Dave and Drew Thurman (3:26 pm)

Mascot: Longhorns

Stadium: Texas Memorial Stadium (93,553)

Coach: Mack Brown (11th year at Texas 114-26, Bowl Record 9-5)

2007 Record: 10-3 (Defeated Arizona State 52-34 in Holiday Bowl)

2008 Record: 11-1 (Tied for 1st in Big 12 South)

Base Offense: Ace (3 Wide Receivers)

Base Defense: 4-3

Lettermen: Returning - 47, Lost - 17

Returning Starters: Offense -7, Defense - 4, Specialists - 2

Returning Star: QB Colt McCoy, DE Brian Orakpo

Notable Alumni:

-Laura Bush - Wife of President George W. Bush
-Roger Clemens - Seven time Cy Young Winner
-Michael Dell - Founder of Dell Computers
-Mary Lou Retton - Olympic Gymnastic Gold Medalist
-Matthew McConaughey - Actor
-Vince Young - NFL quarterback
-Earl Campbell - Heisman Award Winning Running Back
-Janis Joplin - Rock and Roll Singer

Cheerleading Scouting Report:

Texas Overview:

The discussion on Texas has to start on the offensive side of the ball, because the statistics are pretty overwhelming. The Longhorn offense averages 476.4 yards a game, and puts up a jaw dropping 43.9 points a game. A lot of this can be credited to their Heisman candidate at quaterback, Colt McCoy. First, McCoy has the ability to pick apart a defense with his arm. On the season he completed 77.6 percent of his passes for 3,445 yards with 32 touchdowns and only seven interceptions. Second though, McCoy is the leading rusher on the Texas team with 576 yards and 10 touchdowns.

McCoy has a whole host of targets at wideout that he can throw to. The two primary receivers McCoy looks to are Jordan Shipley (982 yards, 11 TD) and Quan Cosby (952 yards, 8 TD). Both young men will also play a factor on kick returns, and Shipley is a major threat as a punt returner (10.7 avg, 1 TD).   

In the backfield the Longhorns do not feature a primary back, but instead rotate between no less than four runners. None have put up spectacular statistics, but together they are forminable force. The main ones to watch for are Vondrell McGee (376 yards, 4 TD), Cody Johnson (336 yards, 12 TD), and Chris Ogbonnaya (331 yards, 4 TD). Ogbonnaya is also a threat catching the ball coming out of the backfield, and has 484 yards and three touchdowns.

On defense, the Longhorns feature a unit cloaked in anonymity, but are nonetheless talented. Outside of Brian Orakpo, there are no big names, maninly because they have played some spectacular offenses. They did play in the Big 12, which was a passing first league, but they still led the nation in rushing defense allowing only 73.6 yards a game. That starts up front with a defensive line that features four experienced seniors. Besides Brian Orakpo, they also have a very solid defensive tackle in Roy Miller, who has 46 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, and four and a half sacks.

The linebacking core is very underrated, and features a couple of fierce competitors in Roddrick Muckelroy (106 tackles, 4 TFL) and Sergio Kindle (50 tackles, 13 TFL, and 9 sacks). They also have four year starter in Rashad Bobino (36 tackles, 1 TFL), who has seen less time due to their nickel scheme in the Big 12, but will see much more time against the Buckeyes.

The secondary is adequate, but is probably the weakest link in the Longhorn defense. The young man to keep an eye on will be safety Earl Thomas who has 63 tackles and two interceptions on the season.  

What must happen:

Listed as an 80%-20% underdog according to ESPN.com, the Buckeyes are going to need to get confidence early. A lot of this rests on the shoulders on the offense, who has struggled in some of the biggest games this season. First, the run game has to be established. With Beanie as the leader, this offense is designed to feature the run. If he averages anything under three yards a carry, it will be very difficult for the offense to getting anything going against the Longhorns.

Also Pryor needs to get in rhythm early in this game. This will not happen with him throwing 50 yard bombs, but instead with an array on short slants and screens. There are a lot of experienced wideouts on the team, and they have to step in this game. Missed opportunities killed Ohio State in the National Championship last season, and that cannot happen again. The Buckeyes also need Pryor to be able to run the ball as well. Texas features very good defensive ends, and if they over pursue, it will give him the green light to head down field.

Even more than the offense though, the defense needs to prove the doubters wrong. Especially the back seven who have beeen gashed by big time quarterbacks under the tenure of Jim Heacock. A lot of this does start with the front four for the Buckeyes. If they come out with the tenacity they did against Penn State, the Buckeyes will be able to blitz less and have more guys in coverage. McCoy has ripped apart blitzing schemes all year long, and while some blitzing needs to happen, the front four need to get pressure on their own.

Early stops and turnovers will be the name of the game for the defense. If the Longhorns walk down the field and score the first few times they have the ball, we could have another terrible bowl game on our hands. Instead, they need to come out, be physical, force turnovers, and make a statement to themselves early in the game. Doing this will provide confidence, and hopefully rattle the Longhorn offense a bit. This will be no easy task though, and they will have their hands full all night long!

