NCAA Football Ohio Football

Lou Holtz -- or "Holth" if you're being unkind -- has achieved something remarkable this football season, going from a universally loathed figure on a par with Mark May to everyone's slightly addled, slightly awesome distantly related uncle.

The turning point was in one of his quickly-infamous "pep talks" wherein he totally reconfigured your perceptions, man, by ripping up some newspaper and quickly reforming it into a whole once more. It was awesome. Really. Truly, this lisping elf reminscent of Granny Clampett was possessed of magical powers.

Yeah, well, don't you forget it, Mister:



Anyone wishing to become a supplicant can find him on the top of the highest peak in the Himalayas; bring him jugs of moonshine bearing the inscription "XXX" and ye shall be granted your answers.

(HT: Awful Announcing.)

Yeah, yeah. Ohio State going to Happy Valley. The White Out in the stadium with over 100,000 fans screaming for a night game. Turns out that for all the ambiance, energy and excitement of the crowd, it didn't change the fact that Penn State was no where near the level of Ohio State. The Buckeyes controlled the game almost from the beginning to win 37-17.

Ohio State dominated Penn State. The vaunted Nittany Lion Defense could not force one punt by the Buckeyes. Ohio State moved up and down the field the entire game. They did it on the ground with Chris Wells leading with 133 yards. In the air, QB Todd Boeckman made play after play, throwing 3 TDs in the game. The Buckeyes were an absurd 12-16 on 3d down conversions and even converted a 4th down for good measure.

Defensively, Ohio State kept Penn State off balance. The Nittany Lions never found any comfort. QB Anthony Morelli couldn't get the ball downfield. Instead, he was forced into short dumps and passes that the Buckeyes could control. You could see Morelli lose confidence as the game went on. By the time he threw the interception run back 29 yards for another score, he was done. It was a mercy act by Joe Paterno to yank Morelli from the game at that point.

Just because you've never heard of anybody in the MAC Conference, doesn't mean there isn't anybody worth watching. With the college football season beginning soon, FanHouse gives you "MAC Daddies," a look at some players you may not yet know about but should.

If the Ohio Bobcats are going to make a second straight appearance in the MAC Conference championship game, it's going to be by riding on senior running back Kalvin McRae's shoulders. All the talk surrounding running backs in the MAC may have been on Northern Illinois' Garrett Wolfe last season, but don't think opposing defenses aren't fully aware of who McRae is.

If it wasn't for Kalvin McRae, the Bobcats would not have played in their first bowl since 1968, and he'll be looking to get them back to another one this season.

Last season McRae became the first Ohio running back to post back-to-back 1,000 yard seasons in thirty years, finishing up with 1,252 yards rushing, and a school record 15 touchdowns. As he enters his senior year, McRae finds himself only 1,009 yards shy of becoming the school's all-time leading rusher, a position currently held by the legendary Steveland Hookfin. We really need more people named Steveland Hookfin in this world.

If McRae doesn't break the record, it will probably be bad news for the Bobcats. He set yet another school record with eight 100-yard games last season, and Ohio went 8-0 in those games. When he finished under the century mark, Ohio was 1-5. As if that wasn't enough, Kalvin also led the Bobcats in receiving with 29 receptions and 280 yards.

In other words, the kid is good. Very good. You may not get to see much of him on television this season, but you'll probably be seeing him on an NFL field next season.

New York State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo has issued subpoenas for 39 collegiate athletic departments in a probe of their relationships with student loan providers. At its most basic, this investigation is asking whether or not cash, kickbacks, gifts and other bribes or misleading measures were communicated between various student loan providers and the cited athletic departments.

Cuomo is investigating whether athletic departments at these universities agreed to promote SFS loans to students in exchange for kickbacks.

"Students trust their University's athletic departments because so much of campus life at Division I schools centers around supporting the home team," said Cuomo. "To betray this trust by promoting loans in exchange for money is a serious issue, especially when Division I schools already generate tremendous revenue from their student athletes. Today's action is an important new step as we continue to examine the unethical conflicts that pervade the student loan industry.

"The Attorney General's office is specifically investigating whether athletic departments evaluated UFS interest rates before recommending their federal loans, or if their endorsement of UFS was based purely on payments from the lender. Such an arrangement would constitute revenue sharing, which is a violation New York state consumer protection laws, as well as a violation of federal law.

D-IA football schools named (prominent schools in bold): Arkansas State, Auburn, Bowling Green, Central Michigan, Colorado State, East Carolina, Florida Atlantic, Georgia Tech, Ohio, Oregon State, Rutgers, TCU, Tulane, Alabama-Birmingham, UCLA, UCF, Houston, Kansas, Louisville, Oregon, Pittsburgh, USF, UTEP. See link for complete list.

Of note: USC and Texas have also been scrutinized in a similar probe, but to my knowledge it has not been linked to their athletic departments but rather the university-wide financial aid offices of the schools.

It's good that athletic departments have an awareness of and working relationship with loan providers, but obviously there's a problem when that relationship gets too cozy and bad loan options are pressed upon students and student-athletes.

(Via: Yahoo!)

