Buckeye fan here.. I am in no means a handicapper or an insider.. but here's my 2 cents..
Ohio state has the ability and talent to win this game, if Pryor is let loose and a big if here, if we stop the run.
Everyone who thinks that we had such a hard time with navy did not watch the game. We ran a vanilla offense with a vanilla defense, against a legit/good Navy team. Tressel has been game-planning for this game for a year.
That said, if USC can get up on the buckeyes early it could be another rough game..
I think I'm going to stay away, the only plays I would make would be USC -6.5 or Buckeyes ML..
Remember EVERYONE was saying that Texas was going to kill us last year, and we played a respectable game and lost at the end.
No one in the world is giving tOSU a shot.. not saying that the bucks are going to win, but they have a shot..
Ohio state has the ability and talent to win this game, if Pryor is let loose and a big if here, if we stop the run.
Everyone who thinks that we had such a hard time with navy did not watch the game. We ran a vanilla offense with a vanilla defense, against a legit/good Navy team. Tressel has been game-planning for this game for a year.
That said, if USC can get up on the buckeyes early it could be another rough game..
I think I'm going to stay away, the only plays I would make would be USC -6.5 or Buckeyes ML..
Remember EVERYONE was saying that Texas was going to kill us last year, and we played a respectable game and lost at the end.
No one in the world is giving tOSU a shot.. not saying that the bucks are going to win, but they have a shot..
I am not directing this at you in particular eckleybuck88, but it seems like a bulk of the people in the Ohio St. camp side of this spread all point to things like preparing for the game for an entire year, the emotion tied to it, and the fact that "no one gives them a chance", and all the other intangibles. I have, and always have had a real hard time putting cash up on a team just because they 'wanna win really really bad'. I am not saying that these things can't play into a game, I am just saying that in my opinion, they play a smaller part than the numbers behind the matchup. ANYTHING can happen on any day... the entire USC team could break their legs on the way to the stadium! But, it seems more logical to me to base a pick on something real versus something that cannot truly be measured.
So I would wonder if the Ohio St. backers would pick them straight up in this contest, or if the vibe is that the spread is just too big. In your case eckly, you seem to say you could take -6.5 but not -7, which is interesting.
Anyway, that's all I got. So far it's pretty close with the voting... not many peeps chiming in on the o/u though. I guess that's par for the course in sportsbetting, almost half the people are against you... just the way Vegas likes it.
On paper....this game should be a blowout. However, they don't play games on paper...
Just playing devil's advocate cuz I am all over USC. Ohio St will not be able to handle USC's running game and Matt Barkley's performance won't have any bearing on the outcome of the game...
Just playing devil's advocate cuz I am all over USC. Ohio St will not be able to handle USC's running game and Matt Barkley's performance won't have any bearing on the outcome of the game...
Home or not
ILL TELL YOU THEY ARE 6-7 ATS LAST 3 YEARS VS. NON-CONF.....AND ANYONE WHO WATCHES COLLEGE FOOTBALL SHOULD KNOW WHAT HAPPENS TO THESE GUYS WHEN THEY GO UP AGAINST FASTER, STRONGER, MORE ATHLETIC TEAMS...I.E. BCS CHAMPIONSHIP GAME 2006 VS THE GATORS, BCS CHAMPIONSHIP GAME 2007 VS LSU TIGERS...AND OF COURSE THE USC GAME LAST YEAR!:smoker2: THE TROJANS WILL SMOKE 'EM!...... 38-14
ILL TELL YOU THEY ARE 6-7 ATS LAST 3 YEARS VS. NON-CONF.....AND ANYONE WHO WATCHES COLLEGE FOOTBALL SHOULD KNOW WHAT HAPPENS TO THESE GUYS WHEN THEY GO UP AGAINST FASTER, STRONGER, MORE ATHLETIC TEAMS...I.E. BCS CHAMPIONSHIP GAME 2006 VS THE GATORS, BCS CHAMPIONSHIP GAME 2007 VS LSU TIGERS...AND OF COURSE THE USC GAME LAST YEAR!:smoker2: THE TROJANS WILL SMOKE 'EM!...... 38-14
I am taking OSU +7. This line is somewhat inflated based on their performance against Navy. Gamblers have short term memories! It is usually a mistake to make a play (one way or the other) based on a team's last game. USC brings a freshman quarterback into the horshoe with over 100,000 screaming fans. Just can't lay 7 points on that IMHO.
With all the analysis and match up scenario's we go through this year in, year out with the Trojans when they play a big time, non-conference game. And what usually happens? The game is over by halftime and those who faded USC are tearing up tickets.
Answer me this: When was the last time Ohio State won a big game outside of the BIG 10 when it mattered?
Answer me this: When was the last time Ohio State won a big game outside of the BIG 10 when it mattered?
