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Bucks Lose to Huskers
27-34
Sunday Observation: Nebraska October 9, 2011 Source: BuckeyeSports.com - The Ohio State football team was just over a quarter away from a season-defining win. Instead, it was left with a heartbreaking loss when Nebraska scored 28-unanswered points. Get the full breakdown and analysis...
10 Things We Learned from Historic Letdown October 9, 2011 Source: The Ozone - With how good they looked in the first half, it was almost tragic to watch the Buckeyes find a way to give this game to Nebraska—a team that had no business getting a victory Saturday night. We take a look at the 10 Things We Learned from OSU’s 34-27 loss at Memorial Stadium...
Five Things: Nebraska October 9, 2011 Source: Eleven Warriors - This week in fickell follies...Jim Trollman...Caution: Flying objects may enter the stands...The Silver Blanks...The Silver Lining...
Nebraska game review October 9, 2011 Source: The Duane Long Report - ...Maybe there was nothing the coaching staff could do to adjust to what Nebraska was doing in the running game. With this set of linebackers to work with that may be true. We have been so used to great linebacker play. We just expect it. We need to face reality about Moeller. He is not the same player...
Luke Fickell: "The floodgates kind of opened and we started to panic a little bit and we never got ourselves back on track."
OSU defensive coordinator Jim Heacock thought something did happen to the Buckeyes as Miller's departure started a snowball. "It shouldn't (affect the Buckeyes), that's the way I look at it, it shouldn't," Heacock said. "I would imagine that's where maturity comes up and leadership and somebody's got to take charge out there. And then (Nebraska) got it done.
"We felt we had control of the game as far as up front goes," Fragel said. "I think that's why it stings so much right now, because we felt we were dominating up front, having our way with them. And to collapse in the second half makes it feel so much worse." Source: Cleveland Plain Dealer
"I've never been a part of anything like that," linebacker Andrew Sweat said. "I don't know what the magical answer is. We just didn't get the job done. It's disheartening to give up that many points and give up a win when it was so close."
"We've got to get a few stops on defense," Ohio State coach Luke Fickell said. "That's what it comes down to. We've just got to do a better job. I'm sure there are lessons out there. We've got to figure out what they are and grow from them. That's part of football, part of life."
Huskers star linebacker Lavonte David stripped the ball from Miller in the middle of third quarter to start the rally. "That was the turning point of the game," Pelini said.
"There are a lot of things we're going to have to figure out and reflect on," Fickell said. Source: Associated Press
One-liner: What goes up must come down. But it defies even gravity to explain how Joe Bauserman’s passes come down 10 yards out of bounds.
The view How the team sees it: Looking in the mirror today won’t be fun.
How the pollsters will see it: Hey, The — har-har — Ohio State, this is what happens when you get caught keeping secrets — you lose a program.
How Buckeye Nation will see it: Is a one-legged Miller still better than a two-armed Bauserman?
Just wondering: How could this be the situation at quarterback? Where everything depends on a true freshman? If you want to assign blame, point the finger at a recruiting process that made no provision for the loss of Terrelle Pryor, not to the NFL but to injury. Think about it. Even if the TressMess and Pryor Problem had never happened, the Buckeyes still would have been one Pryor broken ankle from this same scenario. In a word: unacceptable.
Numbers for dummies 178: Ohio State rushing yards in the first half, which totaled OSU’s offensive output last week against Michigan State
It was over when... Rex Burkhead got going in the second half and there wasn't a Buckeye able to slow him down.
Gameball goes to... Burkhead, who rushed for 119 yards and a TD and added 59 receiving yards and a score.
Stat of the game... 16-22. An INT aside, Taylor Martinez turned in a season-high in passing percentage. Source: ESPN
Star of the game: Nebraska quarterback Taylor Martinez. He was down and out after his mistake-filled loss at Wisconsin, and he wasn’t so hot in the first half last night. But he rallied the Cornhuskers to 28 unanswered points, the Huskers’ biggest comeback in school history.
Turning point: Braxton Miller’s fumble. The Buckeyes had the Huskers on the ropes, up 27-6, and Miller had just scrambled for an apparent first down when LaVonte David ripped the ball from him at the OSU 23-yard line with 7:54 left in the third quarter. On the next OSU possession, an injured Miller left the game.
Repercussion: This one will resonate through Buckeye Nation for a while. Halfway through, it looked as if it was going to be coach Luke Fickell’s finest hour. Now, he must rally his team as it heads toward Illinois to try to avoid its first 0-3 start in the Big Ten since 2004. Source: Columbus Dispatch
Unsung workers: Ohio State running back Carlos Hyde was one. His 63-yard touchdown run, untouched due to a massive clearing block from tight end Reid Fragel, was the big chunk of his team-leading 104 yards, his first 100-yard game. After last night, there probably will be a debate about who’s the starting tailback — Hyde, Jordan Hall or senior Daniel Herron, poised to come off suspension.
Strategically speaking: The defense had the Nebraska offense right where it wanted it, down by 21 and the side-arming Martinez needing to pass. Then Miller fumbled and Martinez scored on an 18-yard keeper. He followed that with a drive in which he completed all three of his passes, including a 36-yarder to Quincy Enunwa on a post cut for the TD that cut the Buckeyes lead to 27-20 with 1:44 left in the third. It was Martinez’s scrambling throw to the right flat that Burkhead turned into a 30-yard catch and run for TD that tied the score at 27 with 7:35 left. The Nebraska offensive mix mesmerized the Ohio State defense in the second half.
Exposed: Ohio State has no alternative to Miller at quarterback, not that this is a major revelation. Bauserman was high or wide and could produce no offense. At the same time the defense, which though it had shored up its run defense after the University of Miami game, was ripped again by the running game.
Stat that matters: Nebraska rushed for 232 yards. Yes, Ohio State ran for 243, but 178 of that came in the first half. For Nebraska, 195 of its rushing yards came in the second half.
Injuries: Miller stayed on the ground for several minutes after suffering an apparent high ankle sprain in his right leg, though no diagnosis was offered by coach Luke Fickell after the game. Miller did return to the sideline after treatment in the locker room, but he did not return to the game and his status for this week isn’t clear.
Numbers for dummies II: 2: Consecutive Ohio State losses to start the Big Ten season
3: Consecutive losses Ohio State endured to start the 2004 Big Ten season
4: Conference losses OSU suffered overall in 2004, the last time the Buckeyes didn’t win at least a share of the title. Source: Columbus Dispatch
Ohio State coach Luke Fickell, after the Buckeyes blew a 21-point second-half lead and lost to Nebraska 34-27 on Oct. 8, 2011, on what a head coach could do to slow an opponent's momentum. Source: Cleveland Plain Dealer
Jim Bollman admitted that the offensive playcalling changed after Braxton left the game. Bollman said if Braxton isn't available next week, they have to consider Guiton as a potential starter.
Jim Heacock said he wasn't sure exactly what happened to the D. They got tired and stopped playing disciplined.
Heacock said they weren’t winning many battles in the fourth quarter.
Senior Tyler Moeller said they got out-schemed in the second half.
Ohio State squanders 21-point lead in 34-27 collapse at Nebraska October 8, 2011 Source: Cleveland Plain Dealer - What looked like one of the most uplifting wins in recent Ohio State history turned into one of the most crushing defeats with a second-half collapse that blew a 21-point lead to Nebraska on Saturday night.
After Braxton Miller sprained his right ankle with five minutes left in the third quarter, Ohio State didn't only fall apart at quarterback but at nearly every other position on the field and on the sidelines. Without their freshman quarterback, who appeared to be finding his way in the offense, the Buckeyes were lost.
