No. 9 OHIO STATE BUCKEYES

Buckeyes hope to erase doubts around the nation

What does Ohio State have to do to get some respect?

While that might sound odd for the Big Ten Goliath, who always seems to be at the top of any poll, Ohio State receives absolutely no respect from fans nationally. The team has not only been the model of consistency under Jim Tressel but has reversed the John Cooper-inspired trend against Michigan. Tressel has gone 83-19 in Columbus, while holding a 7-1 record over the Wolverines. That kind of record against a rival creates volatile reactions and was responsible for the firing of both Michigan and Ohio State's former coaches (Lloyd Carr was 1-6 against Tressel, while OSU's John Cooper was 2-10-1 against UM).

But for someone who's been so successful, Tressel's teams continue to garner loathing from everyone outside of Ohio. Why is this?

1) Strength of the Big Ten - Outside of a good season in 2006 (where the conference might have been the best in the nation), the Big Ten has been primarily the Big Two in the 2000s. Fans can't stand that Ohio State, who does play notable non-conference games, only has to get up for two or three games a season because of the lack of strength within the Big Ten. This season will prove to be much of the same, with Penn State being the only in-conference opponent of note while USC comes to Columbus early in the season. Wins over those two teams would mean an inside track to the BCS, leading fans to agonize over the previous...

2) BCS Bowl losses - Ohio State was on top of the world at the end of 2006. The Buckeyes had run through another undefeated season (their second in six seasons), had continued their dominance over rival Michigan (and knocked the Wolverines from a spot in the BCS Championship Game), and only needed to beat a good, but lucky, Florida team to be the first team to win two BCS Championships. Of course, over the next 13 months, Ohio State would lose two national title games and be labeled with the rep of losing big games, and another BCS Bowl loss to Texas in 2008. While the loss to Florida was inexcusable due basic to a team fattened on their own greatness and trips on the rubber chicken circuit, the Buckeyes were better than the Gators (and would've won 8 of 10 against UF). The championship loss to LSU shouldn't be held against the team, as they'd only have won 2 of 10 against a healthy Tigers team, that was probably the best team in the nation despite the two losses and Les Miles at the helm. And Ohio State pushed Texas to the brink last January when the Longhorns were a bad tie breaker rule or dropped interception away from playing Florida for all the marbles.

And what's the difference between Ohio State and Oklahoma - who has now lost two national title games and received the biggest break ever in 2003? That might have to do with a little...

3) Tressel Ball - Ohio State is sooooo boring to watch, and it all goes back to Tressel, who preaches the three yards and a cloud of dust mantra while adding his own twist: the punt is the best play in football. While the Sooners continue to put up huge points in the Big XII while holding a stout defense, Ohio State continues to win close and win ugly, and Tressel wouldn't have it any other way. While that might change in 2009 and beyond with a playmaker like Tyrel Pryor at QB, Tressel would at least receive some criticism for this style of play if not for the...

4) 2001 National Championship - and no one outside of Columbus remembers Maurice Clarett powering in for the winning touchdown. No, fans around the nation remember the late pass interference penalty that saved the Buckeyes' fourth down incompletion, and gave OSU the chance to beat Miami for their first national title in 40 years. The win validated Tressel's style of play, and since, at the time, OSU was David battling the mega-superpower that was the Hurricanes, everyone was pulling for the Buckeyes, but only because they didn't realize what was about to be unleashed on the nation...

5) Ohio State fans - while Alabama, LSU and Florida fans get a reputation around the SEC for being cocky (especially among rivals and foes), no team's fans have a worse reputation then Ohio State, and that comes from people outside the conference. Texas fans, who generally despise anything Crimson and Cream, were eager to admit that Ohio State fans were worse then their foes to the north. Not to mention the pretentiousness that is The Ohio State, this might be the sole factor that annoys the rest of the nation about Ohio State.

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Part of a two-week long look into the 2009 Preseason Southern Fans' College Football Poll. New posts released each day, culminating with the No. 1 team on September 2.