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Home > Blogs > Buckeyes Beat > Archives > 2008 > January > 16
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
2008 schedule much tougher
If THE OSU makes it to next year’s BCS title game, the Buckeyes won’t be accused of taking the easy road. In addition to eight Big Ten games (and the Big Ten HAS to be better next season, right?), here’s who the Buckeyes play in nonconference tilts:
Youngstown State. Ohio University. Southern California. Troy.
OK, so Youngstown State is a gimme and Ohio University could only beat the Buckeyes if the two schools squared off in a keg-emptying contest. But those other two games …
Southern Cal speaks for itself. If OSU goes to Los Angeles in September and knocks off the Trojans, that would give the Bucks an inside track on a trip to Miami in January 2009. No doubt Ohio State will be an underdog, but will nearly the entire defense returning and a season of starting under Todd Boeckman’s belt, who knows?
Troy is an interesting game. The Trojans went 8-4 this season, 6-1 in the Sun Belt. Like the Buckeyes, they have trouble against the SEC, going 0-3 (although a 44-34 loss to Georgia is impressive).
Troy’s biggest win in 2007: A 41-23 pasting of the Oklahoma State “I’m A Man!” Cowboys. I seem to recall Troy pasting Missouri a couple years ago, too.
So anyway, Troy’s a step up from Akron.
Here’s the 2008 dates (all Saturday games, times tba):
Aug. 30 — Youngstown State, home Sept. 6 — Ohio University, home Sept. 13 — at USC (probably on ABC, prime time) Sept. 20 — Troy University, home Sept. 27 — Minnesota, home Oct. 4 — at Wisconsin Oct. 11 — Purdue, home Oct. 18 — at Michigan State Oct. 25 — Penn State, home Nov. 8 — at Northwestern Nov. 15 — at Illinois Nov. 22 — Michigan, home
