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Ohio State blows out Indiana, 38-15. Now, it's time to do the same to That Team Up North.
Ohio State was off last week, which left us with a pretty poor slate of Big Ten games as the highly anticipated Penn State vs. Michigan showdown ended up being a blowout.
While there weren't many surprises, there was still enough happening around college football, even in Columbus, to sway my opinion on certain teams, players and even uniforms.
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Ohio State's Gray Jerseys
Let me start off by saying I am still not a fan of these. However, after seeing the entire thing, I can say they aren't nearly as bad as I thought they would be.
#GoBucks #BeatPSU pic.twitter.com/RVRsLNmFsh
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) October 23, 2017
I still say that the whole wolf theme is gimmicky, and I thought a tradition-rich program like Ohio State would be above something like that, but I was wrong. It made sense for Western Michigan to put oars on their helmets when P.J. Fleck was running the show, because the Broncos needed a culture change. The Buckeyes not only have the tradition of winning that WMU doesn't, but they also don't need a culture change, which leaves me perplexed that the higher-ups in Ohio State's program would allow wolves onto its jerseys.
I have generally been a huge fan of the alternates Ohio State has worn in the past. The 2009 whites worn against Michigan and the 2011 throwbacks worn against Wisconsin are personal favorites of mine. When Eleven Warriors first broke the news of the gray duds I was extremely skeptical, mainly because of the lack of scarlet in the jersey. The additions of scarlet Buckeye Leafs on the helmet and scarlet LeBron James cleats made this look much better, which is why the stock is up on these new unis, but I still say a little more scarlet in the numbers would have gone a long way.
Big Ten Heisman Chances
After the performances Penn State's Saquon Barkley has put together in primetime against Iowa and Michigan this season, there is a good chance the junior running back is going to receive an invite to New York City for the Heisman ceremony.
Should he struggle against Ohio State on Saturday, however, that could open the door for Buckeye quarterback J.T. Barrett to at least slide back into the Heisman conversation. Now, before all the Barrett haters begin to jump all over me, just look at the stats. Ohio State's senior signal-caller has thrown 21 touchdowns to just one lonely interception, while adding five scores on the ground. Yes, it is true his competition hasn't exactly challenged him since the loss to Oklahoma, but he has done everything he has needed to and more to get the Buckeye offense back on track.
The showdown in Columbus not only serves as a de facto playoff game that will likely decide the Big Ten's representative in the College Football Playoff, it could also serve as an elimination game for one of the two Big Ten stars and their chances at a Heisman. The fact remains that while Barkley has impressed when the bright lights are on, he has been inconsistent all season. After rushing for 211 yards against the Hawkeyes, he returned to rush for less than 100 yards in each of his next two games.
Should Barrett put together a performance like he did against Michigan State in 2014, I think he jumps right back into the thick of the Heisman discussion, while a second loss would put him out of it completely. Along the same track, if Barkley is somehow stifled by Ohio State's defense and the Buckeyes win, his chances of winning the stiff-arm trophy will drop significantly.
I would also be remiss if I didn't mention Wisconsin freshman running back Jonathan Taylor, who has quietly rushed for 1,112 yards in just seven games already this season. While Wisconsin's level of competition this season has been less than impressive, those kind of numbers are hard to ignore. Should the Badgers somehow run the table and get into the playoff, there is a good chance Taylor would also be considered for an invite to NYC. The Big Ten has three legitimate Heisman contenders right now, but one of them is going to take a hit Saturday night.
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Purdue Football - #BROHMBALL
Boilers, what happened? I was high on Purdue to start the season after the Boilermakers came within a score of upsetting Louisville (and the reigning Heisman winner) and trounced Missouri.
Purdue struggled to do much of anything offensively against Rutgers on Saturday, losing a 14-12 game on the road, giving the Scarlet Knights their second consecutive conference game win for the first time since they joined the Big Ten. I still am a fan of what Jeff Brohm is doing in West Lafayette, and I think he will eventually get Purdue back to a level of respectability that rivals that of its Big Ten West counterparts, but right now, Brohm has his work cut out for him to close the 2017 season.
Also, how about Rutgers stringing some wins together? I am not going to predict a Scarlet Knight victory in the Big House this weekend, but don't completely give up on a team playing with confidence. I think Rutgers could compete with the Wolverines for a half of football or more, but eventually an angry Michigan team will pull away.
Value of Oklahoma loss
After Ohio State lost to Oklahoma in the second week of the season, the Buckeyes could at least hang their hat on the fact that they lost to a likely top-five team.
Whoops.
The Sooners have lost just once this season, a 38-31 loss at home to Iowa State, but have also come dangerously close to dropping games against Baylor, Texas and Kansas State in recent weeks.
Oklahoma can score on anyone in the country, but its defense can't stop a leaky faucet, yet it held Ohio State's offense to just 16 points in Columbus. Not exactly a good look for the Buckeyes. The Sooners still have to play TCU and Oklahoma State this season, and I just don't see a way Oklahoma wins both of those games, especially with the way its defense is playing. That loss to the Sooners in week 2 continues to look worse for Ohio State, which won't matter if the Buckeyes win out, but could come into play should OSU fall to Penn State on Saturday.
