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Breakdown: New Mexico State

By VR Bryant

Under normal circumstances, I would absolutely spend time in the body of this article recounting the pertinent, notable elements from Saturday's game. But normal circumstances these are not. Amazingly, the game wasn't as close as the 45-0 score suggests. Perhaps the better indicator would be total yards: 559 to 62. Yards. The Aggies were the worst offense in the country statistically coming in, and they didn't disappoint. What I'm saying is, if you happen to have missed the game, don't worry. Whatever you were doing instead (like, say, going to the Home Depot to buy paint stirrers) was probably more entertaining. Let's get after it.

1. Conspiracy theorists unite
The word came out much later that the reason why Terrelle Pryor didn't suit up was that he was hurt. To my knowledge, there was never any such indication during the game - the crack broadcast staff at the Big Ten Network certainly didn't make any mention. Then again, that gaggle of idiots couldn't tell the difference between DeVier Posey and Duron Carter all day, and all they do is cover Big Ten football. Anyway, it's a bit of a random thought, but as it seems that you can't talk about Ohio State football without getting pulled into a discussion about Pryor, it's still germane, so here it is: I think Pryor, like a young thoroughbred favoring a leg, is being "pulled up" a bit by the coaching staff. Does he have a shot at winning the race? Sure. But they'd rather dump the cheap stakes now than lose him for the Breeder's Cup. Call me crazy, but I think leaving a quarterback who has a lot to work on in a game against a live opponent is plum necessary, regardless of how far out of hand the game has gotten, or how clearly inferior the opposition is. This isn't Peyton Manning we're talking about. Pryor, by all reasonable accounts, is still lightyears from being a reliable quarterback. So why strip the pads off him halfway through the game? Well, I think it's because they want to keep him around. Scouts are smart - they watch the games. But they're still affected by abstract perception, and the abstract perception of Pryor from this game is that he struggled, completing less than half his passes. As long as that perception prevails, Pryor has no business leaving for the NFL. At this point, he has no legitimate pro potential in my estimation, and I think that's exactly what Tressel wants. He wants Terrelle Pryor as a senior, likely because he (like me) can envision a loose, confident Pryor at the controls, just like Troy Smith was in his senior campaign. No more happy feet, no more unbridled emotion. Just a cold, calculating 6-foot-6 monster who can beat you any way he chooses. I think people in charge still see that potential, and they have to know that it can't be forced. Like a good red sauce, it takes time to properly develop, and as long as TP is still posting meager numbers, time is exactly what the coaching staff will have. Again, I could be completely off base, but a hunch is a hunch.

2. Crunch time
This is the time of year when you really start learning things about college football teams. Florida, while not flawless, will still suit up and spank you whenever they feel threatened. Iowa is clearly utilizing some form of arcane witchcraft, and needs to be purified by fire. Cincinnati, TCU and Boise State have all had enough of our shit and demand some respect and attention (though I firmly believe that two of them will drop a game before all is said and done). Oregon, after its thorough dismantling of USC, looks as good as any team outside of the top three, and has in true freshman LaMichael James a legitimate Heisman-caliber talent for 2010. Ohio State and USC are the best two-loss teams, and are still better than a lot of the one-lossers (Pitt, Georgia Tech, Utah, Houston). Michigan is more dynamic than a year ago, but remains tragically flawed (it's Michigan - duh). Virginia Tech is probably really good, but they're probably re-thinking saddling themselves with one of the toughest schedules in the country. Notre Dame wants desperately to be relevant, but isn't, and will likely end up getting torn in half by, say, John Clay and Wisconsin in the seventh annual Who Gives a Shit Bowl. I think we've learned some things about Penn State too, but as they're next on the docket, they get their own paragraph.

3. Happy Valley, here we come
The Lions are certainly not elite. They've exhibited on several occasions that they are beatable, just like Ohio State has. In fact, statistically speaking, the two teams are startlingly similar. Very strong defenses (ranked 5 and 6, PSU and OSU), average offenses, losses to good teams, and no real quality wins. Well, come this Saturday evening, one of these two teams will have a quality win. So which team will it be? I'm being honest when I say that my natural impulse is to say that Ohio State wins this game. If it were a night game, I'd be less optimistic. If Penn State's lone defeat hadn't come as a result of running into a talented defense (a less talented defense than Ohio State's, in fact), I'd be less keen on our Buckeyes. And if I didn't trust Tressel implicitly to know exactly where the line is between success and failure, I'd be less inclined to believe deep down that he has a very specific plan for how the remainder of this season is going to play out. I'm sure if I looked back and accounted, I'd find that I've had some other leanings that didn't prove true, but they're always true in the moment. I think the Buckeyes win this Saturday. I think they win the following week versus Iowa, and I think they then go to Ann Arbor and show - just like the Illini did - that Michigan is still two or three years away from being relevant again. As far as the nuts and bolts of this week's game go, I think it'll come down to who takes better care of the football. Both teams are pretty good at putting pressure on the opposing offense and causing turnovers - something has to give. Now, it shouldn't be overlooked that the much-maligned Ohio State offensive line is going up against the fourth-ranked pass rush in the country, but I anticipate that reality having a curative effect on the unit. I think (read: hope) Tressel and Co. will scheme to avoid having Pryor standing like a statue in the shotgun pocket and get him on the move more, coming out from under center (god willing) and rolling out like they've hinted at doing of late. Make no mistake, the Lions will be out for blood, and they got a nice little wake-up call after trailing the Northwestern Mildcats 13-10 at the half last week. The Buckeyes will need their 'A' game - no doubt about it. I happen to believe they'll have it.

Originally Published: November 4, 2009

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