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2006 Minnesota Golden Gophers Game Preview
written by: BB73, BuckeyeRyn, Buckeyeskickbuttocks, Bucklion, DaddyBigBucks, daddyphatsacs, Deety, FKAGobucks877, jwinslow, LordJeffBuck, osugrad21, OSUsushichic, PrincessPeach, and 3yardsandacloud
Link to 2006 Minnesota Golden Gophers - Additional Information
written by: BB73, BuckeyeRyn, Buckeyeskickbuttocks, Bucklion, DaddyBigBucks, daddyphatsacs, Deety, FKAGobucks877, jwinslow, LordJeffBuck, osugrad21, OSUsushichic, PrincessPeach, and 3yardsandacloud
Link to 2006 Minnesota Golden Gophers - Additional Information
tOSU's current 15-game winning streak is actually the fourth longest in school history, despite the other articles you'll read stating that it's the third best. While mentioning the school-record 22 straight wins from 1967-68-69, and the 19 straight wins from 2002-03, current press releases are overlooking the 17-game winning streak in the Chic Harley era of 1915-16-17, which ended with a tie at Auburn. That unbeaten streak extended through 22 games before a loss in 1918, matching the longest in school history. The other unbeaten streak within sight is the 19-game stretch between 1973-74, which included the famous 10-10 tie in Ann Arbor and ended with the goal-line debacle in East Lansing.
Longest tOSU football winning and unbeaten streaks:
22 - 1967-69 - all wins
22 - 1915-18 - includes a tie at Auburn in 1917
19 - 2002-03 - all wins
19 - 1973-74 - includes a tie at TSUN in 1973
17 - 1915-17 - all wins
15 - 2005-06 - all wins (current streak)
The Buckeyes saw themselves removed from the record books this past Saturday. Their epic comeback from a 31-0 deficit at Minnesota in 1989, which was a 1-A record shared with Maryland's 1984 comeback over Miami, was exceeded by Sparty's turning a 38-3 third quarter deficit into a 41-38 victory that ruined Northwestern's homecoming.
Minnesota does have a rich football history, although most of that rich history is of the ancient variety. They were the very first team ever voted #1 in the AP football poll, back in October of 1936. They went on to claim their third straight national title that year. The most recent national championship in 1960 was their sixth.
Minnesota is actually tied with tOSU as the Big Ten teams with the most AP national titles in football, with 4. Michigan has 2, Michigan State has 1, and Penn State won two in the 1980s before joining the conference.
The Golden Gophers last two 10 win seasons occurred in '03 and '05. That would be 2003 and unfortunately for them, 1905. They had a brilliant stretch from '00 through '05; they actually compiled a record of 65-4-5 from 1900 through 1905. In both 1903 and 1904, they gave up less points over the course of the season than the number of games they won. Those years included a 28-game win streak and a 35-game unbeaten streak. Impressive stuff, but obviously ancient history.
Minnesota has an all-time winning record against the SEC, the Big-12, and the Pac-10. The only conferences they have a losing record against are a 2-3 mark against the ACC (due to last season's Music City Bowl loss to Virginia), and a 1-2 mark against the WAC.
They won their only meetings against Texas and Alabama, and have a 29-20 mark against Nebraska, although they've now lost 14 straight.
]Their list of coaches included Fritz Crisler (1930-31), who left for Princeton and then brought along their winged helmet when he arrived in Ann Arbor in 1938. Crisler was succeeded by in Minnesota by Bernie Bierman, who had a .716 winning percentage from 1932-1950, winning 5 national championships in his first decade leading the Golden Gophers. He is also known for teaching the game of football to Bud Wilkinson, who coached Oklahoma to its record 47-game winning streak in the 1950s.
The current head coach is Glen Mason, currently in his 10th year. He has guided the team to 6 of their 11 all-time bowl appearances (they never went to a bowl during their glory days under Bierman). Mason, a Buckeye who played for Woody Hayes and earned his education degree from tOSU in 1972, was a much-discussed candidate for the tOSU job in early 2001. While many were hoping that he would be the choice to lead the Buckeyes, the number of Ohio State fans that now wished he had gotten the job is surely approaching zero.
Finally, since their rushing attack has regressed this year, it's extremely unlikely that Minnesota will rush for 400 yards in Saturday's game. But even when they do that, they've managed to not win some games. Against Michigan in 2003, the Gophers had 424 rushing yards in the game, and lost 28-7 lead in the largest comeback victory ever for the Princeton-helmeted squad. Minnesota repeated this feat last year, rushing for 411 yards before squandering the Paul Bunyon Axe by failing to get off a punt against Wisconsin with a little over 30 seconds left in the game.
Longest tOSU football winning and unbeaten streaks:
22 - 1967-69 - all wins
22 - 1915-18 - includes a tie at Auburn in 1917
19 - 2002-03 - all wins
19 - 1973-74 - includes a tie at TSUN in 1973
17 - 1915-17 - all wins
15 - 2005-06 - all wins (current streak)
The Buckeyes saw themselves removed from the record books this past Saturday. Their epic comeback from a 31-0 deficit at Minnesota in 1989, which was a 1-A record shared with Maryland's 1984 comeback over Miami, was exceeded by Sparty's turning a 38-3 third quarter deficit into a 41-38 victory that ruined Northwestern's homecoming.
Minnesota does have a rich football history, although most of that rich history is of the ancient variety. They were the very first team ever voted #1 in the AP football poll, back in October of 1936. They went on to claim their third straight national title that year. The most recent national championship in 1960 was their sixth.
Minnesota is actually tied with tOSU as the Big Ten teams with the most AP national titles in football, with 4. Michigan has 2, Michigan State has 1, and Penn State won two in the 1980s before joining the conference.
The Golden Gophers last two 10 win seasons occurred in '03 and '05. That would be 2003 and unfortunately for them, 1905. They had a brilliant stretch from '00 through '05; they actually compiled a record of 65-4-5 from 1900 through 1905. In both 1903 and 1904, they gave up less points over the course of the season than the number of games they won. Those years included a 28-game win streak and a 35-game unbeaten streak. Impressive stuff, but obviously ancient history.
Minnesota has an all-time winning record against the SEC, the Big-12, and the Pac-10. The only conferences they have a losing record against are a 2-3 mark against the ACC (due to last season's Music City Bowl loss to Virginia), and a 1-2 mark against the WAC.
They won their only meetings against Texas and Alabama, and have a 29-20 mark against Nebraska, although they've now lost 14 straight.
]Their list of coaches included Fritz Crisler (1930-31), who left for Princeton and then brought along their winged helmet when he arrived in Ann Arbor in 1938. Crisler was succeeded by in Minnesota by Bernie Bierman, who had a .716 winning percentage from 1932-1950, winning 5 national championships in his first decade leading the Golden Gophers. He is also known for teaching the game of football to Bud Wilkinson, who coached Oklahoma to its record 47-game winning streak in the 1950s.
The current head coach is Glen Mason, currently in his 10th year. He has guided the team to 6 of their 11 all-time bowl appearances (they never went to a bowl during their glory days under Bierman). Mason, a Buckeye who played for Woody Hayes and earned his education degree from tOSU in 1972, was a much-discussed candidate for the tOSU job in early 2001. While many were hoping that he would be the choice to lead the Buckeyes, the number of Ohio State fans that now wished he had gotten the job is surely approaching zero.
Finally, since their rushing attack has regressed this year, it's extremely unlikely that Minnesota will rush for 400 yards in Saturday's game. But even when they do that, they've managed to not win some games. Against Michigan in 2003, the Gophers had 424 rushing yards in the game, and lost 28-7 lead in the largest comeback victory ever for the Princeton-helmeted squad. Minnesota repeated this feat last year, rushing for 411 yards before squandering the Paul Bunyon Axe by failing to get off a punt against Wisconsin with a little over 30 seconds left in the game.
Date and Time
Date: Saturday, October 28th, 2006
Time: 3:30 EDT Kick-off
Location: Ohio Stadium - "The Horseshoe" (Columbus, OH)
Constructed: 1922 (Renovated in 2001)
Seating Capacity: 101,568 (Originally 66,210)
Playing Surface: Natural Grass
Broadcast Information:
TV Broacast: ABC: Mark Jones (play-by-play), David Norrie (analyst) and Stacey Dales (sideline)
Radio Broadcast: Ohio State Radio Network (1460TheFan in Columbus): Paul Keels (Play-by-play), Jim Lachey (Analysis), and Marty Bannister (Sideline)
Time: 3:30 EDT Kick-off
Location: Ohio Stadium - "The Horseshoe" (Columbus, OH)
Constructed: 1922 (Renovated in 2001)
Seating Capacity: 101,568 (Originally 66,210)
Playing Surface: Natural Grass
Broadcast Information:
TV Broacast: ABC: Mark Jones (play-by-play), David Norrie (analyst) and Stacey Dales (sideline)
Radio Broadcast: Ohio State Radio Network (1460TheFan in Columbus): Paul Keels (Play-by-play), Jim Lachey (Analysis), and Marty Bannister (Sideline)
2006 Minnesota Golden Gophers Offensive Preview
Returning starters: 7
The Minnesota Gophers did not envision this type of season, where they sit 0-4 in conference play, as they entered 2006. Coming off a 7-4 campaign, the offense was productive for much of 2005, including putting 31 points up against the Buckeyes in the Metrodome. The rushing attack, always the staple of Glen Mason's Gopher teams, was nearly unstoppable last season, piling up over 273 yards a game, ranking 3rd nationally. They also put up 35.8 points per game, good for 10th nationally, and ranked 7th in total offense with 494.8 yards per contest. The passing game didn't exactly remind anyone of the Houston Cougars of the late 80's, but it was efficient and opened up a lot of space to run while still being decent statistically (221.7 yards per game, 63rd nationally). The turnover margin was just average (-.08 per game, 59th nationally), an area that the Gophers would be looking to improve upon heading into the 2006 season. And despite the loss of star RB Laurence Maroney and center Greg Eslinger, the passing game returned in tact and the rushing game always piles up yards, so there was reason for guarded optimism coming in to the 2006 campaign.
