Author: Matt Pelc | Article Posted at: September 17, 09 - 2:41 pm

Ohio State Buckeyes Vs Toledo Rockets

The Ohio State Buckeyes will try to pick up the pieces from a chance to get out from under the criticism that has been lumped on them for the inability to defeat the top teams when they were just over a minute from knocking off Southern California in Ohio Stadium last week, but it was not meant to be and Ohio State lost their sixth straight to a Top 5 team.

The 11th-ranked Ohio State (1-1) should have an easy time at getting past USC as they travel a little bit north in their state to face the Toledo Rockets (1-1) of the Mid-American Conference in Cleveland. Of course, the Buckeyes only need to ask their bitter rivals from Ann Arbor what happens when you take Toledo lightly.

The last time the Buckeyes beat a Top Five program was when they beat the Miami Hurricanes in the Title game following the 2002 season. Since then they have dropped six straight beginning with a loss in the 2007 BCS Title game against Florida.

They will not be able to break that mark this week, but they will have to hold on to a proud distinction of not losing to a fellow Ohio team in 88 years. They are also 25-1 all-time against MAC schools and are playing in Cleveland for the first time since 1991.

Terrelle Pryor had a shaky couple of weeks and looks to rebound against the Rockets. He has thrown for just 351 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions through the air and has gained 66 yards on the ground with one touchdown.

Any hopes of an upset will have to be on the backs of a potent Toledo offensive attack that has notched 85 points in their first two games, although their defense allowed 51 points in their first game against Purdue, giving Pryor cause for hope.

Aaron Opelt is third in the nation with an astonishing 742 yards and has lobbed seven touchdown passes.

Despite this being a “home” game for the Toledo Rockets, Ohio State figures to have most of the crowd in Cleveland Browns Stadium wearing red so it will be a tough task for Toledo to come through in the game, however many of the players on the Rockets team were on last year’s team that dealt Michigan a humbling loss and held them to under 300 total yards in the Wolverine’s first ever loss to a MAC school.