An Unforgiveable Crime

By Ramzy Nasrallah on January 22, 2014 at 11:15a













Joe Bauserman started this game. On purpose.






Season Most OVERRATED (Like Ohio State) Most Underrated
















Season Most Overrated Most Underrated (Like Ohio State)


The Buckeyes were significantly underrated in 2002, 2007 and 2012.












Season Most Overrated Most Underrated






Maybe in June.



BierStube's picture

Maybe in June.

I will be right there with you .. June of 2093!


RedsBuckeyeBoy's picture

Delete it! Delete it now!
On second thought, watch the Vonn Bell pick and then delete it. 

BamaBuckeye144's picture

I will never understand this whole "overrated/underrated" deal.
Think about it. A bunch of people not named Ohio State get together and decide who should be where on a list of football teams each year.
Then everyone proceeds to bash the school and players for not living up the the expectations of others, when they should be bashing the idiots that can't accurately judge a team or tries to judge a team 365 days before the start of the stupid season!
This would be different if, like the Bambino, Ohio State called it's shot over the left field fence and dribbled one off the bat towards the pitcher. But no, we're not calling anything. Someone else is calling it for us. And if we fail, it's OUR fault. If we don't, WHO CARES!
Talk about an effed up situation.


dumpus's picture

a million times this.  the whole phenomenon of "overrated" vs "underrated" would be plausible if the ratings process was scientific or somehow objectively grounded, but its not.  
if anything, the exercise is more indicative of systemic biases of rankers than the performance of teams.

McFate's picture

I look at it differently.  I don't see it as "bashing" a school to note they they received an outsized share of preseason hype.  As you note, that's not their fault.
Being on covers of preseason magazines, and appearing in the top-ten list beside the glossy picture... that's a benefit that perennially good teams get.  Maybe because they're safer bets to be good, maybe because it sells more magazines.
I don't think it's unreasonable to see how well teams live up to that.  For a team as good as they usually are, Ohio State is actually rated pretty well (~1.1 poll spots too high per year since 1992).  Contrast with Miami (~2.8), Florida (~3.2), Florida State (~3.5), Notre Dame (~3.6), Oklahoma (~4.0), Michigan (~4.0), Nebraska (~4.0), Southern Cal (~4.3), and Texas (~5.1).

OSUFlash's picture

Well beyond my attention span. You can tell these type of stories are going to be running at full strength until the spring game supplants them.


TMac's picture

Or is this one of those Buckeye Nation quirks were it's just impossible to ever be satisfied?

Ever is a very long time, even longer than back to 2002 when we were quite satisfied!

RufusVonDufus's picture

No, don't delete it, watch it so you will remember what happens when one of our games turns into the Braxton Miller show.  


wyatt's picture

Great article. It must be contagious because now the bb team has also had the overrated virus.

Stinson's picture

The people calling this team or that team "overrated" often have a vote in the polls.


Maestro's picture

Struggling with the season for the past 6 weeks as well.  One of the main reasons I haven't been around here much lately.  I am not a masochist.

vacuuming sucks

Boxley's picture

Yes, you are, and that's what we love about you, you self flagellating bundle of joy ;)
Or are you? hmmm. very confusing. Very masochistically manipulative of you to say so.


Maestro's picture

I haven't been called a bundle of joy in a few days.  Thanks for building me back up.  I was starting to become a masochist.

vacuuming sucks

Sleepy's picture

The problem with this is that preseason rankings are based on a school's reputation more than anything.  Ohio State, Michigan, Notre Dame, Alabama, Texas, USC, etc. are ranked EVERY year in the preseason simply because they're Ohio State, Michigan, Notre Dame, etc.  Michigan will go into 2014 ranked somewhere in the 20's despite a two-year stretch of 15-11.  Voters don't watch them play, they just see "Michigan" and write them down somewhere using the logic, "Oh, Michigan, they're good and stuff."  Same with every other "blue blood" program.


The underrated/overrated tag is used solely for the purpose of trolling to get the result they prefer. The narrative does not want Ohio State in the national spotlight, so let's call them "overrated" and when they lose it backs up the argument and somehow ruins an awesome season that 90% of college teams wish they can have. We saw that the entire season in the BCS rankings. But when the Buckeyes win, OSU is suddenly "underrated" so they can all start covering their butts.
All it does is creates drama, which drives mouse clicks/page views. What angers me is when that level of crap is accepted as fact WHEN IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO MEASURE ANYWAY. They're drumming up their own BS and trying to get us to eat it.


acBuckeye's picture

I didn't bother re-watching the Orange Bowl or the B1G title game on my DVR. Deleted them both b/c I couldn't stand it.
***give the ball to Hyde*** ***give the ball to Hyde*** ***give the ball to Hyde***
It does kinda suck when your team is labeled as overrated, but i don't pay too much attention to it. But the dumbest thing a fanbase can do is to chant "Overrated!" to a higher ranked team they just beat. It takes away from the accomplishment of your own team.

Joe Beale's picture

"...and made it back to the title game without a defensive line..."

The Nader Abdallah fan club is coming after you.

bcarp87's picture

This is only part of what people are talking about when they say OSU is overrated. They claim we are overrated all season long (because we don't play anyone). Hence in week 8 when we are 7-0 and ranked #2 or #3 or whatever, they think other undefeated teams below us are better. I think a good indication of underrated / overrated is the points spread. Vegas sets points spreads in a manner that encourages as much "action" (money bet) on the game as possible. For famous teams like OSU, they tend to sway the spread a half point or so in their direction since most average people are more likely to bet on a team they know or have heard of. So it is really a good indication of how good "people think they are" if you will. OSU was 6-7-1 against the spread this year (this can vary slightly depending on the service you use). Which is obviously very close to average.
IMO, we are not really overrated by smart people, we just have a bunch of fans because of the huge alumni base, and if you have a bunch of vans a certain % of those are going to be blatant homers. Blatant homers make people chant overrated in games and make fans of other teams talk crap to us randomly.

Furious George 27's picture

How is Alabama not on the list for being overrated this year? I get they are the defending champ, but they also played a pretty weak schedule and were beaten pretty  badly the last 2 games considering their D was supposed to be their strength.


NitroBuck's picture

Don't you know that in the sinister eyes of worldwide leader, there is no such thing as an overrated SEC team?  Contractual ties trump reality every time.

Ferio.  Tego.

Chise47's picture

The, "solution", to all this over/under rated crap is the hiring of UFM, right ? Especially w/the new 'playoff' system being implemented this year.
Year 2 was supposed to be the magical year for UFM according to past statistics from his prior teams/years w/other teams. BG, Utah, & even Florida,(no matter what anyone else thinks), were not at the level of The Ohio State University.
Year 3 is still up for grabs because we will be in a transitory state. Completely new OL, LB spots uncertain, a secondary riddle unsolved, talented, yet untested WR's & RB's. On top of all THAT, a new kicker to boot. (Pun intended) So, house money states we will be 'under-rated' !! And rightly so.
Here's the beauty of being a fan of The Ohio State University though: No matter where we start or finish, we will ALWAYS be a topic of discussion just because of who the fuck we are: The Ohio State University !!!!
Ramzy taught me this past year that while I was debating with fools about my home team, I was missing out on something that didn't happen often, & nearly ever at all. I was missing out on a 20 plus game win streak thinking about what some other teams fan was thinking about my team. I almost missed that. Almost.
A 6-7 football team ? A 4 straight loss basketball squad ? Hold your breath haters till it happens again, see how that works out for ya !!!
We will have our disappointments,(complete failures in some folks eyes), we will have our triumphs. I can live with that. And the easiest part of that is knowing I don't have to be a, "Glass 1/2 full", optimistic type of guy. Why ? Because my shit is always 85% full !!!
That's the luxury of being a Buckeye !!!!
P.S. You should hear this song while reading this post:

Ericgobucks's picture

Ramsy, as much as I enjoy your sarcastic and or funny tweets, it's your writing that keeps me coming back.