Ohio State 24, Michigan State 17 (final)

[DaddyBigBucks]

The more I think about this game, the more I think it will tell us.

There is the obvious: How will the Buckeyes handle a power running game with a decent passing attack to balance it?

But there is something more.

After the Washington game, I had a sense (many of us did) that the team had just been transformed by what transpired there. I stated here in several posts (and in the preview for the Northwestern game) that the following game would tell us if the transformation would be a lasting one.

Based on the Buckeyes' fast start in that game and their continued excellence, the momentum we picked up in Seattle has lasted. But we all know what happens to momentum when you meet a stiff increase in resistance.

That is part of the reason why I think this game will tell us much. Because it is the start of a homestretch comprising 5 opponents who are tougher than any we've faced thus far. It is time for the Bucks to step up, and we know they know it.

But that's only half of it. Yes, this is a steep step; but the next step is even steeper. Our Buckeyes face arguably their toughest test of the season next week.

This isn't about looking ahead, at least not very much. This is about this game being the last chance they have to improve before they MUST be at their very best.

Perhaps that's overstated. Yeah, they have to be at their VERY best in January. But I hope the players are looking at this game exactly the way I described it. As the last chance to really hone their skill and build momentum before attacking the 'big' hill.

Starting with the trip to happy valley we face a metaphorical hill that is like the real one that you used to ride your bike up and down as a kid. You knew that the hundred yards or so before the hill was as important, if not more so, than the pedaling you did on the hill itself. You had to hit the bottom of the hill at top speed, or you wouldn't make it to the top.

This game against the Spartans is that last 100 yards before the big hill. It's the last chance to "hone skill and build momentum" before all of our energy will only conserve whatever momentum we have as we pedal furiously upward.

I believe in my heart that this team knows exactly what they're facing. I believe that they will have worked this week with an intensity that they previously didn't know was possible. I don't know why, but I really believe that this team will attack this game like we've seen other Tressel teams attack that other school from that state up north.

Even so, I'm not convinced that this one will be easy. MSU has a dream too. I saw Erin Andrews doing a report from the Horseshoe, saying that Brian Hoyer reported Dantonio's intensity to be a 15 on a scale of 10, when he's usually an 8. MSU is going to play the game of their lives. It will take a great effort to do what we should do against them. It will take everything 'we' have just to pull away late in this game. But 'we' will. I believe it.

When we see the Buckeyes take care of business tomorrow, when we see them play snap-to-whistle for 60 minutes, when we see them leave the field like they are still a predator on the hunt, too focused to slow down; we will see that they have refined their execution and built the momentum they will need to scale the hill before them. We won't know whether they'll win in Happy Valley, but we'll know that they can.

It's time to start pedaling Buckeyes. It's time to attack that hill.

Go Bucks.

[808 Buck]

Originally Posted by DaddyBigBucks

The more I think about this game, the more I think it will tell us.

There is the obvious: How will the Buckeyes handle a power running game with a decent passing attack to balance it?

But there is something more.

After the Washington game, I had a sense (many of us did) that the team had just been transformed by what transpired there. I stated here in several posts (and in the preview for the Northwestern game) that the following game would tell us if the transformation would be a lasting one.

Based on the Buckeyes' fast start in that game and their continued excellence, the momentum we picked up in Seattle has lasted. But we all know what happens to momentum when you meet a stiff increase in resistance.

That is part of the reason why I think this game will tell us much. Because it is the start of a homestretch comprising 5 opponents who are tougher than any we've faced thus far. It is time for the Bucks to step up, and we know they know it.

But that's only half of it. Yes, this is a steep step; but the next step is even steeper. Our Buckeyes face arguably their toughest test of the season next week.

This isn't about looking ahead, at least not very much. This is about this game being the last chance they have to improve before they MUST be at their very best.

Perhaps that's overstated. Yeah, they have to be at their VERY best in January. But I hope the players are looking at this game exactly the way I described it. As the last chance to really hone their skill and build momentum before attacking the 'big' hill.

Starting with the trip to happy valley we face a metaphorical hill that is like the real one that you used to ride your bike up and down as a kid. You knew that the hundred yards or so before the hill was as important, if not more so, than the pedaling you did on the hill itself. You had to hit the bottom of the hill at top speed, or you wouldn't make it to the top.

This game against the Spartans is that last 100 yards before the big hill. It's the last chance to "hone skill and build momentum" before all of our energy will only conserve whatever momentum we have as we pedal furiously upward.

I believe in my heart that this team knows exactly what they're facing. I believe that they will have worked this week with an intensity that they previously didn't know was possible. I don't know why, but I really believe that this team will attack this game like we've seen other Tressel teams attack that other school from that state up north.

Even so, I'm not convinced that this one will be easy. MSU has a dream too. I saw Erin Andrews doing a report from the Horseshoe, saying that Brian Hoyer reported Dantonio's intensity to be a 15 on a scale of 10, when he's usually an 8. MSU is going to play the game of their lives. It will take a great effort to do what we should do against them. It will take everything 'we' have just to pull away late in this game. But 'we' will. I believe it.

