By Eddie Calvert

Most experts around the country will tell you two things, one – it’s too early to tell if Ohio State is going to get into the big dance, and two – right now they look like they are on the bubble.

For the readers, I had originally written this article before the Iowa game.  What does that mean?  It means that the Buckeyes are now an inch closer to the wrong side of that imaginary but all too real “bubble”.

Sitting at 15-7 and 6-3 in conference (and these records were also adjusted following the Iowa game), the stretch run will decide it.  I won’t be surprised to hear coach Matta use the common analogy that his team has been in a tournament since February.  Fortunately for the Bucks it isn’t a one and done, but there are some games the Buckeyes must win, at least one or so you would have to think.

The remaining schedule looks something like this, if the Buckeyes win the games they are supposed to (again – note the Iowa loss here), they end up with 19 or 20 wins an often thought of as magical number for a ticket to the dance – as long as you don’t ask the jaded teams club.  Maybe 21 if you give OSU the edge versus a surprisingly good Purdue team.

Ohio State though, without a victory against the Big Ten’s current power three (Indiana, Michigan State and Wisconsin) in this last half run, could find themselves a member to that jaded teams club.

This is the team that coach Matta said of, that he didn’t know what to expect.  Well, the next month and a half we will all know.  A couple of wins over those teams sitting above them and OSU will be a lock to be given a ticket, without that win…they will be at the mercy of that all mysterious meeting of men in cloaks within that closed room who make or break hearts and seasons when decision time has come.

Don’t get me wrong, I love coach Matta and believe in his big game coaching ability.  The Buckeyes are still in the hunt for the Big Ten title, I just don’t expect that to happen.  Yet this is one of those teams that has just enough leadership (Butler, Terwilliger, Hunter) and enough talent (Lighty, Koufos, Diebler) along with being quiet enough that they are still off the radar, to make a serious run.

Jaded with twenty, or jubilant with twenty?  This second half of the season promises to be both, fun and uncertain to the end.  And this team has every opportunity to write their own story, not to mention getting themselves off the bubble.