Buckeyes get ready for the upcoming season

The Buckeyes were predicted to be a Top 5 team come August till the bottom fell out from under the program. Their starting quarterback Terrelle Pryor left the school, Jim Tressel resigned under loads and loads of scrutiny and they will also play the first five games without key players. Can this team fight through their off season troubles to continue their dominance in the Big 10?

Tressel resigned on Memorial Day

The Big Ten will be completely reformed in 2011. The addition of Nebraska to the conference, two divisions, a conference championship game, and the possibility no team from Ohio being a Big 10 champ. The Buckeyes have been in a BCS Bowl the last 6 years and 8 out of the last 9 years. They also have won or held a share of the Big 10 title for the last six seasons and a total of 35. I'll explain why this year will be a different story in Columbus.

Co-defensive coordinator Luke Fickell will take over in place of Jim Tressell for the upcoming season. Fickell was the right man for the job after the bottom fell out on the program and Tressel resigned. Ohio St didn't have enough time before the season began to look for a new high brow coach so picking Tressell's assistant should limit the damages but it still wont be Tressel at the reigns. Fickell has only spent 9 years in the coaching industry, all at OSU, and has never held a head coaching position. Not only is Fickell not the mastermind of a coach like Tressel was but he will also have significantly less to work with this upcoming season, especially in the first five games.

Terrelle Pryor was getting the same amount of pressure as Tressel during this whole process so just days after Tressel resigned from the program Pryor decided to leave as well. Pryor was already going to have to sit out the first five games of the 2011 season but other leaks came out about new cars and extra money so Pryor left. The 2011 offense was to be formed around the senior quarterback and his ability to create something out of nothing by scrambling and using his much improved throwing mechanics to lead a deadly two dimensional team. The Buckeyes will probably now look towards freshman dual threat quarterback Braxton Miller to lead the troops on the offensive side of the ball. Miller will step into his first season and play in Miami  for the third game of the season and will also play in two 100,000+ seat stadiums when they face Nebraska and Michigan on the road. The lack of experience under center will defiantly keep the the Buckeyes from reaching as high as they want to.

True Freshamn QB Braxton Miller

Running Back Dan "Boom" Herron, Offensive Tackle Mike Adams, Wide Receiver DeVier Posey and Defensive End Solomon Thomas will all be on the bench for the first five games of the season due to suspensions. The group was said to have sold their Ohio St memorabilia to pay for tattoos. Herron was the leading rusher on a rush heavy team last season, Mike Adams was a first team all Big 10 selection at Tackle, DeVier Posey was the 2nd leading receiver and Solomon Thomas had the game clinching interception in the Sugar Bowl. The loss of these players for the first fives games will defiantly hurt, not only in those first five games but several ones after that because it may take them a couple games to adjust. The Buckeyes will face the likes of Akron, Toledo, Miami, Colorado, and Michigan St in those first five games and it will be very hard with a freshman quarterback, especially one that is missing his best blocker, rusher, and receiver, to win all five games.

The Big Ten hasn't been the normal Big Ten over the last few seasons but with the introduction of Nebraska and the hopeful return of Michigan to its elite status should help this conference thrive once again. Michigan returns most of their roster, including Heisman candidate Denard Robinson. Nebraska will return QB Taylor Martinez and their always strong defense, Former NC State quarterback Russell Wilson heads to Wisconsin, Michigan St looks to repeat their Top 10 season, Joe Pa looks to keep Penn St rolling and other Big Ten programs will also look to thrive. All of them are looking to take down the struggling Big Ten powerhouse.

The Buckeyes have a very tough road ahead of them if they want to continue their win streak vs Michigan, get back to another BCS bowl game and win their 7th consecutive Big Ten title. It is defiantly do able with the talent that they have on the roster but I do not believe that it will happen with all these problems inside the program.

Are You Ready for College Football?

We are just under a month and a half away from the kickoff to the College Football season and I've been ready since January 11th. There is no better feeling then that opening kickoff at home and the sold out stadium is on their feet as the new season is about to kick off. Today I'll take a look at some reasons why you should be ready for football.

The Broncos move to the Mountain West

Nebraska in the "Big 10": The longtime Big 12 powerhouse heads east to face off with the likes of Penn St, Ohio St, Michigan and Wisconsin. The Big 10 will now separate into two divisions and it will all culminate with the first ever Big 10 championship game.

Boise St's year? The Broncos will be facing some better competition in their conference this upcoming season as they head to the Mountain West . Boise expected to face the likes of BYU , Utah, and TCU for seasons to come but Utah bolted to become part of the Pac 12 and BYU went independent. They will face TCU for one season before they will then dart for the Big East in 2012. Even without those teams the likes of Air Force, San Diego St and Colorado St are still much improved competition over many teams in the WAC.

