The good news for the Trojans is the best is yet to come as Barkley is a true freshman with a very bright future. Especially if he gets to face a defense coached by someone wearing a Sweatervest week-in and week-out with the game on the line.
The bad news for the Buckeyes is they have a 2009 quarterback teamed with a coach who is stuck in 2002. Or 1992. Or 1892. Or some other time in the past when the word "punt" actually, really meant something other than a derisive jab in a blog.
USC didn't so much win this game as OSU's coaching staff lost it.
And by coaching staff I mean Jim Tressel.
From the utterly asinine decision on third and three late in the second quarter to the abysmal decision to not put pressure on a freshman QB in the fourth when it counted, Tressel has proven he can no longer coach against the highest level of 1-A schools. Not now. And not since that crystal he hoisted following the 2002 season.
SoCal is fine, and C-Bus is burning.
There was no excuse for Ohio State to lose this game. None.
Except for the fact that Pete Carroll knows how to manage his QB prodigy, while Tressel still has no clue as to how to use his. Or how to deal with one on the opposing sidelines.
While SoCal is dancing their way back to their buses on their way to the airport following yet another Big Ten conquering, OSU needs to take a step back and figure out where they are going as a program.
Yeah, it's that bad.
Prodigy quarterback? Has there ever been a QB (Pryor) who has been so hyped and done so little. He's as much to blame for the loss as Tressel.
I am sure Tressel, a coach with an 84-20 record at Ohio State, multiple top 10 finishes, and a National Championship, will lose a lot of sleep now that a blogger thinks he has lost his mojo.
Ohio State goes to 2 national title games and loses, and that is used as proof to criticize them, when 110+ other teams haven't made it to one title game, let alone three like Ohio State has.
Don't you have time to hack out another Terrelle Pryor - Michael Vick story?
No, it's not that bad. Unless you are referring to hack bloggers who drum up controversial story lines or try to make news, as it is the only way to try and lure in readers.
Interesting, while OSU and USC battle it out we see the scores for "great" teams like Florida beating the William and Mary junior varsity girl's team. What a joke.
I can't wait for the next hillbilly to tell us how great the SEC is while their teams win 56-0 against high school teams. Ha!
Jim Tressel is a Willis McGahee ACL away from being as irrelevant as John Cooper!
And Tressel wouldn't even have that national championship if it weren't for a benevolent game official who generously threw a flag after UM had won the game.
USC should be the number one team in the country. Texas and Florida have yet to beat a ranked team.
No Florida has not even played a single div 1A team so far. Their schedule is disgusting joke.
For a sophomore QB that called Penn State "too country" to sign with, Pryor looked very country to me last night. He reminds me of a tall, indecisive Kordell Stewart. When I think of quarterbacks from the Pittsburgh area, Marino, Kelly, Montana, Unitas and Namath come to mind -- not Pryor. But to his defense, his coach comes from the Big Ten mentality -- it's not all his fault.
Just another Pac-10 Smack Down of another overrated big-10 school.
Even with Sark and Holt now coaching my beloved Washington Huskies, the Trojans have not missed a beat and Pete Carroll has just reloaded with more skill and talent than the big 10 will ever know.
Can't wait till this Saturday and the Trojans visiting Husky Stadium. The Dogs are on the comeback trail but will need another year or two to build some depth and more talent.
Go Pac 10!
Go Washington Huskies!
Go USC!
Let me ask you this:
If OSU wins the game do you write the same column ripping on Jim Tressel or not?
This was far from another "Pac-10 Smack Down." Last year was a smack down. This year was a very good game, that as Pryor said, OSU should have won. No excuses, OSU blew it, nothing else can be said.
I think saying Tressel can't coach at the D-1 top level anymore is one of the stupidest comments I have read today. The last 2 big games they have been in have been very good games, if they would have lost by 40 in both, I may agree with you. But I pose the same question as before, if OSU makes 1 play in both those games ont he last drives of both games, do you write the same column? Because that is what the last 2 games have come down to, 1 drive where OSU is 1 play away from winning.
OSU has lost it's last several big games, everyone beats them up for it, yet USC loses to a bottom feeder in the PAC 10 and it is OK.
What's with the never-ending need to trash OSU every time they come up short in a big game?
I can understand that many fans probably feel cheated by watching two consecutive blowout championship games, I'll give you that one. However, the two most recent tilts against Texas and USC were competitive and entertaining matchups and no one can feel cheated after watching either of them.
The Buckeyes will continue to suit up and put it on the line without hesitation each time they are given the chance. For that, they have nothing to be ashamed of.
USC is certainly an elite program worthy of national championship consideration but I don't like the double standard applied to them in the media. They are heralded for defeating OSU but then in the next article, the Buckeyes are maligned as being unworthy of playing on the same field. You really can't have it both ways. If we are going to rip apart major programs for their shortcomings, I would like to hear more analysis on how the Trojans (and others) can manage to throw away their hopes season after season by tripping over their puny and inconsequential conference rivals.
dont be so hard on the florida schedule. i mean how else will the qbs from florida put up great stats, get drafted high, and bust out in the nfl?
@Lightning...
I'm glad someone else realizes that OSU's "Championship" was the result of a Phantom pass interferance call...
Miami should be the rightful 2002 National Champs... look it up on YouTube... completely non-existant call - and even if it was there - which it WASN'T EVEN CLOSE... you don't make that call as an official.
Tressel is a joke. Down with OSU. I was thrilled to see the trojans rock that game.
The 2002 Championship was won fair and square. All of this b/s about the pass interference call is crap. Even if it wasn't pass interference it was still holding. Either way the bucks get the ball again. Also why is it everyone forgets that Miami had the ball first and goal from the 2 and could not score. Yes Tressel needs a Off. Coord. to call the plays. I also think it was pretty obvious that OSU had just as much speed if not more than USC. Where are all the bloggers from last week that said USC would win 42-0.
Anyone who watched more than two minutes of this game and thinks that USC should be number one is a flipping hypocrite, unless they would have put Navy number one if *they* pulled out a late TD drive. USC looked nothing like a great team throughout the vast majority of the game, but they were rescued by OSU's underwhelming coaching staff.
And Florida's schedule still features three teams who have won BCS titles. Admittedly, that's down from last year -- when they beat four teams in the regular season who own crystal footballs and then a fifth in the championship. Maybe this time USC can show up for the BCS title game? But Carroll is 1-2 against non-Big Ten teams in bowls, so he'd better hope Penn State is the opponent.
Why all the crying ? You Buckeye fans should be proud your school had the " cajones " to schedule a team like USC in a home and home . Ohio State stands for quality and has a tradition of excellence in college football .
USC and OSU put it all on the line when they scheduled these games . They knew it was the quick path to a National Championship if they won and early season destruction if they lost ; but nevertheless you can hold your heads up high . Look at Florida . They played two teams in Charleston Southern and Troy that were totally over-matched and their fans act like they just beat the Southern California Trojans .
Pride and tradition mean honor to OSU and USC and that means alot more than victories over CS and Troy . CS and Troy administrators I have a question for you ? You threw your kids under the bus for money . Why ? You knew you couldn't win . Now wash your hands in the blood and vomit on your thirty pieces of silver ! .
Can Urban Myer coach against a div. 1 team? Maybe ww will all find out when florida plays one.