OSU's outlook is better, but challenge is bigger

The Buckeyes will carry a two-game winning streak to Michigan State.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -- Things have returned to semi-normal in Buckeye Nation since Ohio State won its last two games: No calls for the coach to be run out of town, no distraught fans threatening to jump off tall buildings.
Wins over Indiana and Penn State -- two of the Big Ten's doormats -- have cooled things down after a three-game losing skid had the city in an uproar.
Things are better for the Buckeyes (5-3, 2-3), no question about it. Yet coach Jim Tressel recognizes that his team isn't in the clear just yet. Ohio State plays Saturday at Michigan State (4-4, 3-2), the first of three difficult games to close out the regular season.
"It's significantly more difficult than the last two (games)," Tressel said. "Michigan State is a better football team than the last two teams that we played."
Comeback
Ohio State opened the Big Ten with losses at Northwestern (33-27 in overtime), at home against Wisconsin (24-13) and at Iowa (33-7) before mending some fences the last two weeks with home wins against the Hoosiers (30-7) and Nittany Lions (21-10).
"Each week we've improved in different areas," defensive tackle Quinn Pitcock said. "We may have taken a step back somewhere, but we've definitely taken steps forward. We've improved and we're definitely a better team."
Tressel said the Buckeyes will have to be substantially better because they played poorly in their last two road games and because all Big Ten teams play their best at home.
"You're kidding yourself if you don't think that your opponents aren't going to be energized" by their home fans, Tressel said.
Triple-overtime loss
Michigan State's toughest hurdle may be recovering from a devastating loss last week at Michigan. The Spartans led by 17 points with just over 8 minutes remaining, before falling 45-37 in triple-overtime at The Big House in one of the most memorable games in the old rivals' 97 meetings.
"I saw it when it was 27-10," Ohio State running back and kick-returner Maurice Hall said, shaking his head. "Then I learned the next morning that Michigan came back and won the game."
Tressel said he believed the Buckeyes might be enough to shake the Spartans out of any post-Wolverines hangover and get their focus back.
"I'm sure they looked at their schedule and (saw) they had about eight days in a row that were circled that were probably going to be the difference in their season," Tressel said. "I'm sure they've been thinking about it for quite some time. The fact that it's Ohio State coming to their house, I'd be shocked if there was anything other than an increased effort."
OSU's bowl situation
The Buckeyes enter their final three games needing a win to be assured of a bowl invitation. They close the regular season at Purdue before hosting No. 10 Michigan.
Hall said people on the outside will judge the Buckeyes on whether they had a November to remember.
"'They have three losses but how'd they finish?"' Hall said fans would ask about the team. "'How'd they do when they played some of the best teams in the Big Ten?"'
Tressel said his team cannot afford to be thinking about bowl bids and the postseason when quality opponents are lying in wait.
"If anyone's thinking about something three weeks from now, we're not going to be as good as we need to be to beat Michigan State," he said.
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