Cathedral of Knowledge-The Game

Cathedral of Knowledge Week 13

It’s that time of the year where all the best rivalries are renewed.  As rivalries go, none are bigger than The Game.  The Ohio State University versus the University of Michigan(Meeeechigan if you’re Chris Fowler) as a steeped in tradition, history, and lore as any.  It will have been 2926 days since Michigan last beat the Buckeyes when the ball is teed up on Saturday.  To be perfectly clear that is 8 years and 6 days.  The greatest rivalry resumes at Noon on Saturday. 

The Game isn’t the only game as it’s title may proclaim.  The Domers head to Stanford to take on a Heisman candidate.  The Iron bowl resumes in Auburn, Alambama.  Clemson travels to the capital to take on the ‘Cocks.  The Pigs and Tigers get it on in Death Valley and the defacto B1G Leaders championship game is Madison this weekend.

The Cathedral Week 13!!!!

HERE WE COME!!!!!

Shout out

To DJ Dobes who will be hosting his annual UM-OSU party at his crib.  I won’t hold you being a Michigan Fan against you…Go Bucks!!!!

Going to Church

I will quickly address the Urban Meyer discussion this week with a Welcome Back to Buckeye Nation.  I know you left to hone your coaching skills and now your dream job is about to land in your lap.  If any rumors of the past week are correct, Urban understands what it means to be a Buckeye.  Fickell will remain on and Urban doesn’t want any attention on him until after The Game.  Let just hope he stays 10 years and has at least as much success as T-ress.

Cathedral Soap Box

Did anyone notice that the top 3 in the BCS standings are in the SEC West.  Yes, the same freaking division.  LSU plays Arkansas Saturday and if Arkansas wins it is still likely that the Top 3 in the BCS will remain in the SEC West.  I have no problem with this.  I may have been brainwashed into ESPiN’s constant SEC falacio, but the reality is the SEC has won the past 45 national championships and looks like 46 is right around the corner.  At this point I would take another USC championship…as long as they wouldn’t have to give it back. 

All joking aside, the rest of the nation needs to step it up and start winning bowl games and winning non-conference games against the SEC.  That is the only way to break this notion of SEC dominance.  And, because of bowl tie-ins the B1G conference needs to step up this year.  They won’t play in the NC but they cannot have last years performance. 

Time And Change Will Surely Show

As I said before, it will have been 2926 day and 8 years since the Wolverinies beat our beloved Buckeyes on the Gridiron.  During this time frame and leading up The Game in 2004, the COK began its ramblings and ranting.  It started very small with only an email distributed version and evolved to this current web-site/blog version.  Now, I have taken a lot of shit for having a college football blog but I persevered.  To date the web-site version has 3417 views.  I thank you all for this and the imput you have given me over the years. 

I hope you have enjoyed the COK and this will be the last one written.  I’d like to look back at some of the interesting things that have happened over this time frame, also the since the last time Meatchicken beat TOSU.

1. Lindsay Lohan went from cute role model for young girls to psycho host beast in and out of jail and drug-induced fogs.
2. The Hussein family was still alive .
3. 992 billion M&M’s have been produced
4. The Euro was still worth less than the Dollar
5. _ichigan has had 3 football head coaches
6. A Michigan fan has never celebrated a win over OSU on Facebook..because facebook wasn’t invented yet.

Please add your own…

The COK will live on in your hearts and in mine.  You have to know when it’s time to shut it down.  With the new coming era of Buckeye football, I will still be a freak that reads on message boards and is an insane about the next 5 star offensive lineman, that will be the next Orlando Pace, coming to OSU. 

I will still tell you when I have a good feeling or a bad feeling about the Buckeyes.  I will still go to games and lose my voice screaming to the White Stripes intro.  I will still give you my version of Keith Jackson’s “On the banks of the Olentangy.”  I will still tell you that Tressel was my generations version of Woody.  I will still get chills every time I see Script Ohio.  I will still stay at every game to sing Carmen Ohio.  I will tell you exactly what it felt like to jump in Mirror Lake the THURSDAY before The Game(4 times).  If you ask me what makes OSU great, I promise you I will not know when to shut up.

So…the end of the COK has nothing to do with poor play of the Buckeyes this season but with the ability to enjoy great times to come.  I’m ready for the Urban Meyer era to begin and the quick reaffirmation to the nation that the Buckeyes didn’t go anywhere. Perhaps, that reassurance is this weekend.      

