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LGHL Hangout in the Holy Land: The CFP announces a significant change, and we share our unpopular opinions
- News
- 0 Replies
Hangout in the Holy Land: The CFP announces a significant change, and we share our unpopular opinions
justingolba 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 via Imagn Images
Also, JJ Smith, Ryan Day, and Caleb Downs are on the cover of NCAA College Football 2026
The latest episode of Land-Grant Holy Land’s flagship podcast is here! Join hosts Justin Golba and Alex Frank as they discuss Ohio State football, basketball, recruiting, and much more! Come for the hot takes. Stay for the warm ones.
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
We are back for episode two of the new-look Hangout in the Holy Land with Justin Golba and Alex Frank, and the College Football Playoff committee has made a huge announcement.
Starting next year, the winner of the conference championship games will no longer receive an automatic first-round bye. Instead, the top four overall seeds will receive the bye. The conference champions will still receive an automatic bid to the playoffs.
We discuss the change and its ramifications, including why Notre Dame should be happy.
We also discuss the NCAA College Football 2026 videogame cover and share our unpopular opinions for theme week.
Make sure to like and subscribe to the podcast. As always, Go Bucks!
Connect with the podcast:
Twitter: @HolyLandPod
Connect with Justin Golba:
Twitter: @justin_golba
Connect with Alex Frank:
Twitter: @frankie_nnati
Continue reading...
justingolba 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 via Imagn Images
Also, JJ Smith, Ryan Day, and Caleb Downs are on the cover of NCAA College Football 2026
The latest episode of Land-Grant Holy Land’s flagship podcast is here! Join hosts Justin Golba and Alex Frank as they discuss Ohio State football, basketball, recruiting, and much more! Come for the hot takes. Stay for the warm ones.
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
We are back for episode two of the new-look Hangout in the Holy Land with Justin Golba and Alex Frank, and the College Football Playoff committee has made a huge announcement.
Starting next year, the winner of the conference championship games will no longer receive an automatic first-round bye. Instead, the top four overall seeds will receive the bye. The conference champions will still receive an automatic bid to the playoffs.
We discuss the change and its ramifications, including why Notre Dame should be happy.
We also discuss the NCAA College Football 2026 videogame cover and share our unpopular opinions for theme week.
Make sure to like and subscribe to the podcast. As always, Go Bucks!
Connect with the podcast:
Twitter: @HolyLandPod
Connect with Justin Golba:
Twitter: @justin_golba
Connect with Alex Frank:
Twitter: @frankie_nnati
Continue reading...
LGHL Unpopular Opinion: The lack of upsets this past NCAA Tournament was a good thing.
- News
- 0 Replies
Unpopular Opinion: The lack of upsets this past NCAA Tournament was a good thing.
Cincinnati1968 via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS - APRIL 05: Dylan Cardwell #44 of the Auburn Tigers and Rueben Chinyelu #9 of the Florida Gators tip the ball during the first half in the Final Four Game of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Alamodome on April 05, 2025 in San Antonio, Texas. | Photo by Jamie Schwaberow/NCAA Photos via Getty Images
Only one double-digit seed made the Sweet 16 this past season in the NCAA Tournament.
From now until preseason camp starts in August, Land-Grant Holy Land will be writing articles around a different theme every week. This week is all about unpopular opinions.
You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content here and all our “Unpopular Opinion” articles here.
There are a lot of things we love about the NCAA Tournament: buzzer-beaters, mascots, brackets and, of course, upsets.
Upsets are what make the NCAA Tournament one of the greatest sporting events in the world. It’s those unexpected wins by schools many fans probably didn’t even know about before the Tournament, but now do because they knocked off a major school or even a blue blood.
Brackets gets busted when “Cinderella” schools knock out the team a majority of fans picked to win the NCAA Tournament. That part of the NCAA Tournament is fun; brackets being busted or just barely staying intact.
But what if I told you that, I believe, the lack of upsets in this past NCAA Tournament was a good thing?
People were unhappy about the lack of upsets because it voided the NCAA Tournament of the drama that makes it the captivating event that it is. There was also conversation about how the transfer portal and NIL were a big reason for the lack of upsets this season, and the potential for that to be the case in future Tournaments.
For as much as we love those Cinderella upsets, the quality of the NCAA Tournament kind of gets dampered when those teams continue to advance into the second weekend.
Think of the memorable NCAA Tournament games you’ve watched...
