Buckeyes Choke in Near-Upset of Nebraska

It seemed like the game was in the bag for the Buckeyes. They were leading by 21 with just 23 minutes left in the game. It almost seemed impossible for Ohio State to blow such a commanding lead, but with the way things have been going this season, you knew they'd find a way. And they did, losing what might be the most disappointing Buckeyes game I've watched for years.

Ohio State entered this game as a heavy underdog for the first time in a very, very long time. Going on the road to #14 ranked Nebraska is a challenge for any team, but for a Buckeyes team that's been struggling like they have, especially on the offensive side of the ball, it didn't seem like they stood any chance at all. Braxton Miller and the Buckeyes' offense apparently didn't hear any of this criticism because they went out there looking like a championship caliber offense. Braxton Miller was nearly unstoppable, throwing for 95 yards and rushing for 91 more. He was helped tremendously Carlos Hyde, who is emerging as Ohio State's top running back. He ran for 104 yards and two TD's, including a 63 yard touchdown run in the second quarter. It was all going great, with the Buckeyes leading 27-6 after their first possession of the second half. But everything changed after that.

It started with a Braxton Miller fumble. As he was falling to the ground, he had the ball stripped out of his hands by a Nebraska defender. This turned into the first touchdown for the Cornhuskers, but the better result for Nebraska was that it gave them some hope. Hope was the last thing the erratic Buckeyes offense needed the Huskers' defense to get. On the ensuing Ohio State possession, Braxton Miller went down with an ankle injury. Ohio State's hopes of pulling off this season-changing upset went down with him. His injury forced in the incredibly ineffective Joe Bauserman, and nothing sucks the life out of the Buckeyes' offense like Joe Bauserman. After Bauserman entered the game, the offense gained just three more first downs. They were led by Bauserman's 1 for 10 performance in which he racked up a total of 13 yards for a passer rating of 0.9. No, that's not a typo, his passer rating was actually 0.9. Meanwhile, the defense was getting tired and letting up big plays, which just added fuel to Nebraska's fire. After they tied the game up at 27 apiece, you could just feel that the Buckeyes would blow it. Of course, that feeling was right and they gave up the go-ahead touchdown drive on Nebraska's ensuing possession.

If Ohio State even wants to become bowl eligible, they're going to need to get a few signature wins in the upcoming games. This is the perfect week for that win against #16 Illinois. This game gives the Buckeyes a chance to do what Illinois did to us in 2007: go into their house and ruin their undefeated season. If the Buckeyes can get revenge against Illinois this week, it could end up being a game where we will look back and see where they turned their season around.