It was a rough weekend for Ohio State Buckeye fans everywhere. On Friday, news was handed down that wide receiver Devier Posey was suspended for 5 more games, and running back Daniel ‘Boom’ Herron would be suspended for one more game. Heading into Lincoln to play the 14th ranked Cornhuskers of Nebraska, the newest members of the Big Ten Conference, hopes for the scarlet and gray were bleak. Being double-digit dogs for the first time in years, playing a night game in a difficult stadium against a team who was just embarrassed by championship contender Wisconsin, and having a questionable quarterback situation, the Buckeyes were in for tough sledding. What was delivered was a great game…for the most part.
Saturday night’s game can be described with a few notable literary works. A Tale of Two Halves. Dr. Miller and Mr. Bauserman. (I wish we had) The Quarterback of Notre Dame. 20,000 Leagues Above the Head of the Intended Receiver. However, instead of ripping the team and complaining that we lost against a far better opponent, let’s actually take a look at the positive aspects of the game.
Braxton Miller. Following a poor performance against Michigan State, Miller got the seal of approval from coach Luke Fickell, starting the game under center. Looking composed, confident, and like a competent quarterback in the pocket, Miller had a complete 180 from previous games. Before injuring his ankle in the third quarter, Miller was 5 for 8 with 95 yards, and worked wonders with his feet, gaining 91 yards on 10 rushes. No longer was his ability being questioned, but he was being applauded and expected to make plays happen.
Clock Control. The offense got off to a tremendous start, taking off 11 minutes of clock in the first quarter alone on 20 plays. Sustained drives are a key to controlling games, and Miller and company absolutely dominated the Cornhusker defense in the first quarter and a half.
Running Game. Ohio State has a spectacular backfield, consisting of junior Jordan Hall and sophomore Carlos Hyde. Hyde broke a beautiful 59-yard touchdown run in the beginning of the second quarter, and finished the game with 104 yards. Jordan Hall got the majority of the carries, netting 49 yards, but almost broke a few long runs. Between Hall, Hyde, and Braxton Miller, the offense gained a stunning 244 yards on the ground. Next week, senior Daniel “Boom” Herron will return from an off-season suspension and join the mix in the backfield. Last year, Herron was a huge part of the Buckeye offense, with 1155 yards and 16 touchdowns. He returns at a crucial point in the season, coming back a week before Wisconsin, who let Herron run for 91 yards and two touchdowns.
The Offensive Line. Mike Adams returned from his suspension against Nebraska, and clearly made a difference. Not only was the offensive line crucial in the running game, but they also provided a significant pocket for the young quarterback, thus giving him ample time to go through his receivers to make the correct decisions. Holes were opened up for the backs that had not been seen yet this season. The rushing game will only improve as the suspended slowly trickle back into midseason form.
Even though the Buckeyes were an 11.5-point underdog, a 21-point lead was held into the third quarter, shocking the country. After the injury to Braxton Miller, confidence was lost, and the backup Bauserman went 1 for 10, completing most of his intended passes to lingering College World Series players out in Omaha. The defense, who had stymied quarterback Taylor Martinez (who has the throwing motion of Phillies outfielder Hunter Pence, or like that of a 16 year old girl), let him run for 93 of his 102 yards and utterly rip apart the OSU secondary, ultimately leading the Huskers to a 34-27 victory. It was an unexpected, yet uplifting showing by the men in scarlet and gray.
Despite the injury, word has gotten out that Braxton Miller WILL play on Saturday against 16th ranked Illinois. This is a huge relief to Buckeyes everywhere, because that means Joe Bauserman (who is less accurate than Fulton Reed from The Mighty Ducks, who was accurate on 1 of 5 shots) will assume his hard-earned spot on a slab of aluminum on the sidelines. Saturday afternoon’s game against Illinois will be the final road game until November 12th. If all goes right this weekend for the Buckeyes, they could carry a significant amount of momentum into the Homecoming Game under the lights against Big Ten favorite Wisconsin.
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