My Top Ten- Week 10

1. LSU (8-0, @ Alabama)
2. Alabama (8-0, vs LSU)
3. Oklahoma State (8-0, vs Kansas State)
4. Boise State (7-0, @ UNLV)
5. Stanford (8-0, @ Oregon State)
6. Oregon (7-1, @ Washington)
7. Arkansas (7-1, vs South Carolina)
8. Nebraska (7-1, vs Northwestern)
9. Oklahoma (7-1, vs Texas A&M)
10. Virgnia Tech (8-1, Bye Week)

Guess I'm Not Crazy After All

The week began with the image of Wisconsin fans storming the field fresh in my mind.

Now I've been branded with a memory that will last with me forever.

Hate to say I told Buckeye Nation how it was going to go, but it turns out Ohio State had the right formula to beat ole' Bucky after all: two weeks to prepare, home night game, a dominant run game, a stingy defense and facing a team that just came off a heartbreaking, physical, emotional loss.

In all categories I'd give the Buckeyes a check mark, I suppose.

A trip to the Rose Bowl is a possibility once again for the Ohio State Buckeyes (let that sink in for a moment).

Game 8- Ohio State (4-3, 1-2) vs #15 Wisconsin (6-1, 2-1)

Where: Ohio Stadium
When: 8 PM EST
TV: ABC/ESPN National

The image of Wisconsin handing OSU's ass on a platter last season will forever serve as a reminder of what almost was an undefeated, national championship season...even though it would have been erased from the record books. Note: remind me not to bring up that conversation ever again.

A year later, the Buckeyes will have their chance Saturday night to butt heads with the mighty Badgers once again, only this time the script is slightly different. Wisconsin is in the same position as last season, being a strong favorite to win the Big Ten championship and return to Pasadena. OSU on the other hand is - for lack of a better term - "down' this season. I hesitate to use that term because confidence and growth is certainly not lacking with this team, evidenced by the way they have rebounded and progressed all season long after tough losses. After losing to Miami, Fickell switched to freshman QB Braxton Miller and sparked the next generation of Buckeye quarterbacks. After an excruciating loss to Michigan State at home, a road trip to Nebraska proved to be a showcase for what the offense could look like for years to come under Miller. Heading to Illinois wasn't the offensive showcase people would have wanted, but the defense went out and played its best game since the first week of the season.

These are all baby steps, however saying that the team is down would be incorrect. If anything, they are extremely confident and are looking to finally put it all together to win a huge game against a top 15 opponent- an opponent that just so happens to be one of their least favorite teams in America. Wisconsin has been dominant all season against teams that they should beat, averaging 50 points per game, while in the process sending QB Russell Wilson into the Heisman Trophy discussion. They lost to Michigan State on a last second Hail Mary, but their conference championship hopes are still alive and kicking and I don't see that changing. Even with a loss in the Shoe, the Badgers would still be able to eventually make it to Indianapolis to play for the B10 title.

It will be a daunting task to slow down Wilson and Co., but this is an Ohio State defense that has been improving each and every week and has had two weeks to prepare. You will see TWO WEEKS of growth on the field this weekend, in a demonstration of just how good defensive coordinator Jim Heacock is and how talented this young group of Bucks truly are. I see the OSU defense having their most exciting performance to date against the vaunted Wisconsin rushing attack and Wilson (I still think Wisconsin will be somewhat effective, though).

The key will be whether Miller and the offense for Ohio State will be able to assist in capitalizing off of Badger punts and mistakes. I have a feeling that the ground game will be extraordinarily effective at points throughout the game, which will only serve as to keep the defense fresh and for OSU to slowly but surely make it a game of field position, ball security and clock control. I am calling for Boom Herron to have another 100 yard performance, and will score in yet another game - and trust me, points will be at a premium for both teams.

Braxton Miller won't be perfect, but the ground game will be effective enough for OSU to control the clock the majority of the game, providing a rested defense a chance to pin their ears back and get after Montee Ball, James White and the rest of the Wisconsin backfield. Philly Brown, Jake Stoneburner and the OSU passing game won't be the story of the game, but I think the game situation will set up for a huge touchdown reception from Brown that will blow the game wide open early on. This will only set the stage for some major drama as it will be VERY, VERY close.

I am going to go with my gut feeling here that Saturday night is going to be a good night for the defense; good enough to where OSU's offense will be the story and will keep Wisconsin off the field during long stretches of the game. The biggest win of the season is upon us, as Ohio State upsets the mighty Badgers.

Key to the game: please don't let Wisconsin score first. If they do, it could get ugly... fast.