Father vs. Son Prediction Battle:

Dave has it: Texas 31 Ohio State 20
Drew has it: Ohio State 34 Texas 31 

Drew Thurman (10:40 pm)

The matchup that may have more significance than any other in the Fiesta Bowl is the Buckeye offensive line versus the Longhorn defensive line. It seems that Buckeyes will have to put up a large amount of points in this game, but if the offensive line under performs, a Beanie breakaway could be the only big plays coming from Ohio State. They have to protect Pryor in this game, and hopefully this will be the spark needed for what has been a less than stellar passing attack this season. The task will not be easy though!

Texas brings a very quick and hungry starting defensive line to Glendale, that helped provide 21 of the 44 sacks the Longhorns defense had on the year. Maybe even more impressive is the fact that these four have combined for 39 tackles for loss.

Needless to say, they pursue the quarterback well and break up slow developing plays. They also have helped provide great success for the Longhorn linebacking core, which may be the strength of their defense. The Buckeye offensive line needs to challenge the defensive tackles, and make the linebackers fight through blocks to make tackles on Beanie and Pryor. Like I said, this matchup is crucial, and one that Buckeyes have to pull in their favor. So, let's take a look at the young men that make up the Longhorn defensive line:  

DE Henry Melton - Melton actually started his career at Texas in the backfield, and has slowly made the transition to defensive end. This is his first year starting for the Longhorns, and is listed at 6'3'' 260 pounds. His statistics on the year are pretty average for a defensive end, posting 26 tackles, eight tackles for loss, and four sacks.  

DT Aaron Lewis - Lewis is listed as one of the starters at defensive tackle, but has made very little impact on the season. The 6'4'' 270 senior has only eight tackles, three tackles for loss, and one and half sacks.

DT Roy Miller - Miller is the star defensive tackle for the Longhorns. He is yet another senior on the defensive line, and has great size at 6'2'' 295 pounds. His statistics are impressive for a tackle with 46 total tackles, 10 tackles for loss, and four and half sacks. He is also a freak in the weight room benching 500 pounds and squating 625 pounds.

DE Brian Orakpo - There is not a single player on the Longhorn defense that probably deserves more respect than Orakpo. He, like Roy Miller, is a beast in the weight room, and it has transfered to the field. On the season he has 40 tackles, 18 tackles for loss, and 10.5 sacks. Whoever is matched up against this 6'4'' 260 pound senior, whether Boone or Browning, has their hands full in this game.

Also to note: DT Lamarr Houston (20 tackles, 7 TFL, and 1.5 sacks)

Drew Thurman (2:51 pm)

If there is one thing that is known about the 2008 Buckeye football team, it is that they love to run the ball. With Beanie Wells, Boom Herron, and Terrelle Pryor in the backfield, the Buckeyes run often with 42 carries a game. Texas on the other hand quietly brings in the second best rushing defense in the country, and will force Tressel and Bollman not be one diminsional.

If there is any good news about this, it is that the Longhorns bring in the 109th ranked passing defense in the country. With the exception of Baylor every team on Texas' schedule saw success through the air, and in only one game did the Longhorn secondary bring in more than one interception. This may be even better news if the Buckeyes had actually been more dynamic through the air this season. With Pryor as the starter, Ohio State only averages 128 passing yards a game.

So I say all of this to set up what I believe will be one of the most crucial matchups of the Fiesta Bowl, the Buckeye wideouts versus the Longhorn secondary. Let's take a look at the individuals that make up the matchup:

The Texas Secondary:

CB Ryan Palmer - Palmer is a senior listed at 5-10, 186 pounds. During the regular season he accumulated 30 tackles, three interceptions, and seven pass break ups. Palmer is in his fifth year with the Longhorns (redshirted), and has played in 48 games in his career.

CB Deon Beasley - Beasley like Palmer is pretty small, listed at 5-10, 175 pounds. He is in his junior season and has seen action since his true freshman year, appearing in 32 games in his career. Both corners for the Longhorns have plenty of experience under their belts. This season he has 38 tackles, three tackles for loss, and six pass break ups.

S Earl Thomas - Thomas is one of the best players on the Longhorn secondary, and is only a redshirt freshman. He is only listed at 5-10, 195 pounds, but has posted some impressive statistics thus far. He has 63 tackles, two interceptions, and 15 pass break ups. Keep your eye on #12 throughout the Fiesta Bowl.

S Blake Gideon - Gideon has the best size of any of the Longhorn starting defensive backs at 6-1, 197 pounds. He is in freshman season, but has stepped up nicely for Texas. He has 59 total tackles, one tackle for loss, and seven pass break ups on the season.

Others to watch - S Christian Scott, CB Curtis Brown, CB Chykie Brown

The Ohio State Wideouts:

Brian Robiskie - Robo has not put together the senior campaign he would have anticipated, but very well may play a bigger role in the Fiesta Bowl than some believe. At 6-2, 200 pounds, he has a large size advantage over the Longhorn secondary, and of course he has great hands. This season he has 37 catches for 419 yards and eight touchdowns.