Pacific 12: Colorado and Utah will help create the Pac 12. Utah, along with TCU, helped form the Mountain West into an elite conference but when they had the opportunity to ditch out to an AQ conference they took the bait. The Buffalo are also headed into the Pac 12 after an awful season and a possible Big 12 collapse.

Return of three Heisman finalist: Andrew Luck, LaMicheal James, and Kellen Moore will all return for their repective teams this season after their outstanding seasons last year.

War Eagle? The Auburn faithful lost Cam Newton to the NFL, as expected, but will they be able to rebound after losing their star and Heisman winner? Or will it be a one time thing for Gene Chizik and Co.?

Russell Wilson is headed to Madison

Big L(East): The Big East had two teams preseason ranked in the Top 15 last season but failed to have one in the Top 25 at the final poll. Can this conference turn it around and become an equal AQ conference once again?

Russell Wilson to Wisconsin: The star QB back at NC State has decided to pack up and head north to play for the Wisconsin Badgers. Wilson graduated last season from NC State so he is able to transfer without having to sit out a year. Is he the missing piece to a title run in Madison?

Ohio St: The Buckeyes were predicted to be a Top 5 team come August till the bottom fell out from under the program. Their three year starting quarterback Terrelle Pryor left the school, Jim Tressel resigned under loads and loads of pressure and they will also play the first several games without key players. Can this team fight through their off season troubles to continue their dominance in the Big 10?



*longer stories to come later

Top 5 Bowl Games

5. Rose Bowl                           TCU 21 Wisconsin 19

With the win TCU proved that they were a force to be reckoned with and proved that a playoff system is a necessary to insure that the best team wins the National Title. TCU also proved that their offense was good and their defense was even better. They held one of the best offenses in the nation to a measly 19 points. Andy Dalton aired it out for the Horn Frogs with 219 yards and a touchdown. TCU finished the season ranked 2nd in the polls and 13-0 while Wisconsin dropped to 7th.

4. Sugar Bowl                           Ohio St 31 Arkansas 26

Ryan Mallett led the Razorback from 28-7 deficit to a game that they could have easily been won by. Arkansas blocked a Ohio St punt and took over inside the Buckeyes 30 but failed to protect Ryan Mallet so he was sacked then pressured again and threw a forced throw and it was picked off. The five Ohio St suspended players in 2011 were huge in the win. Terrelle Pryor won MVP honors with 336 total yards (221 and 115) and two passing touchdowns, Devier Posey had 70 receiving yards and a touchdown, "Boom" Herron had 87 rushing yards and a touchdown, Solomon Thomas has the game clinching interception and Mike Adams anchored the O-line. Without those five players the Razorbacks would win in a landslide. Ohio St finished the year ranked 5th while Arkansas fell to 12th.

3. New Era Pinestripe Bowl            Syracuse 36 Kansas St 34

This game was a back and fourth battle between Syracuse and Kansas St which had 7 lead changes and was tied three times in the game. It ended when Kansas St scored a touchdown with a minute to go. They needed to go for two to tie up the game but got a celebration penalty, which was a bad call, and failed on the 20 yard two point conversion. Delone Carter led the the Orange with a career high 198 rushing yards and two scores and Ryan Nassib had 239 and three passing yards in the win. Syracuse finished with a a 8-5 compared to Kansas St's 7-6 record.

2. Music City Bowl                    North Carolina 30 Tennessee 27 2OT

The thriller between North Carolina and Tennessee was one that you won't forget for a while. It had overtimes, a questionable call, good offense and good defense. North Carolina ran out of time and the coaches were shaking hands but the officials reviewed it and figured out that their was a second left so North Carolina kicked a field goal as time expired to sent it into overtime. North Carolina eventually got the win in double OT thanks to a interception and a field goal but not without criticism. Shaun Draughn had 160 rushing yards and a touchdown and T.J. Yates had 234 passing yards and a touchdown in the win. North Carolina picked of three passes. North Carolina finished with a 8-5 record while Tennessee was below. 500 again this season with a 6-7 record.

1. National Title Game                               Auburn 22 Oregon 19

This wasn't the high scoring game that we expected it to be but instead two good defenses and a bad field that were playing in this one. The Auburn run defense was amazing while Oregon shutdown Heisman winner Cam Newton. Auburn won their second national title with a game ending 19 yard field goal and a 22-19 win. the game didn't have any points in the first quarter but the fourth quarter was a great one with fake plays, LaMichael James scoring with 2 minutes left the Auburn rolling down the field for the game winner. Michael Dyer was the star for the Tigers with 143 rushing yards and a huge run in the 4th quarter. Oregon was hoping that the highlighter green socks would blind the offense but they couldn't help out much on the final drive. Oregon will look to get their first National Title next season with several key players returning.