The experts in the national media are already beginning to jack their jaws about whether the Ohio State Buckeyes deserve to be in the BCS National Championship Game in January when they haven't even moved into the No. 2 slot in the BCS polls yet.

For anyone who listens to Colin Cowherd on KNR2 or streams him via the Internet (I do), the ESPN Radio sports talker's theme yesterday was "I don't want to work; I just want to bang on the Bucks all day." Cowherd said more than once that he doesn't think it's fair for OSU to get into the championship game.

Right now, the only way they get in is if either West Virginia loses against Pitt (unlikely) or Missouri gets bounced by Oklahoma (more likely considering the Sooners beat up on the Tigers earlier this year).

In one respect, Cowherd has a point in that the Buckeyes non-conference schedule this year could have been played by a high school football team and they may have actually have been competitive. Youngstown State (they're back on the schedule next year)? The Akron Zips? The Kent State Golden Flashes? And when you can claim this year's version of the Washington Huskies, that's not much to brag about. For that the Buckeyes can only blame themselves for scheduling those teams. In any given year when does Athletic Director Gene Smith and Coach Jim Tressel believe the Penguins, Zips and Golden Flashes will offer any competition?

Looking at the way this junior-laden team is built it's clear that Tressel constructed it to win it all next year. This was supposed to be a down season and I can buy into the notion that they schedule was set up with that belief in mind. However, you are only as good as your competition and what the heck was wrong with schedule another decent opponent outside of the state of Ohio?

But when you look at Cowherd's rant, it falls apart. First of all, the Buckeyes haven't backed into anything yet. Secondly, they clearly thought they were done after an inexcusable loss against the Illinois Fighting Illini. There was one simple way to keep the Ohio State Buckeyes out of the national championship spotlight - all the teams ahead of them when they fell to No. 7 had to do was keep winning.

Well, guess what? They didn't. And the consistency of teams ranked in the top two spots in college football this year has been akin to the U.S. stock market. It's a topsy turvy kind of thing. So with with a dominating win over Michigan (again) they sneaked back into the picture. Once again there is a simple way to keep OSU out of the game Jan. 7 in New Orleans.

If West Virginia loses to a Dave Wannstedt coached Pitt team Saturday, they have no one else to blame but themselves. If Missouri loses to Oklahoma, they can pin the stupidity on the Big 12 Conference which, in an effort to make more cash, went to a two-division conference so they could have a Big 12 Championship Game.

If one of them loses I see no reason why the Buckeyes shouldn't sneak in there - they, after all, are playing by the rules as they stand now. What this all really means is that there should be some sort of playoff system, but the NCAA wouldn't want to look greedy, right?

No, I'm not recovering from quarter beer night.

I'm here at Ohio Stadium, bright eyed and bushy tailed.

I sit here as Meeeessshhheegan is losing to the Badgers big time past the midway mark in the third quarter. I guess we know that they're looking ahead.

But what about the Buckeyes? I can only get a sense of what they are going to be like from talking to the players and they are all business. They remember last year's game that almost cost them a shot in the championship game. If you can judge the attitudes of Kirk Barton, Dionte Johnson, Brian Hartline and others, they will do everything in their power to make sure the team doesn't stumble.

Mke no mistake about it, they could easily slip up should they not contain Rashard Mendenhall and Juice Williams. The Illini are fully capable of hitting homeruns on offense and the Buckeyes need to be aware of that fact.

Defensively, you can pass on this team and pass a lot, but I suspect that the Buckeyes will stick with what's been working for them for the past four games - Beanie Ball. Wells left. Wells right. Wells up the middle.

Score 10-3 and as good as the Buckeyes offense looked last week, they look just as mediocre.

Quarterback Todd Boeckman is getting pressure up the middle effectively limiting his effectiveness. The minute Chris "Beanie" Wells gets it going, they shift gears and go back to passing.

Perhaps Jim Tressel is just having his team feel the Badgers out, or perhaps this is a team that's lost some of the trademark focus that they've had for the past few weeks.

It's also fairly obvious that Badgers coach Bret Bielema doesn't believe his team can win this game straight-up as his game plan reeks of one word - trickeration.

Tressel is great at halftime adjustments. Time and the final score will tell whether he gave his team an attitude adjustment.

So far I've managed to ignore that 10-ton gorilla in the cyber room.

Are the Ohio State Buckeyes overrated? That's the prevailing opinion of the pundits and powers that be in college football. They point to the cupcake schedule the Buckeyes have played and say: "See, they haven't played anyone."

