Lamenting

OK . . . so I shouldn't care so much and it is a total waste of time and emotions, but I am really bummed today about Ohio State's big choke job last night against Texas. It was a great game and it definiitely lived up to the hype surrounding it, but it was so dissappointing to watch a game we basically dominated (all but the first and last 5 minutes of) turn out to be a loss. Texas didn't win it . . . Ohio St. lost it. Jim Tressel played the way that he always has (why are we so suprised?) Ball control . . . field position . . . special teams . . . and it worked for all but one drive when they couldn't stop Vince Young (who by the way is a stud of a player. I was totally unimpressed with Texas as a team, but Vince Young is the best player in the country - take him out of the line up and Texas loses to OSU by 20 and at least three other games on their schedule. Sickening . . . sickening . . . sickening . . . that's all I can say. Let's go over the wrap-up:
* Missed tackle that would have resulted in Ohio St. 2 points & ball back
* Poor kickoff before half time and 15 yard penalty equals Texas 3 points.
* Three possessions given to Ohio St. inside the Texas 30 should have been at least 17 points instead of 9.
* Dropped touchdown pass by Ryan Hamby equals 7 instead of 3 points.
* Missed 50 yard field goal that could have been pooch punt makes Young drive 80 or 90 yards instead of 60. (Though I don't blame Tressel for kicking it).

If even half of these things go OSU's way . . . they win by two touchdowns. Give Texas credit for hanging around . . . but not too much credit. A rematch would have to go Ohio State's way. What could have been . . .


On another note . . . the Big Ten had a chance to step up this year and get the critics off their back, but yesterday they showed that they suck hard. Michigan is way overrated . . . they should have never been ranked in the top ten. Iowa . . . well I don't know what they were thinking. Purdue and Ohio St. are the conferences only chance. Another crappy year . . . but I can't shake my hometown bias . . . even after this crappy start . . . I think it's still the best conference in America. Don't think USC would have their winning streak if they played against Big Ten opponents every week. But what does a hometown bias do for you?

Ohio St. still can run the table and make a big splash in the national title picture. I don't see USC losing because they don't play anyone all year (Notre Dame is not going to beat them Irish fans calm down). I really don't see who can beat Texas. Ohio St. has the best linebackers in the country and they couldn't slow Young down . . . I don't see who will be able to. Somebody might come out of the SEC undefeated as well . . . so all the Buckeyes can do is hope for losses all around.

This by they way is the perfect argument for a playoff in college football. Why should a three point loss in September make you feel like your chances are over for the national championship? With teams only playing 11 games , it's impossible to judge who's better than who. College football needs an 8 team playoff styem. Sure there would still be arguments about the seventh and eighth teams, but that seems a little more moot than who should be number one and two.

Enough rambling. Man I wish we would have won . . .