OSU Buckeyes

Ohio State isn't bowl-eligible. Their goal is to go undefeated. Mark May and Lou Holtz debate if the Buckeyes are on the verge of becoming a powerhouse after their 56-10 victory over Miami (Ohio).

Welcome to Across The Field, a regular feature on BuckeyeNation where we point you to noteworthy Buckeyes coverage here and elsewhere. Think something should be included? Send it to espnkendrick@gmail.com.

Ohio State 56, Miami 10

• That catch by Devin Smith is going to get lots of play on the highlights shows, and it really gave the offense a jolt against Miami. (Austin Ward)
• Urban Meyer said he hung on to 'Sloopy' a little bit. (Ward)
• Braxton Miller made Meyer's day, writes Tom Archdeacon. (Dayton Daily News)
• Nathan Williams' return was one of the feel-good stories of the opener. (Cleveland Plain Dealer)
• Braxton Miller's learning curve is both thrilling and troubling, writes Bill Livingston (Plain Dealer)
• That last play of the first half bugged Urban Meyer a bit. (Dayton Daily News)
• Yes, that was Republican vice-presidential nominee (and Miami grad) Paul Ryan playing cornhole in an Ohio State parking lot on Saturday. (Columbus Dispatch)

BuckeyeNation Week in Review

• The opener showcased the depth on the defensive front, and managing playing time will be an interesting equation, writes Ward.
• There should be big plans for Jake Stoneburner in the offense.
• Brad Bournival caught up with Dr. John Frank, who went from OSU to the NFL to the operating room.
• We finished up our series on 2012 impact players with No. 4 Bradley Roby, No. 3 Johnathan Hankins, No. 2 John Simon and No. 1 Braxton Miller.
• We also had entrance exams for Taylor Decker, David Perkins and Kyle Dodson.
• Devon Allen is rising on teams' lists, and he still likes OSU.
• OSU is still ahead for WR Shelton Gibson, writes Jared Shanker.
• Georgia and Ohio State are in the lead for a top 2014 linebacker.

Football

• Urban Meyer likes "angry" teams -- creating chips on his players' shoulders is a big part of his motivational technique-- and it should serve the Buckeyes well, writes Bob Hunter. (Dispatch)
• The scandal that brought the Tressel era to an end will end up being a positive development, writes Gregg Doyel. (CBS)
• There was a little tiff between the writers and the unversity this week over tweeting during news conferences. (Akron Beacon Journal)
• 2013 pledge Joey Bosa is primed for a big senior season. (Miami Herald)
• The change to semesters has created a new ticket dynamic. (Plain Dealer)
• Remember that Urban Meyer drawing that the Plain Dealer asked its readers to take around the world? (Plain Dealer)
• They didn't take Shelley Meyer along, but perhaps they should have. She's a colorful character. (Dispatch)
• The new video board on the Ohio Stadium scoreboard is cutting edge. (Lantern)
• Marcus Hall was a pleasant surprise to the coaching staff. (Eleven Warriors)
• And former DL Kenny Hayes is headed to Toledo. (Toledo Blade)

Basketball

• The men's basketball schedule is out, and it looks like a very strong one.
• Here are five crucial Big Ten matchups. (ESPN)
• Expect big things from Deshaun Thomas this season -- he's a Blue Ribbon Preseason All-American. (Lantern)

The Gang's All Here

• Meyer isn't the only new coach on campus, of course. (Lantern)
• The women's volleyball team won a tournament. (OSU)

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The Urban Meyer era is officially under way, and he delivered almost exactly what Ohio State fans wanted in his debut.

The no-huddle, spread offense delivered touchdowns in a hurry. The defense was hard-nosed and relentless in pursuit. And, naturally, the Buckeyes added a score on special teams.

In all, Ohio State made it look pretty easy after a slow start, rolling to a 56-10 win over Miami (Ohio) on Saturday to celebrate a fresh start.

It was over when: Braxton Miller took the first snap of the second half, kept the ball on an option moving to the left and put the game away a couple of seconds later.

The sophomore quarterback was electrifying as a runner throughout the game, but his 65-yard touchdown scamper down the sideline officially signaled the Buckeyes were opening the floodgates and ready to cruise. Miller busted loose with a subtle shake of his shoulders at the line of scrimmage, and he polished off the run with a head-turning stutter step to put Ohio State up 28-3 to start the third quarter.

