My Brother, Brutus (and more Phi Gam Accomplishments).

While most of you know Brutus Buckeye, a lot of you don't know the men (and sometimes women) behind the mascot.

It turns out one of my fraternity brothers whom I've only met on occassion IS Brutus Buckeye...and he was up for Homecoming King. Although Andew Aten fell short of the crown, he still served Phi Gam well.

Phi Gam has actually had a member on the Homecoming Court ever since it was brought back to campus in 2003. Josh Harraman is the only Phi Gam brother to be named Homecoming King (2003).

Three FIJIs were named to the court this year.

Aten, though, is the only Brutus to ever make the Homecoming Court as far as I know.

Two other FIJIs have "dotted the i" in Script Ohio as well the past two years with Dan Wanders taking the honors for the 2006 Michigan game.

It's pretty interesting to see the two-time, defending William H. Hall Chapter of the Year rolling campus.

On a side note: I think I'm in love with Zanesville's Kelly Mirgon. I'm disappointed she didn't win Homecoming Queen this year. The Ohio State Alumni Association passed up on a great ambassador this year.

Well, guess I'll just have to dedicate a song to her as a consolation prize.


Photos courtesy ohiostatebuckeyes.com and homecoming.osu.edu.

"Impressive" Loss Raises BCS Questions

I'll be honest--Ohio State beat itself against Penn State in a pretty impressive performance.

Despite the terrible coaching, the team played hard and had the game in the bag until Pryor fumbled. Penn State is a quality team, and I see them going on to play Texas for the BCS Championship. The defense was aggressive, and Pryor, despite the late fumble, was equally impressive.

So scratch two goals off of Ohio State's wish list: The National Championship and The Big Ten Championship. Still, two goals of beating Michigan and making it to a BCS bowl are still alive.

So which BCS bowl is possible for the Buckeyes? I'd say either the Rose Bowl (although if USC is in it, the Rose Bowl will take someone else to avoid a rematch) or the Sugar Bowl. The latter is the more likely bowl.

And that bowl game will probably be played against--you guessed it--a team from the SEC (most likely, Florida). So, those of you who are waiting for Ohio State to get revenge on the Gators had better hope the Buckeyes run the table and go 10-2.

3 Penn State vs. 10 Ohio State Preview

For the first time since 2003, I will not be attending Homecoming at Ohio State.

That's either going to be either a good or bad thing depending on the result of the Homecoming game against Penn State.

Usually, Homecoming games are reserved for the likes of Bowling Green or Hofstra--not a superior Big Ten foe.

And I don't care what the SEC crowd tells you, Penn State is a great opponent. If they beat Ohio State, I, as an admitted Buckeye loyalist, will be hoping the Nittany Lions win out and go play Texas for the crystal football in Miami.

Let's hold up, though--everyone expects Penn State to roll Ohio State this weekend. Lee Corso will probably pick them to win this weekend. I also think Penn State will be tough, but not so fast my friend...

...Penn State hasn't won in the Horseshoe since joining the Big Ten, and they haven't won there since 1978. That all may change, but you have to feel confident that Ohio State has finally climbed out of bed after clobbering Sparty last week.

Ohio Stadium can be a tough place to play, and the home team in this rivalry has always held some sort of advantage. Still, Penn State has broken jinxes this year such as beating Michigan for the first time in a decade.

Last year, though, Ohio State beat a tough Penn State group in Happy Valley no less, but this time, Anthony Morelli isn't around to screw things up for Penn State. Penn State will be more than ready this time--especially since they have a countdown clock on their website.

If this game were in Happy Valley, Penn State wins it going away. We're in Columbus this time, and that will benefit the Buckeyes. Maybe not enough to win, but we'll see what happens. I'll be watching next Saturday, and I hope you will too.

Also, to my Phi Gam brothers, I will miss you this year, but will see you next year. I hope the tailgate goes well.

Video of the Week (New Site Feature)

I'm kicking off a new tradtion here on Across The Field--posting an Ohio State Video of the Week.

I hope you enjoy this new feature because it may bring back some great memories for you.

The inaugural video takes us back to the 2002 championship season when Chris Gamble came up with some magic against this week's opponent, Penn State. I attended this game, and I believe this was the loudest I have ever heard the Ohio Stadium crowd. Here is this week's featured video:

Scarlet and Gray Back In Top Ten (With Thoughts)

Texas is a unanimous No. 1 and Ohio State has moved back into the top ten in the AP poll.

So, I was one off on my guess about where Ohio State would be ranked. They're where I projected them--ninth--in the initial BCS standings with Texas and Alabama holding the top two spots.

As far as the most overrated team goes, I think you have to say it's Oklahoma. Oklahoma deserves to be about ninth right now, but whatever keeps an SEC team down is OK with me.

It's also a pleasant surprise to see the Minnesota Golden Gophers at No.25. The Big Ten is making a comeback this year, and it helps to have three ranked teams. That also means Ohio State has beaten three ranked (or once-ranked) teams so far.

The big loser on this deal is Michigan State. Sparty fell out of the rankings after the 45-7 loss to the Buckeyes.

BCS Standings Come Out This Afternoon; Bucks May Jump To Number 9

As you know, the first BCS standings come out later today, and I expect Texas will be at the top of the heap with Penn State, Alabama, and USC nipping at the 'Horns heels.

Ohio State, as I expect, will probably be ninth in the BCS rankings, coaches polls, and AP rankings. I don't see the Buckeyes moving up too much since the Big 12 is incredibly tough this year.

Ninth is about where Ohio State should be as they're OK but not great (yet). If the Buckeyes beat Penn State this coming Saturday (and beat them convincingly), then the nation's worst nightmare could become a reality as Ohio State will once again be legitimate BCS title contenders.

Right now, though, I think the schedule is a little rough for Ohio State fans to start getting too confident. We'll see how the rankings shake out today. I'll keep on top of things as we move into a great Big Ten showdown this week.

Buckeyes Steamroll Sparty 45-7

I'm currently watching the alleged marquee games with some friends, and what a whoopin' Texas is giving Mizzou.

The same thing happened for the Buckeyes today as they rolled past Michigan State after Javon Ringer predicted a blowout. Too bad for Ringer it wasn't the Spartans blowout he expected. Not like I expected a 45-7 win for Ohio State either.

I still think Ringer is a great back, and he may still wind up in New York as a Heisman finalist.

Well, it seems Ohio State has improved somewhat on offense. Pryor still takes sacks, and the penalty flags continue to litter the Buckeyes' side of the ball, though.

Overall, though, this looked like a classic Ohio State team. If a dominant win against a top-twenty team doesn't get the pollsters thinking, then maybe a dominant win against a strong Penn State team will.

Last week, I thought Ohio State would get manhandled by Penn State, but after today's performance, I'm thinking Brutus might have a little fight for the Nittany Lions come Oct. 25.

Until then, I'll be excited to watch how the season unfolds. I hope you will be, too.

Grading The Buckeyes At Midseason

A record of 6-1 (3-0, Big Ten) may seem like a good year on paper.

In real life, this has been anything but good.

Ohio State faces a huge pair of games in the next two weeks against tough Michigan State and Penn State teams--a Penn State team capable of competing for the BCS Championship. If Ohio State wins these games, it could be on track to give Jim Tressel an overdue Rose Bowl berth where (let's hope against) a rematch with USC could take place.

Anyhow, it's time to grade the Buckeyes.

Offense...Terrelle Pryor engineered a great, game-winning drive against Wisconsin and set a freshman record for touchdown passes against Troy, but the offense hasn't done much. Beanie Wells has rushed for over 100 yards in each of his appearances this year. The receivers haven't been given the ball much and are starting to get cranky. This is one of the worst offenses in the Big Ten and the nation. It may take some time to gel, but with an offense like this, Ohio State is lucky to be 6-1 right now. Grade: D-

Defense...They gave up 35 points to USC, which is exactly what they always do when frustration mounts. Other than that, the defense hasn't been too bad. Malcolm Jenkins has been the standout player for this unit that clearly misses Vernon Gholston (and A.J. Hawk, and Bobby Carpenter, and you get the point). Some missed tackles have made this squad look a little vulnerable at times, but it only allowed a field goal aganst Purdue last week. Still, a lot of work needs to be done, and I still contend that Jim Heacock (and offensive coordinator Jim Bollman) needs to be ousted. Grade: B-

Special Teams...Always a strong unit for Ohio State. A.J. Trapasso is a great punter, but Ryan Pretorious has been hit-or-miss this year. Without the special teams, though, some of this season's games could have been a lot worse for the Buckeyes. Grade: A-

Overall...Ohio State has plenty of work to do. This is clearly not the best Buckeye team, but the coaches will get it figured out (hopefully). Until then, all we can do is watch and lend our support. Grade: C-

12 Ohio State At 20 Michigan State Preview

If you thought Ohio State's offense was bad, you're not alone.

It seems almost everyone in Buckeye Nation is growing tired of the stagnant and predictable play that has the Buckeyes at the bottom of the Big Ten offensive barrel.

The defense, though, has been pulling its weight. That squad only allowed a field goal for Pudue last week, and also kept the Boilermakers from reaching the Ohio State 30 yard line until late in the game.

The defense also handled a running back from Michigan State in last year's contest. That defensive unit held Javon Ringer to just 49 yards rushing last year.

Again, that was last year. This is a totally different, if not horrendous, Ohio State football team. Both teams come into this contest being ranked--this hasn't happened in a Michigan State-Ohio State game since 2003 when they were ranked 15th and 16th respectively.

Michigan State has also seen its fair share of topsy-turvy play. In fact, Jay Leno and the Spartans struggled to a sloppy win against Iowa earlier this season that should've been a cakewalk against a bad Hawkeyes team.

Like Wisconsin, though, Michigan State will put up a fight. I attended this game last year, and the Spartans managed to force two Todd Boeckman fumbles and turn those into a pair of touchdowns that made for a tense second half.

Michigan State is always a team that comes into each game with a weird identity. They're kind of like a box of chocolates--you never know what you're going to get. It should be interesting. Hopefully, the Buckeyes can take care of business and avoid looking ahead to a Homecoming showdown.

Photos credited to the athletic departments of Michigan State University and The Ohio State University.

No Offensive Touchdowns Is Offensive To Us All

The score read 16-3 in favor of Ohio State Oct. 4.

That's the good part.

The sad part is that our new hero, Terrelle Pryor, and his new offense failed to muster an offensive touchdown.

Had it not been for the other Number Two, Malcolm Jenkins, this would've been a 9-3 tilt in favor of the Buckeyes.  Keep in mind, this was a 16-3 score against one of the Big Ten's worst defenses in the form of the Purdue Boilermakers.

Overall, it was just another typical Ohio State-Purdue game with little scoring and a plethora of field goals.  Field goals, however, won't win on the road against Michigan State this week.

Playboy's Girls of the Big Ten: Not The Best Ohio State Has To Offer

You may have heard that Playboy's "Girls of the Big Ten" issue recently hit news stands.

No, I don't own the issue as I have a conscience and intergrity. Still, I have seen (clothed) pictures of the girls they have selected to represent Ohio State in the issue and I'm convinced they could have done better.

I'm not alone in my stance apparently, and the reactions to this have been pretty diverse.

Having received a degree from Ohio State, I've spent some time on the campus. Thus, I can tell you that Playboy is a little off base this time.

I'm not going to lie--I have high standards. I tend to hold Ohio State women to an even higher standard because they are, for all intents and purposes, the best in the land (otherwise, they'd have gone to some silly school in Ann Arbor where class is a rarity both on and off campus). These girls in Playboy don't accurately represent "Betty Buckeye".

In fact, they tarnish Ohio State's image moreso than anything else.

The main point here is that Playboy doesn't accurately represent most women, and women out there shouldn't feel too bad if they don't grace the magazine's pages. After all, if they're settling for mediocrity nowadays then you're clearly out of their league.

Mediocrity is about as interesting as a USG Senate meeting anyhow. I suppose if you want to waste your money on this issue, then by all means do it. I'll (sadly) be agreeing with the SEC girl on the cover of the issue.

Credit for Article Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/fornal/450161339/

Vote Jim Tressel For President; Triple H For Vice President: The Tressel-Helmsley Ticket in 2008.

I had the pleasure of voting early this week, but I wish I had more options in the category of presidential candidates.

My dream ticket for this coming election is Tressel/Triple H, and, to quote Lee Corso, "I'm gonna tell ya why."

Think about it--most of the country is against the war. Well, Tressel has historically never had an incredibly strong offense, so he probably would keep things "close to the vest" and punt the ball away for a swift troop withdrawl.

Left-wing voters may not like Tressel since he is too conservative. Still, given his past history, The Senator could put up a strong defense against mudslinging.

Triple H certainly has the Pedigree to be vice president considering he's married into the wealthiest family in sports-entertainment.

Then again, right-wing voters might not vote for Triple H since he carries his sledgehammer in his left hand. However, he's torn both quadriceps muscles so that makes him pretty moderate. Triple H has "Cena" lot of adversity and overcome it.

Tressel is a great environmentalist after having given up ground to Gators and Tigers the last two years.

As far as the economy issue goes, well, Tressel's authentic Nike sweater vests sell for around $60 at most stores. The proceeds made from about 20 million of these could go to bail out middle class families.

Triple H could help stop the Degeneration of Wall Street with the "X"pert leadership he demonstrated when he ran the entire WWE during the absence of Vince McMahon.

Overall, this would be a dream ticket, and I should've written it in on my ballot; but, alas...

Don't be "Biden" your time--get to the polls this November. If you don't, I'll get "McCain" (get it? My cane?) and drag you there myself.

Purdue's up this week. Let's hope the Buckeyes can go 3-0 to open their Big Ten chase.

Bonus Analysis: Tony Stewart "Wins" At Talladega.

Regan Smith crossed the finish line first, but Tony Stewart won the Amp Energy 500 at Talladega after NASCAR called Smith's pass under the yellow line illegal.

As a guy who only follows NASCAR for the sake of following sports, I have come to root for Stewart (who, for all intents and purposes, has had a lousy year) since my hero, Dale Earnhardt passed away in 2001.

In 20 starts, Stewart had never won at Talladega, and I'm pretty sure he lost this one as well. Yeah, Smith's pass may have been below the line, but it looked like Stewart forced him down there as you can see from the video I linked in this post.

I always thought that if you cross the finish line first in a race that you've won. Still, this isn't the first time this has happened as Ricky Rudd had a win stolen at Sears Point in 1991.

Regardless, controversy gets people talking. So, this really isn't a bad deal for NASCAR. I'm just not quite sure you can call Tony Stewart's 33rd career win (and likely only win of 2008) a true victory.

Ohio State Finally Makes Good In Prime Time (Ohio State vs. Wisconsin Analysis)

Let's face it--Ohio State has generally been wretched in nationally-televised marquee games.

This time, capped by a sensational final drive led by phenom Terrell Pryor Oct. 4 against Wisconsin, the Buckeyes managed a respectable win.

It's always tough to play at Camp Randall Stadium. The crowd has a history of being rowdy, but they seemed pretty mellow against Ohio State.

Camp Randall and the rest of Madison are probably deflated now as their 0-2 start in the Big Ten race has pretty much scratched any chance of them winning the conference crown--much less, the national title.

My broadcast partner (Patrick Hahe) and I predicted this one would be close last Tuesday for our weekly Ohio Sports Report show on 88.3 FM Marietta. I predicted the score to be 21-17 and I was only off by a point.

I had a feeling Ohio State would win--especially with a strong opening drive. Still, the Badgers answered punch-for-punch and made for a moment that Beanie Wells thought Pryor became a man.

This win also puts Jim Tressel at .500 against Wisky--the only Big Ten team prior to this game to which Tressel suffered a losing record.

As for the game itself; well, I'm not doing a quarter-by-quarter analysis because it was entirely too intense. I also had my eyes closed for most of the second half as I really didn't handle the closeness of the game as well as I should have.

Regardless, the final drive says a lot about Pryor. He made several mistakes during the game, but he's a leader with strong character. For a true freshman quarterback facing a 17-13 deficit with five minutes to play in a game against a rival in a hostile environment, Pryor did just fine.

Let's not forget to credit Malcom Jenkins for sealing this one with a beautifully read interception. This game was everything it could have been and more.

Now, the Buckeyes will face tough tests at home against Purdue and Penn State and on the road against Michigan State and Illinois. There's also a guy named Rodriguez coming to Columbus in November.

The race for the roses isn't over until the fat lady sings.

Images credited to the University of Wisconsin and Ohio State University athletic departments.