How The Buckeyes Will Win The Big Ten

 

2008-09 Big Ten Standings

TEAM                               CONF             GB                OVR

Michigan State #9               10-2                 -                  20-4

Illinois #20                           7-4                 2                  19-5

Purdue #23                         6-4                  3                  17-6

Minnesota                           7-5                 3                  19-5

Penn State                          6-5                3                   17-7

Wisconsin                           5-6                4                   14-9

Michigan                             5-7                5                  15-10

Northwestern                       4-6                5                  13-8

Iowa                                   3-8                 6                  13-11

Indiana                               1-10               8                   6-17

 

So, since the Buckeyes lost twice to the Michigan State Spartans, they would lose any tiebreaker with the Spartans, so in essence they are currently three and a half (3 1/2) games back. Insurmountable? I don’t think so.

 

 

For the Buckeyes part, their schedule is fairly easy with only two (2) real challenges left on it, at home against Illinois and at Purdue. If they can’t take out the rest of the teams on the schedule, and take out one (1) of those two (2) difficult match-ups then they will finish 13-5 in the Big Ten. If that difficult win comes against the Illini that would in essence take Illinois out of challenging the Buckeyes.

 

 

Michigan State needs to fade quickly. This could happen. They still have a game against Illinois and two (2) games against Purdue. Also, they have one (1) more road game on top of those games, traveling to Indiana. The Buckeyes will need the Spartans to go 2-4 to take the title out right. The Spartans, who have dealt with some injuries, rely completely on two players (Darrell Summers and Kalin Lucas) for their offense. If one of those players has a bad game, it is very difficult for the Spartans to score more than 55 points.

 

 

Illinois needs to lose only twice. If we’re counting on the Illini to beat the Spartans, and we’re counting on the Buckeyes to beat the Illini, we’re only relying on Illinois to lost to Minnesota, or drop one (1) of their two (2) remaining games against the resurgent Penn State Nitany Lions. The can go win five (5) games, and the Buckeyes can still pass them if they win in Columbus February 22^nd.

 

Three steps, the second being the most improbable, but see how easy that was.

 

It is at this point in the season, that I am getting re-excited about this Buckeyes season. The addition of David Lighty in the last week or two of the season could raise them to a #3 seed in the tournament, a #2 if they can run the table.