2011 Allstate Sugar Bowl- #6 Ohio State (11-1) vs. #8 Arkansas Razorbacks (10-2)

Where: New Orleans, LA (Superdome)
When: 8:30 PM EST
TV: ESPN

41-14 in January of 2007 to the national champion Florida Gators. 38-24 in January of 2008 to the national champion LSU Tigers.

Those were the last two times Ohio State faced an SEC team in a BCS game. Short description: awful. It was not pretty to watch those two games, and for different reasons the ball just didn't bounce in favor of the Buckeyes. The Florida game seemed to be a combination of lack of focus, the "fat-and-happy" theory, and playing an extremely talented and motivated team with a great gameplan. The LSU game...well...they were simply better and were the best team in football that season when they were healthy, so that is that.

What is different about this year's match up with an SEC foe? Well... I'm not quite sure. We will find out tomorrow night.

It is tough to defend OSU after 9 straight losses to 'dem boys from the south in bowl competition, and is equally tough for me to say that the Buckeyes are clearly the better team from top to bottom. Factor in the distractions of the suspended players fiasco and you have yourself a complete mystery in terms of what to expect tomorrow night. I really do not know what will happen tomorrow night or what Buckeye team will show up... but I will go ahead and speculate.

Arkansas is a very fast, athletic offensive machine that features future NFL quarterback Ryan Mallett and a slew of talented receivers and a first team All-SEC running back in Knile Davis that has averaged 6.6 yards per carry this season. Not that this team hasn't seen offenses like this in past seasons, but this season in particular? Not really...not at all. This is a dynamic offensive attack that will present several issues for Ohio State to deal with. TE D.J. Williams, winner of the Mackey Award for the best TE in college football, could end up being the X-factor in this game going up against a potential mismatch with the Buckeye linebackers (unless Jermale Hines is challenged with keeping him under wraps from the secondary). The defense isn't anything special, but it has gotten better each and every game since the Auburn game and that is never a good sign if you are playing a vastly improved defense heading into a bowl game. Enough of me drooling over Arkansas, though, although it is certainly tough to do. Let's look at the Buckeyes.

Yeah...you know what I am going to say. If you read this blog then you are Buckeye fan and know what this team is capable of. This has been one of the best offenses in the Tressel era statistically and is led by a dual-threat QB that could give any defense in the country fits on any given night. The issue at hand, in my opinion, is how will the NCAA sanctioned players - including Pryor - respond in this game and handle the adversity? Forget whether they shouldn't play in this game or not for one second (they shouldn't be playing, but that is beside the point), but rather focus on how this team will perform with these guys playing tomorrow night in New Orleans. I don't know how they will play, but I have a feeling that they will want to prove a lot in front of a national television audience against a big time SEC foe. That may lead to forcing some plays that aren't there, but could also produce some big time plays for this offense. That, to me, is the biggest aspect of the game: how will Pryor and the other players involved in the violations play in this game and handle the adversity. It should be fun to watch, regardless of it all.

Deep down, I can see OSU losing this game the majority of the time based off of past experiences. But guess what? I am sick of all that SEC talk, because it has NOTHING to do with THIS team. THIS team has yet to play an SEC opponent, so we need to hold off all judgement until the two teams take the field. The 2010 Ohio State Buckeyes are 0-0 versus the SEC, and have a great shot at making that record 1-0. If the team has that mind set tomorrow night, then I would bet money that OSU ends up winning this game. Otherwise if the distractions take its toll on the mental focus of the team, then I would bet that Arkansas wins in big time fashion.

My final conclusion... well, of course I am picking the Buckeyes. This game scares the hell out of me, but I will go ahead and say that OSU wins a classic Sugar Bowl in the Big Easy.

http://www.alongtheolentangy.com/2010/12/30/1894985/sugar-bowl-preview-the-arkansas-offense-v-osu-defense

http://www.alongtheolentangy.com/2011/1/3/1894986/sugar-bowl-preview-the-arkansas-defense-v-osu-offense

The above links feature outstanding analysis of the game. Just so you can see first hand that I am not crazy in picking OSU to beat an SEC opponent, I recommend that you check it out.

Prediction:

Ohio State- 24
Arkansas- 23

Final Sugar Bowl Updates/Thoughts

Just wanted to run down some final thoughts on the Sugar Bowl that is a mere two days away (unbelievable). Practice got under way this past week and everything seems to be going as smoothly as possible.

