tOfficial B1G Thread

It could be a 3TD+ game but it will be Ohio State's toughest test so far.

Sure, I agree it will be their best opponent they've played, but that doesn't mean it will be a test IMO.
 
Oregon is still in tier one. I don’t trust the Ohio St defense quite yet. Knowles scheme is bend don’t break scheme imo. Oregon can carve it up and until Tyliek comes back the DL is underwhelming. Offense has been good but still needs work.
How do you know where your Buckeyes stand? You are the hardest team to gauge because of who you’ve played. Akron? Western Michigan? Marshall? Sparty? I have no idea how good you guys are yet because of that schedule. Talent wise you are top notch. Question is how will you respond against similar talent?
 
How do you know where your Buckeyes stand? You are the hardest team to gauge because of who you’ve played. Akron? Western Michigan? Marshall? Sparty? I have no idea how good you guys are yet because of that schedule. Talent wise you are top notch. Question is how will you respond against similar talent?

I'd say they've won all of their games like they should have.

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Sparty's only other loss was a close one @ (4-1) Boston College (19-23).
Boston College's only loss was a close one @ (4-0) #9 Missouri (21-27).

Of course #24 Boston College got booted from the Top 25 after losing a close one to (at the time) #6 Missouri.
 
Tier 1: Ohio State
Tier 2: Oregon, Penn State
Tier 3: Indiana, Michigan, USC, Iowa
Tier 4: Maryland, Rutgers, Illinois, Washington, Nebraska
Tier 5: Michigan State, Minnesota, Wisconsin
Tier 6: Purdue, UCLA, Northwestern


The Terrapins have lost both of their conference games, including getting beat by the Spartans at home in Maryland, so at this time I would move Maryland down to Tier 5 with Michigan State, Minnesota, and Wisconsin.
 
How do you know where your Buckeyes stand? You are the hardest team to gauge because of who you’ve played. Akron? Western Michigan? Marshall? Sparty? I have no idea how good you guys are yet because of that schedule. Talent wise you are top notch. Question is how will you respond against similar talent?
All I can by is the eye test right now so that’s what I am doing. Still early in the season and they might be trying new stuff. Playing 10 yards off a mediocre WR group is worrisome bc that is scheme related and we’ve seen it every year from Knowles. It will be easy for some offenses to complete some passes bc of soft coverage
 
I don't see Iowa putting up much of a fight. If they keep it under 3 TD's, I'd be surprised.

I expect OSU to win comfortably, but that defense is still a good test for OSU's offense. The defense might keep the first half close, but it's not hard to see Iowa stalling on offense and OSU eventually grinding the defense down. OSU put up almost 500 yards on 6.4 yards per play against a respectable MSU defense. But if there's one thing Iowa was lacking in previous years that they do have now, it's a strong running game. Kaleb Johnson has gotten a lot of his yards after contact. OSU has really cleaned up their run defense under Knowles and they did a great job limiting explosive plays in 2023. OSU is giving up under 2.0 YPC defensively, though this is their first opponent that can actually run. They still can't throw, though I guess Cade's an upgrade over Deacon Hill and Spencer Petras. Iowa's WR group is still very weak and they lack an NFL-caliber receiving TE that Ferentz teams usually have.

My guess is OSU 33-13.
 
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All I can by is the eye test right now so that’s what I am doing. Still early in the season and they might be trying new stuff. Playing 10 yards off a mediocre WR group is worrisome bc that is scheme related and we’ve seen it every year from Knowles. It will be easy for some offenses to complete some passes bc of soft coverage
I can accept eye test and talent level as reasons. Heck, I’ll even buy brand name and football history as well. I prefer on field results against quality teams over anything else (especially head to head). But that is probably too narrow minded reasoning for some.

What I can’t buy is the mental gymnastics in trying to rationalize and justify the four games as the reason they deserve the ranking they have. That thinking is also too narrow minded for some.
 
I expect OSU to win comfortably, but that defense is still a good test for OSU's offense. The defense might keep the first half close, but it's not hard to see Iowa stalling on offense and OSU eventually grinding the defense down. OSU put up almost 500 yards on 6.4 yards per play against a respectable MSU defense. But if there's one thing Iowa was lacking in previous years that they do have now, it's a strong running game. Kaleb Johnson has gotten a lot of his yards after contact. OSU has really cleaned up their run defense under Knowles and they did a great job limiting explosive plays in 2023. OSU is giving up under 2.0 YPC defensively, though this is their first opponent that can actually run. They still can't throw, though I guess Cade's an upgrade over Deacon Hill and Spencer Petras. Iowa's WR group is still very weak and they lack an NFL-caliber receiving TE that Ferentz teams usually have.

My guess is OSU 33-13.

I just can't see Iowa being able to move/score on OSU. They struggle with teams that have a fourth of the talent OSU does on defense. They've gotten off to slow starts in every game. Ironically their best offensive first half was against ISU. I can see it being something like 24-3 at half.
 
I just can't see Iowa being able to move/score on OSU. They struggle with teams that have a fourth of the talent OSU does on defense. They've gotten off to slow starts in every game. Ironically their best offensive first half was against ISU. I can see it being something like 24-3 at half.

Unfortunately, this feels like a very relevant game for how Michigan could fare against OSU.
 
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Rest of the kickoff times and networks for 10/12. Given the weird start time for Minnesota/UCLA, my guess is a women's volleyball game will air at 7:00 on BTN as a lead in.
 
Did OD hack your account?
settle down mean girls GIF
 
Michigan is a 3 point underdog @ Washington

Wonder how many times a "top 10" team has been a underdog to a unranked team, can't be many.
That is why the Michigan Men are my 10 point game in the espn pick'ems. They're gonna show why they deserve to be top 10 by winning as an underdog to an unranked team.

Skoooooo Michigan Men
 
I guess Cade's an upgrade over Deacon Hill and Spencer Petras
I'd give my first born to have Cade as Michigan's QB this year. It hurts to watch UM with how unbelievably bad our QB play is.
 
I'd give my first born to have Cade as Michigan's QB this year. It hurts to watch UM with how unbelievably bad our QB play is.

If only you had Giles Jackson and AJ Henning too, they aren't upper end WRs by any means but they'd be a hell of a upgrade over what is getting trotted out at WR right now.
 
That is why the Michigan Men are my 10 point game in the espn pick'ems. They're gonna show why they deserve to be top 10 by winning as an underdog to an unranked team.

Skoooooo Michigan Men
So, you’re telling me to lay the points and take Washington?
 
If only you had Giles Jackson and AJ Henning too, they aren't upper end WRs by any means but they'd be a hell of a upgrade over what is getting trotted out at WR right now.

Yup. I had some optimism for Tyler Morris and Semaj Morgan coming into the season, but that's quickly evaporated.
 
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