THE Ohio State University

I know just about everybody out there is a fan of The Ohio State University.

Ok there are a few Michigan and Notre Dame backers mixed in with all you Bowling Green graduates too.

I like Ohio State and I’m glad that they win but I am definitely not an OSU Super Fan like many Findlay area residents are. I actually do believe some of them bleed scarlet and gray.

But I have to say, after reading last night’s story on the Associated Press wire about Ohio State University’s future football schedules I am more than a little disappointed in Coach Tressel and the Buckeye athletic department.

I have always thought of Ohio State as one of the nation’s elite college football prorgams. They have won numerous national championships, they have one of the most recognizable stadiums in college football and a tradition that is rivaled by only a few other schools across the country.

It’s tough to rain on Ohio State’s parade, especially after the Buckeyes were ranked No.1 in the USA Today Coaches’ poll. But Ohio State released their schedule yesterday and it probably won’t be among the toughest schedules in the nation to say the least.

Ohio State’s Future Football Schedules
2007
9/1 Youngstown State
9/8 Akron
9/15 @ Washington
9/22 Northwestern
9/29 @ Minnesota
10/6 @ Purdue
10/13 Kent State
10/20 Michigan State
10/27 @ Penn State
11/3 Wisconsin
11/10 Illinois
11/17 @ Michigan

2008
8/30 Youngstown State
9/6 Ohio
9/13 @ Southern California
9/20 Troy University
9/27 Minnesota
10/4 @ Wisconsin
10/11 Purdue
10/18 @ Michigan State
10/25 Penn State
11/1 Bye Week
11/8 @ Northwestern
11/15 @ Illinois
11/22 Michigan

2009
9/5 Army
9/12 Southern California
9/19 Toledo (in Cleveland)
9/26 Illinois
10/3 @ Indiana
10/10 Wisconsin
10/17 @ Purdue
10/24 Minnesota
10/31 New Mexico State
11/7 @ Penn State
11/11 Iowa
11/21 @ Michigan

2010
9/4 Marshall
9/11 Miami (Florida)
9/18 @ Army
9/25 @ Illinois
10/2 Indiana
10/9 @ Wisconsin
10/16 Purdue
10/23 @ Minnesota
10/30 TBA
11/6 Penn State
11/13 @ Iowa
11/20 Michigan

Next season’s schedule is a joke. Kent, Akron and I-AA Youngstown State all in the same season. Who will take that seriously? OK their other game is against a PAC-10 team -- Washington. It does get progressively better with Southern Cal on the slate for 2008 and 2009 and Miami (Florida) in 2010.

But for one of college football’s elite programs, the Buckeyes’ schedule leaves a lot of room for improvement.