By V. R. Bryant
Prime time.
The return of Braxton Miller notwithstanding, this game has been pumped up to bursting. It constitutes not only the start of the conference slate but also the first major (perceptible) challenge on the 2013 schedule. In a season with zero room for error, every play of this game will be scrutinized. Just a few things to keep in mind:
ONE: Personally, I can’t remember the last time Ohio State used two starting quarterbacks to anything but deleterious effect. I’m no Jack Park, but here are the prevailing memories I have of the co-starting QB business.
- Braxton Miller and Joe Bauserman
- Terrelle Pryor and Todd Boeckman
- Troy Smith and Justin Zwick
- Joe Germaine and Stanley Jackson
To varying degrees, each of these players fought with his counterpart for playing time. To far less varying degrees, the results were mostly bad. The circumstances are different now, of course. Urban Meyer is far more creative offensively than Ohio State’s last two coaches. You could also argue that the two quarterbacks in question now are far more talented. Either way, while some people find the notion exciting, that there should be plays concocted to get both men on the field at the same time, I do not. Call me stodgy. I guess we’ll see soon enough.
TWO: Wisconsin is lethal right now. For a litany of reasons. Not the least of which is what happened to them in Tempe, an abomination of the highest order. It’s no secret that the Badgers are using their desertion as motivation; with their first ‘loss’ behind them, they’ll be playing free and aggressive. Instinctual. This is the kind of energy that can actually feed off of a crowd’s hostility. Perhaps now more than ever it will be important that Meyer’s offense can oppress the opposition. Yes, Wisconsin has a physical rushing attack. What else is new? Both teams have been running the ball down people’s throats–neither team has met much resistance. It may be that the team that can effectively move the ball through the air will have the upper hand.
THREE: Doesn’t it just have the feel of a game that’s going to come down to the last two drives? There’s good reason: five of the last nine meetings have been decided by a touchdown or less.Something about the Wisconsin game always just screams struggle. Hard to imagine this Ohio State offense struggling (even with two quarterbacks on the field). Harder still to imagine a blowout. The high intensity will expose each roster’s depth. Advantage Buckeyes, I would think.
FOUR: The circus has clearly come to town. Night game, national television, special uniforms, co-starting quarterbacks, about a million visiting recruits, and a LeBron James in a pear tree. All the fanfare and hullabaloo in the world doesn’t change the fact that – on paper – this plays out to a little bit of a stalemate. Wisconsin should be 4-0 and sports the sixth-ranked defense in the nation. Ohio State is 4-0, and has scored more offensive touchdowns than any team in the FBS. Including Oregon. I guess my point is that in spite of all the weird, ancillary storylines, tomorrow’s game is just one hell of a match-up. Bonus point: we won’t, not even once, have to look at Bret Bielema in high definition.
-vrb
