OSU announces football award winners from Navy game
Justin Boren snags Jim Parker OL Of The Week award, while Brian Rolle won the dweebily-named "Attack Force" award.

Tale of the tape: Navy (Blogging the Buckeyes)
Someone evaluated the Navy game tape and came away with the conclusion that the line a) made more good plays than bad ones (!) and b) the pass pro was better than the run blocking (!!) Keep in mind that whoever wrote this (either May or Gordon) isn't actually a scout, but rather a beat reporter. A couple other notes: Boren the Younger played like a frosh, Dexter Larimore looked solid (something I definitely agree with), and Tressel was unusually balanced in his first-down playcalling; 15 runs to 12 passes.

Inside the Beat: Questions loom as USC showdown nears
Ken Gordon and Tim May break down the Navy game, look ahead to USC. Gordon questions the team's leadership in letting the 2nd-half lead slip away, while May points out that Navy's unique slanting/shifting style of defense gave the offensive line many different looks, and may not be the best "barometer of progress" for the young unit. USC, on the other hand, will try to kick this line's ass in a much more straightforward manner.

Football > NCAA > Game Odds & lines at BetUS Sportsbook
USC-Ohio State line has swelled to a touchdown.

Ohio State Buckeyes football team might run option more with Terrelle Pryor - Cleveland.com
Hey, it did work on Saturday, and the line blocked well when it was called. Not sure I want to put Pryor at risk with Taylor Mays lurking in the defensive backfield.

Live from Ohio State: Tressel said passing up field goal try was a mistake: Video - cleveland.com
You know, I admit, I liked the call when it happened, as did approximately 70,000 of my fellow idiot fans. You take the points. You don't listen to your sophomore quarterback. Hindsight is 20/20 and all that. That kick would have iced the game.

Ohio State football: USC depth chart and Navy awards - cleveland.com
Anderson Russell and Austin Spitler both listed as starters. Dane Sanzenbacher listed as the #1 punt returner after a solid day against Navy.

The Buckeye Battle Cry | Looking back – Ohio State/Navy
Jeff isn't buying into all the negativity.

Stopping run USC's Pryor-ity - The Daily Breeze
Carroll again:

"He's getting more comfortable and sure of himself," Carroll said of Pryor. "He's an accurate thrower. He's really fast but doesn't look it because of his long stride, like Vince Young. He's hard to tackle." Carroll said even during Saturday's 56-3 rout of San Jose State, the Trojans' tackling left something to be desired. That's even more worrisome with Pryor the opposing quarterback. "We missed some tackles. More than I'd like," Carroll said. "The quarterback is almost untackleable, if that's a word. We have to work on tackling."

USC's Matt Barkley to face a tough crowd next at Ohio State -- latimes.com
Carroll again:

"It was a great crowd then and it's even better now," Carroll said Sunday. "Their fans are loud and awesome. If they get it going, it's really hard."

 Here's an encouraging thought from the above article: USC has yet to face a premier non-Notre Dame OOC opponent on the road immediately following a game under Pete Carroll. Auburn, Virginia Tech (on a "neutral" field in Landover, Md.) and Arkansas were all season openers, while the trip to Nebraska came after a bye week. This will probably end up being the loudest stadium Matt Barkley will ever have the privilege of playing in. I think it'll be louder than the Texas game if the Buckeyes stick around for an extended period of time.

The 1974 Rose Bowl: An Exercise in Redemption | Our Honor Defend
Another look at a previous Ohio State-USC game, this one a Buckeye victory. The last victory Ohio State has had in the series, too.

Flashback: Ohio State vs. USC, 1990 | Eleven Warriors
I was still in diapers when this game happened. Cooper called for a suspension of the game down 9 in the second half on account of a thunderstorm, but only if the Buckeyes failed to recover a late onside kick. They did not, and the game ended. People did not like this. I'm surprised people were this patient with Coop, but their patience ended up paying off.