Ohio State Stock Market Report: MSU and the 2013 Big Ten Championship

You know, someday we're going to look back on the first two years of the Urban Meyer era and go 'damn, 24 straight wins. How the hell did they do that? That's impossible in this day and age.'

But that day isn't today. Because with a 34-24 loss to Michigan State in the Big Ten championship game, there will be no Big Ten championship. There will be no chance to play for the national championship. Hell, there won't even be a Rose Bowl. Oh, there's still a BCS game, more likely than not the Orange Bowl against Clemson. But a BCS title? It's gone Daddy, gone:

Beautiful girl, lovely dress
High school smiles, oh yes
Beautiful girl, lovely dress
Where she is now, I can only guess

'Cause it's gone daddy, gone
The love is gone
Yes, gone daddy, gone
The love is gone
Yes, gone daddy, gone
The love is gone
Yes, gone daddy, gone
The love is gone away

Your SMR that remembers something something defense wins championships something something follows.

Blue Chip Stocks:

Joey Bosa, DE: The future of the Ohio State defensive line is bright. Joey Bosa was a force from the outside, registering a sack and big tackle for loss.

Carlos Hyde, RB: After a slow start, Hyde seemed to take over the game in the third quarter before Ohio State inexplicably went away from him. Hyde finished with 118 yards on 18 carries, and one wonders how many yards he didn't gain when the offense decided that taking the ball out of Hyde's hands was a good idea.

Solid Investments:

Bradley Roby, CB: Roby finally looked like the All-American he was last year. He was solid in run support, was a sure tackler, and was very good in coverage. Where was this for most of the season?

Braxton Miller, QB: Although Miller's receivers had some key drops, he struggled throwing the ball for most of the evening. Yet what he struggled with through the air, he made up for by running the ball, tallying 142 yards on the ground and giving OSU a huge lift when they went down 17-0.

Junk Bonds:

Tom Herman, Offensive Coordinator: Let me be clear here: No one's calling for Herman's head, nor do I think he should be tarred and feathered and paraded down High Street or anything like that. But Herman called an extremely questionable game, and just when OSU seemed to start clicking on offense, Herman seemed to go away from the strength of what was working for the Buckeyes. His overall body of work since he's been in Columbus has been strong, but this will leave a bad taste in all our mouths for some time.

Doran Grant, CB: Costly penalties, and it seemed like guys Grant was responsible for got open when MSU really needed a play. Tough night for the young man, and I'm sure no one feels worse about it than he does.

Buy/Sell:

Buy: Braxton running in the second quarter. Man, it looked bleak when it was 17-0 in the second quarter, but Miller's 56 yard run ignited the offense and lead to a 24 point explosion in the second and third quarter. He was dazzling on the ground at times, and his legs got OSU back into the game.

Sell: Not pounding Carlos Hyde on fourth and 2 with the game on the line. As electrifying a runner as Miller is...when you need two yards how can you not give the ball to Hyde? Or, if you're intent on giving it to Miller, how can you at least not have Hyde in the backfield as a decoy? Everyone in the stadium knew Miller was going to keep it, and MSU swarmed to him. Ball game. thanks for coming. Drive safely, everyone.

Buy: Overcoming early penalties and big plays to get to 17-17. One of the things I love about Braxton Miller is his ability to make one play and spark the entire team. When the Buckeyes were down 17-0, Miller ignited the entire team with his 56 yard run. It seemed to shake off the cobwebs and started a Buckeye rally that eventually saw them get to a 24-17 lead.

Sell: Early penalties and big plays to get into a 17-0 hole. Two huge pass interference penalties coupled with two long scoring passes put OSU in a huge hole early, and it looked like the Buckeyes might get run out of Lucas Oil Stadium. It was as bad a 20 minutes of football I'd seen OSU play since 2011.

Buy: The third quarter. After a forgettable two quarters, save for a couple plays, OSU came out like a team possessed to open the second half. Using Miller and Hyde, OSU seemed to start running downhill, and saw a 17-10 deficit turn into a 24-17 lead. If felt like momentum was really turning, and after a CJ Barnett interception I thought OSU might be closing in for the kill.

Sell: The fourth quarter. But Michigan State's defense held after that pick, and it seemed to energize them. They completely stifled OSU's offense in the fourth quarter, and MSU rallied for a 10 point win, the Big Ten championship, and a trip to the Rose Bowl. Ohio State had their chances, but MSU stopped them at every turn. Seriously, when you block a punt, get the ball at the MSU 47, and then get no points? Terrible.

So, The Chase ends in Indianapolis, on the short end of a 34-24 score in the Big Ten Championship. For OSU, it's been one heck of a run, and although they didn't make it to the national championship, they still have an opportunity to close out the BCS era with a win in the Orange Bowl.

Congratulations to Michigan State, your 2013 Big Ten champions.