2026 World Cup (Official Thread)
- By Mike80
- Other OSU and Professional Sports
- 732 Replies
If Cape Verde somehow wins this game, the Argentine players will get tarmac’d mid-flight 
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Ross Bjork (OSU AD)
- By ScriptOhio
- Buckeye Football
- 346 Replies
Ohio State's Ross Bjork projects to have $500 million athletics budget 'very soon'
Athletic director Ross Bjork expects Ohio State’s athletic department to be the first to record an annual operating budget of $500 million in the coming years.“It’s going to happen,” Bjork said. “It could happen in three years from now. It could happen two years from now or five years from now. But we will have a $500 million athletic budget at some point in time very soon. We have that capability.”
Since replacing Gene Smith at the helm of the athletic department two years ago, Bjork has seen soaring revenues from ticket sales, sponsorship and licensing, as well as record fundraising following their national championship in football in 2024.
The university’s athletic department exceeded $300 million in operating revenue for the first time during the 2025 fiscal year, according to its annual financial report to the NCAA.
The department’s total of $336.1 million marked a significant spike from its previous high of $279.5 million from the 2023 fiscal year. Revenue and expense figures from this fiscal year ending on June 30 are not yet available.
Ohio State is a behemoth in college sports not only due to the stature of its football program, but also due to its sponsorship of 36 other varsity sports, leaving it tied with Stanford for the most among power conference schools.
Both factors have led the athletic department in recent years to pursue additional ways to generate revenue, especially as it also manages new expenses related to revenue-sharing with athletes that began last year following the settlement of three antitrust cases against the NCAA.
Bjork has sought to cultivate more donors as well as part of their fundraising efforts.
“There’s a lot of data that shows we have 12 million fans,” Bjork said. “If 1% of those people would join the Buckeye Club, what’s the math on that? One hundred and twenty thousand. Right now, we have about 25,000 donors, and that’s a great number, but how do we take the size and scale of Ohio State and maximize it?
“There really is no ceiling for our program from an engagement, enterprise, value, revenue, all of those things. That’s what we're really going to focus on. Take vision, turn it into action and make sure we're nationally competitive. We have to make sure there's some financial sustainable model.”
ESPN’s Paul Finebaum has made a surprising admission about the Ohio State Buckeyes ahead of the 2026 season
Paul Finebaum has ruffled the feathers of Ohio State fans many times over the years. His latest comment on the Buckeyes may come as a surprise for that very reason.
atozsports.com
ESPN’s Paul Finebaum has made a surprising admission about the Ohio State Buckeyes ahead of the 2026 season
Paul Finebaum has ruffled the feathers of Ohio State fans many times over the years. His latest comment on the Buckeyes may come as a surprise for that very reason.Paul Finebaum tells it like it is with the Ohio State Buckeyes
“Nobody is in Ohio State’s league right now,” Finebaum said recently. “I saw that story the other day, and the idea of a half-billion-dollar athletic budget is truly amazing. Now, remember, Ohio State has more sports than the average SEC program. I would think Texas and Georgia are considerably behind that. It’s just a number, but it’s also where college athletics is.”Finebaum is typically viewed as somewhat of an SEC homer in Big Ten land. He was honest about no other program being on Ohio State’s level right now athletics-wise. Of course, much of it has to do with the support of Buckeye Nation, as well as the success the football team can ride on every season.
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QB1 Julian Sayin (All B1G, B1G Frosh of Year, All American, National Frosh of Year, National Champion)
- By ScriptOhio
- Buckeye Football
- 947 Replies
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www.landgrantholyland.com
Last year around this time Buckeye Nation was wondering if Julian Sayin would be able to replace Will Howard and lead Ohio State to back-to-back national titles.
Shortly after enrolling at Alabama, Sayin transferred to Ohio State after Nick Saban announced his retirement. Sayin would sit behind Howard in 2024, learning the ropes of the Buckeye offense.
As if making your first collegiate start at quarterback wasn’t enough to deal with, Sayin had to do so against the Texas Longhorns, who entered the season opener against Ohio State as the top-ranked team in the country.
While Sayin’s numbers against Texas weren’t sexy, he did everything he was asked to in the 14-7 win. The goal for Sayin against the Longhorns was to get his feet wet and keep his confidence ahead of games against Grambling State and Ohio where he could pad the stat sheet.
All Sayin would go on to do as a redshirt freshman was complete 77 percent of his passes, throw for 3,610 yards, 32 touchdowns, and eight interceptions. Along with being named Big Ten Freshman of the Year, Sayin was a finalist for the Heisman Trophy, where he finished fourth in the voting.
