Against Northwestern, Ohio
State did what it's done best all season: The
Buckeyes forced turnovers and converted them
into points while not allowing the opponent to
cash in when OSU turns over the ball.
The recipe was perfect as OSU
defeated the Wildcats 54-10 to remain
undefeated, remain No. 1 in the nation and
remain in position to earn a BCS Title Game
berth with a victory over No. 2 and undefeated
Michigan this Saturday in Columbus.
OSU (11-0, 7-0) created five
turnovers and converted those five turnovers
into five touchdowns. For the season, the
Buckeyes have forced 27 turnovers and have
scored 134 points off of those turnovers.
Meanwhile, OSU has committed just 12 turnovers,
but has not allowed a single point off of those
mistakes.
Let’s go over that again.
The Buckeyes are +15 in
turnover margin and an even more impressive +134
in points off of turnovers minus points
surrendered after turnovers.
Another stat to consume: OSU
has scored 134 points after the opponent commits
a turnover, which equates to 12.18 points per
game – just on points after turnover. The
Buckeyes’ defense is surrendering just 7.5
points per game.
That means, based on the
stats, that OSU’s offense could take the field
only after a turnover and forfeit
their other possessions, and they still would
defeat teams by an average of four points per
game.
O.K. That’s a silly and
unrealistic scenario, but The Hog just wanted to
point that out to illustrate how dominant and
opportunistic OSU has been this season.
Here are a few observations
The Hog wants to share before he grades OSU’s
different position units against North western:
* My boy, Brian Hedger,
covers Indiana University football for the
Post-Tribune in Indiana. He was in attendance to
watch the Wolverines dominant 34-3 victory over
the Hoosiers in Bloomington Saturday.
After the game, he and other
reporters had chance to speak with IU wide
receiver James Hardy and asked him which defense
he thought was better. OSU or UM? The Buckeyes
defeated the Hoosiers 44-3 earlier this season.
This is what Hardy had to
say, “Ohio State. They're stronger and faster.
And when they hit you, they try to hurt you.”
Well, there you have it.
Michigan State quarterback Drew Stanton and Iowa
quarterback Drew Tate are on record saying that
they thought Michigan had the best defense they
faced this season, while Hardy gives the edge to
the Buckeyes.
What does it mean? Who knows,
but I like the team that leads the nation in
scoring defense.
Here’s a hint: That team
wears scarlet and gray.
* Why do half of the Michigan
fans who pollute the Internet think that not
only is Michigan’s defense going to dominate OSU
quarterback Troy Smith, but about 50 to 75
percent of these football savants are confident
that the Wolverine defenders are going to
concuss him and knock Smith out?
The UM faithful do realize
that this is the same Smith who has absolutely
destroyed their defense the last two seasons.
Right?
The knowledgeable Wolverine
football fans obviously know that Smith is twice
the quarterback he was last season and three
times the signal caller that he was in 2004 when
he embarrassed UM’s defense. Right?
The supreme Wolverine
football fans realize that Smith is built like a
brick outhouse, so he will be tough to hurt.
Right?
The UM fans, 100 percent who
have all forgotten more about football than any
OSU fan will ever learn, do know that Smith is
still faster and more elusive than David Harris,
Prescott Burgess and Shaun Crable. Right?
Good luck with that.
The Hog will pray that UM’s
defenders don’t hurt Smith so much that he has
to enjoy Thanksgiving through a straw.
Now, The Hog will remove
tongue from cheek.
* Let’s review why The Hog
thinks OSU will beat UM this Saturday.
Home field advantage? Check
OSU. Man, “The Shoe” is going to be like a
hornet’s nest Saturday. The Hog highly doubts
UM’s players know what they are in for during
the game.
Coaching advantage? Check
OSU.
Advantage at quarterback:
Check OSU.
Is Michigan that much better
at the other positions that the Wolverines will
be able to overcome those other major
disadvantages?
Doubt it.
The
Hog will do a more detailed preview of The Game
on Friday. Check it out!!!
