2012 Buckeye Football "Speculation"

With the NCAA Football season over, after the game tonight that had more feet kicking balls than a movie directed to attract teenage boys, I’m sure that I’m not the only Buckeye fan counting down the days ‘til kick off on September 1st (which is 235 days away. yeah, it’s a leap year, so there is even one more day we have to wait).

But so far it’s all speculation, but then again, what is sports pregame analysis anyway right? The Bucks have some great recruits coming (Spence, Ball, Boren, Bogard, Perry, Schutt, and others) thanks to the work of Meyer and the recruiting team. There are some key seniors sticking around. And even though the restrictions continue, hope and excitement is still high among fans of the poisonous nut.

So what can we speculate on? Well how about the schedule of 2012 which has some exciting possibilities. We (Buckeye fans, or others reading this post, and I know you Wolverines are here checking it out. And I respect that, whether it is to get something to trash talk about or look upon out of envy) have a couple big time games scheduled and some teams whose bowl possibilities we can damage.

How the 2012 season will go:

We start the season with what I will consider 2 easy wins, over the Redhawks of Miami and UCF coming to The Shoe. This will be a great way for the Buckeyes to feel out their new team. Hopefully after these first 2 games it is a feeling of comfort and confidence, but not over confidence because no one wants another week 3 beating like last year (from the other Miami team).

Speaking of week 3, the Golden Bears of California (my home state) are headed to Ohio Stadium for what will be the first real test of the season. Here Urban Meyer’s squad should execute with perfection and chalk up their third win. This will be the game to let the fans know if the team is going to amount to anything this year (hint: they are). It also stands as a time to remind the Pac 12 that the B1G is not going to take it easy this year.

Then comes week 4, the Buckeyes fourth straight week at home (A total of 8 home games are scheduled for the 12 game season, no it is not fair, but I am not complaining). This is the last game where our boys in Red and Grey get to feel things out, because after they beat UAB to a bloody pulp, and sit with a 4-0 record, the Conference games start.

So headed into the conference schedule, which the Buckeyes cannot technically "win," the Bucks can do some serious damage to their conference foes. They can also begin to lay the pavement for a long and successful future of a team lead through the rest of Coach Meyer’s career.

The first conference games will start up in East Lansing against the Spartans. Kirk Cousins will be gone, yet Spartans are still on track to be a team that doesn’t allow many points. If you only saw Michigan State play one game last year, and it was the one against OSU, then you recall we lost 7-10. But our offense will be much more dangerous this season and will pull in the Bucks 5th win on the season (you can argue we lose this game if you feel I am being too biased).

Then back to The Shoe to face the Cornhuskers and attempt to get a little revenge. But Nebraska will still have their starting QB who threw for over 2000 yards (900 more than Braxton Miller did). When it comes to this battle does home field advantage lend enough support to lift the Bucks over their foes? I don’t know. I would say at the half way point through the season, OSU sits at 5-1 with a loss either to Nebraska or Michigan State.

Week 7 brings the Buckeyes out to Memorial Stadium in Bloomington Indiana to play the Hoosiers. Now last year the Hooisers didn’t amount to much and were one of the Buckeyes six victories. As a team that ranked 114th in giving up points (37.3 a game) I don’t imagine they will have made enough improvements to compare to who the Buckeyes will have become.

The Boilermakers are up next in week 8, back in Columbus. This is what I call a revenge game from one of the more sad losses of last season in overtime. But Purdue brings back for another season both of their running backs (Bolden and Shavers), which both averaged 4.6 yards a rush. With this being a home game I say OSU has a great chance to win, but it will be a battle in the trenches for the Red and Grey defense.

Week 9 brings an already heated rivalry to Beaver Stadium where the Buckeyes will face Penn State. With the recent recruiting battles (heavily won by Ohio State) and the scandals that have plagued both schools (not here to debate or discuss those scandals) this will be a game of emotion. The series between the two schools is tied at 13 a piece, so this will be the season the Buckeyes can take the lead back. Penn State will be brining back some offensive fire power, but it is their defense that worries me as a Buckeye fan. Last season Penn State ranked 5th in the nation in points given up (16.8 per game). Last year the game was so close, and as I have predicted the Buckeyes to be gaining momentum and have much more solid leadership, I have this one going to Ohio State.

And back home go the Bucks to play the Fighting Illini in Columbus. Last season OSU was able to hold Illinois to 7 points and this year I don’t see much of anything different taking place. The Bucks handled them on the away turf, and though the young QB of the Illini will be back I don’t expect to see him lead his squad to victory over the Buckeyes of Urban Meyer in Columbus.

On the 10th of November a much needed bye comes for the boys of Red and Grey. This will be time to heal wounds, and give the leaders some time to rest their bodies. Not only will it be time to recover from the wear and tear that football puts on its players, but also time to study what will perhaps be the 2 biggest games of the Buckeyes bowl-less season.

Ohio State will be headed to what I am going to consider the toughest game of their season. There is speculation that Wisconsin won’t be as much of a power house as they were this year. Yet with the return of Monte Ball, perhaps my favorite half back to watch this past season, I have my doubts about the Buckeyes ability to stop him. Yes we had a great game against them last year, but that is just more fuel to burn their fire against us. I hate to do it, but I give this a solid L.

Following what I considered the toughest game of the season, comes what true Buckeye Fans will consider the most important game of the season, Ohio State Vs. Michigan, or what fans refer to as "The Game." Over the last decade OSU has the advantage 8 games to 2. Last year OSU struggled under Luke Fickell (who I think did a good job for the crap situation he was thrown into) and lost in a 40-34 shoot out. With Denard Robinson returning as the Wolverines leading passer and rusher, Ohio State will have to prepare for another shoot out. And although this game will not determine whether or not the Buckeyes go to the Rose Bowl, it may determine if the guys up north get a chance to, and that is not an acceptable outcome. I think Urban Meyer sets a precedent on November 24th, gaining the trust of Ohioans, as well as Buckeye Nation, and beats the Wolverines 34-27.

So come end of the regular, bowl-less season, where do the Buckeyes stand? Worst case scenario they end up 7-5, but I find this one hard to swallow. Best case scenario, they go undefeated, but I find this also hard to believe. In reality the Buckeyes, in the 2012 season, have a great year, proving they are a team that plays the game to win, not just for the bowl, and goes 10-2, tying one or two teams in the B1G for best record. Urban Meyer begins to establish himself as the coach of a great team, which will become a dominant force for years to come. The recruits keep piling in, and the all the talk turns into wins. Once again, dominance is established along the Olentangy.

2012 Schedule

9/1 Miami (OH)
9/8 UCF
9/15 CAL
9/22 UAB
9/29 @ Michigan State
10/6 Nebraska
10/13 @ Indiana
10/20 Purdue
10/27 @ Penn State
11/3 Illinois
11/10 Bye week
11/17 @ Wisconsin
11/24 Michigan