Three things I took from Ohio State’s 30-0 rolling of Illinois:
One, the Buckeyes’ defense is for real. That’s a BcS defense propping up a FCS offense.
Two, up 23-0 and facing a third and goal from the four-yard line with less than two minutes to go in the fourth, Ohio State decided to throw the football not once but twice. After an incompletion on third, the second on fourth resulted in a Terrelle Pryor touchdown pass to Dane Sanzenbacher.
Losing class…
Three, Kurt Coleman, senior captain, should be suspended for one game by the Big Ten. That helmet-to-helmet hit on a defenseless player in a pile would’ve been beyond bush league at any point in the game. At 30-0, it was despicable.
…class going out the door…
Kudos, Vest, for a second straight shutout.
Hope the end of the game was worth it.
Hmmm … ur Buckeye love is overwhelming … tone it down a bit please … gotta preserve that objectivity now …
that hit was inexcusable but as for scoreing the late TD i dont think of it as classless.
it was in poor taste but i dont think it was “classless”
Yeah, sorry John, but I think this post is a total overreaction. Maybe Tressel wanted to get Pryor some more throwing confidence (and live game practice) by getting a TD pass. Not a big deal. And one guy making a stupid hit at the end of the game might reflect poorly, but I don’t think it automatically makes a team or it’s coach “classless.”
How about breaking some news on Tebow’s condition?
At best Ohio state is second tier BCS and 4th tier class. I am sure they will choke as they are prone to do and thus remain at best 2nd tier.
There is nothing wrong with trying to score a late TD and working on plays or trying people, formations, etc that you wouldn’t do in a closer game.
It wasn’t classless or in poor taste.
We get it you hate the Buckeyes.
Your “analysis” is beyond awesome.
Run along, try to drum up some more page hits with your outlandish columns and hyperbolic “controversy.”
You had to know the recent history between these two teams to know why Ohio State wanted to score one last touchdown. Illinois jumped around at midfield on the Block O two years ago, instead of shaking hands after their upset win. That led to a post-game fight. Before the game Saturday, Illinois again instigated a taunting match at midfield. They have had a habit of doing that under Zook. They just don’t put up much of a fight during the game.
It is not “classless” because it truly shows lower class. Did they onside kick after for “practice”?Buff it all you want Buckeyes… It won’t shine.
Lets look at some other scores that can be categorized as “losing class”:
Florida 41 – Kentucky 7
Texas 64 – UTEP 7
Oaklahoma St 56 – Grambling St 6
Nebraska 55 – Louisiana-Lafayette 0
I guess you would say they were all displaying their offensive prowess? Offensive would be an accurate term to use.
The BCS era promotes running up the score. If you don’t want to scold everyone else, keep it to yourself…Got it, you don’t like the Buckeyes.
2nd tier BCS?
Well, let’s check that out!
Since the BCS started, only one other team has been in the Championship games as many times as Ohio State (3) and that would be Florida State. So, logically, FSU is 2nd tier also?
Bye the way, BCS Championship games has NEVER had a team from NC.
Didn’t see the game, and I’m a Wolverine Fan. So you can hate me all ya want. Just wanted to say this, so far, I’m glad Pryor ended up in OU.
Tressel is one of the best coaches I’ve ever seen, bar none. Ohio state is our rivalry school, and I feel it deep, however, if they get unfair press, I don’t like that either. Like I said, I hadn’t seen the game, I think going for it on 4th down, when your up by 23 points in the game, and your in the 3rd quarter is fine, on any given day, eh, gentlemen?
If there was a player that dove into a pile helmet first, there are rules against it, and that player should be admonished..Safety first..he could’ve broken his neck!
Stuff it Taylor – I agree the hit had no place in that game. So do you really think – that Tressel sent that DB after the guy? Come on, get real.
As for the score – maybe you forgot all of that Juice Williams smack after his last appearance in the ‘Shoe 2 years ago? The Buckeyes didn’t – last year at Illinois and again this year in Columbus. Sorta reminds me of another young smack talker – Drew Tate – who beat the Buckeyes his sophomore year then got pounded by them for his post game comments the next 2 years.
