IU @ OSU -- Mortal Lock....Yeah, I Said It!

[Nigel Tufnel]

Now come on....do you honestly think I'm dumb enough to make a pick a lock....I've been here too long. However, I do have a mortal lock regarding this game....an absolute TRUTH....a GUARANTEE....something that CANNOT be questioned....a lock:

In order to cover 14 points, you have to score 15.....hmmmm....food for thought on this one.

Sorry, just feeling frisky tonight, so I thought I would raise Steel's blood pressure a bit....now, for some info on this game....I haven't entirely made a decision...but as of now I'm leaning towards the Hoosiers....here's why and I would like some feed back.

At first glance, this line initially looks as ridiculous as OSU -4 against Wisky and...OMG...Iowa +1 @ home against the Bucks. This Buckeye offense just ABSOLUTELY sucks. How? I have no idea. I have NEVER seen a Buckeye team with no offensive line....no quarterback....and no running back? What the hell is that? OSU...no o-line and no running back? This game is intriguing because you have a terrible offense against a terrible defense....you have a capable offense versus a good defense. Problem is...if OSU's defense is on the field the entire game, they get tired. Plus....OSU has some major team issues. Eariler in the year, Tressel took Zwick to a dinner banquet and touted Zwick as the next...ok ready for this....John Elway! What? I think Tressel must have been doing a little to much of this :booz: (OK Mods...we need a smiley smoking a crack pipe) There has been a lot of controversy about Zwick v. Smith starting...Tressel has hung by Zwick....last week after Smith led the only scoring drive, Tressel was asked what he thought about Smith's drive. Tressel responded by saying, "Im a realist. It was against their second team." What a way to instill confidence in the QB who is starting this week. That kind of comment breeds dissension....want something else? The seniors went to Tressel earlier this week and asked him to bar the media from talking to the underclassmen....interesting...why? How can this help? What would the underclassmen have to say that the seniors don't want heard? Dissension....Dissension...Dissension.

So the $64,000 question is...how is OSU favored by 14 at this point. Could the Bucks rally against the lowly Hoosiers? Certainly. But will they? I personally think they've quit. They haven't been this far down in a LONG time...they are out of the Big 10 in October....think about it...that hasn't happened in a while. But, on the other hand...is this a trap? IU SUX. They lost to Kentucky for God's sake.

Here is the one thing that leads me to believe IU could cover...while its possible the Bucks could get healthy against IU, IU has scored41, 30,32,20,14, and 24 points so far this year....add 14 to any of those totals...and I don't think OSU can score that many. Not to mention...IU has covered 3 of their last 4 visits to the Horseshoe and the visitor is 9-2-1 ATS since 1990.

The line being so high scares me...this game is either a No Play or IU +14....hope this info helps....I know I didn't commit, but if anyone out there was thinking the Bucks will roll this weekend and was thinking about taking the Bucks big...for God's sake, be CAREFUL!!

Good luck this weekend boys...I look forward to reading everyone's opinions!:thumbs:

[Big Pimpin]

Intersting points you make....Probably a no play for me but BOL to you

[Nigel Tufnel]

That may be the best move, BP. It just seems WAY too high for a team struggling so much. Problem is...if there is a Big 10 team to get healthy against, its against IU at home. The numbers and directions of the teams SCREAM IU, but I can't get that nagging feeling out of my head that Vegas must know something I don't.

As of now, I truly see the Hoosiers scoring 14...but can't see the Bucks scoring 29.....I guess my post was just to offer info without really posting a play....that's my small contribution to the board...although once college hoops starts, I will OWN A-10 play.

:yeah:

[The Gipper]

Nigel,
Good stuff and food for thought.
That's what makes this site so great. The honest exchange of information is invaluable in deciding what games to pull the trigger on.
Indiana has scored tons of points feasting on opponents turnovers (i.e.Oregon) but they still sux overall. ND transfer LoVecchio has never matched that 7 game strecth he had as a freshman for the Irish, but he has been in big games and the Horseshoe should not scare him. If the Hoosers aren't banged up, they've got a shot at the cover. Never though a Tressel team would be so inept offensively, As you said, the D is solid, they are just ion the field all day long.