Prediction:

Wisconsin- 13
Ohio State- 17

Week 9 Games of the Week/Big Ten Rundown

#6 Stanford (7-0) @ USC (6-1)
- Gameday will be in Los Angeles for this big-time Pac 12 showdown, almost as if there is something on the line for the Trojans. Sure, for pride and bragging rights this would constitute as a big game, however there is the issue of USC not being bowl eligible this season due to NCAA sanctions. I think it will be a fun atmosphere and the Trojan offense isn't anything to sneeze at, but Stanford is looking to play for both a Pac 12 and national championship and this shouldn't stop them from getting one step closer. It will be close at first, but I like Andrew Luck and Stanford to blow out USC when it is all said and done.

Stanford- 41
S. Cal- 20

#9 Oklahoma (6-1) @ #8 Kansas State (7-0)
- Coming off of a shocking loss to Texas Tech, Bob Stoops and the Sooners should be hell bent on proving that it was merely a tiny blip in the radar on their way to a Big 12 championship. I definitely envision that being the case, as Kansas State is due for a loss in what has otherwise been an incredible season for the ageless wonder Bill Synder and the Wildcats of Manhattan. Too much offensive firepower on Oklahoma's end will be the undoing of another undefeated Big 12 team in October.

Oklahoma- 37
Kansas St- 21

#11 Michigan State (6-1) @ #14 Nebraska (6-1)
- I have been going back and forth on this one all week, and quite frankly I am not too sure what will happen. On one hand, I see an MSU team that has been there, done that after winning the Big Ten championship last season and being in the hunt yet against this year. On the other hand, Nebraska is a force to be reckoned with at home and the team looked confident and refreshed after their bye week and thumping of Minnesota. The big factors in this game will be which defense plays the best and whether Sparty has a hangover from last week's incredible last-second victory over Wisconsin. My answers: MSU will play better defensively, yet will suffer fromt he hangover syndrome. I'll just go with the home team to hop into the driver's seat of the Legends division.

MSU- 23
Neb- 28

Big Ten Rundown:

# 11 MSU @ #14 Nebraska: See Above
#15 Wisconsin @ Ohio State: TBA
Purdue @ #18 Michigan: Boilermakers are confident, but a rested Michigan will win.
Illinois @ #19 Penn State: PSU has the edge at home mainly due to Illinois' faltering psyche.
Iowa @ Minnesota: Hawkeyes = silent killers. Watch out for them the rest of the way.
Northwestern @ Indiana: I like the disappointing 'Cats to finally tally a Big Ten victory.

My Top Ten- Week 9

1. LSU (8-0, Bye Week)
2. Alabama (8-0, Bye Week)
3. Oklahoma State (7-0, vs Baylor)
4. Boise State (7-0, Bye Week)
5. Stanford (7-0, @ USC)
6. Clemson (8-0, @ Georgia Tech)
7. Kansas State (7-0, vs Oklahoma)
8. Oregon (6-1, vs Washington State)
9. Arkansas (6-1, @ Vanderbilt)
10. Michigan State (6-1, @ Nebraska)

Quite a shakeup has gone down, as my #3 team Oklahoma completely falls out of the top ten, despite wins over Florida State and Texas so far this season. Losing to an unranked Texas Tech team at home is unacceptable, while Wisconsin lost to an exceptional opponent on the road - at night - in Michigan State (the Spartans are in the top ten for the first time all season). Oklahoma and Wisconsin will have to redeem themselves with wins on the road against #7 Kansas State and the Buckeyes.

The fact that Oklahoma State and Kansas State are the top two teams in the Big 12 right now is not just odd; it is unbelievable. Who would've thunk it?

Top teams LSU and Bama have an extra week to prepare for their colossal battle in Tuscaloosa the first weekend of November. The odd team out that is flying way under the radar in the SEC West battle? Arkansas, who cracks my top ten at #9.

Any Given Saturday

Yep, the BCS title picture is now a little crazy.

Oklahoma losing to Texas Tech?!?!? In Norman??!!??

Michigan State winning with a Hail Mary against the Badgers??? The same Wisconsin team that averages 50 points per game?????

I said it to start the day, and I'll repeat myself one more time: on weeks that everyone believes all the favorites will win, chaos will ensue.

You really never know with college football.

