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LGHL Big Ten Top 10: Texas surges to No. 1 after beating a pretty bad team, OSU remains No. 2
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Big Ten Top 10: Texas surges to No. 1 after beating a pretty bad team, OSU remains No. 2
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Scott Wachter-Imagn Images
The official SB Nation Big Ten writers poll is the only truly unbiased poll any college football fan could ever need.
AP Poll? Shmay Pee Poll! Coaches Poll? We all know that coaches don’t have time to fill out a weekly survey, let alone watch enough games to make informed choices! That’s why your friendly neighborhood Big Ten writers from across the SB Nation universe have banded together to come up with the only fair, accurate, non-biased poll in all of college football.
Every week, a writer from the 16 sites covering specific B1G schools (lowly UCLA and USC don’t have SBN sites) will submit their picks, and O Basse from Michigan State site The Only Colors will compile them into the official SBN Big Ten Writers Poll
.
I will keep you updated on our selections here on Land-Grant Holy Land, and I will let you know how I vote every week because we believe in truth, justice, and transparency in journalism here in Buckeye Country.
There will also be a Player of the Week selected by the Big Ten writers. So, without further ado, here is the post-Week 3 SB Nation Big Ten Writers Poll.
These rankings coincide with my Top-12 picks every week on the “No Fall Weddings” podcast in the Land-Grant Podcast Network feed, which you can subscribe to anywhere you get your favorite audio entertainment.
New episodes come out every Wednesday afternoon. “No Fall Weddings” is your one-stop-shop for everything you need to know about the Buckeyes and the rest of the college football world.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25624629/usa_today_24236526.jpg "NCAA Football: Texas-San Antonio at Texas")
Scott Wachter-Imagn Images
Ok, I get it, he’s a Manning and playing at Texas, so the eyes of the college football world were always going to be on him, but let’s pump the breaks a bit on this “Player of the Week” talk. He had a nice little game in place of the injured Heisman frontrunner against a really bad, in-state Group of Five team — no offense Roadrunners.
He went a very good 9-for-12 through the air for 223 yards and 4 touchdowns; not to mention a 53-yard rushing TD in two and a half quarters. Again, no knock on the kid or the numbers, he did what you would want from him, but if a blue-blood, Power Four quarterback did that against the No. 98 team in SP+ and then exited mid-third quarter, no one would be talking about it like it was anything other than what was expected.
Others receiving votes:
Continue reading...
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Scott Wachter-Imagn Images
The official SB Nation Big Ten writers poll is the only truly unbiased poll any college football fan could ever need.
AP Poll? Shmay Pee Poll! Coaches Poll? We all know that coaches don’t have time to fill out a weekly survey, let alone watch enough games to make informed choices! That’s why your friendly neighborhood Big Ten writers from across the SB Nation universe have banded together to come up with the only fair, accurate, non-biased poll in all of college football.
Every week, a writer from the 16 sites covering specific B1G schools (lowly UCLA and USC don’t have SBN sites) will submit their picks, and O Basse from Michigan State site The Only Colors will compile them into the official SBN Big Ten Writers Poll
.I will keep you updated on our selections here on Land-Grant Holy Land, and I will let you know how I vote every week because we believe in truth, justice, and transparency in journalism here in Buckeye Country.
There will also be a Player of the Week selected by the Big Ten writers. So, without further ado, here is the post-Week 3 SB Nation Big Ten Writers Poll.
SB Nation Big Ten Writers Poll | Week 3
My Personal Top-10 Rankings | Week 1
These rankings coincide with my Top-12 picks every week on the “No Fall Weddings” podcast in the Land-Grant Podcast Network feed, which you can subscribe to anywhere you get your favorite audio entertainment.
New episodes come out every Wednesday afternoon. “No Fall Weddings” is your one-stop-shop for everything you need to know about the Buckeyes and the rest of the college football world.
Player of the Week | Arch Manning, Texas
Ok, I get it, he’s a Manning and playing at Texas, so the eyes of the college football world were always going to be on him, but let’s pump the breaks a bit on this “Player of the Week” talk. He had a nice little game in place of the injured Heisman frontrunner against a really bad, in-state Group of Five team — no offense Roadrunners.
He went a very good 9-for-12 through the air for 223 yards and 4 touchdowns; not to mention a 53-yard rushing TD in two and a half quarters. Again, no knock on the kid or the numbers, he did what you would want from him, but if a blue-blood, Power Four quarterback did that against the No. 98 team in SP+ and then exited mid-third quarter, no one would be talking about it like it was anything other than what was expected.
Others receiving votes:
- Cam Ward | QB, Miami
- Travis Hunter | WR/CB, Colorado (my pick)
- Kurtis Rourke | QB, Indiana
Continue reading...
LGHL Buckeyes get back to work after week off; rounding up the last news of Improvement Week
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Buckeyes get back to work after week off; rounding up the last news of Improvement Week
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
All the Buckeye news thats fit to re-print.
Look, we get it. Your days are busy and you don’t have time to read all of the stories and tweets from the three dozen websites dedicated to covering Ohio State athletics, or the 237 Buckeye beat writers churning out hot takes and #content on a daily basis. But that’s ok, that’s what your friends at Land-Grant Holy Land are here for.
Monday through Friday, we’ll be collecting all of the articles, tweets, features, interviews, videos, podcasts, memes, photos, and whatever else we stumble across on the interwebz and putting them in our daily “Why is this News?” article. That way, you’ll have a one-stop shop for all of the most important Buckeye news, jokes, and analysis.
You’re welcome!