[Nigel Tufnel]

Thanks Gipper....the more I've thought about this game, the more I think it comes down to one common denominator....

If Indiana can ensure that only Ohio State's offense scores in this game, Indiana covers...plain and simple. In other words, if IU can keep Ohio State's defense and special teams from scoring, I don't think the Ohio State offense is capable of scoring enough to cover this number. However, if the OSU defense scores and the Bucks run back a punt, the cover is certainly possible. Hell, I'd even be willing to say that IU can cover if they turn the ball over only once to OSU in their own territory....chances are that's only a Nugent field goal.

Red Sox v. Cards...should be interesting. Although, a buddy of mine who is a Red Sox fan told me that he thought that if Houston won, it could have set up a game 7 in Boston with Clemens starting.....talk about a Curse of the Bambino story for the ages...now that would have been drama.

[redsfann]

Nigel--

Hope you enjoyed your visit to Iowa City even though we kicked the holy crap outta your Buckeyes.....:yeah:

We had some Ohio State fans at our tailgate so after I figured out they were pretty cool guys, I went over and asked them if they were "Nigel Tufnel" You can imagine the strange looks I got from them...LMFAO!

So I then explained myself, and they all got a good laugh at my expense....One of them even admited to being a bit of a gambler, so I gave him the URL to this site, so if a newbie that is a Buckeye drops by over the weekend, I'll know who it is.

I, too, am thinking of pulling the trigger on Indiana. Other Big-10 games I like are Iowa +2.5, Northwestern +12, Minny -17.5 and Michigan +4. Any thoughts on those 4?

Good Luck this weekend....:cool:

[Nigel Tufnel]

Had a nice time last weekend in Iowa...with a few exceptions. Played golf at Finkbine on Friday...very nice course and very, very affordable. Greens were fast and true.

Friday night the guys went to the Sports Column...my God there were some hot women there...but it was a little too crowded for this old guy. Ended up going to some Italian restaurant around the corner that was highly recommended...it was just ok IMHO.

Saturday went to the Sports Column and drank right up to game time. After Zwick threw the interception at the end of the first half, headed back to the Sports Column to watch the Purdue/Wisky game. Saturday evening went Old Chicago Pizza or something like that....very, very good pizza place with a great beer selection on tap. Had me some Shiner Bocks....

The only thing I didn't like is that we were treated kind of poorly by the Iowa fans. People were rude and made comments....worse than my trip to Madison last year. That's the funny thing about road trips...just depends on where you go. Last year I thought the Wisky fans were great, but most OSU fans had a horrible experience with the Wisky fans. Most OSU fans this year had a great experience and thought the Iowa fans were knowledgable and friendly....not our group of 14 guys. We were treated like shit. However, if you go to a bar full of drunk college kids, you definitely increase your chances of running into some jackasses.

I've almost talked myself into this IU pick. As for the others, I am all over Minnesota. Even though they have made a habit of going into a tailspin after their yearly devastating defeat to Michigan...they have always seemed to crush Illinois. Northwestern makes sense because of the Wisky hangover....ha ha...Wisky hangover....no play for me. I also like Michigan....just don't think Purdue will be able to rebound. Playing Wisky and Michigan back to back weeks is brutal. If Purdue does pull it out, I envision a late FG redeeming the kicker from last week.

I actually am kind of rooting for Wisconsin this year. I really like their team. Very tough defense and a capable offense. I wouldn't mind seeing them crash the party in Miami this year. They are very similar to the Buckeye team that won the NC a few years ago. They have a good chance of going undefeated until that last game at Iowa City. If the Badgers are undefeated going into that game....Iowa City will be off the hook!

[PipDog]

Nice post Nigel. You make some good points. I'm staying off of this game, but a buddy of mine said that Indiana was his POW!! What do you think about some other Big 10 games?

[Nigel Tufnel]

Thanks...

I like Minnesota and a small play on Michigan. No play Wisconsin...and still thinking about Iowa....seems the wrong team is favored...but Penn State has played well at home this year....either Iowa or no play.

[PipDog]

I agree with you all the way. I'm on Iowa and Michigan, and I'm staying away from Wisco.

