Care: The Fire Has Been Lit

This is the first time in what feels like a long time that we saw the entire team fired up on the sidelines, after big plays, and generally bringing the noise all game. After Trey's final TD the entire offensive line was in the endzone pumping up the crowd and generally going nuts. Will Howard had his arms waving to the crowd all game. The defense was meeting at the quarterback and then meeting each other in celebration shortly after.

I haven't seen that type of energy from our guys in a long time, and we've had some great moments over the last couple of years.

Through all of the injuries, our team as continued to rally, push, and succeed this season. There's a feeling they are giving off right now that is contagious and inspired. I love it, and I know you all love it.

Don't Care: For Indiana's game plan

The first drive or so they were picking on Iggy and generally doing good things. It felt like after we got home on our first big blitz they became rattled and scared. Rourke was getting demolished, but it was more than that. They abandoned any sense of aggressiveness that had embodied their whole season and it was weird to see.

I'll be clear, it was great to see because our aggressiveness and overall performance is what caused it, but a guy like Cignetti didn't seem like one to withdraw into his shell like that. They could have continued picking on our CBs, attacking the middle of our zone once we started blitzing more, etc. Their running game still had success. They could have done better but didn't.

I think Indiana is a good team. Most of the national media will say they were frauds who were exposed today and they'll likely plummet in the rankings and potentially be out of the playoffs. They don't deserve that because I think they can play with most teams in the 7-12 ranking range, and those teams will get a lot more credit than Indiana.

But the game plan once they got punched in the mouth was atrocious.

Care: Our offensive line

I wrote about this after Penn State, and I'm writing about it again now: our offensive line is full of dudes who want to play ball. They want to smash the other team in and they have that attitude.

There may have been a drop off, of some degree, but Indiana's front 7 is actually good and our guys paved the way enough to get it done on the ground. But what was most impressive was the pass blocking. Howard had plenty of time most of the game, and when he didn't he was able to get around pressure because our line blocked well enough. I was extremely impressed all around.

This was a huge game right after a monster injury, and another week of gelling is going to get these guys in a groove.

Props to the front five, and props to Justin Frye for coaching all of these guys up to be prepared to play, regardless of position.

Don't Care: For Big Ten Refereeing

It was talked about all week once the stats came out that our opponents have the fewest penalty yards of any team in college football...at any D-1 level. I don't know if that will remain true after this week but what I do know is we were penalized 8 times to Indiana's 2.

Jeremiah Smith was interfered with on the pass in the end zone that forced him to go up with one hand. Not called, shortly after we were called for one of many PI's. Indiana held blatantly a couple times and wasn't called.

I'd be fine with it if the discrepancy was smaller. If they were truly letting both teams play the game I'd not really care. But they don't. The last three weeks we've been penalized 14 times while our opponents have been penalized a combined 4 times. That's absolutely dog shit. We already know the Big Ten doesn't call stuff and then admits it afterwards (the most recent case was the Northwestern "ankle break" on JJ that was never called that the Big Ten admitted should have bene called), but they clearly don't care to fix it.

Hopefully we get some more even refereeing in the post season.

Care: Emeka Egbuka showing out

It had been a few games since Egbuka was really featured and I wanted a game like this for him. Indiana didn't have an answer when it came to covering all three of our starting WRs, and Egbuka benefitted. He was all over the place and made great catches. Carnell Tate was featured last week. JJ has been featured most weeks. There isn't a defense in football who has the guys to guard all three while also being able to stop our running game. And we're reminding everyone of that.

Egbuka has been one of the best Buckeyes we've had, and he deserves everything coming his way. I'm glad he was able to get his this afternoon.

Don't Care: Special Teams

HA, kidding.

WE FUCKING DID IT EVERYONE!!! It's been a literal decade since we've done anything this exciting on special teams. It looks like the unit has been revving up the last couple of weeks with some punt blocks, good field goals, and general positivity. It all came to a head today. Caleb Downs isn't Ted Ginn but he weaved through the punt team with skill and our guys blocked exceptionally well.

It was simply a joy to watch after all this time. The energy the rest of the team had been exhibiting all game showed out with our special teams today and it was glorious.

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Extra bonus Care: Fuck *ichigan

It's Hate Week. Here we fucking go. Let's go rip their fucking heads off.