Michigan / Ohio State

[Eric]

Michigan's playcalling is driving me nuts right now. They've had three consecutive 3rd and shorts and they've tried running the ball up the middle and they're o-fer on conversions. So dumb. You have a QB who can throw it now and your offensive line can't get too much of a push today (not to mention our RBs have almost zero burst). Their offensive playcalling is meeting the common definition of insanity.

Plus, Denard has been taking way too many snaps lately. Just let Gardner manage the offense. I can't wait until Denard graduates because then the coaching staff loses the potential to screw up so badly. They're incapable of choosing to not screw up, so it would be best to not even give them the opportunity. I appreciate what Denard's done for the program, but the guy is not an effective QB. Let him do the option and direct snap thing, but that's a gimmick play, not a base offense.

[Eric]

Well congratulations to Spence's team. I haven't been this upset at a loss since 2006. The other years I was just resigned to the inevitable disappointment. This one could have easily been won. Ohio State did a lot better defensively in the second half, but I feel like Michigan could have been more aggressive. Gardner either was ice cold throwing or he choked, I couldn't tell. Miller also made a lot of mistakes and Michigan got the majority of the calls, so I can't complain too much.

[Spence]

Thanks Eric. It was a sloppy game on both sides. Michigan kept rushing from Millers blind side and I don't think he ever picked it up. I was a poorly officiated game. Bad on both sides. I was proud of the way the defense stepped up and stopped the run in the second half. John Simon is the heart of the defense and when I found out he was out for the game, I didn't think we would stop Michigan. We almost didn't in the first half, but I can't remember Michigan crossing mid field in the second half.

Ohio State struggled on offense the whole game. We were inside the redzone three times in the second half and couldn't score. With this exception of Carlos Hyde and Corey Brown, no one played well on the offense.

This game could have gone either way - as is the case in most Ohio State-Michigan games. In the end turnovers decided the game. The only thing I didn't understand was Hoke going for a 4th and 2 on the 50 yard line when Michigan had the momentum. That was a poor decision IMO.

Heres to 10 more years of good Ohio State Michigan games. Michigan is better than last year. So is Ohio State. Hopefully that will continue.

Meanwhile --- what the crap is Wisconsin doing in the B-10 championship.

[Eric]

Meanwhile --- what the crap is Wisconsin doing in the B-10 championship.

Ask Jim Tressell

I thought it was a little odd to see the fans cheering for him. If he didn't do what he did, they could be playing for the national title. Obviously you can't predict the future and it's no guarantee that if it weren't for Tressell that this particular team wouldn't have been put together and maybe Urban Meyer had the special touch, but you never know.

[Spence]

Agree if Tress had did the right thing we would be bowling. He was 9-1 against Michigan and at the time he left had the best BCS winning pct. Can't ingnore that either. He will always be looked at with fondness at Ohio State, even with the deception.

[Vileborg]

Even though they don't get a post season it's still a testament to the players and the staff. Post season or not it will go down as a perfect season and a sign of things to come.

[Spence]

It is a testament to the players. This is almost exactly the same team that went 6-7 last year. Hopefully Miller will learn to be a quarterback next year.

Ohio State isn't a great team this year. They are a pretty good team. There isn't lots of future NFL players that start right now. But the seniors who came back - when they could have bailed - got to do something only six Ohio State teams have ever done. They didn't lose a game.

[donovan]

..and just so it is not forgotten....these kids are being punished for something they did not do, nor was there any benefit reaped by them. As long as we continue to let the governing body, the NCAA, act like the Queen of Tarts...Our kids deserve better than this. Tell me what lesson is taught when we are punished for others sins and not our own transgressions?

[Spence]

You are right about none of the people currently at Ohio State had anything to do with the transgressions. Tressel did get punished, though, with a five year show cause. That pretty much shuts the door on him being a coach for five years minimum. The kids were offered the chance to move to another school without sitting out or any penalty. So in that sense the NCAA punished the program and the kids chose to accept the punishment that was given to the school. I don't care a lot about the NCAA, but I think they were pretty fair in this case.