A team with probably 5-7 first round picks starting, including probably 3 or 4 on defense (Laurinaitis, Freeman, Jenkins, Wilson), likely the top RB taken in the NFL draft in the spring (and one who has average about 150 yards against top competition LSU, Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, Penn State) getting 10 points seems very inviting, but QB Boeckman is not necesarily the quarterback I'd have a great deal of confidence in beating the USC defense. Common belief is a running game and defense travel well, and they'll have to for OSU to have a chance.
Dude!
I wish I had known then what I know now. Still though with USC's assets, I think they will set out on a mission to shut down OSU every way they can. That's why they win these big games by big margins. That's one thing that separates them from other successful programs. They don't do it always, but they do it often. At least I got them at 9 when it opened, but I missed 8.5 by seconds. At least my backdoor isn't as big.
But 4.5 points back when?
Dude!
One point being overlooked by Ohio State backers is the fact that Carroll and his staff have had two weeks to prepare for this game. A spot in which they have thrived tremendously the last 3 years. It might go back further than this but that is as far as I went..
Last year/2 weeks or more to prepare
vs Nebraska 49-31 ATS Cover
vs Illinois 49-17 ATS Cover
06-07
vs Nebraska 28-10 ATS Cover
vs Michigan 32-18 ATS Cover
05-06
vs Arkansas 70-17 ATS Cover
vs UCLA 66-19 ATS Cover
vs Texas 38-41 Loss. No Cover ATS
Seems like some very convincing numbers when Carroll and Co. has time to prepare for their opponents.
Last year/2 weeks or more to prepare
vs Nebraska 49-31 ATS Cover
vs Illinois 49-17 ATS Cover
06-07
vs Nebraska 28-10 ATS Cover
vs Michigan 32-18 ATS Cover
05-06
vs Arkansas 70-17 ATS Cover
vs UCLA 66-19 ATS Cover
vs Texas 38-41 Loss. No Cover ATS
Seems like some very convincing numbers when Carroll and Co. has time to prepare for their opponents.
ohio state will play well. theyre not exactly outclassed. and they are one of the few teams in the country you can count on to do the things necessary to win on the road. run the football. play good defense. win special teams. a win here isnt exactly an upset. but theres nothing appealing about going anti-usc in the coliseum. this is an incredibly difficult game. i think teasers are very dangerous here. could easily be osu outright ... or southern cal by 20+
In my mind the key is Wells. He is an NFL back and workhorse who can get those tough yards. If he isn't close to 100% then I think that USC wins/covers this easily.
One thing that I will be curious to see is how much Terrell Pryor plays. While mobile qbs have given USC fits in the past few years I think it would be a HUGE mistake to rely much on Pryor. He would be in WAY over his head...
Tressel says Wells will play against USC
By Adam Rittenberg
ESPN.com
(Archive)
<!-- promo plug -->
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<!-- end story header --> <!-- begin left column --> <!-- begin page tools --> Updated: September 9, 2008, 3:01 PM ET
<!-- end page tools --> <!-- begin story body --> <!-- template inline -->COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio State coach Jim Tressel said Tuesday that running back Chris "Beanie" Wells will play in Saturday's game against top-ranked USC after missing last week's game with an injury to his right big toe.
How much Wells plays largely depends on his progress in practices Tuesday and Wednesday. Wells will run and go through individual drills Tuesday before participating fully in Wednesday's workout. <table width="127" align="right" cellspacing="12"><tbody><tr><td><form method="post?" action="http://poll.espn.go.com/cgi/sz/poll.dll"><input name="goto" value="http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=3577340" type="hidden"><input name="domain" value=".go.com" type="hidden"><input name="questions" value="1" type="hidden"><input name="id" value="91914" type="hidden"><input name="service" value="SZ" type="hidden"><table width="124" border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr><td bgcolor="#dddddd"><center>
</center></td></tr> <tr><td bgcolor="#dddddd"><input name="qid" value="59981" type="hidden"><input name="count_0" value="2" type="hidden"><input name="expected_0" value="1" type="hidden">Will Beanie Wells get most of the carries against USC?