"I'd like to say no," OSU tight end Reid Fragel said when asked if Miller's absence affected the whole team, "but it's one of those things at the back of everybody's mind. I'd like to say no, but at the same time, everybody cares about our quarterback and was kind of worried about him."
"I didn't think we were in trouble," OSU tight end Jake Stoneburner said, "but my heart did sink a little bit."
A nearly perfect first-half offensive game plan gave way to continued mistakes, and the OSU defense allowed the Cornhuskers to move the ball at will. By the time No. 14 Nebraska, booed by its home crowd just before the half, came away with a 34-27 win by scoring the final 28 points of the game in the final 23 minutes, the Buckeyes, unbelievably, were reeling even more than after last week's offensive debacle against Michigan State. OSU coach Luke Fickell said he's not sure of Miller's prognosis for next week at Illinois.
Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Heacock said quarterback Braxton Miller's injury may have affected the entire team, but it shouldn't, as the Buckeyes lost to Nebraska 34-27 on Oct. 8, 2011. Source: Cleveland Plain Dealer
Huskers keep poise, beat fragile Buckeyes October 9, 2011 Source: ESPN - When Nebraska fell apart at the end of the first half at Wisconsin, linebacker Lavonte David lit into his fellow defenders. David's tirade was justified. The Blackshirts seemed blue after dealing with Russell Wilson for 30 minutes. "I went in and yelled," David recalled. "I shouldn't do that. I should keep my poise." David got another chance to address the defense in a dire situation Saturday night. An Ohio State offense that nearly was shut out at home the week before had racked up 20 points and 246 yards on the Huskers in the first half. A sold-out Memorial Stadium crowd sat in stunned silence -- other than those who booed -- as Nebraska trotted to the locker room down 20-6.
The Bottom Line October 9, 2011 Source: Columbus Dispatch - Ohio State Report Card Offense (3 leaves), Defense (2 leaves), Special teams (3 leaves), Coaching (2 leaves), Opponent (3 leaves), Officiating (3 leaves)
Buckeye Report Card for Nebraska October 10, 2011 Source: Mansfield News Journal - Offensive Line Grade C...; Running Game Grade C...; Passing Game Grade C-...; Defensive Line Grade C...; Linebackers Grade C...; Defensive Backs Grade C...; Special Teams Grade B... ; Coaching Grade C...
Passing up a field goal try, after two ill-advised throws, helped doom the Buckeyes October 9, 2011 Source: Cleveland Plain Dealer - Jim Bollman and I weren't communicating very well. My questions for the Ohio State offensive coordinator were about the Buckeyes' decisions before a punt with just under 14 minutes left in their eventual 34-27 loss to Nebraska on Saturday, choices that I believe helped doom them.
But while explaining for nearly two minutes what I was referencing, Bollman kept asking what point in the game I was talking about. "I'm trying to recall that situation," Bollman said. "It was in the second half, wasn't it?" He had recalled other direct scenarios when asked about other parts of the game, but maybe he had blocked this out. Because it doesn't seem to make a lot of sense.
Another OSU loss means NCAA gets its way October 8, 2011 Source: Fox Sports Ohio - The men in expensive suits and shiny shoes can kick up their feet, cackle and declare themselves the victor: Ohio State's football program is officially a mess.
That's what the nameless, faceless decision-makers of the NCAA seemed to want all along. And they probably felt pretty vindicated after watching the Buckeyes self-destruct in a 34-27 loss at Nebraska on Saturday.
It's clear the NCAA stripped Ohio State of more than just several key players and its most celebrated coach since Woody Hayes. And if the treatment of Jim Tressel wasn't enough, the NCAA also stole the Buckeyes' dignity and resolve, making sure they have absolutely no reason to hold up their heads and live to fight another day.
Ohio State at Nebraska: 5 Things We Learned About the Buckeyes October 7, 2011 Source: Bleacher Report - The whole game changed on two critical plays involving freshman quarterback Braxton Miller. Miller had the ball stripped from him near his own red zone, which pushed the momentum back to Nebraska despite the 21 point deficit. Then Miller was injured on the following drive and could not return. The Cornhuskers took full advantage of the lapse in offensive effectiveness, ripping off 28 straight points to win 34–27. So cutting through the debris of the Ohio State football season and all the shellshocked fans, what did we learn about the Buckeyes in Lincoln?
Bob Hunter commentary: Season resting on QB’s ankle October 7, 2011 Source: Columbus Dispatch - With problems descending upon Ohio State like a plague of locusts this season, another one reared its head last night in a 34-27 loss to Nebraska. Call it the Braxton Miller dilemma: Ohio State can’t afford to let the elusive true freshman quarterback be the team’s leading rusher, and it can’t afford not to...
Historic comeback ignited by David's takeaway October 8, 2011 Source: Omaha Big Red Today - Before the historic, unforgettable, rain-soaked comeback in Nebraska's first Big Ten home game — before quarterback Taylor Martinez rose above the boos to a career-defining moment — there was No. 4, preaching hope.
Report card: Nebraska vs. Ohio State October 8, 2011 Source: Husker Extra - Running Game (B)...Passing Game (B)...Against The Run (D)...Against The Pass (C)...
Nebraska Oct 8, 2011 8PM
Nebraska coach Bo Pelini will coach his first game against his former school, hoping his Cornhuskers (4-1, 0-1 Big Ten) can bounce back from a 48-17 loss at then-No. 7 Wisconsin last Saturday. Nebraska was outscored, 35-3, during the final 32 minutes in its Big Ten debut. "We need some guys to step up and man up and start playing football," said Pelini, who played safety for Ohio State from 1987 to '90. The Buckeyes were expected to get running back Dan Herron and receiver DeVier Posey back from five-game suspensions this week, but Athletic Director Gene Smith announced Monday that their punishments for receiving improper benefits would be extended at least one more game. In last week's home loss to Michigan State, OSU (3-2, 0-1) gained just 178 total yards -- its fewest in a regular-season game since 2004. Source: Cleveland Plain Dealer
Ohio State Offensive Key to the Game October 8, 2011 Source: Along The Olelentangy - Below is what I will be watching for when OSU has the ball. To me, this may be simple, but it is the key to whether OSU can have a modicum of offensive success. Namely, I will be watching Nebraska's backside contain player when OSU runs lead zone away. Here are three issues: A) Does that player crash down? B) Is he making tackles from behind unblocked? C) Does OSU take any strategic steps to control that? Part (C) is obviously key to OSU's success. One way to contain that player--as I mentioned earlier this week--is with bootlegs, or other misdirection such as a reverse.
Ten Pressing Questions:OSU-Nebraska October 7, 2011 Source: Bucknuts - 1. Can Braxton Miller and the Buckeyes generate some offense through the air?...2. Can Jordan Hall get loose and make a big play or two?...With Verlon Reed out, who steps up at wide receiver?...4. Can the tight ends get back into the flow?...5. Will the offensive line rebound after a dismal performance last week?...
Key to the game in the Nebraska-OSU matchup October 7, 2011 Source: Cleveland Plain Dealer - The return game: ...In a game where scoring may be scarce, one return for a touchdown, for either side, might feel more like 20 points than seven.
Ohio State must contain speed of Martinez October 7, 2011 Source: Columbus Dispatch - Mention Nebraska quarterback Taylor Martinez, and pocket passer isn’t the first thing that comes to a defender’s mind. “Explosive,” Ohio State linebacker Andrew Sweat said. “Big-play ability.” Martinez might have the fastest feet in the Big Ten, at least among quarterbacks, including Michigan’s mercurial Denard Robinson.
Ohio State at Nebraska scouting report October 6, 2011 Source: Warren Tribune - Who has the edge, postions by postion on offense and defense? Prediction: The Buckeyes' defense shows up, but the offense's struggles continue. ... Nebraska 9, Ohio State 6.
