Ok, that sounded pretty petty, didn’t it? But perhaps for Buckeye fans, it is the truth. While Coach Jim Tressel has brought home a national championship in his tenure, perfection is the only thing that matters in Columbus when it comes to football. And with two national championship games in the toilet while getting manhandled by two SEC teams, the Buckeyes now have the distinction of the number one ranking preseason and even more pressure than ever.

With the Big 10 not having quite the strength it normally does throughout the league, combined with the Ohio St. conference schedule, the Buckeyes have a wonderful shot at making it to BCS National Championship game again. However, there’s one teensy-weensy little game after labor day with a little team called USC. Yes, that’s right, probably #3 or #4 ranked Southern Cal, and Pete Carroll’s Trojans have the Buckeyes on their home field, where they are 39-3 over the past several seasons.

This is what will more than likely be the hinging game for the national championship for both teams. While USC obviously has a ton of an advantage with their depth, tradition, and home field, don’t count Ohio State out just yet–Tressel may have an Achilles Heel against SEC teams, but OSU matches up with USC rather well.  Some are saying that even if the Buckeyes finish with a close loss to USC that they still could make the national championship game, but the whole “backing in” to the national championship that the media criticized in Ohio State making it last year still stings, so of course they’d much rather be there as undefeated and still #1.

Will it happen? I really would like to say yes, but I think the home field for SoCal is just too much.  Sorry, guys….