The COKy Moment of the Week (2 years ago this week)

I’m not sayin’, I’m just sayin’…

Games of the Week

#1    VS     #3

BATON ROUGE, LA
Nov. 25, 2:30 PM ET
CBS

I can’t believe the lack of build up for this game.  Honestly, this should be #1 vs. #2 type build up.  The winner of this game is probably going to play for the National Championship.  It should be 2006 OSU/Mich.  Since nobody wants to give Arkansas any respect we are left with the most under-anticipated game of the week and maybe year.

Since their loss to Bama earlier in the year, all Arkansas has done is win and win big.  The hogs offense is playing at a very high level and should test LSU with all their weapons. They should be able to put up a few points on the Tiger defense.

LSU is just solid.  They don’t make mistakes and they make big plays when they need it.  The Alabama game is a prime example of how you win just being solid.  They were not better than Bama but they didn’t make mistakes and they can kick FG’s.  

This is always a close game but LSU is at home and they will get it done.

LSU 24-20

#2     Vs.     #24

AUBURN, AL
Nov. 26, 3:30 PM ET
CBS

The Iron bowl has always slanted toward the Crimson Tide.  But last year, Auburn bought a win with the arms and legs of Cam Newton.  It was an amazing comeback and an incredible last drive for Auburn to send them to their National Championship.  Still, Bama own Auburn and the Tigers a year away and another QB away from being able to compete with the Tide. 

Bama 31-7

#16      Vs.    #19

MADISON, WI
Nov. 26, 3:30 PM ET

I have a weird feeling about this game.  Straight up  I know Wisconsin is a better team and is probably the best team in the B1G. When they get the ball running, they are nearly impossible to stop.  Penn State just keeps winning. They went to the shoe and force turnovers that cost the Buckeyes the game and handed it to the Lions. Going into Madison will be difficult for PSU to get the W. 

Badgers 34-17

#12     Vs.     #17

COLUMBIA, SC
Nov. 26, 7:45 PM ET

1st rule of the COK is…never bet on Clemson. 

Game Cocks 35-31

     Vs.     #15

ANN ARBOR, MI
Nov. 26, 12:00 PM ET

The Buckeyes come into Ann Arbor limping after 2 straight losses.  There may be new hope on the horizon for the Buckeyes but they have a game to play on Saturday.  Michigan is probably the hottest team in the B1G with a huge win over Nebraska and good win at Illinois. 

Denard Robinson still remains the biggest threat in the Big Ten to score on any play.  He has not been great against the Buckeyes passing the ball in two games.  He was able to sneak out 107 yards rushing last year against the Buckeyes prior to his exit from the game. 

Boom Herron could be in his last game as a Buckeye and has definitely been a thorn in Michigan’s side with 350 yards rushing and 3 TD’s against his arch rival.  He and Braxton Miller will need to be able to make some plays to Michigan off the field on Saturday. 

Michigan’s defense is vastly improved over last year and should be ready to play on Saturday.  The key to this game will be the intangibles.  Do the Buckeyes rally around Luke in his last game (Earle Bruce-like) or do the pack it in and get ready for Meyer? Does Brady Hoke’s insistence on not wearing red put a better emphasis on this game than his predecessor?  I have the feeling of the former and like I would pick Michigan in the last COK.  COME-ON!!!!!

FYGB!!!!  28-27

World O Woodsheds

It’s late in the season where it becomes almost impossible to find a legitimate woodshed.  My thanks go out to these two teams for making it a simple decision…

#9      Vs.     (last week was a fluke)

 

Game/s I don’t want to talk about

#12     Vs.    #17

      VS.     

Pillow Fight of the Week

     VS.    

Players of the Week Nominations

1. Braxton Miller-Ohio State University
2. Tyler Wilson-Arkansas
3. Andrew Luck-Stanford
4. RGIII-Baylor
5. LaMichael James-Oregon

Upset Alert

    Vs.    #8

        Vs.     #5

#Over/Under

Number of Urban Meyer References—30

Better Question–Will there be more points scored in The Game or more Urban Meyer References?

Cathedral Hot 7
1. LSU
2. Alabama (slamma)
3. Arkansas
4. Oklahoma St.
5. Oregon
6. Wisconsin
7. Va Tech

Why a hot 7? ‘Cause I can!!

GO BUCKS!!!!