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LGHL Celebrate Archie Griffin’s 50th Heisman anniversary with this limited edition bobblehead
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Celebrate Archie Griffin’s 50th Heisman anniversary with this limited edition bobblehead
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
If you want something a bit more animated, there’s a Buckeye-take on a classic Peanuts’ scene.
Today, college football’s only two-time Heisman Trophy winner Archie Griffin will receive an honor richly deserved, but honestly long overdue, as he will dot the i in the incomparable “Script Ohio.” This comes just a day after a statue was unveiled outside of the north rotunda of Ohio Stadium immortalizing Archie for all who visit The Horseshoe.
As awesome as those honors are, it could be argued that the most humbling tribute of Archie’s weekend... and perhaps even his life, is the fact that our friends at FOCO have released a limited-edition bobblehead to celebrate the 50th anniversary of his first Heisman Trophy (I assume they have to say “Heisman Award” for licensing purposes...)
There were only 504 of these must-have collectibles made, so you better act fast if you want to make sure that you can add one to your collection. This hand-painted figure stands 8 inches tall and costs $80. Act now to ensure that your Buckeye shrine has a little GOAT in it.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25597253/BHNC24HEIST50OHAG_1x1.jpg)
Now, if you prefer your bobbling figures to be a bit more animated, then we’ve got another quality option for you, but, unlike the Archie bobblehead, this is an entire bobble scene. In it, that poor Charlie Brown has once again been duped by that bully Lucy, who has once again moved the football right before he was about to kick it. to be honest, I’m a little uncomfortable with the fact that she’s wearing scarlet and gray in this one, but I wasn’t consulted!!
Nonetheless, in this 7-inch tall scene, both Charlie Brown and Lucy’s heads bobble, and Charlie Brown spins, despite being upside-down. This mini scene is even more limited thane Archie’s bobblehead with only 150 of them available. They retail for $90, so click the link below and order yours today!
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25597254/BHNC24KFLPCBPNMNOH_square_blue.jpg)
As my office can confirm, FOCO is the absolute best when it comes to Ohio State bobbleheads! Just last week, they released this awesome double-Brutus bobblehead, not to mention some of the coolest and most unique Ohio State gear imaginable. Then, last season, they dropped a very cool Brutus bobblehead with a hidden version of The Horseshoe. In the fall they released 15 different sport-specific Brutus bobbleheads and introduced Snoopy and Charlie Brown Buckeye bobblehead. Just about a year ago, FOCO unveiled a Brutus training camp bobblehead, and for Memorial Day, the company released an “I Want You” Uncle Sam-inspired Brutus bobblehead.
In addition, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Ohio Stadium, FOCO released a pair of must-have bobbleheads; one featuring Brutus, while the other shows Woody Hayes strutting above The Horseshoe.
As someone with a borderline unhealthy Ohio State bobblehead/collectible addiction, I can think of no better way to celebrate the final unofficial season before college football than with one (or all) of these magnificent merchandising masterpieces.
And, if you actually care about teams other than Ohio State, FOCO has stuff for other teams that you might be interested in as well, but who likes teams other than the Buckeyes?
If, for some reason, you think you might need some sort of memorabilia from another school, I guess you can find those things here.
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
If you want something a bit more animated, there’s a Buckeye-take on a classic Peanuts’ scene.
Today, college football’s only two-time Heisman Trophy winner Archie Griffin will receive an honor richly deserved, but honestly long overdue, as he will dot the i in the incomparable “Script Ohio.” This comes just a day after a statue was unveiled outside of the north rotunda of Ohio Stadium immortalizing Archie for all who visit The Horseshoe.
As awesome as those honors are, it could be argued that the most humbling tribute of Archie’s weekend... and perhaps even his life, is the fact that our friends at FOCO have released a limited-edition bobblehead to celebrate the 50th anniversary of his first Heisman Trophy (I assume they have to say “Heisman Award” for licensing purposes...)
There were only 504 of these must-have collectibles made, so you better act fast if you want to make sure that you can add one to your collection. This hand-painted figure stands 8 inches tall and costs $80. Act now to ensure that your Buckeye shrine has a little GOAT in it.
Get the Archie Griffin Anniversary Bobblehead NOW!
Now, if you prefer your bobbling figures to be a bit more animated, then we’ve got another quality option for you, but, unlike the Archie bobblehead, this is an entire bobble scene. In it, that poor Charlie Brown has once again been duped by that bully Lucy, who has once again moved the football right before he was about to kick it. to be honest, I’m a little uncomfortable with the fact that she’s wearing scarlet and gray in this one, but I wasn’t consulted!!
Nonetheless, in this 7-inch tall scene, both Charlie Brown and Lucy’s heads bobble, and Charlie Brown spins, despite being upside-down. This mini scene is even more limited thane Archie’s bobblehead with only 150 of them available. They retail for $90, so click the link below and order yours today!
Don’t forget your Peanuts Bobble Scene!
As my office can confirm, FOCO is the absolute best when it comes to Ohio State bobbleheads! Just last week, they released this awesome double-Brutus bobblehead, not to mention some of the coolest and most unique Ohio State gear imaginable. Then, last season, they dropped a very cool Brutus bobblehead with a hidden version of The Horseshoe. In the fall they released 15 different sport-specific Brutus bobbleheads and introduced Snoopy and Charlie Brown Buckeye bobblehead. Just about a year ago, FOCO unveiled a Brutus training camp bobblehead, and for Memorial Day, the company released an “I Want You” Uncle Sam-inspired Brutus bobblehead.
In addition, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Ohio Stadium, FOCO released a pair of must-have bobbleheads; one featuring Brutus, while the other shows Woody Hayes strutting above The Horseshoe.
As someone with a borderline unhealthy Ohio State bobblehead/collectible addiction, I can think of no better way to celebrate the final unofficial season before college football than with one (or all) of these magnificent merchandising masterpieces.
And, if you actually care about teams other than Ohio State, FOCO has stuff for other teams that you might be interested in as well, but who likes teams other than the Buckeyes?
If, for some reason, you think you might need some sort of memorabilia from another school, I guess you can find those things here.
Continue reading...
LGHL Ohio State vs. Akron: 2024 game preview and prediction
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- 0 Replies
Ohio State vs. Akron: 2024 game preview and prediction
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images
The Buckeyes open their 135th season of college football against the Akron Zips.
Ohio State opens its 2024 season on Saturday afternoon when it hosts the Akron Zips. Expectations are high for the Buckeyes after not only a number of starters put the NFL on hold and decided to return to Columbus for one more season, head coach Ryan Day made a big splash in the transfer portal.
The Alabama trio of safety Caleb Downs, quarterback Julian Sayin, and center Seth McLaughlin joins the Buckeyes, and also in the fold is Kansas State quarterback Will Howard.
First up for Ohio State is the Akron Zips. This marks the ninth meeting between the in-state foes, with the Buckeyes holding an 8-1 edge in the series. The only win for Akron was a 12-6 victory all the way back in 1894.
The Buckeyes and Zips have battled four other times this century. The most recent meeting between the schools came in 2021, with Ohio State easily winning 59-7. Following the Buckeyes 28-14 win in 2001, Akron has failed to reach double figures on the scoreboard in each of the last three meetings.
Saturday’s game marks the first of two consecutive games for Ohio State against MAC teams, as they will host the Western Michigan Broncos next Saturday. The Buckeyes are 36-1 all-time against MAC schools, with the only loss being the setback to Akron 130 years ago.
Ohio State has still never lost to an Ohio team in Ohio Stadium, posting a 48-0-1 record since the opening of the legendary stadium in 1922. The last Ohio team to make the trip to Columbus was Youngstown State last year. Ohio State went on to win the game with the Penguins 35-7.
Following the transfer of last year’s starting quarterback Kyle McCord to Syracuse, there were questions heading into the offseason on who would be the starter for the Buckeyes in 2024. Devin Brown and Lincoln Kienholtz both played in the Cotton Bowl against Missouri, but didn’t do much to stake their claim for the job. Along with Will Howard, the Buckeyes also brought in highly-touted recruit Julian Sayin from Alabama, while long-time commit Air Noland finally arrived in Columbus.
After spring practices didn’t really clear up what the pecking order for the Buckeyes was at quarterback, Day finally announced recently that Howard would go into the season as the starting quarterback. Last year Howard tossed 24 touchdowns passes for Kansas State, while adding another nine scores on the ground.