Let’s see, Pryor is completely convicted of not being a real QB, just an athlete; he finally gets a chance to “practice” live in a game and that is classless? Dude needs work, what a better time to get it then during a gametime situation??? As for Coleman, he is the most aggressive out there. The hit will be dealt with by the Big Ten, he will not be playing against Indiana this week!
First, Coleman’s hit was unacceptable. The Big Ten will deal with this. It’s amazing how you sports reporters continue to state the obvious. Apparently, OSU has the only player in the NCAA that made an illegal hit this year.
Also, you have ignored the events surrounding Tressel and the USC loss. He has been accused of playing not to lose instead of playing to win. Also, Pryor has been under scrutiny by the media and the fans for that matter. So, when Tressel goes for it at the end of the game to keep the winning momentum going as well as building Pryor’s confidence, you take a cheap shot at the team.
I knew that someone was just waiting to jump out of the gate to criticize the efforts of Ohio State. Congratulations, you should feel good about yourself.
I agree with Jbuckeye, Illinois has this coming to them.
What is classless, is a coach allowing their players to celebrate on a team’s insignia after a win, or allowing their players to approach the other team before the game as they are warming up.
Both of these things Tressel would never allow to happen. Tressel makes his players keep it on the field. If you don’t want to be scored on with less than 2 minutes left in the game, be classy before and after the game.
Wow, this is incredible. Ohio State loses which means they’re horrible chumps and they suck. Ohio State wins and they’re classless and they suck….
Were you just given the assignment of writing an article about the game and were rebelling by giving us such an enlightening piece of work?
Back off the Buckeyes. It’s old hat, and quite frankly, beating a team down game after game no matter what they do goes against the idea of what sports are supposed to mean.
Ps. Kudos WulverineFan, that shows major sportsmanship.
another thing about the hit, coleman was pulled out by the coaching staff after the hit.
if this was a classless club wouldnt they have left him in/ the guy is a defensive leader and he made a dumb move by making that hit and the coaching staff pulled him out and talked to him. seems to me the staff that pulls a leader out of the game for awhile to talk to him after a bonehead move would be a pretty classy regime.
Bobbyb go whine somewhere else.
Don’t want to get beat 38-0, go score some of your own touchdowns. Don’t expect the other team to stop playing.
Go watch pee-wee league games, they are more your speed, where everyone is a “winner.”
I agree with several of the folks above. The Illini had this coming. As far as the 4th down call, I like it. It’s as much defensive as it is offensive. If they don’t convert, Illinois takes the ball inside the 5.
To the people calling 2nd tier, the role of reactionary parrots in the media is pretty crowded. Unless Skip Bayless or Gregg Doyel retires or dies in a car wreck, we can get our fill of that talk already.
Just the facts whizzbang… If you don’t want to be labeled classless get some class… My team won 64-7 , but played everyone on the roster. Oh and we beat your team the last time we played pee-wee.
Hook ‘Em!!
So, Tebow’s Heisman year, Urban keeping him in the game, running up the score to get the numbers, was genius…
BUT
Tressel sticking it in and twisting it to a team with a lot a history and who repeatedly provokes our team, is classless.
No, sir you are brainless.
Coleman probably will get suspended; the Big Ten is cracking down on that in a major way. As for the rest of it, you’d have trashed OSU for letting up on ‘em if they hadn’t scored.
I haven’t heard much whining from the Illini side of the field on this one. It’s just another helping of cheap shots aimed at Tressel and his players. They executed their game plan for a full 60 minutes and came away with a solid victory against the opponent at hand. In the SEC and Big 12, this is viewed as superiority and gets you top 10 votes. In the Big Ten, it’s just classless.
I applaud Tressel for sticking it to the Fighting Illini after their classless display of thug behavior in Columbus two years ago. I am growing weary of hearing the media rave about Zook’s incoming freshman class year after year. It’s time for the Illinois players to put up or shut up. Aside from all this emotional argument, the Buckeye offense has its share of struggles at the goal line and they need all the work they can get. What better situation to have than the one presented yesterday?
The hit by Coleman was wrong and unfortunate but can hardly be characterized as classless or whatever you want to call it. He is one of the hardest playing kids on that defense and he got a little carried away in the moment. I fear that he may be sitting out next week against Indiana but that’s the way things go sometimes.