GL

[redsfann]

Sports Column, huh? You must not be THAT old...LOL. Definately some fine college-aged ladies hang out there, but I'm 40 yrs old and married....I wouldn't know what to do with one of them young fillies if I caught one....LMFAO! About the only bar-type place I still go to downtown is called Quinton's, which was just down the street from where you were.
Didn't happen to stick your noses in next door to the Sports Column did you? Like night and day between those two places. When I was living in town, and I wasn't at home, I usually could be found at the Deadwood......:beer2:

Someone sent you to the Brown Bottle for Italian food? They had to be Iowa fans....If you'd have asked me, I'd have sent you to Mondo's, which is just around the corner from The Brown Bottle. MUCH better food by far, you can catch that place in '06, if its still around.... Old Chicago is decent for pie, and its hard to beat its 110 beer selection, but I prefer a bar-restaurant place just off the downtown called The Mill. Pizza to die for, approx. 30 or so beers to choose from--German, British, good US micro brews--you get the idea....

Sorry to hear about the rough treatment, but as you said it was probably mostly drunk college dorks who don't know better. Only place I've traveled to that I've caught shiite at was Wisconsin, and that was a LONG time ago as an undergrad. Since then, I've been to all the big-10 roadies except for Indiana and Purdue. Just haven't had the desire to make either of those trips, and I know people that go to every away game every year, so I have had the chance to go.
Happy Valley is a great place to go, and I always have fun in East Lansing--but thats because an old college buddy lives there. Haven't been to the Horseshoe since the early 90s...may have to come out next year and let you buy me a beer.....
Finkbine is one of my favorite courses in the area--they had it closed for most of season this year to make some changes and do some much needed upgrades to the greens. Didn't play it this season, but good to know that its in tip top shape. Next visit you will have to play at a 9 holer out in North Liberty, or the newest course in the I.C. area out in Solon-- that course will be outstanding once it gets its legs under it--its two years old and its rep is quite good already....
Thanks for the thoughts on the rest of the Big-10 card. I agree about Wisconsin-- my family is from the state, my dad currently lives up there, and Barry Alvarez, like Ferentz, learned at the knee of the master, Hayden Fry. If I have a second favorite Big-10 team, its them by a long shot.
Would be fun as hell to see Wisky come to town on Nov 20th undefeated-- a nice blizzard rolls in around dawn so we can play some good old fashioned Midwestern smash mouth football!!
Good Luck with your plays this weekend...

[BigAL]

Maybe this will help to solidify your info. It's a new development. Got it from another post:

Reports out of Columbus are cropping up regarding Lydell Ross' suspension from tomorrow's game against IU.

Ross is definitely suspended....that's a senior starting tailback who also happens to be a captain. Why was he suspended? Well, OSU hasn't officially reported anything and here's why...

Reports state that Ross was suspended for giving fake money to strippers at a strip club last night!!! Guess the guy needed to relieve some of the pressure of sucking in Columbus...don't worry about Saturday's game coming off a three game losing streak...let's go to the titty bars! Man...I don't have any money...that's ok...I've got some fake money...we'll just hand it to the strippers!

NICE....I've said it before and I'll say it again...THERE IS TROUBLE IN COLUMBUS!!

GL

[HOMEDAWG]

:thx: one thing I have learned about this forum, is to fade these.lol... No really, tressel needed a BIG win and homecoming.. I liked OSU all the way on this one.. :gulp:

[Nigel Tufnel]

Hey HOMEDAWG....I take a little exception to that...I did not pick a winner on this game and if you looked at my Saturday picks' thread....I scratched this game because I got the line @ -12.5...so I guess you faded a no play.

I'm just trying to help here...I don't appreciate the "THANKS FOR THE WINNER" condescending shit...its this kind of crap that makes me not want to post.

Last week I posted all week about how OSU wouldn't beat Iowa...same kind of post...did you fade that? You learned to fade these kinds of posts...well, if you faded these posts from me the last two weeks you'd be 1-1....me, I'm 1-0.

I find your post offensive and don't like it....being from Ohio, I shared info that some in other parts of the country don't know. This is an information sharing forum....this forum prides itself on sharing info...if you don't like mine, fine, fade it...but have a little tact and refrain from this.

Glad I could help you...glad you are so smart that you fade all "these" kinds of posts....that give a lot of info....

Your reply is shit.