The Road to Santa Clara: Week 14 (Washington)
Yeah, yeah I know our road didn’t end in Santa Clara like I had hoped. $125 seems like a little much to cancel a flight over 20 days in advance, don’t you think American Airlines? But if you think for one second that after watching Notre Dame and Oklahoma play on Saturday that the Buckeyes didn’t deserve to be in the College Football Playoff then you are a certified idiot. Please stop reading now because I intend on using words with a higher Lexile level than a 3rd grade book. The Buckeyes would’ve hung 60+ on the Sooners and may have mercy-ruled the Irish. But the committee just didn’t want the best 4 teams this year, so we’re out in Pasadena instead for The Granddaddy of Them All. Not a bad consolation prize I guess.
Week 14: Washington
Date: January 1st, 2019 Time: 5:00 EST TV: ESPN All-Time Series: Ohio State leads 8-3 Last Meeting: Ohio State 33-14 in 2007 Spread: Ohio State -6.5
In case you haven’t been following Ohio State very closely this year, it should be known that Urban Meyer did announce that this will be his last game as the head coach of the Buckeyes. In fact, he is “fairly certain” that this will be the last game he ever coaches. With that being said, Urban will certainly go down as the best Ohio State coach of all-time, perhaps the greatest college football coach of all-time, and arguably the greatest coach in the history of sport. I am not here to argue, but I am here to provide you statistics. The man is 82-9 at Ohio State, 186-32 overall, has 3 National Titles, won the first ever College Football Playoff, is 11-3 in Bowl Games, and is 7-0 against the rival. There is not one coach on this earth that can compare to that. And through all of it, Coach Meyer is classy enough to think that HE needs to thank the fans.
No, THANK YOU Coach Meyer!! You’ve been an important part of my most formative years, and I think of you as a father figure for it. The lessons you taught your players and me will stick with us forever. Yes, the games won were great. But you made us better people in the process. When the world counted you out against Wisconsin, Alabama, and Oregon with your 3rd string quarterback, you proved everyone wrong and brought a championship back to our great state. When the world and yellow journalist Brett McMuffin were out to get you because you have serious health problems and a forgetful memory, you kept quiet and carried a big stick. A BIG stick. A 62 point stick to be exact. Ask Michigan, it wasn’t a mirage.
Urban Meyer has meant so much to the great state of Ohio, so for anyone to think that the Buckeyes aren’t going to come out and send him off into the Pasadena sunset with a huge victory needs to take off their drunk goggles. You’re either still feeling it from your New Year’s Eve party last night or you’re biased against my Buckeyes. And there’s no room for bias in this blog. These are just facts. And the fact is that there is a 0% chance the Buckeyes lose this game. Here’s your breakdown: Washington’s offense stinks. Ohio State’s offense is the best in the country. Washington’s defense is okay for the cupcake conference they play in. Ohio State’s defense. Ohio State’s players will be more motivated, more prepared, more battle tested, and are just flat out better. That’s why they’re at Ohio State and not Washington. The 4th quarter will be more of a farewell party for Urban Meyer than a crunch-time.
Speaking of goodbyes, the Urban Era won’t be the only duration of dominance ending today. Let me be the first to say so long and good luck to Dwayne Haskins, the best passer in Ohio State football history and the #1 quarterback to be selected in the 2019 NFL Draft. It was fun while it lasted Dwayne, and you held up your end of the bargain. But you can’t pass up on $30 million to come back to school. The best we can do at Ohio State is offer a couple free tattoos, and the NCAA even seems to get their panties in a bunch over that. So since this is Haskins last game, the question again is not whether he’s going to leave with a victory, it’s who is he going to leave with the keys to the Ferrari? I know of at least 1 person that is 100% sure it’s going to be the always modest Tate Martell.
If he can gain some confidence, I think he could end up being a pretty good player for the Buckeyes one day. Okay I’m kidding, this kid is as arrogant as they come. Just watch QB1 on Netflix if you have any more questions. And while I do like his talent and ability to move the sticks with his legs, I’m not sure I like my Buckeyes being egotistical. Everyone knows there’s nothing worse than a cocky Buckeye fan. I want our quarterback to embrace our fan base. Humble and hungry.
So if Martell can’t adjust to embrace the modest upbringings that Ohioans represent, then I think we have to give a strong look at 5-star transfer Justin Fields from Georgia. He’s stuck behind Jake Fromm down in Athens, and he’s rumored to have the Buckeyes as the #1 destination on his list. Fields and Dwayne Haskins worked out with the same quarterback coach this summer, and Haskins said that Fields is “waiting to see what I’m doing.” So if you’re asking me to bet right now on if Tate Martell or the field is going to be the quarterback next year for Ohio State, I’d probably have to take the Fields on that one.
But whatever happens will happen. I’m not too concerned. Martell, Fields, or our 3rd stringer will all at least win the Big 10, beat the rival, and play in a big time bowl game. That’s just what the Buckeye program has come to expect. And what we expect today is that Urban Meyer’s swan song will be a celebration of 7 years of greatness. Take the Buckeyes by as many points as Vegas wants you to give today. It’s a new year, so everyone is undefeated on bets so far! Let’s keep this heater rolling!
Prediction:
