By: Jon Spencer (News Journal via StatesmanJournal.com) -- COLUMBUS, Ohio — "Fatigue makes cowards of us all." It sounds like something a famous general would have said, maybe Patton or MacArthur, or former Ohio State coach Woody Hayes. Actually, those words were uttered by a captain, Ohio State senior defensive lineman Doug Worthington, as he talked about the Buckeyes preparing for the Rose Bowl and an Oregon offense that always keeps its finger on the fast-forward button. The pace in Buckeyes practices has been brisk, ... Read More

By: Jon Spencer (StatemanJournal.com) -- COLUMBUS, Ohio — It was easy to picture roses wilting and dreams dying as former Ohio State All-American guard Jim Lachey talked about his final football game as a Buckeye. "You go back in your mind and think, 'Boy, if we could have taken care of business one more time' … (and) not doing it on the field," said Lachey, reflecting on a 20-17 loss to underdog USC in the 1985 Rose Bowl, his only trip to Pasadena. "Taking off ... Read More

By: MATT MARKEY (ToledoBlad.com) -- COLUMBUS - Ohio State and Oregon got the jump on everyone else. While the rest of the country waited until Sunday night's bowl lottery to find out who would be playing where and what the opposition would be, the Rose Bowl had its combatants lined up a few days earlier. Ohio State was locked in with the Rose Bowl since a Nov. 14 win over Iowa gave the Buckeyes a fifth straight Big Ten championship. Oregon snagged ... Read More

By: MATT MARKEY (ToledoBlade.com) -- COLUMBUS - Earle Bruce is clearly no Martha Stewart, but the crusty former Ohio State coach grows roses in his garden, just like the famous horticultural maven. Roses mean a lot to Bruce, and not just for their brilliant hues and subtle perfume. In the botanical plot in his mind, roses to Bruce signify what at Ohio State was traditionally the ultimate accomplishment - a trip to the Rose Bowl. This year, the Buckeyes are back in ... Read More

By: Kyle Strittholt (BleacherReport.com) -- At the beginning of the season the Buckeyes were projected to finish second or third in the Big Ten, but for the fifth consecutive year they came out on top. People have constantly been criticizing the Buckeyes for being to conservative of a team and it is true they are, but it's because of this that they have been in the BCS more than any other team in college football. Early on in the season conservative play calling was the ... Read More

By: Doug Lesmerises (Cleveland Plain Dealer) -- COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Jim Tressel likes to say that the most important stat for a quarterback is wins. By that standard, Terrelle Pryor's 10-2 record and No. 8 ranking isn't bad for sophomore. The only sophomore quarterbacks above Pryor in the BCS rankings are Kellen Moore for undefeated and No. 6 Boise State, and Cincinnati backup Zach Collaros, who played very well while stepping in for injured starter Tony Pike for undefeated No. 5 Cincinnati. But there ... Read More

By: Peter Schrager (FoxSports.com) -- In light of Jay Leno's ratings struggles in his new 10 o'clock timeslot, Newsweek.com posted one of those pithy Internet lists, highlighting 12 "Comics Who Aren't Funny" last week. Tops on the list was comedian Dane Cook. Though I understand where Cook could rub some people in the wrong way, the caffeinated stand-up comedian did just sell out Madison Square Garden, once had over 2.6 million fans on his MySpace page, and has been cast in the leading role ... Read More

From: CBS42.com -- The Buckeyes clinched a spot in the Rose Bowl with their thrilling 27-24 overtime home win over Iowa, but their postseason opponent is still a mystery. Oregon holds the slight edge with a 6-1 Pac-10 record - 6-1 ATS as well. The Ducks' lone loss came in a letdown spot vs. Stanford just one week after dismantling USC. However, a Rose Bowl berth is not a guarantee since both remaining league games are difficult contests - on the road at Arizona and ... Read More

BY: BRENDAN STILES (DailyIowan.com) -- The stage has been set. When the No. 15 Iowa Hawkeyes and No. 10 Ohio State Buckeyes meet inside Ohio Stadium on Saturday, a Big Ten title, as well as a trip to the 2010 Rose Bowl, will be on the line. The Buckeyes enter the conference battle on a three-game winning streak and an 8-2 overall mark, with both losses coming in single digits to USC and Purdue. But aside from its opening-week 31-27 win over Navy, Ohio State’s ... Read More

By: John Cupps (BuckeyeCountry.net) --  The Ohio State football team seen a rise in all the latest polls including the BCS standings.  The Buckeyes took over the No. 10 spot in the AP Poll, just edging out USC at eleven.  In the USA Today rankings, OSU shot up four spots to No. 8  and almost broke into the top 10 in the BCS standings, taking the No. 11 slot. Terrelle Pryor and The Buckeyes handed Penn State a major loss, 24-7, Sasturday in ... Read More

By: Rusty Miller (AP via RecordPub.com) -- COLUMBUS — Ohio State is 40-8 over the past four seasons, a record that might have most fans of the 15th-ranked Buckeyes flush with confidence heading into Saturday’s game at No. 11 Penn State. It shouldn’t. The last six times the Buckeyes have played a team as good or better based on rankings, they’ve lost. No one has to tell the players, either. “I haven’t led us to a big win yet,” said quarterback Terrelle Pryor, a central figure ... Read More

By: Dennis Dodd (CBSSports.com) -- Congratulations, Ray Reitz. You said what a lot of us are thinking. Terrelle Pryor's former high school coach suggested this week that maybe Ohio State coach Jim Tressel isn't using his quarterback quite right. Reitz says that now he sees "a robot" when watching the former No. 1 prep prospect in the country. Pryor should be running more, Reitz added. Whatever, it's clear Pryor has regressed as ... Read More

By: Doug Tarnovich (BleacherReport.com) -- What exactly does Brandon Saine need to do? He has all the physical tools of a great running back. He's 6'1", 217 lbs and is lightning fast, running the 40 in 4.27 seconds. He has game-breaking speed and the strength to carry the pile. And have you seen him as a receiver? He was the most impressive rusher in the season opener against Navy averaging 5.9 yards on nine carries. The next week against USC, he was rewarded with just ... Read More