Brian Hartline - Hartline has been the big play receiver for the Buckeyes this season, and averages 22.8 yards a reception. All together he has 479 yards and four touchdowns on only 21 receptions. At 6-2, size could be an something in Hartline's favor as well.

Dane Sanzenbacher - Due to his toughness and great route running, Sanzenbacher has already become a fan favorite. He spends most of his time in the slot, and has brought in 21 catches for 272 yards and one touchdown. I could very easily see Dane bringing in the most receptions of any of the Buckeye receivers in the Fiesta Bowl, due to the good pass rush from the Longhorn defense.

Ray Small - It's not hard to be frustrated with Small at times, but the Buckeyes need him to step up in this game. His 18 catches for 149 yards on the season are not impressive, but having another big having another big play receiver on the field is important.

Others to watch - DeVier Posey and Lamaar Thomas

Dave and Drew Thurman (9:56 pm)

Drew: Many times my father and I have discussions (like this one) about Ohio State football, and we would like to start offering these to our readers. We both have much different opinions and views on what is going on, but that should be expected from two generations of Buckeye fans. The issue that obviously seems to be on our minds the most is about the game looming in Glendale on January 5th.

So anyways, dad, I am interested to hear your opinion about the Texas defense. In your preview of the coaches a few days back, you were very complimentary of Will Muschamp and what he is doing. I personally am not sure how much respect I have for their defense at this point, and I know that many fans have very poor opinions of the Big 12 defensively. Thoughts?

Dave: I agree that the Big 12 is an offense first conference, but I think the Texas defense is for real. They improved by about 7 points a game from last year, finishing 20th in the nation at 18.6 ppg. I think when you realize that they played explosive offenses like Oklahoma, Texas Tech, Missouri, and Oklahoma State, those numbers are very impressive. Obviously they didn't play anyone who has the running threat that Beanie and Pryor pose, but the scary thing is that they were 2nd in the NCAA in rush defense, surrendering only 73.6 ypg. The Buckeyes need to establish the run and try to keep the Texas offense off the field, but I don't think it will be easy. Texas may not be as good defensively as USC or Penn State, but I think they are very solid, and that's good enough when you average 44 points a game.

Drew: I think the Texas defense is the beneficiary of the offense jumping out on teams, and they have forced teams to get into a throwing shoot out with them, which has ended ugly. So I agree the Buckeye offense working to keep the Longhorn offense off the field is the best defense. By far the best running attack they saw all year was Oklahoma with Brown and Murray, but the Sooners abandoned the run in that game. They fell into the trap of throwing too much, and those two only rushed the ball 14 times together. The Buckeyes offense will not do this, because they aren't set up to do this. Texas' opponents have averaged 26 carries a game, whereas the Buckeyes average 42 carries a game. More than even Beanie, I think Pryor's rushing ability could hurt the Longhorns. If you watch their defensive ends, they over pursue a lot, and this will give Pryor the green light to run all day. Speaking of Pryor, a lot rests on his shoulders in this game. There are a lot of questions on how he will perform after a month of preparation. What do you think?

Dave: It concerns me that so much is being placed on the back of a freshman, going up against what may well be the most complete team in the nation. But you are right, Pryor needs to be able to run the ball effectively and make good decisions. Turnovers will spell disaster for the Buckeyes. Obviously Pryor is not your average freshman, and the 6 weeks between the last game and the Fiesta Bowl gives him lots of opportunity to watch film and improve upon his weaknesses. I think he will have a good game, but I'm not sure that will be enough. My biggest fear is the OSU coaches panicking if Texas scores some early points. It is imperative that we stick with the game plan of running the ball, picking our spots to throw, and taking time off the clock. If we get in a shootout with Texas it will spell our doom.

Drew: Well first off, I don't think there is anymore pressure on Pryor than there is any other OSU quarterback that has played in a BCS game like this. Quarterback play has haunted the Buckeyes in the last two big games (against LSU and USC), and I think the public knows the importance of that position for the Buckeyes. On top of that his play could determine what the Longhorn defense throws at the Buckeyes. For example, if you remember last year's game against LSU, a lot of things turned when the Buckeyes decided to air it out only. The Tigers finally committed to the blitz, and Boeckman and the Buckeyes didn't do anything to burn that blitz. Pryor has to keep the defense honest with his running ability and the extending of plays. Now unlike LSU, Texas rarely blitzes a corner or saftey; they count on strong defensive end and linebacker play. This is very similar to what Heacock does with the Buckeye defense, so Pryor should be ready for it. So it is imperative that Pryor commits to either getting rid of the ball or running, because holding on to it will allow the DE's and LB's to pin their ears back; the Bucks have to keep them honest.

Dave: Good point on the fact that all OSU QB's face pressue - it goes with the territory. But if a couple of 5th year guys (Smith and Boeckman) couldn't handle it against Flordia and LSU, how well will a first year player deal with it? I guess we'll see if Pryor really does have an "S" on his chest. Texas led the nation in sacks with 44, so Terrelle will have his hands full. I think he could exploit their quick pursuing ends with some QB draws, but he's got to be careful to not hold onto the ball too long or get blindsided by Orakpo. Turnovers killed the Buckeyes against USC and LSU, and they have to take care of the football. The one positive I keep telling myself is that it wasn't until the end of the year that Beanie, Boom, and Pryor were all able to play together, and when they did the Bucks ran the ball exceptionally well. If Beanie is close to healthy that will help, and ball control is definitely the key in this game. It would also be a bonus if Ray Small or Lamaar Thomas could break one on a punt or kickoff. Speaking of that, what's your take on OSU-Texas special teams units?

