Can a doughnut game be the first game of the year?
A doughnut game is the hole in the middle, the weak sister opponent between two of a team's bigger games of the year. When many folks in Columbus look at the Ohio State Buckeye schedule in 2005, they pointed to the dougnut game being the San Diego State game in week three. No. 6 OSU hosts No. 2 Texas at Columbus in week two, and then look to revenge a 33-7 loss against No. 11 Iowa at home in week four. San Diego State is sitting in the middle of those two games in week three.
No game is more anticipated in college football than the Texas at Ohio State game in week two. It has been hyped during the off-season, and it will be big. It is a game that Ohio State has been talking about. But the Buckeyes have a potential stumbling block to their season in week one against a team that more than matches strength against strength: the upset-minded Miami RedHawks. Miami is experienced, tough, and really looking forward to its big game of the year, at Ohio State.
The RedHawks and the Buckeyes each have questions marks at running back. OSU lost Lydell Ross and Maurice Hall, while Miami lost Luke Clemens and Mike Smith. Ohio State will pin its running hopes on Antonio Pittman, a slasher who had 381 yards and 5.3 yards per carry last year. The RedHawks counter with Brandon Murphy, a scatback who had 248 yards with a 5.2 yards per carry average. This looks to be about a draw.
Each program has four starting offensive linemen back. Nick Mangold for OSU and Todd Londot for Miami are both outstanding centers who may win national recognition at the end of the year. Ohio State's line was playing very well at the end of the season last year, while Miami's offensive line is certainly one of the tops in its conference. There is probably a slight edge to Ohio State.
The defenses of each program are outstanding, with Ohio State's being recognized in the preseason as perhaps the best in the land. Safeties Nate Salley and Donte Whitner and corner Ashton Youbouty return in the Buckeye secondary. Miami matches Youbouty with Darrell Hunter returning at corner, and Frank Wiwo and Steve Burke have starting experience at safety. Miami can't match Salley in ability, however. The edge here goes to Ohio State.
OSU has Marcus Greene and Quinn Pintock inside and Mike Kudla outside on a tough defensive line. Miami counters with a talented defensive end in Marcus Johnson, with experience in John Glavin and Jarrod Rich. Because of Johnson's pass-rushing ability, the slightest of edges goes to Miami.
Where the Buckeyes get the buzz, however, is at linebacker. Outside LB A.J. Hawk is an All-American candidate and has been a great player for a couple of years. Bobby Carpenter is big and tough on the other side, while Anthony Schlegel returns in the middle.
But as good as Hawk is, the most athletically gifted linebacker on the field will probably be Terne Nande, Miami's LB. John Busing is a two-year starter on the other side and is one of the nation's best ballhawks at linebacker, while Derek Rehage started last season at the Mike. So while OSU gets the national pub as a great linebacking crew, Miami matches them fairly closely as a unit. This is probably a draw (as the jeers from Columbus grow very loud).
If you've been following college football this offseason, you've seen pictures of Buckeye wideout and kick returner Ted Ginn, Jr. He is electric and a game-changer who had four kick returns for TDs last year. He will be the difference-maker that Ohio State counts on this season. Remarkably for a mid-major, however, Miami has someone who counters him. Ryne Robinson is already the MAC's all-time leading punt returner who befuddled Michigan in the game's opener. And Robinson had 64 catches for 934 yards last season as a wideout.
The most-talked about Buckeye going into last season was Santonio Holmes, the other wideout who is also a great player. Holmes had 55 catches for 769 yards last year and is almost as explosive as is Ginn. Miami's answer is Martin Nance, a speedy 6-5 senior who was hurt with a knee injury for most of 2004, but who 90 catches for 1,498 yards and 11 TDs in 2003 and is reportedly back at 100 percent. The other Buckeye receivers and Miami pass-catchers also match up. Remarkably, Miami and Ohio State rate a draw on this area as well (as the jeers turn to howls).
Ohio State lost kicker Mike Nugent to the NFL. Nugent was quite simply the best kicker in college football for the past couple of years. OSU replaces him with the erratic (at least in 2001) Josh Huston. Miami's kicker, Todd Soderquist, is pretty good. Edge to Miami. OSU's punter, A.J. Trapasso, and Miami's punter, Jacob Richardson, are both untested. This is a wash.
While Miami matches up pretty well with Ohio State in these areas, OSU is the better team. So it falls to quarterback. This is where Miami has a clear edge.
Ohio State's best quarterback, its starter, its leader, is Troy Smith. Smith will be counted on to make OSU a tough out on offense. He as a good arm and great feet, and he makes great decisions. . . .
Except for the decision to take $500 from a booster. So Ohio State has suspended Smith for the Miami game, leaving the job to Justin Zwick. Zwick was a ballyhooed schoolboy quarterback at Massillon who played poorly in 2004 and played himself out of a job. He did have a good bowl game against Oklahoma State at the end of the year. Not being the starter can work for Zwick, easing the pressure, or against him. Which Zwick comes out of the gate will be interesting to see.
Miami has Josh Betts, who took over for Ben Roethlisberger and threw for 3,495 yards, 23 TDS, and 14 interceptions (four of which came in the opener against Michigan). He has a strong arm, is confident, and is clearly, at least for this one game, the better-looking quarterback.
Can Betts carry the RedHawks to an upset at Ohio State? He can, and it looks to this Miami U alum that he will. The RedHawks will upset the Ohio State Buckeyes 27-21 at the Horseshoe.
thankyouverymuch,
Old Cleat
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