Live Blogging: Gopher Time

12:01pm: We're locked and loaded on the couch for the Buckeyes Big Ten season opener. Seeing Beanie and Pyror back-to-back in warmups is definitely something to get worked up about. Minnesota is 4-0 against some junior high teams this month...

12:03pm: Stupid commercial notwithstanding, it is a tragedy of epic proportions that there is no Buffalo Wild Wings in the DC area. And that I have to watch the commercials taunting me all season long.

12:05pm: Former Buckeye assistant and Minnesota head coach Glen Mason is an honorary captain today. Everyone raise your hand if you thought he was going to be hired in 2001 to replace John Cooper. This is why fans don't run the teams.

I'm sure I want to know about Beanie's shoe. I just want to see him healthy and bulldozing through defenses again.

12:08pm: After Beanie gets stuffed, Pryor runs for a first down. He's chippy - I love it, but think he might get into a fight before the season is over.

12:10: Beanie breaks off a long run...but isn't able to use his signature still arm on a Minnesota player. Still, an awesome sight to see #28 cutting back for a long gain.

12:11pm: Touchdown, Pryor! Terrelle looks very comfortable running that option play, and he just glided for 33 yards through Minnesota's "tough" D. 7-0 Buckeyes.

12:13pm: Ok, how disturbing is this Hotels.com commercial with the two guys blowing bubbles into a man's bath tub? I think I'll pass on the simulated jacuzzi...and if your job asks you do this, time to start sending out the resumes.

12:17: The Buckeyes are in the nickel their "quicker" defensive tackles in, and Jermale Hines playing the star position. After one first down, the Buckeyes defend two screens pretty well. Anderson Russell missed a tackle, but Marcus Freeman showed great closing speed on second down. Ross Homan got into the action closing things out on third down.

12:18pm: Ray Small is back retuning punts...where was he last week? Small is such an enigma, dazzling one week and in the doghouse the next.

12:20pm: Great, political campaign ads. I'm voting for switch the channel. That's change I can believe in.

12:22pm: Beanie fumbles before I can even look up again. Yes, it's expected that he would be rusty, but turning the ball over at our 20 yards sucks. I'm having 2006 flashbacks.

12:25pm: The Buckeye D stands tall and holds Minnesota to a field goal, thanks in large part to a false start on third and short. OSU got a QB pressure but just missed a sack. We must lead the country "pressures where we grab the jersey but don't tackle anyone". 7-3 Buckeyes.

12:30pm: The Buckeyes go three-and-out, and it was ugly. Herron stuffed, a near fumbled pitch, and Pryor wildly missing a wide open Brian Hartline down field. And we're back down to earth.

12:34pm: Gophers get a nice completion down field to their best receiver Decker. But the Buckeyes shut them down on the next series. Freeman gets a coverage sack on a delayed blitz, but the pressure from the front four is disconcerting.

12:40pm: Beanie comes back for a few nice runs. Thom Brennaman calls him the best tailback in the country, and Charles Davis adds the world's biggest caveat, "when healthy".

We see Pryor hitting Posey on a slant; it was accurate, but took its time getting weaving through traffic. Not as good on the next throw, a quick hitter to Lamaar Thomas that was neither quick nor on target.

12:42pm: I hate TheTVBoss.org commercials. But I'll spare you the commentary.

12:44pm: Coach Mason says to watch for the QB draw with any empty backfield. What do you know...QB draw. Yes, it was a big gain, but the predictability is scary.

Less encouraging is Pryor under pressure thus far. He gets away sometimes, but is still in the high school mindset that he can run away from everything. He's going to take some bad sacks over the course of this season.

12:55pm: Curtis Terry makes his triumphant return, with a big tackle for loss. Donald Washington, basically invisible since coming back from his suspension, picked off a pass two plays later.

12:56pm: Ohio State's interior line continues to struggle. Herron and Wells are met in the middle with contact before the line of scrimmage.

Pryor eludes a sack, makes a nice throw to Ray Small, and...dropped. The Ray Small show continues to befuddle and confuse.

