Ohio State vs. Illinois Predictions

[furls]

Ready, set, go....

[Cerebral_DownTime]

OSU 41- Illinois 17

They cant stop the Beanie Train he will rush for 200 yards +

[Rally Squirl]

OSU 41- Illinois 17

They cant stop the Beanie Train he will rush for 200 yards +

no way

Illi ALWAYS gives us trouble and a good game

and this year they are pretty damn good, i say OSU 24 ILLI 20

[Cerebral_DownTime]

I agree that Illinois has given us trouble in the past I just look at our Defense vs thier Offense and I dont see them being able to exploit the big play. Our secondary is outstanding we have the best linebackers in the country and Lawerence Wilson is coming back. Illnois is also not that strong against the run and that will open up the play-action pass which Boeckman is great at throwing that deepball. By the way im new here and thats the greatest squirrel in history.

[Toxicadam]

Illinois hits a lot of seam routes for big plays .. Bucks pull it out in Overtime.


Bucks 34
Illinois 31

[fundamentals]

OSU 35
Illinois 13

[Cerebral_DownTime]

Illinois hits a lot of seam routes for big plays .. Bucks pull it out in Overtime.


Bucks 34
Illinois 31

Im pretty sure our defense can stop a seam route. Rashard Mendenhal is the one we have to shut down the screen pass is our biggest enemy. No way this goes to OT. Robiske will have 100+ yards and Vonte Davis is not going to shut him down. Im glad to see other people think Illinois will be tough because they might very well be right but im a super OSU homer.

[FUDU]

No offense to those that play this card but I have to say I really get sick of the "they gave us trouble in the past" POV.

They gave who trouble in the past?

This isn't pro football from the 1980's and prior where teams consist of a core of the same players for 10 years or even 3 or 4 sometimes.

This is college football in the 20 and 21st centuries where kids leave early, real early. Sometimes whole units leave early (or just leave) IE 2006 Buckeyes offense.

The fact that a team may have given another team fits some prior season or even multiple seasons means nothing in regards to either team that takes the filed this Saturday or any other 99% of the time. They are not the same teams year in and year out.

Illinois gave us a hard time in 02, well what players or on either roster left over from that day? How about 2006? Same with MSU. People said "oh they gave us a hard time in the past". When exactly? What b/c in 98? they knocked us off when we were undefeated...that was 10 years ago. Or Penn St. We beat them last year and twice in the prior 4. Now Penn St. is tough at home but that is b/c of the atmosphere surroundings etc...it has nothing to do with the fact that they gave us a hard time in the past so they inherently will in the future.

I mean michigan gave us a hard time in the 90's, did that mean they would give us a hard time in 05, or 06 or this year?

Hell there isn't a kid on michigan's roster that has ever beaten OSU IIRC.

So IMO people in general, not anyone in particular, need to judge whether a team will be a tough match up(or not) on the merits of the current team and not some trendy line of bull that has the finger prints of a Vegas odd setter all over it.

Just for that I'm going with

OSU 38
Illinois 16 (with 1 offensive TD)

[furls]

Agree completely FUDU. Shameless plug from preview last week, appropriately titled, "Put the History in the Past:"

http://www.theclevelandfan.com/article_ ... hp?id=2505

Mentally, I picture history as a giant bludgeoning weapon, a maul of some sort, because I often feel as though I am being beaten about the head with it. Buckeyes fans have heard more than enough recent history in the past week to know exactly what I am talking about, but in case you missed it, I will briefly convey the highlights:

-Ohio State has lost four of the last six against Wisconsin.

-The Badgers have won their last three games in the shoe.

-Only one team in the Big Ten has a winning record against Jim Tressel, Wisconsin (3-1).

OK,I think that's it. That is all there is too it, and it is pretty clear, that Ohio State has not had a lot of recent success against Wisconsin, but I guess that depends on how you define recent.

"History is merely a list of surprises. It can only prepare us to be surprised again."

- Kurt Vonneguat

History lends itself to faulty deduction like no other form of education. Even the educated will often attempt to deduce a specific future outcome based on the general trends laid out by the past, paying little attention to the important differences that cause the outcome to deviate from the rule. In short, most of the time historical analysis in sport more closely resembles superstition that sound reasoning.

Here are a couple reasons to rethink all that historical gibberish that you have heard in the last week, filing it away appropriately as bunk (paraphrasing Henry Ford)

-In the ever-changing landscape of college football, Ohio State and Wisconsin have not played recently. The last time these two teams met was in 2004. Think about that for a second, A.J. Hawk would go on to play 19 more games for the Buckeyes following that game. None of the players that will meet in Ohio Stadium today played a significant role in that game, hell, Antonio Pittman, then just a red-shirt freshman, only had four carries in that game.

-The coach that led Wisconsin to a 3-1 record vs. Jim Tressel is now the AD. He is not coaching. Will he help, Brett Bielema game plan for Jim Tressel's team? Sure, but that would imply that Jim Tressel has not evolved at all since 2004.

-The 2007 Buckeyes are much better than the 2004 Buckeyes. Would you trade Lydell Ross for Chris Wells? Would you trade Justin Zwick for Todd Boeckman? Yep.

-The 2007 Wisconsin Badgers are not good.

"History, despite its wrenching pain, cannot be unlived, but if faced with courage, need not be lived again."

- Maya Angelou

[FUDU]

You know, I didn't read your preview but I feel like I plagiarized it. I guess I returned the favor from this weekend.

Anyway, yeah I agree 100%.

I need to start remembering to read your stuff more.

[yargs7]

Ohio State is rolling...they will keep rolling.

39-7

[skatingtripods]

27-10. Buckeyes pull away in the 2nd half again.

Beanie's buck 40 and 2 TDs put him right up there in the Heisman chat.

[Hi Oktane]

Bad match-up for the Illini. Bucks 45, Illinois 10.

[Bayou Tribe]

OSU - 38
ILL - 10

[swerb]

Bob: If I may shift gears for a moment gentleman, coach Ditka vs. a hurricane, who would win?

Todd, Pat, Carl: Ditka, Ditka!!

Bob: Hold on, Hold on, Hold on. The name of the Hurricane is Hurricane Ditka.

[cms2718]

OSU 35
Illinois 17

[consigliere]

Bucks 23
Illinois 16

[Guest]

OSU 41
Illini 24

[leadpipe]

Bucks 31, Illini 10.

[swerb]

Mendenhall becomes the 1st RB to gain 100 yards versus the Bucks this year, and the Buckeyes fail to cover their first game all season, ending an amazing run against the spread for Tressel and the Buckeyes.

Robiskie gets 177 yards to put him at 1000 on the year right on the nose. Two more scores for a total of 12 this season.

27-20 Buckeyes

[jb]

I predic that the Bucs score a TD in 2 plays.

[furls]

that non fumble call was one of the worst no calls I have ever seen. What is the point of replay again?

[Rally Squirl]

um where are the replay officials?

WTF is the deal with that garbage? they are "supposed" to be on top of all close plays

[Rally Squirl]

yay beanie wells come off favoring his hand

terriffic

[Rally Squirl]

MO WELLS!!!!!!!


TD BUCKEYES!!!!!!!

14-7 pending extra point