Game ball goes to: Miller didn't even need three full quarters to break Ohio State's single-game rushing record for quarterbacks, and he was just as difficult to defend as a passer. The sophomore threw for 207 yards while piling up his 161 yards on the ground, more than enough to qualify as a successful debut in Meyer's spread attack.

Stat of the game: Among the worst passing teams in the country last season, the Buckeyes showed marked improvement in just the first half. Last season they averaged 127 yards per game -- and Miller had 189 through the air before intermission Saturday.

How the game was won: The spread offense was far from perfect early, but some good, old-fashioned power rushing helped get the Buckeyes moving in the second quarter. Miller was a handful operating the option, but it was a few broken tackles on inside carries by Carlos Hyde that helped the Buckeyes establish themselves physically on the way to the second touchdown and an eventual rout.

What it means: There still is work to be done for the Buckeyes, and Meyer no doubt will harp on a few missed opportunities in the passing game and the slow start as he goes back to work for next week's tougher test against Central Florida. But for starters, Ohio State appears to be on its way to building an offense that won't be easy to slow down.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The first quarter was forgettable.

The second was exactly what Ohio State fans were expecting.

The new offense finally kicked into gear, and the Buckeyes erased a sloppy start to impose their will on Miami (Ohio), rattling off touchdowns one after the other to take a 21-3 lead that could have been more if Urban Meyer's team had punched in the final play from the 1-yard line or kicked a field goal.

Either way, the Buckeyes are in control in the coach's debut with the program.

Stat of the half: Braxton Miller threw for 189 yards in the first half while completing 12 of his 21 attempts -- numbers that would qualify as a breakout performance for an entire game a season ago. He's also added 99 yards on the ground already, making life miserable for the RedHawks.

Player of the half: Devin Smith is going to be a staple on the highlight reel whether he makes another catch or not after his sensational snag to put the Buckeyes on top in the second quarter. But the sophomore receiver looks more than capable of turning in big plays on a weekly basis with his speed and ability to get behind the defense, though after one half of football, he's only got the 23-yard reception to show for his efforts.

What's working for Ohio State: The spread offense isn't perfect at this point, but after a sloppy start in the first quarter, the tempo took hold and the Buckeyes started piling up touchdowns in quick order. Miller and Carlos Hyde have taken turns attacking Miami on the ground, which opened up the passing game and some huge plays down the field. Meyer's call for improved play at receiver appears to have been answered by Corey "Philly" Brown and Evan Spencer, and Smith's leaping, adjusting, one-handed touchdown grab is already a candidate for catch of the season.

What's not working for the Buckeyes: There are some wrinkles to be ironed out for Miller as a passer, starting with better decision-making. His ill-advised attempt to throw away a pass before halftime while being thrown to the ground almost produced a costly turnover that could have let Miami back in the game -- and the fact it was ruled intentional grounding when it might have been a fumble was a break. However, he instantly made up for it with an electrifying run and drove the Buckeyes to the 1-yard line with three seconds to spare in the first half, so in the early stages of the transition, Meyer will likely take the really good with the occasional bad.

Adam Rittenberg and Brian Bennett break down the race for Big Ten Freshman of the Year in 2012. Of note, Iowa's Barkley Hill is mentioned as a possible candidate, but this video was shot before his season-ending knee injury.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Training camp is done and game preparations have begun. The torture of the offseason is nearly through, and Ohio State's first game with coach Urban Meyer is closing in. Leading up to the opener against Miami (Ohio), BuckeyeNation will count down the 10 players who figure to have the biggest impact on Meyer's first campaign, finishing strong with the guy to whom Meyer is handing the keys in the spread offense.

No. 1

BRAXTON MILLER

• POSITION: Quarterback
• BASICS: The sophomore might never have been truly comfortable after getting thrown into the fire right away in an offense that perhaps wasn't ideally suited for him. But his lightning-quick acceleration combined with 220 pounds on his 6-foot-2 frame and a stronger arm than he perhaps gets credit for make him ideal for Meyer's system.
• BY THE NUMBERS: Miller will be asked to throw more often in the up-tempo, no-huddle offense the Buckeyes will run, and they'll need a higher completion percentage to really make it hum. As a freshman, Miller completed just over 54 percent of his attempts, and Meyer and offensive coordinator Tom Herman will be looking for improvement -- while still keeping his interceptions (four in 2011) to a minimum.
• OPPORTUNITY FOR IMPACT: Since taking over the program and getting to know his next signal-caller, Meyer has had no issues comparing him to guys he has coached in the past. Athletically, Meyer has actually placed Miller above a certain Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback he had at Florida. Now Miller has to prove that he can translate that physical ability into points and victories, which will require him to consistently make the right reads in the option running game and deliver the ball quickly to the correct place as a passer. There might be some bumps along the way, but the Buckeyes are confident that Miller can take them where they want to go.
• HE SAID IT: I think he’s more mentally confident right now. Physically in the spring, his problems all stemmed from his footwork and he’s done a really good job over the break of trying to break some bad habits. Those still show up every now and again, but I think he’s a lot more mentally confident and you can see a little bounce in his step. He’s certainly still got a long ways to go, but you can tell he studied in the offseason and he’s worked with his wideouts in the offseason and that’s paid dividends. -- Herman

Last season, the Big Ten never settled this argument: “Who’s the best?”

Three teams -- Ohio State, Michigan and Michigan State -- shared the league’s regular season crown in a fight that lasted through the final game of the year.

This season will feature similar parity. Indiana could enter the year as the top team in the land on the preseason charts. With Trey Burke returning and a strong freshman class, Michigan should challenge the Hoosiers. Michigan State is stacked. Ohio State lost Jared Sullinger, but Deshaun Thomas could be the most versatile offensive player in the country. And Wisconsin lost an All-American point guard in Jordan Taylor, but the Badgers have never finished lower than fourth under Bo Ryan. Can’t count them out.

But a few key matchups, unveiled when the league released its schedule Thursday, could be crucial for the Big Ten race. League play starts with a pair of New Year’s Eve games: Indiana plays at Iowa and Michigan State travels to Minnesota.

Here are five key games for the Big Ten’s regular season:

Wisconsin at Indiana (Jan. 15) -- This is the only conference matchup between the Badgers and Hoosiers. Wisconsin beat Indiana twice last season. The Badgers held the Hoosiers to 50 points in their only regular season meeting. In March, they tied a Big Ten tourney record with 13 3-pointers in their 10^th consecutive victory over Indiana. This is an important game for both teams. Indiana has struggled against Wisconsin for years. So this game will be a chance for the Hoosiers to make an early statement in league competition. The Badgers can prove that they’re legit contenders -- despite all the questions about their point guard situation -- with a win.

Ohio State at Michigan (Feb. 5) -- This will be their second meeting in three weeks. By early February, both teams should know where they stand in the league and nationally. Burke has the talent around him to lead Michigan to the Big Ten title. This should be a critical home game for that pursuit. Plus, the game will feature one of the best individual matchups in the game: Aaron Craft, arguably the best on-the-ball defender in America, faces Burke, possibly the top point guard in America. If the projections are true, then everyone in the league will be chasing Indiana for the top spot. So a chance to knock off another potential contender with a month remaining in the regular season is an important meeting for both squads.

Indiana at Michigan State (Feb. 19) -- The Hoosiers have all the tools to reach Atlanta. Cody Zeller might be the best player in America. Every key player returns. And Tom Crean boasts a nationally ranked recruiting class that features point guard Yogi Ferrell. But what if they struggle on the road again? Last season's Hoosiers lost their swagger when they left Assembly Hall. They were 3-6 in Big Ten road games. They led the Spartans in East Lansing, Mich., last season before a 20-0 Michigan State run turned the game for good. Indiana can’t dream of the Final Four -- or even the Big Ten championship -- unless it changes its identity away from Assembly Hall.

Michigan State at Michigan (March 2 or 3) -- The rivals could be vying for a slice of the Big Ten title when they face off in March. This is always a battle. But the stakes could make this one of the most entertaining and competitive meetings in the series. Five-star freshmen Gary Harris (Michigan State) and Glenn Robinson (Michigan) might be stars by that time. Branden Dawson, one of the best all-around defenders in America, should be completely healthy, too. This is big for recruiting. It’s big for bragging rights. And it’s also a game that could impact the final Big Ten standings.

Indiana at Michigan (March 10) -- Ohio State beat Michigan State by two points on the last day of the regular season. The victory established the three-way tie for the conference’s crown. On the last day of this year’s regular season, the Hoosiers will travel to Ann Arbor, Mich., to face the Wolverines. The Hoosiers suffered a double-digit loss when they visited Crisler Arena last season. I’ve already discussed the concerns about their execution outside Assembly Hall. But even if that’s the case, this will be a difficult game. I think Michigan is a tough matchup for Indiana with Burke’s speed and its athleticism on the wing with Tim Hardaway Jr. and Robinson. Must-see TV. The Big Ten title could be on the line. Or a piece of it, at least.