OSU wins over UM - Some Favorites; The Poaching of UM Asst's; The Playoff Picture ....Colin-Baver Q&A: THE GAME week (Part 2 of 2)

Click here for Swear Free Dead Schembechler Spotify Playlist

Colin: We have had so many sweet wins against Michigan since 2000. What are your personal top five favorites?

Baver: I’ll go ahead and exclude the 2002 win that sent OSU to the Nat’l Title Game and the 2006 battle between undefeated #1 vs undefeated #2....those two are too easy. Of the rest of the Buckeye wins, I took the most enjoyment from these...(listed pretty much in ascending order)

Ohio St 37 Michigan 21 (2004) – You want to talk about a “1-game season”....ask a Buckeye fan what they remember about the 2004 season, and you might get, “Isn’t that the year Ted Ginn had the punt return down the Michigan sideline for a touchdown?” Another fan might say, “That was the year Troy Smith had his coming out party against Michigan.” I think those two things come to mind first, as opposed to Ohio State having 3-consecutive losses at one point that year, on the way to a 4-loss season. This game trumped the 4 losses.

Ohio St 25 Michigan 21 (2005) – With 7:49 remaining, UM kicked a field goal to go up 21-12....this after Ohio State had dominated early on, leading 9-0 in the 2nd quarter. I was sick to my stomach. I had watched the game at the Worthington Legion, and a friend of mine was so disgusted that he left at that point to leave early for a hunting trip. A little over a minute later, Troy hit Santonio Holmes for a TD. Not long after came the Gonzo Catch, and that set up the Antonio Pittman’s game-winning TD. 

Ohio St 26 Michigan 20 (2001) – In games I attended in Ann Arbor, Ohio St was 0-3 in prior to this one. This game backed up the comment Jim Tressel made the day he was hired (Jan 18, 2001), “I assure you that you will be proud of our young people, in the classroom, in the community, and most-especially in 310 days in Ann Arbor, Michigan, on the football field.” I ended up getting food poisoning having to stop on the way home several times to throw up. It was well worth it.

Ohio St 62 Michigan 39 (2018) – OSU came into this one a 4½-pt dog, having given up 51 pts the week before to a Maryland team that finished 5-7. It was finally time for the dominance to end, with Michigan having their best team since 2006 and a top-4 ranking. That kind of talk was music to Urban Meyer’s ears. This game was way worse than the score, and Ohio St figured out that they had a little-known weapon named Chris Olave. When the clock hit 0:00 “Revenge Tour” t-shirts hit the discount racks.

Ohio St 30 Michigan 27, 2OT (2016) – Watched this one with my old man. Come late 2nd quarter I had stopped yelling at the TV. Ohio State was only down a FG but they were getting physically dominated. It seemed like the day had finally come, and yelling wasn’t going to change things. But with a 3-0 lead and 4:10 to go in the half, on first down, Harbaugh chose to throw from his own 6 yd-line. Malik Hooker picked off Speight’s errant throw, returning it for six changing the complexion of the game. Then the last 5 minutes of regulation and the two overtimes were mind blowing. 

Colin: Ohio State poached two assistant coaches from the Michigan in the offseason. These two guys have obviously help transform this Buckeye defense from mediocrity to possibly the best defense in the country. Your thoughts on how their hires molded this Buckeye team, could their hires work against OSU tomorrow?

Baver: I’ll be honest, I wasn’t that excited to get Greg Mattison as defensive coordinator. At age 69, he was 4 years removed from his D-coordinator job at UM, having been downgraded to D-line coach in 2015. But this is why Ryan Day is paid millions, while I am making a wee bit less. The difference in this defense from last year to this is simply unreal. I was though happy at the time OSU landed Al Washington Jr. Washington was the best recruiting assistant UM had, and I had little doubt that he’d be an upgrade over Bill Davis as OSU’s LB coach. And the results he has gotten as LB coach have been HUGE.

I’m sure these hired give UM players & coaches more of a reason to want to beat Ohio St, but I don’t think this helps their chances tomorrow. After a couple of drives, emotions settle down, and the game usually comes down to: who is more talented, who wins the battle in the trenches, and whose coaches make the better calls. And I trust Ryan Day to ensure that his assistant’s tendencies don’t translate to UM advantages.

Colin: What does tomorrow’s game mean for OSU’s playoff chances and how do you see the entire playoff picture right now?

Baver: My thoughts...

--Ohio St: A win in the B10 Title game puts OSU in; a loss in that game leaves them out. OSU-UM game would only effect seeding if OSU is in.

