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LGHL OHIO STATE GAMEDAY: It’s a bad day to be a Tennessee Volunteer
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OHIO STATE GAMEDAY: It’s a bad day to be a Tennessee Volunteer
Gene Ross 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
The Buckeyes host a first round College Football Playoff game on Saturday.
Wake up, everyone. It’s Ohio State game day!
The Buckeyes are back in action on Saturday night to host a College Football Playoff game, as Ohio State will take on Tennessee in the first round. The winner of tonight’s matchup will earn a date with Oregon in the Rose Bowl, but there is a lot more on the line for Ryan Day and company than just advancing to the next stage of the postseason. The stakes are maybe higher than ever for this staff, and the Buckeyes will need to play like it to come away victorious against the Volunteers in Columbus.
Over the past week, our talented group of writers and podcasters have put together preview pieces, analytical breakdowns, and everything in-between.
If you missed out on any of the coverage, we have you... well, covered. Below, each type of story is categorized. If you’re looking for podcasts and previews we’ve done, you can find them; if you’re looking for the betting lines and non-football topics, they are there, too.
Enjoy the day everyone. As always, Go Bucks!
Continue reading...
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The Buckeyes host a first round College Football Playoff game on Saturday.
Wake up, everyone. It’s Ohio State game day!
The Buckeyes are back in action on Saturday night to host a College Football Playoff game, as Ohio State will take on Tennessee in the first round. The winner of tonight’s matchup will earn a date with Oregon in the Rose Bowl, but there is a lot more on the line for Ryan Day and company than just advancing to the next stage of the postseason. The stakes are maybe higher than ever for this staff, and the Buckeyes will need to play like it to come away victorious against the Volunteers in Columbus.
Over the past week, our talented group of writers and podcasters have put together preview pieces, analytical breakdowns, and everything in-between.
If you missed out on any of the coverage, we have you... well, covered. Below, each type of story is categorized. If you’re looking for podcasts and previews we’ve done, you can find them; if you’re looking for the betting lines and non-football topics, they are there, too.
Enjoy the day everyone. As always, Go Bucks!
Podcasts
- Hangout in the Holy Land: We finally get to play some football again
- Silver Bullets: Ohio State news and Tennessee preview
- Power Two: Are you sure SMU can’t beat Penn State?
- I-80 Football Show: Can the Big Ten go 3-0 in first-round playoff games?
- In Conversation: Vegas insider Adam Burke hopes Ryan Day lets his players do their thing
Previews
- Ohio State v. Tennessee: 2024 game preview and prediction
- Life in Simulation: EA CFB 25 predicts Ohio State vs. Tennessee
- What Ohio State needs to do on both sides of the ball to beat Tennessee
Sports Betting
- Ohio State opens as 7.5-point favorites over Tennessee
- MC&J: Picks for Tennessee-Ohio State and the rest of the CFP first round
- MC&J: The next segment of non-CFP bowls features Rutgers, Syracuse, and more
Mens Basketball
- Ohio State needs more from its transfer class if they have NCAA aspirations
- Ohio State takes care of business at home, beating Valpo 95-73
- Uncut: Diebler gets emotional over Valpo roots, Homer Drew, OSU’s resiliency
- Bucketheads: Manager mania! Ohio State men’s basketball managers join the show
- Which college basketball coaches are going to end up on Santa’s naughty list?
Women’s Basketball
- No. 11 Ohio State ends home non-conference play, defeats Grand Valley State 82-57
- No. 11 Ohio State women’s basketball has complete performance over Stanford 84-59
- ‘I just couldn’t stop smiling,’ the Thierrys reflect on a matchup four years in the making
Recruiting
- No. 1 OT visits Ohio State; Buckeyes lose transfer portal target to Oregon
- Ohio State offers former Cal Poly offensive lineman
- BOOM! Minnesota offensive line transfer Phillip Daniels commits to Ohio State
- OSU interested in transfer portal TE; RB target transfers elsewhere
Ask LGHL
Other Columns
- Using CFB 25 to predict the College Football Playoff
- Ohio State’s returning draft-eligible players have just one remaining goal
- Ohio State needs double-digit transfer additions this offseason to even compete in 2025
- B1G Thoughts: Is Ohio State’s Season Already Over or Can They Bounce Back?
