Cleveland Browns Week 3 Winners and Losers
September 26, 2016The Browns lost, but the Dolphins aren’t winners
September 26, 2016The Ohio State Buckeyes were able to sit back, relax, and watch the rest of the college football world during their lone bye week of the season. After the weekend, the Buckeyes remained in the No. 2 spot in both the Associated Press and Coaches polls after Week 4 of the college football season, trailing only the Alabama Crimson Tide.
Set to begin their conference season this weekend against Rutgers (Ohio State’s homecoming game), the Buckeyes will face nine Big Ten opponents to finish out the regular season, including four ranked opponents. Their remaining schedule:
- October 1: vs. Rutgers
- October 8: vs. Indiana
- October 15: at Wisconsin
- October 22: at Penn State
- October 29: vs. Northwestern
- November 5: vs. Nebraska
- November 12: Maryland
- November 19: at Michigan State
- November 26: vs. Michigan
So far, this has been one of the Big Ten’s best recent overall seasons. The conference is doing well enough that some analysts are saying that they are the best conference in college football thus far, which could be a shock to some given the SEC’s dominance over the years.
As the second-best team in the country according to the rankings, the Buckeyes control their own destiny in terms of getting into the College Football Playoff. Given the fact that they play plenty of good teams to finish off their regular season, an undefeated run will qualify them to be among the final four contestants. But, they have plenty of tough assignments the rest of the season, not only against four ranked opponents but traveling to Camp Randall — always a tough assignment and looks to be especially tough this season — and at Michigan State.
As the young Buckeyes team continues to gain experience such as in Norman, Oklahoma in Week 3, the question becomes if the scarlet and gray can sustain their dominance week-by-week? Having a head coach like Urban Meyer, along with the rest of the coaching staff, they should be able to remain motivated no matter who their opponent is as the season goes on. But, the other teams in the conference will continue to gun for them.
Other Big Ten teams in the Top 25: (AP poll, Coaches poll)
- Michigan: No. 4, No. 5
- Wisconsin: No. 8, No. 8
- Nebraska: No. 15, No. 15
- Michigan State: No. 17, No. 16
22 Comments
Man, how Sparty can stay as high as they are given what they did combined with what ND did… Sparty is just. not. good. Between Sparty and what Michigan did to Penn State, the B1G East looks like a two-team race. Nice that both tOSU and UM play Wisconsin this season.
UM did what every decent human being wanted, and pounded the crap out of Pedo State.
The only games I would cheer for TTUN this season would be against Paterno State and if they played Baylor (which they could I suppose in a bowl game).
Good on y’all for taking care of them after that dumb celebration last week in Happy Valley.
The Clap coming to the University of Illinois soon? (they love to hire failed old SEC coaches – not sure Miles failed enough to qualify for them though)
http://media.al.com/spotnews/photo/les-miles-clapgif-bb22e59d280c5d68.gif
Sparty just has no offense this year unless they play a team with absolutely no defense (i.e. ND)
https://twitter.com/BadgerFootball/status/780430912303472640
No way I’d bail Lovie Smith for that guy.
I’m SO glad UM didn’t get him.
He can stockpile obscene amounts of talent, but is a terrible coach.
I could stockpile obscene amounts of talent in LA. Sort of a lot of talent close to home.
He’s a decent coach anyway (you don’t win 77% of your games w/o being one), but he’s not the greatest thing ever either.
I was using Illinois as the funny example. I think he’ll probably end up at a NC State or Cal or somewhere that thinks they can take a step forward with a bigger name for recruiting purposes.
Maybe Paterno State when they fire Franklin?
Yes, I did think of them. He would fit in there but I don’t want them to have nice things.
LSU’s season summed up in one GIF
https://twitter.com/SBNationCFB/status/779852605283598337
USC’s season summed up in one GIF
https://twitter.com/SBNationCFB/status/779529971941404672
Michigan State’s season summed up in one GIF
https://twitter.com/SBNationCFB/status/780081980939522048
It’s “State Pen.”
Well, and who knows how good Wisconsin really is? LSU is officially nearing “dumpster fire” heights, and Sparty is Sparty.
“I could stockpile obscene amounts of talent in LA.”
This. Miles basically had to show up in Louisiana to grab those recruits. If anything, I’d err on the other side of things and say that no one has squandered more talent than Les Miles.
/checks UM boxscores
//cracks big smile
Reminds DP that the UM v MSU rivalry usually sees the favored team lose
Still, he finished with the highest winning percentage in school history at a time when the SEC West was the best division in college football.
If you don’t think the UM coaches and players haven’t had that one circled on their calendars…
If he could have gotten just *one* good QB…
I cannot think of any reason why they would…
https://cdn1.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/4172710/nooomicjhinga.0.gif
I am not gonna lie; seeing Sparty fumble a punt snap against Wiscy this weekend made me unnecessarily happy.