Drew: To be honest, the Buckeyes have to keep an eye on Jordan Shipley. He has to be the fastest white boy I have ever seen, and has a punt and kick return touchdown on the year. The Buckeyes have been good in coverage all season long, and that needs to continue. On the other hand, Texas is weaker in kick return coverage than punt coverage (giving up 23.4 yards a return). Hopefully this is Lamaar's breakout game, because the Buckeyes have not blown me away in kick returns for the majority of the year. But enough from me on special teams; I think the side of the ball that will have my attention the most will be the Ohio State defense vs. the Texas offense. The Buckeyes have been pretty weak on D in the big games, do you think that continues? Can the Buckeyes handle the spread?

Dave: You just had to mention the spread, didn't you? Nothing strikes fear into me more than a team that can run the spread effectively with good athletes. Heacock has never figured out how to account for every skill position player in this set, and our linebackers who are so good against a more traditional offense, often seem lost when they face the spread. I think we have to do things to be effective: 1) Bring pressure, even though it is frightening to blitz a team sending out a posse of receivers; and 2) Spy on Colt McCoy who actually was the leading rusher for the Longhorns. Texas runs multiple sets and sometimes features two receivers, other times three, and on occasion four. Becuase they hit you with so many looks, and don't always run the spread, it is difficult to game plan for them. I think Heacock has his hands full, and I fear that the Bucks give up a ton of yardage in this game.

Drew: I was originally a little more optimistic about stopping their spread, due to the fact that the Longhorns do not feature a premiere running back, but I have more and more doubts as I watch additional film. McGee, Johnson, and Ogbonnaya all run the ball better that we might give them credit for, and could give the Buckeyes trouble when trying to handle multiple receiver sets. If you remember, Illinois' Jason Ford and Daniel Dufrene ate the Buckeyes up in the same sort of look, and that was with Juice Williams at quarterback, not Colt McCoy.

I say all of this to agree with your statement, we must blitz. If there is anything Heacock should have learned by now, it is that sitting back against the spread is deadly. On the other hand, if the defense comes out with a similar game plan as they did against Penn State, the Buckeyes have a real shot at winning this game. That entire game the defensive line was stellar, the safeties actually had a handle on multiple receiver sets, and the linebackers blitzed a lot. McCoy has too good of an arm to just blitz the down lineman, he needs to have a lot of different blitz packages thrown at him. The defense is the best he will see all year, and I hope they come out looking for blood!

Dave Thurman (9:44 am)

One of the fascinating underlying themes of the OSU-Texas rubber match is in regards to the head coaches and their staffs. Which coach is better in big games? Which one has had more success when given a number of weeks to prepare? Who has the better overall staff?

Let's start with a quick overview of Mack Brown. He has been the head coach at Texas for 11 years and has achieved an excellent record of 114-26, winning better than 80% of his games. After starting out with three nine win seasons, Brown has at least won ten games for eight straight seasons.

But let's break it down a little further looking at his results in big games. Against the Longhorns number one rival, Oklahoma, Brown won the first two meetings (when the Sooners were down) but then lost five straight in the Red River Shootout against ranked Sooners squad, before getting the monkey off his back in 2005. Overall he stands 5-6 against his cheif rival to the north.

In bowl games Brown is an impressive 7-3, including winning the national title by upsetting USC with a Vince Young led team in 2005. However, against opponents ranked in the top ten Brown stands just 8-13 during his Texas tenure.

When I think of Mack Brown I always conjure up the image of a slightly calmer and better John Cooper. He is a nice guy, recruits well, and wins a lot of games, but doesn't blow you away with his X's and O's and sometimes seems to have a deer-in-the-headlights look on the sideline. No doubt he rode Vince Young to a large degree, but Brown was a good coach before Young, and has continued to be successful since.

On a personal note, I have a friend whose teenage son was diagnosed with colon cancer last year, and faced surgery and chemotherapy. The young man, who has since returned to the football field, loves Texas, so I wrote Coach Brown and asked if he would send an autographed picture. Not only did he respond with the picture but sent an inspiring letter along with a Texas media guide and other items. There is no doubt that Brown is a class act, and has done a great job at Texas.

In truth, there are many similarities between Mack Brown and Jim Tressel. Like Brown, JT has won consistently at Ohio State (83% to be exact). Both have won one national championship, and both men are highly respected by others in their profession. If there is anything that seperates the two record wise it is the fact that Tressel has had better success against his cheif rival (7-1 against Michigan) and against top ten teams (9-5). In fact, until the past couple of years, Tressel had the reputation of being the best big game coach in the business, but recent failures in hyped games has tarnished that image.