- Which Tennessee player are you most worried about?
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LGHL Ohio State men blow out No. 4 Kentucky 85-65 as Thornton shines at MSG
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Ohio State men blow out No. 4 Kentucky 85-65 as Thornton shines at MSG
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
John Jones-Imagn Images
With the return of Aaron Bradshaw and Ques Glover, the Buckeyes played its most complete game of the season
The Ohio State Buckeyes (8-4, 1-1) pulled off the upset against the No. 4 Kentucky Wildcats (10-2, 0-0) 85-65 on Saturday evening in the CBS Sports Classic at the iconic Madison Square Garden.
The Buckeyes’ roster was a bit in flux after they were shorthanded earlier this week against Valparaiso when they were down four rotation players. As he was against Valpo, Meechie Johnson Jr. is still away from the team as he handles personal matters, and Colin White is still out with an injury. However, both Aaron Bradshaw and Ques Glover returned to OSU’s lineup tonight and each made an impact on the proceedings.
Ohio State's starters were Bruce Thornton, John Mobley, Micah Parrish, Sean Stewart, and Devin Royal. Kentucky starters were Andrew Carr, Amari Williams, Otega Oweh, Lamont Butler, and Jaxson Robinson.
Freshman guard John Mobley Jr. got the scoring going with a deep three-pointer to give Ohio State a 3-0 lead.
At the 17:30 mark in the first quarter, former Wildcat and current Buckeye center Aaron Bradshaw checked into the game in place of starter Sean Stewart and he made the second shot of the game for the Buckeyes off an assist from Bruce Thornton. Bradshaw then made another basket to get to four quick points, and Kentucky led 8-7 at the first media timeout.
The teams continued to trade baskets for the next 10 minutes leading to a 21-20 Kentucky lead. However, from there, the Buckeyes went on an 8-0 run to take a 28-21 lead with four minutes remaining in the first half. Bradshaw made a three-pointer to give the Buckeyes a 31-23 lead.
Buckets from Evan Mahaffey and Thornton saw the Buckeyes take a 35-25 lead. The two teams traded baskets until Ohio State took a 39-30 lead heading into halftime.
Kentucky was led by Wake Forest transfer Andrew Carr in the opening half with nine points, but the team was only 8-for-22 from the field and 2-for-10 from three-point range, which is generally the Wildcat’s strength.
Ohio State was led by Bradshaw and Thornton in the first half, with nine and eight points respectively. Bradshaw was 4-for-4 from the field off the bench in his return to play.
Ohio State held Kentucky to 30 first-half points, its lowest scoring half of the season thus far.
To start the second half, The Buckeyes went on an early run, scoring six straight points on buckets from Bradshaw, Mobley, and Royal to go up 45-30. Kentucky answered with a quick 6-0 run of its own to cut the deficit back into single digits at 45-36.
The teams then traded baskets and Ohio State took a 51-39 lead into the under-16 media timeout. Out of the break, Kentucky’s Kobe Brea — who shoots 53.6% from distance on the season, good for fourth nationally — knocked down a three-pointer.
Otega Oweh made another layup for the Wildcats and made a free throw to cut the lead to six. Oweh was only 2-for-7 from the field at this point but was 11-for-11 from the charity stripe.
Six points and a bucket from Mobley saw Ohio State go on a fast 8-1 run and take a 59-47 lead. The Buckeyes led 59-51 lead at the under-12 media timeout.
It was at that point that Thornton started to take over the game as he recorded four quick points to give Ohio State a 64-51 lead with 9:31 left in regulation. Mobley made another field goal as Ohio State went on a 7-0 run and Kentucky missed seven straight field goals. Jaxson Robinson broke the drought with a three-pointer to cut the Ohio State lead to 12 points at the under-8 timeout.
