Use this thread to talk about anything game-related. For away games, we'll have a separate travel thread.

Date: September 8th, 2012  7:00 PM

Opponent: New Mexico St.   (1-0)

Site: Peden Stadium

TV: None

Radio:  Ohio Radio

Webcast: ESPN3

Ohio Game Notes

New Mexico State's media guide, roster and statistics.

Fan site:  AggieAlert.com  (Scout)    CrimsonIllustrated.com   (Rivals)

Ohio Injury List (status is my interpretation based upon media reports):

CB Jamil Shaw - Questionable (shoulder)
WR Mario Dovell - Out (broken bone in leg)
DE Nic Barber - Questionable (shoulder)
CB  Travis Carrie - Out for season (shoulder)
WR Sebastian Smith - Out for season (broken leg)

Could be.  Or it could be that Sac St is just a poor tackling team.  They were 4-7 last year, so they don't appear to be even mediocre.

rivals.com is starting to get next weeks spreads out now. Looks like ohio -21. Does anyone remember Ohio ever being a 21 point favorite before?

Not much to be found on their message boards. My first instinct is to be concerned about our secondary and their potential passing attack. Penn State never really tried  to go deep on us; in my mind we remain untested in that regard. Our secondary went from a strength to probably our biggest weakness. I'm certainly skeptical of a 21 point spread.

My  prediction is a win. This team has had plenty of let-down games over the recent years; I don't believe this will be one of them. However, I'm not ready to predict Frank giving us an extensive look at the depth chart. I'd love to see Vick get some PT but I'm not so sure the game will be that comfortable.

This week will provide the ideal test for the eyepatch metaphor. On the heels of an important victory, and with a traditional rival the following week, it could be all too easy for the players to either bask in last week, or start thinking about next week. Meanwhile, some toughs from NMSU see the eyepatch, and have other plans; they want to see just how tough Ohio is.

Will Ohio end up in the ditch this week?

That's a shocking opener to be sure but speaks volumes about our D, I think.  24-3 doesn't sound unreasonable at all, does it?  But I expect much more offense than that.

That plea again - please stay for the second half, kids, no matter what the score is.  This is a team worth watching and as a 40+ year fan, believe me that these are heady days. 

Agree with SBH. Not sure how we are a 21 point favorite. I saw some of the NMSU Game on Altitude and they are much better without question. Also watched NIU, Toledo and BGSU. We cannot afford to lose focus on any of the teams we play. We catch a break in not seeing NIU and Toledo during the regular season but the BG Game will be a battle.

21 points is doable.  I have little doubt that we're going to be able to move the ball on their defense.  Running game will have a big day. 

Their passing game worries me.  We need to get pressure on the quarterback and stick the recievers.  Do that and we'll coast.

You ain't ever partied in Athens?  We been top ten so long we make Bama look like pikers.

Two words:  Focus and intensity.  Think back to the Marshall game last year.  I was in the "tunnel" of students and when you looked at our players you could see a look in their eyes that said they were going to absolutely obliterate anything that stood in their way of a W. 

I want to see that Saturday night... and every week until the season is over.

This needs to become the new slogan around campus among the student body. Someone just start posting flyers all over the place, spraypainting walls, writing with sidewalk chalk, make t-shirts...I don't care. Enough people are going to start asking what it means and then figure it out and show up.

I really like this idea!!!!

As I predicted, the NMSU QB sits atop the national rankings for passing efficiency. The NMSU coach said that "he likes to throw it deep, but he's good at it". That will pose very different challenges for the Ohio defense this week. Notably we'll need to see some pass rush, to take some of the pressure off the young corners.  Speaking of corners, I wonder if Shaw will be back?

The NMSU coach is concerned about TT, and plans to try to keep him in the pocket. When specifically asked about Ohio's offensive line, and if about how physical they are he says "No question, but it's not like we're playing against USC's offensive line, either. These guys are mid-level offensive linemen...." 

As far as the Ohio win at Penn State, he says "that Penn State team is not the Penn State when Coach Paterno had all those great teams so but you have to give them credit. They went in and beat a Big Ten team. So did we last year." (They beat Minnesota the week after losing to Ohio)

As relates to their offensive line versus Ohio's defense, he talks about how his Oline is 300+, and Ohio's defensive line is only about 250 "so from a physical standpoint, we're going to challenge them to be able to run the ball. Last year they held us to 6 yards rushing, and our offensive line and our running backs are tired of hearing it.....We're not going to back down, We're going to try to bring some physical this week".