By: Chris Dufresne (LATimes.com) -- It's fourth down at midfield and what the millionaire coach decides before the play clock runs out -- punt, pass, kick? -- could win the game or ultimately cost him the national title and/or his job. Either way the call will get cut up like a biology-lab frog by 24-hour cable, sportswriters with community college degrees and Monday morning quarterback clubs. So you want to be a head coach? Last weekend was a clinic for poise -- and perhaps a ... Read More

By: Doug Lesmerises (Cleveland Plain Dealer) -- Jim Tressel doesn't believe his offense needs to change. Tressel always tweaks his system to fit his personnel, but when I tried to ask about considering a shift in philosophy - maybe away from his plan to win the field position battle and rely on his special teams in an offense that is less wide-open than other systems - he said he wasn't going to change to Navy's triple option or anything like that. Eventually, he basically said ... Read More

By: AP via SI.com -- OLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -- With a growing chorus of fans questioning his playcalling and others doubting his ability to win a big game, Jim Tressel was asked if his honeymoon as Ohio State's head coach was over. "You felt like it's been a nine-year honeymoon?" he repeated on Tuesday. "You must not have liked your honeymoon." For the first time in his tenure in Columbus, Tressel is catching fire from all directions in the wake of Saturday night's 18-15 ... Read More

By: Doug Lesmerises (Cleveland Plain Dealer) -- Columbus- Ohio State's offensive line was looking crisp, quick and more confident, OSU coach Jim Tressel thought as the Buckeyes were preparing for Navy. That's not quite where they are now. With the USC game two days away, the Buckeyes have a line on which left guard Justin Boren was the only one to receive a winning performance grade as the coaches evaluated their efforts in the opener. And some simple things tripped up a line that ... Read More

By: Tim Bielik (BleacherReport.com) -- With about six minutes left in Saturday's game in Ohio Stadium, Ohio State failed to convert a fourth-and-two inside the Navy red zone. Ten seconds later, a 29-14 game became 29-21. It was a shocking meltdown that ended in LB Brian Rolle's two-point conversion return to make the final score 31-27 Buckeyes. The stunned Buckeye faithful now have lost all faith that their team can beat the mighty Trojans this Saturday. Even the oddsmakers agree, making Ohio State an underdog ... Read More

By: Doug Lesmerises (Cleveland Plain Dealer) -- COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The plan against a freshman quarterback rarely varies. You face a kid, you get in his face. So goes the thinking when Ohio State welcomes Southern California freshman Matt Barkley to Ohio Stadium on Saturday night. "I think the thing that's different for a freshman coming in here is the crowd and the blitzing," former Ohio State coach Earle Bruce said Tuesday. "And the hitting him right in the chin. If we don't hit ... Read More

By: John Cupps (BuckeyeCountry.net) -- Ohio State's not so pretty win Saturday against Navy swayed voters in both the AP and USA Today college football polls. Preseason ranked at number 6, the Buckeyes fell to eighth in the AP while slipping just one stop in the USA Today poll to seventh. Florida took the top stop, as expected, gathering up 56 first place votes in both polls. Texas, USC and Alabama followed the Gators in the top spots. USC travels to Columbus on ... Read More

By: MATT MARKEY (ToledoBlade.com) -- COLUMBUS — When Ohio State faced top-ranked Southern California in Los Angeles a year ago, Terrelle Pryor was the freshman, the backup, the understudy, and the future for the Buckeyes. In that game Pryor got his first real taste of life as the quarterback at Ohio State, and 12 months later he is ready to call on the lessons learned when the No. 6 Buckeyes host the No. 4 Trojans Saturday night in front of a national television ... Read More

By: Bill Blanton (Examiner.com) -- Terrelle Pryor is one of the biggest questions and answers to how successful the Ohio State Buckeyes will be this year. Pryor did a good job on Saturday of getting rid of the ball quickly and making good decisions. Pryor threw the ball with what seemed like more command then we saw last year. When Tressel was asked about Pryor’s performance in regard to the late interception he stated, “I know when you're a quarterback that really can put ... Read More

From: OhioStateBuckeyes.com -- Saturday will be USC’s first visit to the Horseshoe since 1990. The Trojans are 1-0 entering Saturday’s game after defeating San Jose State 56-3 last weekend at the Coliseum. USC has made seven consecutive BCS bowl appearances, including four straight Rose Bowls and the 2004 national championship in the Orange Bowl. The Trojans are led on offense by true freshman Matt Barkley, who threw for 233 yards on 15-of-19 passing with one touchdown. Junior tailback Joe McKnight ran for 145 yards ... Read More