Despite failing to lead Ohio State to a Big Ten title and another national championship, Sayin did engineer a 27-9 win over Michigan, snapping a four-game losing streak against the Wolverines.
Heading into the 2026 season even more growth is expected from Sayin. Ohio State will likely open the season as the number one ranked team in the country and a major reason for that is because they have Sayin returning behind center.
Along with being the quarterback of a team that will be a serious national title contender, Sayin will likely be in the mix to be invited to New York City in early December for the Heisman Trophy ceremony.
Not to say that Sayin’s play as a freshman was perfect. In Ohio State’s most important games of the season, Sayin had a hard time finding his footing against Indiana and Miami, completing 43 of his 64 pass attempts for 545 yards, two touchdowns, and three picks while being sacked 10 times over those two games.
Even though those two teams would go on to meet for the national championship, Ohio State could have been Big Ten champs and even national champions if Sayin had been a little more effective in those games.
There also were some short-yardage issues for Sayin, as he failed to convert running the football deep in the red zone against Michigan and Indiana. Buckeye Nation was spoiled the previous season with the way Will Howard was able to put his head down and gain the necessary yards in short-yardage situations, but Sayin isn’t that type of quarterback.
Despite not being a quarterback who is going to have a number of designed runs called for him, Sayin is still big and strong enough to where he shouldn’t have nearly as much trouble picking up a yard or two.
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Burning Questions: How good can Julian Sayin be in 2026?
After an outstanding first season as Ohio State’s starting quarterback, more is expected of Sayin this year.
www.landgrantholyland.com
Burning Questions: How good can Julian Sayin be in 2026?
After an outstanding first season as Ohio State’s starting quarterback, more is expected of Sayin this year.Last year around this time Buckeye Nation was wondering if Julian Sayin would be able to replace Will Howard and lead Ohio State to back-to-back national titles.
Shortly after enrolling at Alabama, Sayin transferred to Ohio State after Nick Saban announced his retirement. Sayin would sit behind Howard in 2024, learning the ropes of the Buckeye offense.
As if making your first collegiate start at quarterback wasn’t enough to deal with, Sayin had to do so against the Texas Longhorns, who entered the season opener against Ohio State as the top-ranked team in the country.
While Sayin’s numbers against Texas weren’t sexy, he did everything he was asked to in the 14-7 win. The goal for Sayin against the Longhorns was to get his feet wet and keep his confidence ahead of games against Grambling State and Ohio where he could pad the stat sheet.
All Sayin would go on to do as a redshirt freshman was complete 77 percent of his passes, throw for 3,610 yards, 32 touchdowns, and eight interceptions. Along with being named Big Ten Freshman of the Year, Sayin was a finalist for the Heisman Trophy, where he finished fourth in the voting.
Despite failing to lead Ohio State to a Big Ten title and another national championship, Sayin did engineer a 27-9 win over Michigan, snapping a four-game losing streak against the Wolverines.
Heading into the 2026 season even more growth is expected from Sayin. Ohio State will likely open the season as the number one ranked team in the country and a major reason for that is because they have Sayin returning behind center.
Along with being the quarterback of a team that will be a serious national title contender, Sayin will likely be in the mix to be invited to New York City in early December for the Heisman Trophy ceremony.
Not to say that Sayin’s play as a freshman was perfect. In Ohio State’s most important games of the season, Sayin had a hard time finding his footing against Indiana and Miami, completing 43 of his 64 pass attempts for 545 yards, two touchdowns, and three picks while being sacked 10 times over those two games.
Even though those two teams would go on to meet for the national championship, Ohio State could have been Big Ten champs and even national champions if Sayin had been a little more effective in those games.
There also were some short-yardage issues for Sayin, as he failed to convert running the football deep in the red zone against Michigan and Indiana. Buckeye Nation was spoiled the previous season with the way Will Howard was able to put his head down and gain the necessary yards in short-yardage situations, but Sayin isn’t that type of quarterback.
Despite not being a quarterback who is going to have a number of designed runs called for him, Sayin is still big and strong enough to where he shouldn’t have nearly as much trouble picking up a yard or two.