Even though Howard will be the starter, we’ll likely see Devin Brown and others if the Buckeyes are able to build a comfortable lead in the game. Since this season will be the longest ever seen in college football because of the expanded playoff, Day will have to make sure those behind Howard on the depth chart are ready to step in if needed.
Also new to the Ohio State offense is running back Quinshon Judkins, who will unite with TreVeyon Henderson to create one of the most feared running back duos in the country. In his first two seasons of college football at Ole Miss, Judkins has rushed for 2,725 yards and 31 touchdowns.
The numbers for Judkins are similar to what Henderson has posted at Ohio State, with the only difference being Henderson has one more year of experience under his belt. It will be interesting to see how the workload is split between the two fantastic running backs.
One area where Ohio State has consistently churned out NFL talent recently is at wide receiver, and this year looks no different. After contemplating heading to the NFL, Emeka Egbuka decided to return to Columbus for one more season after his 2023 campaign was interrupted with an injury. Egbuka finished the season with 41 catches for 515 yards and four scores.
After Marvin Harrison Jr. was the primary target in 2023, now Egbuka is the leader of the unit and should be targeted by Howard early and often.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25595100/1793808184.jpg "COLLEGE FOOTBALL: NOV 18 Minnesota at Ohio State")
Photo by Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Along with Egbuka, Ohio State has a number of exciting wide receivers in the pipeline. After getting his feet wet last year as a freshman, Carnell Tate will have a bigger role this season. Tate finished the 2023 season with 18 catches for 264 yards and a touchdown. The sophomore will also likely have plenty to prove after much of the talk surrounding the wide receivers this offseason has been about stud freshman Jeremiah Smith.
The two talented receivers are the future at the position for the Buckeyes and have the look of joining Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave, and others as Ohio State first round picks at wide receiver.
One noticeable hole from last year’s squad that has to be filled is the tight end position. Cade Stover finished his career as one of the top tight ends in school history, and was a security blanket for Ohio State quarterbacks over the last few years. With Stover now in the NFL, Gee Scott Jr., Bennett Christian, and Ohio transfer Kacmarek are all battling for playing time.
While the tight ends might not be targeted quite as much as Stover was, they’ll still play a huge role in the offense, especially with their blocking abilities in a Buckeye offense that should feature the run more this season.
On the defensive side of the football, Ohio State has starters returning at each level.
In the trenches, defensive ends Jack Sawyer and J.T. Tuimoloau both are returning for one more season. Tuimoloau made a ton of noise in 2022 with one of the best games you’ll ever see from a defensive player in the win over Penn State, but the defensive end from Washington has been pretty quiet since. On the other end, Sawyer’s Ohio State career started slow but something started to click in the second half of last season, which was capped off with a three sack performance against Missouri in the Cotton Bowl.
Along with Tuimoloau and Sawyer, expect to hear defensive tackle Tyleik Williams’ name called often, as the big man does a tremendous job at causing havoc in the middle of the defensive line.
Linebacker is where Ohio State has the most to replace, as last year’s starters Tommy Eichenberg and Steele Chambers are now playing professionally. Luckily for new linebackers coach James Laurinaitis, Cody Simon is back for one more season. Simon is coming off a career-high 12 tackle performance against Missouri in the Cotton Bowl, and is the unquestioned leader of the group.
Next to Simon, safety Sonny Styles is making the transition to linebacker, and C.J. Hicks is hoping to finally flash the potential that made him one of the top linebacker recruits coming out of high school.
The most intriguing group on the defense is the defensive backs. Along with returning cornerbacks Denzel Burke, Davison Igbinosun, and Jordan Hancock, the group added star safety Caleb Downs to pair with Lathan Ransom, who is returning to the field after he didn’t play after suffering an injury in late October against Wisconsin.
The X-factor of the group is undoubtedly Downs, who was one of the top safeties in the country last season despite only being a freshman. Opponents are going to have their work cut out for them if they try and attack the Buckeye secondary since there are so many experienced talents in the group.
The Akron Zips are coached by Joe Moorhead. The former Fordham and Mississippi State head coach is entering his third season in charge. Moorhead hasn’t found much success in his first two seasons, as the Zips are 4-20 during that span, with only two wins against FBS teams.
The last time Akron qualified for a bowl game was in 2017, when they lost the Boca Raton Bowl to finish 7-7.
The good news for Akron is things can’t really get much worse for them on offense after finishing 130th in scoring, 131st in rushing, and 129th in total offense in 2023.
New to the program is quarterback Ben Finley, who has played previously at NC State and Cal. Finley hasn’t played a whole lot in his first four seasons of college football, attempting 246 passes for nearly 1,500 yards, tossing seven touchdowns and nine interceptions.
Along with Finley, Tahj Bullock is in the mix for some playing time after attempting 66 passes last year. Bullock’s most notable performance came against Northern Illinois, throwing for 146 yards and recording the first passing touchdown of his career.
Unfortunately for Akron, Bullock is the only returning player from last year’s team with more than 14 yards rushing. The junior found the end zone four times on the ground in 2023.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25595102/1446385906.jpg "Michigan State v Penn State")
Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images
One name to watch at running back for the Zips is Jordon Simmons, who transferred in the offseason from Michigan State. Simmons did rush the football 110 in 2020 and 2021 but was used sparingly the last two seasons, receiving just 11 carries. Marquese Williams is another running back joining Akron from a Big Ten program. Williams started his career at Minnesota, but didn’t see the field in his freshman year.
Not only will Akron need to find some new threats in their rushing attack, they also are pretty green at receiver. Gone are last year’s starters Daniel George and Jasiah Gathings, leaving Akron with their leading returning receiver with under 200 yards. Moorhead did bring in six transfers, highlighted by Old Dominion’s Ahmarian Grander. The biggest deep threat on the roster is Alex Adams.
If the Akron defense is going to be on the field a lot, at least they return four of their top five tacklers from last year. The leaders of the defense are linebackers Bryan McCoy and Antavious Fish, who each recorded over 95 tackles in 2023.
On the defensive line, C.J. Nunnally IV was a force last season, registering 15 TFLs and 7.5 sacks. Nunnally’s sack output accounted for nearly a third of Akron’s sacks last year.
In the defensive backfield, Davonte Golden-Nelson returns after picking off two passes last season, while Darrian Lewis made 74 tackles. Joining the secondary is Oregon transfer Daymon David, who came to Eugene as a four-star prospect. If David can tap into his potential after playing mainly special teams at Oregon, the secondary of the Zips could surprise some people.
The question isn’t whether Ohio State will win, it’s if they will cover as 50-point favorites. This game should look a lot like the 2021 meeting, where the Buckeyes won 59-7. It’s hard to see this game being close even after a quarter with the talent Ryan Day has put together in Columbus. The Buckeyes have an experienced quarterback. two outstanding running backs, some of the best receivers in the nation, as well as a defense loaded with returning talent.
What will be interesting to see is when he starts to bring his starters out of the game, especially with this year possibly having a number of added games with the expanded College Football Playoff. Day has been reluctant in the past to give his backups much rope when they enter games, and it definitely showed in the Cotton Bowl when Devin Brown left due to injury and Lincoln Keinholtz didn’t look ready for the moment.
If the Buckeyes are going to win it all this year, they need to have faith their backups can handle the pressure. The starters handle their business on Saturday, allowing those behind them on the depth chart plenty of run as Ohio State starts the season with any easy win.
Continue reading...
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images
The Buckeyes open their 135th season of college football against the Akron Zips.
Ohio State opens its 2024 season on Saturday afternoon when it hosts the Akron Zips. Expectations are high for the Buckeyes after not only a number of starters put the NFL on hold and decided to return to Columbus for one more season, head coach Ryan Day made a big splash in the transfer portal.
The Alabama trio of safety Caleb Downs, quarterback Julian Sayin, and center Seth McLaughlin joins the Buckeyes, and also in the fold is Kansas State quarterback Will Howard.
Ohio State’s history against Akron and the MAC
First up for Ohio State is the Akron Zips. This marks the ninth meeting between the in-state foes, with the Buckeyes holding an 8-1 edge in the series. The only win for Akron was a 12-6 victory all the way back in 1894.