And they're right. And they're wrong.

They're right for three reasons: Youngstown State, University of Akron and Kent State. Cupcakes? Hell, creampuffs they are. It's a way to provide in-state colleges a huge payday for the willingness to take a beating and in the process we process we won't beat up on you too bad. The lone "real" football school in the Buckeyes non-conference schedule was the Washington Huskies and the Buckeyes smacked them on the nose like the pups they were.

The point is that OSU can control that portion of the schedule - easily. And the team's worthiness wouldn't come into question if they dared to schedule just two cupcakes and two programs that are actually competitive.

Those pundits are wrong in this respect: OSU cannot control the rest of the schools that occupy the Big Ten. You can't help that prior to this year that Illinois, Purdue, Indiana and the rest of the Big Ten were pretty much also rans. Michigan State hit a rough patch and, as much as it pains me to say this, Penn State isn't likely to be a force again until Joe Paterno is gone. Michigan will always be Michigan and that's why I wagged my index finger at fans who want to see them collapse.

When you're in a conference where there are only two national powerhouses - unlike the Southeastern Conference which has five or more - you're only as respected as your closest competitor or, in this case, rival.

Yes, after last Monday night's game I stayed away from this space purposely.  The Disintegration in the Desert proved a bit hard to digest for a myriad of reasons, but there's little sense in rehashing them.  It's best to just thank the Buckeyes for the ride this year and deal with what's going on around the team.

Well, gee, George, what might that be?

Well, considering that other than Troy Smith, who is graduating, Anthony Gonzalez, Ted Ginn Jr. and Antonio Pittman are all coming out as juniors.  That's gotta leave Coach Jim Tressel wondering who the heck is going to be scoring for him next year.  Yeah, that's a good question.  That will sort itself out in spring practice, I assume.  We shall see, but Bucks fans should probably forget any dreams of a national championship sprint for the next couple of years. But no one should begrudge the three above for pursuing NFL dreams, because they have to believe they've done everything they could to get the Bucks over the top.  All of them, however, should find success playing on Sundays.

What I'm going to be interested in seeing, however, is where they fall.  The only sure-fire first round pick the experts claim is Ginn.  I can believe that, but he may not have been the best receiver on the Buckeyes' roster coming out.  The NFL loves speed and he's got that to spare, but Gonzalez may actually be the better receiver.  Reports say Gonzalez is just as fast as Ginn, but he's also savvy, comes through in the clutch and has reliable hands. Reports say that he would fall to the second round.  With all due respect to those suffering from a case of Homeboyitis (those who want the Browns to draft Troy Smith), I'd take Gonzalez before him, but of course the Browns have too many glaring needs to ever consider drafting yet another receiver in the second round. And they'd best not be casting their eyes on a quarterback either, no matter how attractive and popular he might be.  It's football, not public relations.

Pittman is an interesting case.  He's projected as a second or third rounder.  With Oklahoma's Adrian Peterson coming out, he's going to fall a wee bit further down the draft ladder unless he blows the scouts and execs away with a stellar workout.  We shall see.  If nothing else, this off season is setting up to be an intriguing experience.

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?

You can tell a coach is getting antsy when he opens a press conference with the lines:

"I don't know what else to say except that we've received terrific treatment as always." So said Jim Tressel in his last pre-game press conference before tomorrow's big rumble in Glendale, Ariz. Those words alone suggest he's ready to get this thing over. I know the players have been ready to go for some time, they said as much during the media day in Columbus last month.

Any reasonable football fan would have to wonder how a 51-day layoff would effect the team and even Florida has been idle for more than a month. Fun, fun fun. That begs another question. Has the time lapsed between the end of the season and now led fans to have a ho-hum attitude? You couldn't say thate judging from those that attended the Buckeye Bash at Chase Field, home of the Arizona Diamondbacks.

But if you look at the on-air advance play on the host network, FOX, there isn't one-tenth the build up we've seen in other games. Remember the game-of-the-century hype for OSU vs. Michigan just this past November? Instant classic they said?

I think that part of the collective yawn that there appears to be out there comes courtesy of a belief by many that the Buckeyes will systematically dismantle Florida. I am going to repeat this one more time. Remember the 2003 Fiesta Bowl. Folks said the same about the Miami Hurricanes. We all know how that ended.

