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

From: WashingtonPost.com -- Ohio State has made a bit of a habit in recent seasons of turning in shaky performances in the week prior to its matchup against Southern California. In 2008, the Buckeyes trailed by two entering the fourth quarter against Ohio before prevailing by 12. They then lost to USC by 32 points. On Saturday, No. 6 Ohio State needed an interception on a late two-point conversion attempt to seal a win over Navy. Next up for the Buckeyes is a No. ... Read More

From: OhioStateBuckeyes.com -- COLUMBUS, Ohio - The Ohio State football coaching staff has selected its weekly award winners for outstanding play in the 31-27 win over Navy. Safety Kurt Coleman was the Buckeyes' defensive player of the week, with an interception, a forced fumble and nine tackles. Daniel Herron, who rushed for 72 yards and a score, was the offensive player of the week. Nate Oliver, with two key tackles, was the player of the week on the special units. Scout team ... Read More

By: Todd Porter (NorwichBulletin.com) -- COLUMBUS, Ohio — Minutes after No. 6 Ohio State escaped friendly confines with a win over Navy, Jim Tressel was already being asked about USC. The Buckeyes face a make-or-break game Saturday night at Ohio Stadium against No. 4 USC. Ohio State could repair its national reputation with a win. It’s a reputation that was further soured by coming dangerously too close to unranked Navy. Tressel said there never was a time during the Navy game that he wondered if the ... Read More

From: ClevelandLeader.com -- The Ohio State Buckeyes have been inserted as a 7 point underdog in their battle with USC on Saturday. The clash of the two college football titans will be played at Ohio Stadium and will be aired at 8:05 on ESPN. OSU is coming off a pedestrian performance against Navy which saw them blow a double digit lead late in the in the game and hold off the Midshipman for a 4 point win. Southern Cal looked sharp demolishing San ... Read More

By: Scott Wolf (DailyBreeze.com) -- Pete Carroll said Sunday that USC has made great progress against running quarterbacks since the 2006 national championship loss to Texas, when the Trojans couldn't stop Vince Young. "We've come so much further scheme-wise in that time," Carroll said. "We've changed so much over the years. We had to adjust. Everybody has trouble with them. It's the hardest thing to defend." The changes occurred recently because Oregon quarterback Dennis Dixon rushed for 76 yards in 2007 against USC. And ... Read More

By: Bill Blanton (Examiner.com) -- As I was watching the Navy-Ohio Sate game on Saturday, the first half turned out almost as I had scripted in my mind. What I didn’t factor was Ohio State letting Navy back in the game in the third quarter, missing the knockout blow in the fourth quarter and almost allowing Navy to sink the 2009 Ohio State Football season in week one. One of the first questions the media asked Jim Tressel following the Buckeyes 31-27 win was the ... Read More

By: Doug Lesmerises (Cleveland Plain Dealer) -- Columbus -- Ohio State should be glad to be done with Navy, but the Buckeyes aren't done with the option. While the Midshipmen used their triple option to push Ohio State to the brink Saturday, the option also was one of the best offensive choices the Buckeyes made. It probably won't be a go-to in the game plan against USC in five days, but running the op tion five times against Navy, the Buckeyes gained 37 yards ... Read More