Terrelle Pryor Wins Roses For Ohio State, Big Ten To Illustrate Bright Future

From my perspective it was a Big Ten coming out party, at the most prestigious venue in college football -- below the Hollywood sign and near the beautiful mountains. In what was the biggest game for Ohio State, where coach Jim Tressel wore his red vest and where fans in Columbus waited anxiously for a big victory, the large population screamed at the top of their lungs.

They finally can scream O-H-I-O! Given a few meltdowns, in a big conference with its own network, the Buckeyes used to stumble and collapse on the biggest stage in college football. Jim Tressel, the man in the vest, found redemption and recovered from a disgraced era.

For a long time, Ohio State stood as a misrepresented symbol, tarnishing a prosaic Big Ten Conference. There are people still categorizing the Buckeyes as a worthless program. That was fair when the Buckeyes had flaws and couldn't ever hoist BCS titles.

Rarely were the Buckeyes invited to play in an enormous bowl game, where biased folks ridiculed them, insulted them and neglected them. After problematic losses were suffered on the national stage, like in those dreadful meetings against the powerhouses of the Southeastern Conference, folks have been skeptical of Ohio State.

But now, a losing streak no longer exists, a Big Ten losing streak is snapped and Terrell Pryor is a savior by delivering the greatest win to begin a new decade. After being demolished in consecutive BCS games, after being doubted for winning much-needed BCS games, Ohio State experienced triumph and has finally established itself in a weakened conference.

In an ecstatic environment, before thousands of Buckeyes faithful, Pryor silenced disbelievers with a 26-17 breakout victory of seventh-ranked Oregon in the Rose Bowl game. For an entire week, Ohio State prepared for this moment and dreamed of roses.

Never mind shriveled roses. Pryor blossomed into a superlative hero, and greatness was sustained through his overwhelmingly tremendous dominance. The Buckeyes have a shot at legitimizing relevance within a prestigious program, where an entertaining marching band performs and where football games are hosted in an illustrious structure known as the "Horseshoe."

For much of the week, Tressel seemed humiliated by prior letdowns and burdens that had brought down the Buckeyes.

There was a loss of sprit, a loss of regard with the disintegration of a program. But now Tressel, who has three years remaining on his contract, is breathing a sigh of relief. And because he’s an old-school coach, Tressel's offensive schemes were routes opponents never saw coming.

Everyone should be impressed by his ability to change the style and exploit different schemes. He grasps a wise sense that Pryor should be involved in an average offense, and has nurtured and cultivated his superstar.

And, indeed, Pryor was mentally and physically prepared to withstand the grandest moment of his career. Pryor, the energetic sophomore, has stamina and the rushing ability that can help catapult the Buckeyes to championship victories. Instead he tried new options, with his aerial spectacle, and proved to the world he’s a stellar passer just as well as he runs and races to the end zone.

Even though Ohio State has been able to win five straight league titles, it has faltered to win meaningful games and harmed its reputation. Suddenly, in the second decade of the 21st century, Pryor has restored belief, not only for the long-waited masses in Columbus, but the Big Ten Conference as well.

It was sort of like witnessing an endless nightmare, in an unfavorable conference unworthy of regards. Before Ohio State celebrated together on New Years Day, this was a catastrophic conference.


The Big Ten went 4-11 in BCS games in the last nine games, thanks to Pryor, who had career highs in 266 passing yards and 23 completions. And he absolutely carried a reliable rush attack and ran for 72 yards. On greater imports, he led an energetic offense and was responsible for such a brilliant afternoon by converting 11 of 21 third downs.

To start, he played like the running icon everyone idolizes, and now he's compared to Michael Vick. To start, he was unstoppable moving the ball on his successive ground game, something the nation pictured when the Buckeyes recruited Pryor to become the nation’s No. 1 quarterback two years ago.

This was a program predicted to win a BCS title in 2002, but it’s never too late for a school to win. If this was a statement, the Buckeyes are bound to return and capture national title respectability. There’s a good chance Ohio State may not be the erratic school we viewed it to be before Pryor emerged into stardom, and paralyzed Oregon’s improbable chase.

Chip Kelly's high-powered offense wasn’t nearly as effective as it was during Oregon's storybook season. Although Ducks’ tailback, LeGarrette Blount, stormed to the goal line and broke the plane for redemption after he was forced to serve a suspension for punching a Boise State player in the face during an ugly melee in Oregon’s season-opener, a wonderful tale wasn’t completed.

The Ducks committed two turnovers inside the Ohio State 35. Their creativity wasn’t relentless or befuddling to throw off a well-aware Buckeyes’ defense. Missing in action was talented quarterback Jeremiah Masoli, who completed 9 of 20 passes for a season-low 81 yards.

But Pryor clearly was the marquee player and stud, lifting the Buckeyes out of devastation and granted the team with the ultimate prize.

Watching many painful seasons of Big Ten flaws, Pryor has been named the biggest hero in the Big Ten.

He’s a remedy in a conference that badly needed joy.

Is Oregon a Mirage or Tanigble? Ducks Might Be Tough, But Not BCS Tough

No, way. This was classified as the deepest threat in college football, seemingly invincible of relinquishing from the BCS picture. The Oregon Ducks were considered the most dangerous team in the nation aiming closer to a berth for a major bowl game, until the Quack Attack failed in persisting wondrous preeminence.

Although, the masses never pictured the Ducks owning the erratic polls, absorbing regards fairly was applaud, coming off a fascinating week when they smeared USC’s national title and Rose Bowl hopes in an entertaining romp. Only deed remaining was to transcend beyond, persuading the nation to merit roses or a national title in the state of Oregon.

What mattered was the Ducks, a compelling program earning top-notch regard when they shockingly pummeled the Trojans, who seems to be curse in the state of Oregon, with hidden ghost staging nightmarish misfortunes for the Trojan Man.

This miracle wasn’t supposed to happen inside a conference where a premier school, arguably in the country was impeccable, led by a true freshman Matt Berkley, a calm, cool and collective quarterback. Following the horrific on-field brawl, involving prolific running back LeGarrette Blount in Oregon’s season-opener, they weren’t supposed to overpower and raise eyebrows with an astonishing joyride.

Instead, however, the unthinkable joyride rattled analyst and football whizzes. Unexpectedly, that is, the Ducks emerged as bowl contenders, and generated an unbreakable bond and gelled as a cohesive core. Each week, doubting Oregon’s triumphant commodities was a misunderstanding when coach Chip Kelly provided inspirational leadership.

Each week, the Ducks performance enhanced at a high level in consistency, considering injuries had hampered a shorthanded defense. Thus, it has been an improbable year for Oregon, who were least expected to prevail and eclipse programs of high-regard. But emphasizing and defining a sleeper were the Ducks, before encountering a disastrous meltdown at Stanford.

Bad timing to collapse, when the chaotic BCS system leaves us guessing on which team deserves national rights. It’s bad timing surrendering to an unranked school when all victories matter in a laborious task to qualify for a BCS bowl game.

So, were the Ducks a mirage? Were the Ducks tangible? And can the Ducks continue quacking and still qualify for a bowl game?

That’s hard to tell in a period where disgruntled populace, including President Obama has appealed for a playoff system. As difficult as it remains to tell which school is worthy, seventh-ranked Oregon may have blown national title faith on Saturday at Stanford Stadium.

Wonder what happened to the fierce BCS killers, the potent offense that seemed unstoppable, practically upsetting and maneuvered into contention? Against Stanford the Ducks clearly disappeared and was too relax. They were still in a hangover, overconfident following last week’s immeasurable victory, which is worth bragging rights.

But clearly, overconfidence and inattentiveness presumably cost a grand appearance on the biggest stage including rose’s, maybe? For weeks now, Oregon repeatedly answered continuous questions about letdowns, a dilemma they have handled well to manage and remain atop the Pac-10 conference.

What we’ve witnessed in the Oregon-Stanford game was a letdown and a stunning upset. This wasn’t supposed to happen, but theoretically it was supposed to happen. The Ducks were supposed to be the underdogs, but should have won in a year they were considered unthinkable sleepers and were in position to upset in the unpredictable polls. And now this, an uninspiring, 51-42 loss against Stanford coming off their most awe-inspiring victory imploding a feasible moment deriving in Eugene, Oregon.

The Ducks haven’t lost since the embarrassing and shameful finish against Boise State. This obviously was the hottest program in the country, overlooked because of the Pac-10 conference, which doesn’t earn much recognition. Mostly the conference is considered an inferior one and one-sided, with the thought-to-be dominant USC.

But every season is different, depending upon a team’s sudden arrival and Oregon had arrived emerging quickly with jaw-dropping defeats and inspiring toughness. An eye-opening run of seven consecutive victories, or a margin of victories resulting in 22.7 points a game weren’t a fluke.

The high-powered offense is a functional nucleus through versatile quarterback Jeremiah Masoil, who held his head down in distraught at the postgame conference, and true freshman tailback LeMichael James had the ability to rush for 125 yards and scored on a 60-yard touchdown against the Cardinal.

Needing a dramatic comeback severely hurt the Ducks in the fourth quarter, as Stanford controlled momentum mainly in the final quarter of regulation by holding 15-minute margin in time of possession. It didn’t leave plenty of time for the Ducks to effectuate their high-powered weapons. Otherwise, we could have classified them as the comeback kids, a comparison to Iowa’s trait rallying to a late come-from-behind victory.

As it turned out, the Cardinal salvaged bowl eligibility in desperation upset. Their scoreboard read 51-points, in a contest were Oregon hadn’t surrendered that many points all season. Mentality and physically prepared for a big contest were the Cardinal, which is why coach Jim Harbaugh has an excellent track record against ranked opponents. Known for his upsetting defeats, the Ducks were victims of a formidable upset, an empathic downfall in what USC suffered in 2007 against a 4-8 Stanford.

As Oregon failed to slow down the Cardinal, they were fortunate in an effective running game. Gifted tailback Toby Gerhart rushed for 223 yards on 38 carries with three touchdowns, destroying the Ducks defense and sprinted like a “warrior”, a way Harbaugh likes describing his irresistible and finesse superstar.

We might have spoken too soon about the Ducks, especially after slaughtering the mighty Trojan Man. Just in an instant, the Ducks earned recognition for knocking off the most potent program in the Pac-10 in recent years.

Keeping a close eye on the Quack Attack was normal, and anointing all their deeds were understandable clearly overcoming turbulence at the beginning of the season. There wasn’t a better coach in the country who handled on-field troubles better than Kelly, who assembled this program and inspired his team to come together as a cohesive team.

So, the Ducks were good and still are good.

They might be good, but just how great?