--LSU: The Tigers are in if they simply win 1 of their last 2 gms.

--Clemson: May need to win both of their last 2 gms. A tight loss in one of the two of them makes it close to a 50/50 call as to the Clemson getting in.

--Georgia: Need to win out. A loss in either game, they are out.

--Alabama: Need a win & a couple upsets to get in, but one of the upsets CANNOT be Ga over LSU. 

--Utah and Oklahoma: If one team wins out and the other doesn’t, the team wining out is likely in.

--Baylor: Need to win both the next two, do so impressively, and need help.

—Brent Baver and Colin Gawel

"Nothing matters if we don't win this Game" --Ryan Day, 11/26/19 ....Colin-Baver Q&A: THE GAME week (Part 1 of 2)

Colin: The Penn State game was the first time Coach Ryan Day and QB Justin Fields faced adversity during the 2019 season. How do you think they handled it? 

Baver: I think the team as a whole handled it very well. For Penn St, replacing an injured Sean Clifford with Will Levis had its advantages. Levis’ running style had OSU out of sorts for a bit. But like they have done all year, this Buckeye D adjusted within a few drives. Chase Young was out there for more plays than he usually is, and looked tired in the 3rd qtr. But after the two short-field PSU TD drives, Chase and the rest of the Buckeye D played with a sense of urgency, blanking PSU the rest of the way. 

I thought some of the decisions from Coach Day were puzzling, but we aren’t privy to the info Day has when making those decisions. He coached another “W”, and that’s what counts. As for Justin, I thought he hung in there well. He had several big runs, some key throws, and drove the O for a much-needed TD early in the 4thqtr. 

Colin: After such an incredibly easy stretch of games, it felt like both the team and the fans were surprised when Penn State actually kept trying to win the game despite being down 21-0. Was this a needed reality check before heading into the Big House? 

Baver: Without a doubt, they needed this. The TO’s caused a 17-point swing in the game, otherwise you are maybe looking at a 35-7 OSU win. But I’ll pass on a 28-pt margin, and take the 28-17 win that included this team’s response to Penn St’s 3rd quarter surge.

Colin: I haven't looked at the snap count, but is it time to say Chris Olave should be on the filed every play no matter how deep our WR rotation is? 

Baver: I don’t know about every play, but I was pretty vocal in the stadium after a first quarter that saw Olave on the field only for a few plays. I have no real issues with the senior Mack getting the start each week in front of him, but Olave is by far the best receiving target they have. No doubt about it, Olave HAS TO play more in Ann Arbor, and HAS TO be targeted more often. 

Colin: Boy, we rode JK Dobbins hard. Any concerns about him or Fields being a little worn out this week?

Baver: I’m not so worried about Dobbins, with him having little wear and tear prior to Penn St. I think JK will be fine. It is Fields that I am much more concerned about. With the lack of pass attempts against a struggling PSU secondary, you have wonder how bad Fields was hurting. And while Chase Young is the best player in the country, Fields is unquestionably the player Ohio St can LEAST AFFORD TO LOSE. 

Colin: Michigan is playing much better and they have to win a game in the rivalry sooner or later. Tell me why this could be their year?

Baver: UM is a far better team at home than on the road, and Shea Patterson has not lost as a starter in Michigan Stadium. As always, their D is very solid. Their offense has probably improved as much as any team’s O over the season, and is certainly not the offense we saw at Wisconsin in Gm 3. And unlike last year, this UM team will not be overconfident. OSU is back at #1 in the playoff ranking, and Michigan has taken plenty of “62 to 19” abuse. 

Colin: Tell me how the Buckeyes get another huge win in Ann Arbor? 

Baver: After this past Saturday, I guess “not turning the ball over” has to get the first mention. I would think Day has spent extra time on ball security this week in practice. OSU’s offense ran the ball 73% of the time against Penn St. If Ohio St is going to throw the ball more Saturday, they need a better effort out of LT Thayer Munford, and Justin has to get rid of the ball quicker. And if Dobbins is having success, giving him the rock 30 times makes sense. 

On defense, OSU simply needs to respect this UM offense. As long as they are healthy, I think this Buckeye D will be fine. It hasn’t gotten much mention, but OSU’s D has not given up 300 yards in any game this year. That’s unheard of. 

Colin: Could the Buckeyes lose and still make the playoffs?

Baver: Yes, as long as they win in Indy....let’s revisit this and some other OSU-UM history Friday. 

Colin: Final thoughts and prediction? 

Baver: Too much panic in Columbus after the Penn St game. Ohio St still dominated the top-10 ranked Nittany Lions, and the final was misleading. I like the matchup of the OSU corners against UM wideouts...this despite the fact that the Michigan WRs have made huge strides. And I expect Chase Young and Dobbins to be game changers.

I think Day will again take a more conservative approach this week, and simply want to secure a win over Michigan. I have this one: Ohio St 31 Michigan 20.

—Brent Baver and Colin Gawel

Bucks, Nits meet for 34th time. Mother Nature to comply with OSU-PSU contractual obligations, and bring rain. 2019 OSU Football begins now – Colin & Baver Q&A

Colin: In 2017 Penn State had a 4th Quarter win percentage of 93.1% and in 2018, 96.7% but lost both games to the Buckeyes. How different would history look if they had won those two games? 

Baver: Urban’s health problems would have started a lot earlier. (I’m only half-kidding in saying that.) Simply flipping the wins to losses for Ohio St means the Buckeyes wouldn’t have won the Big Ten East either year. That wouldn’t fly in Columbus, as fans here are quite so understanding of short-comings. As for Penn St, they would have likely made the 2017 playoff. PSU had also capitalized on their 2016 upset of Ohio St with top-15 recruiting classes each of the next three years. Had Penn St won the ’17 and ’18 games as well, James Franklin would have parlayed that into even bigger recruiting gains, and done so at OSU’s expense. Even if I am overstating the effect here, I can guarantee you that the phrase, “There’s a new sheriff in town” would have been directed at Ohio St fans countless times over the past 12 months. And THAT would have driven Buckeye Nation insane. 

Colin: Having said that about the last two games, I feel like this year the Nittany Lions are headed to the woodshed, why should I believe their 2019 squad can compete with the Buckeyes? 

Baver: Only once in the last five seasons has this game been decided by more than a touchdown, while each of the last three games was decided by 3 pts or less. So, OSU is an 18½-pt favorite? They were 19-pt favorites in 2016 and lost.

But I am playing devil’s advocate to simply answer your question. You can argue that Penn St was fortunate to get W’s against Pitt, UM, and IU. The Buckeyes on the other hand have steam-rolled every opponent on their schedule. If Penn St’s do-everything guy KJ Hamler can’t go Saturday, you have to wonder where the Nits points are going to come from.

Colin: Okay...sounds like we are on the same page which isn’t always the case. So give me your full take on this one.

Baver: I’ve predicted tight games with Penn St each of the past 3 years, but I’m guessing this one isn’t so close. The PSU corners (Reid and Castro-Fields) have been torched the past 2 weeks, and are not up to normal DB standards in Happy Valley. Gopher QB Tanner Morgan vs PSU was18 for 20, 339 yards, 3 TDs, no picks. Hoosier QB Peyton Ramsey was 31 for 41, a career-high 371 yds, no picks, and he lost his top WR in the first half of the game. Ryan Day will obviously look to exploit the matchups against the Nittany Lion corners. Penn St is however holding opponents to the lowest per-play, rushing yard average in the country, allowing just 2.2 yds per rush. Still, OSU piled up 323 yds on the ground against Sparty, and 264 against the Badgers, both of whom came into Ohio Stadium with top-5 ranked rush D’s. While I think Penn St’s rush D will fare a bit better, I still expect OSU to eclipse 200 yds on the ground. As for PSU’s front seven, it goes without saying that they need DEs Yetur Gross-Matos and Shaka Toney to return to early season form. And honestly, they need all hands on deck against Fields, Dobbins and company.

On the other side of the ball, WR/KR/PR KJ Hamler was the #1 difference maker in last year’s game until Ohio St scored twice late to steal the win. Hamler left the IU game with a possible head injury. Will he play Saturday? Regardless, Penn St needs TBs Journey Brown and Noah Cain (health pending, as well) to tote the load, and will need QB Sean Clifford’s athleticism to extend plays. And if I am PSU OC Ricky Rahne, I’d more often want to take my chances against OSU’s run D. The alternative is testing the Buckeye corners through the air which requires simultaneously dealing with Chase Young and OSU’s athletic front. That is a tall task.

Heavy rains could make this more interesting, but I have this one: Ohio St 41 Penn St 20. 

Colin: Okay, before we go.... Obviously this Buckeye team had better not be looking at the point spread and thinking about playoff opponents, but you and I of course can afford that luxury. Who does Ohio State want or not want in the CFB playoff?

Baver: I said early on when Clemson didn’t look as good as expected that Dabo would have this team ready to go come playoff time. I think they are more than ready now. Haven’t played anybody? Shouldn’t matter, as they’ve been to the playoff four straight years...and they certainly weren’t intimidated in postseason games against Bama and Ohio St when those two schools were the top programs in CFB. 

If OSU gets in, and draws a team other than Clemson or LSU in the semi, that would be a big break in my mind. OSU-Clemson I think would be a dog fight, and OSU-LSU possibly would be as well. Other than those two, I’d feel pretty good about OSU matching up against any of the other potential playoff teams.

--Brent Baver and Colin Gawel, Pencil Storm 2019

The NCAA, Chase Young, The State of the Big 10 - Baver Answers Colin's Questions: Rutgers Week

Colin: I read an article recently that stated schools that work with the NCAA get punished worse than schools that defy them. OSU though seems to have dodged a bullet with Chase Young...a quick response from the NCAA and OSU not needing Chase against Maryland and Rutgers. Your thoughts? 

Baver: A lot of angles here..... 1 – Could OSU have had this info long ago, and buried it until after the Wisconsin game, knowing that a potential 2-gm suspension against Maryland and Rutgers would be meaningless? That is possible. 2 – Is this that big of a deal anymore with the NCAA opening the door for athletes to be paid for their name, image & likeness come 2023? Athletes should have been able to profit from these things long ago. It’s not the biggest deal, but if you break rules that you know exist, you have to deal with some consequences. 3 – Your point....does working with the NCAA actually make matters worse? It can and has. Missouri worked with the NCAA recently regarding an academic scandal and got hammered. With a similar academic scandal, North Carolina fought back and got a slap on the hand.

In regards to Chase Young himself, he seems like a good kid that made a questionable decision. There is probably some more to the story than what was reported to the NCAA, but that’s just a guess. I think Ohio St has taken worse than it deserved from the NCAA multiple times in the past, so maybe this is just karma coming back around.

Colin: Rutgers is so bad let's just skip to another question. 

Baver: You don’t want a breakdown of the mighty Scarlet Knights?

Colin: No. Why was LSU playing single coverage press defense up two scores with only 1:30 left allowing Alabama to hit an easy 85-yard TD making the game look much closer than it really was? Is this an SEC conspiracy?

Baver: Mind boggling. You don’t have to be a genius to know that you have to keep everything in front of you on that play. Yeah, it added 85 yards to the box score and made for a misleading final score. At least Bama still fell out of the top 4.

Colin: Meanwhile the Gophers rowed the boat and Sparty had an epic meltdown, what is the state of the Big Ten at this point? 

Baver: The Gophers are 81 pts better than the Vegas spread over their last 6 gms, covering all 6 spreads. But they are a dog at Iowa this week, and Kinnick Stadium is not an easy place to play, as Ohio St can attest to. Minny is obviously in the Playoff if it wins out. Question becomes if Minny, PSU or Ohio St win the B10 title game, but finish with 1 loss...do they get in? I think Ohio St probably would...not sure about Minny or the Nits. This despite the fact that every conference power ranking I have seen this year has the Big Ten 2nd behind the SEC in overall strength. Is the committee going to leave the Big Ten out of the playoff for a 3rd year in a row? I know Sparty and Ohio St embarrassed the conference in the 2015 & 2016 playoffs, but you can’t keep leaving the 2nd best conference out of a 4-team playoff. 

Sparty and the Huskers have disappointed, while Michigan has been Michigan. But Ohio St has been on another planet, Indiana has their best team in decades, Minnesota is 9-0, and Illinois has made huge strides. I’d say it’s a pretty good overall year for the B10.

Colin: As far as CFB rankings, it seems Clemson is a lock but all the other teams have serious work to do. How would you rank them this week?

Baver: I’d have LSU #1, Ohio St #2, and Clemson #3, same as the committee. #4 is a tough call. Oregon has the 2nd best overall schedule strength of the top 10 teams (behind LSU), so as of today, I’d give the Ducks the benefit of the doubt for the #4 slot. With as dominant as Bama has been (in games where they didn’t face LSU), I see little choice but ranking them #5 right now. But the Tide almost can’t move into the top 4 without a truckload of upsets. I would have Penn St at #6 based on a very strong overall SOS. 

Colin: I'm going to be in Pittsburgh this weekend where sports betting is legal, what games and lines should I be paying attention to? 