Despite the expectations, however, the 2006 season has been a bitter disappointment for the Gophers. Projected starting RB Gary Russell was forced out of school with academic problems, and the offensive line has not played particularly well in stretches. The rushing production has plummeted to just 161 yards per game, still good for 37th nationally but way below the 2005 form that sent the Gophers to the Music City Bowl. Production in the passing game has not only not picked up the slack for the decreased run production, but in fact has also declined from last season (down to 198.5 ypg, 64th nationally). Predictably, the drop in production has resulted in a drop in points, down to 25.9 per game, 47th nationally. Now, on the surface, these stats don't look all that bad, but considering the Gophers started out by blowing out and shutting out Kent State in Kent 44-0, and last week needed a missed field goal to beat I-AA North Dakota State at home 10-9, the Gophers do not appear to have made any progress, and in fact seem to have regressed, from their early season form. That's a recipe for disaster when conference play arrives, hence the 0-4 start. This is not the situation to be heading on the road to face the number one team in the nation...or is it? Maybe the Gophers bottomed out last week, and will arrive in Columbus Saturday loose and playing like they have nothing to lose. Or, maybe they'll play like they did against the Bison again...time will tell.
Quarterbacks
QB #3 Bryan Cupito (6-1, 195, SR, McNicholas HS, Cincinnati, OH)
Cupito is the unquestioned starter, and this is his third year at the helm. When he has a good running game behind him, he can make some nice throws, particularly over the middle, and can burn a team deep in single coverage. However he is not the type of player that will take over a game and win too many that way. He is completing about 60% of his throws, and has a nice TD/INT ratio of 11/4 this season. He has been sacked 13 times, not great but not bad. Considering he was sacked only 3 times all of last year, however, one can begin to see the difference in the line play this season. Cupito's best game of 2006 came against Penn State, where he completed an impressive 70% of his throws for 347 yards and 2 TDs in a losing effort. He also threw for 4 TDs against overmatched Temple. He has cracked the 200 yard mark only 4 times, however (Cal, Purdue, Michigan, Penn State), and threw for only 150 yards last week against North Dakota State. He has success against a couple of good defenses in Penn State (above) and Michigan, throwing for 215 yards and 2 TDs in that game, but got stomped on by another, Wisconsin, as he threw for only 94 yards and an INT. He also threw 2 picks against California. Cupito is at his best when the Gophers can use the run to set up the pass. The Buckeyes front 7, however, is not likely to allow that to happen, so though Cupito can make some nice throws against quality defenses, the Gophers will not win many games if they can't run the football. Cupito is also no rushing threat at all out of the backfield.
The backup is little-used Tony Mortensen (#17), a sophomore with good size (6-3, 230). Though he's run in one TD, he is 0 for 7 with 2 INTs in mop-up duty against Kent and Temple...not exactly inspiring confidence. Columbus product Mike Maciejowski (#19) also appeared in the Temple game, completing 1 of 2 for 18 yards, and could be the QB of the future.
QB Rating: B
Head-to-Head: Minnesota vs Ohio State QBs
Cupito (P/R): 126/212 (59.4%), 1548 yards, 11 TDs, 4 INTs, 134.1 rating; 25/-23, 0 TDs.
Smith (P/R): 131/193 (67.9%), 1715 yards, 21 TDs, 2 INTs, 176.4 rating; 36/126, 0 TDs.
Troy Smith is having an amazing season, and very well could be the best QB in the nation this year. Cupito is a solid player who provides experience and veteran leadership, and he can make some nice throws, particularly to the TE position. The Buckeyes also have a quality backup in Justin Zwick...the Gophers cannot say the same. Smith is a devastating weapon, and he gets the nod over any player in the nation right now, but Cupito has certainly developed into a solid QB capable of playing well against solid competition. Last year he torched the Buckeyes for 396 yards and a TD, completing 74% of his throws. The Silver Bullets will no doubt remember that performance, and prepare accordingly.
Edge: Ohio State
Running Backs
RB #29 Amir Pinnix (6-0, 195, JR, Malcom X Shabazz HS, Newark, NJ)
FB #18 Justin Valentine (6-2, 215, JR, Eastmoor Academy, Columbus, OH)
Pinnix was not expected to get the bulk of the load this year, but with the loss of Russell, he now mans the helm, and has done so admirably, rushing for 747 yards and 6 TDs so far. He has cracked the 100 yard plateau just twice, but has rushed for at least 75 yards in 7 out of the 8 Gopher games. He burned Kent State for 114 yards and a TD, and opened conference play by torching Purdue for 173 yards, but no TDs. He also gained 91 against Michigan, 76 against Penn State, and 97 against Wisconsin...an impressive stretch in conference play no matter how one looks at it. He also gained 97 yards against the Bison last week. He?s not a huge threat out of the backfield receiving the ball, but he has good hands and can make some yards after a catch. Pinnix isn't a big runner, but he has good speed and decent power, and has certainly proven he can run the ball effectively against the solid defenses in the conference to this point.
Second on the chart is Alex Daniels (#6), a bruising (6-3, 255) sophomore from Columbus that loves to pound on people. He opened the season with 155 yards and 3 TDs against Kent, but has played more sparingly as the more experienced Pinnix has taken the bulk of the load. He gained 78 yards against Cal and 44 against Temple, scoring a pair of TDs, but has only 12 carries in conference play, and none last week. It will be interesting to see if Mason has phased him out of the gameplan, or if he sees significant action this weekend.
A pair of freshmen, Terrence Sherrer (#27) and E. J. Jones (#34), have appeared sparingly.
Valentine is a punishing blocker with lots of experience and quality blocking skills. He has carried the ball 11 times this season, so he'll occasionally get a chance to run with it in short yardage situations. He does have 2 TDs this season.
RB Rating: B+
Head-to-Head: Minnesota vs Ohio State RBs
Pinnix: 145/747 yards, 6 TDs, 5.2 YPC; 7 rec/79 yards, 0 TDs, 11.3 YPR
Daniels: 67/309 yards, 5 TDs, 4.6 YPC; 4 rec/15 yards, 0 TDs, 3.8 YPR
Pittman: 142/778 yards, 8 TDs, 5.5 YPC; 6 rec/43 yards, 0 TDs, 7.2 YPR
C Wells: 67/301 yards, 3 TDs, 4.5 YPC; 2 rec/16 yards, 0 TDs, 8.0 YPR
Pinnix has done a nice job this season as the feature back, especially once conference play started and he had the job from Daniels full time. It is clearly his show to run, no pun intended. Like Pinnix, Pittman has been effective against quality competition, putting up reasonably similar numbers. Pittman has the advantage of playing with Smith and the devastating passing attack, but he also contributes to the effectiveness of that passing game of course. This will probably spark quite a bit of debate amongst the fans reading this, but given the level of competition and the amount of production, Pinnix deserves to be in the same sentence with Pittman, at least as much as Albert Young and some of the other more hyped tailbacks in the conference whose numbers have quite frankly not been nearly as good. Is he as good as Pittman, Hart, Hunt, and Hill? He has a chance to show he is at that level this weekend, so time will tell. The depth goes to the Buckeyes, who have utilized Chris Wells effectively throughout the season. Daniels can run, but his lack of recent work makes him less of a threat than Wells. The edge goes to the Buckeyes on depth, though the guy at the top of the Gopher Marquis can play too.
Edge: Ohio State
Wide Receivers
WR #84 Logan Payne (6-2, 200, SR, Land O?Lakes HS, Lutz, FL)
WR #1 Ernest Wheelwright (6-5, 210, JR, Walnut Ridge HS, Columbus, OH)
OK, go ahead and get all of the "Here comes the Payne" references out now. Logan Payne leads the team in receiving with 468 yards and 7 TDs. He is not particularly fast, but he is tough as nails and runs reasonably good routes. He had a 5-game stretch where he caught 6 passes in each game, so he is a very consistent performer. He absolutely obliterated Temple, catching 6 passes for 136 yards and 4 TDs. Against quality competition he has also been good, catching 6 for 104 yards and 2 scores against Michigan, and 6 for 94 against Penn State. The last 2 weeks, however, he has almost disappeared. He caught just 2 for 6 yards against Wisconsin, and 2 for 19 yards last week against the Bison. Expect the Gophers to try and get him heavily involved this weekend, as he'll have to be if the Gophers are to have any chance to pull the upset.
Wheelwright has quite frankly been a disappointment this year. His size and speed should create constant matchup problems, but he has caught just 17 passes in 8 games, and Cupito seems to have lost confidence in him. He also has a tendency to drop balls, which doesn't help matters any. After catching 37 passes for 568 yards and 5 TDs last year, he has not caught a single TD pass this season, and his longest reception is a paltry 21 yards. His biggest production was against Penn State, but that was only 4 catches for 34 yards. He caught just 1 pass last week. If he were to step up and have a breakout game (being from Columbus could provide quite a bit of motivation) then he could be a key factor in keeping the Gophers in the game. However, if his size and ability to get open are of no use to Cupito, the Gophers won't have much of a chance of moving the ball downfield.
Amongst the backups, Eric Decker (#14) has turned out to be a nice player so far. Though he has just 14 catches, he has 205 yards and 2 TDs to his credit, making him a nice target. He is another promising freshman with good size (6-2, 210) who had 4 catches for 66 yards and a TD against Penn State. Fellow freshman Mike Chambers (#12) has also caught 12 passes for 162 yards, including 3 for 49 against Cal and 4 for 32 against Penn State, so he will also be a player to keep an eye on Saturday.
