Football Friday: Bobcat Edition
No. 3/3 Ohio State (1-0) vs. Ohio (0-1)
Date: Saturday, September 6
Time: 12:00 PM ET
Place: Ohio Stadium – capacity 102,329
TV: ESPN will televise the game. Pam Ward will call the play-by-play with analysis from Ray Bentley.
Radio: WBNS-AM 1460 The Fan in Columbus is the flagship station for the 73-station Ohio State Radio Network. The Jim Tressel pregame show airs 30 minutes prior to kickoff. “Big Daddy” Paul Keels will call the play-by-play and will be assisted by former Buckeye Jim Lachey in the booth and Marty Bannister on the sidelines.
Weather from Storm Team 4: Partly to mostly cloudy skies and a game time temperature of 76 degrees.
Latest Line: Ohio State is a 34-point favorite. The O/U is 46.
Series History: This will be the sixth meeting between the Buckeyes and the Bobcats on the football field. The two schools last met in 1999, a 40-16 victory for the Buckeyes in Ohio Stadium. Ohio State is 5-0 against Ohio, with four shutouts.
Whether Beanie Wells plays or not, it really doesn’t matter against Ohio, Ohio University, OU or whatever they want to be called.
Back in the day, I ran a 4.55 second 40-yard dash, roughly the same time Wells was clocked during his recruiting process, so maybe I could suit up and get some yards against the Bobcats if only I had some eligibility left.
Granted, there are good times to be had at the school located in Athens, especially during Halloween, but I don’t think those who don the Hunter Green and White will find their experiences pleasurable in Columbus.
Boom Herron is the likely starter in place of Beanie, though Brandon Saine and Mo Wells will get their share of carries, too. Any of these three would start at most of the other 119 Division I-A schools.
But one would have to think that Beanie will dress, right? And if he does, maybe, just maybe, he gets into the game. I know if I suited up I would be begging the coaching staff to get in. I would want to play regardless of the competition. So at the beginning of the game, scan the sidelines.
If Beanie doesn’t play as we’ve been told he won’t, it will give head coach Jim Tressel and his staff the opportunity to evaluate the talent on hand backing him up.
With Beanie out, it will also give the coaching staff opportunity to play Terrelle Pryor more and maybe open up the passing game a little bit in preparation of the Southern California game, next Saturday. My thinking at this time is that Joe Bauserman may not play at all, or if he does, it’s mop up duty late in the game.
One positive of passing more against the Bobcats will give the Tressel and his staff a chance to see what receivers the Buckeyes have on hand. We all know about the Brian’s, Robiskie and Hartline, but what about Ray Small, Dane Sanzenbacher, Taurian Washington, and DeVier Posey? These guys need to step up to make the Buckeye offense more explosive.
The Bobcats like to throw the ball all over the field, which will test the Buckeye secondary. But more importantly, it will give Ohio State’s defensive line the chance to flex its’ muscles and get after the quarterback. If the Buckeyes want to get back to the national title game and defeat the likes of USC next week, the D-line must get consistent pressure on the QB.
Analysis and Prediction
Let’s hope we get to see what Todd Boeckman and Pryor can do throwing the football. I can only stand “I-Tight Right-Wide Left-32 Dive” or whatever terminology they use only so much. Yes, I do think it’s important to get guys like Herron, Saine, and Mo Wells their touches, but let’s open up the passing game. This is the last tuneup before USC.
Defensively, the Buckeyes posted a shutout last week. If the Bobcats scored, it will be last in the game against second and third-teamers.
Ohio State 48, Ohio 7