Overall I don't think there is a great deal of difference between these two head coaches, but I have to go with Tressel, because he seems a little more composed on the sidelines, and I think he may be a little better at making adjustments. The past two years aside, I think Tressel is really good when given a few weeks to prepare, and so he gets the nod. Take the Sweater Vest over Mack the Knife, I mean Mack the Nice!

With that in mind, let's take a look at the rest of the coaching staff. Obviously both teams have a number of good coaches or they wouldn't be winning 10 or more games each year. Both squads also have continuity with numerous assistants having been in place throughout the entire tenure of the head coach. However what stands out to me is the comparison of the coordinators. The Longhorns have Greg Davis as their Offensive Coordinator and Quarterbacks Coach, and the numbers don't lie. The team can score points, and the manner in which Vince Young and Colt McCoy have developed is impressive. Meanwhile, Will Muschamp is in his first year as the Defensive Coordinator and Linebackers Coach, and if you have watched any of their games, you have no doubt seen his aggressive style and enthusiasm. While the Big 12 is known for the high octane offense and suspect defense, the one thing that sets Texas apart, in my opinion, is that they are a good defensive team, giving up 18.6 points a game, in spite of playing teams like Oklahoma, Texas Tech, and Missouri. This is a marked improvement over a year ago when they gave up 24 points per contest so Muschamp is getting the job done.

Ohio State's coordinators, quite honestly, don't impress me. Jim Bollman is the Offensive Coorinator and Offensive Line Coach, and may well be the most unpopular man in Columbus. His offensive lines have consistently underperformed and although it is Tressel who calls the plays, the lack of execution and creativity on offense are a sore spot with Buckeye fans. Jim Heacock, the Defensive Coordinator, has seen his squads post excellent numbers on a consistent basis, but many of the faithful would like to him be a little more fiery and aggressive. In recent big games, the defense has seemed passive and has been ineffective so Heacock has something to prove on January 5th in Glendale.

So, although it is difficult to compare staffs, I'll take Texas on the basis of their coordinators.

If you're keeping track that's one vote for OSU (head coach) and one for Texas (rest of the staff).

While you'll have to wait for my prediction score, its goes without saying that Texas has had the better year and clearly the more explosive offense, so if coaching is even, you have to favor them in this game.

What do you think? Let us know, as we anticipate round three of Ohio State versus Texas.

Dave and Drew Thurman (12:54 pm)

Mascot: Wolverines

Stadium: Michigan Stadium (106,201)

Coach: Rich Rodriguez (16 years overall 108-70-2)

2007 Record: 9-4 (Defeated Florida 41-35 in Capitol One Bowl)

2008 Record: 3-8

Base Offense: Ace (3 wide receivers)

Base Defense: 4-3

Letterman: Returning - 45; Lost - 23

Returning Starters: Offense - 3; Defense - 7; Specialists - 2

Returning Stars: WR Greg Mathews; LB Obi Ezeh

Notable Alumni:

- Ann Coulter: Conservative political commentator and author
- Mike Wallace: Longtime host of 60 Minutes
- William James Mayo: Co-founder of Mayo Clinic
- Dan Dierdorf: Pro football hall of famer/ MNF Commentator
- Jim Abbot: One-handed MLB pitcher
- Gilda Radner: Actress best known for work on Saturday Night Live
- Edward Wright: Astronaut; first American to walk in space
- Michael Phelps: Olympic swimmer with 14 career gold medals
- Gerald Ford (Pictured Below): 38th President of the United States
- Theodore Kaczynski: The Unabomber

Michigan Overview:

Offense:

The Wolverine offense has struggled in almost everyway possible this season averaging just 21.5 points and 299 yards a game. What has hurt them the most though has been the passing game averaging just 148 yards per game. A lot of this has been the poor play the Wolverines have received from their quarterbacks. For the majority of the season that man was Steven Threet. On the season Threet has 1,105 yards with nine touchdowns and seven interceptions, but this would obviously prove not to be enough for Michigan. 

Two games ago against Minnesota, sophomore Nick Sheridan became the starter at quarterback. Sheridan's numbers have been even less impressive (526 yards, 2 TD, 5 INT), but he did lead the Wolverines past the Gophers 29-6 with 206 passing yards and one touchdown. He will also be the starter when Michigan takes the field at Ohio Stadium on Saturday. Sheridan is only completing 48 percent of his passes, and his accuracy will have to improve if the Wolverines want a victory.

Due to the poor play at quarterback, the wideouts have been used a lot less than in normal years. With that said, they still have two very dangerous weapons for Sheridan to throw to. The first has to be junior Greg Mathews who is listed at 6-3, 207 pounds. Mathews has used that large frame to bring in 409 receiving yards and two touchdowns, which both lead the team. The other man to keep a close eye on is freshman Martavious Odoms. He leads the team with 44 receptions, and has 406 receiving yards. Besides these two young men, the Wolverines do not have many primary targets in the passing game. In this game you can almost guarantee they will use a lot of quick hitting passes and throw to the running backs a ton.