WR Rating: C+
Head-to-Head: Minnesota vs Ohio State WRs
Payne: 35 catches, 468 yards, 7 TDs, 13.4 YPR
Wheelwright: 17 catches, 175 yards, 0 TDs, 10.3 YPR
Decker: 14 catches, 205 yards, 2 TDs, 14.6 YPR
Ginn Jr.: 41 catches, 589 yards, 7 TDs, 14.4 YPR
Gonzalez: 38 catches, 591 yards, 6 TDs, 15.6 YPR
Robiskie: 18 catches, 237 yards, 3 TDs, 13.2 YPR
Perhaps the most impressive thing about the Buckeye offense can be seen by looking at the virtually equal (and impressive) numbers of Ginn and Gonzalez. Statistically, there is nothing between them, so if "pick your poison" ever truly applied, it does here, and both are having stellar seasons. Payne has been a good WR for the Gophers this year too, and has shown he can dominate, but the fall-back of Wheelwright has really hurt the production of the passing game. Decker and Robiskie look like very good players, contributing now, and waiting in the wings to breakout when their chances come. The Buckeyes are also a little deeper, with several more targets available.
Edge: Ohio State
Tight Ends
TE #89 Matt Spaeth (6-6, 270, SR, St. Michael-Albertville HS, Albertville, MN) - Out due to injury
TE #80 Jack Simmons (6-4, 240, SO, Carmel HS, Libertyville, Ill.)
The TE position is another key cog of the Gopher attack, and Spaeth is another in a long line of good to great players at the position in Minnesota. He has caught 35 passes for 439 yards, numbers more associated with WRs at this stage of the season. He is a great target down the middle of the field, and he is also a punishing blocker in the running game. He put 91 up against Cal, and 99 against Penn State. He's caught at least 40 yards worth of passes in every conference game, so he will be a regular target on Saturday. Beyond that, given the success of previous Gopher TEs in the NFL, and his impressive combination of size and route running, Spaeth has Sunday starter written all over him.
Note: Unfortunately for the Gophers, Spaeth is out for the game with the Buckeyes due to a shoulder injury. Quarterback Bryan Cupito characterizes Matt Spaeth as " ... the best player on our whole team". Couple that with the loss of starting cornerback Trumaine Banks (see Defensive Preview) and Minnesota must be feeling jinxed.
Jack Simmons (#80) is the backup (now the starter). He is a decent player who can block well in double TE sets, but has only 2 catches thus far.
TE Rating: A
Head-to-Head: Joe Smith versus Ohio State TE
Spaeth: 35 catches, 439 yards, 2 TDs, 12.5 YPR
Simmons: 2 catches, 27 yards, 0 TDs, 13.5 YPR
Nicol: 9 catches, 116 yards, 3 TDs, 12.9 YPR
Nicol has improved his play and become more of a threat in the passing game in recent weeks as defenses key on the receivers. Spaeth, however, with his freakish size and quality play, is in a class by himself.
Edge: Ohio State (With the loss of Spaeth, this matchup now falls to OSU)
Offensive Line
LT #64 Steve Shidell (6-5, 285, JR, Coon Rapids HS, Coon Rapids, MN)
LG #56 Tyson Swaggert (6-4, 285, SR, Buffalo HS, Buffalo, MN)
C #77 Tony Brinkhaus (6-4, 295, JR, Jefferson HS, Bloomington, MN)
RG #66 Ned Tavale (6-2, 305, FR, Cretin-Durham Hall HS, St. Paul, MN)
RT #78 Joe Ainslie (6-7, 300, SR, Hopkins HS, Minnetonka, MN)
This unit has struggled at times this year, a site that Gopher fans are not used to seeing. It's been harder to run the ball, and the QB has been sacked and pressured quite a bit more than people have been used to seeing. Like the TE position, the C position has also been a mainstay of quality players at Minnesota, and Brinkhaus has fit that bill well since moving over from guard. He has been battling a nagging injury though, which could possibly limit his effectiveness Saturday. Shidell is another veteran of the program that plays well. Like most Gopher teams, he is one of the smaller, more agile linemen that the coaches prefer for their blocking schemes. Swaggert moved over from center to guard and has done an adequate job. The right side of the line features the veteran Ainslie and the upstart Tavale. Ainslies's height makes him a difficult tackle to get around.
Nearly all of the backups are underclassmen, and many of those are freshmen. If the starters get hurt, the Gophers could be in some trouble.
OL Rating: B-
Head-to-Head: Minnesota vs Ohio State OL
The Gophers have struggled, and the Buckeyes are firing on all cylinders. All of that starts up front, and the big, physical Buckeye linemen have been chewing up opponents all season. The Gophers are still struggling to protect and to run, so the Buckeyes get the edge here.
Edge: Ohio State
Overall Offensive Analysis
There's nothing about this offense that is bad, but there just doesn't seem to be that usual consistency up front and in the running game that Gopher fans are used to. There is no one single reason for this, but despite Cupito, Payne, and Spaeth, the passing game has not been able to pick it up enough to put serious pressure on defenses consistently. Pinnix has run the ball pretty well, but there doesn't seem to be that same aura of confidence that has been there in years past. At 0-4, they have dug themselves quite a hole. Mason has been know to pull off the shocking road upset (ask any Nittany Lion fan about 1999 and see if they keep from crying or screaming), and he has plenty of motivation after getting passed over for the OSU job when coach Tressel was hired. The number of players from the Columbus area, and Ohio in general, will also probably stimulate the Gopher players to step up their games. If they are going to pull the big upset, the Gophers will have to control the clock, and complete passes for a high percentage over the middle, and take some shots downfield. If Wheelwright rediscovers his 2005 form, and Pinnix has another good day against a quality Big Ten foe, the Gophers could have some success. Cupito lit up the Buckeyes last year, and the offense had to outscore them to win the 2005 game. The Gophers will have to have similar success on this side of the ball if they are to have any chance.
Overall Offensive Rating: B-
The Minnesota Gophers did not envision this type of season, where they sit 0-4 in conference play, as they entered 2006. Coming off a 7-4 campaign, the offense was productive for much of 2005, including putting 31 points up against the Buckeyes in the Metrodome. The rushing attack, always the staple of Glen Mason's Gopher teams, was nearly unstoppable last season, piling up over 273 yards a game, ranking 3rd nationally. They also put up 35.8 points per game, good for 10th nationally, and ranked 7th in total offense with 494.8 yards per contest. The passing game didn't exactly remind anyone of the Houston Cougars of the late 80's, but it was efficient and opened up a lot of space to run while still being decent statistically (221.7 yards per game, 63rd nationally). The turnover margin was just average (-.08 per game, 59th nationally), an area that the Gophers would be looking to improve upon heading into the 2006 season. And despite the loss of star RB Laurence Maroney and center Greg Eslinger, the passing game returned in tact and the rushing game always piles up yards, so there was reason for guarded optimism coming in to the 2006 campaign.
Despite the expectations, however, the 2006 season has been a bitter disappointment for the Gophers. Projected starting RB Gary Russell was forced out of school with academic problems, and the offensive line has not played particularly well in stretches. The rushing production has plummeted to just 161 yards per game, still good for 37th nationally but way below the 2005 form that sent the Gophers to the Music City Bowl. Production in the passing game has not only not picked up the slack for the decreased run production, but in fact has also declined from last season (down to 198.5 ypg, 64th nationally). Predictably, the drop in production has resulted in a drop in points, down to 25.9 per game, 47th nationally. Now, on the surface, these stats don't look all that bad, but considering the Gophers started out by blowing out and shutting out Kent State in Kent 44-0, and last week needed a missed field goal to beat I-AA North Dakota State at home 10-9, the Gophers do not appear to have made any progress, and in fact seem to have regressed, from their early season form. That's a recipe for disaster when conference play arrives, hence the 0-4 start. This is not the situation to be heading on the road to face the number one team in the nation...or is it? Maybe the Gophers bottomed out last week, and will arrive in Columbus Saturday loose and playing like they have nothing to lose. Or, maybe they'll play like they did against the Bison again...time will tell.
Quarterbacks
QB #3 Bryan Cupito (6-1, 195, SR, McNicholas HS, Cincinnati, OH)
Cupito is the unquestioned starter, and this is his third year at the helm. When he has a good running game behind him, he can make some nice throws, particularly over the middle, and can burn a team deep in single coverage. However he is not the type of player that will take over a game and win too many that way. He is completing about 60% of his throws, and has a nice TD/INT ratio of 11/4 this season. He has been sacked 13 times, not great but not bad. Considering he was sacked only 3 times all of last year, however, one can begin to see the difference in the line play this season. Cupito's best game of 2006 came against Penn State, where he completed an impressive 70% of his throws for 347 yards and 2 TDs in a losing effort. He also threw for 4 TDs against overmatched Temple. He has cracked the 200 yard mark only 4 times, however (Cal, Purdue, Michigan, Penn State), and threw for only 150 yards last week against North Dakota State. He has success against a couple of good defenses in Penn State (above) and Michigan, throwing for 215 yards and 2 TDs in that game, but got stomped on by another, Wisconsin, as he threw for only 94 yards and an INT. He also threw 2 picks against California. Cupito is at his best when the Gophers can use the run to set up the pass. The Buckeyes front 7, however, is not likely to allow that to happen, so though Cupito can make some nice throws against quality defenses, the Gophers will not win many games if they can't run the football. Cupito is also no rushing threat at all out of the backfield.
The backup is little-used Tony Mortensen (#17), a sophomore with good size (6-3, 230). Though he's run in one TD, he is 0 for 7 with 2 INTs in mop-up duty against Kent and Temple...not exactly inspiring confidence. Columbus product Mike Maciejowski (#19) also appeared in the Temple game, completing 1 of 2 for 18 yards, and could be the QB of the future.