Ohio State was able to force Kentucky into fouls and was in the bonus with six minutes left in the contest. John Mobley made two free throws and Ques Glover knocked down a step-back three-point shot to give Ohio State a 73-61 lead at the under-4 timeout. Out of the timeout, Bruce Thornton made two free throws to push the lead to 75-61. At this point in the game, Kentucky was two for its last 14 from the field and 5-for-20 on layups.
Ohio State took a 79-63 lead with 1:30 left after two Bruce Thornton free throws. Ohio State made its free throws down the stretch and won the game 85-65.
Bruce Thornton led the Buckeyes with 30 points on 8-for-13 from the field, while John Mobley Jr. and Aaron Bradshaw added 15 and 11 points, respectively.
Otega Oweh finished with 21 points on 13 free throws, while Andrew Carr and Jaxson Robinson added 12 and 11 points, respectively.
The CBS Sports Classic is an annual American men’s college basketball event that began in 2014. This year’s participants include Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio State, and UCLA.
Each team has played one game each year (except for 2021 due to COVID cancellations), and the four teams have completed a doubleheader.
Ohio State is 5-4 all-time in the CBS Sports Classic, with the 2021 matchup getting canceled due to COVID-19. The Buckeyes are 2-0 against Kentucky, 3-1 against UCLA, and 0-3 against North Carolina. North Carolina is 6-4 all-time, Kentucky is 5-5 all-time, and UCLA is 3-6 all-time.
Ohio State defeated No. 4 Kentucky 74-67 in 2015 at the Barclays Center, and No. 5 Ohio State defeated No. 6 Kentucky 71-65 in 2019 at T-Mobile Arena.
Ohio State will return to play after the Christmas Break with its final non-conference game of the season. They will host Indiana State on Sunday, Dec. 29 at 12 noon ET. on the Big Ten Network. Indiana State is 8-4 on the season.
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justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
John Jones-Imagn Images
With the return of Aaron Bradshaw and Ques Glover, the Buckeyes played its most complete game of the season
The Ohio State Buckeyes (8-4, 1-1) pulled off the upset against the No. 4 Kentucky Wildcats (10-2, 0-0) 85-65 on Saturday evening in the CBS Sports Classic at the iconic Madison Square Garden.
The Buckeyes’ roster was a bit in flux after they were shorthanded earlier this week against Valparaiso when they were down four rotation players. As he was against Valpo, Meechie Johnson Jr. is still away from the team as he handles personal matters, and Colin White is still out with an injury. However, both Aaron Bradshaw and Ques Glover returned to OSU’s lineup tonight and each made an impact on the proceedings.
Ohio State's starters were Bruce Thornton, John Mobley, Micah Parrish, Sean Stewart, and Devin Royal. Kentucky starters were Andrew Carr, Amari Williams, Otega Oweh, Lamont Butler, and Jaxson Robinson.
Freshman guard John Mobley Jr. got the scoring going with a deep three-pointer to give Ohio State a 3-0 lead.
At the 17:30 mark in the first quarter, former Wildcat and current Buckeye center Aaron Bradshaw checked into the game in place of starter Sean Stewart and he made the second shot of the game for the Buckeyes off an assist from Bruce Thornton. Bradshaw then made another basket to get to four quick points, and Kentucky led 8-7 at the first media timeout.
The teams continued to trade baskets for the next 10 minutes leading to a 21-20 Kentucky lead. However, from there, the Buckeyes went on an 8-0 run to take a 28-21 lead with four minutes remaining in the first half. Bradshaw made a three-pointer to give the Buckeyes a 31-23 lead.
Buckets from Evan Mahaffey and Thornton saw the Buckeyes take a 35-25 lead. The two teams traded baskets until Ohio State took a 39-30 lead heading into halftime.
Kentucky was led by Wake Forest transfer Andrew Carr in the opening half with nine points, but the team was only 8-for-22 from the field and 2-for-10 from three-point range, which is generally the Wildcat’s strength.
Ohio State was led by Bradshaw and Thornton in the first half, with nine and eight points respectively. Bradshaw was 4-for-4 from the field off the bench in his return to play.
Ohio State held Kentucky to 30 first-half points, its lowest scoring half of the season thus far.
