Well, well, well... what a wondrous weekend that was. Glad I talked myself into Ohio State's victory throughout the week, because that was more satisfying than the 2010 Sugar Bowl (probably because it meant something). What a performance.
Did you miss anything while reveling in the aftermath of the game? Here's everything you need to know about Ohio State's decisive 49-37 victory in East Lansing:
- Never forget: O-H-I-O rolled around Spartan Stadium.
- OSU vs. MSU in one graphic.
- Maks on OSU's reclaimed identity.
- Citro's debriefing.
- The quotebook.
- The notebook.
- Lauderback's Five Things.
- OSU moved into the top ten of both the Coaches Poll and the AP Top 25.
- The telecast.
PSA: Ohio State at Minnesota will be a noon banger on ABC. The Gophers in Minneapolis will provide a quality test for Ohio State.
Oh, and because this was too good of a Tweet not to pass along:
Grandpa Sparta still mad tho... pic.twitter.com/OWCpzUgJUg
— Annie Apple (@SurvivinAmerica) November 9, 2014
LOOK at that majestic man. (For comparison's sake, here are the faces of Buckeye victory.)
DORAN GRANT TAKE A BOW. Last week, I said something along the lines of "everyone important on the defense" is returning next year except for Michael Bennett. Some commenters pointed out the omission of Doran Grant. I did not mean it to be a slight, but I see how it could be construed as one.
Well, Doran Grant elevated his #brand on Saturday night. As Herbstreit pointed out, Ohio State usually runs a boundary and field corner, but on Saturday night, Doran Grant drew the shadowing assignment on MSU's top receiving threat, Tony Lippett.
From Bill Landis of the Northeast Media Group:
Grant loved [his one-on-one match-up Lippett]. It was made all the more enjoyable by the fact that Grant stopped the Big Ten's leading receiver from having any kind of noticeable impact during the Buckeye's 49-37 win on Saturday night in Spartan Stadium.
"He was chirping off at the mouth in the beginning, but as the game started going he was like, 'hold up,'" Grant said. "I never let it faze me. He's a great player, obviously, the leading receiver in the Big Ten, it was a great battle out there."
With Grant covering him on almost every snap, Lippett finished with five catches for 64 yards and zero touchdowns. The yards were the lowest for Lippett this season since a week four win over Eastern Michigan.
"But as the game started going he was like, 'hold up,'" — that kills me. Even though I love some good trash talk, there is no greater comeback than showing up your foe on the field:
Where they at doe ? #NoFlyZone pic.twitter.com/0Zf87M1KHh
— Mike Thomas (@Cantguardmike) November 9, 2014
DOES OHIO STATE HAVE A CASE? In the words of Stone Cold Steve Austin: OH HELL YEAH Ohio State has a chance. More than a chance, actually. But that's just one man's humble #take.
From Brian Manzullo of Freep.com:
Yes, they suffered a brutal 35-21 loss at home to Virginia Tech on Sept. 6. Yes, that same Hokies team is last in the ACC Coastal division now.
But OSU has now won seven consecutive games, including Saturday's doozy in East Lansing. And it's not like they have a breezy remaining schedule; next week, the Buckeyes play at 7-2 Minnesota, then could play Nebraska or Wisconsin in the Big Ten Championship game.
And given how crazy the college football landscape is ... you never know.
I understand why Virginia Tech beat Ohio State, and I thought I accepted it long ago. But good lord does that loss get more infuriating by the week. I never had a problem with the Hokies, and I still don't, but they need dropped by about 40 next year in Blacksburg (which I think would be a cool game to attend).
I think the fact Ohio State is one of the best TV draws in college football will ensure Ohio State makes the playoffs as long as it handles the business the rest of the way. They'll have to exclude a one-loss Big Ten champion over Jim Delany's dead body.
BAMA/LSU BEATS OSU/MSU IN RATINGS. While you and your friends were watching the OSU-MSU classic, there were many more people watching the struggle bus of a game between Alabama and LSU.
From Amanda Kondolojy of TVByTheNumbers.com:
On CBS College Football (Alabama/LSU) scored a preliminary 2.5, way up from last week's 0.9 adults 18-49 rating.
On ABC, College Football (Ohio State/Michigan State) earned a preliminary 2.0, also way up from last week's 0.9, down from last week's preliminary 1.1 adults 18-49 rating.
On FOX, College Football (Kansas St/TCU) garnered a preliminary 0.6, up a tenth from last week's 0.5 adults 18-49 rating.
But don't fret, folks. It looks like plenty of important people were watching:
NFL scouts from the Giants, Falcons, Panthers, Cardinals, Jets, Chargers, Browns, Dolphins, 49ers, Texans, Bills and Jags at MSU tonight
— Dan Kilbridge (@MSUDanK) November 9, 2014
With nearly a half of the NFL on hand, it's clear the animosity between MSU and OSU isn't going anywhere anytime soon. I wish they'd play that game again this week.
CBS' ratings victory, thankfully, didn't stop Ohio State from grabbing headlines, either:
— Mark Pantoni (@markpantoni) November 9, 2014
DONTRE WILSON ISN'T DONE YET. Dontre Wilson had a bit of a rough go out of the gates on Saturday, but the Texan snapped back with two crucial second-half catches (one for a touchdown).
And while Dontre heard the cries for his benching, he isn't going anywhere:
It wasn't pretty but God got my bak And my team got my Bak I this game N ima fosho bounce bak even harder preciate all the hate and the
— dontre wilson (@Runliketre) November 9, 2014
Has Dontre lived up to expectations at Ohio State? No, but who put those unreal expectations on a college kid without watching him play a snap? (Not him.)
There's a reason why Dontre Wilson has a big role in the offense, and it's not because he's an "overhyped bum," as I saw our beloved brethren from the Chicken Little wing of the fanbase label him during the first quarter against Sparty.
COREY LINSLEY ROASTED BY FALLON. It's true, Corey. You do kind of have one of those "DO IT AGAIN!" faces going for you.
NO CAR2GO THROWN INTO MIRROR LAKE. Some students hopped in Mirror Lake — which will continue this year — to celebrate the Michigan State victory. There were reports of a car2go being dumped into the "lake," but that's not true according to the greatest Lantern Tweet I've seen:
A lantern staff member currently at Mirror Lake says there is not a Car2Go nor any people currently in the lake.
— The Lantern (@TheLantern) November 9, 2014
I would like to print this tweet out and hang it on my non-existent office wall.
THOSE WMDs. At L.A. County Cemetery, Unclaimed Dead Await Final Resting Place... Kids love reviewing toys on YouTube, and big companies are paying attention... NYC is too cool for college football... Browns are in first place thanks to Bieber... Dolphins CB Brent Grimes: decidedly good.
