Journal-News.com

Periscope knows what you're thinking: Oh, my gosh, the Buckeyes are No. 11 in the Bowl Championship Series rankings and there's no way they'll end up in a quality bowl game.

As Lee Corso would say, not so fast, my friend. True, the Buckeyes currently rank No. 11 and trail, in order: Alabama, Texas Tech, Penn State, Texas, Florida, Oklahoma, USC, Utah, Oklahoma State and Boise State.

But there are two things to keep in mind.

First, some of those teams in front of Ohio State are bound to lose. Alabama, just to pick on the No. 1 team, plays at LSU this weekend before closing its regular season with home games against Mississippi State and Auburn. Then the Crimson Tide will most likely meet Florida in the SEC title game. The first and last of those games will be true tests.

No. 2 Texas Tech beat Texas, which is pretty impressive. But the Red Raiders must come right back against Oklahoma State before traveling to Oklahoma and then hosting Baylor. Even if they survive those three toughies, they would meet Kansas or Missouri in the Big 12 title game.

Almost everyone has a trap game left on its schedule. The Buckeyes, first and foremost, need to win their three remaining games at Northwestern, at Illinois and at home against Michigan. If they do, you can rest assured they will have moved up the ladder.

No wonder

Anyone doubting the strength of the Big 12 should take a close look at the BCS rankings. Texas Tech is No. 2, Oklahoma is No. 4, Texas is 6 and Oklahoma State is No. 9 — and they are all in the same division (the South) of the Big 12.

Champaign brunch

Ohio State's game at Illinois on Nov. 15 will kick off at noon. The game time was set by ESPN, which will carry the Big Ten contest on either ESPN or ESPN2.

Conference congrats

The Big Ten picked its players of the week on Monday. Sharing the offensive award were Northwestern's Mike Kafka (rushed for a conference record 217 yards by a QB in a win over Minnesota) and Purdue QB Justin Siller (threw for 266 yards and 3 TDs in his first career start, a win over Michigan).

The winner on defense was S Brendan Smith of Northwestern (returned an interception 48 yards for a TD with 12 seconds left to beat Minnesota).

— Rusty Miller, Associated Press