Been meaning to say this all week: Shoutout to rural Ohio. People say it's a boring drive—maybe true on the interstates. But on roads like Route 36 or 4, it's baller. Check it out sometime if you get a chance.
I also cheered for Appalachian State last night in its quest to upset Tennessee. Bad news: The Mountaineers let the Vols off the hook. Good news: Tennessee is losing four games and Butch Jones is getting fired.
This week's NSFW ANTI-WORK #BANGERS:
- Narcos top scenes
- The greatest Sting entrance (I'll let you guess if it's the singer or '90s wrestler)
- Ken Burns: Gettysburg
LET SLIP THE DOGS OF WAR. Bowling Green, where knowledgeable Ohio State fans know Urban Meyer once coached, enters Ohio Stadium on Saturday as a wild card. It's led by a first-time head coach and coordinators.
It will take flawless execution from both coaches and players to win. That's a tall task.
Another issue is the Buckeye trench monsters. Bowling Green could maybe score some points early, but eventually Ohio State's depth is going to break them.
Meyer said yesterday the defensive line will rotate this year. They didn't last year because he didn't trust them.
Ohio State is green outside of Tyquan Lewis, but the interior defensive linemen could be poised for big things.
From dispatch.com:
Based on the pregame talk, eight to 10 linemen could have their number called Saturday as the Buckeyes chase Bowling Green's spread offense. The group includes Hubbard and Holmes, who are both considered starters at one end spot. Lewis is backed up by one of the top camp performers, Rashod Berry. Freshman Nick Bosa, younger brother of Joey, also is expected to play.
At the tackles are Sprinkle and Hill, backed up by Dre’Mont Jones and Davon Hamilton, with others also bidding for time.
“We’ve got a lot of depth and a lot of speed,” Lewis said. “The hallmark of this D line is like, just speed and tough guys, I mean mentally tough. I think everyone in the defensive line (group) almost went through every practice this preseason camp. Every day we just went to work. You could tell the guys just bought in to what coach Johnson was saying.”
I hope the rotations work out. If they do, there won't be an offensive line deep enough in the country to go toe-to-toe with them over four quarters.
THE WORST CASE SCENARIO. We all know the best case scenario for Ohio State's season: J.T. Barrett hoisting a CFP Trophy over his head while paramedics wheel the broken corpse of Nick Saban out of Raymond James Stadium in a wheelbarrow.
The worst case... the worst case is not as much fine to think about.
From mydaytondailysports.com:
The Buckeyes look bad early but slip by Bowling Green (or maybe they lose if we’re talking truly worst-case scenario…) and Tulsa before proving to be unready for primetime at Oklahoma.
[...]
Even though they can cover many mistakes with raw talent, the Buckeyes fall a couple of times in the first six weeks of the Big Ten season before the unthinkable – back-to-back losses to Michigan State and Michigan to close the regular season.
At 7-5, Ohio State is headed to New York for Christmas as the Buckeyes make their first appearance in the Pinstripe Bowl.
In Marcus Hartman's (the author, whom you should follow on Twitter) defense, he predicts a Big Ten championship, Rose Bowl berth, and possible No. 1 preseason ranking next year.
But I'm not sure if Columbus would survive a Pinstripe Bowl bid. Our team went 12-1 last year and double-whooped Michigan and Notre Dame. We acted like we got dragged over broken Budweiser bottles.
Let's move on before people get angry with me.
ST. JOHN AIN'T DEAD, IT JUST TOOK A COUPLE SHOTS. Ohio State, one day, will tear down St. John Arena. It's historic, but it can get more money out of prime real estate.
However, St. John Arena won't be torn down anytime soon. So let us rejoice in its stay of execution.
From dispatch.com:
St. John Arena likely will be torn down someday for economic reasons, Ohio State University officials say, but from talk among trustees, that day might not be coming soon.
University trustees on a master-planning committee called Thursday for caution and more study in developing the 20-plus acres on campus that are home to the iconic arena, French Field House and the OSU ice rink.
"It's a 50-year decision, what we do with this enormously valuable piece of real estate," said Trustee Robert H. Schottenstein, who added later, "To put it in a crude way, you wouldn't want to wake up one day and think, 'Why the hell did we put that there?' "
Apparently, people love the Skull Session too.
Thank you guys personally for saving my home for at least one more season or maybe the next 50 years.
PICK UP JONATHAN NEWSOME IN MADDEN. I don't play Madden outside of wrecking a friend stupid enough to challenge the Almighty Cleveland Browns.
But if you play Madden, be sure to pick up former Ohio State–Ball State defensive lineman Jonathan Newsome:
All my dudes that's pickin me up on they madden teams y'all the real mvp
— Jonathan Newsome (@JNEW_11) August 31, 2016
Newsome plays for the CFL's Saskatchewan Roughriders. I saw him on television during my four-day reign as King of Canada. His powers are the same as they ever were: 100 in destroying QBs.
My scouting department recommends you make him a priority free agent.
WHOSE SCAMMING-ASS GRANDMA IS THIS? Do you know where your grandma is? I don't, and honestly, I had to look hard to make sure my grandma wasn't out here scamming her peers.
WANTED-DRIVING MISS DAISY: 92yo victim's stolen credit card stolen@Whole Foods. Suspect is spending $. CPD:645-4751 pic.twitter.com/Q5gjwyV5Dc
— Columbus Ohio Police (@ColumbusPolice) September 1, 2016
Cold world out here, folks. Stay frosty.
THOSE WMDs. The unofficial 11W College Football Pick 'Em... Americans like their school bus — but not yours... Still funny... A swarm of controversy... The Rattlesnake Derby.