Subscribe to the Land-Grant Podcast Network for all of your Ohio State needs
Matt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | iHeart Radio
Ohio State opens as 38.5-point favorites over Marshall
Gene Ross, Land-Grant Holy Land
Ohio State drops to No. 3 in Week 4 Coaches Poll; doesn’t move in AP Poll
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts
Ohio State fans want more production out of the tight ends
Matt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land
Looking back at the handful of September bye weeks for Ohio State football
Brett Ludwiczak, Land-Grant Holy Land
Kayden McDonald, Arvell Reese teasing second-year breakouts for Ohio State defense (paywall)
Andy Backstrom, Lettermen Row
Kayden McDonald Emerging As Third Defensive Tackle in Buckeyes’ Rotation
Andy Anders, Eleven Warriors
10 Ohio State players we want to see more of going forward
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts
You’re Nuts: What do you most want to see Ohio State improve during Improvement Week?
Matt Tamanini and Jami Jurich, Land-Grant Holy Land
Stock Market Report: Oregon wins big, LSU-South Carolina was a mess, K-State gets big W
Justin Golba, Land-Grant Holy Land
Marvin Harrison Jr. Scores First Two NFL Touchdowns, Catches Four Passes for 130 Yards in First Quarter of Second Game
Dan Hope, Eleven Warriors
Ohio State’s Towns joining Harvard staff as assistant coach
Adam Jardy, The Columbus Dispatch
You’re Nuts: Who will be the “surprise” team in the Big Ten this season?
Justin Golba and Connor Lemons, Land-Grant Holy Land
Field Hockey: No. 8 Buckeyes Top No. 18 Old Dominion, Stay Unbeaten
Ohio State Athletics
Women’s Soccer: No. 20 Buckeyes Post 5th Shutout, Blank Brown 2-0
Ohio State Athletics
Women’s Soccer: No. 20 Ohio State Collects 3-0 Shutout Win at Indiana
Ohio State Athletics
This is such a perfect joke.
Continue reading...
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
All the Buckeye news thats fit to re-print.
Look, we get it. Your days are busy and you don’t have time to read all of the stories and tweets from the three dozen websites dedicated to covering Ohio State athletics, or the 237 Buckeye beat writers churning out hot takes and #content on a daily basis. But that’s ok, that’s what your friends at Land-Grant Holy Land are here for.
Monday through Friday, we’ll be collecting all of the articles, tweets, features, interviews, videos, podcasts, memes, photos, and whatever else we stumble across on the interwebz and putting them in our daily “Why is this News?” article. That way, you’ll have a one-stop shop for all of the most important Buckeye news, jokes, and analysis.
You’re welcome!
For your Earholes...
Subscribe to the Land-Grant Podcast Network for all of your Ohio State needs
Matt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | iHeart Radio
On the Gridiron
Ohio State opens as 38.5-point favorites over Marshall
Gene Ross, Land-Grant Holy Land
Ohio State drops to No. 3 in Week 4 Coaches Poll; doesn’t move in AP Poll
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts
Ohio State fans want more production out of the tight ends
Matt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land
Looking back at the handful of September bye weeks for Ohio State football
Brett Ludwiczak, Land-Grant Holy Land
Kayden McDonald, Arvell Reese teasing second-year breakouts for Ohio State defense (paywall)
Andy Backstrom, Lettermen Row
Kayden McDonald Emerging As Third Defensive Tackle in Buckeyes’ Rotation
Andy Anders, Eleven Warriors
10 Ohio State players we want to see more of going forward
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts
You’re Nuts: What do you most want to see Ohio State improve during Improvement Week?
Matt Tamanini and Jami Jurich, Land-Grant Holy Land
Stock Market Report: Oregon wins big, LSU-South Carolina was a mess, K-State gets big W
Justin Golba, Land-Grant Holy Land
Marvin Harrison Jr. Scores First Two NFL Touchdowns, Catches Four Passes for 130 Yards in First Quarter of Second Game
Dan Hope, Eleven Warriors
On the Hardwood
Ohio State’s Towns joining Harvard staff as assistant coach
Adam Jardy, The Columbus Dispatch
You’re Nuts: Who will be the “surprise” team in the Big Ten this season?
Justin Golba and Connor Lemons, Land-Grant Holy Land
Outside the Shoe and Schott
Field Hockey: No. 8 Buckeyes Top No. 18 Old Dominion, Stay Unbeaten
Ohio State Athletics
Women’s Soccer: No. 20 Buckeyes Post 5th Shutout, Blank Brown 2-0
Ohio State Athletics
Women’s Soccer: No. 20 Ohio State Collects 3-0 Shutout Win at Indiana
Ohio State Athletics
And now for something completely different...
This is such a perfect joke.
Continue reading...
LGHL Is it too early to put Jeremiah Smith on Heisman watch?
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Is it too early to put Jeremiah Smith on Heisman watch?
Jami Jurich via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Jason Mowry/Getty Images
The true freshman wide receiver is already putting up numbers that compare with past finalists.
Since the Buckeyes had the week off, I’ve had a lot of time on my hands to start running through somewhat-outrageous-but-not-entirely-out-of-the-realm-of-possibility hypotheticals, this time by way of Ohio State’s freshman sensation Jeremiah Smith.
I’ve seen enough: It’s time to start talking about Smith’s Heisman prospects. Despite the Buckeyes having only played two games so far this season, the wide receiver has put up numbers that warrant being included in the conversation, no matter how unlikely it is that he’ll actually earn an invite to New York later this year.
Before Smith ever stepped onto the football field this season, the hype surrounding him was enormous, so much so that it almost felt like there had to be a catch.