Kentucky-Duke in 1992, Arizona-Kentucky in the 1997 National Championship, Kentucky’s run of three straight game-winners to the National Championship in 2014 and UCLA-Gonzaga in 2021.
Notice how all of those games featured major schools and blue bloods of College Basketball.
This past NCAA Tournament, there was only one double-digit seed that made the Sweet 16. That team was the Arkansas Razorbacks, still a major program led by a Hall of Fame head coach in John Calipari.
All of the Elite Eight matchups were either No. 1 seeds vs. No. 2 seeds or No. 1 seed vs. a No. 3 seed.
To me, that just makes for better basketball in the later rounds of the NCAA Tournament. As much as we love upsets and bracket busters, I also love seeing the elite go against the elite in the late rounds of the NCAA Tournament.
First round upsets are one thing. But, I at least, don’t need to see matchups like Florida Atlantic vs. San Diego State in the Final Four. I’m not trying to take away anything from what those two schools, specifically, did in 2023, but it takes away from the magnitude of the Final Four when two mid-major schools are facing off for the right to go to the National Championship.
This past Tournament saw all No. 1 seeds in the Final Four for the first time in 17 years. It was awesome, and the three games in San Antonio were incredible. That’s what the Final Four, to me, is about. The best teams playing for a National Championship makes for great television.
Throughout every season, we envision what it would be like to see, using this year as an example, Florida and Duke play in the National Championship or Duke and Auburn play for a “One Shining Moment.”
From the Sweet 16 on, we envision what it would be like to see two blue bloods or two rivals engaing in a game that could become an all-time classic. Upsets are fun, but those Cinderella teams advancing deep into the Tournament take away the quality of what the NCAA Tournament should be.
That’s why this past NCAA Tournament was so enjoyable, for me at least. The best teams were playing in the later rounds. That’s what made the Final Four so great. The best teams were playing in San Antonio for the National Championship.
Upsets are a huge part of what makes the NCAA Tournament so unique. But the NCAA Tournament is also about seeing the best teams play in the later rounds, and that’s where upsets may not be the best thing in March Madness.
This past NCAA Tournament was memorable because the best of the best were playing in the Final Four. The lack of upsets were a good thing because it increased the chances of great games in the Final Four and National Championship, which we got.
Fans love “Cinderella” teams in March Madness, but, for me as a fan, I loved being able to see the best of the best on college basketball’s biggest stage.
Continue reading...
Cincinnati1968 via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS - APRIL 05: Dylan Cardwell #44 of the Auburn Tigers and Rueben Chinyelu #9 of the Florida Gators tip the ball during the first half in the Final Four Game of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Alamodome on April 05, 2025 in San Antonio, Texas. | Photo by Jamie Schwaberow/NCAA Photos via Getty Images
Only one double-digit seed made the Sweet 16 this past season in the NCAA Tournament.
From now until preseason camp starts in August, Land-Grant Holy Land will be writing articles around a different theme every week. This week is all about unpopular opinions.
You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content here and all our “Unpopular Opinion” articles here.
There are a lot of things we love about the NCAA Tournament: buzzer-beaters, mascots, brackets and, of course, upsets.
Upsets are what make the NCAA Tournament one of the greatest sporting events in the world. It’s those unexpected wins by schools many fans probably didn’t even know about before the Tournament, but now do because they knocked off a major school or even a blue blood.
Brackets gets busted when “Cinderella” schools knock out the team a majority of fans picked to win the NCAA Tournament. That part of the NCAA Tournament is fun; brackets being busted or just barely staying intact.
But what if I told you that, I believe, the lack of upsets in this past NCAA Tournament was a good thing?
People were unhappy about the lack of upsets because it voided the NCAA Tournament of the drama that makes it the captivating event that it is. There was also conversation about how the transfer portal and NIL were a big reason for the lack of upsets this season, and the potential for that to be the case in future Tournaments.
For as much as we love those Cinderella upsets, the quality of the NCAA Tournament kind of gets dampered when those teams continue to advance into the second weekend.
Think of the memorable NCAA Tournament games you’ve watched...
Kentucky-Duke in 1992, Arizona-Kentucky in the 1997 National Championship, Kentucky’s run of three straight game-winners to the National Championship in 2014 and UCLA-Gonzaga in 2021.
Notice how all of those games featured major schools and blue bloods of College Basketball.
