Okay, I know the college football season does not start for a few hours (did you forget about Cal v. Hawaii from Sydney tonight?) but I could not wait because (Click)
After a somnambulant 2015 season that really only consisted of 4 games (VT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . then MSU, UM, and ND) I’m really looking forward to 2016. Why? Because it’s 2014 all over again with lots of uncertainty despite the pollsters placing us at No. 6. Plus, we have this guy.
Urban Meyer is 31-1 in regular season B1G play, but has the least experienced team . . . IN THE COUNTRY! Just 6 returning startes – 3 on offense, 3 on defense. But, if you were to have only six wouldn’t you want your QB, C, MLB among them? Plus your Aussie Rules Punter returns which is probably worth 3 other guys. Unlike last year when the Buckeyes were favorites by an average of 27 points from games 2-10, this year? But it promises to be more exciting each week.
We should beat BG and Tulsa. Then we go to Norman. The Sooners are supposed to be awesome, but they also gave up this. And can do this. And did this. Don’t discount “Big Game Bob.” Rutgers and Indiana at home should be wins. Then it really gets fun: at Wisconsin, at Penn State (both of them off bye weeks), Northwestern, and Nebraska at home. I think we will be favored by slim margins in each and fortunately get Wisconsin when they should be beat up and Nebraska in the Shoe. At Maryland should offer a break before going to East Lansing and having the Wolverines at home. 12-0 is possible. 11-1 and 10-2 are more likely. 9-3 would not be unexpected but would be a disappointment. Urban says we have the talent, it’s just a matter of getting them ready. If I were a betting man – and, what do you know? I am! – I would take Mike Bonfiglio’s life savings and place it on 11-1 (with the loss to Oklahoma).
I’ll be in Raleigh next week we have friends visiting so my time will be limited. Since predicting the first game correctly has roughly the same odds anyone on this chain of dating her, why not now?
Ohio State is 4-0 v. BG including a 35-7 win in 2006. But, we only outgained the Falcons by 48 yards and it was close after 3 quarters, then this. BG is 8-17 v. B1G foes including 3-1 over the last 2 years (wins at Maryland and Purdue last year, beat Indiana and a loss at Wisky in 2014). But they lost their Coach Dino Babers to Syracuse, and graduated MAC Off POY QB Matt Johnson, their career rushing leader Travis Greene, and 3 of their top 4 WRs. For a team that wants to utilize a wide open passing attack, they are going to suffer some hiccups early on. But Sr. QB James Knapke (3) did start several games a few years back, and their WRs have transfers from Michigan (Da’Mario Jones) and Baylor (Robbie Rhodes). BG’s defense should be better than the 29 ppg they gave up last year, but their DL is new as are their safeties.
As we all know OSU had won 35 straight home openers until Va. Tech 2 years ago. Last year, once we settled on JT at QB and put Co-OC Ed Warriner up in the booth with Tim Beck, we scored 42 on Michigan and 44 on Notre Dame. Even though we have many new pieces to plug in, it’s not like most of these guys haven’t played. And with JT at the helm, we were 5-1 S/U and 4-2 ATS. The line is currently the Buckeyes by 27.5 with an over/under of 63. A 12 Noon kickoff in early September sounds hot to me, so I don’t think weather or waiting will be an issue. I think we will look good, but suffer from a few mistakes – a wrong route, mis-timed throw, missed block, a fumble – which will keep our offense in the 30s. The D will be over aggressive and may be susceptible to some early mis-direction from Bowling Green. But at the end of the day, it will look and feel like a good win. I will take the points and the under, but Schaef says:
Ohio State 36, Bowling Green 17 is your final.
Bonus stat: Ohio State is 303-1-1 when scoring 35+ points.
