Indiana vs OSU

[Legacy User]

any chance Indiana pulls the upset ?

[ironzabo]

+22.5


Yes and yes

[Kodiak]

Ezekiel Elliot is a fucking stud

[bradshaw2ben]

yep. It's a good thing we have Bell, because I think the Steelers would trip over themselves trying to draft the guy lol

An extremely game effort by Indiana but it doesn't look like it's going to make it to the finish line-- although they looked dead 15 minutes ago, too, so who knows?

The real story is: how on earth is Ohio State #1? I've seen at least two or three teams that seem much better.

[Steelknife]

Ohio State is playing so far beneath their talent level. Not a top 5 team on the field right now.

[Ice]

Ohio State is playing so far beneath their talent level. Not a top 5 team on the field right now.

Hate to agree with this, but yes.

Also, JT Barrett should be playing QB. He is worlds better as a complete passer than Jones.

[bradshaw2ben]

You can see that Jones has all the tools, just needs the time. I'd say by the time you get to January, Jones will clearly be better-- but can he get to January?

[Steelcody7]

yep. It's a good thing we have Bell, because I think the Steelers would trip over themselves trying to draft the guy lol

An extremely game effort by Indiana but it doesn't look like it's going to make it to the finish line-- although they looked dead 15 minutes ago, too, so who knows?

The real story is: how on earth is Ohio State #1? I've seen at least two or three teams that seem much better.

People talked shit on OSU last season after losing to VT.

Then they embarrassed Wisconsin, Alabama, and Oregon. All you have to do is win. Repeating is very hard to begin with. Jones proved he could beat the big boys. You let him go through the rough patches. Benching him would be foolish.

[Ice]

It could be argued that 750 yards from Ezekiel Elliot had a great deal to do with those wins. Watching both Barrett and Jones, I don't see how you go with Jones in this offense. It's what makes horse racing, I guess.

[jebrick]

I think the loss of Tom Herman at OC is really telling. Just bad play calling bogging them down.

[Ice]

I think the loss of Tom Herman at OC is really telling. Just bad play calling bogging them down.

A very good point. Herman's Houston squad doing pretty well, too.

[Jobu]

I think the loss of Tom Herman at OC is really telling. Just bad play calling bogging them down.

There is likely a good bit of truth to that...but you can't put the turnovers, penalties, and overall sloppy execution on the OC.
IMO, this team, certain members at least, have a rock star mentality. And as long as they keep pulling out wins, that mentality will remain. I hope I'm wrong, but I'm certain it will eventually bite them in the ass. Or maybe that will be a good thing.

[Ice]

One of the reasons for my opinion on Barrett vs Jones, Jobu. Don't get the "rock star" vibe from JT at all. Not sure I can say the same for Cardale.

[Jobu]

One of the reasons for my opinion on Barrett vs Jones, Jobu. Don't get the "rock star" vibe from JT at all. Not sure I can say the same for Cardale.

Agreed.

[Ice]

I'll also agree that we're our own worst enemies, whether attitude, sloppiness or unimaginative play calling, it's OSU that's stopping OSU right now.

[jebrick]

I think the loss of Tom Herman at OC is really telling. Just bad play calling bogging them down.

There is likely a good bit of truth to that...but you can't put the turnovers, penalties, and overall sloppy execution on the OC.
IMO, this team, certain members at least, have a rock star mentality. And as long as they keep pulling out wins, that mentality will remain. I hope I'm wrong, but I'm certain it will eventually bite them in the ass. Or maybe that will be a good thing.

Not the execution of the plays but the play calling has been bad. Elliot got almost all of his yards running between the tackles vs IU. The Talent of the OSU Oline was blowing the Hoosiers off the ball. But when they needed to burn the clock and get first downs they kept doing the stretch plays that gained nothing all game.

[Ice]

I think the loss of Tom Herman at OC is really telling. Just bad play calling bogging them down.

There is likely a good bit of truth to that...but you can't put the turnovers, penalties, and overall sloppy execution on the OC.
IMO, this team, certain members at least, have a rock star mentality. And as long as they keep pulling out wins, that mentality will remain. I hope I'm wrong, but I'm certain it will eventually bite them in the ass. Or maybe that will be a good thing.

Not the execution of the plays but the play calling has been bad. Elliot got almost all of his yards running between the tackles vs IU. The Talent of the OSU Oline was blowing the Hoosiers off the ball. But when they needed to burn the clock and get first downs they kept doing the stretch plays that gained nothing all game.

The playcalling has gone from what at most times last season was like a well-orchestrated dissection of the opponent, with playcalls complimenting eachother and setting things up down the line at a level pretty far ahead of just about every team they faced, to comparatively unimaginative, repettitive and grab-bag, without the knowledge of how to use one set of plays/formations to set up others.

That doesn't excuse untimely penalties, and some pretty sloppy passing in terms of accuracy and reads, but it's definitely part of the problem. Hopefully Boeckman, et. al learn on the job pretty quickly, because there are some teams on the schedule that this slop and slather won't work against.

All that said, hey, B2B, we're still Number One!

[bradshaw2ben]

Sure. I buy that they have the best talent. I also think Utah would have creamed them on any field a week ago. Still some very strong teams whose weaknesses have yet to be exposed like OSU's

[Ice]

It was mostly gallows sarcasm, B2B. Team has some serious warts, and the Big 10 schedule, while not the SEC in terms of hype, is full of pretty talented teams, every one of them looking to knock off the conference champs, every one hearing all week about conference streaks and road streaks and this and that.

It will look like a cake schedule on paper, but that's a lot of teams' best shots to take before the playoff.

As far as why ranked #1? Until the first BCS ratings come out, like some talking head said, it's the poll mentality. Ohio is doing it with reputation, star power and talent, real and perceived, right now. Good thing is, at the end of the season, theytake the best four and play.