Wow. Was that not one of the best opening weekends of college football you've ever witnessed? The Fighting Tom Hermans (aka the No. 15 Houston Cougars) took down the No. 3 Oklahoma Sooners in probably the biggest statement game of the weekend. If we learned anything from that game, it's that we should never underestimate Bob Stoops' ability to lose a big game. No. 5 LSU, who many pegged to dethrone Alabama as SEC Champions this season, fell at Lambeau Field to the unranked Wisconsin Badgers. And finally, in primetime, No. 1 Alabama reminded everyone who the king of college football is when they easily stomped No. 20 USC into the ground.
But let's be honest here, you're not reading this article so I can discuss all of the other teams in college football that Ohio State won't even face (except for Oklahoma) unless they make the playoff this year. Starting off the day right, I think it's safe to say that the Buckeyes surprised everyone when they put up 77 points on the defending MAC Champions in Bowling Green. Now I know that the Falcons are from the MAC, which is not exactly the most daunting conference ever, but they are certainly a respectable team and not as bad as Ohio State made them look on Saturday. The Buckeyes looked hungry and ready to prove their worth, and here are some of my observations from the game.
1. A balanced, aggressive offense
With all of the NFL talent the 2015 edition of the Buckeyes had, everyone expected the offense to be one of the most unstoppable the college football world had ever seen. Unfortunately that wasn't the case, but if Saturday proved anything, it's that this squad has the potential to be the most dangerous offense Urban Meyer has ever fielded at Ohio State. The offense posted 776 total yards, an Ohio State record, racking up 417 yards of passing and 359 yards of rushing.
It was truly amazing to watch, as last year's squad often got in its own way. Curtis Samuel appears to be the focal point of the offense, as he scored three touchdowns by himself while racking up nearly 300 yards of total offense. On the other hand though, five different Buckeyes hauled in touchdown catches and three different Buckeyes ran for scores. That is the epitome of balance, and it's going to give defensive coordinators nightmares when there are essentially six different guys on the field at one time that can beat you. How exactly do you cover that? (Hint: you don't)
2. Defensive talent overshadows miscues
This fact has been known for quite some time now: the Buckeyes are loaded, offensively and defensively. They very well could be the most talented team in the nation, it's just a matter of inexperience and getting everyone to gel and play together. The Silver Bullets showed flashes of brilliance on Saturday, mostly in the form of safety Malik Hooker hauling in two interceptions (one of which was absolutely incredible). Gareon Conley picked up right where he left off last season, easily shutting down Bowling Green's best receiver, and the linebackers made their presence felt as well, with Raekwon McMillan leading the way.
My only complaint was the inexperienced defensive line, namely the front four. There is a lot of talent there, and I think DL coach Larry Johnson is still experimenting with lineups, but overall I was very underwhelmed. It seemed as though they struggled all day to put pressure on the opposing quarterback. Sure, Bowling Green didn't take advantage of that very often, but a team like Oklahoma will definitely expose that weakness. Unfortunately, Ohio State appears to have lost leader and starting defensive tackle Tracy Sprinkle for the year, so that's a tough loss. The younger players are going to have to step up big time to replace him.
3. Freshman talent shines bright
Typically, it's very rare for true freshmen to see the field. Meyer always talks about how he wants to get his young guys on the field and it usually never happens. Only four true freshmen from the 2015 class saw the field last season, but ten true freshmen from the 2016 class saw the field on Saturday. That's incredible. While not all produced numbers for the stat line, getting those young and talented players valuable experience before the schedule gets tougher is essential.
Nick Bosa recorded his first sack as Buckeye while wearing his older brother's number, Rodjay Burns returned an interception for a touchdown, and Michael Jordan started at left guard (the first true freshmen starter on the OL for Ohio State since Hall of Fame player Orlando Pace). The biggest performer was Demario McCall, the speedster from North Ridgeville, who hauled in a receiving touchdown and ran for another after Mike Weber exited the game. These young and talented players are only going to get better, and I can't wait to see them develop into stars as the season progresses.
Overall, the first week was a success and a positive game to move forward. There are always going to be miscues that can be fixed this early in the season, but for a team with the least experience in the nation, this must have felt pretty good. The Buckeyes put the country on notice that despite all the talent they lost from this past season, they have not taken a step back.
The Buckeyes play Tulsa at home this week before traveling to take on Oklahoma in their biggest nonconference game of the season. I'll be in attendance at The Shoe this weekend, so look for me on the big screen.