The running back position is also a very interesting one for the Wolverines. The two main ball carriers have been Sam McGuffie (486 yards, 3 TD) and Brandon Minor (466 yards, 8 TD). McGuffie who leads the team with 118 carries may not even play on Saturday though. In Rodriguez's press conference this week he made it clear the McGuffie may be missing Saturday due to a death in the family. Besides these two young men, the Wolverines also like to use Michael Shaw (174 yards, 0 TD) and Carlos Brown (119 yards, 0 TD). Brown actually picked up 23 of 26 rushing attempts on the season last week against Northwestern, and gained 115 yards in the game.

Defense:

The Michigan defense has not been any better than the offense for most of the season. They have given up more than 35 points five times this season, and opponents are averaging 27.7 points a game. They also have given up 362 yards a game, with 234 yards of that coming through the passing game. Yes, it has been a big struggle for the Wolverine secondary.

The man to watch on defense is linebacker Obi Ezeh. He has done a little bit of everything for Michigan this season with 96 total tackles, seven tackles for loss, and a interception. Besides him the only other guy to keep an eye on is junior defensive end Brandon Graham. He has caused all sorts of problems for opposing offensive linemen with 43 total tackles, 18 tackles for loss, and nine sacks.

How it will Go:

Throw the record book out, it is the Ohio State-Michigan game. Even with a 3-8 record overall, you better believe the Wolverines are going to come out with a lot of pride on Saturday. That kind of emotion though can end very suddenly if Ohio State comes out and puts together some quality drives.

On offense expect to see a lot of running. Typically Tressel comes out with a lot of new plays against Michigan, but this year is a little different. Tressel knows the Buckeyes are far superior in the trenches, and like many times this season he is going to use that to his advantage. Sure there will be a few new looks from the Buckeyes, but don't think the run will not come first against the Wolverines. With this established, expect some big throws down the field. Pryor could very easily have a game like he did against Northwestern where the big pass play is available. Robiskie, Hartline, and Sanzenbacher will all have their fair share of balls on Saturday.

On defense, the Buckeyes will probably shut down the passing game of the Wolverines. The Buckeyes back seven should have complete command against Sheridan and the wideouts. On the other hand, the Buckeyes could struggle with the rushing attack of Michigan. As they showed against Illinois, when spread out the defense can get gashed by quarterback reads and running back draws. The Buckeyes will have to adjust, but making the Wolverines one diminsional should help this.

Father vs. Son Prediction Battle:

Dave has it: Ohio State 27 Michigan 13
Drew has it: Ohio State 34 Michigan 14

Drew Thurman (8:07 pm)

Jim Tressel and the Buckeyes made the end of Lloyd Carr's coaching career pretty miserable. It would be nice to start Rich Rodriguez's Michigan career the same way. The Wolverine fans are already in dispair about the 3-8 season thus far, so let's hope the Buckeyes add some salt to those wounds. Go Bucks! Here are some highlights from last season:

Dave and Drew Thurman (11:10 am)

Mascot: Fighting Illini

Stadium: Memorial Stadium (65,000)

Coach: Ron Zook (41-42; 5th year at Illinois, 18-28)

2007 Record: 9-4, lost Rose Bowl 49-17 to USC

2008 Record: 5-5 (3-3)

Base Offense: Ace (3 wide receivers)

Base Defense: 4-3

Lettermen: Returning - 44; Lost - 24

Returning Starters: Offense - 7; Defense - 6; Specialist - 1

Returning Stars: QB Juice Williams, CB Vontae Davis

Notable Alumni:

Rober Ebert - Film Critc
George Will - Columnist and author
Gene Hackman - Actor
Lou Boudreu - Hall of Fame baseball shortstop
Neal Doughty - Founding member of REO Speedwagon
Jesse Jackson - Civil rights leader (expelled before graduation)
Red Grange - Charter member of Pro Football Hall of Fame
Dick Butkus (Pictured below) - Hall of Fame linebacker

Illinois Overview:

Offense

After a Rose Bowl trip just a season ago, the Illini have struggled to put it all together this season. They have struggled to be consistent week in and week out, and this was very evident in last Saturday's lost to Western Michigan 23-17. Still though the Illini pose a much bigger threat than their 5-5 (3-3) record would show. Most of this comes because they are led by Juice Williams at quarterback. Williams defines what a dual-threat quarterback looks like, and has 2769 passing yards with 20 touchdowns along with 728 rushing yards and five touchdowns. For the past few seasons people have wanted Williams to show that he has a consistent arm to along with his running ability, and this season he is finally proving that with 276.9 passing yards a game. The only knock on him is that he like the Illini, is very turnover prone. Williams has 14 interceptions on the season, and in the two games he did not throw a pick the Illini won big.

Williams has several targets he likes to go to at the wideout position. His favorite wideout with out a doubt is sophomore sensation Arrelious Benn. He has an incredible 60 catches so far this season, which have led to 947 yards receiving with three touchdowns. The number of touchdown receptions might seem small in comaparison to his 60 catches, but that is because Williams has thrown touchdown passes to nine different receivers this season. Several of these young men will be important to watch on Saturday like Will Judson (401 yards, 2 TD), Jeff Cumberland (270 yards, 3 TD), and tight end Michael Hoomanawanui (278 yards, 2 TD). All three of these targets have seen the ball in their hands a lot this season, but the Buckeyes might have to watch most for a wideout that goes under the radar. A.J. Jenkins only has eight receptions all season long, but he is averaging 29.9 yards per reception and has three touchdowns.