To start the second half, The Buckeyes went on an early run, scoring six straight points on buckets from Bradshaw, Mobley, and Royal to go up 45-30. Kentucky answered with a quick 6-0 run of its own to cut the deficit back into single digits at 45-36.
The teams then traded baskets and Ohio State took a 51-39 lead into the under-16 media timeout. Out of the break, Kentucky’s Kobe Brea — who shoots 53.6% from distance on the season, good for fourth nationally — knocked down a three-pointer.
Otega Oweh made another layup for the Wildcats and made a free throw to cut the lead to six. Oweh was only 2-for-7 from the field at this point but was 11-for-11 from the charity stripe.
Six points and a bucket from Mobley saw Ohio State go on a fast 8-1 run and take a 59-47 lead. The Buckeyes led 59-51 lead at the under-12 media timeout.
It was at that point that Thornton started to take over the game as he recorded four quick points to give Ohio State a 64-51 lead with 9:31 left in regulation. Mobley made another field goal as Ohio State went on a 7-0 run and Kentucky missed seven straight field goals. Jaxson Robinson broke the drought with a three-pointer to cut the Ohio State lead to 12 points at the under-8 timeout.
Ohio State was able to force Kentucky into fouls and was in the bonus with six minutes left in the contest. John Mobley made two free throws and Ques Glover knocked down a step-back three-point shot to give Ohio State a 73-61 lead at the under-4 timeout. Out of the timeout, Bruce Thornton made two free throws to push the lead to 75-61. At this point in the game, Kentucky was two for its last 14 from the field and 5-for-20 on layups.
Ohio State took a 79-63 lead with 1:30 left after two Bruce Thornton free throws. Ohio State made its free throws down the stretch and won the game 85-65.
Bruce Thornton led the Buckeyes with 30 points on 8-for-13 from the field, while John Mobley Jr. and Aaron Bradshaw added 15 and 11 points, respectively.
Otega Oweh finished with 21 points on 13 free throws, while Andrew Carr and Jaxson Robinson added 12 and 11 points, respectively.
The CBS Sports Classic is an annual American men’s college basketball event that began in 2014. This year’s participants include Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio State, and UCLA.
Each team has played one game each year (except for 2021 due to COVID cancellations), and the four teams have completed a doubleheader.
Ohio State is 5-4 all-time in the CBS Sports Classic, with the 2021 matchup getting canceled due to COVID-19. The Buckeyes are 2-0 against Kentucky, 3-1 against UCLA, and 0-3 against North Carolina. North Carolina is 6-4 all-time, Kentucky is 5-5 all-time, and UCLA is 3-6 all-time.
Ohio State defeated No. 4 Kentucky 74-67 in 2015 at the Barclays Center, and No. 5 Ohio State defeated No. 6 Kentucky 71-65 in 2019 at T-Mobile Arena.
What’s Next
Ohio State will return to play after the Christmas Break with its final non-conference game of the season. They will host Indiana State on Sunday, Dec. 29 at 12 noon ET. on the Big Ten Network. Indiana State is 8-4 on the season.
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LGHL Ohio State’s outcome against the Vols depends on which version of Ryan Day shows up
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Ohio State’s outcome against the Vols depends on which version of Ryan Day shows up
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 via Imagn Images
Will it be scared, turtle Ryan Day or aggressive, angry Ryan Day?
If you’ve seen “Avengers: Infinity War,” you know that there is a near-infinite set of outcomes for any given situation. Fortunately for the fate of the world, Dr. Strange was able to identify the only possible scenario in which Earth’s mightiest heroes were able to defeat Thanos, thus saving half of the known universe.
I am hoping that such an interdimensional effort is not needed in Ohio Stadium this evening for Ryan Day and the No. 6 Ohio State Buckeyes to defeat the No. 7 Tennessee Volunteers in the first round of the College Football Playoff.