My Top Ten- Week 8

1. LSU (7-0, vs Auburn)
2. Alabama (7-0, vs Tennessee)
3. Oklahoma (6-0, vs Texas Tech)
4. Wisconsin (6-0, @ Michigan State)
5. Boise State (6-0, vs Air Force)
6. Oklahoma State (6-0, @ Missouri)
7. Stanford (6-0, vs Washington)
8. Clemson (7-0, vs North Carolina)
9. Oregon (5-1, @ Colorado)
10. Kansas State (6-0, @ Kansas)

Statement: Check

Yesterday's 17-7 win over Illinois proved that Ohio State football isn't dead and in the water. Losing to Miami the way that they did? Well, I suppose that was bound to happen at some point with such a young team. Michigan State? Completely inexcusable. You need a rebound game after a beatdown like that. Nebraska was almost that rebound, being up 27-6 in the third quarter. A second half collapse led to a second straight loss, and things looked bad for OSU heading forward, according to the media. With a win over an undefeated and ranked Big Ten squad on the road, it seems like things could be moving in a better direction than initially anticipated.

All I know is that in two weeks Wisconsin comes to town in a big time night game showdown, and the Badgers better not look past the Buckeyes.

Game 7- Ohio State (3-3, 0-2) @ #15/16 Illinois (6-0, 2-0)

Where: Memorial Stadium (Champaign, IL)
When: 3:30 EST
TV: ABC/ESPN

Well. Um. Last week's loss to Nebraska was probably one of the most depressing collapses in the modern era of Buckeye football. I will leave it at that.

What was it that I wrote about in regards to that game? Something about how although there would be a loss for OSU, the future would look bright after their Saturday night road performance? I believe that was definitely the case, and I certainly stand by that.

We learned that Braxton Miller running a simplified offense is a very good thing. Utilizing your tight ends and fullbacks in creative ways is also a good thing. Factor in the giant Mike Adams returning at left tackle and the return of WR Philly Brown from injury and you have yourself vast potential for this offense to kick into high gear as the year rolls along.

As it stands right now, it is midway through the season and the team is sitting at .500 and winless in conference play. Ouch. I hope all of you got the negativity and frustration out of your systems though, because I have a feeling that there will be some good football played heading into November and beyond. The only thing that could make this even more interesting is if an All-Big Ten running back returned to the team to bring a much needed balance to the position of experience, power and decisive running. Oh wait! You will see just that when Boom Herron returns to the field on Saturday against the Illini, which in my opinion will be a huge factor down the stretch.

Speaking of the Illini, are they really 6-0? Wow. I thought they'd be an eight win football team, but six wins at the half way point?? This is looking like a potential BCS team if Illinois is able to keep up their solid play. They run the ball extremely well, have a receiver in A.J. Jenkins who just set the Big Ten record for the most receiving yards in a two game span in history, an experienced dual-threat QB and a defense that has been a huge part of the team's success thus far. The ingredients mix up to create a very solid, consistent and tough football team under Ron Zook.

This could very well be a Rose Bowl participant for the second time since 2007, especially if Wisconsin finds themselves in the BCS national championship game (which at this point in time I think is a legitimate possibility). Getting through OSU won't be as hard for them to do as it was in the past, but remember that Illinois has played the Bucks tough in Champaign dating back to the 2000 season, just before the Tressel era began. There is something about going to Illinois that just doesn't seem to work out for Ohio State, and I think that could cause trouble for the road team this week.

I am going to call for Illinois to win this one with a late field goal, sending them to 7-0 start and OSU to their first losing record midway through the season since the year I was born: 1988. Once again I'll say that the improvement will be evident, but Illinois will finally get a home victory over the Buckeyes.

Two weeks in a row of me picking my team to lose? This truly is a season unlike any other.

Prediction:

Ohio State- 20
Illinois- 23

My Top Ten- Week 7

1. LSU (6-0, @ Tennessee)
2. Alabama (6-0, @ Ole Miss)
3. Oklahoma (5-0, @ Kansas)
4. Wisconsin (5-0, vs Indiana)
5. Boise State (5-0, @ Colorado State)
6. Oklahoma State (5-0, @ Texas)
7. Clemson (6-0, @ Maryland)
8. Stanford (5-0, @ Washington State)
9. Oregon (4-1, vs Arizona State)
10. Georgia Tech (6-0, @ Virginia)

The Yellow Jackets have the best offense in college football (other than Oklahoma, in the event you didn't see their demolishing of Texas yesterday). Because of that, they are a top ten team for me.

Game 6- Ohio State (3-2, 0-1) @ #14/15 Nebraska (4-1, 0-1)

Where: Memorial Stadium (Lincoln, NE)
When: 8:00 EST
TV: ABC National

The "Sea of Red" at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln is easily one of the most intimidating venues in college sports.

The Ohio State offense is easily one of the worst in all of college football.

That doesn't seem like a very good combination, does it?