10:29 PM. This one's all over but the quiet muttering. Southern Miss leads 28-0 and Ohio has just crossed midfield for the second time all day. Solich breaks out the option, but that works about as well as everything else has today: not at all.

10:35 PM. So, there's a big game tomorrow. Meanwhile, Ohio's getting sacked and trying halfback passes and generally running around futilely, but this one's over. Let's talk shop.

Theory: Ohio State will spread Florida like they did Michigan because they have similarly intimidating defenses against conventional attacks but corner depth best described as "not extant."

Hey... wait! Ohio Touchdown on that option play action that never works in NCAA. Now 28-7. They've got 9:34 to score... uh... three more touchdowns. Anyway, there's a game tomorrow.

10:43 PM. So the onside kick fails and USM takes over on the Ohio side of the field.

Theory: Reggie Nelson will not allow three long touchdowns like the Michigan safeties did. Ohio State will have to earn their touchdowns, which they probably will, but 42 points is not a likely total. Nor anywhere close. (USM punt.)

But Ohio State is probably going to have a number of those maddening drives where Smith is robotically effective and they'll score some points. The threat of a Ginn bomb is ever-present, too. Ohio State will score. (Horrible decision by Ohio quarterback leads to interception, USM ball at the 30).

On the other side of the ball, Ohio State is sort of similarly vulnerable. Antonio Smith was toasted frequently versus Michigan (inadvisable pass from USM results in an Ohio interception... nice play that's not interference since he was going for the ball). But Chris Leak has not displayed the same sort of coolness under pressure and ability to read and fire so rapidly, plus the aggressive Ohio State defense will not yield such easy outs from pressure. (Ohio driving with around three minutes on the clock).

Holy crap: USM's Mark Bower is in his 16th year at the same school, which places him fourth in the country in seniority.

11:04 PM. Ohio turns the ball over on downs and Stephen Reaves, late of Michigan State, has taken over at quarterback. With a minute left this one's done. Final score: 28-7. Catch us tomorrow for the Not Fiesta Bowl blowout.

9:52 PM. Well, first play of the second half is a fumbled pitch and a five-yard loss. Hope! Not really. On third and ten Young buys some time with a late rollout and hits a corner route nicely for the first. Ohio's totally outclassed here. How did they manage to go 7-1 in the MAC?

Our first flag of the second half is yet another offsides on Ohio, their third. Each time they've lined up offsides. How does that happen?

10:00 PM. This is turning into a pretty impressive USM drive. Fletcher's just cut and spun his way to a Mike Hart-esque first down. Only 2.2 YPC so far... this attempted throwback pass to the QB won't help -- it was covered, when does that ever happen -- but he managed to pick up a couple out of what could have been a five-yard loss.

Aaaand that's an awesome five-yard WR screen that ended up with a reversed field and one of those OH GOD moments where it's either going to be a ten yard loss or a touchdown (or, evidently, a five yard gain). Block in the back brings it back.

Fletcher makes a glorious stop-and-go cut to the backside. Would never, ever work against a team not named "Ohio" but damn impressive anyway. Third and six after a second and twenty one and Harrison rips off another 16-yard gain... holding brings it back, but way downfield so it's a third and one, which is converted. WR screen for nine is followed with ANOTHER ridiculous Fletcher cutback that somehow gets the corner -- this is not a good defense -- and ends at the pylon. Touchdown, 28-0 USM, and that was a nine-minute will-killing drive that ends the game.

10:10 PM. Ugly. Even when Ohio gets a play that works the team screws it up. Throwback to the TE is one-hopped on first and ten. On third and four Emerson is sackdefied, punty time, and the announcers are officially permitted to start yammering about anything other than the game in front of their eyes. Please.

10:20 PM. Well... that's it for this quarter. It's 28-0 Southern Miss. Southern speed!

8:48 PM. Occasionally when Austin Everson, the Ohio quarterback, drops to throw he finds guys wide open way downfield. He's just done this again, getting the Bobcats into USM territory with the score tied 0-0 at the start of the second.

Wait... something's happening! A ball thrown deep! WIDE OPEN! underthrownbyfiveyards. Grumble. Ohio drive ends with a punt; Lasher puts it down around the ten. Still zero-zero.

Have I mentioned that Carmen Electra is clearly on the downside in these Taco Bell commercials?

8:52 PM. Andre Ware was the Grand Marshal of something called the "GMAC Bowl Parade," which appears to be just like the Rose Parade without the roses, floats, horses, and marching bands. But other than that it's basically the same.

Young alternates plays where he looks really good with plays like this one, where he short hops a wide open curl route by about five yards. Teams have 60 yards of offense each. Wooo! Penalty! Declined... offsides on a successful wide receiver screen. Hey: that was fun. Bobby Weakley, who is a monstrous bubble-butted fullback spins and rumbles his way to a first down. Huge cutback lane for Corey Harrison gets USM into Ohio territory. There are hints of things that may happen... sack on first and ten makes those hints a mere rumor.

Hey! A zone read develops nicely and Corey Harrison, who had a nice run earlier in the drive gets past a bunch of unfortunately-positioned blitzers, cuts back against the safety, and completes a 90-yard USM drive. 7-0, USM.