October 6, 2011 Source: OSU Official Site ...Fickell met with the media Thursday prior to the Nebraska game
Two-Minute Drill: Thursday Fickell Updates October 6, 2011 Source: The Ozone Here is a two-minute rundown of what Fickell had to say before the big game at Memorial Stadium.
October 5, 2011 Source: The Ozone ...talks about Philly Brown, young receivers, offensive changes, Braxton Miller and more.
What once looked to be the game of the year in the Big Ten now shapes up as two teams in dire need of a victory. The Buckeyes learned this week that running back Dan Herron and wide receiver DeVier Posey still won't be able to help an offense that ranks 108th nationally. Nebraska's proud defense is licking its wounds after Wisconsin ran all over it in a 48-17 rout last week. Perhaps the first Big Ten matchup in Lincoln will motivate the Huskers.
Can Ohio State produce some offense? The Buckeyes’ passing game has looked abysmal in recent weeks, but Nebraska’s defense is also licking its wounds after a 48-17 loss at Wisconsin last week. Neither freshman Braxton Miller or senior Joe Bauserman were very effective under center for OSU in last week’s 10-7 loss to Michigan State. The Buckeyes rank 111th nationally in passing yards (154 yards per game) and 91st in scoring (23.8 points). It won’t help that tailback Dan “Boom” Herron and receiver DeVier Posey will have to sit out at least one more game for receiving impermissible benefits, nor that starting receiver Verlon Reed is out for the rest of the season with a knee injury. Source: ESPN
Brian Bennett: Finally a cure for the Blackshirts' defense: the sputtering Ohio State offense. I think the Buckeyes move the ball a little better this week with Mike Adams helping the run game, and they get help from another costly Taylor Martinez turnover. But it's still not enough to win in Lincoln against a team that can actually, you know, score. ... Nebraska 24, Ohio State 16
Adam Rittenberg: Martinez is mad and Bo Pelini was embarrassed by the Nebraska defense's performance at Wisconsin. This isn't a good situation for a reeling Ohio State team to enter. The Buckeyes' defense keeps this close for a while, but the offensive struggles continue as the Huskers lock it down. ... Nebraska 27, Ohio State 14 Source: ESPN
What to watch in the Big Ten: Week 6 October 6, 2011 Source: ESPN 1. Buckeyes seeing red: Luke Fickell and his team can't catch a break these days. Saturday was supposed to mark the return of four players, including three multiyear offensive starters, from suspension. Turns out, Ohio State will only regain the services of left tackle Mike Adams and defensive lineman Solomon Thomas for the game at Nebraska. The Buckeyes rank 108th nationally in total offense and face a Nebraska defense coming off of an embarrassing performance at Wisconsin. Ohio State is a double-digit underdog in a conference game for the first time in recent memory. Is this the beginning of the end, or the start of a turnaround?
4. Mad Martinez anxious to rebound: Nebraska quarterback Taylor Martinez is fed up with the criticism, which increased after his three-interception game against Wisconsin. Martinez had a terse session with reporters this week in Lincoln, and offensive lineman Yoshi Hardwick said, "It finally hit him. He'd been holding in a lot. He said he couldn't take it anymore. ... He told me he's sick of it. These next seven games, he just wants the world to get off his back, so he had to do something about it." He can start the process against Ohio State, which boasts the nation's No. 13 defense.
Coach Fickell Press Conference October 4, 2011 Source: WOSN TV
This is the third meeting between the schools in football; Ohio State leads the series 2-0.
The Buckeyes and the Cornhuskers met in 1955 and 1956, both Ohio State victories in Columbus under Woody
Hayes. Ohio State defeated Nebraska, 28-20, in its 1955 season opener (Sept. 24) before a 34-7 season-opening win on Sept 29, 1956.
Ohio State is making its first trip to Lincoln.