QB Rating: B
Head-to-Head: Minnesota vs Ohio State QBs
Cupito (P/R): 126/212 (59.4%), 1548 yards, 11 TDs, 4 INTs, 134.1 rating; 25/-23, 0 TDs.
Smith (P/R): 131/193 (67.9%), 1715 yards, 21 TDs, 2 INTs, 176.4 rating; 36/126, 0 TDs.
Troy Smith is having an amazing season, and very well could be the best QB in the nation this year. Cupito is a solid player who provides experience and veteran leadership, and he can make some nice throws, particularly to the TE position. The Buckeyes also have a quality backup in Justin Zwick...the Gophers cannot say the same. Smith is a devastating weapon, and he gets the nod over any player in the nation right now, but Cupito has certainly developed into a solid QB capable of playing well against solid competition. Last year he torched the Buckeyes for 396 yards and a TD, completing 74% of his throws. The Silver Bullets will no doubt remember that performance, and prepare accordingly.
Edge: Ohio State
Running Backs
RB #29 Amir Pinnix (6-0, 195, JR, Malcom X Shabazz HS, Newark, NJ)
FB #18 Justin Valentine (6-2, 215, JR, Eastmoor Academy, Columbus, OH)
Pinnix was not expected to get the bulk of the load this year, but with the loss of Russell, he now mans the helm, and has done so admirably, rushing for 747 yards and 6 TDs so far. He has cracked the 100 yard plateau just twice, but has rushed for at least 75 yards in 7 out of the 8 Gopher games. He burned Kent State for 114 yards and a TD, and opened conference play by torching Purdue for 173 yards, but no TDs. He also gained 91 against Michigan, 76 against Penn State, and 97 against Wisconsin...an impressive stretch in conference play no matter how one looks at it. He also gained 97 yards against the Bison last week. He?s not a huge threat out of the backfield receiving the ball, but he has good hands and can make some yards after a catch. Pinnix isn't a big runner, but he has good speed and decent power, and has certainly proven he can run the ball effectively against the solid defenses in the conference to this point.
Second on the chart is Alex Daniels (#6), a bruising (6-3, 255) sophomore from Columbus that loves to pound on people. He opened the season with 155 yards and 3 TDs against Kent, but has played more sparingly as the more experienced Pinnix has taken the bulk of the load. He gained 78 yards against Cal and 44 against Temple, scoring a pair of TDs, but has only 12 carries in conference play, and none last week. It will be interesting to see if Mason has phased him out of the gameplan, or if he sees significant action this weekend.
A pair of freshmen, Terrence Sherrer (#27) and E. J. Jones (#34), have appeared sparingly.
Valentine is a punishing blocker with lots of experience and quality blocking skills. He has carried the ball 11 times this season, so he'll occasionally get a chance to run with it in short yardage situations. He does have 2 TDs this season.
RB Rating: B+
Head-to-Head: Minnesota vs Ohio State RBs
Pinnix: 145/747 yards, 6 TDs, 5.2 YPC; 7 rec/79 yards, 0 TDs, 11.3 YPR
Daniels: 67/309 yards, 5 TDs, 4.6 YPC; 4 rec/15 yards, 0 TDs, 3.8 YPR
Pittman: 142/778 yards, 8 TDs, 5.5 YPC; 6 rec/43 yards, 0 TDs, 7.2 YPR
C Wells: 67/301 yards, 3 TDs, 4.5 YPC; 2 rec/16 yards, 0 TDs, 8.0 YPR
Pinnix has done a nice job this season as the feature back, especially once conference play started and he had the job from Daniels full time. It is clearly his show to run, no pun intended. Like Pinnix, Pittman has been effective against quality competition, putting up reasonably similar numbers. Pittman has the advantage of playing with Smith and the devastating passing attack, but he also contributes to the effectiveness of that passing game of course. This will probably spark quite a bit of debate amongst the fans reading this, but given the level of competition and the amount of production, Pinnix deserves to be in the same sentence with Pittman, at least as much as Albert Young and some of the other more hyped tailbacks in the conference whose numbers have quite frankly not been nearly as good. Is he as good as Pittman, Hart, Hunt, and Hill? He has a chance to show he is at that level this weekend, so time will tell. The depth goes to the Buckeyes, who have utilized Chris Wells effectively throughout the season. Daniels can run, but his lack of recent work makes him less of a threat than Wells. The edge goes to the Buckeyes on depth, though the guy at the top of the Gopher Marquis can play too.
Edge: Ohio State
Wide Receivers
WR #84 Logan Payne (6-2, 200, SR, Land O?Lakes HS, Lutz, FL)
WR #1 Ernest Wheelwright (6-5, 210, JR, Walnut Ridge HS, Columbus, OH)
OK, go ahead and get all of the "Here comes the Payne" references out now. Logan Payne leads the team in receiving with 468 yards and 7 TDs. He is not particularly fast, but he is tough as nails and runs reasonably good routes. He had a 5-game stretch where he caught 6 passes in each game, so he is a very consistent performer. He absolutely obliterated Temple, catching 6 passes for 136 yards and 4 TDs. Against quality competition he has also been good, catching 6 for 104 yards and 2 scores against Michigan, and 6 for 94 against Penn State. The last 2 weeks, however, he has almost disappeared. He caught just 2 for 6 yards against Wisconsin, and 2 for 19 yards last week against the Bison. Expect the Gophers to try and get him heavily involved this weekend, as he'll have to be if the Gophers are to have any chance to pull the upset.
Wheelwright has quite frankly been a disappointment this year. His size and speed should create constant matchup problems, but he has caught just 17 passes in 8 games, and Cupito seems to have lost confidence in him. He also has a tendency to drop balls, which doesn't help matters any. After catching 37 passes for 568 yards and 5 TDs last year, he has not caught a single TD pass this season, and his longest reception is a paltry 21 yards. His biggest production was against Penn State, but that was only 4 catches for 34 yards. He caught just 1 pass last week. If he were to step up and have a breakout game (being from Columbus could provide quite a bit of motivation) then he could be a key factor in keeping the Gophers in the game. However, if his size and ability to get open are of no use to Cupito, the Gophers won't have much of a chance of moving the ball downfield.
Amongst the backups, Eric Decker (#14) has turned out to be a nice player so far. Though he has just 14 catches, he has 205 yards and 2 TDs to his credit, making him a nice target. He is another promising freshman with good size (6-2, 210) who had 4 catches for 66 yards and a TD against Penn State. Fellow freshman Mike Chambers (#12) has also caught 12 passes for 162 yards, including 3 for 49 against Cal and 4 for 32 against Penn State, so he will also be a player to keep an eye on Saturday.
WR Rating: C+
Head-to-Head: Minnesota vs Ohio State WRs
Payne: 35 catches, 468 yards, 7 TDs, 13.4 YPR
Wheelwright: 17 catches, 175 yards, 0 TDs, 10.3 YPR
Decker: 14 catches, 205 yards, 2 TDs, 14.6 YPR
Ginn Jr.: 41 catches, 589 yards, 7 TDs, 14.4 YPR
Gonzalez: 38 catches, 591 yards, 6 TDs, 15.6 YPR
Robiskie: 18 catches, 237 yards, 3 TDs, 13.2 YPR
Perhaps the most impressive thing about the Buckeye offense can be seen by looking at the virtually equal (and impressive) numbers of Ginn and Gonzalez. Statistically, there is nothing between them, so if "pick your poison" ever truly applied, it does here, and both are having stellar seasons. Payne has been a good WR for the Gophers this year too, and has shown he can dominate, but the fall-back of Wheelwright has really hurt the production of the passing game. Decker and Robiskie look like very good players, contributing now, and waiting in the wings to breakout when their chances come. The Buckeyes are also a little deeper, with several more targets available.
Edge: Ohio State
Tight Ends
TE #89 Matt Spaeth (6-6, 270, SR, St. Michael-Albertville HS, Albertville, MN) - Out due to injury
TE #80 Jack Simmons (6-4, 240, SO, Carmel HS, Libertyville, Ill.)
The TE position is another key cog of the Gopher attack, and Spaeth is another in a long line of good to great players at the position in Minnesota. He has caught 35 passes for 439 yards, numbers more associated with WRs at this stage of the season. He is a great target down the middle of the field, and he is also a punishing blocker in the running game. He put 91 up against Cal, and 99 against Penn State. He's caught at least 40 yards worth of passes in every conference game, so he will be a regular target on Saturday. Beyond that, given the success of previous Gopher TEs in the NFL, and his impressive combination of size and route running, Spaeth has Sunday starter written all over him.
Note: Unfortunately for the Gophers, Spaeth is out for the game with the Buckeyes due to a shoulder injury. Quarterback Bryan Cupito characterizes Matt Spaeth as " ... the best player on our whole team". Couple that with the loss of starting cornerback Trumaine Banks (see Defensive Preview) and Minnesota must be feeling jinxed.
Jack Simmons (#80) is the backup (now the starter). He is a decent player who can block well in double TE sets, but has only 2 catches thus far.
TE Rating: A
Head-to-Head: Joe Smith versus Ohio State TE
Spaeth: 35 catches, 439 yards, 2 TDs, 12.5 YPR
Simmons: 2 catches, 27 yards, 0 TDs, 13.5 YPR
Nicol: 9 catches, 116 yards, 3 TDs, 12.9 YPR
Nicol has improved his play and become more of a threat in the passing game in recent weeks as defenses key on the receivers. Spaeth, however, with his freakish size and quality play, is in a class by himself.
