Louisville opening strong

[Swamp Daddy]

Louisville is opening strong against what many considered one of their better games during this weak schedule year. Mid way through the 3rd quarter it is 42 - 0. Could be much worse. 5 passing TDs by Teddy Bridgewater and one rushing TB by transfer Michael Dyer showing he is still in form when he went up the middlefor 42 and 6 points.

Unlike opening games last year, the offense has looked good so far. Defense which was weak and shakey a lot early last year looks steady and much improved. Transfers who sat out last year are doing super on both offense and defense.

have fun, Swamp Daddy

[Eric]

Ohio was probably the fourth-best team in their schedule and so far so good. They beat them like a top 10 team should. I think this is now a three-game schedule between Cincinnati, Rutgers, and UCF.

[Spence]

IMO Louisville has the Heisman QB. He is the best one I have seen that isn't a jerk.

[Swamp Daddy]

2nd and 3rd stringers for UL getting plenty of 4th quarter experience. They've allowed one touchdown so far on defense; but, the 2nd string offense came right back and scored the 7th TD of the game.

Heard on the local game call that USF got drubbed (that's ex-Western coach Willie Taggart); haven't heard about UCF yet.

Petrino now at Western handily handled Kentucky last night; some UK fans alread talking basketball. They switch viewpoints every game depending on how bad the football team does.

have fun, Swamp Daddy

[Swamp Daddy]

Well, it's hard to complain about 4-0 start with a bye week coming up before our first 'conference game' against hapless Temple.

All sorts of news coming out about more behind the scenes games that were proposed but did not come about. Ohio State had an opening and UL said they would travel to Columbus for a one time game with no return visit. Ohio State backed out; and, certainly both they and UL could have had a boost to schedule credibility from the game.

I guess we'll have to see if Auburn backs out of a signed series.

Well, at least, starting next year in the ACC it will be impossible for some good teams to back out of home & home games. I imagine we'll take some lumps before adjusting upwards to that conference.

I've heard some board talk about the Big12 being sorry they caved into politics and took WVa instead of UL; but, I personally thing the ACC a much better fit for us. Though, I am sure had the Big12 offered we would have jumped there just to get out of the Big East.

Swamp Daddy

[Spence]

That is because Louisville wants it to be a neutral site game and Ohio State isn't giving up the 105,000 tickets at the 'shoe. That is never going to happen unless there is a recruiting boon for Ohio State in the area. If Louisville agrees to come to Columbus they can schedule a game today for 2015.
There is no way Ohio State is going to help Louisville recruit Ohio especially playing in Paul Brown Stadium. Ohio State butts heads with Notre Dame, Michigan, Michigan State, and Kentucky in Cincinnati - as well as Louisville, they aren't going to give Louisville a marque gameday in Cincinnati. That is the business of recruiting.

[donovan]

If what Swamp Daddy say is correct, Ohio State backed out. I certainly get what Spence is saying and think that is what most schools do. That does not answer the questions, however, why did Ohio State agree and then back out?

[Spence]

Ohio State didn't back out. They never had a deal because Louisville wants to play in Cincinnati and Ohio State isn't going to play them in Cincinnati. That would give Louisville a big stage in a city that Ohio State doesn't want to give Louisville any recruiting advantage. Louisville is closer to Cincinnati than it is to Columbus. Ohio State isn't going to help Louisville in Cincinnati. Ohio State is alway going to protect their recruiting interests locally. We are already the major recruiting ground for all of the Big 10, the MAC, Notre Dame, some B12, and SEC teams Ohio State isn't going to help give Louisville any more of a presence than they currently have. Charlie Strong and Urban Meyer are friends so he knows full well why Ohio State won't play in Cincinnati. Jim Tressel wouldn't have played them either.



To back out there has to be an agreement and there has never been an agreement. Paul Brown Stadium hold 65,535 and Ohio Stadium holds 102,329. Ohio State will never give up a home game to play on a neutral site - they lose too much money. They have played UC at Paul Brown Stadium as a return game for a home and home because Nippert only holds 35,000 and the game at PB Stadium helps Ohio State recruit Cincy. Since UC isn't going to be drove out of Cincinnati, it is a win win for Ohio State.

