This day happens almost every year. It has happened every year except for ONE since I have walked this Earth. Today I woke up knowing the rest of this year will be different than it was projected to be just yesterday. Days like today are usually filled with confusion, anger, and maybe some sorrow. Today, however, I feel fine. It is really irritating when guys do not play to their potential. It stings watching a crappy game plan. One mental mistake, a turnover, or a star running back stubbing his toe really make a loss hard to swallow.

Wisconsin, however, just beat Ohio State.

There, I said it. Suck it up. There’s nothing to be mad at except being over-ranked in the polls. Sure, there were two special teams embarrassments. Sure, Terrelle Pryor seemed to sulk after the defense didn’t reward his 4th quarter drive with a subsequent three and out. The guy held the college football world at bay until the last possible moment to announce where he would play, kind of like another decision announcement by some other guy I know who lacks leadership.  He was not voted the captain… so we knew what we had coming into this. He’s an incredible athlete, but the bottom line is the team got beat. Let’s go through some cliches:

• Games are won and lost in the trenches.  Well, folks, the Wisconsin Badgers owned the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball.
• Games are won with defense and special teams.  Let’s not beat a dead horse.  This battle was lost on the first play of the game.
• Control the running game, control the game.  Kripes, I don’t even know why Wisconsin attempted a pass.  You could have landed a plane in the runway they created.

And that’s all I got.  I can’t be mad at Tressel.  I can’t be mad at one person getting owned (see Eric Wright, Cleveland Browns).  I can’t be mad at Pryor under-performing.  I’m a little mad at Posey for having arms as long as a T-Rex, but really that was just in desperation time.  I certainly can’t be mad at Sanzenbacher.  Jesus, that guy can catch a bullet.  No really, I mean a real bullet… from a gun.

I can’t be mad at anyone.  I’m actually kind of looking at the bright side here.  OSU got beat.  Fair weather fans will thin out.  Tickets will be cheaper.  Pryor now has reason to come back for his senior year.  The Buckeyes got beat by a legitimate team in the Big 10.  M*ch*g@n State is ranked #7 right now.  People can argue with me about this until they are blue in the face, but I want every single team in the Big 10 to win every single game unless they are playing OSU.  Strengthening the league strengthens our team.

So it’s not all bad.  We knew this day was probably coming.  Expecting otherwise is unrealistic.  The inevitable happened, but the way it happened and the landscape of college football today makes it a little easier to cope with.  Go Bucks!