Taylor….Your dislike for Ohio State is showing again. You better tone it down a bit. I’m losing patience with your opinions and will gladly stop reading them.
I’m an ACC fan but I have always felt that OSU runs as clean a program as any other major college football program. I do not accept your opinion for your post today, because I can turn on ANY football game on any given Saturday and see a late hit by a player. So, your post and negative headline doesn’t work with those of us that follow the game with an unbiased view. It only shows that you want to use your space here for advancing an immature grudge against OSU for some reason, and it sounds dumb when you write it. Just my thoughts!
Bobbyb – the faceless “whizzbag” going on about how great Texas is while playing a cupcake schedule. Your horndogs haven’t won anything yet – your team’s most stellar moment this season was Bevo shitting all over the place on College Game Day – as will happen with the horndogs “Sooner” or later.
And Taylor – your Cryin Irish need your attention as to a program on the rocks and headed down. Watch for another “rise up” from the Apple Bowl losers this week against supposedly superior talent.
running up the score, classless? Texas 64, UTEP 7. Alabama 35 Arkansas 7. Now this one is funny Oregon 42 Cal 3…If the teams don’t run it up then they drop in the polls.
OK Buckeye fans, if you want to charcterize Pryor staying in the game as his getting “practice”, then that is no more legitimate than Tebow staying in the game to get stats. Saying otherwise is the epitome of the pot calling the kettle black.
And Bama is classless for running up the score vs. Arkansas? You clealry didn’t see the game. Bama was playing subs in its last two possessions and intentionally ran the clock out when they were in scoring position on thie final drive. No 4th down plays to score one more TD.
You jerks need to figure out that Jim Tressel is no saint.
Obviously, reading comprehension isn’t a big skill in columbus… Heck, I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt and say that Tressel figured the suckeyes could blow a 26 point lead with less than 2 minutes…
The Illini brought this one on themselves. The Buckeyes made a point. I just fear the team doesn’t get it, only the fans do. I expect they will trash talk with PSU this week before a 48-0 thrashing with 19 penalties and 4 turnovers. The Gator fans were right all along, we just didn’t want to believe it.
As for the hit, it was dealt with by the B10. Nothing more to see here. Tressel is still a class act in my book.
Pretty tough to find any media reporting these days that are not slanted or biased to some degree. That said, my take on the three points:
1. very good defense
2. no problem with the late touchdown though I disagree with the premise that Illionois had it coming, etc.. Fact is that the NCAA and BCS system have created a system whereby late touchdowns and winning big may be necessary as teams lobby for BCS standing late in the year.
3. the late hit was cheap, particularly up 30 and the guy was already gang tackled by your teammates. OSU pulled the guy but Bo or Woody would have been in that kids face about such a stupid and dangerous play.
Net – no class lost….but OSU and its fans should take the higher road and act like you’ve been there before, which is the same that I would expect out of my wolverines. (admittedly I am probably too old school for todays college football) Go Blue!
This is so ridiculous. First, people cry and complain about the Buckeye’s not running up the score. We don’t get respect because we don’t score “style” points. And then Tress finally does it, and everyone complains? You’ve got to be kidding me. How about we all make up our minds.
OHHHH and how bad did Florida beat that team their first game? 60ish-0?
Have issue only w/ the Coleman hit – he’s lucky he didn’t hurt the kid. As a captain, he should know better, he’s lucky the B10 only handed out just the 1 game susp.
Thought more along lines the first team O should have been sitting, instead of piling on w/ the late touchdown – hey the Tressel track record on such aggresive offensive strategy doesn’t leave much to reference last I checked.
The defense looks nasty, good mix of experience and youth, chock full of talent. Just need to see a complete shut down of an elite (Had USC beaten Washington, I’d be 100% on board).
Say all you want, but Tressel is to Ohio State what Bobby Cox is to the Atlanta Braves. Always really good to the point of being one of the best, but only once can he be good enough to win the big one.
Get ‘em fired up again, JT.
Ron Zook is the worst coach in college football. I wonder who he will be the recruiting coordinator for next year.
Who can blame OSU for throwing a 4 yard TD pass late in the 4th quarter and up by 23? They have to pad the living legend, Terrelle Pryor’s stats as much as possible to jusitfy all the hype for him. Honestly, has there ever been a more over-rated player in the country.