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LGHL Game of the Year: How important is Ohio State’s season opener against Texas?
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Game of the Year: How important is Ohio State’s season opener against Texas?
AlexFrank via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Jan 10, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes defensive end Jack Sawyer (33) celebrates after returning a fumble recovery for a touchdown with cornerback Jordan Hancock (7) during the fourth quarter of the College Football Playoff semifinal against the Texas Longhorns in the Cotton Bowl at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-Imagn Images | Tim Heitman-Imagn Images
The Buckeyes open up the new campaign with a bang.
From now until preseason camp starts in August, Land-Grant Holy Land will be writing articles around a different theme every week. This week is all about this season’s marquee matchups. Whether they feature the Buckeyes, other Big Ten schools, or major teams across the country. You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content here and all of our ”Game of the Year” articles here.
Ohio State must beat Texas in its season opener on Aug. 30.
Okay, correction; It’s not a must-win game, largely due to the safety net that is a 12-team College Football Playoff. However, it is a game Ohio State really needs to win.
The Buckeyes went into Texas’s backyard in the CFP Semifinals at the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic this past January and beat the Longhorns 28-14. Jack Sawyer’s scoop-and-score was the most memorable play of the game, and it’s a play that will long live in Ohio State lore.
Ryan Day has earned back a lot of equity, vindication and faith from the fanbase for what the Buckeyes did over the one-month duration of the College Football Playoff this past Winter. Even though he’s only 1-4 against Michigan, he now has a national championship. At the end of the day, that’s the ultimate end-goal for the Buckeyes going into every season.
Day guided the Buckeyes through the shock of losing at home to Michigan and parlayed it into four postseason victories that were all by double-digits. Not to mention, the Buckeyes were the lower seed in the latter three of those games.
However, losing at home to Texas could open up the door again for more criticism directed towards Day.
The Buckeyes losing their first game after winning a national championship would mark their first season-opening loss since 1999. If you think losing four-straight to Michigan isn’t normal these days, losing a season opener is practically not even in the realm of possibilities.
The last time a non-current Big Ten team beat Ohio State in Columbus was Oklahoma in 2017. If the Longhorns win the season opener, that could be viewed, potentially, as a more impressive win than Ohio State winning a neutral site game at Texas.
I disagree with that potential viewpoint because it was a CFP win with a national championship berth at stake for the Buckeyes this past January. Still, you can’t let the team you beat in that Semifinal come into your stadium and beat you in the first game of a season where you are defending a national championship.
Beating Texas is not a “must” for Ohio State. However, it is a game that could form a lot of early opinions, and will put additional pressure on the Buckeyes who already have a massive target on their backs. Ohio State needs to feed off the energy over 100,000 fans will have in The Shoe on Aug. 30 and block out the rest of the noise.
Ohio State vs. Texas. One team will be 1-0, and the other will be 0-1. There is a big difference between the two recrods, even in the 12-team College Football Playoff era. The Buckeyes need to be on the right side of that difference.
Continue reading...
AlexFrank via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Jan 10, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes defensive end Jack Sawyer (33) celebrates after returning a fumble recovery for a touchdown with cornerback Jordan Hancock (7) during the fourth quarter of the College Football Playoff semifinal against the Texas Longhorns in the Cotton Bowl at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-Imagn Images | Tim Heitman-Imagn Images
The Buckeyes open up the new campaign with a bang.
From now until preseason camp starts in August, Land-Grant Holy Land will be writing articles around a different theme every week. This week is all about this season’s marquee matchups. Whether they feature the Buckeyes, other Big Ten schools, or major teams across the country. You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content here and all of our ”Game of the Year” articles here.
Ohio State must beat Texas in its season opener on Aug. 30.
Okay, correction; It’s not a must-win game, largely due to the safety net that is a 12-team College Football Playoff. However, it is a game Ohio State really needs to win.
The Buckeyes went into Texas’s backyard in the CFP Semifinals at the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic this past January and beat the Longhorns 28-14. Jack Sawyer’s scoop-and-score was the most memorable play of the game, and it’s a play that will long live in Ohio State lore.
Ryan Day has earned back a lot of equity, vindication and faith from the fanbase for what the Buckeyes did over the one-month duration of the College Football Playoff this past Winter. Even though he’s only 1-4 against Michigan, he now has a national championship. At the end of the day, that’s the ultimate end-goal for the Buckeyes going into every season.
Day guided the Buckeyes through the shock of losing at home to Michigan and parlayed it into four postseason victories that were all by double-digits. Not to mention, the Buckeyes were the lower seed in the latter three of those games.
However, losing at home to Texas could open up the door again for more criticism directed towards Day.
The Buckeyes losing their first game after winning a national championship would mark their first season-opening loss since 1999. If you think losing four-straight to Michigan isn’t normal these days, losing a season opener is practically not even in the realm of possibilities.
The last time a non-current Big Ten team beat Ohio State in Columbus was Oklahoma in 2017. If the Longhorns win the season opener, that could be viewed, potentially, as a more impressive win than Ohio State winning a neutral site game at Texas.
I disagree with that potential viewpoint because it was a CFP win with a national championship berth at stake for the Buckeyes this past January. Still, you can’t let the team you beat in that Semifinal come into your stadium and beat you in the first game of a season where you are defending a national championship.
Beating Texas is not a “must” for Ohio State. However, it is a game that could form a lot of early opinions, and will put additional pressure on the Buckeyes who already have a massive target on their backs. Ohio State needs to feed off the energy over 100,000 fans will have in The Shoe on Aug. 30 and block out the rest of the noise.
Ohio State vs. Texas. One team will be 1-0, and the other will be 0-1. There is a big difference between the two recrods, even in the 12-team College Football Playoff era. The Buckeyes need to be on the right side of that difference.
Continue reading...
LGHL Ohio State loses in-state prospect as Jakob Weatherspoon flips commitment to UNC
- News
- 0 Replies
Ohio State loses in-state prospect as Jakob Weatherspoon flips commitment to UNC
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Weatherspoon is no longer a member of the Buckeyes’ 2026 recruiting class.
Recruiting in 2025 is an ever-changing realm of college football. Each day bringing something new to the table, it can be hard to keep up with the constant rollercoaster ride this has become not only for Ohio State, but any major program in the current landscape.
The Buckeyes have a class that ranks in the top-ten by every major outlet, and while that’s impressive for most schools, Ohio State rarely sees the outside of the top five. Fresh off a national championship, one would think this recruiting cycle for the 2026 class would be a breeze.
That said, while there’s plenty of top talent committed right now, it’s a bit of a toss up depending on who you ask on whether or not Ohio State’s haul thus far is up to the standard.
A group that sits at 20 players, Wednesday brought a shake up to the Buckeyes’ class.
Heading into the 2026 class, the in-state defensive back targets for this cycle were extremely exciting on paper. Three players that were among the top in the country at their positions, Ohio State looked to have several answers right within their own backyard.
Elbert Hill, Victor Singleton, and Jakob Weatherspoon being those key three guys, it’s been a wild ride to say the least concerning each respective recruitment.
Hill picked USC over the Buckeyes, and Singleton took his talents Texas A&M. The Buckeyes did land the commitment of Avon, Ohio native Weatherspoon way back in January of this year, but on Wednesday that relationship changed when he surprised the masses by announcing he was de-committing from Ohio State and committing to North Carolina.
A 5-foot-11, 180 pound athlete, Weatherspoon is the No. 178 player nationally and 14th best safety per the 247Sports Composite. A player Ohio State had long been associated with, Weatherspoon was likely to play cornerback for the Buckeyes, so this loss certainly impacts the class as a whole and the outlook for the position.
Ohio State still boasts the likes of Blaine Bradford and Simeon Caldwell, but the coaching staff now really needs to either pivot elsewhere or plan to be plenty active when the transfer portal comes around at cornerback based on what is still left on the board in regards to uncommitted players and potential flip candidates.
Rumors still have Ohio State atop of the list for another elite safety in Bralan Womack, who is set to announce in August, but again, cornerback has to be addressed. Regardless of the reason for Weatherspoon’s decision, feelings on either side probably have some sense of justification, but it’s back to drawing board at least for now.
In an area of the game that is constantly throwing curveballs, Ohio State has to adjust a bit. The few months left of this cycle will tell a lot about where the Buckeyes are looking to spend their resources.
Continue reading...
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Weatherspoon is no longer a member of the Buckeyes’ 2026 recruiting class.
Recruiting in 2025 is an ever-changing realm of college football. Each day bringing something new to the table, it can be hard to keep up with the constant rollercoaster ride this has become not only for Ohio State, but any major program in the current landscape.
The Buckeyes have a class that ranks in the top-ten by every major outlet, and while that’s impressive for most schools, Ohio State rarely sees the outside of the top five. Fresh off a national championship, one would think this recruiting cycle for the 2026 class would be a breeze.
That said, while there’s plenty of top talent committed right now, it’s a bit of a toss up depending on who you ask on whether or not Ohio State’s haul thus far is up to the standard.
A group that sits at 20 players, Wednesday brought a shake up to the Buckeyes’ class.
Heading into the 2026 class, the in-state defensive back targets for this cycle were extremely exciting on paper. Three players that were among the top in the country at their positions, Ohio State looked to have several answers right within their own backyard.
Elbert Hill, Victor Singleton, and Jakob Weatherspoon being those key three guys, it’s been a wild ride to say the least concerning each respective recruitment.
Hill picked USC over the Buckeyes, and Singleton took his talents Texas A&M. The Buckeyes did land the commitment of Avon, Ohio native Weatherspoon way back in January of this year, but on Wednesday that relationship changed when he surprised the masses by announcing he was de-committing from Ohio State and committing to North Carolina.
A 5-foot-11, 180 pound athlete, Weatherspoon is the No. 178 player nationally and 14th best safety per the 247Sports Composite. A player Ohio State had long been associated with, Weatherspoon was likely to play cornerback for the Buckeyes, so this loss certainly impacts the class as a whole and the outlook for the position.
Ohio State still boasts the likes of Blaine Bradford and Simeon Caldwell, but the coaching staff now really needs to either pivot elsewhere or plan to be plenty active when the transfer portal comes around at cornerback based on what is still left on the board in regards to uncommitted players and potential flip candidates.
Rumors still have Ohio State atop of the list for another elite safety in Bralan Womack, who is set to announce in August, but again, cornerback has to be addressed. Regardless of the reason for Weatherspoon’s decision, feelings on either side probably have some sense of justification, but it’s back to drawing board at least for now.
In an area of the game that is constantly throwing curveballs, Ohio State has to adjust a bit. The few months left of this cycle will tell a lot about where the Buckeyes are looking to spend their resources.
Continue reading...