Meadowdale H.S. graduation 2012
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Home > Blogs > Buckeyes Beat > Archives > 2008 > September > 05
Friday, September 5, 2008
Buckeyes won’t cover spread against Ohio U
Ohio State is a 34-point favorite Saturday against Ohio University. If Jim Tressel’s history against the Mid-American Conference is any indication, I doubt the Buckeyes will cover.
My advice: Take the points.
Tressel is 9-0 against the MAC since taking over in Columbus in 2000. Only twice have the Buckeyes defeated a MAC foe by more than four touchdowns during that span — both times against Kent State, including a 48-3 thumping last year.
The spreads in the other seven games: 14, 7, 3 (remember Mike Nugent’s long field to beat Marshall in 2004?), 20, 23, 28, 18.
OSU hasn’t play Ohio since 1999, a 40-16 victory, and the Buckeyes are 5-0 all-time against the Bobcats.
I keep going back to last year’s 20-2 snoozer over Akron. And, hey, ESPN wouldn’t televise this game if the brains in Bristol thought it would be 48-7, right?
I don’t think the game will be close, but Ohio U is a step up from Youngstown State, and the Buckeyes’ running game will be average at best without Beanie Wells.
And Tressel will still be working Terrelle Pryor into the lineup, which means some disruption at the QB spot. Pryor, a freshman, probably is feeling pretty full of himself after last week’s impressive performance. He’ll learn a lesson Saturday, which will help him get down to business when OSU goes to USC.
Some off-the-field tidbits about Saturday’s game:
— Honorary captain for the Buckeyes is Dave Foley, an All-America offensive lineman from Springfield and Ohio State’s only three-time Academic All-American (1966-68).
— Olympic basketball gold medalist and former Buckeye Michael Redd will be recognized at halftime.
— Inductees to the Varsity O Hall of Fame will also be honored at halftime; the induction dinners are Friday night.
