Maybe the Buckeye band should save a tuba player to dot the bottom of a question mark. Second-year coach Jim Tressel has three unproven candidates for the QB job and three talented ones for the tailback slot. "We may not have everything answered for three or four games," admits offensive coordinator Jim Bollman.

Fortunately, OSU's Big Ten play doesn't begin until Week 5, and that's just one reason the Buckeyes could go to their first Rose Bowl since 1997. WRs Chris Vance (6'2") and Michael Jenkins (6'5") might be the league's best flanker duo, if someone can get the ball to them.

That someone probably won't be local prep hero Justin Zwick, who may not be ready to battle juniors Craig Krenzel and Scott McMullen for the QB slot. Sophomore RB Lydell Ross chairs the tailback committee but may get bounced by game-breaking superfrosh Maurice Clarett.

The Buckeyes defense, which brings back seven starters, should give the offense time to catch up. The Bucks are especially strong up the middle. Thorpe candidate SS Michael Doss and FS Donnie Nickey have played in every game the last three seasons, combining for 60 starts. If DTs Tim Anderson and Kenny Peterson control the trenches, the OSU defense will be airtight.

"We can be physically dominant," says D-coordinator Mark Dantonio. And maybe 12–0 when Michigan comes to town.

HOT WIRE

Some folks doubted Dustin Fox could handle the move from safety to corner this year. Then he ran a 4.3 40 in winter conditioning drills. If Fox can throw a blanket on receivers, the Buckeyes can let loose Doss and Nickey, perhaps the nation's best safety tandem. On the corner, Fox is bucking family tradition -- uncle Tim was an OSU All-America safety and brother Derek started three years at safety for Penn State.

TRIP WIRE

OSU lost All-America C LeCharles Bentley and four-year starting T Tyson Walter. G Adrien Clarke has back pains. That leaves three healthy returning starters on the O-line, including T Shane Olivea, back from a broken ankle, and Alex Stepanovich, who moves to center. Talk about question marks.

WIRE TAP

"They have a really good front seven with lots of athletes, but they're overaggressive. Tim Anderson and Will Smith are the guys people talk about, but Darrion Scott's got the best tools. I'd do a lot of misdirection and use draws, traps and screens. Their corners are shaky. Good receivers can beat them one-on-one ... if you can keep that front four on their heels."

BRISTOL WIRE

Kirk Herbstreit: "They have the skill to win the Big Ten title. They just need to get consistent play from the QB and need to take advantage of nine home games (if you include the game at Cincinnati)."

The ESPN Power 16
1	Oklahoma	9	Colorado
2	Florida State	10	Washington State
3	Miami	11	Washington
4	Texas	12	Oregon
5	Tennessee	13	Nebraska
6	Florida	14	Michigan State
7	Georgia	15	Virginia Tech
8	Ohio State	16	LSU

This article appears in the September 2 issue of ESPN The Magazine.