BigTen Game Of The Week. Here’s a look at the BigTen game to watch (and why) for the upcoming 2008 season: AUG 30th: Illinois vs. Missouri and/or Michigan St at Cal • Both teams start the season with strong opponents. Illinois wants to show that last season was not a fluke, and MSU needs to show progess under second-year Coach Dantonio to be taken seriously. SEPT 6th: Northwestern at Duke • So this won’t be a game for the ages, but it means a lot to the Big Ten. The leagues’ national image is down and back-to-back losses to Duke will surely not help at all. Let’s call this an “image” game, and hope Coach Fitzgerald gets it done. SEPT 13th: Ohio State at Southern Cal • Just like in ’05 and ’06, an early season win in a marquee game could propel the Buckeyes to another shot at a National Championship. Even Ron Zook hopes it’s the Bucks doing flips into the endzone, and not the Trojans. SEPT 20th: Notre Dame at Michigan State • Other than maybe Iowa at Pittsburgh, this is the only game of the week that could be close, unless Sparty comes out and just rolls over the Irish. Which we all hope they do for the same reason as N’Western winning at Duke mentioned above. SEPT 27th: Illinois at Penn State • Some media pundits have already handed Penn State the Big Ten crown for 2008. This game will be their first “test” of the season, a loss here and Joe Pa’s last season could be a downer. With recent history in mind, this game could also be considered the battle of who’s “Punks and Thugs” make it on the field before getting suspended. OCT 4th: Illinois at Michigan • The Illini’s spread attack goes to Ann Arbor to test Coach Rod’s rebuilt Wolverine squad. This game could be a turning point for both teams. They each need a win here to stay above the middle of the BigTen standings. OCT 11th: Toledo at Michigan • Ok, so NW Ohio bias may have led to this selection, but Toledo and the rest of the MAC teams have been known to surprise a BigTen team now and again. BUT... if you’re really not interested, than watch Penn St at Wisconsin. OCT 18th: Michigan at Penn State • Someone’s conference title hopes die today, plain and simple. Both teams have to play Ohio St. some time after this game, so a win here is critical. OCT 25th: Michigan State at Michigan • Sparty is due for a victory at the Big House. The “Little Brother” team from East Lansing will be looking to put it to the Wolverines. Then again the “victors” could very well be 3-4 coming into this game and desperate for a win. NOV 1st: Wisconsin at Michigan State • The Badgers will probably fly under the radar this season with Ohio State, Michigan and Illinois getting a lot the attention. This game is the last chance Wisconsin has to make themselves visible to bowl committees. Their last three games should be easy wins. NOV 8th: BYE WEEK • Oh, wait... Yes there are games being played, but none really worth the nod as GOTW. NOV 15th: Ohio State at Illinois • Revenge game. Coach Tressel won’t say it, and his players won’t either, but we all know it. We also know what the Buckeye defense will be watching all week before the trip to Champaign: A certain fourth quarter where they just could not GET OFF THE FIELD! NOV 22nd: Michigan at Ohio State • Are there even any other games on besides “The Game”. If there are, who cares.  Go Blue, Gone. On Wednesday, March 19, 2008 my Uncle Alfred suddenly and unexpectedly passed away. He was 53 years old. Uncle Alfred, my mama’s brother, was diagnosed with Epilepsy early in childhood, and although he endured a lifetime of doctor’s visits, daily medication and seizures, you could easily tell that although he had Epilepsy, it did not have him. He was a HUGE Michigan football fan and a sports nut in general. One thing that you never did was argue stats with him. Not that it would be a heated argument, but that when looked up in a sports almanac he would have been right 99% of the time. Not being especially athletic never stopped him either. He wouldn’t shy away from jumping into a pick-up game of basketball, even if his best move was the bear-hug tackle. As for the Michigan thing, his brother (my Uncle David) went to UM and well as they say... there’s one (or two) in every family. He was a Chess master. Competing nationally through the years earned him a USCF ranking. He often tried to teach me the game, but my lack of understanding and the inability to win didn’t help the cause. There was more than once where I marveled at his ability in this game and in the irony of his success at a thinking mans game while living with a brain disorder. He was a great man. Not great by Hollywood standards, but because he had an ability that most of us don’t. The ability to love - pure, no strings attached, unconditional love. He was a shirt off his back, love thy enemy, we’re all in this together kind of guy. It’s amazing how many lives he touched, from teaching vacation bible school to coaching a middle school chess team. This kind of greatness is not flashy, does not get you paraded through the street but it should, it really should. He was a teacher without knowing it. He taught us how we should be treating each other. He taught us how important family and friends really are. He taught us the important things in life can’t be bought or sold, and how the times with those around us are more valuable than we know. Finally, he taught us what to be loved truly means. I just hope we were paying attention. On Wednesday, March 19th I suddenly and unexpectedly lost more than I knew that I had. I miss him more and more each day. I am honored by the memories of our time together and haunted by how little I expressed to him how much he meant to me. For now the best I can do is say to him what he had said to me a million times before... “Go Blue”.  Oh, that’s how. READ MORE http://main.uschess.org/index.phpshapeimage_1_link_0
YOUNGSTOWN ST  W 43-0
  OHIO  09/06  
  @USC  09/13
  TROY  09/20
  MINNESOTA  09/27
  @WISCONSIN  10/04
 PURDUE  10/11
 @MICHIGAN ST  10/18
 PENN ST  10/25
 @NORTHWESTERN  11/08
 @ILLINOIS  11/15
 “THE GAME” 11/22
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NATIONAL CHAMPS 1942, 1954, 1957, 1961, 1968, 1970, 2002 HEISMAN TROPHY WINNERS 1944 Les Horvath, 1950 Vic Janowicz, 1974 Archie Griffin, 1975 Archie Griffin, 1995 Eddie George, 2006 Troy Smith BIG TEN CHAMPS 1916, 1917, 1920, 1935*, 1939, 1942, 1944, 1949*, 1954, 1955, 1957, 1961, 1968, 1969*, 1970, 1972*, 1973*, 1974*, 1975, 1976*, 1977*, 1979, 1981*, 1984, 1986*, 1993*, 1996*, 1998*, 2002*, 2005*, 2006, 2007 (*Co-Champs)
-Based on the rankings in the official OSU record book.
-Points were totaled, then averaged over 39 categories.
( 5 pts for 1st, 4 pts for 2nd, 3 pts for 4th/5th,
1 pt for 6th-10th )
Total Offense:
Troy Smith  4.98
Bobby Hoying  4.33
Art Schlichter  3.83
Joe Germaine  3.00
Steve Bellisari  1.83
Passing:
Bobby Hoying  3.92
Joe Germaine  3.85
Troy Smith  3.77
Art Schlichter 1.81
Steve Bellisari  1.18
OVERALL:
Troy Smith  4.17
Bobby Hoying  4.05
Joe Germaine  3.58
Art Schlichter  2.43
Steve Bellisari  1.38
Career Highlights Heisman Trophy Winner 7 School Records Highest Completion % Ever Lowest Turnover % Ever 25 Games 100+ Passing Yards and He NEVER Lost to Michigan (3-0)
2008 SCHEDULE BEST OSU QB EVER? BUCKEYE LINKS MINNESOTA: 21 OHIO STATE: 34 NEXT: @WISCONSIN