*Ohio State fans may never get over the 1998 upset by Michigan State of the #1 ranked Buckeyes. So any win comes with a sigh of relief. But the sloppy third quarter that let MSU back in the game can't be confidence inspiring with a tough road game coming up at Penn State.*I know the Buckeyes haven't exactly played murderer's row this season, but the scoring defense is getting a little ridiculous. Dig deeper into the stats...the Ohio State offense has now given up 23 points off turnovers and safety. Two more of the TD's (Washington and Purdue) along with the Kent FG were scored in absolute garbage time. So while the team is giving up 9 points per game, it's really 5.7 if don't penalize the defense for the offense's mistakes. And the defense is actually giving up 3.2 ppg when the starters are still in and the game is still in play.
*Todd Boeckman turned another classic Boeckman performance. There are times in which he demonstrates a great grasp of the offense, makes the correct reads, and shows surprising mobility. But he's turnover-prone and seems to put a lot of balls in dangerous places. His arm strength is fine, but sometimes passes float on deep ball and sideline patterns. It's cliche to say that the QB is the most important position, but Boeckman's play will determine how well the Buckeyes do. Much like 2002 and 2005, the defense will keep the team in games. If Beanie Wells is healthy, strong play from Boeckman will keep the Buckeyes undefeated.
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