Nebraska head coach Bo Pelini was a four year letter winner and a two-year starter at free safety for Ohio State from 1987-90 and a team
captain in 1990.
Nebraska is 4-1, 0-1 in the Big Ten and ranked No. 14 and 15 in the latest Associated Press and USA Today polls.
Ohio State and Nebraska are two of the Top 5 winningest teams in college football history. Ohio State is fifth all-time with 822 victories in 1,185
games. Nebraska is just ahead of the Buckeyes in fourth place all-time with 841 wins in 1,227 games.
Nebraska’s defense not up to Blackshirts’ standards October 6, 2011 Source: Columbus Dispatch “I’m embarrassed by how we played defensively,” coach Bo Pelini said. “I apologize to the fans of Nebraska, because that was a joke.”
Fickell said freshman defensive lineman Michael Bennett will be available on Saturday. He was on crutches at the end of the Michigan State game. … Fickell said defensive end Nathan Williams will not play. He is recovering from knee surgery. … Defensive lineman Solomon Thomas is also back from his five-game suspension. He might see action, but Fickell said he is still healing from a broken leg he suffered in the spring game.
Source: Columbus Dispatch October 7, 2011
Big Ten Week 6 preview October 3, 2011 Source: ESPN Ohio State (3-2, 0-1 Big Ten) at No. 14 Nebraska (4-1, 0-1), 8 p.m. (ABC): Remember when this looked like a clash of the titans when the game was announced in the offseason? Now it's a pair of teams simply looking for their first conference win, with one struggling on offense and the other seeking answers on defense. But the Buckeyes will welcome back their four suspended players, and it is Nebraska's first Big Ten conference home game, so there are still plenty of reasons to watch.
Keys to Victory: Nebraska October 6, 2011 Source: The Buckeye BattleCry - Do I think the Buckeyes can win on Saturday night? Yes, I always think the Buckeyes can win.
Ohio State vs. No. 14 Nebraska—Week 6 Game Outlook, History Lesson, and Prediction October 7, 2011 Source: Block O Nation - Evan Spencer, Chris Fields, and Corey Brown, who may return from an ankle injury that has caused him to miss the last three games, will be asked to get open and make plays to help move the Buckeye passing game forward through the air, instead of backwards on the ground via the sack. TE Jake Stoneburner has been deafeningly quiet lately and the Bucks desperately need him to be more involved in the offense.
Previewin’, 2011: Nebraska October 7, 2011 Source: Our Honor Defend - Evan Spencer, Chris Fields, and Corey Brown, who may return from an ankle injury that has caused him to miss the last three games, will be asked to get open and make plays to help move the Buckeye passing game forward through the air, instead of backwards on the ground via the sack. TE Jake Stoneburner has been deafeningly quiet lately and the Bucks desperately need him to be more involved in the offense.
Preview: Ohio State at #15 Nebraska October 7, 2011 Source: Eleven Warriors - The Husker secondary is pretty much just "okay," and, as has been the case for the past few years, the relative strength of the Nebraska defense is the defensive line. Jared Crick is a probable All-American at defensive tackle again this year. However, this just isn't the same dominant unit that they were when Ndamukong Suh was a force in the interior of the line.
Ohio St.-Nebraska Preview October 6, 2011 Source: ESPN - Pelini, who played safety for Ohio State from 1987-90, insists facing the Buckeyes won't weigh on his mind any more than facing another opponent.
Ohio State at Nebraska Preview October 7, 2011 Source: The Ozone - Last week Michigan State showed everybody in the Big Ten how to eliminate the Ohio State offense. They blitzed from every angle and preyed on both the offensive inexperience and its basic easy-to-distinguish nature.
2011 Nebraska Cornhuskers Game Preview October 6, 2011 Source: Buckeye Planet - There is some thought that more size is needed in order to play against the types of offenses that are more prevalent in the B1G. So far, they aren't getting off the field quickly enough and have been victimized by numerous big plays. They will certainly crank up the pressure this week in an attempt to correct those shortcomings by rattling a young QB.