1:01pm: Pryor converts a key third down to a dinged-up Robiskie, but the velocity still conerns me. The pass just don't look crisp yet.

Nice cutback run for Beanie, who has great vision and speed. I'll be crying in my beer when leaves for the NFL in January.

1:03pm: Ever notice how Ohio State's "trick" plays never fool anyone? The fake QB draw screen loses yards. Pretorius nails a 44 yarder to put the Buckeyes up, 13-3.

1:05pm: The guys are back blowing in another man's bath. Who bathes in hotel tubs anyway? I'm feel sick.

Wait, more political commercials. Such pretty words, so lacking in the gory details. Please go away.

1:08pm: The Buckeyes strip the ball away on a completion, and it sure looked a lot like forward progress was done and the whistle should have been blown. Minnesota challenges and...the play on the field stands. In fairness to Minnesota, you can't really review *when* the whistle should have been blown.

1:10pm: More pressure on the QB. Another pass to an open Hartline off-target. Sigh.

1:12pm: Beanie hurdles a diving player on a nice run. You know it's coming, wait for it...McGuffie!!!

1:18pm: After a delay penalty and a time out send them heading backwards, Pryor throws a TD pass on a corner fade to Brian Robiskie. It's an interesting combination, since Pryor is still finding his passing comfort zone, and Robiskie is clearly not healthy. But hey, we'll take it. Buckeyes, 20-3. Halftime.

1:47pm: Minnesota comes out on their first possession throwing the kitchen sink at Ohio State, with a variety of packages and slick formations. The Buckeyes stand tall in red zone, forcing a field goal, 20-6.

Two comments on this drive. First, Ohio State continues to live dangerously with receivers open down the field. Mediocre QB's continue to miss these guys, but top tier teams will make them pay. Second, that first drive is a little taste of how Michigan might play Ohio State this year, trying to Mickey mouse the Buckeyes to death.

1:53pm: Students are finally back at OSU, meaning the Big Ten Network can pan the crowd for hot girls covered in red body paint. A ESPN once said, "Never Graduate".

1:57pm: Alert the media, two shocking plays. A completion to Brian Hartline, whose projected receptions for this season have taken a big hit. After a big pass interference play, Boom Herrom Herron actually ran it up the gut for a long gain inside the 5. Alas, the next play was stuffed. Pryor glides in for his second TD, Buckeyes 27-6.

2:08pm: A nice possession for the defense, which included some pressure from true freshman Nathan Williams. The future is very very bright on the d-line.

2:10pm: Todd Boeckman is in, and we get discussion about his 13-3 record and his great attitude over the past few weeks. If it is written here enough - this is a classy kid and a talented football player. You can already see his comfort throwing the intermediate passes, completing a number of throws with ease. I'm rooting as hard as I have all day for TD here.

2-17pm: It wasn't meant to be, as Ohio State lined up to go for it on 4th and 3 but Boone was whistled for a false start. The Bucks then miss the FG attempt wide left to keep the score at 27-6.

2:22pm: Minnesota inexplicably calls timeout in order to run a goofy option play on 3rd and 2. The pitch is fumbled and Ross Homand recovers...another nice series for the D.

2:26pm: Is there any freakin' option for my to block the The TV Boss commercials? Or an alternate version where the prison guys shank the Mom and the chainsaw guy eviscerates the lady?

2:28pm: Boeckman throws a great pass to Robiskie in the endzone, and Brian made a awesome grab and kept himself in bounds to extend the lead to 34-6. A good moment for two players than had rough starts to the season.

2:40pm: Minnesota scores a TD on odd improvisation by Minnesota QB Adam Weber, who flipped the ball as he was being tackled. OSU allowed a few conversions that would be very frustrating if the game were in questions. The starters are still in, and OSU continued its tradition of hurrying, but not getting to, the opposing QB. 34-13, Buckeyes.

2:45pm: Pryor is back in and tried to level a Minnesota player on the sidelines. He's "exuberant". Or just kind of a badass.

3:00pm: Live blogging is not too fun when the game is out of hand...Gophers score a second meaningless TD, Buckeyes 34-21.