Ohio St vs Okie St. Tons of helpful game stats!

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With distractions for both teams, it's hard to predict if or what effect it may have on the game. But look for The Ohio State University to ride it's defense, special teams advantage (Mike Nugent, Ted Gin, perhaps the best linebacking unit in college football with All American AJ Hawk, 2nd team Big Ten Rob Reynolds, and Anthony Schlegal, and emerging wideouts to win this game.

Plain and simple defense wins games and championships. Worth noting so far in this bowl season UCLA (106), Toldedo (92) Syracuse (91), North Texas (88), and UAB (84) are all ranked in the same ballpark defensively as Oklahome State defensively. Each of those teams listed above have lost their bowl games to teams with a statistically better defense. The only team with a statistically worse defense then Oklahoma St. that won it's bowl game was Hawaii.

Oklahoma St's defense:

74th in the nation in pass defense allowed 2,480 yards. 225.5 yard per game at 7 yards per attempt.

70th in the nation in run defense allowing 1,870 yards. 170 yards per game at 4.6 per attemt.

75th in the nation in total defense 4,350 yards. 395.5 yards per game allowed.

49th nationally in scoring defense at 24.4 points per game

Ohio State's defense:

36th in the country at 128.7 yards per game. (OK St is 8th in the country rusing at 245 yards per game with a pass offense ranked 111th at 140 yards per game)

The Big 12 has won only 3 times in 10 tries at the Alamo Bowl.

Ok St last played vs Purdue in the Alamo Bowl in '97 and lost.

Ohio St. hs won the past 12 game vs Big 12 teams. The latest being victory over Kansas St.

Ohio St. has a lifetime record of 26-3-1 vs the Big 12.

5 out of the 11 Alamo Bowls have been decided by 7 or fewer points. Where the average margin of victory in those games was 3.5 points.

Jim Tressel is 17-6 at OSU in close games. Les Miles is 6-6 at Ok. St.

The 2004 Alamo Bowl is the fourth sell out in bowl history and the first time it has sold out with a team from Texas as a participant.

In 1999, No. 13 Penn St. shut out TExas AM 24-0 in a sell out crows of 65,380. In 2001 Iowa beat Texas Tech 19-16 with 65,232 fans. In 1995 no. 19 Texas AM upset no. 14 Michigan, 22-20.

Also, I'd like to note Ohio St. has sold out there block of Alamo Bowl tickets. A crowd of 65,000 will not be a major factor for the Buckeyes compared to playing at home infront of 104,000 fans on Saturday and playing on the road at 2 of the other 4 largest stadiums in the country at Michigan (110,000) and at Penn St (108,000).

If Ohio St. shuts down the Ok. St running game things might get real bad for OK St. Ohio St has historically shut down top running games (Michigan this year, Kansas St in the Fiesta, Miami in the Fiesta) and one dimensional offenses. Giving Tressel a month to prepare for this team is a huge factor I believe. I like Ohio St. to win this game out right with their defense and special teams advantage. Playing in a dome with Mike Nugent kicking, don't be shocked to see a 60 yard field goal easily clear the goal post with this kid. Not to mention Ted Ginn Jr. and Santonio Holmes.

Buckeyes win outright. +150 is a gift.