Edge: Ohio State (With the loss of Spaeth, this matchup now falls to OSU)
Offensive Line
LT #64 Steve Shidell (6-5, 285, JR, Coon Rapids HS, Coon Rapids, MN)
LG #56 Tyson Swaggert (6-4, 285, SR, Buffalo HS, Buffalo, MN)
C #77 Tony Brinkhaus (6-4, 295, JR, Jefferson HS, Bloomington, MN)
RG #66 Ned Tavale (6-2, 305, FR, Cretin-Durham Hall HS, St. Paul, MN)
RT #78 Joe Ainslie (6-7, 300, SR, Hopkins HS, Minnetonka, MN)
This unit has struggled at times this year, a site that Gopher fans are not used to seeing. It's been harder to run the ball, and the QB has been sacked and pressured quite a bit more than people have been used to seeing. Like the TE position, the C position has also been a mainstay of quality players at Minnesota, and Brinkhaus has fit that bill well since moving over from guard. He has been battling a nagging injury though, which could possibly limit his effectiveness Saturday. Shidell is another veteran of the program that plays well. Like most Gopher teams, he is one of the smaller, more agile linemen that the coaches prefer for their blocking schemes. Swaggert moved over from center to guard and has done an adequate job. The right side of the line features the veteran Ainslie and the upstart Tavale. Ainslies's height makes him a difficult tackle to get around.
Nearly all of the backups are underclassmen, and many of those are freshmen. If the starters get hurt, the Gophers could be in some trouble.
OL Rating: B-
Head-to-Head: Minnesota vs Ohio State OL
The Gophers have struggled, and the Buckeyes are firing on all cylinders. All of that starts up front, and the big, physical Buckeye linemen have been chewing up opponents all season. The Gophers are still struggling to protect and to run, so the Buckeyes get the edge here.
Edge: Ohio State
Overall Offensive Analysis
There's nothing about this offense that is bad, but there just doesn't seem to be that usual consistency up front and in the running game that Gopher fans are used to. There is no one single reason for this, but despite Cupito, Payne, and Spaeth, the passing game has not been able to pick it up enough to put serious pressure on defenses consistently. Pinnix has run the ball pretty well, but there doesn't seem to be that same aura of confidence that has been there in years past. At 0-4, they have dug themselves quite a hole. Mason has been know to pull off the shocking road upset (ask any Nittany Lion fan about 1999 and see if they keep from crying or screaming), and he has plenty of motivation after getting passed over for the OSU job when coach Tressel was hired. The number of players from the Columbus area, and Ohio in general, will also probably stimulate the Gopher players to step up their games. If they are going to pull the big upset, the Gophers will have to control the clock, and complete passes for a high percentage over the middle, and take some shots downfield. If Wheelwright rediscovers his 2005 form, and Pinnix has another good day against a quality Big Ten foe, the Gophers could have some success. Cupito lit up the Buckeyes last year, and the offense had to outscore them to win the 2005 game. The Gophers will have to have similar success on this side of the ball if they are to have any chance.
Overall Offensive Rating: B-
2006 Minnesota Golden Gophers Defensive Preview
Returning Starters: 7
Here come the Golden Gophers of Minnesota, fresh off a nail biter win against a feisty I-AA foe, North Dakota State. The defense managed to block a field goal as time expired, sending many of the Gopher faithful home asking themselves if they should be happy, or upset for that kind of performance by their beloved golden rodents. Unfortunately for the Gophers, they will go from playing one of the best teams in I-AA to playing arguably the best team in I-A. I'd say that there will be a little bit more talent on OSU than North Dakota State, wouldn't you agree? Their defense has been far from a rack to hang your hat up on, I'd probably describe them as more of a broken bookshelf that is in need of refurbishing. If you're gentle enough, you can set your hat on it without any problem, but it will collapse at the first sign of any kind of strong force. Ok, you're all probably as confused as I am right now, so let's take a look at where the Gophers stand in the Big Ten in most of the major defensive categories.
Scoring Defense: 22.8 Points per game (6th in Big Ten)
Rushing Defense: 167.1 YPG (T-9th in Big Ten)
Passing Defense: 223 YPG (9th in Big Ten)
Total Defense: 390.1 YPG (9th in Big Ten)
Sacks: 16 (8th in Big Ten)
Interceptions: 7 (T-7th in Big Ten)
Red Zone Defense: Opponents have converted in the red zone 19-28 times (67.9%) in 2006. They are ranked 2nd in the Big Ten in this category. Don't let this stat fool you though, 16 of those 19 scores have been touchdowns, with the other 3 being field goals. They have a decent percentage rate because opponents have missed 4 field goals inside their red zone. Not exactly a stat that changes an opinion of a lousy defense.
Defensive Line
DE: #92 Steve Davis (6-2, 230 SO)
DT: #70 Todd Meisel (6-4, 265 JR.)
DT: #98 Neel Allen (6-3, 295 JR)
DE: #91 Willie Van DeSteeg (6-4, 250 SO)
Leading the way up front for the Golden Gophers will be sophomore end Willie Van DeSteeg. On the season Van DeSteeg leads the Gophers in tackles for loss (8.5), along with sacks (4). He also has 22 tackles, as well as 3 fumble recoveries (T-1st in Big Ten). Van DeSteeg is still a bit raw from his defensive end position, but has good size, as well as a knack for getting into the backfield and causing problems. Smith will have to keep an eye on him this weekend, he is probably Minnesota's only threat up front. The other end will be manned down by sophomore Steve Davis. On the season Davis has a total of 33 tackles, along with 5.5 tackles for loss (2nd on team), as well as 3.5 sacks (2nd on team). Davis is another fairly active end for the Gophers, but he is a bit of a tweener to be playing up front with the big hog's. He is pretty effective at penetrating from the outside, but will get pushed around if he gets caught up in traffic.
Leading the way at one of the inside tackle spots for the Gophers will be junior Neel Allen. On the season Allen has a total of 22 tackles, including 2.5 for a loss, along with 2 sacks. The other tackle for the Gophers will be junior Todd Meisel. On the season Meisel has 16 tackles, including 2.5 for a loss, as well as 2 sacks. Meisel is very undersized for a defensive tackle, look for the Buckeyes to really push him around this week. The inside run game will definitely be there for the Buckeyes against the Gophers.
DL Rating: C
Overall DL Analysis
This unit isn't very solid against the run, and they don?t generate a very potent pass rush. They do have the ability to turn it on at times, and will sneak up on a team that takes them lightly. They don't have a player that will consistently disrupt you over and over, but they will make a big play from time to time. Overall, they are undersized and inconsistent. Pittman will get his 100 yards the weekend, and Troy will have plenty of time to throw it around.
Head-to-Head: Minnesota vs Ohio State DL
Hopefully the Buckeyes will get Patterson back this weekend against the Gophers, but even without him the defensive line has performed like a well oiled machine. It seems like every week someone new has a big game for the Bucks. Last week, Jay Richardson really had a disruptive game tallying 2 sacks. On nearly every play it seemed like he was in the backfield of the Hoosiers. Notice that I didn't mention Pitcock, who is probably OSU's best defensive lineman. It just goes to show how good this unit is for the Buckeyes. On the season the Buckeyes have a total of 28 sacks, compared to the Gophers 16. Minnesota just doesn't compare to the Buckeyes in size, speed, strength, or athleticism up front. OSU gets the clear edge in this category.
Edge: Ohio State
Linebackers
OLB: #46 John Shevlin (6-1, 225 JR)
MLB: #58 Mike Sherels (6-0, 235 JR)
OLB: #48 Mario Reese (6-3, 230 SR)
Leading the way at linebacker for Minnesota will be junior captain MLB Mike Sherels. On the season Sherels leads the Gophers with 64 tackles, with 3.5 of those being for a loss. Sherels has also broken up 2 passes, and recovered a fumble this season. Sherels is the unquestioned leader of this Minnesota defense. He picked up Big Ten player of the week honors earlier this year in their overtime loss to Penn St. notching up a career high 15 tackles. He also had a big game against Michigan, where he tallied 12 tackles. As Sherels goes, the Minnesota defense goes. If he has a quiet week against Ohio State, it is going to be a long day in Columbus for the Gophers. Don't be surprised to see him make a little bit of noise early on in this contest, he's a pretty good linebacker playing on a pretty bad defense. Getting the nod at one of the outside backer spots will be senior Mario Reese. On the season Reese has a total of 40 tackles, including 5 for a loss, and 2 sacks. Reese has also forced 2 fumbles this season. Reese has some ability to be disrputive, he's got good pop in his shoulder pads, and is pretty effective in blitzing situations. Look for Minnesota to blitz him quite a bit in an effort to slow the tempo of the potent OSU offense. The final outside backer slot for the Gophers will be filled by junior John Shevlin. Shevlin has a total of 40 tackles this season, including 2.5 for a loss, along with a sack. Shevlin has also intercepted a pass so far in 2006.
LB Rating: C+
Overall LB Analysis
Overall, this unit is somewhat average. The aren't the worst linebacker corps that the Buckeyes have faced this season, but they are certainly not the best by any means. I really like the play of Sherels in the middle, he is a very solid middle linebacker. He's not going to play with a lot of flash, but he'll turn in a lunch pail type performance on a weekly basis. He also has a flair for showing up in the big games, his performances against PSU and Michigan demonstrate that. Outside of Sherels, the cupboards are pretty bare for Minnesota at linebacker. Reese is more of a nuisance than he is dominant, with the same being said for Shevlin. These guys are going to have to have a whale of contest to slow down the Buckeyes this week.
Head-to-Head: Minnesota vs Ohio State LBs
When you compare these two units, the only part that they match up well in is the size department. Other than that, the Buckeyes have the edge in every other category. Laurinaitis is a Butkus semi-finalist, Minnesota doesn't have anyone who was even on the watch list. His interception total (4) is 3 more than the whole Minnesota starting linebacker crew. Ohio State's talent gap isn't nearly as great at the other two linebacker spots, with Sherels probably having a slight advantage over Kerr. We'll give the slight edge to Freeman based on his athleticism. Overall, this category goes in favor of the Buckeyes once again this week.
Edge: Ohio State
Secondary
CB: #2 Dominic Jones (5-8, 190, SO)
SS: #26 Duran Cooley (6-0, 205, JR)
FS: #23 Dominique Barber (6-0, 180 JR)
CB: #15 Jamal Harris (6-0, 185 JR)
Getting the start at one of the cornerback spots for the Gophers this week will be sophomore Columbus, OH native Dominic Jones. Jones has slid over from his strong safety spot to fill in for fellow Columbus native Trumaine Banks. Banks, who is the career co-leader in pass breakups for Minnesota, broke his arm against Wisconsin and expected to miss the rest of his senior season. On the season Jones has 45 tackles, a forced fumble, along with an interception. Jones is a very talented athlete who is really starting to come into his own for the Gophers. He?s not at the point where he is considered an impact player, but the Gopher coaches have to like what they?ve seen out of him in his sophomore campaign. The other corner spot for the Gophers will be filled by junior Jamal Harris. On the season Harris leads the Gophers with 3 interceptions. In addition, he has also accounted for 19 tackles and forced a fumble this season.
Getting the start at free safety for Minnesota this week will be junior Dominique Barber. On the season Barber is 2nd on the team with 48 tackles, including 1 for a loss. In addition, he also has a team high 3 pass breakups, and has picked off a pass this season. Leading the way at strong safety this week for the Gophers will be junior Duran Cooley. On the season Cooley has a total of 20 tackles, a fumble recovery, along with an interception.
DB Rating: C
Overall DB Analysis
This unit has struggled quite a bit against the pass this season. Heck, even Anthony Morelli diced them up for 281 yards through the air against Penn St. Chad Henne was 17-24 for 284 yards and 3 touchdowns. Needless to say, these guys are not the most solid unit in town. The loss of banks adds insult to injury, he was their best player in the secondary. Jones has the potential to be a very good one down the road, but he?s still raw, and is vulnerable to getting beat deep. Somewhere Troy Smith is licking his chops.
Head-to-Head: Minnesota vs Ohio State DBs
Ohio State is tied for 3rd in the nation with 15 interceptions this season. Minnesota is tied for 58th with a total of 7. Malcom Jenkins continues to have an All-American caliber season, somewhat quietly. Antonio Smith is coming off a Big Ten player of the week performance against Indiana where he absolutely lit up the Hoosiers. Those two have to be considered the best corner tandem in the Big Ten. OSU has also been getting solid play out of Mitchell this season. Not to beat on the drum on this subject, but I'm waiting for Jamario O'Neal to have that break out week, it's coming. As for Minnesota, they have really struggled at times this season, especially against good competition. If Anthony Morelli can slice them up through the air, it's scary to think what Troy Smith can do. The clear edge here goes to the Buckeyes.
Edge: Ohio State
Overall Defensive Analysis
I step back and look at the job that Glen Mason has done at Minnesota and I take my hat off to the guy. Unfortunately he has had to rely on a solid running game, and a potent offense to carry his team. This years defense does nothing to disprove that statement. This years version is a trademark Gopher defense. They struggle at making tackles, and they give up a lot of big plays. They have some pretty good athletes, but never seem to be able to put it together for a full 4 quarters. Sherels is pretty much the only bright spot left on this defense, especially with the loss of Banks. Minnesota?s weak spot is along the defensive line, and in the secondary. When you cook up that recipe against an OSU offense that has been absolutely light out, it?s easy to spot the trouble ahead for Minnesota this week in Columbus. Ohio State has the luxury of running or passing for big numbers this week, and Troy will continue his steady run towards New York. Overall, the Buckeyes will make lunch out of this Minnesota team, as the momentum continues to build for that monumental match-up in mid November.
Overall Defensive Rating: C
Here come the Golden Gophers of Minnesota, fresh off a nail biter win against a feisty I-AA foe, North Dakota State. The defense managed to block a field goal as time expired, sending many of the Gopher faithful home asking themselves if they should be happy, or upset for that kind of performance by their beloved golden rodents. Unfortunately for the Gophers, they will go from playing one of the best teams in I-AA to playing arguably the best team in I-A. I'd say that there will be a little bit more talent on OSU than North Dakota State, wouldn't you agree? Their defense has been far from a rack to hang your hat up on, I'd probably describe them as more of a broken bookshelf that is in need of refurbishing. If you're gentle enough, you can set your hat on it without any problem, but it will collapse at the first sign of any kind of strong force. Ok, you're all probably as confused as I am right now, so let's take a look at where the Gophers stand in the Big Ten in most of the major defensive categories.
Scoring Defense: 22.8 Points per game (6th in Big Ten)
Rushing Defense: 167.1 YPG (T-9th in Big Ten)
Passing Defense: 223 YPG (9th in Big Ten)
Total Defense: 390.1 YPG (9th in Big Ten)
Sacks: 16 (8th in Big Ten)
Interceptions: 7 (T-7th in Big Ten)
Red Zone Defense: Opponents have converted in the red zone 19-28 times (67.9%) in 2006. They are ranked 2nd in the Big Ten in this category. Don't let this stat fool you though, 16 of those 19 scores have been touchdowns, with the other 3 being field goals. They have a decent percentage rate because opponents have missed 4 field goals inside their red zone. Not exactly a stat that changes an opinion of a lousy defense.
Defensive Line
DE: #92 Steve Davis (6-2, 230 SO)
DT: #70 Todd Meisel (6-4, 265 JR.)
DT: #98 Neel Allen (6-3, 295 JR)
DE: #91 Willie Van DeSteeg (6-4, 250 SO)
Leading the way up front for the Golden Gophers will be sophomore end Willie Van DeSteeg. On the season Van DeSteeg leads the Gophers in tackles for loss (8.5), along with sacks (4). He also has 22 tackles, as well as 3 fumble recoveries (T-1st in Big Ten). Van DeSteeg is still a bit raw from his defensive end position, but has good size, as well as a knack for getting into the backfield and causing problems. Smith will have to keep an eye on him this weekend, he is probably Minnesota's only threat up front. The other end will be manned down by sophomore Steve Davis. On the season Davis has a total of 33 tackles, along with 5.5 tackles for loss (2nd on team), as well as 3.5 sacks (2nd on team). Davis is another fairly active end for the Gophers, but he is a bit of a tweener to be playing up front with the big hog's. He is pretty effective at penetrating from the outside, but will get pushed around if he gets caught up in traffic.
Leading the way at one of the inside tackle spots for the Gophers will be junior Neel Allen. On the season Allen has a total of 22 tackles, including 2.5 for a loss, along with 2 sacks. The other tackle for the Gophers will be junior Todd Meisel. On the season Meisel has 16 tackles, including 2.5 for a loss, as well as 2 sacks. Meisel is very undersized for a defensive tackle, look for the Buckeyes to really push him around this week. The inside run game will definitely be there for the Buckeyes against the Gophers.
DL Rating: C
Overall DL Analysis
This unit isn't very solid against the run, and they don?t generate a very potent pass rush. They do have the ability to turn it on at times, and will sneak up on a team that takes them lightly. They don't have a player that will consistently disrupt you over and over, but they will make a big play from time to time. Overall, they are undersized and inconsistent. Pittman will get his 100 yards the weekend, and Troy will have plenty of time to throw it around.
Head-to-Head: Minnesota vs Ohio State DL
Hopefully the Buckeyes will get Patterson back this weekend against the Gophers, but even without him the defensive line has performed like a well oiled machine. It seems like every week someone new has a big game for the Bucks. Last week, Jay Richardson really had a disruptive game tallying 2 sacks. On nearly every play it seemed like he was in the backfield of the Hoosiers. Notice that I didn't mention Pitcock, who is probably OSU's best defensive lineman. It just goes to show how good this unit is for the Buckeyes. On the season the Buckeyes have a total of 28 sacks, compared to the Gophers 16. Minnesota just doesn't compare to the Buckeyes in size, speed, strength, or athleticism up front. OSU gets the clear edge in this category.
Edge: Ohio State
Linebackers
OLB: #46 John Shevlin (6-1, 225 JR)
MLB: #58 Mike Sherels (6-0, 235 JR)
OLB: #48 Mario Reese (6-3, 230 SR)
Leading the way at linebacker for Minnesota will be junior captain MLB Mike Sherels. On the season Sherels leads the Gophers with 64 tackles, with 3.5 of those being for a loss. Sherels has also broken up 2 passes, and recovered a fumble this season. Sherels is the unquestioned leader of this Minnesota defense. He picked up Big Ten player of the week honors earlier this year in their overtime loss to Penn St. notching up a career high 15 tackles. He also had a big game against Michigan, where he tallied 12 tackles. As Sherels goes, the Minnesota defense goes. If he has a quiet week against Ohio State, it is going to be a long day in Columbus for the Gophers. Don't be surprised to see him make a little bit of noise early on in this contest, he's a pretty good linebacker playing on a pretty bad defense. Getting the nod at one of the outside backer spots will be senior Mario Reese. On the season Reese has a total of 40 tackles, including 5 for a loss, and 2 sacks. Reese has also forced 2 fumbles this season. Reese has some ability to be disrputive, he's got good pop in his shoulder pads, and is pretty effective in blitzing situations. Look for Minnesota to blitz him quite a bit in an effort to slow the tempo of the potent OSU offense. The final outside backer slot for the Gophers will be filled by junior John Shevlin. Shevlin has a total of 40 tackles this season, including 2.5 for a loss, along with a sack. Shevlin has also intercepted a pass so far in 2006.
LB Rating: C+
Overall LB Analysis
Overall, this unit is somewhat average. The aren't the worst linebacker corps that the Buckeyes have faced this season, but they are certainly not the best by any means. I really like the play of Sherels in the middle, he is a very solid middle linebacker. He's not going to play with a lot of flash, but he'll turn in a lunch pail type performance on a weekly basis. He also has a flair for showing up in the big games, his performances against PSU and Michigan demonstrate that. Outside of Sherels, the cupboards are pretty bare for Minnesota at linebacker. Reese is more of a nuisance than he is dominant, with the same being said for Shevlin. These guys are going to have to have a whale of contest to slow down the Buckeyes this week.
Head-to-Head: Minnesota vs Ohio State LBs
When you compare these two units, the only part that they match up well in is the size department. Other than that, the Buckeyes have the edge in every other category. Laurinaitis is a Butkus semi-finalist, Minnesota doesn't have anyone who was even on the watch list. His interception total (4) is 3 more than the whole Minnesota starting linebacker crew. Ohio State's talent gap isn't nearly as great at the other two linebacker spots, with Sherels probably having a slight advantage over Kerr. We'll give the slight edge to Freeman based on his athleticism. Overall, this category goes in favor of the Buckeyes once again this week.
Edge: Ohio State
Secondary
CB: #2 Dominic Jones (5-8, 190, SO)
SS: #26 Duran Cooley (6-0, 205, JR)
FS: #23 Dominique Barber (6-0, 180 JR)
CB: #15 Jamal Harris (6-0, 185 JR)
Getting the start at one of the cornerback spots for the Gophers this week will be sophomore Columbus, OH native Dominic Jones. Jones has slid over from his strong safety spot to fill in for fellow Columbus native Trumaine Banks. Banks, who is the career co-leader in pass breakups for Minnesota, broke his arm against Wisconsin and expected to miss the rest of his senior season. On the season Jones has 45 tackles, a forced fumble, along with an interception. Jones is a very talented athlete who is really starting to come into his own for the Gophers. He?s not at the point where he is considered an impact player, but the Gopher coaches have to like what they?ve seen out of him in his sophomore campaign. The other corner spot for the Gophers will be filled by junior Jamal Harris. On the season Harris leads the Gophers with 3 interceptions. In addition, he has also accounted for 19 tackles and forced a fumble this season.
Getting the start at free safety for Minnesota this week will be junior Dominique Barber. On the season Barber is 2nd on the team with 48 tackles, including 1 for a loss. In addition, he also has a team high 3 pass breakups, and has picked off a pass this season. Leading the way at strong safety this week for the Gophers will be junior Duran Cooley. On the season Cooley has a total of 20 tackles, a fumble recovery, along with an interception.
DB Rating: C
Overall DB Analysis
This unit has struggled quite a bit against the pass this season. Heck, even Anthony Morelli diced them up for 281 yards through the air against Penn St. Chad Henne was 17-24 for 284 yards and 3 touchdowns. Needless to say, these guys are not the most solid unit in town. The loss of banks adds insult to injury, he was their best player in the secondary. Jones has the potential to be a very good one down the road, but he?s still raw, and is vulnerable to getting beat deep. Somewhere Troy Smith is licking his chops.
Head-to-Head: Minnesota vs Ohio State DBs
Ohio State is tied for 3rd in the nation with 15 interceptions this season. Minnesota is tied for 58th with a total of 7. Malcom Jenkins continues to have an All-American caliber season, somewhat quietly. Antonio Smith is coming off a Big Ten player of the week performance against Indiana where he absolutely lit up the Hoosiers. Those two have to be considered the best corner tandem in the Big Ten. OSU has also been getting solid play out of Mitchell this season. Not to beat on the drum on this subject, but I'm waiting for Jamario O'Neal to have that break out week, it's coming. As for Minnesota, they have really struggled at times this season, especially against good competition. If Anthony Morelli can slice them up through the air, it's scary to think what Troy Smith can do. The clear edge here goes to the Buckeyes.
Edge: Ohio State
Overall Defensive Analysis
I step back and look at the job that Glen Mason has done at Minnesota and I take my hat off to the guy. Unfortunately he has had to rely on a solid running game, and a potent offense to carry his team. This years defense does nothing to disprove that statement. This years version is a trademark Gopher defense. They struggle at making tackles, and they give up a lot of big plays. They have some pretty good athletes, but never seem to be able to put it together for a full 4 quarters. Sherels is pretty much the only bright spot left on this defense, especially with the loss of Banks. Minnesota?s weak spot is along the defensive line, and in the secondary. When you cook up that recipe against an OSU offense that has been absolutely light out, it?s easy to spot the trouble ahead for Minnesota this week in Columbus. Ohio State has the luxury of running or passing for big numbers this week, and Troy will continue his steady run towards New York. Overall, the Buckeyes will make lunch out of this Minnesota team, as the momentum continues to build for that monumental match-up in mid November.
Overall Defensive Rating: C
2006 Minnesota Golden Gophers Special Teams Preview
Returning Starters: 3
Glen Mason's special teams may be remembered for being unable to get off a punt in the last minute of their home game against Wisconsin last year, allowing the Badgers to steal the Paul Bunyon Axe at the end of a game Minnesota should have won. One other memorable moment also occurred in the MetroDome last year, which resulted in a debate on the Ohio State football boards. When did you realize that Teddy was gone on that kickoff return - when he reached the 20, the 25, or the 30 yard line?
The Gophers are also remembered this year for missing an extra point in overtime, which allowed Penn State to escape with a victory (well, that and the very shaky pass interference call that kept JoePa's guys breathing).
Minnesota returns their punter and their place-kicker, who have experience despite their youth; and both are having respectable seasons. They have good averages on both their kickoff and punt return squads, while holding their opponents to lower numbers in both areas. They are not able to put kickoffs into the end zone on a consistent basis, however, so they may once again be vulnerable in that area.
Special Teams
P #41 Justin Kucek (6-0 200 SO)*
PK #31 Jason Giannini (5-10 180 SO)*
PK #36 Joel Monroe (6-0 180 SO)
PR/KR #2 Dominic Jones (5-9 180 SO)*
KR #25 Jay Thomas (6-0, 185 FR)
LS #43 Robert McGarry (6-3 215 JR)
* = Returning Starter
Kicking Game
The Gophers returned Justin Kucek (from Canfield, Ohio) at punter, who has been performing better than his average of 38.9 might indicate. Kucek has placed 11 kicks inside the 20-yard line, with only 2 touchbacks. Opponents have managed 107 yards on 17 punt returns, resulting in a net average of 36.1. His longest effort was a 59-yarder against North Dakota State, who also had the only big return against him so far this year with a 38-yarder.
Giannini (from Canton GlenOak) has connected on 6 of 9 field goals this year, but hasn't yet proved he can hit from distance. His longest is 41-yards (indoors); and while he is 5 of 5 from less than 40 yards, his other attempts from 40 or more have all been unsuccessful, including a 51-yard effort that Purdue blocked. He also had an extra point blocked in the opener against Kent State, and that costly missed extra point in OT against Penn State.
Monroe is included as a second PK since he handles all of the kickoff duties (Giannini did it last year, with only 9 touchbacks on 70 kicks). This year, 15 of Monroe's 38 kickoffs have been touchbacks, but outside the Metrodome the number is only 4 of 18. Opponents are gaining 17.7 yards on kickoff returns, with the overall average being the 21-yard line for their opposition starting a drive (the Gopher's average the 26-yard line as a starting point for their offense). Both Minnesota and Oihio State average 43.2 net yards on kickoffs.
Kicking Rating: B-
Head-to-Head: Minnesota vs Ohio State Kickers
Trapasso has an edge over Kucek in punting, and Giannini has performed almost equally to Pettrey, with the exception of the miss in overtime. Pettrey's consistency in booting kickoffs into the endzone (21 of 34) gives Ohio State an advantage in that area.
Edge: Ohio State
Return Game
Dominic Jones is defensive back from Columbus Brookhaven who handles both punt and kickoff returns for the Gophers. Jones has averaged 11.2 yards on 13 punt returns (with a long of 35), and 25.1 yards on 16 kickoffs, including a 99-yard TD against California.
Trumaine Banks (Columbus Eastmoor) did have 1 punt return earlier, but he suffered a broken arm against Wisconsin and is out for the season. Jay Thomas is their other deep man on kickoffs, and has 87 yards on 6 returns.
Counting all games, Minnesota is 2nd in the conference in kickoff returns, and 4th in punt returns.
Minnesota also scored on a return of a botched extra point by Wisconsin, when their punter/holder threw an interception that Mario Reese returned for 2 points.
Return Rating: B+
Head-to-Head: Minnesota vs. Ohio State Returners
Ohio State's kickoff return ranking of 10th in the conference, due to teams kicking squibs, shows how misleading statistics can sometimes be. While Minnesota's return game is good, the Buckeyes have more potential to hit the home run.
Edge: Ohio State. Both coverage units have done a good job in avoiding the huge play, but as usual, Ginn gives the Buckeyes the greater threat to break one big.
Overall Special Teams Analysis
The Gophers are an improved team in the kicking game this year, as they return 2 players that started as freshmen in 2005. They have good net averages for their punting and kickoff units, and have not yielded any big returns to anybody except North Dakota State. Their lack of deep kickoffs should provide Ohio State with some opportunites to gain good starting field position. After what happened last year, they will most likely kick away from Ginn, but the threat of him once again gives the Buckeyes the advantage in the return game.
Overall Special Teams Rating: B
Glen Mason's special teams may be remembered for being unable to get off a punt in the last minute of their home game against Wisconsin last year, allowing the Badgers to steal the Paul Bunyon Axe at the end of a game Minnesota should have won. One other memorable moment also occurred in the MetroDome last year, which resulted in a debate on the Ohio State football boards. When did you realize that Teddy was gone on that kickoff return - when he reached the 20, the 25, or the 30 yard line?
The Gophers are also remembered this year for missing an extra point in overtime, which allowed Penn State to escape with a victory (well, that and the very shaky pass interference call that kept JoePa's guys breathing).
Minnesota returns their punter and their place-kicker, who have experience despite their youth; and both are having respectable seasons. They have good averages on both their kickoff and punt return squads, while holding their opponents to lower numbers in both areas. They are not able to put kickoffs into the end zone on a consistent basis, however, so they may once again be vulnerable in that area.
