End Travis Beckum and leading tackler Linebacker Garrett Graham. Both stars return just in time as the Fresno State offense could give them fits with sophomore running back Ryan Matthews running the ball. This game should be a classic or a Badger Blowout. Wisconsin: 45 – Fresno State: 34

Chief: Any other week, this would be the matchup I’d be most interested in. The Bulldogs are looking to be considered among the elite while the Badgers are trying to show they can win on the road. Wisconsin has bigger players, but Fresno plays with a chip on their shoulders. This will be a very physical game that goes down to the wire, but I believe P.J. Hill will be the difference and lead the Badgers to a very close win. Take nothing away from the Bulldogs as the mantra of ‘anyone, anywhere, anytime’ puts fear into the Wisconsin faithful. UW: 24—Fres: 21


Oregon Ducks vs. Purdue Boilermakers
Gomer: I really don’t like Purdue in this game. The Boilers are led through the air by senior QB Curtis Painter and on the ground by RB Kory Sheets but are “starless” on defense. Oregon lost all the big names from last years potent attack, Jonathan Stewart and Dennis Dixon, but still the attack has been potent against below average opponents. This will be a shootout that could really go either way if the defenses are able to generate pressure and make the quarterbacks make mistakes. Oregon: 41 – Purdue: 31

Chief: I’d love to see a Big Ten win for Wilford Brimley…I mean Joe Tiller, but I don’t think they can hang with the second best team in the Pac 10. The Oregon secondary will be the story as I think they will slow down Curtis Painter and the Boiler offense enough for the W. This would be a huge upset win for the big 10, but I don’t see it this time. OU: 31—PU: 17

Michigan Wolverines vs. Notre Dame Irish
Gomer: If you enjoy straight up BAD football, then this game is for you. Of course since the Irish are playing any little thing they do will be looked at as the best, mostly because it’s on NBC and they are stuck with the Irish until something like 2075. Michigan’s defense should dominate this game giving the conservative offense a short field a few times during the afternoon. Total first downs between the two teams? 22 Michigan: 19 – Notre Dame: 7

Chief: Oh how the mighty hath fallen. This epic battle between the 2 most winningest programs in the sport has been relegated to relative obscurity. The Wolverines have shown little for the Big Blue to get excited about. When Michigan has to ‘escape’ Miami of Ohio, there are problems in Ann Arbor. On the other side, Jabba the Weis really needs this win to avoid another horrible season in which his job is in jeopardy. Too bad the Irish have even more to be worried about on both sides of the ball. I think this will indeed be another pillow fight that will really determine which historic program becomes the laughing stock of college football for 2008. I think Notre Dame will maintain that title again—the echoes will remain asleep. UM: 20—ND—10

Ohio State Buckeyes vs. Southern Cal Trojans

The Clash at the Coliseum

Gomer: Will he or won’t he? So much hangs on the status of Beanie Wells, and it rightfully should. Beanie provides the dynamic backfield the Buckeyes need, specifically Todd Boeckman needs. I believe that the true “key to the game” is the play of the defense. I want to see a defense circa 2002/03 that blitzes and mans up, and zones, and you name it, I want to see it. If the Silver Bullets can pressure Sanchez the Bucks could potentially command this game and they really should. USC is inexperienced in many positions, but without getting pressure and preventing the “home run” play, it could be a long night for the Buckeyes. Ohio State: 27 – USC: 21

Chief: This is the matchup for the ages. The two most dominant programs (by far) of the last 7 years meet on the battlefield in SoCal reminiscent of the Rose Bowls of old. Anyone who says they aren’t excited is not a true college football fan. I wish Beanie was healthy for the Buckeyes, but regardless, this will be a game of epic proportions. This game could be a blowout (either way) or a nailbiter and I wouldn’t be surprised. Mark Sanchez looked stellar against UVA, but let’s not forget that the Silver Bullets are a whole different story. Coming into the game, the focus has been on the unstoppable nature of the Trojans offense and the gloom and doom without Beanie for the Bucks, but this game will be a defensive struggle. These teams exhibit the best defenses in the country and it will be a slugfest. I think there will be more NFL caliber talent on this field than the 2002 National Championship. You can call me a homer and I don’t care. I truly believe that even a Beanie-less Buckeye squad is capable of a W. Last week was an aberration; this week will be all that you can ask for. Bring on the Trojans! OSU: 20—USC: 17

Other Games:

NC State @ Clemson Gomer: Clemson Chief: Clemson
Central Michigan @ Ohio Gomer: CMU Chief: Ohio
East Carolina @ Tulane Gomer: ECU Chief: ECU
Stanford @ TCU Gomer: TCU Chief: TCU
Oklahoma @ Washington Gomer: OU Chief: OU
Bowling Green @ Boise State Gomer: BSU Chief: BSU
Iowa State @ Iowa Gomer: Iowa Chief: Iowa
Georgia @ South Carolina Gomer: UGA Chief: UGA
Georgia Tech @ Virginia Tech Gomer: GT Chief: