OSU Buckeyes

OHIO STATE

Record: 7-0 (3-0 Big Ten)

Ohio State can't tackle. It has endured multiple special teams breakdowns. It recently moved starting fullback Zach Boren to linebacker to a depth-starved position (he proceeded to lead the team in tackles against Indiana). It has endured multiple key injuries, particularly on the defensive side. Dropped passes have been an issue, too.

So what's the Buckeyes' record a little past the halfway point of Urban Meyer's first season? It's perfect. Few would argue that Ohio State has been the Big Ten's best team so far this fall.

If this is what Meyer can do with a flawed team in his first season, think about what he'll accomplish in the coming seasons at Ohio State.

The biggest reason for Ohio State's unblemished record is sophomore quarterback Braxton Miller. No Big Ten player -- and perhaps no player nationally -- has meant more to his team's success than Miller has to the Buckeyes. Although many pegged Miller to thrive in Meyer's spread offense, his first-year progress has exceeded all expectations. Through seven games, he has 1,271 pass yards, 912 rush yards and 20 touchdowns (11 pass, 9 rush), putting himself very much on the Heisman Trophy radar. The offense has had other bright spots -- running back Carlos Hyde, big-play receiver Devin Smith, a surging line -- and is well ahead of schedule as a unit, putting up 115 points the past two weeks.

Ohio State might have the offensive firepower to run the table in a weak Big Ten, but fixing the defense is the top priority for Meyer and his staff. Despite boasting several playmakers -- cornerbacks Bradley Roby and Travis Howard, linebacker Ryan Shazier, linemen John Simon and Johnathan Hankins -- the Buckeyes need to get back to their roots on that side of the ball.

Offensive MVP: QB Braxton Miller. The most obvious choice we'll make in any of the midseason team capsules. Ohio State wouldn't be undefeated without Miller and likely would have multiple losses on its résumé. He has been unstoppable as a runner and better-than-expected as a passer, completing 60.4 percent of his passes with 11 touchdowns and four interceptions. He has five 100-yard rushing performances and five games with at least 300 yards of total offense. He needs 88 yards to become the first Ohio State quarterback to record 1,000 rush yards in a season.

Defensive MVP: CB Bradley Roby. The Silver Bullets aren't performing at their usual standard, but Roby has been one of the Big Ten's most dynamic defenders in the first seven games. He's tied for the national lead in passes defended with 14, five more than any other Big Ten player, and recorded two interceptions in an Oct. 6 win against Nebraska, including a pick-six in the first quarter. Roby also had a punt block against Michigan State, a recovery of a punt block for a touchdown against Indiana and 33 tackles (2 for loss). Shazier and Simon also merit mentions.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Quick hitters from Ohio State's media luncheon on Monday as it prepares for a visit from Purdue on Saturday.

Shake it up: For the time being, Zach Boren shouldn't make any plans to return to offense after shifting from fullback to linebacker and then leading the team in tackles against the Hoosiers.

Expecting somebody else to have that same kind of instant impact at a new position might be asking a lot in the middle of the season, but that doesn't mean the Ohio State won't consider more personnel shakeups in response to its lack of depth on defense.

Buckeyes coach Urban Meyer confirmed there "are conversations" as the coaching staff evaluates all its options, though the only player identified specifically when he was asked about tweaks to the lineup during his Monday press conference was freshman defensive end Noah Spence -- but he won't be playing offense any time soon.

"Options are very limited right now, so that’s one thing," Meyer said. "The guy that played very well is Noah Spence, so the thing you have to ask yourself, 'OK, Noah Spence and Nathan Williams play the same position, so let’s have a conversation about that' -- and we are. How do you get them both on the field at the same time is the conversation.

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COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The fire inside is burning hot enough as it is.

Reflecting all the way back to his days as a youth wrestler, Luke Fickell has always tried to put more pressure to perform on himself than anybody could place on him on the outside.

So the Ohio State defensive coordinator isn't about the change his approach after his unit allowed 49 points in a narrow win over Indiana on Saturday, though he joked that he might seek out some of the public opinions of his work if he thought it might dial up the internal temperature even further.

"If you can put more pressure on me than I put on myself -- I don’t how you could," Fickell said during his Monday press conference. "We could give up 14 points and for some reason I’m not going to sleep at night thinking, ‘Wow, what could we have done better.’

"The outside pressures, I don’t know, I don’t feel it. If they’re harder or stronger than what I put on myself, maybe I should go read about it."

The Buckeyes provided plenty to write about defensively after a second sloppy outing in as many games, following up the 38 points they gave up against Nebraska with a trip to Indiana that included 481 yards allowed and a much tighter score than expected.

The program is still undefeated and the offense has certainly contributed greatly on the way to those seven wins and a spot in the top 10. But the defense currently ranks No. 10 in the conference in total defense, and the recent troubles haven't gone unnoticed by coach Urban Meyer -- who vowed to take a more active approach in getting that corrected and gave a speech to the entire unit and the coaching staff during a meeting on Sunday.