However, there are two possible results that I see as the most likely outcomes for the win-or-go-home contest tonight under the lights in The Horseshoe. Both of them will break the hearts of certain segments of the Ohio State fanbase, but I know which one I am specifically rooting for.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25800710/2187648548.jpg "Michigan v Ohio State")
Photo by Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images
This one doesn’t need much explaining, we’ve seen it before. Hell, we saw it the last time the Buckeyes were on the field when they lost what is almost certainly the worst loss in program history, falling 13-10 to the Michigan Wolverines. But we’ve also seen it in countless other big games as well; unfortunately, we are well acquainted with scared, timid, conservative Ryan Day.
All too often, Ohio State’s head coach becomes so singularly focused on trying to prove his team is tough and can win in a traditional three-yards-in-a-cloud-of-dust way, that it bites him in the ass. I understand why Day gets so hung up on this; Josh Gattis and Jim Harbaugh embarrassed him and challenged his manhood, and the Buckeye coach has never been able to get over that.
Day wants to prove the former Michigan coaches wrong and show that his team can bully opponents and run them over en route to a victory. I also understand why that would be an attractive game plan tonight when the temperatures in Columbus will feel like they are in the single digits.
But obviously, we know that would be an absolutely horrific and fireable decision from Ohio State’s head coach. Not only has Day not built his team to play bully ball, but they don’t even have a solidified starting offensive line, so you can’t simply line up and run between the tackles and expect to be successful.
You know that’s a recipe for disaster, I know that’s a recipe for disaster, and yet — time and again — Ryan Day not only doesn’t see the impending disaster but steers his team directly into it. So, despite the fact that there was reportedly a players-led meeting imploring the coaches to trust them, and Day has repeated the phrase “Whatever it takes” nearly every other sentence since the playoff matchup was announced, there is no real reason to trust that he will actually make the obvious changes necessary to put his team in the best possible position to win.
It also doesn’t help that Tennessee’s defense is excellent, especially up front, meaning that tif Ohio State does decide to try to run it up the middle repeatedly, it will undoubtedly fail as much as it ever has before. The Vols are fourth nationally in yards allowed per ground attempt, giving up only 2.83 per carry. They are also seventh in FBS averaging 7.75 tackles for loss per game, many of them coming by stopping running backs behind the line of scrimmage. If Ryan Day tries to force-feed TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkinsbetween the tackles, it will be a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day across Buckeye Nation.
The one saving grace in this scenario is that I do not see a realistic situation in which Tennessee is able to score routinely against the Buckeye defense. The Vols are a ground-heavy team, and the Silver Bullets are incredibly stout against the run. Ohio State is fifth nationally, allowing only 2.85 yards per attempt — just slightly behind Tennessee. And while running back Dylan Sampson was the SEC Offensive Player of the Year, he was a high-volume back, averaging only 5.8 yards per carry, good for just 68th in the FBS this season.
So, while I expect he will get his fair share of yards thanks to the number of rushes he will accumulate via Tennessee’s high-octane offense, I don’t see a situation in which he will be a dominant force picking up huge chunks and scoring at will against the Buckeye defense.
That would mean that Tennessee redshirt freshman quarterback Nico Iamaleava will have to make up the difference. The Vols have only thrown the ball on 39% of their offensive plays this season, and are 62nd nationally with just 230.9 ypg. Iamaleava is only completing 65.7% of his passes and has 19 touchdowns and five interceptions on the season. The team’s leading receiver Dont’e Thornton averages just 53.9 ypg.
So, in the potential outcome in which Ryan Day decides to once again handcuff his offense and play a style of offensive football that is not especially conducive to the players on his roster, I imagine that it will be a frustrating, hard-nosed, tedious ordeal to watch. Ohio State could potentially win a game like that, but Tennessee is far more adept at winning a grind-it-out type of game.
And, since this is the worst-case scenario, obviously Tennessee would have come out on top for it to be that bad. So, in this imagined reality where Ohio State clearly does not defeat Thanos (is Ryan Day Thanos in this analogy?), I would foresee the Volunteers advancing to the Rose Bowl against the Oregon Ducks thanks to a 17-10 victory over the beleaguered Buckeyes in Day’s final game as OSU’s head coach.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25800717/2186523145.jpg "Indiana v Ohio State")
Photo by Jason Mowry/Getty Images
For me, the struggles of Ohio State’s football team over the past few seasons have been all the more frustrating because, in large part, they have not been because the Buckeye players weren’t good enough to meet the team’s goals. Instead, they have been because the head coach has been routinely incapable of trusting himself, his staff, and his players in the biggest moments.