What OSU football must do against Nebraska October 6, 2011 Source: The Ohio State Lantern - The wide receivers have to step up and become better targets for Miller as well. One of Miller's few good throws, a deep pass to fellow freshman Devin Smith, was stripped for an interception. The receivers, without DeVier Posey again this week, have to make those big plays to give the Buckeyes a chance.
Breakdown: OSU at Nebraska October 6, 2011 Source: Fox Sports Ohio - These aren't your grandfather's Cornhuskers, but the goal is the same. Though the option is still a big part of the game plan, it's now run mostly out of shotgun spread formations designed to get quarterback Taylor Martinez in space. The Huskers come in with the ninth-best rushing offense in the country and want to score early and often, placing pressure on an Ohio State offense that's struggling in several facets.
Match-Up Watch: Ohio State October 8, 2011 Source: HuskersOnline.com - NU Run Offense vs. OSU Run Defense...NU Pass Offense vs. OSU Pass Defense...OSU Run Offense vs. NU Run Defense...OSU Pass Offense vs. NU Pass Defense...Special Teams, What If's and The X-Factor...
The Matchup: Nebraska continues its history-making season on Saturday night when the Huskers play host to their first-ever
Big Ten Conference home game at Memorial Stadium against Ohio State.
In addition to the first-ever Big Ten game at Memorial Stadium, Saturday’s contest is also Homecoming in Lincoln.
Bo Pelini (Ohio State, ‘90) owns a 34-13 record in his fourth season. Pelini has guided NU to nine or more wins in each of his first three seasons as head coach, joining Bob Devaney, Tom Osborne and Frank Solich in accomplishing that feat. Pelini has guided Nebraska to a conference championship game the past two seasons and to at least a share of the Big 12 divisional crown his first three seasons as head coach.
Insider: Breaking down Ohio State October 5, 2011 Source: Husker Extra - Difference maker Jake Stoneburner, tight end, junior. Ohio State's offense may be struggling, but if there's one guy to keep an eye on Saturday night, it's Jake Stoneburner. The 6-foot-5, 245-pound tight end is Ohio State's leading receiver with 10 catches for 101 yards.
Pelini first showed his tenacious side at OSU October 5, 2011 Source: Omaha World Herald - Michigan had an All-America guard. Six-foot-2, 285 pounds. Mean dude. Later he got drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers. Ohio State's free safety was a few inches shorter and 100 pounds lighter. Co-captain. Later he got into coaching. Their teams met in 1990, a trip to the Rose Bowl on the line. Early in the game, the two got into a scuffle. The skinny Buckeye grabbed the burly Wolverine by the face mask. Yanked it sideways and threw him to the ground. Then Bo Pelini stood over the Michigan lineman and added insult to injury. When Dean Dingman got up, blood dripped from his face. One of Pelini's closest college friends watched the whole thing. He remembers Pelini's eyes. "I thought, 'Oh my God, so this is what it's all about to play Michigan,' " said Greg Smith, a sophomore nose guard at the time for Ohio State. "It's the most unbelievable thing I've ever seen. Every time I see Bo, I talk about it."
Pelini Gears Up Defense for Big Ten Home Opener October 4, 2011 Source: Nebraska Official Site With the Huskers being handed their first defeat of the year last week, Pelini believes that the players are responding well in practice this week.
Head Coach Bo Pelini Press Conference Oct. 3, 2011
Huskers Continue Preparation for Buckeyes October 5, 2011 Source: Nebraska Official Site Papuchis said that one of things that impresses him about Ohio State is their team speed. "Their skill guys are fast," Papuchis said, "and they are physical up front. They are a big, physical, Big Ten offensive line, and that's what we expected when we were moving to the conference and to this point, it hasn't disappointed."
