Primetime College Football: Buckeyes vs Badgers
TALENT
This game goes down on the ESPN network and it features the Ohio State University Buckeyes taking on the University of Wisconsin Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium.
Head coach Jim Tressel brings his Buckeyes into Madison as the number one team in the country with an overall record of 6-0 and 2-0 in Big Ten play. Tressel has his Buckeyes riding a 12 game win streak after easily beating Indiana 38-10 last weekend to earn his 100th victory at Ohio State.
Junior quarterback Terrelle Pryor, 1349 yards 15 touchdowns 3 INTs, is a main contender for the Heisman Trophy and the Buckeyes will only go as far as he leads them. He is also second on the team in rushing with 354 yards and has scored 3 touchdowns while averaging 6.2 yards per carry. Although the season rest on Pryor’s shoulders he does have help from junior running back Dan Herron, 355 yards 7 touchdowns. When Pryor goes to the air he has a pair of solid receivers in senior Dane Sanzenbacher, 411 yards 7 touchdowns, junior DeVier Posey, 364 yards 3 touchdowns.
The Buckeyes defense is once again stacked with All-American talent, highlighted by senior linebacker Ross Homan, 37 tackles, 1 sack, 1 INT, 1 fumble recovery, junior defensive linemen Nathan Williams, 24 tackles, 5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, and senior defensive lineman Dexter Larimore, 16 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, are a huge reason why Ohio State are holding teams to 13 points per game.
Head coach Bret Bielema has his Badgers playing it’s first game against a number one team in Madison since 1997. It is just the ninth time ever that the Badgers have played host to the top team in the nation and they have only three wins in the previous eight encounters to show for it. Bielema has his team with a 5-1 overall record and 1-1 in the Big Ten.
Wisconsin’s success is hinged on it’s running game where they rank 11 in the nation and average 240.8 yards per game against its opponents. The Badgers are carried by a potent one-two punch from junior running back John Clay, 692 yards 9 touchdowns, and freshman James White, 485 yards 8 touchdowns. The two running backs are averaging 6.0 and 7.7 ypc.
Wisconsin is a running team but they have a very good quarterback in senior Scott Tolzien, 1,207 yards 7 touchdowns 2 INTs, who is completing 69.7 percent of his throws. When the senior quarterback looks to throw the ball he looks for fellow senior Lanc Kendricks, 391 yards 3 touchdowns.
The Badgers defensive has a tendency to give up the big play but still have some great players on that side of the ball. Junior defensive tackle J.J. Watt, 30 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, and junior defensive tackle Louis Nzegwu, 23 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, do the most damage and should be paid attention to.
Ohio State holds a 53-17-5 advantage in the all-time series, including a 25-10-2 record in Madison.
PICK: The Ohio State University Buckeyes
Primetime College Football: Herd vs Buckeyes
TALENT
It’s that time of year again and I’m back for another year of Primetime College Football posts. For those that weren’t regular visitors of this site during this time last year, you might not be familiar with the whole objective of these posts. First, breakdowns only come of Primetime games during the season. Bowl season is a different story and every bowl game will get it’s own moment. Second, I don’t root for any particular college team just a fan of all 120 Division 1A and no I won’t call it Football Bowl Subdivision. Third, these are just observations I collect throughout the year and notes I’ve compiled through the years on players. I did somewhat OK last year going 66-27 and slightly above .500 during the bowl season.
Oh and if you have any pictures of TALENT decked out in school gear,doesn’t matter which school, feel free to send them my way. So let’s kickoff the 2010 NCAA Division 1-A Football Season.
The Big Ten Network kicks off the first game of this years Primetime College Football and it’s between Ohio State Buckeyes and Marshall University Thundering Herd. A lot of experts have the Buckeyes in contention to play for a BCS National Championship Game this year but it all starts here.
Marshall starts the year off with new coach Doc Holliday, who inherits a Thundering Herd squad that finished 7-6 a year ago, including 4-4 versus Conference USA competition. Marshall’s last victory was a 21-17 win over Ohio in the Little Caesar’s Pizza Bowl. Holliday a longtime assistant and regarded as one of colleges best recruiters returns 13 starters. Senior quarterback Brian Anderson is one of them after throwing for 2,646 yards and 14 touchdowns 13 INTS last year. Anderson main target is Antavious Wilson, who lead the team in catches with 60 catches for 724 yards and 3 touchdowns as a freshman.
On the defensive side of the ball for Marshall they will have to lean heavily on defensive end Vinny Curry, 59 tackles and 3.5 sacks as a sophomore, and senior linebacker Mario Harvey, 117 tackles and 7 sacks. The Thundering Herd will have to go about this season without one of their best play-makers in the secondary after DeQuan Bembry, 3 INTS, was kicked off the team after being charged with assault on a police officer.
Jim Tressel is currently 9-0 in season openers at Ohio State and will watch as junior quarterback and Heisman Trophy candidate Terrelle Pryor looks to guide the Buckeys to their 6th consecutive Big Ten title. Ending the season Pryor had one of his best games when he threw for 266 yards and 2 touchdowns while rushing for 72 yards in a Rose Bowl victory over Oregon.
Two of Pryor’s favorite targets in DeVier Posey, 60 catches for 828 yards and 8 touchdowns, and Dane Sanzenbacher 36 catches for 570 yards and 6 touchdowns are back. The offense firepower doesn’t stop with Pryor and his favorite wide receivers as running back tandem of Brandon Saine, 739 yards, 5.1 ypc, 4 touchdowns, and Daniel Herron, 600 yds,7 touchdowns also are back. The offensive line also returns four starters.
The headlines might read all about Pryor and the offesne but it’s the Buckeyes defense that should dominate the 2010 college football. The defensive unit that was among the nation’s best last year, ranking 5th in total defense and scoring defense brings back most of its starters. Defensive lineman Cameron Heyward is the real star on the defensive side of the ball as he led the team with 6.5 sacks and 10 tackles for loss last year. Top tacklers Ross Homan and Brian Rolle also have returned for their senior seasons.
The only previous meeting between Ohio State and Marshall occurred in 2004 with a narrow 24-21 win by the Buckeyes. The Buckeyes haven’t dropped a home opener since a 19-0 loss to Penn State in 1978.
PICK: The Ohio State University Buckeyes
