It would be nice to see Georgia knock them off if they can get there again. But I assume Georgia has a tough cross division game next year?

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--- cincydawg4 wrote:

Yeah, Alabama today certainly has "cache'", but then they also have a large target on their backs.  Teams will be going for them as a win over Bama makes many seasons (not that teams don't aim to win every game of course).

LSU could well be "down" next season, as in 8-4 kind of down.  A&M will be interesting of course and the game is in CS.  It is hard to think VaTech can play with Alabama, and one doesn't expect Arky or Auburn to be back, and Ole Miss and MSU would appear to be outmanned by an Alabama playing the worst game possible.  Then they would have the CG.

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Personnel-wise, losses on the D-line are the biggest concern.  High-caliber guys like Simon and Hankins are not automatically replaced.  LB was not a strength of the team this season (outside of Shazier) and that will remain a concern heading into next year.  Injuries to key players can always change things, but that goes without saying.

The schedule is generally friendly.  PSU and Wisky are at home (and Wisky will be adjusting to a new coach).  Cal has already been covered.  @Northwestern could be tricky - and @Purdoo cannot be overlooked, given OSU's weird recent history with them.  Having The Game on the road certainly looks like the biggest challenge.  Nebraska and MSU are not in the picture, unless they get into the conf championship game.

Buffalo (Aug. 31)
San Diego State (9/7)
at California (9/14)
Florida A&M (9/21)

Wisconsin (9/28)
at Northwestern (10/5)
Iowa (10/19)
Penn State (10/26)
at Purdue (11/2)
at Illinois (11/16)
Indiana (11/23)
at Michigan (11/30)

TheOhioArsenal wrote: Undefeated OSU would not be left out in either year. I am most concerned with our away games, no surprise. Northwestern, Cal, Purdue and Michigan could all be very tight games. I think too many people are buying into the Big Ten is weak mantra that has already started with the season still 8 months away. Winning all of our games again next year would be an amazing accomplishment and something I am not assuming. As for Alabama I do believe they have been beaten once each of the last two years yet have been fortunate to wind up in the BCSMNCG both times. They did however take full advantage of their good fortune.

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--- WJSilverBullet wrote:

TheOhioArsenal wrote: So who in the Big Ten slate does Ohio State lose to? If they are undefeated they go to the BCSCG so I am guessing you are picking them to make it to and lose the CCG? Or do they miss out on the trip to Indy by not winning their division but still get an invite to the Sugar, Orange or Fiesta? Just curious as to who on the schedule the loss will come to.

WJSilverBullet wrote:

cincydawg4 wrote: So, Buckeye fans are eagerly awaiting next season for any number of reasons.  I was wondering what COULD happen to preclude the Buckeyes from having that "special season" that many folks, fans and non-fans, anticipate.

The obvious would be major injuries.  The backup QB looked good against Purdue when needed, is he back?

What other things could trip up the Buckeyes?  I can't see them being worse than 10-2 barring some real catastrophe, but I know most fans would consider 10-2 a real disappointment.

           - Negative Nancy

     If the Buckeyes lose 2 games next season, you can put me in the real disappointed category. Call me a negative Nancy, what ever. After the first three games last season, I predicted an undefeated season. In a weak Big Ten, in Meyers second season, I would think this young team, with a year under their belt, would take a step forward. D-line, and LBs should be the biggest concern. Lots of great young talent there, we'll just have to see if their able to step up. All indications from last season is they are. Competition for playing time should driving, and motivate these young men to become the best they can be, otherwise they can grab a seat, sit back and play cheerleader. Too many great athletes, with too few positions, should bring out the best in those that want to be on the field, and win a starting job at their position. I look up and down our roster, and have a hard time finding a player that doesn't have the ability to be a star. Meyer has brought competition to each position, and every player will have to work hard to get playing time, and even harder to start. Don't see a National Championship in 2013, but I do think we will play in, and win a BCS bowl game. Some of the greatest talent from top, to bottom, I've ever seen.  No steps backward. I'm a diehard Buckeye fan, and I believe in coach Meyer, and I believe in this team.

     I never said they would lose to anyone. I said I would be disappointed if they lost 2 games. If they have a loss, your guess is as good as mine. I don't think we are on the same level as bama at this time, but are on the right track. Don't think bama gets beat next season. Yes we could make the NCG, but I don't think we are as good as bama yet. I guess I should have said we would make a BCS bowl, and not said we should win. Maybe I got carried way there. Sorry, please forgive me. If we were eligible to go last season, do you believe an undefeated Buckeye team, and an undefeated ND team would have played in the NCG, with bama being left out? I don't, I think some how, some way bama would not be left out. Same goes for next season, they are top dogs, and someone has to knock them off the top of the hill first. Too much love, by the national media for the SEC, and especially bama.

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     I think it would not only be amazing, but very doable. As far as a one loss bama being left out, you have more faith in the poll makers than I do. A weak Big Ten doesn't help matters. Schedules play a big part in rankings, and our schedule has been very weak. If we go unbeaten next season, and no other major team other than bama, we should be ok. If 2, or 3 teams go unbeaten, our schedule won't help.

Had K State remained undefeated, Alabama at 12-1 would have been left out, same for Oregon.  I don't think those two programs are any "better" than Ohio State.

An undefeated major team is in, unless there are three of them, barring something really amazing and unusual.

