That was tasty.  Thank you Austin, I guess there is an advantage to having a mascot you can eat.  Reminds me of the lament of the old cavalry guys as their horses were replaced by helicopters.  Their complaint was that if things got really bad you couldn't eat the choppers.  What a great Buckeye victory in a great setting.  Certainly have to think the way that looked and with all the hype the game received that it should benefit recruiting.  Troy and the offense looked great. Troy was like a surgeon and just cut them to pieces.  I recall two bad passes.  Robiskie and Gonzo both dropped one a piece. So it was not perfection,  but it was pretty.  A masterful performance by the new-look Tressel ball offense.  You had the feeling we could have scored  a lot more points if we had needed them.  Gonzo is just too tough.   Covering Teddy m-m with seconds left in the first half was beyond stupid.  That play was over the second the Texas safety peeked inside.  The running game looked solid and Pittman continues to impress.  After watching several seasons of Buckeye  backs who would go down at the hint of contact, watching Pittman run is a joy.  He runs through tackles and gets the extra yard when he does go down.  I would like to see a little more of C. Wells and I suspect we will this week. The offense plays with a sense of urgency and the play calling reflects the same. I wonder how much of that can be attributed to the rule changes which have shortened the game.   On defense we played much better than I expected.  Tackling was improved, coverage was generally good and we put some serious heat on their young  QB (thankfully, not their QB Young).  The exciting thing about the defense is that they are going to get a lot better.  I mean alot better! The LB’s  are still playing too shallow, and over-pursuing, but they are such great and fast athletes they still  make plays.  The kicking game, other than the 1-2 on FGs,  was outstanding. Punts and coverage were exceptional.  Kickoffs were not returnable.Our return game scares opposing coaches

Did anyone think, as that game wore on,  thatTexas was maybe, just a little bit overrated?  We handled them up front on both sides of the ball with much more ease than I expected.  Actually, McCoy played pretty well, his receivers dropped too many passes. Good arm, pretty accurate and nice mobility.  Another VY?  Not even close.  I think the Horns will lose to OU and  one other time, either to Tech or A&M,  maybe both.    Vaunted TX D-cord Gene Chizik  seemed befuddled by the OSU attack.  I was very impressed by both Jamaal Charles and Selvin Young. The UT O-line did a nice job run blocking and, for the most part, protecting McCoy. Other than that, I was not impressed by the Horns.  Their defense tackled well but never got much serious heat on Troy and we had receivers open all night.  Our last TD drive appeared to make a statement that this team may have speed to burn but they can be as physical as anyone.

    After going  11-0  the first week of the season a few chinks in the Big Tens’ armor showed up.  Minnesota was embarrassed by Cal, a team Tennessee thrashed the previous week. Iowa barely escaped hapless Syracuse in 2 OT's.  OK, I know Drew Tate was on the bench, but really?? Syracuse?   The real problems were Illinois and Northwestern.  The Illini got stomped by Rutgers.   NW  lost to 1AA New   Hampshire.  Illinois should just start  basketball practice.  Ron Zookwas  a good asst coach and now has proven to be a horrible head coach at two  schools.  Northwestern, how can you possibly lose to a 1AA team, New   Hampshire no less?. I don’t care how many braniacs they have in uniform, that loss embarrassed the entire Big Ten.  I am placing both Illini and
Northwestern officially on double-secret probation.  One more mess on the carpet and they are out of the Big Ten  If we can be the Big Ten with 11 teams I don’t see why we can’t be the Big Ten with 9 teams.  Northwestern has
to move to the Mac and Illinois is worse so they have to join the Big East.  Did anyone notice that Ohio U beat Northern Illinois. On some level I find that disturbing.

Nationally this weekend, we have a buffet of big games between ranked teams.  The LSU Tigers face the Tiger-War Eagle-Plainsmen of Auburn in the beginning of   SEC fratricide.  Since LSU has only one mascot they have to be the underdog. Still,  I like Les Miles over Tommy Tuberville in a close one for the Tigers.  Floridavs Tennessee.  I still miss Coach Superior and the visor in this one.  If the Vols tank,  the orange clad  faithful will quickly forget the rout of Cal and be after Coach  Fullmer/s considerable backside.  If the Gators lose, they will officially start to  pine for Ron Zook.  Just kidding, really.  The only folks who wish Zook was still  the Gator’s coach are at Illinois.   This may not be a good weekend for orange.  Tennessee, Florida, and Auburn will all lose.   Though Syracuse will be bad for the next decade, they have a chance because they play the Illini. Somebody in  orange will have to win.  USC will embarrass the Huskers in LA, but Coach Callahan will still be glad he isn't  coaching the Raiders.  He may face irate alums at Nebraska, but not Al Davis.  Al Davis looks like and dresses  like an 80 year old Elvis impersonator.  What is with the white jump suits and the exotic glasses hanging by a  granny-chain around his neck? OU should beat Oregon, if only to keep the most hideous uniforms out of the top ten.  Adrian Peterson begins his Heisman campaign by stomping Ducks.  Miami travels to Louisville.  With the  loss of Michael Bush, I have to take the Canes.  Florida State, fresh off near disaster against Troy State last week,  takes on Junior Bowden’s Clemson team.  Clemson was upset by BC last week.  A loss to the Noles will win them a spot in the Gator Bowl.  Oh yeah there is a game in South Bend too.  Lloyd really wants this one.  The Weasels are leaner and meaner and ready to roll.  I’ll take the Irish by two touchdowns.  Lloyd Carr matching wits with a genius - that's just not fair.