The Buckeyes of Ohio State have received quite a bit of negative media in the past few years after losing the BCS Championship Game twice in a row. Some of the same people that were on Jim Tressel’s bandwagon after their 2002 title run hopped off quickly after their setbacks in the title game against Florida and LSU in consecutive years. Even though the Buckeyes have only one title to show for their winning tradition under Jim Tressel, this team is consistently one of the best in country. Last year’s Rose Bowl win over the Oregon Ducks was huge for the morale of this club. Time will tell, but that win could propel them to even bigger things in 2010.

Junior quarterback Terrelle Pryor is absolutely the key to this Ohio State team. If Pryor is mediocre, this team will underperform. If Pryor is great, this team could definitely win it all. Pryor had his best game as a Buckeye in the Rose Bowl, but he has struggled at times with his decision making and his passing ability. Pryor seems to have matured, and he has the potential to be one of the best players in the country this year.

College Football Predictions: Ohio State Offensive Preview

This Ohio State offense is full of talent, and they are very deep in most areas. The running back position is a perfect example of the Buckeyes amazing depth. Brandon Saine, Boom Herron, Jamaal Berry, Carlos Hyde, and Jordan Hall will all likely see a decent amount of playing time, and they are all high-quality runners. Terrelle Pryor is an unbelievable athlete that can do many things on the football field that most would think are impossible. Pryor is the best running quarterback in all of college football, and while the coaching staff will want him to work to throw more often, they shouldn’t stop him from scrambling either. The offensive line is big and they return four of five starters. The wide receivers are not quite as deep as some years, but Devier Posey and Dane Sanzenbacher are both quality players. Jim Tressel’s offense is usually fairly buttoned down, but it will be interesting to see if things open up as Pryor improves.

Ohio State Defensive Preview

The Ohio State defense lost a couple key parts in Thad Gibson and Kurt Coleman, but this defense could be just as good as last year’s because of their amazing depth. The defensive line may not have the same amount of stars that they had a year ago, but Cameron Heyward is an absolute beast at the defensive end position. I fully expect Heyward to have a huge year. The linebacker unit is a real area of strength for Ohio State. Ross Homan is a sure tackler, and Brian Rolle is all over the field. Young linebackers like Etienne Sabino, Dorian Bell, and Storm Klein appear ready to make a name for themselves at Ohio State as well. The secondary has some question marks at safety, but the corners should be very good. This Buckeye defense should rank in the Top 10 in the nation once again this year.

Ohio State Football Question Marks

Will the team be able to establish a consistent passing game? This could be the difference between Ohio State being very good or excellent. Pryor needs to improve his accuracy throwing, and the receivers need to be reliable.

The offensive line has a ton of top recruits, but over the past few years the Buckeyes line has struggled against the best teams in the country. This offensive line needs to be excellent, especially when it comes to run blocking.

Ohio State Football Futures Odds

The oddsmakers clearly see the talent the Buckeyes have, as 5Dimes has listed the Buckeyes as the second favorite to win the BCS Championship Game at +550. The Buckeyes are the heavy favorite in the Big Ten, as they are listed at -180 to win the conference. Sportsbook.com has listed the team total for wins at 10.5 for Ohio State. Currently, ‘over’ 10.5 wins is listed at -120 and ‘under’ 10.5 wins is at even money.

2010 Ohio State Football Schedule - Key Games

The 2010 Ohio football schedule is not an easy one at all. The Buckeyes will host Miami in their second game of the year, so the nonconference schedule is far from simple. Inside the conference, the Buckeyes will have to travel to Wisconsin as well as Iowa. Both Wisconsin and Iowa are highly regarded going into this season, so winning both games on the road will be a tall order. The Iowa meeting will be on Nov. 20, and there is a solid chance that game could determine the winner of the Big Ten Conference.

2010 Ohio State Football Predictions

The 2010 version of the Ohio State Buckeyes should be better than the 2009 version. In 2009, they finished fifth in the country. The schedule will make it tricky for the Buckeyes to go unbeaten, but I think it is quite likely the Buckeyes won’t lose any more than one game in the regular season. This is a dangerous team that is out to silence its critics. Expect Ohio State to be right up near the top of the BCS standings in December.

Strike Point Sports has shown a profit for his football customer in 25 of the last 40 weeks he has released his football picks and he is geared up his best season yet for 2010-11. Find out why SPS is considered one of the best college football handicappers in the nation with one of his many profit-building football packages. His college football and NFL futures are a must have for any serious football bettor, and they will be released on Aug. 16. And be sure to check out Doc’s Sports homepage daily for updated football betting content, matchup reports and up-to-the-minute college football lines.