Outlook: Cal Vs. Ohio State

The Ohio State salting of the earth hopefully continues on Saturday in Ohio Stadium against Cal, and after two games, I think that for the most part, we're pleased with what we've seen.

What's that, Fat Guy that paints your face and puts Buckeye stickers on your third, fourth, and fifth chin?

No? Consecutive 87-0 wins didn't happen, so you're a bit miffed? Ah, I see. Well, I can see your reasonable, well thought out points that Meyer should be fired because of it.

I'll leave you and the rest of the BirtherTruther wing alone for a minute, and I'll focus my attention on the rest of you. I'll assume you're like me in that overall, you're pretty happy with the way things have turned out so far. We've seen a 21st century offense, couldn't be happier that Joe Bauserman has been reincarnated in Madison, we silently chuckle as John L. does John L. things in Fayetteville, and kind of laughed when Tim Brando opened his grocery hole yet again.

Yes, college football is back, and it's picked up right where it left off.

But back to the good guys. Through two games, OSU has been one of two B1G teams that hasn't set themselves on fire, and there's still room for improvement. Let's look at what I think the Buckeyes can improve on heading in to week 3.

After the jump.

Let's Not Void The Warranty On Braxton Miller: When you buy a new car, you generally get a 3 year, 36,000 mile bumper to bumper warranty. Let's say that last year didn't count, so OSU has a full 3 year warranty. But they've already gone from California to New York in their brand new car, the Miller QB5, and have turned around and are somewhere in Nebraska. I'm a big fan of running the ball and setting the tempo, but not with the quarterback as the primary tempo setter. Seriously, let's not put so much wear and tear on him and have him end up in the shop by the time Indiana week rolls around.

But What Are We Going To Drive?: Hey, is that a brand new Brionte Dunn in the garage? Yes...YES IT IS. Dunn, the highly touted freshman that almost flipped to Michigan but then went all U MAD BRADY CUZ I AIN'T EVEN MAD BRO back in November, is now number one on the depth chart now that the two top guys are on the shelf. Cal is a good team, but they should be able to establish a running game with Dunn. We'll see Jordan Hall make his first appearance of the year, but we don't know how much. Let's see what Dunn has.

Let's Put 'Under Pressure' By Bowie and Queen In The Pre-Game Stadium Mix: So yeah, something something John Simon and Johnathan Hankins something something. The Buckeyes were thought to have one of the best defensive fronts in the B1G, and while I still think they do, it's time to prove it. John Simon has been a non-factor for the most part through two games, and he sets the tone for everyone else. I've liked what I've seen so far from a depth perspective, but I've been underwhelmed by the guys that shouldn't be underwhelming.

Hey, Let's Play A Complete Game: So week one OSU Zombie Walked through the first quarter before they ate Miami's brains for the remaining three. Last week the Buckeyes got off to a faster start, peeled away in the second and third quarter, then I'm not really sure where they went, but they weren't on the field. Let's just say they all went to a nice lunch, okay? And as tasty as the Reuben with a nice Fat Tire Timber Ale lunch was, the fourth quarter was not the time to have said lunch.

Let's Not Gag, Like The Rest Of The Conference: Two games into the season, the B1G looks like the evil spawn of the MAC and Conference USA, and Iowa's throwback uniforms didn't do anything to change that opinion. Neither did Iowa's throwback offense, but I digress. OSU is once again the standard bearer of this conference, for better or worse, but let's face it, we're the only ones who have been able to carry that burden with any kind of success at all. And make no mistake, although we've had our failures on the national stage, we've had a ton of success. After a year in the hinterlands, you get the feeling that OSU is reeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaallllllll close to having their groove back, but all the early good feelings can disappear like a flaming Licking County couch after a Michigan win if OSU drops this game to an inferior Cal team.

So, that's what I want to see happen this week. That, and not another surprise visit from my mother in law so I can actually watch the game live this week.