Baver: I’ve got one if you can hold your nose at the betting window. I still don’t think Michigan is all that, but Sparty is getting close to rock bottom, and is decimated with injuries. They are going to get waxed in Ann Arbor Saturday. I see most books currently have that line at UM -13½.  If you can get Michigan laying less than 2 TDs, that is a steal. 

Next best play I think is Indiana getting 14½ at Penn St. Horrible situations spot for the Nits, sandwiched between Minnesota and Ohio St. 

--Brent Baver and Colin Gawel

Did the Committee get the first ranking right? LSU at Bama? Penn St at Minny? Baver Answers Colin's questions - Terp Week

Colin: Bucks #1 in the first playoff ranking. I know your own top 4 for the playoff ended up being the same as the actual ranking.... meanwhile the AP and coaches’ polls had OSU #3 and #4. Your thoughts?

Baver: Right now, Ohio St deserves the top spot over LSU. They Buckeyes have dominated opponents more so than the other top dogs, and their 8-game schedule has been tougher than that of every other undefeated team. Bama and Clemson have similar SOS rankings, but Bama hasn’t been challenged like Clemson was against a bad UNC team. So yeah, OSU at #1, LSU at #2, and Bama at #3 makes sense. And with Penn St’s wins over Iowa and Michigan, that got them in the #4 slot ahead of Clemson...again, the right call by the committee. 

The committee has never really cared where the AP and coaches rank teams. Clemson is top 4 in both the AP and Coaches Poll, and I think the committee asked each other, “Why? Because they won the title last year?” We are two months into the 2019 season....it’s the 2019 body of work that should be evaluated, which is why the committee waits until November to release a ranking. 

Of course, the LSU-Bama winner will be #1 next week, so OSU’s #1 ranking will be short lived, and Clemson will be top 4 next week after they roll over NC State.

Colin: Seems to be lots of chatter in Columbus that as long as Ohio State wins the Big Ten Championship, they could survive a loss at Michigan and still make the playoffs. Is that wishful thinking?

Baver: That’s definitely a possibility if that’s OSU’s only loss. I think a 12-1 OSU team would still have a decent chance of trumping a 12-1 conference winner from the Big 12 or Pac 12.

Colin: This Buckeye team was on fire heading into the 2nd bye week of the season. Is there any fear that the time off followed by two inferior opponents will take the edge off how well they have been playing? 

Baver: I fear that this Buckeye team could have peaked too soon, but I don’t think the layoff or inferior competition is too much concern. And when they get supplanted from their #1 slot by the Bama-LSU winner, that should provide a bit of motivation.

Colin: Last year the turtle torched the bullets to the tune of 51 points. Do you think they studied that film on the break and what should we expect this year? 

Baver: They may have spent some time on last year’s game film, but a year ago it was Greg Schiano’s defense against Matt Canada’s offense. Those guys have moved on, and OSU’s margin of victory in this one will be much closer to Vegas’ 43½-pt spread than OSU’s 1-pt win at Maryland last November. This game has blowout written all over it; I’ve got it Ohio St 55 Maryland 7.

Colin: Around the Big Ten, is this the biggest home football game in Minnesota history? Can the Gophers get it done? Does it even matter? 

Baver: It’s the biggest game I can remember. You have to go back to 1941 to find a Gopher team that started 8-0. PJ Fleck has done an unbelievable job so far, with Minnesota’s ascent being similar to the quick rise WMU saw under Fleck in Kalamazoo. Does it matter? Minnesota’s SOS rating is somewhere around 80th best in the country, so you have to take that 8-0 record with a grain of salt. I like Penn St laying the 6½ here. Too much talent differential.

Colin: Meanwhile Joe Burrow vs Saban in Tuscaloosa this Saturday at 3:30. Thoughts on that game and playoff implications for the loser.

Baver: The average total points scored per game over the last 5 Bama-LSU games is 30.6, yet the over/under for this game is 63. LSU finally has a big-time offense, and they’ve tailored it to match Burrow’s skill set. And this Tide defense hasn’t been up to typical Bama standards with injuries taking their toll. Will Tua play, and if so, will be slowed by that ankle? Obviously, that’s key. Bama’s wide receivers are far better than any other group in the country, and I think that’s also key in this one. But I don’t think I’d lay 6½ here unless I was pretty sure Tua was close to 100%. 

I saw a prop bet a few days ago giving odds on the loser of the LSU-Bama game making the playoff. The odds basically translated to the loser of this game having a 30% chance of making the playoff. I don’t necessarily have a problem with that happening, especially if we see 2-loss teams winning power conference title games.

—Brent Baver and Colin Gawel

Buckeye Dominance; Young's Heisman Chase; UM Bouncing Back: Baver Answers Colin's Questions - Bye Week #2

Colin: Bad weather conditions and an agitated Badger squad closing to within 3 points in the 2nd half and then... total domination. Thoughts? 

Baver: As October comes to an end, there is no doubt whatsoever that Ohio St has been the best team in America to date. Now, that doesn’t guarantee them anything going forward, but it’s been the most dominating 8-game run I can remember in my 40+ years of being a hardcore Buckeye football addict.

Wisconsin may not be the team we once thought they were, but the Buckeyes scored a touchdown on every 2nd half possession except for the last one....the drive that ended in victory formation. Wisconsin still has a top 10 defense nationally in my opinion, and that was a beatdown. If the weather was better, the beatdown would have been worse.

Colin: Since it’s a bye week, your thoughts on impressive wins by PSU, Mich and the Gophers and what that means for the Buckeyes playoff chances moving forward? 

Baver: PJ Fleck has his kids believing...it’s what he does. The Gophers first four wins of the season were each by 7 pts or less, against less than stellar competition. Their last 4 wins? They beat Illinois by 23, Nebraska by 27, Rutgers by 35, and Maryland by 42. Can they hang with Penn St a week from Saturday? We shall see.

Michigan has now played 6 straight quarters of dominant football against two top opponents, and has a lot of momentum heading into November. Penn St? I still think they are the most talented Big Ten team OSU will face. 

Call it a cliché, but the Buckeyes biggest obstacle now is themselves, not Michigan, Penn St or any other B10 team. A year ago at this time, the 2018 Alabama team was on their way to becoming the greatest college football team of all time. At least, that’s what many in the media were selling. If you watched their final 3 games, that Bama team was nowhere near the team they were in October, and didn’t win the Nat’l Title, much less become the greatest team of all time. Hopefully, Coach Day can help these kids keep their minds right. If they can do that (and stay healthy), OSU will take care of Penn St, Michigan and the B10 West champ, and are Playoff bound.

Colin: Does an Oklahoma loss giving up 48 points combined with another Texas loss give the Buckeyes hope to make the playoff even with one loss? 

Baver: The Bucks would still have a decent shot I think of getting in if they beat PSU but lost to Michigan. OSU would still (likely) be East champs, and would still likely hammer the B10 West champ. There are so many other variables in play if OSU suffers a loss, I guess that’s the only hard take I have right now on a 1-loss Buckeye team making the Playoff.

Colin: Could Chase Young get invited to the Heisman ceremony and have you ever seen a more dominant Buckeye player at any position? (Let’s exclude Orlando Pace to keep interesting) 

Baver: After the clinic he put on against Wisconsin, the national media has jumped on board the Chase Young for Heisman campaign. The effect on the Heisman odds at the sportsbooks? A week ago today, Bovada had 17 players listed with Heisman odds, but no Chase Young. AJ Dillon was their last player listed, having 200 to 1 odds. Checking their live odds just now, Bovada has Chase Young on their board with 8 to 1 odds. An article yesterday noted BetOnline had just added Chase Young to their Heisman odds at 25 to 1. I just checked BetOnline’s live odds, and Chase Young is now listed with 6 to 1 odds. Can Young get an invite to the Heisman ceremony? Yep.

I could go on for a while on this topic, but the most dominating Buckeye player that I’ve seen play? You had to exclude Orlando, didn’t you? Ha....okay, you’ve made it harder. It’s a close call in my mind between Chris Spielman and Chase Young. Spielman wasn’t blessed with the skill set Chase has, but he had instincts like no other defensive player I’ve seen. Let’s definitely revisit in December after Chase finishes the regular season.

Colin: What other games and lines will you be keeping an eye on this week?

Pretty sad slate of games for October? Man alive. But you do have a top 10 matchup in Jacksonville, with Georgia and Florida. The winner of this one still has a shot at the playoff. I like the Gators +6½. The Bulldogs won going away in 2017 & 2018, but I don’t see Dan Mullen getting blown out in this game again this year. I think the Gators hang tough and have decent shot at an upset.

Along the same lines, I like Washington getting the points (3½) at home against Utah. I just do not see Chris Peterson losing his 4th game of the year on the first Saturday of November. The Huskies played Oregon pretty evenly and have had an extra week to prepare for Utah. I like Washington win outright. 

—Brent Baver and Colin Gawel