Fickell had no complaints about that appearance to start the week from Meyer, and he indicated it was a positive to have him more involved. But just like with the exterior conversations about the Buckeyes, he also didn't really need to be told that improvements were mandatory if they're going to stay perfect or contend for titles down the road.

"If we would have walked out of there after giving up 31, to be honest with you, I’d have had the same pit in my stomach," Fickell said. "We’re never satisfied with what we’ve got, but we can’t lose sight of the No. 1 most important thing is to win and get better.

"Is there a pit? Yes. Does it make it hard to sleep? Yes. But what do you do? You can whine, you can fold up your tent, start to complain or you can go back to work and find a way to get better."

Growing up in Naples, Fla., Carlos Hyde didn't need a tutorial on Urban Meyer's offense.

He knew plenty about Meyer and the spread from Meyer's time as Florida's coach. Hyde also knew he wanted no part of it, even though he said Florida offered him a scholarship to play in Gainesville.

"When I saw this offense, it was little running backs," Hyde told ESPN.com. "Little scat backs running around, Percy Harvin-type dudes, Jeff Demps-type people. I wasn't sure I'd be able to fit in."

At 6-foot and 232 pounds, Hyde can be described as a lot of things. Little isn't one of them. He's a power back in the truest sense, so he chose to go where power backs go: Ohio State.

There was only one problem: Buckeyes coach Jim Tressel, who had featured power backs like Chris Wells and Maurice Clarett in his offense, resigned in the spring after Hyde's freshman season. Although Ohio State kept a similar offense in 2011, the school changed coaches and brought in Meyer.

"I was excited," Hyde said. "I knew Coach Meyer, his track record. He's won big games. He's won some national championships. I knew when he was coming here, I was like, 'I'm going to have a huge chance to get to play in the national championship before I leave college.'"

But his excitement was tempered by the same anxiety about whether he could fit into the spread as a bigger back.

"I never played in a spread offense, so I really didn't have a feel," Hyde said. "I wasn't sure. I never really saw a big back in the spread."

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The regular season is halfway over. Where did the time go? It's getting late early in the Big Ten race for some teams, which makes this a big week. Here's a quick preview of the Week 8 storylines:

Michigan State (4-3, 1-2 Big Ten) at No. 23 Michigan (4-2, 2-0), 3:30 p.m., Big Ten Network: Where's the threat? Or maybe we should say, are the Spartans still a legitimate threat to Michigan's Big Ten ambitions? This game has lost a lot of luster thanks to Michigan State's stumbles, but there's still plenty on the line. The Wolverines need to break a four-game losing streak in this rivalry, while MSU would be in danger of a losing season with a defeat here and Wisconsin, Nebraska and Northwestern up next. All eyes will be on Denard Robinson and a Spartans defense that has shut him down the last two years.

Penn State (4-2, 2-0) at Iowa (4-2, 2-0), 8 p.m., BTN: Raise your hand if you had these two teams atop their respective divisions midway through October. They're both doing it with defense, as Penn State is No. 2 and Iowa No. 3 in the Big Ten in points allowed, and some surprising contributors on offense (Mark Weisman for the Hawkeyes, a surging Matt McGloin and Allen Robinson for the Nittany Lions). Expect a slugfest, but hopefully one with more points than last year's 13-3 Penn State win.

Nebraska (4-2, 1-1) at Northwestern (6-1, 2-1), 3:30 p.m., ABC/ESPN2: The Cornhuskers will have had two weeks to try and figure out their defensive problems against spread teams and on the road. They will need to have answers versus a Wildcats team that beat them in Lincoln last season. Kain Colter had a great game at Nebraska last year and is the kind of mobile quarterback that has given Bo Pelini's defense fits. The loser of this one could find themselves two games back in the Legends standings.

Minnesota (4-2, 0-2) at Wisconsin (5-2, 2-1), Noon, ESPNU: It's Axe season. But can the Gophers accrue better dividends in this ancient rivalry? Wisconsin has won eight straight in the series, including the last two by a combined 47 points. The Badgers' offense also looked rejuvenated on Saturday against Purdue, which could mean this is bad timing for Minnesota. Questions about the status of head coach Jerry Kill and quarterback MarQueis Gray could linger this week for the Gophers.

Purdue (3-3, 0-2) at No. 8 Ohio State (7-0, 3-0), Noon, ABC/ESPN2: At what point do we really start to worry about the Buckeyes' defense? Probably not this week against a Purdue team that is a mess on both sides of the ball right now. The Boilermakers did beat Ohio State last year in West Lafayette, but their own defense has major issues after surrendering an average of 41 points and 385 rushing yards in their first two Big Ten contests. And now comes Braxton Miller and Co., who have scored 115 points the past two weeks. The Boilers are staring down the barrel of an 0-3 conference start, while the Buckeyes look to get to 8-0 before a showdown at Penn State.