9:02 PM. Ohio's backup is in and waggles out, deciding to run for about five. One touchdown versus six interceptions so far this year. Ohio goes three-and-out and punts. Ohio has a guy on the sideline named "Febus," which is awesome. Save me Febus!

9:07 PM. Bobby Petrino is the new head coach of the Atlanta Falcons! Zounds. This has implications beyond his coaching, as it makes Brian Brohm extremely likely to leave, doesn't it? I suppose if they retain the rest of the staff, including his brother, he would stay. Early money is a coordinator elevation.

Meanwhile, USM is driving into Ohio territory again. Nice floating touch pass against cover zero finds its way into a USM receiver's hands and sets up first and goal. Beauty throw from the erratic but occasionally brilliant Young. Next play is a USM dive touchdown. 14-0, USM.

9:19 PM. This one is getting out of hand, I think. With 3:03 left in the half and no discernible Ohio passing game, a score of some sort right here is critical for the Bobcats. This does not appear to be happening. Ohio quickly finds itself in third and six.... pick! Pick-six! 21-0, USM. This baby is over. I'm calling it.

9:24 PM. Ohio's running with 30-ish seconds on the clock here. The Bower switch -- he was the guy who tossed the interception -- looks awful in retrospect. Half's over. Catch us in the second half.

8:06 PM. Kickoff? Already? Where's the rest of the hype? Is it because this is the least awesome second-to-last game of the college football season since... well, ever? (No offense intended to the fine program that spawned Sunday Morning Quarterback.) Ohio goes three-and-out on its first possession and punts. Meanwhile, the teams can't go a play on the other side of the ball without picking up penalties: three already... four. Delay of game. The GMAC bowl!

8:12 PM. Gary Thorne's doing the game and I must confess a deep affection for the man, who MAKES EVERYTHING EXCITING!!! Also, when he does hockey he constantly name drops colleges -- a big deal, if you know anything about the rivalry between the Canadian Junior system and the NCAA in hockey, which you don't because you're not from Minnesota or New England or Michigan. Punty punt time.

8:21 PM. Zing! Seam route to a guy with four catches gets Ohio out of nasty field position, but they bog down after that. Sideline reporter Matt Stone -- perhaps the last of his ilk who is not a professionally hot (-ish) woman -- has an entertaining exchange with Thorne about the clear plastic facemasks that many players wear; in the rain they've become a liability and come off.

More penalties: holding, illegal formation. Punty time again.

8:29 PM. Wait... Georgia scored four second-half touchdowns and Stafford ended up with something like 130 yards passing? WTF happened in that game? USM's Damien Fletcher makes a nice backside hop cut and rips off a first down, but gets nowhere on the next two plays. Young holds in the pocket long enough to convert the ensuing third down and we have our first threatening drive of the night.

Thorne's amazed that the middle linebacker is making a bunch of tackles on runs up the middle... uh, okay. Third down is short, but converted by a roughing the passer penalty. Late and legitimate. Would have been fourth and short in the grey zone where they'd probably go for it.

Ensuing option is shut down beautifully. You can't run the option against Frank Solich! If there's one team in the country other than Navy that's intimately familiar with the Ohio Bobcats. NEXT play is also a loss on a run, leaving USM with a third and 18. We-give-up flat pass is overthrown and USM faces a 41 yard field goal. Up... yuck. No good. If it's any consolation to USM, that probably would have been a missed extra point, so the lost yardage was irrelevant.

8:39 PM. It's a shame the rest of the country misses out on these commercials from what purports to be a "plumbing company" called Michigan Power Rodding. If that's not a male escort service directed at lonely housewives, someone's pissing away mountains of money.

This is irrelevant, but since nothing is ever going to happen in this game -- slant for a third down conversion for Ohio -- and there's a slightly bigger game tomorrow, let me share this comment just posted on the Not Fiesta Bowl preview:

As usual whenever these over rated [sic],three yards & a cloud of dust [factual sic] Big 10 teams plays a poor outmanned team from the SEC all we hear is how the SEC team will be lucky to escape with their lives. And as usual the team representing the SEC will beat the living s**t out of the Big 10 team! Why you ask? Because the SEC is the strongest conference in the country,hand's down.[sic]

This guy's name? "ALL VOL," a gentleman who evidently doesn't remember what happened less than a week ago.

Meanwhile, more runs that go nowhere. First quarter has expired. Catch us in the second.

On Friday, Ohio State had two charter jets totalling some 300 passengers flying down to Arizona for a fun weekend of activities, staying at a luxury hotel and culminating with box seats at the BCS Championship game between Ohio State and Florida. Making the trip were some of the state's top elected officials, school donors and power brokers (political and economic).

Meanwhile, Ohio University plays in the GMAC Bowl in Mobile, Alabama tomorrow against Southern Miss. The Bobcats are one of 7 Ohio schools in the MAC, but most of the state isn't even aware that there is a game tomorrow.

Well, at least Ohio U still has one of the best parties in the country -- Halloween in Athens, Ohio -- going for it.