- It seems as if the team is focused at the task at hand despite the news on December 23rd about the 2011 suspensions. I expect big games out of the players involved in the controversy.

- Why do I think they'll have big games? All of them keep mentioning sending their seniors out the right way, which is generally the Tressel mantra that has payed dividends over the years....except against SEC opponents :(

- The SEC hype machine on ESPN hasn't been too overwhelming this bowl season, since most of the attention has been on OSU in light of the NCAA suspensions. What has Arkansas been doing this whole time? Preparing and enjoying the usual dose of not being in the spotlight and out of the national stream of consciousness. This is a very good football team and will be extremely prepared for the Buckeyes.

- What type of game plan do I expect from OSU on Tuesday night? I am not sure at this point, as I usually have more inside info from the Scout insiders. I'll go out on a limb and say that the offense will be put in Pryor's hands and the team will go only as far as his arms and legs take them - ala the Rose Bowl. This isn't exactly rocket science, as this has been the average Buckeye game plan all season long and ever since 2009, really.

- Guarantee: Arkansas RB Knile Davis will NOT rush for 100 yards... but neither will Boom Herron. Both will be close though.

- One big factor when Ohio State plays SEC opponents is the play of the offensive line. This is one of the best offensive lines the Bucks have had since 2005, so I'll go ahead and say that if there is a time to get it done against an athletic defensive line from the SEC, this is it.

- The Florida game was simply OSU being fat and happy and Florida wanting to kick their ass. LSU was a sheer mismatch as the Tigers were by far the best team in the nation when healthy. I talked a big game that Ohio State would beat LSU based off of motivational hype. Why do I think Tressel can lead the Bucks to a victory over an SEC team this time around? Because they are better than Arkansas- plain and simple.

- Why won't I go ahead and say that Ohio State will win now? Because Arkansas scares the hell out of me with their offensive balance, the strength of their wins this season and how their defense has improved each and every week since the Auburn loss.

I'll have my game preview tomorrow...

PIG SUEY!!! GET ER DONEEEEE YA'LL!!!

Thought that this was an appropriate highlight reel look at how Arkansas plays football.... enjoy.

No, I don't care if I offend people from Arkansas with the title of this post, mainly because no one reads this blog.

Eight days until kickoff.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgcsLyByO9A

Thoughts on the NCAA Suspensions

It has been a day now, and we have all had time to at least start to digest everything that has happened with Ohio State football.

In the event that you have been living under a rock or are just an ass who wants to keep bringing it up to embarrassed OSU fans, yesterday the NCAA suspended the following players for the first five games of the 2011 season due to receiving "improper benefits" dating back to 2009: QB Terrelle Pryor, RB Boom Herron, WR DeVier Posey (should I keep going?), LT Mike Adams and reserve DE Solomon Thomas. Backup LB Jordan Whiting will serve a one-game suspension to begin the 2011 season against Akron.

The transgressions for the players serving five game suspensions include selling various items such as Big Ten championship rings, gold pants and game-worn apparel for values ranging from 1,000-2,500 dollars, along with exchanging autographs for tattoos.

The NCAA is allowing the players to participate in the Sugar Bowl mainly because they determined that Ohio State did not educate the players well enough that it was not acceptable to sell things of that nature for profit, but lets be honest for a moment here. The real reason in my opinion, which has come to my attention after reading and hearing many different opinions the past few days, is because the NCAA doesn't want to lose the money that would come from having OSU and Arkansas feature all of its stars on one of college football's biggest stages in New Orleans. Players such as Pryor and Posey represent dollar signs for bowl sponsors, advertisers, etc. and no organization wants to see an investment lose money or interest. It is simple business.

How do I feel about all of this? Not that it matters, but there is a lot that needs to be said here and I really do not have the energy to express every little thing that I think. I do have the time to try and sum up some of the major points, though.

First of all, whether or not it explicitly says in the NCAA's overly augmented and hypocritical rule book that you cannot sell ANYTHING that belongs to you is a debate that I'll leave to the people that are supposed to make those rules abundantly clear. The issue is how does one determine if something that an athlete receives is truly his/hers to sell? The argument that you shouldn't want to sell something like a trophy at all to begin with is beside the point, because if you are like me then you would cherish something like that for the rest of your life. I believe that it needs to be made crystal clear that the NCAA and school still technically own things such as trophies, awards, etc. until the student is no longer an amateur. If I earn something for my achievements on the field, regardless if I would actually sell it or not, I am under the impression that is is mine. Not partially the universities or the NCAA's, but MINE. To quote Vince Vaughn from Wedding Crashers, "The painting was a gift, Todd. I'm taking it with me".