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WR Jerquaden Guilford (Official Thread)
- By ScriptOhio
- Buckeye Football
- 93 Replies
Jerquaden Guilford’s path to playing time is clear, and Ohio State’s future is counting on it
Jerquaden Guilford enters one of the deepest receiver rooms in college football, but the former four-star prospect has all the tools to develop into a major contributor when Ohio State’s next wave of stars takes over.
www.landgrantholyland.com
Jerquaden Guilford’s path to playing time is clear, and Ohio State’s future is counting on it
Jerquaden Guilford enters one of the deepest receiver rooms in college football, but the former four-star prospect has all the tools to develop into a major contributor when Ohio State’s next wave of stars takes over.Ohio State rarely asks true freshman wide receivers to become instant stars. It has happened before, Jeremiah Smith immediately became one of the best players in college football. Chris Henry Jr. is expected to have a major role from Day One this season. But those are exceptions, not the rule.
More often, Ryan Day allows receivers to spend a year learning the offense, developing physically, refining their route running, and adjusting to one of the deepest receiver rooms in the country before their opportunity arrives. That is exactly why Jerquaden Guilford’s long term outlook is so exciting.
The Fort Wayne native may not fill the stat sheet during his freshman season, but everything about his profile suggests Ohio State could be developing another future star. His combination of size, route running, body control, and athletic upside gives him one of the highest ceilings in the Buckeyes’ 2026 recruiting class.
If his progression follows the typical Ohio State wide receiver timeline, the next three seasons could tell the story of one of the program’s next great receivers.
Year one is about development, not production
Ohio State just simply does not need Jerquaden Guilford to play significant snaps in 2026. That is a luxury few programs can offer.The Buckeyes return arguably the best receiver in college football in Jeremiah Smith, while Brandon Inniss, Devin McCuin, Chris Henry Jr, and several experienced veterans headline one of the nation’s deepest receiver rooms. Earning meaningful offensive snaps as a freshman in that environment would be difficult for almost anyone.
Instead, Guilford’s first season should be spent exactly how Ohio State prefers to develop young receivers. Learning the offense, building strength, and perfecting the details that separate good receivers from future NFL Draft picks.
There is every reason to believe he is capable of making the leap. Guilford was one of the biggest risers in the 2026 recruiting cycle. After originally flying under the radar, he exploded nationally during his senior season, eventually finishing as one of the country’s top receiver prospects following an outstanding week at the Navy All American Bowl.
Ohio State beat out Michigan, Ole Miss, Indiana and several other Power Four programs to land his commitment after staying persistent throughout his recruitment.
What stands out most on film is how polished Guilford already is. He is an effortless mover who wastes very little motion getting in and out of his breaks, with advanced releases, natural ball tracking, soft hands, and the ability to consistently create separation at all three levels of the field.
He attacks leverage naturally, accelerates quickly off the line of scrimmage, and uses tempo and precise route running to keep defenders off balance rather than relying solely on elite speed. Add in his outstanding body control and ability to adjust to passes downfield, and it is easy to see why Ohio State believes his ceiling is so high.
He is still developing physically, particularly adding strength against press coverage, but that is exactly the type of improvement Ohio State’s strength staff has repeatedly helped receivers make over the years. Could Guilford work his way into the rotation late in the season if he progresses the right way? Absolutely.
If injuries occur or he develops faster than expected, his route running alone gives him a chance to contribute in specialized situations. But even if his stat line remains modest, it should not change expectations. This season is about building toward something much bigger.
Year two is where the opportunity arrives
Everything changes entering the 2027 season. It’s expected that Jeremiah Smith, Brandon Inniss, and Devin McCuin are all expected to move on to the NFL after the 2026 campaign. And that should create one of the biggest opportunities Ohio State’s receiver room has seen in years..
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CG John “Juni” Mobley, Jr. (Official Thread)
- By ScriptOhio
- Buckeye Basketball
- 114 Replies
John Mobley Jr. Went Through NBA Draft Process “With Both Feet In,” But His “Heart Was Always at Ohio State”
After deciding to return to Ohio State, John Mobley Jr. is applying what he learned from the NBA draft process to become an even better shooter and a more complete two-way player.
John Mobley Jr. Went Through NBA Draft Process “With Both Feet In,” But His “Heart Was Always at Ohio State”
John Mobley Jr. didn’t just test the NBA draft waters, he dove in headfirst. Now back at Ohio State, he returns with a clear blueprint to improve, both as an individual and as a teammate.
Mobley loves being a Buckeye, but he knew that what's best for both his future and the Ohio State men's basketball team was for him to go through the NBA draft process while maintaining his eligibility. And not just go through it half-heartedly, but to go all in, both for him to get the best feedback and to develop and craft his game to figure out the things he must improve on the most.