Indiana (2-4, 0-3) at Navy (3-3), 3:30 p.m., CBS College Sports: The Hoosiers are doing a lot of things well -- especially on offense -- and have been right in every game. Yet all they have to show for it is a four-game losing streak. Maybe stepping out of conference will help, especially against a not-so-classic Midshipmen squad. Defending the option on the road presents its challenges, but Navy was shut out at home by San Jose State a few weeks ago.

Bye: Illinois

After a historic offseason of transition, the Big Ten endured a historic first half of ineptitude.

The league entered the fall under unique circumstances, as two of its premier programs (Ohio State and Penn State) couldn't compete in the postseason because of NCAA sanctions. But with a surging Michigan State program, a Michigan team coming off of a Sugar Bowl championship, a Wisconsin team that had made consecutive Rose Bowl appearances and a veteran-laden Nebraska squad, the Big Ten had ample reasons for optimism. Those soon vanished.

Things got off to a rocky start at JerryWorld, as Michigan was stomped 41-14 by defending national champ Alabama. It only got worse in Week 2, the Big Ten's worst regular-season Saturday in recent memory. Big Ten teams went 6-6, including three losses at Pac-12 venues, including two by ranked teams (Wisconsin and Nebraska) against unranked foes (Oregon State and UCLA). The Big Ten went 6-9 against teams from BCS automatic-qualifying conferences plus Notre Dame, with three wins coming from one team (Northwestern). Although Ohio State hasn't lost a game under new coach Urban Meyer, the Big Ten removed itself from the national title talk earlier than anyone expected.

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Oh, Gene Smith. If only Ohio State had self-imposed a bowl ban in 2011 before the NCAA did (for 2012), there's a good chance the unbeaten Buckeyes would be headed to some BCS game, perhaps the big one Jan. 7 in Miami.

As it stands, Ohio State is out of the mix (along with Penn State), and Michigan, despite two losses to top-10 teams, looks like the Big Ten's best bet to reach the Rose Bowl. The Wolverines have been dominant in their first two Big Ten games, and enter a crucial Legends stretch against Michigan State and Nebraska. Right now, Brady Hoke's squad clearly is the team to beat.

Wisconsin makes a nice move in the projections after dismantling Purdue at Ross-Ade Stadium. Following back-to-back trips to Pasadena, the Badgers are pegged for a familiar bowl site -- Orlando, Fla. -- in the Capital One Bowl. Nebraska drops a spot in the projections, partly because of its struggles and partly because it visited the Capital One Bowl last season. Iowa, meanwhile, moves up after its road upset of Michigan State. Although Iowa and Northwestern could finish with similar records, Iowa's larger fan base gets it the nod to the Gator Bowl.

Michigan State, our preseason Rose Bowl pick, tumbles to the Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas following its third home loss of the season. The Spartans could be looking at more defeats, as their upcoming schedule (Michigan, Wisconsin, Nebraska) only gets tougher.

We're keeping both Minnesota and Purdue in the bowl projections for now, but both teams have some work to do. The Gophers certainly could get to six wins with MarQueis Gray, but the senior quarterback's health remains a question mark. Purdue is an absolute mess and could have a tough time winning three more times. Indiana isn't in the projections just yet but has shown impressive fight in Big Ten play and has some winnable games left.

Here's our latest way-too-early stab at projecting the postseason:

Rose Bowl, Jan. 1: Michigan

Capital One Bowl, Jan. 1: Wisconsin

Outback Bowl, Jan. 1: Nebraska

Gator Bowl, Jan. 1: Iowa

Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl, Dec. 29: Northwestern

Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas, Dec. 28: Michigan State

Heart of Dallas Bowl, Jan. 1: Minnesota

Little Caesars Pizza Bowl, Dec. 26: Purdue

As most of you know, ABC/ESPN exercised its one of its six-day picks for the Big Ten games of Oct. 20. Kickoff times and TV plans for three games -- Nebraska-Northwestern, Michigan State-Michigan and Purdue-Ohio State -- still had to be determined.

Now they have been.

Here's the full Big Ten schedule for Oct. 20 ...

NOON ET

• Purdue at Ohio State, ABC regional (ESPN2 in outer markets)
• Minnesota at Wisconsin, ESPNU

3:30 P.M. ET

• Nebraska at Northwestern, ABC regional (ESPN2 in outer markets)
• Michigan State at Michigan, Big Ten Network
• Indiana at Navy, CBS College Sports

8 P.M. ET

• Penn State at Iowa, Big Ten Network

Illinois is off.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The AP poll national championship talk took a backseat to simply surviving late on Saturday night.

But Ohio State held on for a wild, 52-49 win over Indiana at Memorial Stadium, and that moved the program one week closer to a perfect season.

It also nudged them one spot closer to the top of the polls when the AP rankings were released on Sunday afternoo. The Buckeyes climbed up to No. 7 in the nation and remain clearly the class of the Big Ten, according to the voters.

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