Julie Jacobson - AP

4 months ago: Ohio State's Evan Turner, right, goes up for a shot against California's Nikola Knezevic during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Friday, Nov. 20, 2009, at Madison Square Garden in New York. Ohio State won 76-70. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)

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Ohio State plays Lipscomb tonight, having started 3-1 and generally performed up to expectations so far this season. Some of my initial thoughts:

• Evan Turner is so close to being as good as we need him to be. That said, the UNC game was brutal. Ohio State simply will not win games against the better opponents on its schedule when the focal point of the attack is turning the ball over every other possession.  Also, I have questions about whether Turner really can be a one for this team. In the first two games, he wasn't shy about sharing the ball with his teammates. Against UNC, all of his bad, selfish habits reared their ugly heads again, and it showed. It wasn't until Turner started playing smart basketball that Ohio State closed the gap against the Tar Heels. Ohio State was able to put away Cal early despite only getting two more assists  from Turner (6) than he had in the UNC game, but that just isn't a sustainable style of basketball.
• I'm not sure what to make of William Buford yet. This team needs him to be a crackerjack scorer come Big Ten play, and averaging 10 points against UNC and Cal just isn't going to cut it. Dude has to be the Pippen to Turner's Jordan, and to do that, he has to rediscover his stroke against better teams. If he doesn't do it...
• .... then Jon Diebler will have to, and the day Ohio State is forced to rely on Jon Diebler's perimeter game is the day it loses a basketball game. Perhaps he'll develop into the picture of consistency once he settles into the season, but right now, he's nowhere near steady enough to provide anything more than a couple of nice flashes from the outside.
• It stinks that Ohio State doesn't have the outside game we hoped it would, because the inside game is non-existent. Dallas Lauderdale wasn't the horror show I thought he'd be against UNC, but he's going to get chewed up by the Big Ten's better big men. I see no reason to think it'll be any different when Zisis Sarikopolous and Kyle Madsen hit the court. This worries me, because it makes OSU even more one-dimensional than it already is. If this isn't as much of an issue as it appears to be, Ohio State still still steal one or two games from the better teams in the conference, but... a conference championship is highly, highly unlikely, going off of these first four games.

This is a live thread, technically, but it's for a game where Ohio State could roll out the mouthguards and win. I'm more interested in this: after four games, what are you thoughts on this Buckeye squad? Are they roughly as good as you expected? Are there areas you'd hoped would better? What about the opposite: areas that are better than you had expected coming into the season?

Roses clenched proudly in their hands and teeth, the Ohio State Buckeyes tread into ever-dangerous territory today. This is Ann Arbor, Michigan, where past Buckeye teams have either solidified their greatness, or found themselves relegated to the middle of the historical road (or worse). It's simply never as easy as it seems. Today, they will take the field in new threads but will look to produce the same old results; a dominant defensive effort, an efficient offensive one, and a whole lot of sad Wolverines in the stands.

Leave your pre-game, mid-game, and post-game thoughts below.

With a win today, Ohio State will be making the first trip to Pasadena since the year Independence Day (a classic, classic movie, and I will listen to no one who says otherwise) was released.  Unless Ohio State's offense is really as good as it looked against Penn State, I anticipate nothing less than a dogfight to the very end.  Let's just hope that Pryor makes it a third straight turnover-free game and the Buckeyes get out with a W, and no injures. It's almost Michigan Week, but there is an important task immediately at hand: beating the best team we've seen since week two.

Jay LaPrete - AP

4 months ago: Ohio State's Evan Turner scores two points against Alcorn State during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Monday, Nov. 9, 2009, in Columbus, Ohio. Turner had 14 points, 17 rebounds and 10 assists during Ohio State's 100-60 win over Alcorn State. Turner's triple double was only the second in Ohio State history. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)

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Game doesn't start for seven hours, but I'm going to be in class again, so I figured I'd fire this up way early. Post any pre-game, mid-game and post-game thoughts and observations you might have right here. Hope we see some defensive progress in this game.

Jay LaPrete - AP

4 months ago: Ohio State's P.J. Hill, left, brings the ball up past Walsh's Eric Schiele during the second half of an exhibition NCAA college basketball game Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2009, in Columbus, Ohio. Ohio State beat Walsh 86-48. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)

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Hey, remember basketball season? Stop basking in the afterglow of Happy Valley for a little bit. We've got a roundball tune-up to watch. Let's hope we've learned how to DEFEND THE G-D PERIMETER. I have class shortly, so I won't be able to watch this game until I get home. Go Bucks!

Are the Nittany Lions paper tigers? Are the Buckeyes a bag of mixed nuts? While the loser of today's game will not necessarily be consigned to either fate, it's undeniable that today will tell us roughly as much about both of these teams as the prior nine games for each combined. For Penn State, this is their final shot at national credibility; a loss would, in all likelihood, be a death-blow to their BCS hopes. There are no "season-redeeming wins" for Penn State after Ohio State; for them, this is it. For Ohio State, a loss will officially end the Big Ten title streak, but let's attempt to keep some perspective here. They'll still be right on pace for about where most "rebuilding" Big Ten powers end up: in a January bowl. Not to mention that the Buckeyes will still have the chance to play spoiler when they take on what should be an undefeated Iowa team in Columbus next Saturday.

But let's not make any bones about it: the Buckeyes want and need to win this game just as badly as Penn State does. It probably won't be the prettiest football game you'll see all year, but that never stops us from tuning in, now, does it? Post your pre-game, mid-game, and post-game thoughts right here.

Is one full game of consistent offense too much to ask? Even with the back-ups in, there isn't any reason Ohio State shouldn't roll against the Aggies. All that said, we know how much pity JT takes on the patsies. Maybe we'll see Evil Jim one last time before the November deluge. Let's hope so, because otherwise, the second half won't even be watchable.

This hellacious week of handwringing can finally come to a merciful end. It's now time to see if Terrelle really is learning from his mistakes, or if this is just a decided "sophomore slump" that will cost Ohio State a few more games down the line. Ohio State's defense should be good enough to preserve the win today, and next week as well. Ideally, it will keep things safe enough for Terrelle to learn how to be Terrelle again without the pressure of being forced to win the game for his team. That'll have to happen in due time, and chances are his performance against Minnesota, good or bad, will have no bearing on that scenario. Hopefully, our golden boy will make a few plays today to keep us believing that that will happen sooner rather than later.

It's time to put up or shut up in Ohio State's second conference road outing. On paper, this game shouldn't be close. If history is any indication, it will be. If the defense is anything less than dominant today, I'll be a bit perplexed. If the offense is anything more than competent today, I'll be very pleased. We should know fairly early on whether Pryor really took anything to heart watching his technique (or lack thereof) this week against Wisconsin. How long any possible aerial assault will last will probably depend on the weather; it isn't expected to get above 50 in West Lafayette. Regardless, the offense should roll, but I'd feel stupid offering up any guarantees. Go Bucks!

It's time for the tOSU's first big conference test. It comes against a squad that, without fail, plays the Buckeyes close, and one that has consistently matched Ohio State's physicality for the better part of two decades now. The Badgers are 5-0, but to call them impeccable would be a stretch; they've yet to beat an FBS opponent by more than 8 points after all, and that's against a relatively lackluster OOC slate. For the Buckeyes, it's another opportunity to showcase a nasty run defense, but it's also an opportunity for the offense to continue working out various kinks. Wisconsin's secondary is quite ripe, so hopefully, Ohio State can improve on its current standing of dead last in the conference in passing. If we're exceedingly lucky, we'll build an early edge and coast as Wisconsin attempts to pass its way out of the deficit.  Leave your pre-game, mid-game and post-game thoughts here.

Go Bucks.