Instead, in just two weeks of football, Smith has proved he’s not as good as everyone expected him to be — he’s better.
Smith, a true freshman in a wide receiving corps full of exceptional talent including Emeka Egbuka and Carnell Tate, is blowing past his more experienced counterparts, leading the team in receiving yards with 211 yards on 11 receptions, including a 70-yard touchdown catch, and averaging 19.2 yards per reception.
He’s currently second in the Big Ten in receiving yards behind only Tai Felton from Maryland. If you compare Smith’s numbers to wide receivers in the SEC (the media and voters’ favorite darling of conferences), only Ole Miss’s Tre Harris has more yards, and Haris has an extra game to his name due to the Buckeyes’ bye week.
Smith also currently ranks in the top 25 receivers in terms of yardage across all conferences, again in many cases compared to guys who have played an extra game.
Of course, we won’t really have a true understanding of what Smith can do until he faces a ranked opponent, so only time will tell how he measures up to more challenging tests and how they impact his performance and numbers. However, as it stands currently, Smith has been touted as a “once-in-a-generation” talent, and he’s looked every bit the part.
Sports analysts, and even other players, have remarked that he’s the best wide receiver in the country right now. But it takes both the finesse and some intangible magic, as well as numbers on paper to skyrocket into Heisman chatter—Smith has both.
To give some additional context for just how impressive Smith has looked, consider Heisman finalist (and one of the best Ohio State wide receivers in history) Marvin Harrison Jr.’s numbers after just two games last season—his Heisman finalist year.
Through two games, Marv had 178 yards on 9 receptions and two touchdowns.
Harrison finished the season with 1,211 yards and 14 touchdowns on 67 receptions, for an average of 18.1 yards per reception.
Smith is on the trajectory to put up similar numbers (though there will likely be a difference in the end-of-season stats because of the longer season).
Meanwhile, several of the players across the NCAA who were predicted to be Heisman finalists have yet to show us that caliber play. Oregon QB Dillon Gabriel put up great numbers in Week 1, but the team has struggled against mediocre opponents. He looked better this week, but he’ll need to do more than he’s currently doing to impress the committee. No. 1 Georgia quarterback Carson Beck threw for only 160 yards against Kentucky, an unranked team the Bulldogs were expected to blow out.
It’s true that the committee tends to favor quarterbacks over position players, and there are still a wealth of great quarterbacks to choose from. I also don’t think it’s likely that Smith will get an invite to New York in his freshman season (I do, however, think it’s very likely that he gets one before leaving college).
But despite all the hype, if you’d have asked me over the summer whether we’d be talking about Smith’s Heisman prospects two weeks in, I’d have laughed in your face. I thought it more likely that quarterback Will Howard would sneak into the conversation, whether or not he ultimately made the cut.
But Smith is putting up numbers that cannot be ignored, at least right now, and if he continues to do exactly what he’s been doing, business as usual? It’s probably time to start talking about it.
Continue reading...
Jami Jurich via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Jason Mowry/Getty Images
The true freshman wide receiver is already putting up numbers that compare with past finalists.
Since the Buckeyes had the week off, I’ve had a lot of time on my hands to start running through somewhat-outrageous-but-not-entirely-out-of-the-realm-of-possibility hypotheticals, this time by way of Ohio State’s freshman sensation Jeremiah Smith.
I’ve seen enough: It’s time to start talking about Smith’s Heisman prospects. Despite the Buckeyes having only played two games so far this season, the wide receiver has put up numbers that warrant being included in the conversation, no matter how unlikely it is that he’ll actually earn an invite to New York later this year.
Before Smith ever stepped onto the football field this season, the hype surrounding him was enormous, so much so that it almost felt like there had to be a catch.
Instead, in just two weeks of football, Smith has proved he’s not as good as everyone expected him to be — he’s better.
Smith, a true freshman in a wide receiving corps full of exceptional talent including Emeka Egbuka and Carnell Tate, is blowing past his more experienced counterparts, leading the team in receiving yards with 211 yards on 11 receptions, including a 70-yard touchdown catch, and averaging 19.2 yards per reception.
He’s currently second in the Big Ten in receiving yards behind only Tai Felton from Maryland. If you compare Smith’s numbers to wide receivers in the SEC (the media and voters’ favorite darling of conferences), only Ole Miss’s Tre Harris has more yards, and Haris has an extra game to his name due to the Buckeyes’ bye week.
Smith also currently ranks in the top 25 receivers in terms of yardage across all conferences, again in many cases compared to guys who have played an extra game.
Of course, we won’t really have a true understanding of what Smith can do until he faces a ranked opponent, so only time will tell how he measures up to more challenging tests and how they impact his performance and numbers. However, as it stands currently, Smith has been touted as a “once-in-a-generation” talent, and he’s looked every bit the part.
Sports analysts, and even other players, have remarked that he’s the best wide receiver in the country right now. But it takes both the finesse and some intangible magic, as well as numbers on paper to skyrocket into Heisman chatter—Smith has both.
Jeremiah Smith, you are ridiculous
Watch the speed from the true freshman on this @OhioStateFB TD #B1GFootball pic.twitter.com/Pupn61dWoW
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) September 8, 2024
To give some additional context for just how impressive Smith has looked, consider Heisman finalist (and one of the best Ohio State wide receivers in history) Marvin Harrison Jr.’s numbers after just two games last season—his Heisman finalist year.
Through two games, Marv had 178 yards on 9 receptions and two touchdowns.
Harrison finished the season with 1,211 yards and 14 touchdowns on 67 receptions, for an average of 18.1 yards per reception.
Smith is on the trajectory to put up similar numbers (though there will likely be a difference in the end-of-season stats because of the longer season).
Meanwhile, several of the players across the NCAA who were predicted to be Heisman finalists have yet to show us that caliber play. Oregon QB Dillon Gabriel put up great numbers in Week 1, but the team has struggled against mediocre opponents. He looked better this week, but he’ll need to do more than he’s currently doing to impress the committee. No. 1 Georgia quarterback Carson Beck threw for only 160 yards against Kentucky, an unranked team the Bulldogs were expected to blow out.
It’s true that the committee tends to favor quarterbacks over position players, and there are still a wealth of great quarterbacks to choose from. I also don’t think it’s likely that Smith will get an invite to New York in his freshman season (I do, however, think it’s very likely that he gets one before leaving college).
But despite all the hype, if you’d have asked me over the summer whether we’d be talking about Smith’s Heisman prospects two weeks in, I’d have laughed in your face. I thought it more likely that quarterback Will Howard would sneak into the conversation, whether or not he ultimately made the cut.
But Smith is putting up numbers that cannot be ignored, at least right now, and if he continues to do exactly what he’s been doing, business as usual? It’s probably time to start talking about it.
Continue reading...
LGHL Judkins, Henderson are looking as formidable as expected in Ohio State’s backfield
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Judkins, Henderson are looking as formidable as expected in Ohio State’s backfield
Michael Citro via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
The Buckeyes’ star running backs have looked the part (as expected) through the first couple of games.
Ohio State’s opponents were already dreading having to face transfer running back Quinshon Judkins in 2024 after the former Ole Miss star declared for the Buckeyes out of the transfer portal on Jan. 9. Three days later, things went from bad to worse for the teams on the 2024 schedule when TreVeyon Henderson announced he would return for another season in Columbus, postponing his jump to the NFL.
While there were some questions as to how the duo would be used, few doubted the Buckeyes would have a formidable ground game under Offensive Coordinator Chip Kelly. In addition to the combined talent of Judkins and Henderson, the Buckeyes have solid young running backs behind them, the ability to involve wide receiver Emeka Egbuka (among others) in the run game, and a quarterback in Will Howard who can also tote the rock when called upon.
It’s still early in the season, and the competition will get much more difficult, but so far, Ohio State’s star running back tandem looks as good or better than expected, even with some early offensive line issues in the opener against Akron. The Buckeyes have run the football well, especially in Week 2 in a 56-0 win over Western Michigan. The duo have combined for an average of 147 rushing yards and 2.5 touchdowns per game through the first two weeks of the season. Those totals would be higher if either had seen much action beyond the midway point in the third quarter of either game.
Judkins leads the way through two weeks, carrying 22 times for 163 yards and three touchdowns — all team highs. Henderson is right on his tail with 18 rushing attempts for 131 yards and two scores. Both backs are averaging more than 7 yards per carry, with Judkins (7.41) slightly ahead of Henderson (7.28). Sam Williams-Dixon is the team leader in yards per carry (11.0), albeit with a small sample size of only four rushing attempts.
Kelly has yet to show a package with both of his star running backs on the field, which would surely keep defenses guessing. But the OSU offensive coordinator is already mixing things up by showing a willingness to run Judkins outside and Henderson inside. With each back showing versatility in the run game, defenses can’t assume the Buckeyes will run outside when Henderson is in and inside with Judkins in the backfield.
Further, their success has helped Howard in the passing game, with Kelly’s offense featuring plenty of run-pass option plays, keeping defenses off balance and giving future (read: tougher) opponents having to do a lot of preparation. It’s probable that Kelly still has a lot of surprises to unveil as the offensive line continues to gel — and will get Donovan Jackson back — and players get more comfortable in his system. For example, designed runs for Howard have been sparse in the opening two weeks against Mid-American Conference competition.
The Buckeyes have one more non-conference opponent to sharpen things up against before the Big Ten portion of the schedule arrives. It will be interesting to see what new wrinkles get added and how Judkins and Henderson progress as the games get more difficult.
Continue reading...
Michael Citro via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
The Buckeyes’ star running backs have looked the part (as expected) through the first couple of games.
Ohio State’s opponents were already dreading having to face transfer running back Quinshon Judkins in 2024 after the former Ole Miss star declared for the Buckeyes out of the transfer portal on Jan. 9. Three days later, things went from bad to worse for the teams on the 2024 schedule when TreVeyon Henderson announced he would return for another season in Columbus, postponing his jump to the NFL.
While there were some questions as to how the duo would be used, few doubted the Buckeyes would have a formidable ground game under Offensive Coordinator Chip Kelly. In addition to the combined talent of Judkins and Henderson, the Buckeyes have solid young running backs behind them, the ability to involve wide receiver Emeka Egbuka (among others) in the run game, and a quarterback in Will Howard who can also tote the rock when called upon.
It’s still early in the season, and the competition will get much more difficult, but so far, Ohio State’s star running back tandem looks as good or better than expected, even with some early offensive line issues in the opener against Akron. The Buckeyes have run the football well, especially in Week 2 in a 56-0 win over Western Michigan. The duo have combined for an average of 147 rushing yards and 2.5 touchdowns per game through the first two weeks of the season. Those totals would be higher if either had seen much action beyond the midway point in the third quarter of either game.
Judkins leads the way through two weeks, carrying 22 times for 163 yards and three touchdowns — all team highs. Henderson is right on his tail with 18 rushing attempts for 131 yards and two scores. Both backs are averaging more than 7 yards per carry, with Judkins (7.41) slightly ahead of Henderson (7.28). Sam Williams-Dixon is the team leader in yards per carry (11.0), albeit with a small sample size of only four rushing attempts.
Kelly has yet to show a package with both of his star running backs on the field, which would surely keep defenses guessing. But the OSU offensive coordinator is already mixing things up by showing a willingness to run Judkins outside and Henderson inside. With each back showing versatility in the run game, defenses can’t assume the Buckeyes will run outside when Henderson is in and inside with Judkins in the backfield.
Further, their success has helped Howard in the passing game, with Kelly’s offense featuring plenty of run-pass option plays, keeping defenses off balance and giving future (read: tougher) opponents having to do a lot of preparation. It’s probable that Kelly still has a lot of surprises to unveil as the offensive line continues to gel — and will get Donovan Jackson back — and players get more comfortable in his system. For example, designed runs for Howard have been sparse in the opening two weeks against Mid-American Conference competition.
The Buckeyes have one more non-conference opponent to sharpen things up against before the Big Ten portion of the schedule arrives. It will be interesting to see what new wrinkles get added and how Judkins and Henderson progress as the games get more difficult.
Continue reading...
LGHL Power Two Podcast: Week 3 should be a secondary Rivalry Week every year!
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Power Two Podcast: Week 3 should be a secondary Rivalry Week every year!
JordanW330 via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Adam Davis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Week 3 didn’t disappoint with an unofficial rivalry week, plus an Arch Manning sighting.
Welcome to a new episode of Land-Grant Podcast Network’s Power Two Podcast. On this show, we talk about Big Ten and SEC football… and everyone else. This show is for the die-hard fans and the casual college football fans.
After every week of action, we will catch you up on all the major matchups of the previous weekend and look ahead at the games, storylines, and players you should be paying attention to for the next week.
My name is Jordan Williams, and I am joined by my co-host DaNaysia Jones. Lock in as we run a power sweep through the college football landscape.
Jordan and DJ recap a pretty quiet Week 3. Quinn Ewers’ injury may inadvertently cause competition for QB1 at Texas as Arch Manning had a breakout game. Will there be a need for him to come back sooner rather than later? Florida’s coach may be the next one on the chopping block. There are already rumblings of a buyout as the Gators try to figure out how to become a winning team again.
In this week’s two-minute drill, Week 3 had so many pseudo-rivalry games. This prompts Jordan to present his brilliant idea for a midseason rivalry week. The Big Ten has so many rivalries that exist within the conference, and with conference realignment many rivalries could be reignited. Instead of doing rivalry week just at the end of the season, how fun would it be to have it between Week 2 and 3 as well?
The power rankings spark a lively discussion on certain teams’ inclusion or exclusion this early in the season. The logic really does not pan out when certain teams are still undefeated and others are not. There are also some teams that do not seem to have earned their spot except in historical contexts. Either way, it’s only Week 3, so we will see how this turns out.
In this week’s Pregame Power Sweep, we suggested these games:
We expect to see some great matchups next week.
If you like the show, please share it with friends and family and leave a five-star review. If you want to keep up with the show, subscribe to the Land-Grant Podcast Network Feed where new episodes drop every Monday.
You can also find Jordan’s article ‘B1G Thoughts’ on Land-Grant Holy Land.
Follow the show on YouTube: @JordanW330
Follow the podcast on Instagram: @PowerTwoPodcast
Connect with us on Twitter: Jordan: @JordanW330 and DJ:@dj_danaysia
Continue reading...
JordanW330 via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Adam Davis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Week 3 didn’t disappoint with an unofficial rivalry week, plus an Arch Manning sighting.
Welcome to a new episode of Land-Grant Podcast Network’s Power Two Podcast. On this show, we talk about Big Ten and SEC football… and everyone else. This show is for the die-hard fans and the casual college football fans.
After every week of action, we will catch you up on all the major matchups of the previous weekend and look ahead at the games, storylines, and players you should be paying attention to for the next week.
My name is Jordan Williams, and I am joined by my co-host DaNaysia Jones. Lock in as we run a power sweep through the college football landscape.
Jordan and DJ recap a pretty quiet Week 3. Quinn Ewers’ injury may inadvertently cause competition for QB1 at Texas as Arch Manning had a breakout game. Will there be a need for him to come back sooner rather than later? Florida’s coach may be the next one on the chopping block. There are already rumblings of a buyout as the Gators try to figure out how to become a winning team again.
In this week’s two-minute drill, Week 3 had so many pseudo-rivalry games. This prompts Jordan to present his brilliant idea for a midseason rivalry week. The Big Ten has so many rivalries that exist within the conference, and with conference realignment many rivalries could be reignited. Instead of doing rivalry week just at the end of the season, how fun would it be to have it between Week 2 and 3 as well?
The power rankings spark a lively discussion on certain teams’ inclusion or exclusion this early in the season. The logic really does not pan out when certain teams are still undefeated and others are not. There are also some teams that do not seem to have earned their spot except in historical contexts. Either way, it’s only Week 3, so we will see how this turns out.
In this week’s Pregame Power Sweep, we suggested these games:
- Friday: Illinois - Nebraska
- Noon: Kansas - WVU
- Mid-Day: USC - Michigan & Utah - OK State
- Primetime: Tenn - OU
- After Dark: Kansas State - BYU.
- Honorable Mention: SMU - TCU since it is the last iteration of the Iron Skillet on SMU’s campus.
We expect to see some great matchups next week.
If you like the show, please share it with friends and family and leave a five-star review. If you want to keep up with the show, subscribe to the Land-Grant Podcast Network Feed where new episodes drop every Monday.
You can also find Jordan’s article ‘B1G Thoughts’ on Land-Grant Holy Land.
Follow the show on YouTube: @JordanW330
Follow the podcast on Instagram: @PowerTwoPodcast
Connect with us on Twitter: Jordan: @JordanW330 and DJ:@dj_danaysia
Continue reading...
LGHL Ohio State offers a quartet of offensive linemen, including a 2025 Georgia Tech OT commit
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Ohio State offers a quartet of offensive linemen, including a 2025 Georgia Tech OT commit
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
2025 OT Damola Ajidahun | Benjamin Wolk, 247Sports
The Buckeyes are working to flip an offensive lineman out of Georgia.
While the Buckeyes weren’t in action this weekend, the Ohio State coaching staff was still hard at work. Ryan Day and his group were busy on the recruiting trail over the past several days, offering a handful of recruits in the next few cycles.
To kick things off on Wednesday, the Buckeyes offered 2026 four-star offensive lineman Breck Kolojay. The 6-foot-5.5 interior lineman who plays his prep ball at IMG Academy in Florida ranks as the No. 18 IOL and No. 244 player nationally per the 247Sports Composite.
Kolojay has amassed over 30 offers to his name thus far, including the heavy hitters among the likes of Alabama, Georgia, Michigan, Oregon, Penn State and others. The Colorado native has visited with a bunch of P4 programs this summer, including the in-state Buffalos as well as Michigan, Georgia and Tennessee. Ohio State will have to get Kolojay on campus if it has a shot of landing the talented blocker, and it will have some time to do so with his signing period being over a year away.
Sticking with 2026 offensive linemen, Justin Frye and Ohio State also sent out a second offer on Wednesday to offensive tackle J.B. Shabazz. The 6-foot-7, 295-pound Shabazz ranks as the No. 31 OT and No. 21 player out of North Carolina, per the 247Sports Composite.
A three-star prospect, Shabazz has at least a dozen offers to his name at this point in the process, with Ohio State being his biggest offer yet alongside Auburn, Kentucky, UNC, South Carolina, Virginia Tech and more. Shabazz becomes the 17th offensive lineman the Buckeyes have offered in the 2026 class already, with position coach Justin Frye clearly looking to buck the trend of too few offers that plagued Ohio State in the 2025 class.
On that same front, the Buckeyes also sent out an offer to 2027 offensive lineman Maxwell Hiller on Wednesday. Already one of the best prospects nationally in the sophomore class, Hiller currently ranks as the No. 3 OT and No. 20 overall player per 247Sports.
The 6-foot-5, 295-pound offensive tackle hails from Coatesville, Pennsylvania, and was named a First Team MaxPreps Freshman All-American following his 2023 campaign. The first OT to receive an Ohio State offer in the cycle, Hiller is already nearing double-digit offers for his services, now including the Buckeyes alongside Penn State, Maryland, Oklahoma, West Virginia and others.
Switching gears a bit but remaining along the offensive line, Ohio State also sent out an intriguing offer to 2025 offensive lineman Damola Ajidahun on Thursday.
Ajidahun, a four-star prospect as the No. 25 OT and No. 231 player nationally per the 247Sports Composite, committed to the Yellowjackets a little over a month ago. Ohio State is obviously showing up late to the game here, especially for a Georgia native committed to an in-state school, but Frye and the Buckeyes are looking to take a swing and make up for some earlier misses on the trail up front.
For what its worth, Frye made the trip to the Peach State to offer Ajidahun, and they are looking to get the 6-foot-6 lineman up to Columbus for an official visit before the early signing period.
“They’re working on a date for him to get up to a game,” Ajidahun’s high school coach told Bucknuts. “They have the Iowa game [Oct. 5] penciled in as a potential game. They’re working on things with our [game] schedule. It would probably be an official visit.”
If the two parties are able to make a visit work out, Ohio State will get its chance to pull off a flip — or at the very least figure out where it stands with the talented tackle.
Continue reading...
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
2025 OT Damola Ajidahun | Benjamin Wolk, 247Sports
The Buckeyes are working to flip an offensive lineman out of Georgia.
While the Buckeyes weren’t in action this weekend, the Ohio State coaching staff was still hard at work. Ryan Day and his group were busy on the recruiting trail over the past several days, offering a handful of recruits in the next few cycles.
To kick things off on Wednesday, the Buckeyes offered 2026 four-star offensive lineman Breck Kolojay. The 6-foot-5.5 interior lineman who plays his prep ball at IMG Academy in Florida ranks as the No. 18 IOL and No. 244 player nationally per the 247Sports Composite.
Blessed and humbled to have received an offer to play football at The Ohio State University#GoBuckeyes @SixZeroAcademy @ryandaytime @CoachJFrye @CoachSollenne @coach_winslow pic.twitter.com/VU3kWqXrnR
— Breck Kolojay (@breck_kolojay) September 11, 2024
Kolojay has amassed over 30 offers to his name thus far, including the heavy hitters among the likes of Alabama, Georgia, Michigan, Oregon, Penn State and others. The Colorado native has visited with a bunch of P4 programs this summer, including the in-state Buffalos as well as Michigan, Georgia and Tennessee. Ohio State will have to get Kolojay on campus if it has a shot of landing the talented blocker, and it will have some time to do so with his signing period being over a year away.
Sticking with 2026 offensive linemen, Justin Frye and Ohio State also sent out a second offer on Wednesday to offensive tackle J.B. Shabazz. The 6-foot-7, 295-pound Shabazz ranks as the No. 31 OT and No. 21 player out of North Carolina, per the 247Sports Composite.
A three-star prospect, Shabazz has at least a dozen offers to his name at this point in the process, with Ohio State being his biggest offer yet alongside Auburn, Kentucky, UNC, South Carolina, Virginia Tech and more. Shabazz becomes the 17th offensive lineman the Buckeyes have offered in the 2026 class already, with position coach Justin Frye clearly looking to buck the trend of too few offers that plagued Ohio State in the 2025 class.
On that same front, the Buckeyes also sent out an offer to 2027 offensive lineman Maxwell Hiller on Wednesday. Already one of the best prospects nationally in the sophomore class, Hiller currently ranks as the No. 3 OT and No. 20 overall player per 247Sports.
After an amazing conversation with @CoachJFrye I am blessed to have received and OFFER from @OhioStateFB
— Maxwell Hiller 4️OT (@HillerMaxwell) September 11, 2024
The 6-foot-5, 295-pound offensive tackle hails from Coatesville, Pennsylvania, and was named a First Team MaxPreps Freshman All-American following his 2023 campaign. The first OT to receive an Ohio State offer in the cycle, Hiller is already nearing double-digit offers for his services, now including the Buckeyes alongside Penn State, Maryland, Oklahoma, West Virginia and others.
Switching gears a bit but remaining along the offensive line, Ohio State also sent out an intriguing offer to 2025 offensive lineman Damola Ajidahun on Thursday.
Ajidahun, a four-star prospect as the No. 25 OT and No. 231 player nationally per the 247Sports Composite, committed to the Yellowjackets a little over a month ago. Ohio State is obviously showing up late to the game here, especially for a Georgia native committed to an in-state school, but Frye and the Buckeyes are looking to take a swing and make up for some earlier misses on the trail up front.
For what its worth, Frye made the trip to the Peach State to offer Ajidahun, and they are looking to get the 6-foot-6 lineman up to Columbus for an official visit before the early signing period.
“They’re working on a date for him to get up to a game,” Ajidahun’s high school coach told Bucknuts. “They have the Iowa game [Oct. 5] penciled in as a potential game. They’re working on things with our [game] schedule. It would probably be an official visit.”
If the two parties are able to make a visit work out, Ohio State will get its chance to pull off a flip — or at the very least figure out where it stands with the talented tackle.
Quick Hits
- On Tuesday, Ohio State made the cut for 2026 four-star linebacker Anthony Davis. The Buckeyes are one of 12 programs remaining for the 6-foot-2 defender out of Georgia, a list that also includes Alabama, Clemson, Michigan, Texas, Oregon and others. Davis currently ranks as the No. 17 LB and No. 239 player nationally per 247Sports.
- Of course, Ohio State’s greatest recruiting tool is any given NFL Sunday, where top prospects can get a glimpse at the many players developed in Columbus currently suiting up for their professional teams. As is so often the case, this weekend was huge for Buckeyes receivers, including Marvin Harrison Jr.’s first NFL touchdown(s) and a 12-catch, 100-plus yard game for Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
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LGHL Ohio State fans want more production out of the tight ends
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Ohio State fans want more production out of the tight ends
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
You ask, we answer. Sometimes we ask, others answer. And then other times, we ask, we answer.
Throughout the Ohio State football season, we will be asking and answering questions about the team, college football, and anything else on our collective minds of varying degrees of importance. If you have a question that you would like to ask, you can tweet us @LandGrant33 or if you need more than 280 characters, send an email HERE.
Our (week-) long national nightmare is over! It is finally again a game week for the Ohio State Buckeyes. I don’t know about you, but it felt very strange to already have to watch an entire Saturday of college football without a Buckeye game. Don’t get me wrong, I still love CFB Saturdays, but they aren’t the same when OSU isn’t on the field.
Fortunately as it is Sunday, that means that the team has turned the calendar from Improvement Week to Marshall Week. So, we are going to look back and see just what Buckeye Nation hopes was accomplished during these past long, grueling, tedious seven days.
Early last week, we asked Ohio State fans a couple of questions, one about what they hoped was being accomplished during the open week and the other about how what they saw in the first two games has impacted their perception of the team. Below are the results of this week’s fan survey.
If you disagree with the general consensus, let us know in the comments at the bottom of the page.
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Obviously, offensive line play is the No. 1 issue on the team right now. It is not glaringly bad through two games, but you have to take into account the opponents when judging these things. I think that an objective analysis of the o-line play would say that it has been good-ish (yes, that’s a technical term) through two games.
But, since we are eliminating the big men up front, we wanted to see what else wasn’t yet perfect in your opinion. And, like LGHL’s Jami Jurich argued in an article that came out earlier today, the survey respondents feel that the tight ends need to be more involved in the offense.
At UCLA, new Ohio State offensive coordinator Chip Kelly used the TEs far more than he had at any of his other college or NFL coaching stops, but that was out of necessity. When he arrived in Westwood, he didn’t have nearly the offensive talent that you would like to see in a then-Pac-12 team, so he leaned into what he had and focused more on the tight ends.
We have not yet seen anything like that in Columbus, for obvious reasons. The Buckeyes’ skill positions are loaded with top-tier talent for Chip to play with, while the tight ends are perhaps a step or two (or more) behind where the wide receivers and running backs are. Through two games, OSU tight ends have just four receptions, highlighted by Bennett Christian’s 55-yard touchdown scamper.
I don’t know that the Buckeyes need to throw more to the tight ends to win — again because of all of the other pieces on offense — but having the threat of a tight end will undoubtedly help. There is always a push and pull in Columbus over the tight ends about how much they have to be blockers and how much they have to be receivers. Obviously you would like them to be both — like Jeremy Ruckert and Luke Farrell — but this year, it doesn’t yet seem like they have found that.
Given the offensive line issues, I understand why Ryan Day and Chip Kelly haven’t just gone all-in on Jelani Thurman (a freaky athlete, but not yet a polished blocker) or Gee Scott Jr. (a converted wide receiver who doesn’t have traditional TE size). They brought in Will Kacmarek from Ohio University during the offseason and he has been fine as a blocker, but hasn’t done much of anything as a receiver.
Ultimately, I would love it if Thurman figured it out in terms of blocking and could then use his obvious physical skills to become a true offensive weapon, but for him to do that, he would have needed to do a lot of improving during Improvement Week.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25622056/OhioState_2_091124.png)
I wn’t bore you with my take on this questions, because I’ve already written about it a few times, including after Week 1, but I think this Buckeye team — mainly because of how impressed I’ve been with Will Howard — is better than I anticipated, and I had them going undefeated and winning the national title.
It seems like the vast majority of you don’t exactly agree with that assessment, but instead feel like your preseason expectations were spot on. Well, if those expectations were that OSu was going to be one of the few actually great teams in the country, then congratulations, you were correct.
Of course, 40% of the respondents also thought that the team was better than anticipated, so I don’t know who that lowly 1% was voting that the Buckeyes were worse than they expected, but I’m going to guess it is a Michigan troll trying to find something else that they can chest on.
Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Ohio State fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
Continue reading...
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
You ask, we answer. Sometimes we ask, others answer. And then other times, we ask, we answer.
Throughout the Ohio State football season, we will be asking and answering questions about the team, college football, and anything else on our collective minds of varying degrees of importance. If you have a question that you would like to ask, you can tweet us @LandGrant33 or if you need more than 280 characters, send an email HERE.
Our (week-) long national nightmare is over! It is finally again a game week for the Ohio State Buckeyes. I don’t know about you, but it felt very strange to already have to watch an entire Saturday of college football without a Buckeye game. Don’t get me wrong, I still love CFB Saturdays, but they aren’t the same when OSU isn’t on the field.
Fortunately as it is Sunday, that means that the team has turned the calendar from Improvement Week to Marshall Week. So, we are going to look back and see just what Buckeye Nation hopes was accomplished during these past long, grueling, tedious seven days.
Early last week, we asked Ohio State fans a couple of questions, one about what they hoped was being accomplished during the open week and the other about how what they saw in the first two games has impacted their perception of the team. Below are the results of this week’s fan survey.
If you disagree with the general consensus, let us know in the comments at the bottom of the page.
Question 1: The Buckeyes are calling this “Improvement Week,” so beyond the obvious offensive line play, what do you want to see them improve the most?
Obviously, offensive line play is the No. 1 issue on the team right now. It is not glaringly bad through two games, but you have to take into account the opponents when judging these things. I think that an objective analysis of the o-line play would say that it has been good-ish (yes, that’s a technical term) through two games.
But, since we are eliminating the big men up front, we wanted to see what else wasn’t yet perfect in your opinion. And, like LGHL’s Jami Jurich argued in an article that came out earlier today, the survey respondents feel that the tight ends need to be more involved in the offense.
At UCLA, new Ohio State offensive coordinator Chip Kelly used the TEs far more than he had at any of his other college or NFL coaching stops, but that was out of necessity. When he arrived in Westwood, he didn’t have nearly the offensive talent that you would like to see in a then-Pac-12 team, so he leaned into what he had and focused more on the tight ends.
We have not yet seen anything like that in Columbus, for obvious reasons. The Buckeyes’ skill positions are loaded with top-tier talent for Chip to play with, while the tight ends are perhaps a step or two (or more) behind where the wide receivers and running backs are. Through two games, OSU tight ends have just four receptions, highlighted by Bennett Christian’s 55-yard touchdown scamper.
I don’t know that the Buckeyes need to throw more to the tight ends to win — again because of all of the other pieces on offense — but having the threat of a tight end will undoubtedly help. There is always a push and pull in Columbus over the tight ends about how much they have to be blockers and how much they have to be receivers. Obviously you would like them to be both — like Jeremy Ruckert and Luke Farrell — but this year, it doesn’t yet seem like they have found that.
Given the offensive line issues, I understand why Ryan Day and Chip Kelly haven’t just gone all-in on Jelani Thurman (a freaky athlete, but not yet a polished blocker) or Gee Scott Jr. (a converted wide receiver who doesn’t have traditional TE size). They brought in Will Kacmarek from Ohio University during the offseason and he has been fine as a blocker, but hasn’t done much of anything as a receiver.
Ultimately, I would love it if Thurman figured it out in terms of blocking and could then use his obvious physical skills to become a true offensive weapon, but for him to do that, he would have needed to do a lot of improving during Improvement Week.
Question 2: After two games, how do you feel about the team’s championship potential this season?
I wn’t bore you with my take on this questions, because I’ve already written about it a few times, including after Week 1, but I think this Buckeye team — mainly because of how impressed I’ve been with Will Howard — is better than I anticipated, and I had them going undefeated and winning the national title.
It seems like the vast majority of you don’t exactly agree with that assessment, but instead feel like your preseason expectations were spot on. Well, if those expectations were that OSu was going to be one of the few actually great teams in the country, then congratulations, you were correct.
Of course, 40% of the respondents also thought that the team was better than anticipated, so I don’t know who that lowly 1% was voting that the Buckeyes were worse than they expected, but I’m going to guess it is a Michigan troll trying to find something else that they can chest on.
Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Ohio State fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
Continue reading...
