FORT WORTH, Texas _ Good news, TCU fans, Bobby Carpenter saw the opening line for the Ohio State/TCU game and immediately thought it was wrong.
Bad news, TCU fans, Carpenter said, "I thought it should be more like nine."
The line opened at 12.5 point. Now it's 13 (for Ohio State).
The former Dallas Cowboys first-round draft pick from 2006 is a proud Buckeye alum, and now a sports radio talk show host in Columbus.
As a player, Carpenter was great to the media. In turn, media has been great to him. He also recently added calling college games for ESPN to his to-do list.
He's plugged in to the large Ohio State scene as well as anyone, and offers this balanced point of view on No. 4 Ohio State's game against No. 15 TCU on Saturday at Jerry's Night Club.
"I do think the game can be good because TCU has players. They have athletes. I know they lost a lot from last year, but they do have fast, twitchy guys," Carpenter said. "This Ohio State team is very talented, and very young. They have never done this. And there is always a chance you can lose.
"The problem is (Ohio State) is just so big. TCU needs to look at what Oregon State did and try to make plays down the field."
In the season opener on Sept. 1, Oregon State scored 31 points. In Columbus.
(Please overlook the fact Oregon State gave up 77)
"TCU can't expect to be able to drive it a long time against Ohio State because their defensive line is so good," Carpenter said. "Gary Patterson is one of the best around, and Ohio State has a young center and a young quarterback. If you can confuse them, get them in third-and-long and let their pass rushers take advantage of that, it can be a game."
The size disparity Carpenter mentioned exists, but it's not crushing.
Ohio State's five starting offensive linemen average 6-feet-6{, 312 pounds. TCU's four defensive linemen averages out to 6-feet-2, 265 pounds
TCU's five starting offensive linemen average 6-foot-5, 308 pounds; OSU's four D-linemen average 6-foot-3, 272 pounds.
To give you an idea of how much TCU has, or has not, "grown" since its win over Wisconsin in the 2011 Rose Bowl when the Horned Frogs were the "little" team, its four starting defensive linemen that day averaged 6-foot-2, 270 pounds. Thanks largely to future pro Marcus Cannon, TCU's starting offensive line against Wisconsin was 6-foot-3, 317 pounds.
The size hasn't changed that much, but the talent has.
Much like TCU's Rose Bowl game against Wisconsin, its best chance against the run will be to run-blitz, and take chances on pass plays.
The problem for TCU in this risk is OSU quarterback Dwayne Haskins is better than his predecessor, J.T. Barrett.
"J.T. was such a powerful runner; he reminds me of TCU's quarterback (Shawn Robinson) to tell you the truth," Carpenter said. "Dwayne is a different caliber passer. He has a gun, and he has such great touch. He can run, but it's not what he wants to do. He wants to find plays down the field. They have weapons and I think this is the first time they have been able to let it go; I think (head coach) Urban Meyer was excited to do that."
Urban Meyer. Almost forgot.
The Ohio State coach will serve the third and final of his three-game suspension for his involvement, or lack thereof, in the Zach Smith scandal. Meyer is scheduled to return for the Buckeyes' "game" against Tulane on Sept. 22.
Ohio State has won its first two games by the combined score of 129-34 over college football powers Oregon State and Rutgers; this has led a lot of stupid Buckeyes fans to draw the conclusion that the play-calling in Columbus is superior without Meyer ruining it for the rest of the team.
Here is what's superior: Ohio State against Oregon State. Ohio State against Rutgers.
The man who left Florida to spend more time with his family is 73-8 in six seasons in Columbus, and anyone who thinks the Buckeyes are better without Meyer needs to be checked for a meth' addiction.
The guys running Ohio State without Meyer are offensive coordinator Ryan Day, with a little help from defensive coordinator Greg Schiano. Schiano has been a head coach before, and Day will be a front runner for a job shortly.
"Because Urban is an offensive guy, sometimes it can be too many cooks in the kitchen," Carpenter said. "I think maybe (the game against) TCU might be different if Urban was calling the plays, but early on there has not been any effect because the games have been under control."
So there you have it.
There is a way for TCU to defeat Ohio State, even if Las Vegas says there isn't.
