Matchup Breakdown: Insight Bowl

[CoachOSU]

Looking at both teams here is my prediciton and breakdown on what will happen in the Insight Bowl game......

Scouting Indiana- Three things that Indiana really has going for them that make them dangerous
1. First bowl game since 1993/1994 ( last time bowl eligible) so you know they will be fired up plus I suspect that Indiana fans will travel since they have had to wait over 10 years for this

2. They also have the motivation of playing for their coach who died last year... which will have them fired up since his goal was to play that 13th game (a bowl game) so they will be looking to win one for him

3. Athletic QB with Good recievers - Will cause a problem with our suspect defensive backfield... They have 2 large recievers that really can dominate a defensive backfield.. not a good matchup for our suspect defense ... QB can run and make things happen with his feet... so even pressure on QB can lead to a big play for them with him running (Think what happened too us versus Reesing ??spelling?? against Kansas)


Things against them:

1. O-Line at times has allowed some sacks and busted coverages... good match-up for our physical d-line

2. Inexperience- first bowl game since 1993-1994.... will they be able to handle the pressure and the atmosphere of a big time game

3. Our offense- I think can take advantage of some matchups... our O-Line versus their D-Line.... our RB'S and WR'S versus their DB's (assuming we get back Bowman)

4. Orange out- usually OSU fans travel well to bowls ..feel like we can grab the momentum advantage through crowd


Unpredictable- how our defense will show up...

Prediction- OSU - 38 Indiana- 31

[Verb]

That's an interesting breakdown. I expect that it will be a good game.

On the surface, it DOES seem like we'd have the larger crowd. We're certainly closer, geographically.

I'm wondering, though, if they won't turn out in great numbers than we will? It seems like a lot of people are making noises about not going to this game, and Indiana has such strong emotional reasons to support its bowl game this year. I hope I'm wrong, but I just wonder...

[wickerbill]

I don't think we'll have nearly the crowd support we have had for the closer bowl games we've played in the past ten years.