Dave Thurman (10:05 am)

Some teams are just easy to hate.  Rank Wisconsin near the top of my list.  Bucky, how (and why) do I despise thee? Let me count the ways:

1) Rude, ugly fans, who do more than just seek to intimidate the opposing team (I won't get specific because this is a family-friendly site)
2)  UW alumni who possess a smug attitude that they are just a little more sophisticated and intellectual than the rest of us Big Ten hayseeds.  After all, Madison is the "Berkley of the Midwest!" 
3) The fact that this year's squad was celebrated by Badger fans and media alike as being the Big Ten's best of the 21st century.  This really enraged me considering that a few wins over weak opponents at home somehow added up to greatness in everyone's minds.  And I wonder, have all the talking heads forgotten the 2002 and 2005 Buckeye squads?
4) Head coach Bret Bielema is just smarmy.  Tell me I'm wrong!
5) Wisconsin fans have cried about the Robert Reynolds strangling for years, while overlooking obvious Badger thuggery.  Yes, I'm talking about you Jay Valai!
6) Last year's Badger team ruined what could have been a very special season for Ohio State...although it would have been stricken from the books anyway!  (Still, I'm bitter about that game)
7) Wisconsin got lucky, because this year's squad had a huge void at quarterback before Russell Wilson plopped into their lap.

I could go on, but I won't.  Seven bullet points is enough to make me feel better.  So with my catharsis complete, let me tell you what I think about this year's Wisconsin team and the Buckeye hopes of victory Saturday night. 

First, in spite of my dislike of the Badgers I do respect them.  Barry Alvarez was a heck of a coach, and I always admired the physicality of his teams. Without doubt they will be heavy favorites on Saturday night, as they should be.  Wisconsin is physical, and talented.  I won't break down the game or make any predictions just yet - that will come later in the week.  But I do think the Buckeyes have a chance at winning, and might match up better with Wisconsin than many think.

The big question is whether or not the dramatic Michigan State victory over the highly ranked Badgers on Saturday night helps Ohio State's chances or hurts them.  There are two schools of thought on this matter.  On the one hand, Wisconsin could come in really angry and focused.  If they were guilty of reading their own press clippings, the MSU loss surely brought them back down to earth.  However, on the other hand, the Badgers might have lost some of their confidence and momentum, causing a young Buckeye team to believe UW can be beat.  Personally, I was thrilled to see the Spartans win, not only because it provided slim hopes of still grabbing part of the division crown, but because I like Mark Dantonio and was pumped to see him get the best of Bielema.  In addition, I  feel like Wisconsin's loss had to provide OSU with confidence that they can defeat the Badgers. 

So I say bring on Wisconsin.  This is going to be a good, old-fashioned smash-mouth game.  And though Buckeye fans may not be quite as drunk or rude as those in Madison, don't expect a warm welcome for Bucky and company in Columbus Saturday night!

Dave Thurman (8:39 pm)

There's not much worse than the common cold.  Body aches, a stuffy nose, and a stomach that feels like its turned upside down.  Making it more painful, the Buckeyes have a bye week (who created these anyway?), and the stinkin' Cardinals are looking like they might pull off the unthinkable and win the World Series. Not my best week of 2011.  Which kind of mirrors the entire year come to think of it.  And it all started with such promise as OSU finally exorcised the SEC demon by narrowly defeating the Arkansas Razorbacks in the Sugar Bowl. 

Not much has gone right since then. Luke "Skywalker" Fickell has not quite figured out how to harness The Force, as he has had to take on the big boys before his lessons were complete.  Darth Vader (aka Gene Smith) has tried to bring down the hometeam (but then again, didn't he play at Notre Dame). And Darth Sidious (Gordon Gee) has ducked and run hoping to save his job and avoid putting his foot in his mouth, again. As for Obi-Wan Kenobi, rumor has it that he is working for the Colts, who are having their own set of problems.  In the meantime my beloved Buckeyes have been mocked by ESPN and ridiculed by most of the nation, while struggling to post a 4-3 record.  

So is there any hope of the Scarlet and Gray clad Jedi Knights regaining their swagger in 2012?  Although a lot depends on what happens with the coaching staff, a look at the players on the roster does offer cause for optimism.   Nobody knows how many of the current Buckeyes will return if there is a coaching change, so it is all speculation at this point. but I'll offer my best guess at figuring out the next year's offense, and then take on the defense at a later date. One thing seems certain (and is the greatest reason for hope): No matter who roams the sidelines as head coach next year, Jim Bollman will no longer be calling the plays!

Quarterback:
 
Look for vast improvement here in 2012, as Braxton Miller will have a year under his belt, and hopefully a much better offensive mind running the show.  He has taken his lumps this season but shown plenty of promise, and should develop more of a pocket presence.  There are a host of candidates to back him up but I look for Cardale Jones to eventually win the job, which could be important since Braxton has been somewhat fragile throughout his high school and college career.  Jones ought to be able to run the same style offense, even though he is more of a passer than a runner.  Kenny Guiton, should he stick around, would be my pick for third team, and brings the same basic set of skills to the table.  That means the odd man out is Taylor Graham, who I expect to transfer.  Overall, it would be hard not to see improved numbers here in 2012.  But we'll all miss Joe Bauserman, who along with Bollman has become a favorite punching bag for frustrated fans.