Martin Jarmond, the Ohio State associate athletic director whose duties include dealing with football schedules, said a neutral site game wouldn't work for 2015 and Louisville has not come up in discussions as a potential opponent. So that idea would have to be tabled for further down the line.

Ohio State has thought about a lot of other teams for 2015. The Buckeyes have their four nonconference games for 2014 lined up - in Baltimore against Navy, Kent State, Virginia Tech and Cincinnati. They have their three games for 2016, when the move to a nine-game Big Ten schedule reduces the nonconference load - Bowling Green, Tulsa and at Oklahoma.

This is an article about it too. http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/eye-on-college-football/23112670/charlie-strong-id-love-louisville-to-play-meyer-ohio-state

[donovan]

Case dismissed. First the verdict, then the trial.

[Spence]

I'm not saying that Ohio State has any moral high ground here. Just that they will protect their interests. I don't think it is a surprise that Ohio State will do what is in Ohio State's best interests. They didn't have any game scheduled with Louisville, but the reason was just that. Ohio State is playing Oklahoma, Virginia Tech, Cincinnati, TCU, North Carolina, Oregon, Boston College, and Texas over the next 8-9 years. The thing all of these schools have in common is that (except Cincinnati) none of these schools recruit Ohio. They also allow Ohio State a recruiting presence in lots of other parts of the country. That is the criteria Ohio State uses to schedule games. Then they take a regional team out of the MAC - mostly Ohio teams - because the state highly recommended Ohio State to do so. Ohio State or any other school that has the power, will not help a regional team recruit against them.

[Swamp Daddy]

Well, I'm betting Cincinnati recruits in Ohio; and, UL has done so off and on for years. However, I was mostly referring to a boost for both in "strength of schedule" with a game this year against each other.

have fun, Swamp Daddy

[donovan]

Ohio State has been exemplar with in state recruiting. Fact is, most teams are made up of instate players. Athletes choose schools for a lot of reasons. The main one is parental influence. Washington has fallen down on in state recruiting, Boise ate their lunch in a couple of cases, not so much now. Oregon and Oregon State pretty well dominate the instate recruiting. So....nothing wrong with what Ohio State does. The Ohio States get to pick players that beg to play there....other schools have to go and dig them out....pure and simple.

[Spence]

Well, I'm betting Cincinnati recruits in Ohio; and, UL has done so off and on for years. However, I was mostly referring to a boost for both in "strength of schedule" with a game this year against each other.
have fun, Swamp Daddy

Cincinnati is in Ohio. That is why Ohio State blocked Cincinnati from joining the Big10. If Cincinnati was competing with Ohio State for athletes then you can bet Ohio State would block them too. Ohio State doesn't need to boost their SOS this year. Ohio State has the largest alumni base in the country, they have one of the largest fan bases in the country, and they have a reputation of traveling as good or better than anyone. That will get Ohio State invited to a BCS bowl if they don't lose more than one game.

I'm not say that is right or fair, but it is reality. The fact that Louisville has competed and beaten Ohio State on some players and are in the same region means Ohio State won't give Louisville a big stage on a neutral field. Maybe not in the 'shoe either, who knows. I do know that Ohio State doesn't generally have trouble getting games because of the numbers they bring with them, so they always act in their best interest from a money standpoint. If Louisville hadn't had some success recruiting against Ohio State in this region they would have probably played, so I guess that is kind of a show of respect.

[Spence]

Ohio State has been exemplar with in state recruiting. Fact is, most teams are made up of instate players. Athletes choose schools for a lot of reasons. The main one is parental influence. Washington has fallen down on in state recruiting, Boise ate their lunch in a couple of cases, not so much now. Oregon and Oregon State pretty well dominate the instate recruiting. So....nothing wrong with what Ohio State does. The Ohio States get to pick players that beg to play there....other schools have to go and dig them out....pure and simple.

That is right. I'm not saying that is fair. It is a matter of a "have" having their way. They aren't going to let that get away from them without a fight.