After some way too early daydreaming about next season, it is time to come back to reality and look at the upcoming game against Minnesota.
The loss to Wisconsin was demoralizing to say the least, but this year’s Buckeye squad is still one of the best football teams in the country, as proven by the ridiculously dominating performance against Purdue on Saturday.
Last year’s team turned the corner after a debacle on the road in West Lafayette and rallied their way to a Rose Bowl victory. If this year’s Purdue game was any indication, the Buckeyes are on their way to closing the season in a similar fashion. Winning out and going to a BCS bowl would clearly be the best case scenario. With a little help, a sixth straight Big Ten championship could also still be in the cards.
To get there, the team will need tremendous focus and determination (they can’t daydream about the possibilities of next year, for instance, sorry guys) as they navigate the remaining four games.
First things first, and that means beating Minnesota on the road this weekend.
Minnesota doesn’t present much of a challenge on paper. They come into the game with a 1-7 record and minus a head coach. Their losses include some embarrassing ones, particularly the one they dropped at home against South Dakota.
All signs point to a cake walk for the Buckeyes, but the game is at night and on the road, which could be a dangerous thing, especially if Ohio State comes out flat.
When a team like Minnesota has nothing to lose and pulls out all of the stops, that can be very dangerous to a heavy favorite, particularly when the heavy favorite is on the road. For this reason, gaining momentum and keeping it will be important if the Buckeyes want to walk away with an easy victory.
Given Ohio State’s performance last week, focus and determination don’t appear to be an issue for the team at the moment. Woody Hayes once said that nothing cleanses the soul like getting the hell kicked out of you, and the Wisconsin game would certainly qualify as a soul cleansing for the Buckeyes.
Ohio State played like a team with clean souls last week, but they need to continue to play inspired football each and every week. Back to back shut outs would be an excellent way to enter the bye week and would create some serious momentum for the final stretch of games. Throw in a week of rest to get healthy… at least relatively speaking, and the stage will be set for an exciting final three weeks of the season.
Last year’s resurgence was sparked by a renewed focus on running the ball over the last half of the season. Pryor’s improvement as a passer has made the running game less of a necessity this year, but there is no surer way to guarantee victory than to impose your will on an opponent by running the ball down their throat.
Ohio State was able to establish a nice mix of successful run and pass plays against Purdue, and until the Buckeyes took their foot of the pedal, they looked unstoppable (over 400 yards of offense in the first half? yeah, I’ll take that). Obviously it would be nice to continue to have a well balanced offensive attack that seems unstoppable. Against Minnesota, there isn’t an excuse not to.Run or pass, it starts up front. If the offensive line is able to come on strong like they did at the end of last season, Ohio State will be in great shape.
On defense, injuries have ravished Ohio State’s secondary. They have made some adjustments on the depth chart that should at least get them to the bye week. With a senior quarterback leading the Gophers, defending the pass could be an issue. Then again, 1-7, I think we will be alright.
A shutout is too much to hope for two weeks in a row, but a focused team, a well balanced offensive attack, and a suffocating defense should allow Ohio State to roll into the bye week with back to back dominating victories.
The bottom line is that Ohio State needs to continue establishing the run, continue giving Pryor time in the pocket, and continue to play defense at a high level… or at least at a level that will get us to the bye week. After that, we will see who is able to get healthy and back on the field.
Until then, Go Bucks!! Beat the Gophers!
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