The 09/10 season actually had some remarkable occurrences that have truly never happened before. Mainly, this was the first time ever an FBS team had five wins over ten-win teams in a single season. Prior to this season, the last win over a ten-win team for the Buckeyes came in 2006 against Michigan. Since then, the Buckeyes had gone, fittingly, 0-5 against ten-win teams. Obviously, somebody somewhere was in a hurry to right some wrongs.And amazingly, it’s only slightly less-rare for teams to even PLAY five ten-win teams in a single season. There are only a handful of them out there--probably around a dozen ever.Knowing now how the Buckeyes’ season matched up with history, let’s take a look at how it matched up with the rest of the nation this year. Surprisingly, the ACC was the only CONFERENCE that had as many wins over ten-win teams as the Buckeyes did. The Big Ten finished with an astonishing eleven of these wins, and Iowa was the only other team this season that finished with more than two wins (three).Here’s a brief breakdown by conference: Big Ten 11, ACC 5, SEC 4--with a possible fifth against Texas pending, Pac 10 4, MWC 4, Big XII 3--with a possible fourth against Alabama pending, Big East 3, CUSA 3, WAC 3, MAC 1, Sun Belt 1.But this season wasn’t just about the teams that the Buckeyes have beaten--it was also about HOW those teams were beaten.For instance, the 163 points given up this season by the Ohio State defense is the fewest of the Jim Tressel Era, and is a far cry from the 244 points that his first team gave up in 2001 while playing one less game. In terms of points given up, this was the Buckeyes’ best effort since the 1998 team gave up just 144 points in twelve games. (For what it’s worth, the 1996 team gave up a ridiculous 131 while scoring 455.)As unprecedented as this season was, it probably didn't come as a surprise to the seniors on this team. They will be leaving the university as the winningest senior class ever, having tasted victory 44 times over the past four seasons, besting the previous record (held by three other classes) by one single win.And how fitting that that deciding win came in Pasadena. Only a tremendous collective team effort makes truly outstanding individual achievements possible. Namely, Terrelle Pryor becoming the first quarterback to ever lead his team to two BCS appearances in his first two years on campus. And with designs on two more appearances over the next two seasons, his would be a record to never fall.And speaking of Terrelle Pryor, his 2,873 yards of total offense were 127 more than Troy Smith’s 2,746 the year that Smith won the Heisman Trophy. And it’s pretty clear that much of 2009 was still a year spent learning the position for Pryor. What happens when everything starts clicking for him?As an interesting aside, with Pryor leading the team in rushing (779 yards), it was the first time a Buckeye had led the team in both passing and rushing since Don Clark did it in 1956, though it bears mentioning that Clark finished the season 3-7 passing for a whopping 88 yards. And yet, perhaps the most amazing part about the entire season is that Jim Tressel’s Buckeyes accomplished so many rarities and never-happened-befores with only ONE player being voted first team All-Big Ten by his fellow coaches.Of course, it’s entirely fitting that having so few players named to the Coaches’ first team is ALSO a first for Tressel.
I must say that I really like the direction this team is heading. The Rose bowl showed me a LOT about Tressel's willingness to change things up a bit and start calling plays that are out of his usual comfort zone. I don't see him pulling a fake punt from his own 30 Boise State style but he had an excellent game plan against Oregon. I wish he had a similar plan against USC earlier in the season but suspect Pryor just wasn't ready to handle such a game plan then. It was a exciting season for the Buckeyes and winning the Rose bowl leaves a nice taste in my mouth, I think this team is going to be something special next year with the amounts of people coming back and some of the people coming in. (Roderick Smith at RB)
Also as and Ohio State fan I can't help but see the uncertainty with Meyer at Florida and Pete Carroll at USC the potential for two less teams to be fighting with Ohio State to land the "national style" top 100 recruits this coming recruiting season. Could prove to be a rare confluence of events that really vaults Ohio State to the next level.
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