Ohio State in Place to win the Big Ten and Attend the Rose Bowl

After a second loss on the season and a bad loss to a mediocre team, no one thought Ohio State had much left to play for. Even Head Coach Jim Tressel said the team had little room for error going into the final 5 games of the season. Nothing is for sure even after a great win against Penn State, but things are looking bright for the Buckeyes who are now favored to win the Big Ten and receive an automatic bid to the Rose Bowl.

By Steve Patterson

Ohio State was about as low as a team could be after apparently throwing away their 2009 season with a bad loss to a Purdue team that had no business beating the Buckeyes. That 18-26 loss to the Boilermakers on October 17th spurred the team to three straight victories with the ultimate win Saturday night on the road against the Nittany Lions. A Minnesota win at home and a New Mexico State warm-up scrimmage also at home produced the confidence the team needed to march into Happy Valley and steal one away from the higher ranked Big Ten foe.

Two Remain

Now the Buckeyes only have two games remaining before Bowl selections occur and their final two opponents don’t look up to the task. A once dominant Iowa Hawkeye team has been beaten up by injury with the most recent one coming in a 10-17 loss to Northwestern. Quarterback Ricky Stanzi suffered a severe sprained ankle that will keep him out until their bowl appearance. Likewise, the Hawkeyes lost starting running back Adam Robinson with a similar injury in a previous game.

Michigan Ohio State

The final game of the season for the Buckeyes is the rivalry Michigan match-up. But this year it shouldn’t have the same intrigue as in the past as Michigan has looked poor in conference play and might not even end the season with a winning record. The game is in Ann Arbor and the Buckeyes could have already sealed their Big Ten title and Rose Bowl appearance, making the game a non-factor and harder to be motivated for. But it is Michigan and it is on the road, so the Buckeyes should be ready to punish the once powerful program one more year.

Get the Roses read on Saturday as the seniors say goodbye to OSU fans and try to take another consecutive Big Ten title.