The Buckeyes and Zips have battled four other times this century. The most recent meeting between the schools came in 2021, with Ohio State easily winning 59-7. Following the Buckeyes 28-14 win in 2001, Akron has failed to reach double figures on the scoreboard in each of the last three meetings.
Saturday’s game marks the first of two consecutive games for Ohio State against MAC teams, as they will host the Western Michigan Broncos next Saturday. The Buckeyes are 36-1 all-time against MAC schools, with the only loss being the setback to Akron 130 years ago.
Ohio State has still never lost to an Ohio team in Ohio Stadium, posting a 48-0-1 record since the opening of the legendary stadium in 1922. The last Ohio team to make the trip to Columbus was Youngstown State last year. Ohio State went on to win the game with the Penguins 35-7.
Will Howard leads an explosive Buckeye offense
Following the transfer of last year’s starting quarterback Kyle McCord to Syracuse, there were questions heading into the offseason on who would be the starter for the Buckeyes in 2024. Devin Brown and Lincoln Kienholtz both played in the Cotton Bowl against Missouri, but didn’t do much to stake their claim for the job. Along with Will Howard, the Buckeyes also brought in highly-touted recruit Julian Sayin from Alabama, while long-time commit Air Noland finally arrived in Columbus.
After spring practices didn’t really clear up what the pecking order for the Buckeyes was at quarterback, Day finally announced recently that Howard would go into the season as the starting quarterback. Last year Howard tossed 24 touchdowns passes for Kansas State, while adding another nine scores on the ground.
Even though Howard will be the starter, we’ll likely see Devin Brown and others if the Buckeyes are able to build a comfortable lead in the game. Since this season will be the longest ever seen in college football because of the expanded playoff, Day will have to make sure those behind Howard on the depth chart are ready to step in if needed.
Also new to the Ohio State offense is running back Quinshon Judkins, who will unite with TreVeyon Henderson to create one of the most feared running back duos in the country. In his first two seasons of college football at Ole Miss, Judkins has rushed for 2,725 yards and 31 touchdowns.
The numbers for Judkins are similar to what Henderson has posted at Ohio State, with the only difference being Henderson has one more year of experience under his belt. It will be interesting to see how the workload is split between the two fantastic running backs.
One area where Ohio State has consistently churned out NFL talent recently is at wide receiver, and this year looks no different. After contemplating heading to the NFL, Emeka Egbuka decided to return to Columbus for one more season after his 2023 campaign was interrupted with an injury. Egbuka finished the season with 41 catches for 515 yards and four scores.
After Marvin Harrison Jr. was the primary target in 2023, now Egbuka is the leader of the unit and should be targeted by Howard early and often.
Along with Egbuka, Ohio State has a number of exciting wide receivers in the pipeline. After getting his feet wet last year as a freshman, Carnell Tate will have a bigger role this season. Tate finished the 2023 season with 18 catches for 264 yards and a touchdown. The sophomore will also likely have plenty to prove after much of the talk surrounding the wide receivers this offseason has been about stud freshman Jeremiah Smith.
The two talented receivers are the future at the position for the Buckeyes and have the look of joining Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave, and others as Ohio State first round picks at wide receiver.
One noticeable hole from last year’s squad that has to be filled is the tight end position. Cade Stover finished his career as one of the top tight ends in school history, and was a security blanket for Ohio State quarterbacks over the last few years. With Stover now in the NFL, Gee Scott Jr., Bennett Christian, and Ohio transfer Kacmarek are all battling for playing time.
While the tight ends might not be targeted quite as much as Stover was, they’ll still play a huge role in the offense, especially with their blocking abilities in a Buckeye offense that should feature the run more this season.
The “Silver Bullets” look dangerous
On the defensive side of the football, Ohio State has starters returning at each level.
In the trenches, defensive ends Jack Sawyer and J.T. Tuimoloau both are returning for one more season. Tuimoloau made a ton of noise in 2022 with one of the best games you’ll ever see from a defensive player in the win over Penn State, but the defensive end from Washington has been pretty quiet since. On the other end, Sawyer’s Ohio State career started slow but something started to click in the second half of last season, which was capped off with a three sack performance against Missouri in the Cotton Bowl.
Along with Tuimoloau and Sawyer, expect to hear defensive tackle Tyleik Williams’ name called often, as the big man does a tremendous job at causing havoc in the middle of the defensive line.
Linebacker is where Ohio State has the most to replace, as last year’s starters Tommy Eichenberg and Steele Chambers are now playing professionally. Luckily for new linebackers coach James Laurinaitis, Cody Simon is back for one more season. Simon is coming off a career-high 12 tackle performance against Missouri in the Cotton Bowl, and is the unquestioned leader of the group.
Next to Simon, safety Sonny Styles is making the transition to linebacker, and C.J. Hicks is hoping to finally flash the potential that made him one of the top linebacker recruits coming out of high school.
The most intriguing group on the defense is the defensive backs. Along with returning cornerbacks Denzel Burke, Davison Igbinosun, and Jordan Hancock, the group added star safety Caleb Downs to pair with Lathan Ransom, who is returning to the field after he didn’t play after suffering an injury in late October against Wisconsin.
The X-factor of the group is undoubtedly Downs, who was one of the top safeties in the country last season despite only being a freshman. Opponents are going to have their work cut out for them if they try and attack the Buckeye secondary since there are so many experienced talents in the group.
A rough start for Moorhead
The Akron Zips are coached by Joe Moorhead. The former Fordham and Mississippi State head coach is entering his third season in charge. Moorhead hasn’t found much success in his first two seasons, as the Zips are 4-20 during that span, with only two wins against FBS teams.
The last time Akron qualified for a bowl game was in 2017, when they lost the Boca Raton Bowl to finish 7-7.
Akron’s offense can only go up
The good news for Akron is things can’t really get much worse for them on offense after finishing 130th in scoring, 131st in rushing, and 129th in total offense in 2023.
New to the program is quarterback Ben Finley, who has played previously at NC State and Cal. Finley hasn’t played a whole lot in his first four seasons of college football, attempting 246 passes for nearly 1,500 yards, tossing seven touchdowns and nine interceptions.
Along with Finley, Tahj Bullock is in the mix for some playing time after attempting 66 passes last year. Bullock’s most notable performance came against Northern Illinois, throwing for 146 yards and recording the first passing touchdown of his career.
Unfortunately for Akron, Bullock is the only returning player from last year’s team with more than 14 yards rushing. The junior found the end zone four times on the ground in 2023.
One name to watch at running back for the Zips is Jordon Simmons, who transferred in the offseason from Michigan State. Simmons did rush the football 110 in 2020 and 2021 but was used sparingly the last two seasons, receiving just 11 carries. Marquese Williams is another running back joining Akron from a Big Ten program. Williams started his career at Minnesota, but didn’t see the field in his freshman year.
Not only will Akron need to find some new threats in their rushing attack, they also are pretty green at receiver. Gone are last year’s starters Daniel George and Jasiah Gathings, leaving Akron with their leading returning receiver with under 200 yards. Moorhead did bring in six transfers, highlighted by Old Dominion’s Ahmarian Grander. The biggest deep threat on the roster is Alex Adams.
The Zips on defense
If the Akron defense is going to be on the field a lot, at least they return four of their top five tacklers from last year. The leaders of the defense are linebackers Bryan McCoy and Antavious Fish, who each recorded over 95 tackles in 2023.
On the defensive line, C.J. Nunnally IV was a force last season, registering 15 TFLs and 7.5 sacks. Nunnally’s sack output accounted for nearly a third of Akron’s sacks last year.
In the defensive backfield, Davonte Golden-Nelson returns after picking off two passes last season, while Darrian Lewis made 74 tackles. Joining the secondary is Oregon transfer Daymon David, who came to Eugene as a four-star prospect. If David can tap into his potential after playing mainly special teams at Oregon, the secondary of the Zips could surprise some people.
Prediction
The question isn’t whether Ohio State will win, it’s if they will cover as 50-point favorites. This game should look a lot like the 2021 meeting, where the Buckeyes won 59-7. It’s hard to see this game being close even after a quarter with the talent Ryan Day has put together in Columbus. The Buckeyes have an experienced quarterback. two outstanding running backs, some of the best receivers in the nation, as well as a defense loaded with returning talent.