Ohio State’s roster is arguably the best in all of college football, and it has been for well over a decade. That should be the hard part; if a team’s issue is that it just simply doesn’t have the horses to compete at the highest levels, then that takes time to fix. While that calculus has changed a bit in the Transfer Portal Era, it is still usually not an instantaneous switch; it’s tough to make that type of improvement in-season, let alone in-game.
But that has not been Ohio State’s problem. They have the blue-chip players to beat anyone they play. They have the future NFL stars to win conference and national titles. Instead, it is been the head coach’s mental blocks that have gotten in their way.
However, what is so mind-numbingly maddening is that at any moment, Ryan Day could theoretically wake up, realize he is being an idiot, and go back to the version of himself that we saw as Urban Meyer’s play-caller, in his first few seasons as head coach, and in a small number of big games including against Georgia in the 2022-23 playoff.
We know he’s capable of it (or at least once was). So the potential for a creative, up-tempo game plan that gets the ball to the Buckeyes’ best weapons and catches an opponent off-guard is possible.
But is it likely for this game? Hell, man, I don’t know.
I want to believe that it is. In every big situation and following every bad loss, Day and company say all of the right things. So I convince myself, “This is it! They finally got it all figured out. We are back, baby!”
I get myself excited thinking about all of the explosive possibilities that Jeremiah Smith, Emeka Egbuka, Carnell Tate, Henderson, Judkins, et. al could bring to the game. But, just like Charlie Brown trying to kick the football, I get myself all revved up, and just as I’m racing toward the ball, ready to kick it through the uprights,Ryan Day Lucy snatches it away from me, and I land on my ass — hurt, embarrassed, and confused.
While I can be mad at Lucy, ultimately it is my fault for believing that she would ever let me kick the ball. Lucy is who Lucy is, and it is foolish for me to expect her to change.
Yet, here I am. In the multiverse in which the Avengers pull it off and the Buckeyes play their best possible game tonight against Tennessee, Day absolutely has to be true to his word and do “whatever it takes to win.”
I still don’t imagine a scenario in which the Vols are able to put up a ton of points against Ohio State. But if Day really does pull out all of the stops, the Buckeyes should be able to core more than Tennessee has allowed so far this year. Currently, the Georgia Bulldogs have that high-water mark, having scored 31 in mid-November.
To do so, the Buckeyes’ game plan tonight — regardless of weather — should be to pass to set up the run. If the Ohio State offense is able to execute a scheme that gets the ball out of Will Howard’s hands quickly with screens, slants, crossing routes, mesh routes, etc. it should be able to move the ball well against Tennessee. The Vols’ edge rusher James Pearce Jr. is a menace and Ohio State needs to avoid giving him too many opportunities to hit Howard.
Then, once the passing game loosens up the Vols' defense, you can run the ball to the outside. Get Henderson and Judkins in space and allow them to make guys miss rather than having to rely on the offensive linemen to create holes for them to run through.
There is no reason why Smith and Egbuka aren’t targetted a dozen times apiece tonight, nor is there any reason that Howard isn’t a bigger part of the running game. Of course, I don’t want to see him taking hits like he did against Michigan, but in intelligently designed plays — RPOs, traditional options, even some delayed draws — his legs can be a game-changing weapon, and Day and Kelly should use them.
If Ryan Day and company read this article and decide to take all of my advice, that could absolutely lead to the best possible outcome in tonight’s game, and I think it would lead to a score along the lines of 38-10 in favor of the Buckeyes, setting up a rematch with the No. 1 Oregon Ducks on New Year’s Day.
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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 via Imagn Images
Will it be scared, turtle Ryan Day or aggressive, angry Ryan Day?
If you’ve seen “Avengers: Infinity War,” you know that there is a near-infinite set of outcomes for any given situation. Fortunately for the fate of the world, Dr. Strange was able to identify the only possible scenario in which Earth’s mightiest heroes were able to defeat Thanos, thus saving half of the known universe.
