Game Two: #1 Ohio State 24, #2 Texas 7 (9/9/06)

[UTMNC]

What makes you think your offense improved, you lost quality starters from the 05 team also. I'll accept it being as good as last years, but not better, if however your right, then you and tOSU have nothing to worry about.

[High Lonesome]

Originally Posted by UTMNC

What makes you think your offense improved, you lost quality starters from the 05 team also. I'll accept it being as good as last years, but not better, if however your right, then you and tOSU have nothing to worry about.

If you can accept our defense being better....which it will be, then it should not be much of a strech at all to accept their offense getting better

[jwinslow]

Originally Posted by UTMNC

What makes you think your offense improved, you lost quality starters from the 05 team also. I'll accept it being as good as last years, but not better, if however your right, then you and tOSU have nothing to worry about.

what made UT fans think your 05 offense was any better than your 04 offense? You could see the maturation of VY, which paid off in huge dividends. The same can be said for OSU, as troy was remarkably better later in the season. OSU lost two good lineman and a WR (a deep position at OSU)... I don't see how that is too much of a loss to improve on offense.

[Buckeye86]

Originally Posted by UTMNC

I'll accept it being as good as last years, but not better, if however your right, then you and tOSU have nothing to worry about.

How about a solid starting QB from day one rather than an uncertain rotating system with no clear starter... you don't think that alone will make us vastly better on offense? Plus Smith's progression through last year was phenomenal, compare his performance in the Penn State game to the Michigan game and the Fiesta Bowl and tell me that his progression wasn't astronomical. Those two things alone make us better in my opinion, not to mention C. Wells in the rotation at RB to compliment our already established 1300 yard rusher Pittman.

[UTMNC]

My argument is not how good Troy Smith and the tOSU offense will be. I have already said I think tOSU wins this game in the 4th Qtr, Ijust don't think it's going to be as high scoring as some have predicted on this board, with scores in the low 30's, and some in the high 30's. If tOSU fans are wanting a blowout it will happen in 06, but not in Austin.

[Buckeyeskickbuttocks]

I can't see either Texas or Ohio State blowing the other out. I mean, maybe I don't know what a blow-out is... but if anyone is expecting something on the order of 42 - 7, they're not gonna get it - in all likelihood... Stranger things have happened, I guess.

[UTMNC]

I think the main consensus here is a few on this forum want us Texas fans to not be able to sleep at night from worrying about the tOSU offense, I can assure you I get a full 8 hours nightly. For every improvement in your offense, the Texas defense has done the same, (8 starters back, and 2 who had significant playing time. And a couple of soph and a certain Frosh, that being Sergio Kindle, whom Troy Smith better know where #2 is at all times.) Feel confident about your offense, but also be prepared for what might be a trainwreck.

[BuckeyeRob]

Originally Posted by UTMNC

My argument is not how good Troy Smith and the tOSU offense will be. I have already said I think tOSU wins this game in the 4th Qtr, Ijust don't think it's going to be as high scoring as some have predicted on this board, with scores in the low 30's, and some in the high 30's. If tOSU fans are wanting a blowout it will happen in 06, but not in Austin.

I agree with you here. Texas defense is going to be too good for ANYONE to blow them out (unless there offense were to have a total meltdown and that is unlikely to happen.)

I can see a final score of somewhere around 28-31 for the winning team and 24-27 for the losing team.

I happen to think that what is most likely to happen is that OSU wins it in the 4th as the Texas offense has a tough time sustaining drives in the second half of the game this leads to the Texas defense spending too much time on the feild and the OSU offense chipping away. I wouldnt be too surprised if the buckeyes go in at half time down by 3-7 points.

[Buckeye86]

You went from arguing that if our offense is better than last year (which it no doubt will be, at least at the time of the Texas game) we have nothing to worry about:

Originally Posted by UTMNC

What makes you think your offense improved, you lost quality starters from the 05 team also. I'll accept it being as good as last years, but not better, if however your right, then you and tOSU have nothing to worry about.

To saying that our offense has nothing to do with your arguement:

Originally Posted by UTMNC

My argument is not how good Troy Smith and the tOSU offense will be.