"Go in with both feet in," Mobley said on June 19 while speaking to the media for the first time this offseason, words that Jake Diebler said earlier in the offseason. “Going in to do everything with the intentions of going to the NBA. Got good feedback."
Mobley didn't receive an invite to the NBA Scouting Combine, but he still had private workouts with NBA teams, all of whom gave him feedback. Although his shooting ability received rave reviews, he was told he needed to improve his defense and physicality. At 6-2 and 190 pounds, Mobley is smaller than most NBA guards, but he can make up for that to some extent by being more physical.
Now back at Ohio State for his third season with the Buckeyes, Mobley has already started to apply the feedback he received to his game.
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OSU Women's Basketball Recruiting/Projections/General Discussions
- By ScriptOhio
- Basketball Recruiting
- 183 Replies
Five-Star Center Sydney Mobley Commits to Ohio State Women’s Basketball
Ohio State women’s basketball adds a five-star center to its roster as Sydney Mobley commits to the Buckeyes and reclassifies into the 2026 class.
Five-Star Center Sydney Mobley Commits to Ohio State Women’s Basketball
Ohio State women’s basketball has added a five-star center to its 2026-27 roster.
Sydney Mobley, who was ranked as the No. 3 center and No. 18 overall prospect in the 2027 class, announced her commitment to Ohio State on Friday. Mobley also announced she will reclassify into the 2026 class and join the Buckeyes’ roster for the 2026-27 season.
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Mobley joins the Buckeyes from nearby Big Walnut High School in Sunbury, Ohio. She’s a cousin of Ohio State men’s basketball star John Mobley Jr.
Mobley chose Ohio State after also making official visits to Illinois and Virginia. Other major programs that offered Mobley included Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan State, North Carolina, Notre Dame, South Carolina, Vanderbilt and Virginia Tech.
A 6-foot-2 post player, Mobley could play either center or power forward for Ohio State. She joins a frontcourt led by returning starters Elsa Lemmila and Kylee Kitts.
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Professional Players Returning to College
- By ScriptOhio
- Buckeye Basketball
- 18 Replies
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Tom Izzo Rips NCAA Over Former NBA Draft Pick Committing to Baylor
Tom Izzo spoke out against the NCAA after former NBA draft pick James Nnaji’s commitment to Baylorwww.si.com
Tom Izzo Rips NCAA Over Former NBA Draft Pick Committing to Baylor
James Nnaji the 31st pick in the 2023 NBA draft, recently committed to play for Scott Drew and Baylor.
In the ever-changing landscape of college sports, another seismic shift came recently with the news of former NBA draft pick James Nnaji’s commitment to Baylor. Nnaji, the 31st pick in the 2023 NBA draft, has played in Europe since he was drafted and the Knicks currently own his draft rights.
He has never appeared in an NBA game, but taking the college route sparks an immediate question about the harsh reality of college sports in the modern age. Michigan State coach Tom Izzo hasn’t been afraid to criticize the NCAA in its new age of NIL, most recently for the decision to grant eligibility to multiple former NBA G League players to play college basketball. The legendary Spartans coach always sticks up for the integrity of the game and especially its players. He was asked about Nnaji’s commitment and provided some candid thoughts for the NCAA to chew on.
“Now we’re taking guys that were drafted in the NBA and everything,” Izzo said via Spartans Illustrated. “I said it to you a month and a half ago, come on Magic [Johnson] and Gary [Harris], let’s go baby. Let’s do it, why not? If that’s what we’re going through, shame on the NCAA. Shame on the coaches too, but shame on the NCAA. Because coaches are going to do what they got to do I guess, but the NCAA is the one.
“Those people on those committees that are making those decisions to allow something so ridiculous and not think of the kid. Everybody talks about me thinking about my program as selfish, no. Get that straight for all of you, I’m thinking of what is best for my son if he was in that position. And I just don’t agree with it.”
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'This s*** is crazy' — Baylor's addition of James Nnaji further blurs line between pro and college hoops
The combination of schools looking for players outside the traditional recruiting realm and judges eroding the NCAA’s ability to enforce eligibility rules has led everyone here, whether they like it or not.sports.yahoo.com
'This s*** is crazy' — Baylor's addition of James Nnaji further blurs line between pro and college hoops
It’s rare for a college basketball story to enter the mainstream sports conversation on Christmas Eve, but Baylor’s announcement that it had added center James Nnaji — the 31st pick in the 2023 NBA Draft — was enough of a “What are we doing here?” moment for it to break through.
Though college sports is now professional in almost every sense — including players who have signed pro contracts in Europe and the NBA G League finding their way to college basketball this year — the Nnaji development feels like new territory. This isn’t someone who slipped through the cracks or got bad advice, turned pro out of high school and ran into a career dead end. Nnaji, who has been playing in Europe, was one draft slot away from being a first-round pick with a guaranteed NBA contract. He played in the NBA Summer League and has even been part of a trade.
“Santa Claus is delivering mid season acquisitions…this s*** is crazy!!” UConn coach Dan Hurley wrote on X shortly after the news became public.
Is this really the type of player who should be part of college basketball? Who knows, maybe Arizona can get LeBron James on the bench for its Final Four push if he wants to play with his son Bryce....
That would be absurd, of course — and, to be clear, expressly against NCAA rules since these pro-to-college cases must take place within five years of high school — but you can be forgiven if it seems like anything goes these days.
And guess what? As more college programs pursue mid-year additions, some have even checked in with G League players on two-way contracts who have appeared in actual NBA games. That seems inevitable at some point, too, given where this trend seems to be headed.
But don’t blame Baylor or any program for pursuing those players.
While you’d be hard-pressed to find anyone in college sports who thinks this is a good development, schools are merely doing what the NCAA has given them the green light to do as it waits and hopes for some kind of antitrust protection from Congress that would allow for the actual enforcement of the rulebook rather than a mishmash of eligibility rulings.
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Just sayin': Who knew that you could get drafted by the NBA, play professionally in Europe, and then still be eligible to play college basketball? He's listed (below) on Baylor's roster as a Freshman:
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NHL Buckeye Tracker
- By ScriptOhio
- Other OSU and Professional Sports
- 6 Replies
Skull Session: Ohio State Could Have College Football’s Toughest Schedule in 2026, David Gabriel Georges Could Be The First Million-Dollar Running Back Recruit and Kelsey Mitchell Is A WNBA All-Star Starter
Ohio State could have college football’s toughest schedule in 2026, David Gabriel Georges could be the first million-dollar RB recruit and Kelsey Mitchell is a WNBA All-Star starter.
SAVE MAN GETS PAID. Former Ohio State men’s hockey goaltender Jakub Dobes is cashing in after leading the Montreal Canadiens to the NHL’s Eastern Conference finals in this year’s playoffs.
Dobes received a three-year contract extension with an average annual salary of $5,357,575 from the Canadiens on Wednesday.
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Dobes was the NHL’s top rookie goaltender this past season, earning wins in 29 of his 43 regular-season appearances with a 2.78 goals against average and a .901 save percentage. He followed that up by earning nine wins with a 2.66 GAA and .908 save percentage in the playoffs, leading the Canadiens to series wins over the Tampa Bay Lightning and Buffalo Sabres before they lost to the eventual Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes in the conference finals.
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Ohio State Women's Basketball (2023-24 B1G CHAMPS)
- By ScriptOhio
- Buckeye Basketball
- 3803 Replies
Skull Session: Ohio State Could Have College Football’s Toughest Schedule in 2026, David Gabriel Georges Could Be The First Million-Dollar Running Back Recruit and Kelsey Mitchell Is A WNBA All-Star Starter
Ohio State could have college football’s toughest schedule in 2026, David Gabriel Georges could be the first million-dollar RB recruit and Kelsey Mitchell is a WNBA All-Star starter.
HEY NOW, YOU’RE AN ALL-STAR. Former Ohio State women’s basketball star Kelsey Mitchell has been selected as a WNBA All-Star starter for the first time.
Mitchell, who’s averaging a career-high 21.6 points per game for the Indiana Fever this season, was one of 10 players named Wednesday as starters for this year’s WNBA All-Star Game.
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2026 Season: Are You Ready For Some Football?
- By ScriptOhio
- Buckeye Football
- 30 Replies
Skull Session: Ohio State Could Have College Football’s Toughest Schedule in 2026, David Gabriel Georges Could Be The First Million-Dollar Running Back Recruit and Kelsey Mitchell Is A WNBA All-Star Starter
Ohio State could have college football’s toughest schedule in 2026, David Gabriel Georges could be the first million-dollar RB recruit and Kelsey Mitchell is a WNBA All-Star starter.
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Making matters even more difficult, Ohio State will have to travel 4,422 miles for its five regular-season road games (Texas, Iowa, Indiana, USC, Nebraska) – the second-most miles the Buckeyes have ever had to travel during a regular season.
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