The rushing attack has been a real issue for the Illini all season. They lost Rashard Mendenhall to the NFL after last season, and replacing his 1681 yards and 17 touchdowns has been difficult. Daniel Dufrene has seen the most snaps at running back this season, and though he has 575 yards rushing this season, he has yet to find the endzone. A lot of this is becuase Dufrene is a speed runner rather than a power back, and becuase of that he now shares the backfield with two freshmen. Jason Ford (239 yards, 7 TD) and Mikel LeShoure (140 yards, 1 TD) will probably carry the load against the Buckeyes because unlike Dufrene they are both big physical runners. Neither has totally proven themselves yet, but with Juice Williams averaging 57.7 rushing yards per game there is still time.

Defense

Like a few positions on the offense, the Illini are really missing some key defensive players that left after last season. Lucky for this defense that their offensive unit has put up so many points because they are giving up 26.2 points a game with 351 total offensive yards per game. The Illini defense has been gashed in many ways, but nothing has hurt them more than through the air. They give up 210 yards a game passing, and have let opponents score 15 touchdowns through the air. On top of that, they have only been able to force five interceptions!

With all that said, they have been led by a very good linebacker. Brit Miller has stepped in nicely for J Lehmen at middle linebacker this season, and has 110 total tackles to go along with 15.5 tackles for loss and six sacks. He truely has done a little bit of everything for the Illini defense. The other three young men to keep your eye on are linebacker Martez Wilson (69 tackles, 5.5 TFL), cornerback Vontae Davis (64 tackles, 6 TFL, 3 FF), and defensive end David Lindquist (37 tackles, 4 sacks).  

How it will go:

The weather in Champaign on Saturday looks pretty ugly! There will be a high of 38 degrees with rain or snow showers to go along with some extremely windy conditions (21 mph). This could actually play into the Buckeyes hands because they have the better running attack and defense. So expect when Ohio State has the ball that they will try to run, run, and run so more. Tressel has shown that he wants to come out and pound it up the middle until it is obviously not working any more. Beanie and Boom should have their fair share of carries in this game. Also watch for Pryor to have a big day running. Many times in these bad conditions broken plays can lead to the biggest gains of the game. Two years ago Tressel played a very conservative game in Champaign, and if the weather is as bad as it look it will be, expect it again.

When Illinois has the ball obviously watch Juice. The weather might totally neutralize him throwing down the field, but the Buckeyes will still have to worry about him thowing short passes and running with the ball. The Illini's lack of a power rushing game really might come back to haunt them in this game. They will have to find inventive ways to continually move the ball because it does not appear as if they will be able to run up the middle on the Buckeyes. Turnovers should also play a big part in this game. Illinois has killed themselves with turnovers this season, and unlike last year in Columbus, expect a couple.

So get ready for bad weather, prepare for lots of defense, and anticipate an ugly game. The Illini play the Buckeyes tough every year, and it looks like that might happen again this season. This one is a battle the entire way...

Father vs. Son Prediction Battle:

Dave has it: Ohio State 24 Illinois 17

Drew has it: Ohio State 20 Illinois 10

Drew Thurman (8:33 am)

With the Illinois/Ohio State game approaching this Saturday, we wanted to get the opinion of an Illinois fan and blogger on what to expect. We caught up with Dan O'Brien of Illinoisloyalty.com, and this is what he had to say...

1) After a Rose Bowl trip last season, the Illini are 5-5 (3-3) this season. What do you feel has caused the step back?

"Inexperience at safety and linebacker (besides Miller), plus not-so-great play from the offensive line has not helped matters on the field when Illinois is consistently getting opponents' A-game this season.

That plus the 2008 Illini are not morning people. Illinois is 1-3 on 11:00 am kickoffs, the lone win coming at home against Louisiana Lafayette 20-17."

2) Who has impressed you the most on the Illinois team so far this season?

"Brit Miller has had a fantastic year, filling in for J Lehmen at the mike. Brit leads the conference in tackles per game (11.0), and is about the only guy on the D who has consistently shown up each game"

3) The Illini have played the Buckeyes tough under Zook, do you feel there is a reason for this?

"For some reason, the Buckeyes always get the Illini's best game in the recent history of the series (the Buckeyes hold a slight 12-11 advantage since 1983). The 3 games in Champaign this decade have all gone down to the final minute or gone to OT. I attribute this closeness to the historical interconnectedness of the two rivals, each being #2 on their list of most games played versus a team."

4) After the loss last weekend to Western Michigan, what do expect from the Illini on Saturday?

"A loss. See 11:00 am kickoff."

5) Who or what do you think the Buckeyes need to watch out for this weekend?

