So many offensive stars in this one that I'll try to address below,but suffice it to say that it'll be a long time before this game is forgotten by Ohio State fans.
The now 12-1 and Big Ten Champion Buckeyes will wait until tonight to see if this was enough to get them into the final four or will they settle for one of the New Years Day spots in the highest second tier of bowls??
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1) I picked Wisconsin in this game close,but I told everyone that I would pick the Buckeyes with J.T,Barrett close.
I also added though that if I had to pick one coach to get a quarterback up to speed in this situation it would be Urban Meyer.
Start with Meyer and his offensive coaching staff when you pass out bouquets for this win..
2) Cardale Jones threw three touchdowns and 257 yards and it was apparent from the first drive that Jones was prepped and ready for this game.
Jones showed a bigger arm than either Braxton Miller or J.T.Barrett and his style is more Terrelle Pryor than the two others.
Jones has a set of skills that might prove to make (to my surprise) Ohio State even tougher in the coming weeks-no matter who they play....
3) There was a runner that went over 200 yards in this title game,but it was not the heralded Melvin Gordon,it was Ezekiel Elliott that was unstoppable. Elliott ripped off 220 yards on two touchdowns and the Badgers simply could not stop Elliott,who may have scored again had he not thrown a shoe on a long run....
4) Devin Smith finished with 137 yards and two touchdowns,one of them coming down between two defenders.
"Big Play Devin" continues to be the guy that the Buckeyes looks for in the deep passing game and Ohio State might look back with wishes that they had gotten him more involved over the year.
5) This game could have been over 60 points on the point.
In the second quarter,Ezekiel Elliott dropped a pass that he would have strolled into the end zone with and OSU settled for their only Sean Nurnberger field goal of the day.
6) Melvin Gordon came into the game with tons of hype and it was deserved.
Gordon against the Ohio State run defense was my main worry and another reason that I picked Wisconsin.
Instead,Gordon was corralled and kept under control with 76 yards,but he needed 26 carries to do so which is an average of less than three yards a carry...
7) I've been very critical of Luke Fickel as a defensive coordinator through the years and I'm not sure who created this game plan,but the thought was brilliant as they often had eight and nine men in the box to stop Melvin Gordon.
I was (stupidly perhaps) reminded of the 6-2 Stack Monster defense employed by the brilliant defensive coordinator Craig T.Nelson in "All the Right Moves".
Credit where it is due and unless the Buckeyes get scorched in the coming games,Fickel may have saved his job for another year...
8) I've read some tweets/articles that suggested that the Badgers were "Intimidated" by Ohio State.
I have doubts on that.
When these two teams play,it has been a close and hard hitting game for years and that not only casts a shadow on a good Wisconsin program along with the Ohio State victory.
9) Four forced turnovers including a Joey Bosa fumble recovery for a score.
I hate to be melodramatic here,but could this effort have been a tribute to the tragic loss of Kosta Karageorge?
Michael Bennett forced two of the Badgers fumbles and he wore 53 as a tribute to Karageorge.
10) Finally the big question-Are the Buckeyes in?
Answer-I don't know,but they could not have stated their case any strongly.
I have no problems with Alabama or Oregon and Florida State has won all games and despite the recent shots at the Seminoles,they have won all their games,so to me they are in.
That leaves the Buckeyes with TCU and Baylor.
Nothing against those schools,but no one in the Big 12 plays defense at all,
The loss to Virginia Tech looks bad and if OSU doesn't get in,they can blame the Hokies for turning so mediocre after a great night for them (6-6),but that is a different team.
I have a bias,but if it is me,It is Florida State (Undefeated),Alabama (toughest conference sked),Oregon (tough conference,played a good non-conference team in Michigan State) and the Buckeyes ( impressive finish and playing well on both sides of the ball).
What this really does is point out that the real need is for an eight team playoff and if that means the conference championship games go away in order to do so-fine......
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