What will be interesting to see is when he starts to bring his starters out of the game, especially with this year possibly having a number of added games with the expanded College Football Playoff. Day has been reluctant in the past to give his backups much rope when they enter games, and it definitely showed in the Cotton Bowl when Devin Brown left due to injury and Lincoln Keinholtz didn’t look ready for the moment.
If the Buckeyes are going to win it all this year, they need to have faith their backups can handle the pressure. The starters handle their business on Saturday, allowing those behind them on the depth chart plenty of run as Ohio State starts the season with any easy win.
LGHL score prediction: Ohio State 54, Akron 7
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LGHL Who scores first? Ohio State fans predict what happens against Akron
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Who scores first? Ohio State fans predict what happens against Akron
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.
Before, during, and after the Ohio State football season, we here at Land-Grant Holy Land like to ask and answer 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.
After eight months of waiting, today is finally the day. Ohio State football is back, and — hopefully — better than ever as Ryan Day retained nearly all of the most important players from last year’s roster while adding five starters via the transfer portal, including two that could legitimately be the best players in the country at their positions.
Earlier this week, we asked Buckeye Nation to make some predictions about this game: Who gets the first TD? And, what’s the margin of victory?
So, as you are biding your time before kickoff, take a look at the results. We will have these fun little surveys every week of the season, so if you want to participate, check out the link below.
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As I said in the initial survey article, I am going TreVeyon Henderson on this one. I think that there are a lot of reasons why the fourth-year running back is the right answer here. First, he is a senior captain, so even though I think that he and transfer junior Quinshon Judkins will effectively split touches throughout the season, I believe that the coaches will show a bit of deference to the veteran early in the game, giving him a great chance to find paydirt first.
Second, forget the days gone by of Dwayne Haskins, Justin Fields, and C.J. Stroud, this will not be a passing offense this year. With Trey and Quinshon in the backfield, it would be hard to take the ball out of their hands in a normal circumstance, but Chip Kelly is now calling plays for OSU.
One of the most innovative running game minds in the history of college football will undoubtedly get creative with the best running back duo in the country at his disposal. So, run-focused scheme + senior captain = TreVeyon scores first!
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25597158/OhioState_2_082724.png)
In this morning’s podcast, I predicted that the Buckeyes will average two touchdowns every quarter, meaning that they will end up scoring 56 points against the Akron Zips this afternoon. I also went on the record saying that I didn’t think that Joe Moorhead’s offense could score at all.
So, that means that I am going 56-0, in the upper echelon of prediction options in the survey. Whether that is a realistic guess or just the wishful thinking of an absolute homer, we will have to wait and see, but there are some important factors at play.
As discussed in the “Land-Grant Tailgate” podcast, there are likely to be scattered thunderstorms in the area, so that could obviously have a fairly sizable impact on the score of the game.
The other major factor is the fact that Akron is terrible, and it might just not be worth it for the Buckeyes to run up the score. A win is a win, and Day and company might just view getting out of Week 1 without any injuries — especially if it is raining — more important than putting a 50-burger on an in-state opponent.
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.
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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.
Before, during, and after the Ohio State football season, we here at Land-Grant Holy Land like to ask and answer 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.
After eight months of waiting, today is finally the day. Ohio State football is back, and — hopefully — better than ever as Ryan Day retained nearly all of the most important players from last year’s roster while adding five starters via the transfer portal, including two that could legitimately be the best players in the country at their positions.
Earlier this week, we asked Buckeye Nation to make some predictions about this game: Who gets the first TD? And, what’s the margin of victory?
So, as you are biding your time before kickoff, take a look at the results. We will have these fun little surveys every week of the season, so if you want to participate, check out the link below.
Question 1: Who scores the first touchdown of the season for Ohio State?
As I said in the initial survey article, I am going TreVeyon Henderson on this one. I think that there are a lot of reasons why the fourth-year running back is the right answer here. First, he is a senior captain, so even though I think that he and transfer junior Quinshon Judkins will effectively split touches throughout the season, I believe that the coaches will show a bit of deference to the veteran early in the game, giving him a great chance to find paydirt first.
Second, forget the days gone by of Dwayne Haskins, Justin Fields, and C.J. Stroud, this will not be a passing offense this year. With Trey and Quinshon in the backfield, it would be hard to take the ball out of their hands in a normal circumstance, but Chip Kelly is now calling plays for OSU.
One of the most innovative running game minds in the history of college football will undoubtedly get creative with the best running back duo in the country at his disposal. So, run-focused scheme + senior captain = TreVeyon scores first!
Question 2: What will the margin of victory be in Saturday’s game?
In this morning’s podcast, I predicted that the Buckeyes will average two touchdowns every quarter, meaning that they will end up scoring 56 points against the Akron Zips this afternoon. I also went on the record saying that I didn’t think that Joe Moorhead’s offense could score at all.
So, that means that I am going 56-0, in the upper echelon of prediction options in the survey. Whether that is a realistic guess or just the wishful thinking of an absolute homer, we will have to wait and see, but there are some important factors at play.
As discussed in the “Land-Grant Tailgate” podcast, there are likely to be scattered thunderstorms in the area, so that could obviously have a fairly sizable impact on the score of the game.
The other major factor is the fact that Akron is terrible, and it might just not be worth it for the Buckeyes to run up the score. A win is a win, and Day and company might just view getting out of Week 1 without any injuries — especially if it is raining — more important than putting a 50-burger on an in-state opponent.
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.
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LGHL You’re Nuts: How many players (and who) will Ohio State men’s basketball take in the 2025 class?
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You’re Nuts: How many players (and who) will Ohio State men’s basketball take in the 2025 class?
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by John Jones/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Buckeyes will look to add to their one-man recruiting class in the coming months.
The basketball in Ohio, it is very good.
While Thad Matta was inarguably the greatest basketball coach in Ohio State history, it also helped that Ohio high school basketball was producing some of the best talent it had ever seen in the late 2000’s. When Ohio is producing high-level talent, being the head coach at Ohio State suddenly becomes a lot easier. And right now, the state is producing a ton of talent.
Last week, Connor and Justin debated who is the best two-man duo in the Big Ten. Connor went with the freshmen combo of Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey at Rutgers, while Justin chose Indiana’s combo of Malik Reneau and Oumar Ballo. 42% of the readers from last week sided with Connor, while 25% of people sided with Justin. The remaining 34% thought it was some other duo aside from the two our writers picked.
Connor- 80
Jake Diebler has already secured a commitment from four-star guard Dorian Jones, but the Buckeyes aren’t done adding to the 2025 class. Especially with scholarship limits set to become extinct in 2025 in favor of larger roster limits, the Buckeyes will probably add at least another 1-2 players.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25595537/1930883766.jpg "HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL: JAN 13 Hoophall Classic")
Photo by John Jones/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Easter’s recruiting page lists him as being from Missouri, but he’s actually from the Toledo area originally and has been recruited by Ohio State for well over three years now. Former head coach Chris Holtmann offered Easter a scholarship in September 2021 — two months before he began playing high school basketball.
Then-assistant coach Jake Diebler was very involved with the recruitment of Easter, but it looked like Ohio State was cooling on Easter towards the end of 2023. Once Holtmann was fired and Diebler was elevated to head coach, Easter’s name started popping up a bit more.
The 6-foot-5 combo guard began at Emmanuel Christian High School in Toledo and will play his senior season at Link Academy in Missouri. He is currently scheduled to visit Ohio State the weekend of Oct. 4-6.
Bundalo has been oscillating between a four-star and five-star recruit for the past year, and currently is the No. 23 player in the 2025 class. He recently announced that he would be playing his senior season at Prolific Prep in California — the same school as fellow Buckeye target Darryn Peterson.
Bundalo is a 6-foot-10, 215-pound power forward who previously played at Western Reserve Academy in Hudson, Ohio. He is scheduled to visit Columbus in an official capacity the weekend of Sept. 20-22, but is being courted by some of the best programs in the nation in addition to Ohio State. Bundalo also has visits scheduled with North Carolina, Michigan State, and UConn, and has scholarship offers from schools like Kansas, Kentucky, Texas, and Alabama, plus 29 others.
It’s rare to find a big man who has the combination of size, speed, and shooting that Bundalo has. While the “blue bloods” being involved is concerning, Bundalo has consistently included the Buckeyes alongside those schools every time.