"I don't see Illinois running on the Buckeyes, so cover the receivers starting with Arrelious Benn, AJ Jenkins, Jeff Cumberland, and the big TE we call 'Uh Oh' because his full name is too tough to spell or pronounce. That, and blitz Juice."

6) Any other thoughts:

" Final Score: Ohio State 31 Illinois 24."

Dave & Drew Thurman (12:07 pm)

Mascot: Wildcats

Stadium: Ryan Field Stadium (47,130)

Coach: Pat Fitzgerald (Third year, 17-16)

2007 Record: 6-6

2008 Record: 7-2

Base Offense: Spread

Base Defense: 4-3

Letterman: Returning - 47; Lost - 19

Returning Starters: Offense - 7; Defense - 8; Speacialists - 2

Returning Stars: RB Tyrell Sutton, SS Brendan Smith

Notable Alumni:

-Charlton Heston - Actor
-George McGovern - US Senator & Presidential nomine
-Warren Beatty - Actor
-Michael Wilbon - ESPN analyst and host of PTI (pictured below)
-Julia Louise-Dreyfus - Actress
-Jerry Springer - TV personality
-Hugh Heffner - Playboy fame
-Brent Musburger - Sports commentator
-Otto Graham - Football hall of famer who also played basketball

Northwestern Overview:

Offense:

The Wildcat offense this year has been on a roller coaster ride, filled with its ups and downs. Especially of late as they have battled the injury bug with some of their star players. This means the Buckeyes first have to prepare to see two different quarterbacks on Saturday. The starter if healthy is senior C.J. Bacher, who has accumulated 1700 yards passing to go along with 10 touchdowns. He has struggled with consistency though, completing just 59 percent of his passes with 11 interceptions. Bacher has also bailed the Wildcats out with his legs having 244 yards and three touchdowns on the season.

The other possibility at quarterback on Saturday is Mike Kafka, who played very well in Bacher's absense last week against Minnesota. Kafka was 12 of 16 for 143 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. He really burned the Golden Gophers on the ground with 217 yards rushing.

On top of quarteback, the Wildcats have been plagued with injuries at the running back position. First, the Akron native Tyrell Sutton went down with a wrist injury after being hurt for a big part of last season. Sutton had 776 yards with six touchdowns on the season. His replacement then became Omar Conteh who has 235 yards rushing and three touchdowns. Conteh was injured this week in practice, so the Wildcats throw sophomore Stephen Simmons out as the starter against the Buckeyes. Simmons has a whopping 4 rushing attempts for 19 yards on the season, so there is not much to know about him.

The other position of major importance for the Wildcats is at wideout. Northwestern throws the ball a lot, and actually have 8 players with ten or more catches. The three main guys to look for are Ross Lane (397 yards, 0 TD), Rasheed Ward (329 yards, 2 TD), and Eric Peterman (386 yards, 3 TD). All three of these young men have 30 plus receptions, and will get a lot of short throws coming at them. With that said, all three have the ability to bust one long if they are given the space.

Defense:

Northwestern's defense has been better than many predicted. Their statistics are not mind blowing, but they are holding opponents to 18.1 points a game. This has been key because even though they are giving up 341 yards a game, they are holing opponents under 50 percent on red zone touchdowns. They have clamped down under pressure, and have forced field goals.

A lot of this is due to the fact that the strength of the defense is the back seven. Actually catch this, the top seven tacklers for the Wildcats come from the linebacking core or secondary. On top of tackles, these seven guys account for 26 tackles for loss, seven interceptions, and six forced fumbles. They truely are the heart of the defense. Especially at safety with Brad Phillips (75 tackles) and Brendan Smith (57 tackles). Phillips and Smith are tough all the way around, and will make quarterbacks pay for misguided throws.

The only other player to really keep your eye on is Corey Wootton. The junior defensive end has had a stellar year, accumulating 27 tackles with 12 tackles for loss and six and half sacks.

How It Will Go:

When Ohio State has the ball expect to see a power attack unleashed. The Wildcats interior defense is not incredibly strong, so look for the Buckeyes to try to pound the ball with Chris Wells. The Buckeyes could very well open things up for Pryor as well. If the running game is working, allowing Pryor to throw the ball down field would be great for his confidence. If Pryor has a successful game on the road against a ranked team, he really could get back on track. The slot wideouts and tight ends will need to play an important part of this game as well. The Wildcats have good safties, so it will be important for Pryor to get the ball to guys with one on one coverage. Brandon Smith, Dane Sazenbacher, and Brain Hartline will all have big games if the line can protect Pryor.

When Northwestern has the ball, expect to see a very hungry Buckeye defense. The Wildcats are down to their third string running back, so expect a lot of short passes to replace a consistent running game. Also, like last week against Minnesota, expect which ever Northwestern quarterback that starts to run much more than any of their backs. Kafka ran the ball 15 more times than anyone else on the team last week! Finally, get ready to see some forced turnovers by the Buckeyes. Northwestern has been very turnover prone all season, especially in their losses. In their two losses the Wildcats lost the turnover battle 0-8. 

Father vs. Son Prediction Battle:

Dave has it: Ohio State 24 Northwestern 14

Drew has it: Ohio State 31 Northwestern 10