Ohio State backup outside linebacker Chris Worley couldn’t play after being injured in practice the week before, and that suddenly became crucial when Darron Lee was stunned temporarily by a blindside block. While that claim may be debatable these days, the game is still an important one for the Buckeyes, who look to increase their winning streak and keep their spot in the College Football Playoff.
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The Spartans, meanwhile, are 9-1 SU on the season and are looking to jump the Buckeyes in the Big Ten pecking order.
Most Ohio State football personnel and Ohio State football fans will tell you that they probably don’t care about style points, and maybe they shouldn’t. “We’re going to have to be on our “A” game for that”. This was the biggest win for Sooners coach Bob Stoops in so long, we have to wonder if Stoops is an elite coach anymore.
The junior tailback has rushed for more than 100 yards in all 10 of OSU’s games this season after doing that in the last five games past year. With three star quarterbacks, a favorite running back, a great offensive line and a top-flight defense, this was expected to be one of college football’s super teams, a team that would bulldoze every challenger that got in its way, swatting the opposition away like a fly. I thought we played with a lot of passion and heart. “I know that the main thing about it is I wasn’t really thinking about my position here at Ohio State”.
“I went to pull, and he came faster than what I was ready for”, Price said describing the play.
It’s something Dantonio expects across the board.
“I think all our players will be motivated”, he said.
“It’s going to be a good test, a good measure of where we’re at”. Rudock had his best game yet in a double overtime win at in, hitting 33-of-46 passes for 440 yards with a school-record six touchdowns and a pick. “That will be exciting for them”. The kicking game was solid against Maryland and the coverage units took a huge leap after a poor game in the loss to Nebraska. He’s got pop on the ball, is confident.
Before Urban Meyer could trust his Ohio State football team in its season-defining tests to come, he issued two last pop quizzes Saturday at Memorial Stadium. It has been a ideal match of unwanted quarterback and iconic coach.
Meyer said the offensive line’s run blocking was good. Then comes a season-ending game at Iowa with a chance to go 6-6 and perhaps end an unbeaten season by the Hawkeyes. No. We lost a week ago. We are 9-1 right now, so we’ve got control at least of ourselves and we can control a situation. If Ohio State wins, MI would be added to this list next week with MI State dropping off. If Iowa wins next week, it will represent the Big Ten West in Indianapolis. The Nittany Lions are still in the division title chase.
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The interception, however, is a flawless example of why the cracks in the pass protection need to be sealed before the MI State Spartans arrive in Columbus on Saturday. If they were ranked lower than 4th, they would go to the Rose Bowl as the Big Ten Champion. Elliott capped the scoring on the next play with 9:47 left, causing a few in the crowd of 51,515 to begin the postgame traffic jam a bit early. The loser then hopes they would be in the Top 11 of the final playoff poll.
