2023 Buckeyes Football

[Chris]

It's close. From the perspective of just the individual games, I think Clemson is worse simply because overturning that fumble return was the factually incorrect thing to do. We got straight up fucked on that.

Whereas Georgia was just an unbelievable string of bad luck in the 4th Quarter. Being on the wrong side of every 50/50 call and replay review. Safeties tripping over themselves. Etc.

However, when looking at the bigger picture? We still would have had to face LSU in '19. Which I personally believe we would have been capable of winning, however we would have been underdogs. Versus getting to slaughter TCU for a National Championship. That to me is the worst part of the Georgia game...it was essentially the de facto National Championship Game and we somehow lost in a game we should have won 100 times out of 100.

Ohio State has had so many "just missed" Championship seasons but 2022 was easily the closest and likely will never be topped in that regard.

Will go to my grave thinking OSU should have at least one, possibly two more natties in the last two decades than they actually do.

Have no idea about the team this year. Two of the most important position groups (qb and ol) are questionable. I feel like the defense should take an even bigger leap than it did from 21-22, which is good because it still wasn’t anywhere near great last year.

 

[daddywags]

This will be our most experienced team in years and one of the most experienced teams in the country, so that's a huge plus.

Ultimately, how far this team goes will really come down to two things imo:

1) Kyle McCord. Is he another 1st round QB or is he just a guy?

2) The Defense. Last year was an improvement overall but still completely shit the bed in the two games they were needed most. It's extremely difficult to win big games when your defense gives up multiple TDs of 50+ yards. With the returning starters plus the guys we brought in from the portal and year 2 under Knowles there is a lot of optimism that this could finally be the year the defense really turns a corner and potentially even becomes "good". If that happens, this could be a special year, even if McCord is closer to Krenzel than he is to Fields. If the defense falls apart in the big games again, we're in deep shit.

Honorable Mention: The running game. Last year we again couldn't run the ball for shit in the big games. McCord is definitely more mobile than Stroud so hopefully that can help the run game become a strength for us again.

Great summary! I really hope McCord can give us a running threat at QB.

Eta: Thanks for all the great work you guys do in here to keep us rabid, but not year-round invested, fans up to date on comings and goings and such.

 

[-Akronite-]

It's close. From the perspective of just the individual games, I think Clemson is worse simply because overturning that fumble return was the factually incorrect thing to do. We got straight up fucked on that.

Whereas Georgia was just an unbelievable string of bad luck in the 4th Quarter. Being on the wrong side of every 50/50 call and replay review. Safeties tripping over themselves. Etc.

However, when looking at the bigger picture? We still would have had to face LSU in '19. Which I personally believe we would have been capable of winning, however we would have been underdogs. Versus getting to slaughter TCU for a National Championship. That to me is the worst part of the Georgia game...it was essentially the de facto National Championship Game and we somehow lost in a game we should have won 100 times out of 100.

Ohio State has had so many "just missed" Championship seasons but 2022 was easily the closest and likely will never be topped in that regard.

Very likely the season goes another direction instead of undefeated, but there is some alternate universe where we self-imposed a bowl ban and ended up in the Natty against Notre Dame in 2012.

Clemson hurt me much more, but I think because I was much more invested in that 2019 team that was a monster (and hate Clemson much more). Not sure whether it's more frustrating to feel like you've been cheated by the refs or to leave a win on the table through bad decision making (why the fuck did we take the ball out of CJ's hands and settle for a long field goal?).

 

[Ohio]

 

[Chris]

Scott is a massive get. Absolutely huge W.

 

[Hurl Bruce]

New DL recruit?

 

[Ohio]

 

[Hurl Bruce]

 

[MGMT]

Isn’t he looking at full blown prison time though?

 

[-Akronite-]

A user on Reddit did a countdown of the Top 131 FBS programs ranked based on the last 40 years. Alabama was just named #1, as most would expect, with Ohio State being the only other program with an argument for the top spot (an edge in consistency, but way behind on national titles).


While the order can certainly be debated when ranking our own teams in order, it is pretty amazing that we have an undefeated team coming in at 14th, and a 10 win team at 27th. Wish we could break through more often in the biggest games, but still a very spoiled fanbase.

 

[Chris]

I need some big wins this season gentlemen.

 

[David.]

So if we don't have a line, rb or qb what happens? We just try to coach them to get better for a couple years or do we acquire new talent?

 

[MGMT]

So if we don't have a line, rb or qb what happens? We just try to coach them to get better for a couple years or do we acquire new talent?

Justin Frye hasn’t shown a ton on the recruiting front yet. I’ll feel a bit better if he can land Baker but the left side’s inability to execute a simple double team multiple times was concerning for sure. Some of the play calling was baffling also - I think McCord is a guy that can be good and there’s a nice stable of running backs besides him, but this execution and design needs to get cleaned up asap or it’s going tk be hard to be confident in beating PSU or ttun.

 

[Tlyons]

Thankfully we have cupcakes to get our shit together.

 

[Ohio]

Thankfully we have cupcakes to get our shit together.

Yeah. The OL especially needs to get their shit figured out before the Notre Dame game. I believe McCord is good enough despite not appearing to be a 1st round QB. But the line was a travesty against Indiana. They gotta get it together, fast.