I am hoping that such an interdimensional effort is not needed in Ohio Stadium this evening for Ryan Day and the No. 6 Ohio State Buckeyes to defeat the No. 7 Tennessee Volunteers in the first round of the College Football Playoff.
However, there are two possible results that I see as the most likely outcomes for the win-or-go-home contest tonight under the lights in The Horseshoe. Both of them will break the hearts of certain segments of the Ohio State fanbase, but I know which one I am specifically rooting for.
Worst Case Scenario:
This one doesn’t need much explaining, we’ve seen it before. Hell, we saw it the last time the Buckeyes were on the field when they lost what is almost certainly the worst loss in program history, falling 13-10 to the Michigan Wolverines. But we’ve also seen it in countless other big games as well; unfortunately, we are well acquainted with scared, timid, conservative Ryan Day.
All too often, Ohio State’s head coach becomes so singularly focused on trying to prove his team is tough and can win in a traditional three-yards-in-a-cloud-of-dust way, that it bites him in the ass. I understand why Day gets so hung up on this; Josh Gattis and Jim Harbaugh embarrassed him and challenged his manhood, and the Buckeye coach has never been able to get over that.
Day wants to prove the former Michigan coaches wrong and show that his team can bully opponents and run them over en route to a victory. I also understand why that would be an attractive game plan tonight when the temperatures in Columbus will feel like they are in the single digits.
But obviously, we know that would be an absolutely horrific and fireable decision from Ohio State’s head coach. Not only has Day not built his team to play bully ball, but they don’t even have a solidified starting offensive line, so you can’t simply line up and run between the tackles and expect to be successful.
You know that’s a recipe for disaster, I know that’s a recipe for disaster, and yet — time and again — Ryan Day not only doesn’t see the impending disaster but steers his team directly into it. So, despite the fact that there was reportedly a players-led meeting imploring the coaches to trust them, and Day has repeated the phrase “Whatever it takes” nearly every other sentence since the playoff matchup was announced, there is no real reason to trust that he will actually make the obvious changes necessary to put his team in the best possible position to win.
It also doesn’t help that Tennessee’s defense is excellent, especially up front, meaning that tif Ohio State does decide to try to run it up the middle repeatedly, it will undoubtedly fail as much as it ever has before. The Vols are fourth nationally in yards allowed per ground attempt, giving up only 2.83 per carry. They are also seventh in FBS averaging 7.75 tackles for loss per game, many of them coming by stopping running backs behind the line of scrimmage. If Ryan Day tries to force-feed TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkinsbetween the tackles, it will be a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day across Buckeye Nation.
The one saving grace in this scenario is that I do not see a realistic situation in which Tennessee is able to score routinely against the Buckeye defense. The Vols are a ground-heavy team, and the Silver Bullets are incredibly stout against the run. Ohio State is fifth nationally, allowing only 2.85 yards per attempt — just slightly behind Tennessee. And while running back Dylan Sampson was the SEC Offensive Player of the Year, he was a high-volume back, averaging only 5.8 yards per carry, good for just 68th in the FBS this season.
So, while I expect he will get his fair share of yards thanks to the number of rushes he will accumulate via Tennessee’s high-octane offense, I don’t see a situation in which he will be a dominant force picking up huge chunks and scoring at will against the Buckeye defense.
That would mean that Tennessee redshirt freshman quarterback Nico Iamaleava will have to make up the difference. The Vols have only thrown the ball on 39% of their offensive plays this season, and are 62nd nationally with just 230.9 ypg. Iamaleava is only completing 65.7% of his passes and has 19 touchdowns and five interceptions on the season. The team’s leading receiver Dont’e Thornton averages just 53.9 ypg.
So, in the potential outcome in which Ryan Day decides to once again handcuff his offense and play a style of offensive football that is not especially conducive to the players on his roster, I imagine that it will be a frustrating, hard-nosed, tedious ordeal to watch. Ohio State could potentially win a game like that, but Tennessee is far more adept at winning a grind-it-out type of game.