Week
11 Game Grades
Offense
Quarterback:
A
After one of his worst
performances of the season the week before at
Illinois, Troy Smith bounced back and matched
his career high in touchdown passes with four
vs. Northwestern. He was 12 of 19 passing for
185 yards, four TDs and one interception. It was
a typical efficient Troy Smith performance.
He did a nice job spreading
the wealth to eight different receivers. That
type of distribution is a prime example of a
quarterback at the top of his game who is
distributing the football to the open receiver,
whether it’s his first or fourth read.
Running backs:
A
Antonio Pittman gained 80
yards and scored a touchdown, his 12th
of the season, on 19 carries as he went over
1,000 yards rushing in consecutive seasons. He
is the first OSU rusher since Eddie George
(1994-95) to post back-to-back 1,000-yard
seasons.
Backup Chris Wells, 6-1 ½,
235 pounds, led all rushers with 99 yards and a
touchdown on just 11 totes of the football. He
was impressively powered his way through the
Wildcat’s undersized defense. He’s a legitimate
thumper at tailback who can pick up crucial
first downs and convert down by the goal line as
well as tear apart a fatigued defense late in
the game.
Maurice Wells rushed for 32
yards on seven carries and also caught a short
pass and turned it into a 25-yard gain.
Receivers:
A
OSU’s wide receiving corps as
deep as any in the country.
Take away Teddy Ginn Jr., and
Smith will pass to Anthony Gonzalez. Take away
Gonzalez, and Smith will get the ballot Brian
Roskie. Keep an eye on Robo, and Brain Hartline
sneaks past your defenders for 47 yards and two
touchdowns on three catches like he did against
Northwestern. Ginn had two receptions for 40
yards and a score, while Gonzalez caught two
passes for 34 yards and a TD.
Offensive Line:
B+
The offensive line took a
beating from The Hog in his column last week,
but The Hog also likes to give credit when
credit is due. And when generates 425 yards of
offense and the offense accounts for 47 of the
points in a 4-10 victory, the big boys up front
are owed a congratulations.
Senior tackle Tim Schaffer
played much better this game as he subbed in for
Alex Boone for the second consecutive week.
Defense
Defensive line:
A
OSU’s defensive line
dominated against a team that utilizes an
offense that essentially is designed to
eliminate the effectiveness of the opponent’s
defensive line. That’s impressive.
Defensive end Vernon Gholston
was awesome. He made just two tackles, but both
were tackles for loss, and he also partially
blocked a punt while pressuring the Wildacts’
signal callers the entire game.
Quinn Pitcock made two
tackles, including one for a sack. He is getting
back into game form and shape after sitting out
a game and a half due to a concussion.
Linebackers:
B
James Laurinaitis made his
presence known early when he forced a fumble –
although camera replays clearly show that the
ball carrier should have been ruled down - on
the Wildcat’s first offensive series that OSU
turned into a quick six points.
Freshman Ross Homan made a
nice interception as he came flying through the
air, and Marcus Freeman was just a bobble away
from also collecting an INT.
Defensive backs:
A
Giving up over 200 yards
passing to Northwestern in the first half,
including a touchdown pass to running back
Tyrell Sutton prevented the DBs from getting an
A+.
Otherwise, the defensive
secondary was near perfect.
Senior safety Brandon
Mitchell had an interception that he returned 46
yards for a touchdown and also recovered a
fumble. Cornerback Antonio Smith recovered a
fumble, and fellow cornerback Malcolm Jenkins
forced a fumble. These guys combined for four
turnovers that OSU converted into four
touchdowns.
Special Teams:
B
It was great to see Larry
Grant block a punt against Northwestern. That
was his specialty at junior college, where he
blocked six punts in each of his two seasons.
The Buckeyes need to work on
their point after touchdown kicks. They muffed
two of them, and there was enough penetration on
a few other kids that I thought that they, too,
were going to be blocked.
You can read The Hog’s weekly
ruminations every Sunday.
