Doesn’t it feel great to have seen this coming? Despite a rocky season, I – along with most of the Buckeye nation – entered the Horseshoe on Saturday fully expecting an Ohio State triumph over those overrated choke-experts from up north.
And sure enough, we tasted sweet, sweet glory on the gridiron. The sweet, sweet glory that all us prognosticators saw coming from a mile away.
Or did we?
A quick survey around the country showed that, sadly, few gave our beloved Buckeyes a snowball’s chance in hell of disrupting Michigan’s stellar season. The Wolverines’ offense was too powerful, they said. Our offense was too weak, they insisted. Our defense gives up yards like they are going out of style, they contended.
How does it feel to eat crow, America?
I can walk around this week holding my head up high because if you recall, I picked this victory. There is documented, journalistic proof that on Friday, Nov. 19, I demonstrated for the entire world that I truly bleed scarlet and gray.
Three wins in the Big Ten? No concern to me. Michigan’s young, talented squad? Mere mortals in my mind.
When I used to get excited for The Game as a kid, I remember what my dad used to tell me when it looked like there was no way the Buckeyes could win – or lose.
He told me that when these two teams play, throw out records and statistics. The OSU-Michigan rivalry can not be looked at as a mere football matchup. Something special seems to happen every year.
This was one of my chief reasons for calling the upset.
I knew Michigan had a young team that would be relying on two key players who would be playing their first game in the hostile territory of Ohio Stadium. I knew that Jim Tressel would be steaming mad – not only because of the losses this season, but also after the loss in Ann Arbor last season.
The fact is, the Buckeyes have had nothing to lose since their loss to Wisconsin earlier this season. And if there was ever a game for this do-or-die mentality to show up, The Game was clearly it.
Not only did OSU show up, but a high-powered offensive machine and stifling defense came with it. The names of Troy Smith, Ted Ginn Jr. and even Ashton Youbouty will be as cursed in Ann Arbor as Tshimanga Biakabutuka and Desmond Howard are here in Columbus.
But sadly, few of my counterparts shared my foresight with me. ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit and Lee Corso both picked against us, with Herbstreit saying that the game would be close. Lantern sports editor Aaron Stollar said, “OSU will lose and they will lose ugly.” Underground sports director Jeff Svoboda said, “I still don’t see how Ohio State can win this game,” despite expressing his wishes that we would win. Token Michigander Melissa Miller said, “There is no way that Ohio State can win this game.”
But mark my words, and mark them well: “We will pull this one out at home.”
While I did pick the Buckeyes to win, not even I thought they would win as soundly as they did. My 23-17 prediction of victory was a little short of the 37-21 thumping we handed out. Credit that to my boy Michael DeMaria and the other 18 Buckeye seniors who ensured that not only would they go 3-1 against the Wolverines in their careers, but they would do so with gusto. They had faith.
If I leave one journalistic imprint behind on this university, let it be this: I always have faith in my Buckeyes.
I hope you can say the same.
Adam Jardy is the editor of The Lantern and a senior in journalism. His voice still hurts from the game, so if you want to talk to him about it you can e-mail him at [email protected].
