GLENDALE, Ariz. - Yes, I heard the Buckeyes talk about the pent-up frustration and just wanting to get things over, but that was a heck of a way to come out of the gate with Ted Ginn Jr. going 92 yards for a TD.  Of course as it showed on Florida's subsequent return, that could work against you as well as the Gators got a decent return also. 

 Update:  It's clear that on Florida's opening drive they're only going to take what the Buckeyes give them and Urban Meyer isn't going to have a problem switching things up as you can see with Tim Tebow getting a carry.

Then on the TD one of the Buckeyes DBs cheated up, leaving Dallas Baker uncovered.  The Bucks D should settle down and play after that.  If you remember the regular season, however, they always gave up points early then proceeded to calm.

 Update II Bucks First Drive:  It's too early in the game to call anything crucial but for the Gators to come out and stop the Bucks' offense on the opening drive only builds momentum for the defense and entire team.  And now they're going to compound things with dumb penalties.  Here's the reality of the situation, about the only thing that can stop the Buckeyes is the Buckeyes.

Update III Florida's Second Drive:  So right now, it's apparently clear that one team showed up in the fist quarter at least as Florida continues to drive down the field.  You want to talk about a momentum shift.  Here it is.  The Buckeyes came in with all the cred in the world, yet here in the first quarter they've given up 14 primarily because of a short field and two dumb penalties.  I wrote a couple of times that they ran the risk of becoming Miami - the team they beat in the 2003 Fiesta Bowl - if they didn't play to their abilities.

Update IV OSU's Second Drive:  You would know that they put me in a section next to a bunch of liquored up Gator fans.  I'm not in the pressbox.  I'm in the spill over media area.  Impressive return by Gonzalez and it's needed too because you know that after that opening kick off the Gators will not be kicking to Ginn again.  This drive is where the Buckeyes just might have to go Woody Hayes on the Gators.  Establish Pittman.  Establish the fact that their O-line is more powerful than their D-line.  Pittman's first down was essential.  Smith loses 10 yards on a sack.  Think that doesn't weaken any momentum that first down gave the offense?

What's that I said about dumb penalties? You think they'd be debating that long layoff between the Michigan game and whatever bowl game the Bucks end up in again?  I do.  Is there a rust factor here? Three dumb penalties and a rare Troy Smith interception says that it doesn't hurt.  And where are the O'line that he thanked in his Heisman speech?

Update IV Florida's Third Drive:  You think that Urban Meyer skipped the Michigan and actually may have studied film from the Northwestern game when Ohio State was hit more than a few times deep and over the middle?  They're giving up chunks of yardage that way and it highlights a glaring weakness the team has had all year.   And it's quite obvious OSU didn't study up on the trickeration.  I don't know if they thought the Gators would come out using reverses the entire game, but the D's heads are not into this game.

Quarter break:  Without a doubt that was the worst quarter of football that the Ohio State Buckeyes have played all year.  There's no offensive flow.  They're borderline comatose out there.  The strength of this team was supposed to be in its veteran leadership.  Well these fifth year seniors - Smith, Datish, Pitcock, Richardson - had best step up real soon or this will have been for naught.

Update IV Florida's Third Drive (continued):  Three for three.  Three possession three touchdowns.  So far the Buckeyes offense left their game back on Nov. 18. 21-7.

Update V OSU's Third Drive:  OSU finally shows some semblance of life with the official's help. Hartline gets a 13-yard grab and a penalty is tacked on.  Troy Smith takes off when the pass isn't there and he may have to do more of that.  And like I said, it's time to go Woody Hayes - start off by pounding the ball, do you really think they expect that? Pittman TD …NUFF SAID.

Update VI Florida's Fourth Drive:  Here is where the defense needs to step up and tighten it up.  The rust had better been shaken off after giving up 21 points.  Someone said something to Aaron Pettrey as he sends a kickoff through the end zone.  The Buckeyes are showing the ability to press Leak. Although he's not made a mistake yet, he did throw 13 picks this year for Florida.  You hit him and you might be able to rattle him. This is a pivotal third and five situation.  The Bucks either make a statement or this becomes a shootout and you don't make a statement with shoddy tackling, they had a chance to prevent the first down.  All right, someone said something to the defense.  That's the best they've looked all night.

 Update VII Buckeyes Fourth Drive:  Smith misses wide on a throw, but the scary part is that he had the entire left side of the field open to run.  I realize that he wants to be a passer, but he cannot be afraid to pull the ball down and run with it if it's there - and he won't be likely to have that much room to rumble again.  A third and 10 and he misses wide. 

Update VIII Florida's Fifth Drive:   Apparently the Gators D won't have to worry about Ted Ginn any longer, apparently he's done.  The Gator placeckicker is mediocre at best, yet he splits the uprights - an ominous sign?

Update IX Buckeyes Fifth Drive:  That's not exactly what was meant by ground it out.  Are you kidding me?  Fourth and less than a yard on the Bucks 31 and we go for it?  What lunacy is that?  I realize that you have a high-powered offense, but that is akin to admitting that you're desperate to build momentum - any momentum.  It also puts a defense that has been less than stellar so far with their backs against the wall.

Update X Florida's Gift:  I can't even call that a drive because any reasonable person would have to question Tressel's decision to go for it on fourth down that deep in your own territory.  There's 1:47 remaining in the half.  If the offense needs to put some points on the board to go into the locker room with any sort of momentum.  Right now Big Mo is on Floriday's side - even more so with that fumble by Smith.

Update XI Florida's Second Gift:  I don't see the confidence, nor do I see the swagger.  What I do see is this team killing itself.  There's little doubt about that and we may very well have watched the game be over right there as Florida scores again.  QB Tim Tebow baited the Bucks into thinking he was going to run only to pull up and throw it. 

The brual reality:  Outcoached.  Outplayed.  That's the only way to put it.  The Bucks showed a lack of discipline on Florida's first two drives getting flagged for 15-yard penalties.  Troy Smith has been harassed for the better part of the half and with his willingness to hold on to the ball until his receivers spring free, he's getting hit.  On at least two occasions he had little but wide open field in front of him.  The Buckeyes had the opportunity to take charge of this on the ground, but have persisted in throwing the ball.

Tressel blew that label of being too conservative into tiny little pieces with that ill-advised fourth down call in the Buckeyes own territory forcing the defense that hadn't performed thus far to hold back the Gators, to their credit they held them to three points.  But what of most of the rest of the half?  Meyer and his coaching staff exposed those holes that everyone thought to be there this year, especially in the passing game.

You play football for four quarters, however.  If Florida had a substantive run game, I'd say this was over - but they do not.  Is this over?  Maybe.  We'll see if Tressel and his staff can adjust and if his players wake up.

 Florida offense: 220 total yards.  Buckeyes:  73.  Florida 34-14.  Remember the 2003 Fiesta Bowl?

This entry was posted on Monday, January 8th, 2007 at 6:38 pm and is filed under BCS, Buckeyes, football, sports. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.