<table border="0"><tbody><tr><td valign="top"><input name="vote_0" value="230907" type="radio"></td><td valign="top">Yes</td></tr><tr><td valign="top"><input name="vote_0" value="230908" type="radio"></td><td valign="top">No</td></tr></tbody></table><center><input value="Submit Vote" type="submit"></center></td></tr> </tbody></table> </form></td></tr></tbody></table> "He probably ran better than I thought he might [on Monday]," Tressel said. Wells has been testing the foot/toe on a stationary bike and in the pool. He's listed as the starter on this week's depth chart ahead of Dan "Boom" Herron, who received the bulk of the carries last week. "He said to [offensive coordinator] Jim Bollman and I walking into the meeting room on Monday, he said, 'I'm ready to carry 45 times on Saturday,' " Tressel said. "He's not going to carry it 45 if he's not effective. He wants to play and he's going to do all he can do." Wells' teammates are confident the 237-pound junior will be ready for USC. "Beanie told me he was going to play," defensive end Lawrence Wilson said. "When Beanie says he's going to do something, he does it. He's a tremendous competitor." Saturday's game will air on ABC at 8 p.m. ET.
One thing that I will be curious to see is how much Terrell Pryor plays. While mobile qbs have given USC fits in the past few years I think it would be a HUGE mistake to rely much on Pryor. He would be in WAY over his head...
Tressel says Wells will play against USC
By Adam Rittenberg
ESPN.com
(Archive)
<!-- promo plug -->
<!-- end promo plug -->
<!-- end story header --> <!-- begin left column --> <!-- begin page tools --> Updated: September 9, 2008, 3:01 PM ET
<!-- end page tools --> <!-- begin story body --> <!-- template inline -->COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio State coach Jim Tressel said Tuesday that running back Chris "Beanie" Wells will play in Saturday's game against top-ranked USC after missing last week's game with an injury to his right big toe.
How much Wells plays largely depends on his progress in practices Tuesday and Wednesday. Wells will run and go through individual drills Tuesday before participating fully in Wednesday's workout. <table width="127" align="right" cellspacing="12"><tbody><tr><td><form method="post?" action="http://poll.espn.go.com/cgi/sz/poll.dll"><input name="goto" value="http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=3577340" type="hidden"><input name="domain" value=".go.com" type="hidden"><input name="questions" value="1" type="hidden"><input name="id" value="91914" type="hidden"><input name="service" value="SZ" type="hidden"><table width="124" border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr><td bgcolor="#dddddd"><center>
</center></td></tr> <tr><td bgcolor="#dddddd"><input name="qid" value="59981" type="hidden"><input name="count_0" value="2" type="hidden"><input name="expected_0" value="1" type="hidden">Will Beanie Wells get most of the carries against USC?<table border="0"><tbody><tr><td valign="top"><input name="vote_0" value="230907" type="radio"></td><td valign="top">Yes</td></tr><tr><td valign="top"><input name="vote_0" value="230908" type="radio"></td><td valign="top">No</td></tr></tbody></table><center><input value="Submit Vote" type="submit"></center></td></tr> </tbody></table> </form></td></tr></tbody></table> "He probably ran better than I thought he might [on Monday]," Tressel said. Wells has been testing the foot/toe on a stationary bike and in the pool. He's listed as the starter on this week's depth chart ahead of Dan "Boom" Herron, who received the bulk of the carries last week. "He said to [offensive coordinator] Jim Bollman and I walking into the meeting room on Monday, he said, 'I'm ready to carry 45 times on Saturday,' " Tressel said. "He's not going to carry it 45 if he's not effective. He wants to play and he's going to do all he can do." Wells' teammates are confident the 237-pound junior will be ready for USC. "Beanie told me he was going to play," defensive end Lawrence Wilson said. "When Beanie says he's going to do something, he does it. He's a tremendous competitor." Saturday's game will air on ABC at 8 p.m. ET.
They beat Auburn in 2003, when Auburn was top 5 preseason but was a huge letdown especially early on and they didn't win the West that year. They also destroyed Arkansas on the road in 2006, but McFadden was hurt after kicking someone in a bar scrum. I agree with what you're saying for the most part, USC vs. non-conference teams under Carroll has been a complete juggernaut. However, a lot of those ND teams were living on borrowed time and got exposed by the likes of USC and LSU. I'm not sure they've played as complete or experienced a team with as good of a coach as Tressel. I will probably stay away from this game because as prodigy stated, I could see OSU winning and I could also see USC running away with it. Nevertheless, 10.5 points seems like a lot to be giving a team that is used to the big stage and is very capable of going toe to toe with the Trojans.
