Im watching the OSU/Navy game on ESPNU and I simply just dont see OSU scoring hardly any points at all. If they score more than 10 points I'll be surprised. I dont think they were over looking Navy, I just simply dont believe they are as good as their ranking indicates. Pryor and the OSU offense will get shut down and then USC will just keep rotating their stable of about 20 stud running backs into the game and just run all over the buckeyes. Barkley will be fine and honestly I dont think he will have to do much. Just as long as he doesnt fumble snaps he should just have to complete the easy throws and hand the ball off an get out of the way and he'll do fine.

 

I'll take the trojans by a score of around 31-7 but it may be worse than that.

My head says USC, heart due to some of my buddies...Buckeyes...I will watch this one. Bama nees USC to go down.

My head says USC, heart due to some of my buddies...Buckeyes...I will watch this one. Bama nees USC to go down.

 

And vice versa, my friend.

Delete.

 

It is being reported that Ray Smalls will play against USC.

USC is rightfully favored to win, but I believe OSU will pull it out because/if:

 

1. TP plays like he is capable of playing, no fumbles, and burn’s USCs rush defense with his legs when necessary.

2. USCs Freshman QB will make mistakes. Very hostile environment, long road trip, second game, this is not San Jose State.

3. Russell learns how to cover receivers or is benched

4. Ray Smalls returning

5. USC lost almost as much on defense as OSU did

6. Coleman and Hayward go wild on D

7. Aaron Pettrey – Go Raceland, KY

8 USCs O-Line will not dominate OSUs D-Line like many predict

 

 

OSU 35

USC 28

If OSU is to win over SC they absolutly have to get out of the gates early and jump on SC in the 1st quarter. If SC gets a couple of early scores and their D holds the Buckeyes to a couple of early 3-and-outs then this game will get ugly as doubt will start to creep into the Buckeyes mindset as to whether or not they can play with the speed of the Trojans. As the past few times the Buckeyes have gone up against that kind of speed...USC, Florida, LSU...they have gotten blown out. The Buckeyes must get some early positive momentum...because if not...it will get ugly in the 'Shoe

Word is Russell has been moved from Safety for at least this weekend. Great kid but it had to be done. 3/4 scores dating back to the Texas game were against him. Look for Barnett or Howard, both freshman corners to see playing time this weekend. Look for some stunts drawn up to get Gibson into the backfield.. McKnight or Barkley does not wanna see him coming in the open field.

Im picking USC, Love the Bucks but they will struggle!

One thing that worries me about USC is Barkley. He is a TRUE frosh going into the horseshoe. That worries me ALOT. It's a good thing that McKnight is an absolute stud and can take alot of pressure off of him. I still think USC wins, hopefully.

 

Trojans 35

Buckeyes 31

 

I think Barkley will be fine, here's a tidbit from an article I read in the USAToday yesterday.

 

First freshman quarterback to start at Mater Dei since Todd Marinovich in 1983. … Gatorade national prep player of the year as a junior, the first time the award had gone to a non-senior. … Called by his private quarterback tutor, Steve Clarkson, who has worked with some of the best college and NFL QBs, a cross between Joe Montana and Tom Brady.

 

And when USC coach Pete Carroll got a load of Matt Barkley in spring practices, it didn't take long for him to get smitten.

 

 

He began referring to Barkley as an outlier, a term popularized by the best-selling book Outliers written by Malcolm Gladwell, who chronicled extraordinarily successful people who don't fit into the normal understanding of achievement.

 

"This is not," Carroll says, "a typical kid."

 

I think USC proves once again that tOSU is overrated.

Word is Russell has been moved from Safety for at least this weekend. Great kid but it had to be done. 3/4 scores dating back to the Texas game were against him. Look for Barnett or Howard, both freshman corners to see playing time this weekend. Look for some stunts drawn up to get Gibson into the backfield.. McKnight or Barkley does not wanna see him coming in the open field.

 

I thought I had heard mention of that on the "Buckeye Blitz" program last night. I know they were talking some changes on the defensive side.

My heart said Ohio State, but I question my decision

I had said earlier that imo tOSU was a year away from being a very top level team. USC is good, very good. As always they have a ton of speed, good defense and a great running game.

The Bucks are going to have to step it up considerably and do a much better job vs. the run and force the freshman qb to beat them. Although Barkley is a very good one and imo mature well beyond what a freshman qb usually is this still will be first road trip and it will be in a very hostile 100,000 plus at the Shoe. OSU needs to get to him early and often and they need to control the USC run attack to do that.

The Buckeyes offensive line is what worries me the most for this one, they have to do a MUCH better job vs. a much more talented USC "D" and with much more speed than Navy. Ohio State imo has as to win the special teams/field position battle as well, cut turnovers and hopefully get a couple of turnonvers.

 

Although I do have a feeling that the Buckeyes are going to come out and upset USC by a slim margin (using a great game by Pryor and Carter on offense and Pettry's FG's) I just cannot pick it. Has probably been a long time since the Buckeyes were an underdog at the Shoe. Like I said, I didn't think OSU was a #6 team as rated in the pre season, right now I would put them somewhere around #8 to #10. I am hoping for a huge "W" by the Bucks Saturday night, that imo would skyrocket the confidence of an already good team, push them towards a Big 10 title and put them in the hunt for the top level this year.

 

USC by 9.

 

GO BUCKEYES!!!!!

There are gonna be enough recruits in the house to field an all star team.

USC by 2 TD's.

O-H-I-O

 

I'm so excited I can't even sleep. I absolutely love OSU football. Let's go Bucks!