The two, of course, are in addition to Dorian Jones, who was the first member of Ohio State’s 2025 class back in July. The 6-foot-4, 160-pound shooting guard is currently the No. 69 player in the 2025 class (four-star) and is one of several talented Ohio guards in this class. Jones is a good and improving shooter but also has a reputation for being one of the better on-ball defenders in prep basketball.
I am going to keep this short and sweet because my answer is very simple. I am going to go out on a limb and say the Buckeyes land Darryn Peterson, and that will fill out the class.
The reason is that Ohio State only has two players out of eligibility after this season: Meechie Johnson and Micah Parrish. I believe Jake Diebler and the staff will bring in two recruits to offset that, and then if any guys leave early for the NBA, like Aaron Bradshaw or Bruce Thornton, or if any guys transfer, they will supplement that through the transfer portal to fill out the roster.
Over the years, the Buckeyes have shown that they like to have a mix of recruits, freshmen, and transfer portal additions to maximize the roster and what it needs after guys leave and specific needs arise.
Also, when you get a recruit like Peterson, he is enough to bring a highly anticipated class on his own, and Jones is a guy who can contribute from day one as well.
Continue reading...
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by John Jones/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Buckeyes will look to add to their one-man recruiting class in the coming months.
The basketball in Ohio, it is very good.
While Thad Matta was inarguably the greatest basketball coach in Ohio State history, it also helped that Ohio high school basketball was producing some of the best talent it had ever seen in the late 2000’s. When Ohio is producing high-level talent, being the head coach at Ohio State suddenly becomes a lot easier. And right now, the state is producing a ton of talent.
Last week, Connor and Justin debated who is the best two-man duo in the Big Ten. Connor went with the freshmen combo of Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey at Rutgers, while Justin chose Indiana’s combo of Malik Reneau and Oumar Ballo. 42% of the readers from last week sided with Connor, while 25% of people sided with Justin. The remaining 34% thought it was some other duo aside from the two our writers picked.
After 167 weeks:
Connor- 80
Justin- 67
Other- 16
(There have been four ties)
Jake Diebler has already secured a commitment from four-star guard Dorian Jones, but the Buckeyes aren’t done adding to the 2025 class. Especially with scholarship limits set to become extinct in 2025 in favor of larger roster limits, the Buckeyes will probably add at least another 1-2 players.
This week’s question: How many players (and who) will Ohio State take in the 2025 class?
Connor: Three - Jerry Easter, Niko Bundalo, and Dorian Jones
Easter’s recruiting page lists him as being from Missouri, but he’s actually from the Toledo area originally and has been recruited by Ohio State for well over three years now. Former head coach Chris Holtmann offered Easter a scholarship in September 2021 — two months before he began playing high school basketball.
Then-assistant coach Jake Diebler was very involved with the recruitment of Easter, but it looked like Ohio State was cooling on Easter towards the end of 2023. Once Holtmann was fired and Diebler was elevated to head coach, Easter’s name started popping up a bit more.
The 6-foot-5 combo guard began at Emmanuel Christian High School in Toledo and will play his senior season at Link Academy in Missouri. He is currently scheduled to visit Ohio State the weekend of Oct. 4-6.
Bundalo has been oscillating between a four-star and five-star recruit for the past year, and currently is the No. 23 player in the 2025 class. He recently announced that he would be playing his senior season at Prolific Prep in California — the same school as fellow Buckeye target Darryn Peterson.
Bundalo is a 6-foot-10, 215-pound power forward who previously played at Western Reserve Academy in Hudson, Ohio. He is scheduled to visit Columbus in an official capacity the weekend of Sept. 20-22, but is being courted by some of the best programs in the nation in addition to Ohio State. Bundalo also has visits scheduled with North Carolina, Michigan State, and UConn, and has scholarship offers from schools like Kansas, Kentucky, Texas, and Alabama, plus 29 others.
It’s rare to find a big man who has the combination of size, speed, and shooting that Bundalo has. While the “blue bloods” being involved is concerning, Bundalo has consistently included the Buckeyes alongside those schools every time.
The two, of course, are in addition to Dorian Jones, who was the first member of Ohio State’s 2025 class back in July. The 6-foot-4, 160-pound shooting guard is currently the No. 69 player in the 2025 class (four-star) and is one of several talented Ohio guards in this class. Jones is a good and improving shooter but also has a reputation for being one of the better on-ball defenders in prep basketball.
Justin: Two - Darryn Peterson and Dorian Jones
I am going to keep this short and sweet because my answer is very simple. I am going to go out on a limb and say the Buckeyes land Darryn Peterson, and that will fill out the class.
The reason is that Ohio State only has two players out of eligibility after this season: Meechie Johnson and Micah Parrish. I believe Jake Diebler and the staff will bring in two recruits to offset that, and then if any guys leave early for the NBA, like Aaron Bradshaw or Bruce Thornton, or if any guys transfer, they will supplement that through the transfer portal to fill out the roster.
Over the years, the Buckeyes have shown that they like to have a mix of recruits, freshmen, and transfer portal additions to maximize the roster and what it needs after guys leave and specific needs arise.
Also, when you get a recruit like Peterson, he is enough to bring a highly anticipated class on his own, and Jones is a guy who can contribute from day one as well.
Continue reading...
LGHL Tailgate Podcast: Everything you need to know to watch the Ohio State vs. Akron game
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Tailgate Podcast: Everything you need to know to watch the Ohio State vs. Akron game
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
The only Ohio State game day podcast you need.
Before every Ohio State football game, Matt Tamanini will get you ready with all of the information that you need for that day’s game on the “Land-Grant Tailgate” podcast.
Listen to the episode and subscribe:
Game Date/Time: Saturday, Aug. 31 at 3:30 ET
Location: Columbus, Ohio
TV: CBS
Radio: 97.1 FM/1460 AM
This is going to be one of those name-your-score games. If Ohio State wanted to win by 70, they could win by 70. The question will be what they want to get out of this game. Given the potentially sloppy conditions at The Shoe this afternoon, it might be an even briefer appearance for the starters than I had initially believed.
Nonetheless, I am going to project this game as if the weather is not a major factor. I am on record as saying that the defense will be even better than it was last year when it allowed just 11.2 points per game, good for second nationally. So, if they are going to flirt with allowing fewer than 10 points per game, as I believe they will, they are going to need some early season shutouts, and I think that is on the minds of defensive coordinator Jim Knowles and his players.
So, I believe that the D will be aggressive and dialed in throughout the game, even if third-teamers end up playing a significant portion of the second half.
Over on offense, I don’t envision this unit competing with the high-scoring teams from early in Ryan Day’s tenure, one, because of the new clock rules that limit possessions, and two because this offense — especially with Chip Kelly calling plays — is built to run the ball, and I think they will.
While I do expect a fairly equal balance of touches for TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins this season, I think as a senior captain, Trey will be fed early and often against the Zips, so I am giving him three total touchdowns, while Judkins will have 2 and James Peoples will have one as well.
I think that Will Howard will throw for two TDs — including one to Henderson — and will exit the game with 218 yards through the air.
On defense, the Buckeye defense will cause 3 turnovers, 2 INTs, and 1 fumble recovery. Last season, the Zips were 116th, throwing 15 interceptions in 12 games. New starting quarterback Ben Finley has 7 career touchdown passes and 9 career INTs, in three seasons spread across N.C. State and Cal.
So ultimately, I do expect them to average a pair of touchdowns per quarter.
Will Howard: 218 yards passing, 2 touchdowns
TreVeyon Henderson: 3 touchdowns, including 1 receiving
Quinshon Judkins: 2 touchdowns
James Peoples: 1 touchdown
Ohio State defense: 3 takeaways (2 INTS, 1 fumble recovery)
Connect with Matt Tamanini
Online Portfolio: authory.com/MattTamanini
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
The only Ohio State game day podcast you need.
Before every Ohio State football game, Matt Tamanini will get you ready with all of the information that you need for that day’s game on the “Land-Grant Tailgate” podcast.
