This is the 41st in a series of 100 daily posts, a Countdown to College Football. (Sort of.)
It’s Saturday, which means you are now officially one week closer to the start of college football season.
Exactly 14 weeks from today, the Ohio State football season will kick off against one of the lesser OSUs.
I know 14 weeks seems like a lot, but 14 weeks ago was February 17. So you’re now closer to the first full Saturday of games than you are to Woody Hayes’ birthday.
Some less enlightened people may celebrate that day as “Valentine’s Day” but you’re clearly the type of person who knows the true reason for that particular season.
If you missed yesterday’s post, you’re kind of a bad fan. But you can start making it up to yourself and your loved ones (who are terribly disappointed in you at the moment) by reading it now here.
Now please join us as we continue our countdown of the 100 greatest Buckeyes of The Ozone era (1996-present).
We will also preview one of the 100 most exciting games on this fall’s college football schedule, and one of the 100 things we’re most looking forward to this fall.
Plus, we’ll preview one of this season’s 100 biggest personnel matchups.
Greatest Buckeyes Of The Ozone Era
#60 Raekwon McMillan, 2014-2016
Raekwon McMillan was the crown jewel in one of the nation’s best recruiting classes in 2014. A five-star prospect from Georgia, McMillan made an immediate impact both on the field and off.
Off the field, the news that he was named after Raekwon from the Wu-Tang Clan made a lot of people realize they were now impossibly old.
On the field, he quickly let the rest of the college football world know he wasn’t nothin’ to (mess) with. McMillan recorded 54 tackles, including 7 for loss and 2.5 sacks for the national championship team that fall.
He took over the starting job at middle linebacker as a sophomore and recorded an impressive 119 tackles on that Fiesta Bowl championship team.
McMillan had another 102 tackles, including 7 for loss and 2 sacks as a junior in 2016. He was named first team all-conference in both 2015 and 2016 before declaring for the NFL Draft.
The Miami Dolphins picked him in the second round, but McMillan missed his entire rookie season with a knee injury.
Best Games This Fall
#60 Nebraska at Michigan, September 22
Michigan fans spent all of 2017 repeatedly telling anyone who would listen how the Wolverines were only losing games due to a young team.
This year they have a veteran squad back, but also face an unfavorable schedule. If you hadn’t heard that already, you’ll hear it plenty soon enough.
This showdown of the 1997 national champions and the Wolverines is probably only the sixth or seventh-most dangerous on Jim Harbaugh’s schedule.
The Cornhuskers are going to take some time to get going this fall under first-year coach Scott Frost. Getting them at home early in the season is pretty much a best-case scenario.
This figures to be Nebraska’s first real test, following home dates against Akron, Colorado, and Troy.
Assuming freshman Adrian Martinez is playing quarterback for the Huskers, this will be a difficult spot for his first career road start.
The Wolverines should almost certainly win this one, but you never know. It wouldn’t be the first time Frost led Nebraska past Michigan to glory.
What We Can’t Wait To See
#60 Year 2 For P.J. Fleck
P.J. Fleck’s first season at Minnesota was just okay. The Gophers finished 2017 with a record of 5-7, and just 2-7 in Big Ten play.
That doesn’t sound great, but it’s far better than he managed in his first year in his previous stop. The first season he coached at Western Michigan, the Broncos went 1-11. The second year, they improved their record by seven games.
It’s probably not realistic to expect a similar leap to 12 wins this fall, but the Gophers should take a significant step forward.
The Gopher offense struggled badly in conference losses last fall, scoring just 20 points total against Iowa, Michigan, Northwestern, and Wisconsin.
JUCO transfer Vic Viramontes is likely to take the starting job at quarterback, and a pair of solid running backs return as well.
The schedule isn’t a cake walk, but the Gophers managed to draw Indiana and Maryland cross-division in additional to their game at Ohio State. Only two games – in Columbus and Madison – stand out as very likely losses.
Fleck could definitely match his second year win total of 8 from WMU. If so, he’ll be in contention for Coach of the Year honors, and potentially have Minnesota poised for another step forward in 2019.
Matchup To Watch
#60 Rashan Gary, MICH DE vs. Thayer Munford, OSU OT
There’s a good chance the matchup of a Michigan defensive end and an Ohio State offensive tackle will be the key to The Game this fall.
I don’t want to spoil anything, but you’re going to see another one or two of these even higher in the countdown.
Gary came to Michigan as the top-rated recruit in the entire nation, and has mostly lived up to that billing.
He had 11.5 tackles for loss including 5.5 sacks in 2017. Those numbers aren’t otherworldly, but he saved his best game for The Game.
Gary had 10 tackles, 3 for loss, and 2 sacks against Ohio State last fall. This will almost certainly be his last season in Ann Arbor, so he’s sure to be going all-out this November to finally get a win over the Buckeyes.
Thayer Munford will be a first-year starter at one of the tackle positions this fall. He spent most of the Spring Game on the left side of the line, with Isaiah Prince on the right.
Wherever Munford lines up, he will be the key to opening holes for J.K. Dobbins and Mike Weber and keeping Dwayne Haskins upright.
OSU has seen seasons derailed by shaky tackle play in the past. Prince’s 2016 game at Penn State was memorable for all the wrong reasons.
If Munford has a rocky day on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, both Gary and Michigan defensive coordinator Don Brown will be there to make the Buckeyes pay for it.