It was supposed to be the last big test for the Buckeyes before the season-ending game against Michigan, in the end, though, last night’s matchup between the Buckeyes and the Iowa Hawkeyes wasn’t much of a test at all:
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Troy Smith believes to be the best you have to believe you’re the best.
The way Ohio State has manhandled the competition so far, there’s every reason for the Buckeyes to think they’re unbeatable.
Smith threw for 186 yards and four touchdowns and No. 1 Ohio State made another September statement, thumping No. 13 Iowa 38-17 Saturday night and extending the nation’s longest winning streak to 12 games.
“I think if there’s a guy in the locker room who said that we weren’t the No. 1 team in the nation, he’d have a problem with me,” Smith said. “You have to have that kind of attitude, that kind of swagger.”
Of course, having Smith behind center doesn’t hurt. Once again, Smith kept his cool in the toughest of settings — remember Texas — and led the Buckeyes (5-0, 2-0 Big Ten) to a surprisingly easy win.
Of course, the Buckeyes have made everything look easy so far this year.
October 1st, 2006 at 10:17 am
I am outraged, outraged that you would call 38-17 an easy win. As an Iowa alum who happened to go to high school in Nebraska, I know what an easy win is. Usually, it is when Nebraska plays some hapless losers like Upper SouthWestern Minnesota State and wins 70-3, playing 2nd and 3rd stringers for the 2nd half.
At least Iowa forced the Buckeyes to play. (I know, low standard, but still … the Hawkeyes are never “easy.”)
October 1st, 2006 at 11:52 am
David,
I’ll give the Hawkeyes credit, for the first half at least they gave the Bucs a better run for their money than Penn State did last week……heck they scored more points against the OSU defense than anyone else has this season.
And it was the CNN reporter who called it an easy win, not me.
October 1st, 2006 at 1:20 pm
Just teasing. It is all I have left after a bitter loss.
October 2nd, 2006 at 9:01 am
David,
Coming from a Buckeye fan, the Hawkeyes have nothing to hang their heads about. It was a well-fought game. I thought the officiating was pretty putrid, missing a pass interference call against the Bucks and totally messing up that review call, causing us to kick instead of marching in for a score.
At least Tressel isn’t an Oklahoma or Florida State type of coach — he shows respect for the other team and coaches and has the QB take a knee when they could probably pile on more points.
That’s probably why, unless the Bucks have a totally dominating performance, the pundits on ESPN are typically talking OSU down against lesser opponents ’cause we don’t score a gazillion points or win on ’style’ points.
I like Iowa’s and Coach Ferentz’s chances — I think you guys have a bright future there, especially since you’re recruiting from Ohio
now.
I’m beginning to believe these Buckeyes are as GOOD as the 2002 National Champion team was lucky.