Then back to our offense (even going as far as to admit that we've made improvements even though you've matched them apparently, a total reversal of your previous position):

Originally Posted by UTMNC

I think the main consensus here is a few on this forum want us Texas fans to not be able to sleep at night from worrying about the tOSU offense, I can assure you I get a full 8 hours nightly. For every improvement in your offense, the Texas defense has done the same, (8 starters back, and 2 who had significant playing time.

Trying to argue with you will prepare us nicely

Originally Posted by UTMNC

for what might be a trainwreck

[Dryden]

Originally Posted by BuckeyeRob

I agree with you here. Texas defense is going to be too good for ANYONE to blow them out (unless there offense were to have a total meltdown and that is unlikely to happen.)

Anything is possible. It's a total crapshoot when you're starting a rookie QB, add an opportunistic defense and things can turn south in a hurry.

Any level-headed fan would not reasonably expect a blow-out in a game featuring two national powers, but they happen all the time anyway. From our abyssmal showing at Iowa in 2004, to a RRS in 2003 I'm certain Texas fans would just as soon forget ever happened -- sometimes the game just gets away from you.

With Troy piloting the OSU offense, and <insert rookie QB here> taking the reigns in Texas, I feel more comfortable that OSU could capitalize on the opportunity than Texas could and blow the game open. I don't believe that that is what necessarily will happen, but I think experience does favor OSU here.

All that said, as long as Texas retains Chizik I don't think they'll get blown-out by anybody.

[UTMNC]

I still say the Texas offense will surprise alot of people, probaly alot of tOSU fans.
QB- edge tOSU
OL- edge Texas
WR- close, but edge Texas
RB - even
TE- Texas (2 with game experience, and a RS freshman freak of nature who I promise will make an impact in the game.

[High Lonesome]

Anything is possible. It's a total crapshoot when you're starting a rookie QB

We should just rename this thread with this quote. All discussion really does begin and end around the frosh qb's for texas.

play relatively mistake free and texas has a great shot at a win
play uptight and mistake prone and tosu has a great shot at a win

[CleveBucks]

Originally Posted by UTMNC

I still say the Texas offense will surprise alot of people, probaly alot of tOSU fans.
QB- edge tOSU
OL- edge Texas
WR- close, but edge Texas
RB - even
TE- Texas (2 with game experience, and a RS freshman freak of nature who I promise will make an impact in the game.

I'd say TE is even. OSU also has two with game experience, and as much as I hate to say it, losing Hamby may be addition by subtraction. Rory Nicol is a much better all-around player. You can't really "promise" someone that's never played will make an impact. If so, then you gotta give OSU the edge at RB based upon the addition of Chris Wells making an impact. He was rated a lot higher than your TE coming out of high school.

[UTMNC]

High Lonesome just nailed it, If, If, If, Texas QB's(both will see action) play a relatively mistake free game, UT has a chance. They don't have to do anything spectacular, they have RETURNING MNC talent all around them for that, just keep it out of the ditch. Not in any of my post have I mentioned an advantage because of the heat for either team because it wont, both teams will have to to deal with it, both teams will have some cramps.

My only point through all my post is.
1. It will be a fairly low scoring game.

2. I give a very slight edge to tOSU in what will be a brutal war.

3. Troy Smith will be a improvement on the tOSU offense.

4. The improvement on the Texas defense and the game being in Austin will equal the effects of a matured Troy Smith.

5. The Texas Offense, even with our young QB's, will still be a force.

6. Some tOSU posters have let the loss last year in The Shoe fuel an anger so white hot, that it has blinded them to the fact that Texas is still going to be their toughest game, and Texas returns as many, or MORE starters than ANY school in Div-1

[Buckeye86]

Originally Posted by UTMNC

6. Some tOSU posters have let the loss last year in The Shoe fuel an anger so white hot, that it has blinded them to the fact that Texas is still going to be their toughest game, and Texas returns as many, or MORE starters than ANY school in Div-1

I think you'd be hard pressed to find anyone around here who doesn't think Texas will be one of and most likely the hardest game on our schedule this year. I also don't see any "white hot anger" unless I'm missing something.

I think our toughest games this year, in no particular order will be:

@ Texas
@ Iowa
and of course M*chigan

I am confident that we have a strong, strong chance of winning all of these games, but they are the ones that concern me the most.