Scared, Confused, Excited, Nervous...

If I sound like a 14yr old about to lose the v-card, then I've done an accurate job describing my feelings leading up to the biggest regular season game for OSU (and the Big Ten for that matter) in the last 3yrs. The added sense of urgency that has been generated from the last 2 NC Game performances is beyond the urgency from any other regular season game in recent memory (excluding any scUM games of course). It seems to me that these players realize they aren't only playing for redemption for OSU, but for redemption for the entire Big Ten. While I don't necessarily approve of this new phenomenan of rooting for your conference (SEC, SEC, SEC...), it's necessary in the BCS world, and even more necessary when you're the king of the mountain.

I've been going back on forth since Saturday on how I feel about this game, but the one good thing is I've continued to feel mo

re and more confident as the week has gone on. Why you ask?

Saturday was an abberation. It's shocking to see a Sweater Vest coached team look ahead, but I'm confident that's what happened. When they HAD to turn it on, they dropped 20 straight points. Did our offense look awful? Yes. Did the oline look slow? Yes. Did the receivers lack the ability to get separation? Yes. Those are all still huge concerns, but concerns I think we can overcome. The playbook has been vanilla, based on what I've read/heard from pre-season practices. It's time to turn the weapons loose. TP is going is going to be fully unleashed, Beanie sounds ready to go, Saine should be full steam ahead, the D is ready to knock heads. It's going to be a war, and our boys are ready to prove that they belong. Take the 10.5pt spread, USC mouthing off that this is just another game, and all the hype around the vaunted Condoms, and I smell an overconfident USC team.

Will it get ugly if we perform like we did last week? Yes. Is that going to happen? No. These seniors didn't pass up millions to go to LA and get smoked. Game time is less than 4 days away, the nation better get ready for a shocker (as it looks like those ASU girls already are).

OSU 31-USC 27

3 Low Points from last week:

1. We heard going in that officials were going to focus on celebration penalties more, but what happened to Jake Locker and UW was ridiculous. In fact, everything about the whole thing was ridiculous: the actual penalty, the justification from the officials and the Pac 10, our friend Mark May saying Locker just flipped the ball over his head, everything. Hopefully the scorn coming down from the media pundits will cause officials to use a little restraint when pulling out the yellow hankees when a teenage kid decides to celebrate.

2. Anyone who thinks ND's late rally to beat SDSU was a "good" thing for this team is really grabbing for straws. This kids aren't stupid, they realize they just beat a team who lost to CAL POLY the week before. Cal Poly, didn't they just play DeLasale HS on Friday night? Worlds collide saturday, should be a thriller! Go...scoreless tie?

3. Why is no one mentioning the fact that Urban Meyer's decision to tack on a extra 3 resulted in the Gators covering the spread on Saturday? Instead he's an ass who's just trying to run up the score (albeit while he's still able to) on Da U. Wrong, he's just an ass who's trying to make some dollars or save his knee caps from his bookie.

Buckeye of the week: Boom Herron. Future looks bright young man, but it's not your time Saturday. Beanie, got getcha Heisman Trophy. Lets paint the Coliseum Scarlet and Grey boys.

PS: This post sucked, I have no excuses other than I've spent the last few days finalizing my "divorce" papers.