For the first time ever, the unranked Buckeyes will travel to play Nebraska in Lincoln as the Huskers usher in their inaugural season in the Big Ten conference. Predictably when this game was announced it became one of the most anticipated games of the year not just in conference play, but in the grand scheme of the college football season. Three total losses later and some embarrassing play on both sides of the ball have left this game will less pizazz, but the same amount of pride on the line when these teams meet Saturday under the lights.

Both Nebraska and Ohio State have fielded numerous major award winners - with way too many Heisman Trophies to spare - and have combined for 12 national championships. Did I mention both were amongst the winningest programs all-time? Yeah. This game means a lot to both fan bases. Don't doubt the power and atmosphere behind rare match ups such as these, although they will become second nature once Nebraska acclimated themselves to the BIG conference.

And THEN there's the actual X's and O's side of things....oh man. Nebraska's defense has statistically been a disappointment, although this game will mark the healthiest that they have been as a unit to date. Meanwhile, the OSU offense and Janis Jopplin have the following word in common: ugly. The 110th best offense attack in the United States of America is struggling to even get a first down these days, which is all but worsened by the fact that Terrelle Pryor, DeVier Posey and Boom Herron could have been on the field for the entire season running the show if it wasn't for them acting just short of completely moronic. In all actuality, a true freshman quarterback, Braxton Miller, has been running the ship with little to no help from his receivers, which in turn has left the coaching staff making #5 feel as if he isn't worthy to be out there as the proverbial "leader in the huddle". RBs Jordan Hall and Carlos Hyde have provided solid-to-good work this season, but what does it even matter if you can't throw a forward pass?

Better question: how did Woody Hayes win five national titles without utilizing the forward pass EVER?? Different times. Different eras of football. Still bad news for the Bucks in 2011.

The key to this game will be- you guessed it - is the ability for Ohio State to throw successfully on early downs. Hopefully Braxton will be rolled out of the pocket often enough for him to make plays with his feet and keep drives alive as well. This will only bolster a rushing attack that is sure to make the best of their opportunities behind a bolstered offensive line that returns the services of senior LT Mike Adams, who was an All-American candidate at the end of the 2010 season. The new line, which features three seniors, a 6'5 bulldozer of a guard in Andrew Norwell and the big polar bear Jack Mewhort, should be successful in protecting Braxton and the running backs from harms way from here on out.

Who can catch the damn ball though??? No one. Philly Brown returns for the first time since the beginning of the Toledo game to try and help out DeVier Posey - oops, he's suspended - and Verlon Reed - oh... he tore his ACL - and Devin Smith, Chris Fields, Jake Stoneburner and co. Will it be enough to get things going for the first time all season? I highly doubt it.

When it comes down to it, I haven't mentioned Nebraska and Taylor Martinez and their stout rushing attack because it really doesn't matter. OSU's offense will prevent them from winning games until they improve; otherwise, the defense will surely keep them in any game they play. Guaranteed.

This will be much closer than people think, with the defense coming to play as always and more field goal drives resulting from an improved offensive line and a more logical offensive gameplan. I think Nebraska will score two touchdowns though, which will ultimately make the difference in a much better game that one would expect. The Huskers win their first Big Ten game, but optimism will return to Columbus, OH.

Prediction:

Ohio State- 16
Nebraska- 23

**** This is only the second time ever that I have selected the Buckeyes to lose a game since I began writing this blog in 2003 ****

My Top Ten- Week 6

1. LSU (5-0, vs Florida)
2. Oklahoma (4-0, vs Texas)
3. Alabama (5-0, vs Vanderbilt)
4. Boise State (4-0, @ Fresno State)
5. Oklahoma State (4-0, vs Kansas)
6. Wisconsin (5-0, Bye Week)
7. Stanford (4-0, vs Colorado)
8. Clemson (5-0, vs Boston College)
9. Oregon (3-1, vs California)
10. Texas (4-0, vs Oklahoma)

Nebraska, South Carolina and Virginia Tech all lost, opening the door for some newcomers this week. Clemson is more than deserving at this point in the season to be in the top 10 in the nation, while Oregon returns for me after being ranked in the top five to begin the season. Texas is in there by virtue of being undefeated and the fact that they are a big name. Other undefeated teams of note: Georgia Tech, Michigan and Illinois. Does that make them top 10 material? Michigan and Illinois not so much...but GT is lurking in the shadows as a darkhorse contender to be playing meaningful football heading into the end of the season.

P.S.- anyone who watched OSU struggle to score 6 points against Miami, and 7 vs Michigan State, it is okay for you to head to the nearest restroom and vomit everywhere.