For the first time since the epic 2002 National Championship game, Ohio State will play the Miami Hurricanes and have the opportunity to show that the double-overtime thriller was no fluke.
The Buckeyes, ranked No. 2 in ESPN’s 2010 preseason college football poll, will have a lot on the line as they welcome the No. 17-ranked Hurricanes to Ohio Stadium in the second week of the season.
The game will feature two vastly different styles.
OSU will likely be physical and try to run the ball and control the clock. Miami will likely try to take advantage of its superior team speed and spread the ball around in the passing game.
For the Heisman junkies, quarterbacks Terrelle Pryor and Jacory Harris will be out to make an early case as to why they should be hoisting the trophy at the end of the year.
Pryor is the specimen. He has all the athletic potential in the world, and he will hope to build on an impressive Rose Bowl performance last year and establish himself as one of the best players in the country.
Harris might remind OSU fans of Troy Smith. The undersized quarterback is athletic and a gifted passer, but he must be a little more disciplined before fans will see his true potential.
When Miami is on offense, it will use a stable of running backs to sustain a fresh ground game. However, last year’s leading rusher Graig Cooper injured his knee in Miami’s bowl game and might not be able to play in the game.
The key for OSU on defense will be to contain Harris. Safeties Kurt Coleman and Anderson Russell’s departure to the NFL will leave the secondary susceptible to the big play, so it will be up to Cameron Heyward and the rest of OSU’s defensive front seven to do their best to keep Harris in the pocket and force him to step up and make the big throws, something he struggled to do last season.
When OSU has the ball, it will be up to Pryor and the rushing attack to take over the game.
Late in the season last year, it was Daniel “Boom” Herron and Brandon Saine who seemed to be taking over games and bailing out Pryor when he was struggling to get a rhythm going. But Pryor will have to show that he has improved significantly from a year ago and is capable of consistently winning games by both running and throwing the ball.
Miami’s defense might spend the entire game with eight or more players in the box in a desperate attempt to slow down OSU’s rushing game and Pryor’s ability to make plays with his feet. The jury is still out on whether Pryor can win a big game with his arm, and Miami will take the headaches defending the ground game and dare him to beat them throwing.
If OSU can protect Pryor and open holes for the running game, the Buckeyes will attain a major advantage. Miami, however, can steal this one away from OSU if Harris isn’t pressured and Pryor is struggling to get going. The play of both teams’ offensive lines will be crucial to deciding the outcome.