When we see the Buckeyes take care of business tomorrow, when we see them play snap-to-whistle for 60 minutes, when we see them leave the field like they are still a predator on the hunt, too focused to slow down; we will see that they have refined their execution and built the momentum they will need to scale the hill before them. We won't know whether they'll win in Happy Valley, but we'll know that they can.

It's time to start pedaling Buckeyes. It's time to attack that hill.

Go Bucks.

Are GPA's awarded on the eve of a game?

[OregonBuckeye]

Originally Posted by DaddyBigBucks

The more I think about this game, the more I think it will tell us.

There is the obvious: How will the Buckeyes handle a power running game with a decent passing attack to balance it?

But there is something more.

After the Washington game, I had a sense (many of us did) that the team had just been transformed by what transpired there. I stated here in several posts (and in the preview for the Northwestern game) that the following game would tell us if the transformation would be a lasting one.

Based on the Buckeyes' fast start in that game and their continued excellence, the momentum we picked up in Seattle has lasted. But we all know what happens to momentum when you meet a stiff increase in resistance.

That is part of the reason why I think this game will tell us much. Because it is the start of a homestretch comprising 5 opponents who are tougher than any we've faced thus far. It is time for the Bucks to step up, and we know they know it.

But that's only half of it. Yes, this is a steep step; but the next step is even steeper. Our Buckeyes face arguably their toughest test of the season next week.

This isn't about looking ahead, at least not very much. This is about this game being the last chance they have to improve before they MUST be at their very best.

Perhaps that's overstated. Yeah, they have to be at their VERY best in January. But I hope the players are looking at this game exactly the way I described it. As the last chance to really hone their skill and build momentum before attacking the 'big' hill.

Starting with the trip to happy valley we face a metaphorical hill that is like the real one that you used to ride your bike up and down as a kid. You knew that the hundred yards or so before the hill was as important, if not more so, than the pedaling you did on the hill itself. You had to hit the bottom of the hill at top speed, or you wouldn't make it to the top.

This game against the Spartans is that last 100 yards before the big hill. It's the last chance to "hone skill and build momentum" before all of our energy will only conserve whatever momentum we have as we pedal furiously upward.

I believe in my heart that this team knows exactly what they're facing. I believe that they will have worked this week with an intensity that they previously didn't know was possible. I don't know why, but I really believe that this team will attack this game like we've seen other Tressel teams attack that other school from that state up north.

Even so, I'm not convinced that this one will be easy. MSU has a dream too. I saw Erin Andrews doing a report from the Horseshoe, saying that Brian Hoyer reported Dantonio's intensity to be a 15 on a scale of 10, when he's usually an 8. MSU is going to play the game of their lives. It will take a great effort to do what we should do against them. It will take everything 'we' have just to pull away late in this game. But 'we' will. I believe it.

When we see the Buckeyes take care of business tomorrow, when we see them play snap-to-whistle for 60 minutes, when we see them leave the field like they are still a predator on the hunt, too focused to slow down; we will see that they have refined their execution and built the momentum they will need to scale the hill before them. We won't know whether they'll win in Happy Valley, but we'll know that they can.

It's time to start pedaling Buckeyes. It's time to attack that hill.

Go Bucks.

CHARGE!!!!

[utgrad73]

The Hive. We swarm the sparties on Saturday.

"It's just something that we do," said Washington.
"There's really no secrets to it. We come out and we link arms just to show and symbolize our brotherhood, that everybody is together, everything we're doing we're all doing to the same beat, we're doing everything together.
"There's not one guy over here doing his own thing, we're all linked together and it shows we're going to play together," said Washington.

http://www.theozone.net/football/200...eandcircle.htm

Go Bucks

[bukIpower]

I think the same thing as was just posted. This game has a chance to shoot us into the Penn State game and really start fast next week up at State college. A slow start in this game isn't as bad as a slow finish. While I believe this game is going to be a challenge I'm not as worried as some of the others are....

MSU lives on that deep ball, the quick screen, end arounds, reverses, etc with thier recievers. It's the type of attack that DOESN'T work agains this secondary. They will not beat us deep, their recievers will not break off any huge gains on bubble screens, and the reverses won't be there. The challenge our defense is presented with is stopping that running game. After listening to last weeks game I'm not going to lie I'm not AS confident going into this game, but I think we raise our level of play. Ringer is a very frieghtning person to plan for. He's fast, strong, and can make you miss too. Now that Denlinger ain't goin to play I'm a bit concerned but I think with our secondary against those recievers we will be able to load up on them. The same cannot be said for MSU.

We know we'll make them 1 demensional somehow on defense. MSU will win some battles, and we'll win the rest. The question all week has been can OSU stop MSU's offense once again. However, I think it's the opposite once again. Can MSU stop OSU's offense? MSU faced a so so defense in Madison, and OSU faced a so so defense in Washington. So I think both teams will be facing the toughest competition they've played so far, but I think OSU has shown the ability on defense to shut down opponents where as MSU has not shown that capability what so ever.

OSU will go down early I think.. 3-0 after 1 quarter and MSU's defense will bend and won't break. Then we roll off 21 in the 2nd and win this game 31-10.

I mean if both OSU/MSU are going to play inferior teams I'll take the team that is dominating those teams over a team who is putting up awesome stats on one side of the ball.

[MililaniBuckeye]

If we just slow down--let alone stuff--their running game, it's all over but the shouting...