This past NCAA Tournament, there was only one double-digit seed that made the Sweet 16. That team was the Arkansas Razorbacks, still a major program led by a Hall of Fame head coach in John Calipari.
All of the Elite Eight matchups were either No. 1 seeds vs. No. 2 seeds or No. 1 seed vs. a No. 3 seed.
To me, that just makes for better basketball in the later rounds of the NCAA Tournament. As much as we love upsets and bracket busters, I also love seeing the elite go against the elite in the late rounds of the NCAA Tournament.
First round upsets are one thing. But, I at least, don’t need to see matchups like Florida Atlantic vs. San Diego State in the Final Four. I’m not trying to take away anything from what those two schools, specifically, did in 2023, but it takes away from the magnitude of the Final Four when two mid-major schools are facing off for the right to go to the National Championship.
This past Tournament saw all No. 1 seeds in the Final Four for the first time in 17 years. It was awesome, and the three games in San Antonio were incredible. That’s what the Final Four, to me, is about. The best teams playing for a National Championship makes for great television.
Throughout every season, we envision what it would be like to see, using this year as an example, Florida and Duke play in the National Championship or Duke and Auburn play for a “One Shining Moment.”
From the Sweet 16 on, we envision what it would be like to see two blue bloods or two rivals engaing in a game that could become an all-time classic. Upsets are fun, but those Cinderella teams advancing deep into the Tournament take away the quality of what the NCAA Tournament should be.
That’s why this past NCAA Tournament was so enjoyable, for me at least. The best teams were playing in the later rounds. That’s what made the Final Four so great. The best teams were playing in San Antonio for the National Championship.
Upsets are a huge part of what makes the NCAA Tournament so unique. But the NCAA Tournament is also about seeing the best teams play in the later rounds, and that’s where upsets may not be the best thing in March Madness.
This past NCAA Tournament was memorable because the best of the best were playing in the Final Four. The lack of upsets were a good thing because it increased the chances of great games in the Final Four and National Championship, which we got.
Fans love “Cinderella” teams in March Madness, but, for me as a fan, I loved being able to see the best of the best on college basketball’s biggest stage.
Continue reading...
LGHL Ohio State preparing for official visit season to get underway
- News
- 0 Replies
Ohio State preparing for official visit season to get underway
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Barbara J. Perenic/The Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
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
Unpopular Opinion: Fun factor of conference expansion wears off quickly
Michael Citro, Land-Grant Holy Land
Final Ohio State Mock Class before official visit season
Mick Walker, Lettermen Row
“He’s Playing With Confidence”: Aaron Scott Jr. Competing For Playing Time at Cornerback for Ohio State
Andy Anders, Eleven Warriors
Styles brothers looking forward to starting alongside each other this season
Steve Helwagen, Bucknuts
Three big questions for Buckeyes reloaded tailback room
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row
Remembrance, gratitude on Memorial Day from Dotting The Eyes
Austin Ward, Dotting The Eyes
Men’s Tennis: Robert Cash and JJ Tracy Earn Spot in French Open
Ohio State Athletics
Track & Field: Buckeyes Send 23 Entries to the NCAA East First Round
Ohio State Athletics
Olympic gold medalist Kyle Snyder allowed to return to wrestling
Lori Schmidt, The Columbus Dispatch
This is the Disney+ show we deserve
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
Barbara J. Perenic/The Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
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
Unpopular Opinion: Fun factor of conference expansion wears off quickly
Michael Citro, Land-Grant Holy Land
Final Ohio State Mock Class before official visit season
Mick Walker, Lettermen Row
“He’s Playing With Confidence”: Aaron Scott Jr. Competing For Playing Time at Cornerback for Ohio State
Andy Anders, Eleven Warriors
Styles brothers looking forward to starting alongside each other this season
Steve Helwagen, Bucknuts
Three big questions for Buckeyes reloaded tailback room
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row
Remembrance, gratitude on Memorial Day from Dotting The Eyes
Austin Ward, Dotting The Eyes
Outside the Shoe and Schott
Men’s Tennis: Robert Cash and JJ Tracy Earn Spot in French Open
Ohio State Athletics
Track & Field: Buckeyes Send 23 Entries to the NCAA East First Round
Ohio State Athletics
Olympic gold medalist Kyle Snyder allowed to return to wrestling
Lori Schmidt, The Columbus Dispatch
And now for something completely different...
This is the Disney+ show we deserve
Continue reading...
