Are the students going to be out in full force knowing Ohio is playing for a title?

Just be glad if they know there's a game.

Temple games.

What I EXPECT to beat Buffalo:

1. Stack the box with 8 guys and stuff J. Johnson. He has had multiple 200 yard games this year and its because Buffalo uses him 25+ carries to wear a defense down. He will be OU's last big test to hold top running backs under a 100.

2. Force the 6'7 freshman to throw the ball. He struggles in passing and I EXPECT 2+ interceptions when we jump out to a 14-0 or 10- 0 lead.

3. >4 penalties and win the turnover margin. No stupid muffed punts or penalties on 3rd and long to keep a BUFFs driving going.

Final Score- Ohio 38 Buffalo 13

Gosh how I hope the Cats just come out and drop the hammer on these guys wire to wire. They have punched our team below the belt up in NY plenty enough-time to return the favor.

Want this thing gift wrapped by halftime. Something like last year's Kent game or even our last home tilt against SUNYB.

Really want to see the players come out just as fired up and determined as they were against Toledo. Would be disheartening to lay an egg against a highly beatable opponent after such a major win.

Not sure if I'd say this game "has the title on the line"...

Bcat, you are right on. Anyone who thinks this game is going to be a walk-over and/or an easy win for Ohio has no clue. This will be a battle, start to finish.

12 years in and a game against a 1-7 Beefs is still a battle.

Sigh.



I understand that we must win.


But it should be nothing more than a workmanlike win by a margin of no doubt over the last 10 minutes of the game.


12 years in.

I agree. Buffalo has had it's ups and downs this year. For ups you have the wins over Army and Akron. For downs you have the loss to Albany and blowout losses to NIU and Kent. Which Buffalo team will show up? If it is the team that just blew out Akron, it will be a battle. Buffalo hasn't played well on the road this year, and hopefully that will continue, but you never know.

Meanwhile, oddly, Ohio has played consistently well on the road, but has yet to play an entire good game at home. The first half was good against BG and Gardner Webb, but the second half of both games was weak, and then there were the games against Texas State and EMU. Ohio needs to defend their home turf the rest of the way, and play well for 60 minutes against Buffalo.

I think Ohio matches up well against Buffalo, and I'm hoping for a solid win:
1. Buffalo hasn't put up a lot of points, and is primarily a running team, while Ohio has the best run defense in the MAC.
2. Meanwhile Ohio's rushing attack is really starting to come to life, and Buffalo is last in the MAC in rushing defense.
3. Ohio's defense has been suspect against the pass at times, while Buffalo's passing offense, and passing efficiency are next to last and last in the MAC.
4. Buffalo has a good pass defense, or maybe it's just that no one has needed to throw against them very much. I'm hoping that the same applies this game. If Ohio can run the ball effectively, hopefully they will need to throw less than 25 times.

My prediction is an Ohio win 27-10.

Edit - I note that Ohio opens as a 19 point favorite, which is about where I see it, too.

I don't care which buffs team shows up. If OUr team shows up and plays CONSISTENTLY good for 60 minutes, we win!

Of course, if the good Buffalo team shows up, it will be a battle, not a romp.

Regardless of how Buffalo plays, Ohio needs to show they can do the one thing they haven't done this year - play well at home for an entire game.


It does happen sometimes.


I'll add #4
4. Ohio with over 300 yards rushing.

With up and down teams like Buffalo seems to be this year there's a good chance they will come back down to earth for this game after playing out of their minds against 'kron. Key will be jumping out front with a good 14+ point lead and take them out of their initial game planning.

While they are a top 5 rush offense in conference play, their passing game is higher than I thought it would be at 6th.

Need to hammer the ball as their run defense gives up nearly 300 yards on the ground! Dorian, Papi and the hogmollies up front need to feed off of this!

Hit them so hard that they need to go out and make a new logo for themselves (although they will do that anyways).