Listen to the episode and subscribe:
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes (-48) vs. Akron | over/under 57
Game Date/Time: Saturday, Aug. 31 at 3:30 ET
Location: Columbus, Ohio
TV: CBS
Radio: 97.1 FM/1460 AM
This is going to be one of those name-your-score games. If Ohio State wanted to win by 70, they could win by 70. The question will be what they want to get out of this game. Given the potentially sloppy conditions at The Shoe this afternoon, it might be an even briefer appearance for the starters than I had initially believed.
Nonetheless, I am going to project this game as if the weather is not a major factor. I am on record as saying that the defense will be even better than it was last year when it allowed just 11.2 points per game, good for second nationally. So, if they are going to flirt with allowing fewer than 10 points per game, as I believe they will, they are going to need some early season shutouts, and I think that is on the minds of defensive coordinator Jim Knowles and his players.
So, I believe that the D will be aggressive and dialed in throughout the game, even if third-teamers end up playing a significant portion of the second half.
Over on offense, I don’t envision this unit competing with the high-scoring teams from early in Ryan Day’s tenure, one, because of the new clock rules that limit possessions, and two because this offense — especially with Chip Kelly calling plays — is built to run the ball, and I think they will.
While I do expect a fairly equal balance of touches for TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins this season, I think as a senior captain, Trey will be fed early and often against the Zips, so I am giving him three total touchdowns, while Judkins will have 2 and James Peoples will have one as well.
I think that Will Howard will throw for two TDs — including one to Henderson — and will exit the game with 218 yards through the air.
On defense, the Buckeye defense will cause 3 turnovers, 2 INTs, and 1 fumble recovery. Last season, the Zips were 116th, throwing 15 interceptions in 12 games. New starting quarterback Ben Finley has 7 career touchdown passes and 9 career INTs, in three seasons spread across N.C. State and Cal.
So ultimately, I do expect them to average a pair of touchdowns per quarter.
Matt’s Prediction: Ohio State 56, Akron 0
Will Howard: 218 yards passing, 2 touchdowns
TreVeyon Henderson: 3 touchdowns, including 1 receiving
Quinshon Judkins: 2 touchdowns
James Peoples: 1 touchdown
Ohio State defense: 3 takeaways (2 INTS, 1 fumble recovery)
Connect with Matt Tamanini
Online Portfolio: authory.com/MattTamanini
Music by: epidemicsound.com
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LGHL Streaming expert has the best ways to watch Ohio State vs. Akron for free without cable
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Streaming expert has the best ways to watch Ohio State vs. Akron for free without cable
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Joshua A. Bickel/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
You’ve got a number of free trials you can choose from of various lengths and breadths.
We’ve done it! We have made it through the fallow offseason where everything seems to be standing between us and our true happiness: seeing the Ohio State Buckeyes play a game of intercollegiate college football. After an offseason that saw Ryan Day construct arguably the best roster in recent OSU memory, expectations are high in Columbus.
So, you will want to make sure that you are keeping you with all of the action this season. This season, the Buckeyes will play on three different broadcast networks (CBS, Fox, and NBC), at least one cable channel (Big Ten Network), and exclusively on a streaming service (Peacock); it can be tough to keep up with where and how to watch your favorite team.
As cord-cutting has become far more the norm than the exception across the United States, it would not be a surprise if you gave up cable or a live-streaming service following last year’s season only to realize that it’s the day of the game and you have no way to watch it.
And I know it can be incredibly confusing to find the best way to watch a game in today’s entertainment landscape. Fortunately for you, I am something of a streaming expert... no really, I write about streaming services for a living. So, I am going to walk you through the best — and cheapest — ways for you to stream today’s game.
Game Date/Time: Saturday, Aug. 31 at 3:30 p.m. ET
TV: CBS
Broadcasters: Brad Nessler, Gary Danielson, Jenny Dell
Betting Line: Ohio State -48 | 57 o/u
Best Streaming Option to Watch Ohio State vs. Akron:
Paramount+ has two streaming packages, the ad-supported Essentials tier and the ad-free Paramount+ with Showtime. Since both come with a 30-day free trial, if you want to watch today’s game against the Zips and all of the other football on CBS for the month of September, opt for the Paramount+ with Showtime plan. This will give you access to everything on your local CBS affiliate, plus tons of streaming exclusives, not to mention all of the original and library content from across the Paramount universe.
After your free trial expires, the ad-supported Paramount+ plan costs $7.99 per month, while the ad-free Paramount+ With Showtime option runs $12.99 monthly.
Best Streaming Option for All College Football Games:
If just watching the games on CBS isn’t enough to keep your football appetite at bay, then Hulu + Live TV is your best option. The live TV streaming service has one of the few guaranteed multi-day free trials in the industry and provides nearly all of the major cable channels on the market.
The basic package comes with all of the major broadcast network channels — all of which have college football — ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC. It also has ESPN, ESPN2, Big Ten Network, FS1, FS2, ESPNU, CBS Sports Network, SEC Network, ACC Network, and the NFL Network (yes, they have college games) without having to sign up for any sports add-on plans. However, if you do want more sports, you can add NFL RedZone, MLB StrikeZone, FanDuel TV, the Tennis Channel, and more.
What’s great about Hulu + Live TV is that in addition to all of the broadcast and cable channels that you could possibly want, it also comes with the Disney Bundle for free. So, you also get the full on-demand Hulu library, Disney+, and ESPN+, which also has hundreds of college football games every season.
Currently, a subscription to Hulu + Live TV costs $76.99 per month after your three-day free trial. However, that will go up to $82.99 in mid-October. But between now and then, this is the best choice for watching college football
Fubo: $84.99 per month, at least a one-day free trial
DIRECTV STREAM: $79.99 per month
YouTube TV: $72.99 per month
Below is your Ohio State vs. Akron 2024 game thread. Be respectful, be kind and — as always — keep it classy, BuckeyeNation. If you like GIFs, lay ‘em on us. In all, be good fans, cheer for your teams, be cool to each other (even if somebody else isn’t) and everyone wins. Let’s finish the season strong!
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
Joshua A. Bickel/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
You’ve got a number of free trials you can choose from of various lengths and breadths.
We’ve done it! We have made it through the fallow offseason where everything seems to be standing between us and our true happiness: seeing the Ohio State Buckeyes play a game of intercollegiate college football. After an offseason that saw Ryan Day construct arguably the best roster in recent OSU memory, expectations are high in Columbus.
So, you will want to make sure that you are keeping you with all of the action this season. This season, the Buckeyes will play on three different broadcast networks (CBS, Fox, and NBC), at least one cable channel (Big Ten Network), and exclusively on a streaming service (Peacock); it can be tough to keep up with where and how to watch your favorite team.
As cord-cutting has become far more the norm than the exception across the United States, it would not be a surprise if you gave up cable or a live-streaming service following last year’s season only to realize that it’s the day of the game and you have no way to watch it.
And I know it can be incredibly confusing to find the best way to watch a game in today’s entertainment landscape. Fortunately for you, I am something of a streaming expert... no really, I write about streaming services for a living. So, I am going to walk you through the best — and cheapest — ways for you to stream today’s game.
How can I watch the No. 2 Ohio State vs. Akron college football game?
Game Date/Time: Saturday, Aug. 31 at 3:30 p.m. ET
TV: CBS
Broadcasters: Brad Nessler, Gary Danielson, Jenny Dell
Betting Line: Ohio State -48 | 57 o/u
Best Streaming Option to Watch Ohio State vs. Akron:
Paramount+ | 30-Day Free Trial
Paramount+ has two streaming packages, the ad-supported Essentials tier and the ad-free Paramount+ with Showtime. Since both come with a 30-day free trial, if you want to watch today’s game against the Zips and all of the other football on CBS for the month of September, opt for the Paramount+ with Showtime plan. This will give you access to everything on your local CBS affiliate, plus tons of streaming exclusives, not to mention all of the original and library content from across the Paramount universe.
After your free trial expires, the ad-supported Paramount+ plan costs $7.99 per month, while the ad-free Paramount+ With Showtime option runs $12.99 monthly.
Best Streaming Option for All College Football Games:
Hulu + Live TV | 3-Day Free Trial
If just watching the games on CBS isn’t enough to keep your football appetite at bay, then Hulu + Live TV is your best option. The live TV streaming service has one of the few guaranteed multi-day free trials in the industry and provides nearly all of the major cable channels on the market.