Do I condone what these players did? No. Do I believe that there were circumstances that lead me to believe that in the long run what these players did is forgivable? Yes. Do they deserve to be suspended? HELL YES. They should be suspended for the bowl game and have a lesser suspension next season in a perfect world, but it isn't a perfect world and they are allowed to play in it. You have a problem with that? Talk to the NCAA about that. Don't bash OSU for this, but the NCAA. It was their ruling, and OSU is abiding by it (by the way, I have a gut feeling that the suspensions will be reduced).

I know plenty of people that have done things that they are not especially proud of (myself included) in order to accomplish a goal at hand. Families that struggle around the world do things to put food on the table, put their kids through college, etc. People rob, steal and kill in the name of love. And sometimes people with the means do things to help those that are less fortunate. Whether it is true or not that a lot of these players sold their gold pants and rings in order to help their families pay the bills and put food on the table is not exactly clear considering I do not know any of them personally. If they did it, although it was definitely handled in a very bad way, I can understand why.

Those are my thoughts, and there is still a game to play. Almost a week until game time.

Let's shut the SEC, ESPN, and the world up.

GO BUCKS!!!!!

Arkansas- Quick Breakdown

#7 Arkansas Razorbacks (10-2, 6-2; SEC #2)

QB- Ryan Mallett (3,592 pass yards, 30 TD, 11 INT)

RB- Knile Davis (1,183 rush yards, 14 Total TD)

WR- Greg Childs (46 rec. for 659 yards, 6 TD)

WR- Jarius Wright (38 rec. for 718 yards, 4 TD)

TE- D.J. Williams (49 rec. for 589 yards, 4 TD)

National Ranks

3^rd in the Nation in Passing Yards per Game (338)

17^th in the Nation in Points per Game (37)

6^th Toughest Schedule in the Nation

Key Wins in 2010

Texas A&M, in Arlington (9-3 record)

@ South Carolina (9-4 record) SEC East Champs

@ Mississippi State (8-4 record)

LSU (10-2 record)

The Arkansas Razorbacks, who finished the season at 10-2 and in second place in the SEC, put together one of the best statistical seasons in school history en route to their first Sugar Bowl appearance since 1979 and their first as a member of the SEC. QB Ryan Mallett, a sure-fire first round NFL draft pick, leads a team that features one of the most feared passing attacks in America to complement RB Knile Davis, who has had himself quite a breakout sophomore season with nearly 1,200 yards and a 6.6 yards per carry average. While the defense gives up 23 points per game, they have four wins over ranked opponents and won those contests by an average score of 33 to 22. Arkansas is a very talented and well coached SEC football team.

Pour Some Sugar on the Buckeyes

Congratulations to Ohio State on an 11-1 season and a berth to play in the Allstate Sugar Bowl on January 4th, 2011 in the Superdome against the #8 Arkansas Razorbacks (10-2).

It will be a hell of a match up and a very exciting game to watch. Arkansas QB Ryan Mallett leads one of the best offenses in the country into their first BCS bowl in school history. This will be the 10th meeting with an SEC opponent in a bowl game situation for Ohio State (they have gone 0-9 all-time).

I'll be previewing the game along with the other bowl games throughout the month.

Final BCS Bowl Predictions (12/4)

2011 BCS National Championship Game (1/10)

#2 Oregon Ducks (12-0)

vs.

#1 Auburn Tigers (13-0)

Rose Bowl Presented by VIZIO (1/1)-

Wisconsin Badgers (11-1) Big Ten Champs

vs.

TCU Horned Frogs (12-0) At-Large

Tostitos Fiesta Bowl (1/1)-

Oklahoma Sooners (11-2) Big 12 Champs

vs.

Stanford Cardinal (11-1) At-Large

Discover Orange Bowl (1/3)-

Connecticut Huskies (8-4) Big East Champs

vs.

Virginia Tech Hokies (11-2) ACC Champs

Allstate Sugar Bowl (1/4)-

Arkansas Razorbacks (10-2) At-Large

vs.

Ohio State Buckeyes (11-1) At-Large