I suppose in THEORY, an "Alabama" could slip up early in the year and clobber the bejesus out of everyone else and then hammer the team that beat them in the CG.  It would be something unusual if even that did it.

Yes if there are 3 teams unbeaten we should then look to our schedule. But truthfully our schedule could turn out to be more difficult than what people are thinking now.

TheOhioArsenal wrote: Yes if there are 3 teams unbeaten we should then look to our schedule. But truthfully our schedule could turn out to be more difficult than what people are thinking now.

This is why you need your conference to be perceived as strong (and Cal as well).  I'm among the first to say the SEC "perception" thing is far beyond anything I've ever seen before.

But, it helps Ohio State if other Big Ten teams do well out of conference.  Last year, early on, there were those losses to apparently bad teams, many of which turned out to be pretty good teams, but the perception had already sunk in.

I was thinking about the 2011 Alabama edition, which I viewed as a really good team with few weaknesses.  I thought they were better than LSU by a fair margin even after that 9-6 debacle loss to the Tigres.  So, they still lost, however it happened, even though they looked like a really good team.  It happens to really good teams not named Nebraska in 1995.  OSU had "close calls" in 2002 and again last season, games which COULD have gone the other way.  It could happen again.  OSU won the turnover battle against Nebraska 4-1 and got a nice punt return, without which perhaps that one flips even though it was a blowout score.  It was close for a while.

cincydawg4 wrote:

TheOhioArsenal wrote: Yes if there are 3 teams unbeaten we should then look to our schedule. But truthfully our schedule could turn out to be more difficult than what people are thinking now.

This is why you need your conference to be perceived as strong (and Cal as well).  I'm among the first to say the SEC "perception" thing is far beyond anything I've ever seen before.

But, it helps Ohio State if other Big Ten teams do well out of conference.  Last year, early on, there were those losses to apparently bad teams, many of which turned out to be pretty good teams, but the perception had already sunk in.

I was thinking about the 2011 Alabama edition, which I viewed as a really good team with few weaknesses.  I thought they were better than LSU by a fair margin even after that 9-6 debacle loss to the Tigres.  So, they still lost, however it happened, even though they looked like a really good team.  It happens to really good teams not named Nebraska in 1995.  OSU had "close calls" in 2002 and again last season, games which COULD have gone the other way.  It could happen again.  OSU won the turnover battle against Nebraska 4-1 and got a nice punt return, without which perhaps that one flips even though it was a blowout score.  It was close for a while.

True, Whisky's loss @Oregon St now does not look as bad, nor does tTUN's loss to ND.

TheOhioArsenal wrote: It would be nice to see Georgia knock them off if they can get there again. But I assume Georgia has a tough cross division game next year?

Georgia plays Auburn every year, and this year the other opponent is LSU in Athens.  LSU seems to have lost a lot, but they are better than "Ole Miss".  Georgia has South Carolina in Athens and Tenn on the road, along with @Vandy, UK, Missouri, and Florida in G-ville, and then GaTech nonconference to go with @Clemson.  The conference games look "doable" if the defense is rebuilt.

Several "traditional SEC power teams" are down, Arky, Auburn, and Tennessee.  South Carolina is "up" and Vandy is sort of dangerous.  One thing the SEC teams do is "rotate who is on top" fairly well.  That creates an illusion that everyone is great unless you look.

One thing that helped a lot in 2012... Our OL was incredibly healthy!!! That will be a hard task to repeat in 2013.

The toughest games will be mich, NW, and believe it or not, but san diego state, not wiscy. SN diego st had a great season last year and are returning a lot of starters. The game will be at home so that will help.

What is it about Purdue that give you folks fits from time to time?

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--- UCLAMarv wrote:

What is it about Purdue that give you folks fits from time to time?

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Idk. Before it was Bollman's incompetent offense and Purdue would scheme short passes all day against Our soft zone scheme on defense. We always beat them at home, but for those reasons plus there are never any holding calls against Purdue at Purdue and you have your answer.

foobahl wrote: Personnel-wise, losses on the D-line are the biggest concern.  High-caliber guys like Simon and Hankins are not automatically replaced.  LB was not a strength of the team this season (outside of Shazier) and that will remain a concern heading into next year.  Injuries to key players can always change things, but that goes without saying.

The schedule is generally friendly.  PSU and Wisky are at home (and Wisky will be adjusting to a new coach).  Cal has already been covered.  @Northwestern could be tricky - and @Purdoo cannot be overlooked, given OSU's weird recent history with them.  Having The Game on the road certainly looks like the biggest challenge.  Nebraska and MSU are not in the picture, unless they get into the conf championship game.

Buffalo (Aug. 31)
San Diego State (9/7)
at California (9/14)
Florida A&M (9/21)

Wisconsin (9/28)
at Northwestern (10/5)
Iowa (10/19)
Penn State (10/26)
at Purdue (11/2)
at Illinois (11/16)
Indiana (11/23)
at Michigan (11/30)

^This.

The D was suspect most of the year and really started to gel towards the end. I'm not sure the D can be better after loosing some great guys who were also leaders.

I do think then O will be even better but it's true, "defense wins championships".

It's not automatic that the Bucks run the table.

With that said. I think they run the table! ha!

First year HC with a whole new offensive scheme and we rotated alot of freshman.  Even though we lose some great players on D we will be more comfortable this year, and the key is how well our LB and DB's develope this off season.  Undefeated is not far fetched one bit.  I smell a 25 game win streak and heading to a BCS champ game.