In the New Orleans bowl preview it states that Ohio is 54th nationally in scoring while 34th in defense. Troy is 27th in scoring while 92th in defense but keep in mind these numbers were against a weaker SBC schedule. The MAC is about half way in strength between the Big East and SBC this year so yes there is a significant difference. Take out the Kent State (nasty weather) and Ohio State (BCS bowl level program) games and Ohio's numbers are significantly better. We know what the conditions will be like in the Dome and Frank and staff has lessons learned from coaching at Ford Field. This I think is the game where the Bobcats break that bowl losing streak. I skipped on the Mobile trip because I knew the Cats would lose to Southern Miss and we'd be going back to another bowl game as a stronger program in a few years. This is the game.

Yeah, I was at the Kent game. When two or three defenders are in the backfield and Boo's still holding the ball out for the running back, that sure takes the guess work out of the option read for the defense. Just hit both of them. I had been worried about how we would match up against Kent's line, but after we ran over Temple, I figured I didn't have to be concerned. Obviously, it was disappointing.  And about the weather that day. Tom Brady has naver made weather an excuse, and neither should Ohio. Hopefully the KSU game was one bad game and we move the ball against the Trojans like we did against Temple.

Certainly there were a lot of football issues like the line play and the turnovers, but the weather didn't help. Trying to throw in that wind was extremely difficult, and that was more of a disadvantage for Ohio than for Kent State, which didn't want to pass the ball much to begin with. Of course, against Troy, it seems the Trojans will be the team wanting to throw more and there won't be any weather problems to stop them. It will have to be a strong defensive effort.