The basic package comes with all of the major broadcast network channels — all of which have college football — ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC. It also has ESPN, ESPN2, Big Ten Network, FS1, FS2, ESPNU, CBS Sports Network, SEC Network, ACC Network, and the NFL Network (yes, they have college games) without having to sign up for any sports add-on plans. However, if you do want more sports, you can add NFL RedZone, MLB StrikeZone, FanDuel TV, the Tennis Channel, and more.
What’s great about Hulu + Live TV is that in addition to all of the broadcast and cable channels that you could possibly want, it also comes with the Disney Bundle for free. So, you also get the full on-demand Hulu library, Disney+, and ESPN+, which also has hundreds of college football games every season.
Currently, a subscription to Hulu + Live TV costs $76.99 per month after your three-day free trial. However, that will go up to $82.99 in mid-October. But between now and then, this is the best choice for watching college football
Other Streaming Options for the Ohio State and Akron Game:
Fubo: $84.99 per month, at least a one-day free trial
DIRECTV STREAM: $79.99 per month
YouTube TV: $72.99 per month
Join the conversation
Below is your Ohio State vs. Akron 2024 game thread. Be respectful, be kind and — as always — keep it classy, BuckeyeNation. If you like GIFs, lay ‘em on us. In all, be good fans, cheer for your teams, be cool to each other (even if somebody else isn’t) and everyone wins. Let’s finish the season strong!
Continue reading...
LGHL Ohio State offers 2027 North Carolina linebacker, will host rising running back for opener
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Ohio State offers 2027 North Carolina linebacker, will host rising running back for opener
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
The Buckeyes extend one of their latest offers to Quinton Cypher.
One more day and Ohio State football is back. Regardless of who the Buckeyes are playing, it’s been a long wait to see this 2024 squad take the field, and that wait is finally over. Akron poses little threat to the Buckeyes from a competitive standpoint, and while it will still be a few weeks before Ohio State is really tested, it’s a true first-look at how talented this team really is.
There must be some sort of pipeline building with the Tar Heel State, because Ohio State is spending plenty of time in North Carolina offering several players in various recruiting classes. Fortunate enough to have some success there, the coaching staff is continuing to evaluate the state’s talent pool, and this week saw the latest North Carolina native receive an Ohio State offer.
A 6-foot-2, 215 pound linebacker in the 2027 class, Quinton Cypher is the latest to hear from the Buckeyes and position coach James Laurinaitis. An unranked player right now per his 247Sports profile, early offers from Georgia, North Carolina, North Carolina State, Wisconsin, and now Ohio State are some of the notable schools to take notice before a real domino effect occurs that could see several more in the near future.
In just his short tenure at the helm of the position, Laurinaitis has proven to be in many ways very similar to Hartline in recruiting. A coach that has played at the highest level and knows his craft, he also has the development aspect already working in his favor. Moving forward, his early success in recruiting will have to be noticed by Cypher, who will be hearing from the Buckeyes more often now that his offer has been extended.
Just a high school sophomore with this year and two more full seasons after to be played, recruiting is just now starting to really take off. Having the Buckeyes in the mix now allows them to take their time in building the relationship. The next steps will be getting him on campus to see all that the program has to offer, but this won’t be the last time his name is mentioned.
Not wasting any time, this weekend will already be an opportunity for Ohio State to show off the program to the recruits on hand for unofficial visits. Hitting the ground running with game day visits, it’s a positive sign to see the Buckeyes bringing in top talent even with a lopsided contest on the schedule this first week.
Set to be in town for the opening game, 2027 running back prospect Elijah Kimble is making the trek from New York to see the Buckeyes and all they have to offer. The 5-foot-10, 180 pound athlete is another youngster that is not yet ranked on his 247Sports profile, but does have plenty of early attention on his radar as he currently holds offers from Michigan, Oregon, Penn State, and a host of others.
Not offered by Ohio State yet, this unofficial visit could change that as Carlos Locklyn will have time to entertain Kimble while in Columbus. Maybe the most enticing aspect of this visit will be seeing the two-headed monster in person of Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson in Ohio State’s backfield.
Taking the time to come and see the Buckeyes, clearly there is interest here and it wouldn’t be a shock to see the staff extend the offer either shortly after the game or in the near future once he returns home.
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
The Buckeyes extend one of their latest offers to Quinton Cypher.
One more day and Ohio State football is back. Regardless of who the Buckeyes are playing, it’s been a long wait to see this 2024 squad take the field, and that wait is finally over. Akron poses little threat to the Buckeyes from a competitive standpoint, and while it will still be a few weeks before Ohio State is really tested, it’s a true first-look at how talented this team really is.
Ohio State offers 2027 linebacker
There must be some sort of pipeline building with the Tar Heel State, because Ohio State is spending plenty of time in North Carolina offering several players in various recruiting classes. Fortunate enough to have some success there, the coaching staff is continuing to evaluate the state’s talent pool, and this week saw the latest North Carolina native receive an Ohio State offer.
A 6-foot-2, 215 pound linebacker in the 2027 class, Quinton Cypher is the latest to hear from the Buckeyes and position coach James Laurinaitis. An unranked player right now per his 247Sports profile, early offers from Georgia, North Carolina, North Carolina State, Wisconsin, and now Ohio State are some of the notable schools to take notice before a real domino effect occurs that could see several more in the near future.
In just his short tenure at the helm of the position, Laurinaitis has proven to be in many ways very similar to Hartline in recruiting. A coach that has played at the highest level and knows his craft, he also has the development aspect already working in his favor. Moving forward, his early success in recruiting will have to be noticed by Cypher, who will be hearing from the Buckeyes more often now that his offer has been extended.
Just a high school sophomore with this year and two more full seasons after to be played, recruiting is just now starting to really take off. Having the Buckeyes in the mix now allows them to take their time in building the relationship. The next steps will be getting him on campus to see all that the program has to offer, but this won’t be the last time his name is mentioned.
New York native checking in on the Buckeyes this weekend
Not wasting any time, this weekend will already be an opportunity for Ohio State to show off the program to the recruits on hand for unofficial visits. Hitting the ground running with game day visits, it’s a positive sign to see the Buckeyes bringing in top talent even with a lopsided contest on the schedule this first week.
Set to be in town for the opening game, 2027 running back prospect Elijah Kimble is making the trek from New York to see the Buckeyes and all they have to offer. The 5-foot-10, 180 pound athlete is another youngster that is not yet ranked on his 247Sports profile, but does have plenty of early attention on his radar as he currently holds offers from Michigan, Oregon, Penn State, and a host of others.
Not offered by Ohio State yet, this unofficial visit could change that as Carlos Locklyn will have time to entertain Kimble while in Columbus. Maybe the most enticing aspect of this visit will be seeing the two-headed monster in person of Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson in Ohio State’s backfield.
Taking the time to come and see the Buckeyes, clearly there is interest here and it wouldn’t be a shock to see the staff extend the offer either shortly after the game or in the near future once he returns home.
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LGHL MC&J: Clemson-Georgia and Notre Dame-Texas A&M top Week 1 nationally
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MC&J: Clemson-Georgia and Notre Dame-Texas A&M top Week 1 nationally
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Brandon Sloter/Image Of Sport/Getty Images
The two games between ranked teams highlight the opening weekend slate.
Last year ATS: 133-120-2 (71-73-2 National, 62-47 B1G)
Picks for this weekend’s games involving Big Ten teams can be found here.
TCU (-9.5) v. Stanford - Friday 8/30 10:30 p.m. ET - ESPN
Normally I’d leave this game alone, but I needed a game to at least make it to five nationally and this feels like it’ll be more competitive than Colorado State-Texas.
After making the national title game the previous year, TCU found life after Max Duggan pretty difficult, posting a 5-7 record. The Horned Frogs raided the transfer portal, bringing over 20 transfers, as well as former Boise State head coach Andy Avalos to be the defensive coordinator.
Stanford feels like they have a couple pieces in quarterback Ashton Daniels and wide receiver Elic Ayomanor. The problem is they don’t have much of note besides those two. Maybe the seven returning starters on defense step up, but this is a group that gave up 37 points per game last year.
The Cardinal hang around but TCU pulls away and covers in the fourth.
TCU 37, Stanford 23
No. 14 Clemson v. No. 1 Georgia (-13.5) - 12:00 p.m. ET - ABC
These teams opened up the 2021 season in Charlotte, with Georgia winning 10-3. Now the Tigers and Bulldogs square off a few hours down I-85 in Atlanta.