There are significant differences, however. Ken Dorsey was no Troy Smith, he lacked the toughness, mentally and physically, that Smith possesses to spare. This Buckeyes team has too many weapons. Rushing? Antonio Pittman with Beanie Wells backing him up. At receiver? HAH!! Although Dallas Baker, Jemalle Cornelius and Percy Harvin are impressive, if Smith can't hit Ginn, he'll hit Gonzalez. If he can't hit Gonzalez, there's Roy Hall. What, no Hall? There's Robiskie. No Robiskie? Hartline. 'Nuff said.

If there is a weak link, and they've heard this all year, it's the Bucks' defense. This is likely where the game will be won. You have to know that University of Florida Coach Urban Meyer has been studying the film from the Michigan like a teen-ager watching The 40 Year Old Virgin for the 50th time on DVD. Like any football game it's simple. They control the line of scrimmage (along with minimizing the effect of trickeration) and OSU wins.

By now everyone knows that Urban Meyer, the University of Florida's head coach, is a native of Ashtabula, Ohio.  But there's something more relevant about his success.  He's become another branch in a solid as an oak coaching tree - joining the likes of Shula, Noll and, yes, Tressel.

More important he realizes those Ohio roots are important.  He especially remembered the time he spent working with Coach Earle Bruce:

"Everything we do ties into building tradition, the Gator Walk, singing the fight song with the student body.  All those type of things i learned first at Ohio State."

I never knew what a spaceship looked like while on the ground - until yesterday at the media circus for the Tostitos BCS Championship Game. That's what University of Phoenix Stadium looked like from the outside. Or for you Star Wars geeks think of those round buildings at Mos Eisley (you know the wretched hive of scum and villainy). Either way it was hideous. But looks can be deceiving - very deceiving because from the inside it was impressive.

But I digress. Friday was the first day that we got to see both teams up close. And the first thing that struck me - NCAA football, a multi-billion dollar business - is in the hands of a bunch of guys who can barely shave. Well that's not entirely true. They don't exactly run it, but if you consider that without them there is no show then you can see my point. That's why statements this week by Anthony Gonzalez in which he endorsed some form of compensation for college athletes isn't completely wacko.

Despite the fact that they were so young, I was kind of in awe of some of these players - on both teams - and their ability to field questions and answer them with reasonable skill - especially Percy Harvin and Brian Robiskie. Harvin apparently got into trouble on the field while he was in high school and arrive at the University of Florida with a slight rep. As for Robiskie, his father Terry was recently fired by the Cleveland Browns from his position as wide receivers coach.

I may not agree with Harvin's assessment of his situation:

‘’I was put in some tough situations it was a lot of news people who took the stuff they heard and wrote about it,’’ he said, ‘’and didn’t really know the inside story. So when I came here, a burden just got off me. It was a clean, fresh beginning for me and my moms.’’

However, I don't know the entire story either. So hey, who am I to judge?

As for Robiskie, you can read his comments in a story from Marla Ridenour. He could have very easily blown off the questions and refused to address the issue, but he acted like a pro.

I'm coming to the conclusion that this sportswriting gig is a lot of hurry up and wait. The objects of our obsessions make us hurry up, then make us wait endlessly to get what we need. In some instances - like today - it was worth it.

It was during that wait mode that I checked out a left coast delicacy that I didn't need - In -n- Out Burger. I read it was a favorite of some Buckeyes players. Now I know why - heaping amounts of beef and suitable amounts of greasy stuff. Yup, the arteries will pay for that one. In the brief time I was gone, however, one of those little nuggets popped up in the form of OSU Athletic Director Gene Smith. He was holding court outside the team's super duper secret practice facility.

What was the topic of the day? Well there were several, but the one that kept coming up was that monster contract that Nick Saban - the Larry Brown of football - agreed to with the University of Alabama today. Eight years? 32 mill? Think ADs at Big Boy Football Schools aren't sweating those dollars?

For the record, Coach Tressel downplayed Saban's money grab (yes, that's harsh, but if he knew his heart wasn't into coaching the pros, he should have kept his butt at LSU) and he doesn't expect much of an influence. Of course he can say that because if his team wins Monday he's in the driver's seat as far as contract negotiations.

"Probably not. We didn't have a budget of $4 million for the entire athletic department (when he first started,)" he said. "I don't think it will have a ripple effect. There aren't that many positions yet to fill, and there will be as many people saying, 'Oh, that's crazy we'll never do that' as there will be people who feel they have to keep up with the market."

If you say so, coach.