Ohio State at LSU

Well, here we are - the final game of the College Football season. LSU becomes the first two-loss team to ever make it to this BCS Championship game and they square off with a team which everyone thought would win in a breeze last year. Ohio State brings the best defense in the country into this game, but the numbers leave us feeling suspect about this defense. Also, looking back at Big Ten teams in the past that had good defenses, as well as the top defenses in the country in years gone by, it simply does not translate against a top flight offense. Last year Virginia Tech had what appeared to be the best defense in a long time and the numbers sure indicated that. The Hokies allowed just 9.3 ppg, and had held 10 of 12 opponents to 13 or less and 7 of 12 to 7 or less! They get in a Bowl game vs an SEC team, and give up 31 in a loss to Georgia. Two years ago Miami was the rage on defense. They allowed just 11.9 ppg, holding 10 of 11 opponents to 17 or less. Up steps another SEC school with a knockout punch scoring 40! Three years ago the top defense in the Big Ten was Michigan, giving up 28 to USC and lose. Ohio State in 02-03 held 12 of 13 opponents to under 19, and gave up 24 to Miami. The top defense in 01-02 in the Big Ten was Michigan, and they gave up 45 to SEC's Tennessee. Last year we saw Ohio State with just as potent a defense, allowing just 10.4 ppg, square off with another SEC school in Florida, and give up 41! Then there is the Wisconsin team of 04-05 who led the nation in scoring defense, but gave up 24 to SEC's Georgia. So we look at these lofty numbers put up by Ohio State's defense with respect, but certainly no fear. We have seen annually that these top defenses have really given it up come Bowl time. So is this year different? We don't believe so. Ohio State has played offenses that average #56 in the country, or right in the middle of the pack. The top offense they faced this season was Illinois, and they gave up 24 and lost at home. When they faced Michigan State ranked #42, they gave up 21 and nearly lost. The Big Ten is just not loaded with the speed that the SEC has in skill position players. We saw that very clearly last year with Florida against this very Ohio State team. LSU is not a defensive slouch. They rank #3 and their offense ranks #21, while the Ohio State offense ranks just #56. LSU put up 48 on Virginia Tech's #4 ranked offense. Take that game off the Tech schedule, and they would rank #1 in defense! LSU also got 30 on Auburn's #7 ranked defense. Take that out of their schedule, and they are ranked #3! So arguably, LSU has already scored 48 and 30 against the #1 and #3 defenses in the country. Alabama was #33 and LSU scored 41, and Florida was #43 and they scored 28. Yes, even though the LSU defense is ranked #3, they did give up some points, but to much better offenses than what Ohio State has. The problem with teams playing in the SEC is that every single week they are playing top competition. There are no weeks off. Here is a hypothetical question. Would the Ohio State defense be ranked #1 playing V Tech out of conference, Tennessee, Florida, Kentucky, Auburn, Arkansas and Alabama? Would they be 9-2 with the two losses each being in triple OT? There is a reason Ohio State has never beaten an SEC team in a Bowl game, as they are 0-9. One reason is the enormous layoff, and the second is quite simply, speed! We saw it last year, and we will see it again here, as LSU wins the National Championship!