Dabo Swinney spent the offseason pretty much ignoring the transfer portal, and will now be ignoring callers on his coaches show. While Cade Klubnik had a lot of hype coming out of high school, he hasn’t lived up to it yet.
Much like Ohio State does, Georgia isn’t rebuilding, they’re reloading. Kirby Smart brought in Florida running back Trevor Etienne, who might not play because of an offseason DUI arrest. Then again, knowing how strict Smart is when it comes to crimes involving cars and Georgia players, Etienne will probably get double the workload on Saturday.
I’m backing Georgia here because I want Dabo humbled in the season opener. Plus, I just feel like the Bulldogs are the better team. Carson Beck and those returning from last year’s squad have to feel snubbed after they were left out of the CFP following the loss to Alabama in the SEC Championship Game.
Georgia wins in their home away from home by at least two touchdowns.
Georgia 31, Clemson 13
No. 19 Miami (FL) (-2.5) v. Florida - 3:30 p.m. ET - ABC
The U is back! Alright, a win over Florida isn’t what it used to be, but Miami can’t be choosy when it comes to wins. The Hurricanes should be fun to watch this year after landing Washington State quarterback Cam Ward in the transfer portal. If Ward can lead Miami to some early wins, the Hurricanes could be a sleeper for the College Football Playoff.
Apparently Graham Mertz is still playing college football. I just realized that a few minutes ago when doing some research on this game. Normally everyone would know who is quarterbacking the Gators, which shows you just how far Florida has fallen over the last decade. I’m not convinced Billy Napier has the juice to turn things around in Gainesville.
Napier’s seat gets even hotter with a loss to Miami on Saturday.
Miami (FL) 28, Florida 20
No. 7 Notre Dame v. No. 20 Texas A&M (-2.5) - 7:30 p.m. ET - ABC
After bringing in Wake Forest quarterback Sam Hartman last year, Notre Dame again hit up the ACC for Hartman’s replacement. Duke quarterback Reilly Leonard is the starter for the Fighting Irish, and with his experience he won’t be rattled by the raucous environment he’ll face in College Station.
What Leonard will have a hard time overcoming is he’ll be facing his former head coach. After firing Jimbo Fisher, the Aggies hired Duke head coach Mike Elko. Even though Elko isn’t as big of a name as some of the other coaches floated for the job, he has shown he can do a lot with a little, and at Texas A&M he is going to have a lot to work with.
This is a double revenge game for Elko. He not only faces his former quarterback, he used to be on the Notre Dame coaching staff. Leonard may get his, but Texas A&M quarterback Connor Weigman will hang with Leonard.
In the end, the relentless pass rush of the Aggies will get to Leonard in the second half and be the difference.
Texas A&M 31, Notre Dame 24
Boston College v. No. 10 Florida State (-15.5) - Monday 9/2 7:30 p.m. ET - ESPN
D.J. Uiagaleleli ain’t it, bro. The Seminoles didn’t impress at all in the opener against Georgia Tech in Ireland. While Florida State’s season isn’t lost because of just one setback, now they have no margin for error. Apparently it isn’t easy to replace a bunch of talent that is now on NFL rosters.
Ohio State coaching legend Bill O’Brien will be making his debut as Boston College head coach on Monday night. I am intrigued by the combination of Thomas Castellanos at quarterback and running back Kye Robichaux.
Last year Boston College pushed the Seminoles to the limit, and I could see the same happening this year.
Florida State 24, Boston College 21
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Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Brandon Sloter/Image Of Sport/Getty Images
The two games between ranked teams highlight the opening weekend slate.
Last year ATS: 133-120-2 (71-73-2 National, 62-47 B1G)
Picks for this weekend’s games involving Big Ten teams can be found here.
National games (All games Saturday unless otherwise noted):
TCU (-9.5) v. Stanford - Friday 8/30 10:30 p.m. ET - ESPN
Normally I’d leave this game alone, but I needed a game to at least make it to five nationally and this feels like it’ll be more competitive than Colorado State-Texas.
After making the national title game the previous year, TCU found life after Max Duggan pretty difficult, posting a 5-7 record. The Horned Frogs raided the transfer portal, bringing over 20 transfers, as well as former Boise State head coach Andy Avalos to be the defensive coordinator.
Stanford feels like they have a couple pieces in quarterback Ashton Daniels and wide receiver Elic Ayomanor. The problem is they don’t have much of note besides those two. Maybe the seven returning starters on defense step up, but this is a group that gave up 37 points per game last year.
The Cardinal hang around but TCU pulls away and covers in the fourth.
TCU 37, Stanford 23
No. 14 Clemson v. No. 1 Georgia (-13.5) - 12:00 p.m. ET - ABC
These teams opened up the 2021 season in Charlotte, with Georgia winning 10-3. Now the Tigers and Bulldogs square off a few hours down I-85 in Atlanta.
Dabo Swinney spent the offseason pretty much ignoring the transfer portal, and will now be ignoring callers on his coaches show. While Cade Klubnik had a lot of hype coming out of high school, he hasn’t lived up to it yet.
Much like Ohio State does, Georgia isn’t rebuilding, they’re reloading. Kirby Smart brought in Florida running back Trevor Etienne, who might not play because of an offseason DUI arrest. Then again, knowing how strict Smart is when it comes to crimes involving cars and Georgia players, Etienne will probably get double the workload on Saturday.
I’m backing Georgia here because I want Dabo humbled in the season opener. Plus, I just feel like the Bulldogs are the better team. Carson Beck and those returning from last year’s squad have to feel snubbed after they were left out of the CFP following the loss to Alabama in the SEC Championship Game.
Georgia wins in their home away from home by at least two touchdowns.
Georgia 31, Clemson 13
No. 19 Miami (FL) (-2.5) v. Florida - 3:30 p.m. ET - ABC
The U is back! Alright, a win over Florida isn’t what it used to be, but Miami can’t be choosy when it comes to wins. The Hurricanes should be fun to watch this year after landing Washington State quarterback Cam Ward in the transfer portal. If Ward can lead Miami to some early wins, the Hurricanes could be a sleeper for the College Football Playoff.
Apparently Graham Mertz is still playing college football. I just realized that a few minutes ago when doing some research on this game. Normally everyone would know who is quarterbacking the Gators, which shows you just how far Florida has fallen over the last decade. I’m not convinced Billy Napier has the juice to turn things around in Gainesville.
Napier’s seat gets even hotter with a loss to Miami on Saturday.
Miami (FL) 28, Florida 20
No. 7 Notre Dame v. No. 20 Texas A&M (-2.5) - 7:30 p.m. ET - ABC
After bringing in Wake Forest quarterback Sam Hartman last year, Notre Dame again hit up the ACC for Hartman’s replacement. Duke quarterback Reilly Leonard is the starter for the Fighting Irish, and with his experience he won’t be rattled by the raucous environment he’ll face in College Station.
What Leonard will have a hard time overcoming is he’ll be facing his former head coach. After firing Jimbo Fisher, the Aggies hired Duke head coach Mike Elko. Even though Elko isn’t as big of a name as some of the other coaches floated for the job, he has shown he can do a lot with a little, and at Texas A&M he is going to have a lot to work with.
This is a double revenge game for Elko. He not only faces his former quarterback, he used to be on the Notre Dame coaching staff. Leonard may get his, but Texas A&M quarterback Connor Weigman will hang with Leonard.
In the end, the relentless pass rush of the Aggies will get to Leonard in the second half and be the difference.
Texas A&M 31, Notre Dame 24
Boston College v. No. 10 Florida State (-15.5) - Monday 9/2 7:30 p.m. ET - ESPN
D.J. Uiagaleleli ain’t it, bro. The Seminoles didn’t impress at all in the opener against Georgia Tech in Ireland. While Florida State’s season isn’t lost because of just one setback, now they have no margin for error. Apparently it isn’t easy to replace a bunch of talent that is now on NFL rosters.
Ohio State coaching legend Bill O’Brien will be making his debut as Boston College head coach on Monday night. I am intrigued by the combination of Thomas Castellanos at quarterback and running back Kye Robichaux.
Last year Boston College pushed the Seminoles to the limit, and I could see the same happening this year.
Florida State 24, Boston College 21
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