The great American poet Cornell Haynes once posed this existential query:
“What does it take to be #1, two is not a winner, and three nobody remembers.” In slightly more recent history, another local wordsmith named Kanye West stated “number one can’t put nothing above that. You deserve a verse from me, we’re going to party like it’s our anniversary.”
Today, the Ohio State Buckeyes, among favorites to win the Big Ten, now looking like serious contenders for a national title, are living these lyrics. With the Florida State upset over Duke, the polls will later today deem the Buckeyes the new rulers of college basketball.
OSU fans, I hope you run these two rap references into the ground, exactly like I did in 2004-05 when Illinois was #1 for most of the season. It’s pretty rare for the same school to assume the #1 ranking in both college football and college basketball, but OSU is about to pull it off.
But again, this is the same school that (along with the University of Florida) played for the national title in both college basketball and football.
Here’s what some of the stars of the team had to say:
Thad Matta on the possibility of being ranked No. 1
“The thing that excites me the most is that it is the second time that we have been there in a couple years. It is great for the program. Not too many schools end up in the position that we are in and I am proud for OSU and the basketball program.”
Jared Sullinger, freshman forward
On their anticipated No. 1 ranking
“Honestly as a team, we didn’t even say anything about it after the game. All of our focus is on our next game on Wednesday.”
With the home squeaker win over Penn State yesterday, Ohio State moved to 135-23 (.853) at Value City Arena, improving to 79-5 vs. non-conference opponents and 55-18 vs. Big Ten foes. They are 12-0 at Value City Arena this season.
- The Buckeyes’ 18-0 overall record is the third-best start in school history (1960-61, 27-0; 1961-62, 22-0). Ohio State currently holds the nation’s longest active winning streak at 18 games.
- Ohio State now has won 15 home games in a row (last home loss was to Purdue on 2/17/10).
- As a ranked team, Ohio State is 379-105 all-time.
- Ohio State’s four returning starters for 2010-11 (Jon Diebler, David Lighty, Dallas Lauderdale and William Buford) have combined for 364 career starts and 469 games played.
- Ohio State improved to 31-7 when ranked second in the country, and 116-17 when ranked among the Top 3 in the country.
Paul M. Banks is CEO of The Sports Bank.net. He is also a regular contributor to Chicago Now, Walter Football.com, Yardbarker Network, and Fox Sports.com
He also does a regular guest spot each week for Chicagoland Sports Radio.com
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