Special Teams
P #41 Justin Kucek (6-0 200 SO)*
PK #31 Jason Giannini (5-10 180 SO)*
PK #36 Joel Monroe (6-0 180 SO)
PR/KR #2 Dominic Jones (5-9 180 SO)*
KR #25 Jay Thomas (6-0, 185 FR)
LS #43 Robert McGarry (6-3 215 JR)
* = Returning Starter
Kicking Game
The Gophers returned Justin Kucek (from Canfield, Ohio) at punter, who has been performing better than his average of 38.9 might indicate. Kucek has placed 11 kicks inside the 20-yard line, with only 2 touchbacks. Opponents have managed 107 yards on 17 punt returns, resulting in a net average of 36.1. His longest effort was a 59-yarder against North Dakota State, who also had the only big return against him so far this year with a 38-yarder.
Giannini (from Canton GlenOak) has connected on 6 of 9 field goals this year, but hasn't yet proved he can hit from distance. His longest is 41-yards (indoors); and while he is 5 of 5 from less than 40 yards, his other attempts from 40 or more have all been unsuccessful, including a 51-yard effort that Purdue blocked. He also had an extra point blocked in the opener against Kent State, and that costly missed extra point in OT against Penn State.
Monroe is included as a second PK since he handles all of the kickoff duties (Giannini did it last year, with only 9 touchbacks on 70 kicks). This year, 15 of Monroe's 38 kickoffs have been touchbacks, but outside the Metrodome the number is only 4 of 18. Opponents are gaining 17.7 yards on kickoff returns, with the overall average being the 21-yard line for their opposition starting a drive (the Gopher's average the 26-yard line as a starting point for their offense). Both Minnesota and Oihio State average 43.2 net yards on kickoffs.
Kicking Rating: B-
Head-to-Head: Minnesota vs Ohio State Kickers
Trapasso has an edge over Kucek in punting, and Giannini has performed almost equally to Pettrey, with the exception of the miss in overtime. Pettrey's consistency in booting kickoffs into the endzone (21 of 34) gives Ohio State an advantage in that area.
Edge: Ohio State
Return Game
Dominic Jones is defensive back from Columbus Brookhaven who handles both punt and kickoff returns for the Gophers. Jones has averaged 11.2 yards on 13 punt returns (with a long of 35), and 25.1 yards on 16 kickoffs, including a 99-yard TD against California.
Trumaine Banks (Columbus Eastmoor) did have 1 punt return earlier, but he suffered a broken arm against Wisconsin and is out for the season. Jay Thomas is their other deep man on kickoffs, and has 87 yards on 6 returns.
Counting all games, Minnesota is 2nd in the conference in kickoff returns, and 4th in punt returns.
Minnesota also scored on a return of a botched extra point by Wisconsin, when their punter/holder threw an interception that Mario Reese returned for 2 points.
Return Rating: B+
Head-to-Head: Minnesota vs. Ohio State Returners
Ohio State's kickoff return ranking of 10th in the conference, due to teams kicking squibs, shows how misleading statistics can sometimes be. While Minnesota's return game is good, the Buckeyes have more potential to hit the home run.
Edge: Ohio State. Both coverage units have done a good job in avoiding the huge play, but as usual, Ginn gives the Buckeyes the greater threat to break one big.
Overall Special Teams Analysis
The Gophers are an improved team in the kicking game this year, as they return 2 players that started as freshmen in 2005. They have good net averages for their punting and kickoff units, and have not yielded any big returns to anybody except North Dakota State. Their lack of deep kickoffs should provide Ohio State with some opportunites to gain good starting field position. After what happened last year, they will most likely kick away from Ginn, but the threat of him once again gives the Buckeyes the advantage in the return game.
Overall Special Teams Rating: B
Predictions
BB73's prediction: 38-7, Ohio State
BuckeyeRyn's prediction: 38-10, Ohio State
Buckeyeskickbuttocks' prediction: 48-10, Ohio State
Bucklion's prediction: 45-17, Ohio State
DaddyBigBucks's prediction: 42-6, Ohio State
daddyphatsac's prediction: 41-10, Ohio State
Deety's prediction: 42-7, Ohio State
FKAGobucks877's prediction: ??-??, Ohio State
jwinslow's prediction: 42-10, Ohio State
LordJeffBuck's prediction: 41-0, Ohio State
osugrad21's prediction: 45-10, Ohio State
OSUsushichic's prediction: 50-13, Ohio State
PrincessPeach's prediction: 42-3, Ohio State
3yardsandacloud's prediction: 38-10, Ohio State
Last Week's Results (OSU 44 - Indiana 3)
Low score wins the year long battle of prediction supremacy! (Difference of actual score versus predicted score. 10 point penalty for picking the losing team.)
(63) Buckeyeskickbuttocks' prediction: 42-3, Ohio State (2 + 0 = 2 + 61 last week)
(67) FKAGobucks877's prediction: 41-13, Ohio State (3 + 10 = 10 + 57 last week) DNP 2 weeks (BGSU 23, MSU 20)
(88) Deety's prediction: 35-7, Ohio State (9 + 4 = 13 + 75 last week) DNP 1 week (MSU 20)
(92) DaddyBigBucks's prediction: 45-10, Ohio State (1 + 7 = 8 + 84 last week) DNP 2 weeks (NIU 21, Texas 44)
(98) BB73's prediction: 38-14, Ohio State (6 + 11 = 17 + 81 last week)
(104) PrincessPeach's prediction: 42-17, Ohio State (2 + 14 = 16 + 88 last week)
(105) BuckeyeRyn's prediction: 31-13, Ohio State (13 + 10 = 23 + 82 last week)
(107) OSUsushichic's prediction: 38-13, Ohio State (6 + 10 = 16 + 91 last week)
(107) jwinslow's prediction: 41-10, Ohio State (3 + 7 = 10 + 97 last week) DNP 1 week (NIU 21)
(112) Bucklion's prediction: 41-13, Ohio State (3 + 10 = 13 + 99 last week)
(118) daddyphatsac's prediction: 41-10, Ohio State (3 + 7 = 10 + 108 last week)
(119) 3yardsandacloud's prediction: 38-10, Ohio State (6 + 7 = 13 + 106 last week)
(122) osugrad21's prediction: 34-10, Ohio State (10 + 7 = 17 + 105 last week)
(129) LordJeffBuck's prediction: 34-16, Ohio State (10 + 13 = 23 + 106 last week)
Adjusted scores for weeks missed. Participant must take the highest score from the week they missed:
(108) Deety 88 + MSU 20 = 108
(110) FKAGobucks877 67 + BGSU 23 + MSU 20 = 110
(128) jwinslow 107 + NIU 21 = 128
(157) DaddyBigBucks 92 + NIU 21 + Texas 44 = 157
BuckeyeRyn's prediction: 38-10, Ohio State
Buckeyeskickbuttocks' prediction: 48-10, Ohio State
Bucklion's prediction: 45-17, Ohio State
DaddyBigBucks's prediction: 42-6, Ohio State
daddyphatsac's prediction: 41-10, Ohio State
Deety's prediction: 42-7, Ohio State
FKAGobucks877's prediction: ??-??, Ohio State
jwinslow's prediction: 42-10, Ohio State
LordJeffBuck's prediction: 41-0, Ohio State
osugrad21's prediction: 45-10, Ohio State
OSUsushichic's prediction: 50-13, Ohio State
PrincessPeach's prediction: 42-3, Ohio State
3yardsandacloud's prediction: 38-10, Ohio State
Last Week's Results (OSU 44 - Indiana 3)
Low score wins the year long battle of prediction supremacy! (Difference of actual score versus predicted score. 10 point penalty for picking the losing team.)
(63) Buckeyeskickbuttocks' prediction: 42-3, Ohio State (2 + 0 = 2 + 61 last week)
(67) FKAGobucks877's prediction: 41-13, Ohio State (3 + 10 = 10 + 57 last week) DNP 2 weeks (BGSU 23, MSU 20)
(88) Deety's prediction: 35-7, Ohio State (9 + 4 = 13 + 75 last week) DNP 1 week (MSU 20)
(92) DaddyBigBucks's prediction: 45-10, Ohio State (1 + 7 = 8 + 84 last week) DNP 2 weeks (NIU 21, Texas 44)
(98) BB73's prediction: 38-14, Ohio State (6 + 11 = 17 + 81 last week)
(104) PrincessPeach's prediction: 42-17, Ohio State (2 + 14 = 16 + 88 last week)
(105) BuckeyeRyn's prediction: 31-13, Ohio State (13 + 10 = 23 + 82 last week)
(107) OSUsushichic's prediction: 38-13, Ohio State (6 + 10 = 16 + 91 last week)
(107) jwinslow's prediction: 41-10, Ohio State (3 + 7 = 10 + 97 last week) DNP 1 week (NIU 21)
(112) Bucklion's prediction: 41-13, Ohio State (3 + 10 = 13 + 99 last week)
(118) daddyphatsac's prediction: 41-10, Ohio State (3 + 7 = 10 + 108 last week)
(119) 3yardsandacloud's prediction: 38-10, Ohio State (6 + 7 = 13 + 106 last week)
(122) osugrad21's prediction: 34-10, Ohio State (10 + 7 = 17 + 105 last week)
(129) LordJeffBuck's prediction: 34-16, Ohio State (10 + 13 = 23 + 106 last week)
Adjusted scores for weeks missed. Participant must take the highest score from the week they missed:
(108) Deety 88 + MSU 20 = 108
(110) FKAGobucks877 67 + BGSU 23 + MSU 20 = 110
(128) jwinslow 107 + NIU 21 = 128
(157) DaddyBigBucks 92 + NIU 21 + Texas 44 = 157
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