And, since this is the worst-case scenario, obviously Tennessee would have come out on top for it to be that bad. So, in this imagined reality where Ohio State clearly does not defeat Thanos (is Ryan Day Thanos in this analogy?), I would foresee the Volunteers advancing to the Rose Bowl against the Oregon Ducks thanks to a 17-10 victory over the beleaguered Buckeyes in Day’s final game as OSU’s head coach.
Best Case Scenario:
For me, the struggles of Ohio State’s football team over the past few seasons have been all the more frustrating because, in large part, they have not been because the Buckeye players weren’t good enough to meet the team’s goals. Instead, they have been because the head coach has been routinely incapable of trusting himself, his staff, and his players in the biggest moments.
Ohio State’s roster is arguably the best in all of college football, and it has been for well over a decade. That should be the hard part; if a team’s issue is that it just simply doesn’t have the horses to compete at the highest levels, then that takes time to fix. While that calculus has changed a bit in the Transfer Portal Era, it is still usually not an instantaneous switch; it’s tough to make that type of improvement in-season, let alone in-game.
But that has not been Ohio State’s problem. They have the blue-chip players to beat anyone they play. They have the future NFL stars to win conference and national titles. Instead, it is been the head coach’s mental blocks that have gotten in their way.
However, what is so mind-numbingly maddening is that at any moment, Ryan Day could theoretically wake up, realize he is being an idiot, and go back to the version of himself that we saw as Urban Meyer’s play-caller, in his first few seasons as head coach, and in a small number of big games including against Georgia in the 2022-23 playoff.
We know he’s capable of it (or at least once was). So the potential for a creative, up-tempo game plan that gets the ball to the Buckeyes’ best weapons and catches an opponent off-guard is possible.
But is it likely for this game? Hell, man, I don’t know.
I want to believe that it is. In every big situation and following every bad loss, Day and company say all of the right things. So I convince myself, “This is it! They finally got it all figured out. We are back, baby!”
I get myself excited thinking about all of the explosive possibilities that Jeremiah Smith, Emeka Egbuka, Carnell Tate, Henderson, Judkins, et. al could bring to the game. But, just like Charlie Brown trying to kick the football, I get myself all revved up, and just as I’m racing toward the ball, ready to kick it through the uprights,
While I can be mad at Lucy, ultimately it is my fault for believing that she would ever let me kick the ball. Lucy is who Lucy is, and it is foolish for me to expect her to change.
Yet, here I am. In the multiverse in which the Avengers pull it off and the Buckeyes play their best possible game tonight against Tennessee, Day absolutely has to be true to his word and do “whatever it takes to win.”
I still don’t imagine a scenario in which the Vols are able to put up a ton of points against Ohio State. But if Day really does pull out all of the stops, the Buckeyes should be able to core more than Tennessee has allowed so far this year. Currently, the Georgia Bulldogs have that high-water mark, having scored 31 in mid-November.
To do so, the Buckeyes’ game plan tonight — regardless of weather — should be to pass to set up the run. If the Ohio State offense is able to execute a scheme that gets the ball out of Will Howard’s hands quickly with screens, slants, crossing routes, mesh routes, etc. it should be able to move the ball well against Tennessee. The Vols’ edge rusher James Pearce Jr. is a menace and Ohio State needs to avoid giving him too many opportunities to hit Howard.
Then, once the passing game loosens up the Vols' defense, you can run the ball to the outside. Get Henderson and Judkins in space and allow them to make guys miss rather than having to rely on the offensive linemen to create holes for them to run through.
There is no reason why Smith and Egbuka aren’t targetted a dozen times apiece tonight, nor is there any reason that Howard isn’t a bigger part of the running game. Of course, I don’t want to see him taking hits like he did against Michigan, but in intelligently designed plays — RPOs, traditional options, even some delayed draws — his legs can be a game-changing weapon, and Day and Kelly should use them.
If Ryan Day and company read this article and decide to take all of my advice, that could absolutely lead to the best possible outcome in tonight’s game, and I think it would lead to a score along the lines of 38-10 in favor of the Buckeyes, setting up a rematch with the No. 1 Oregon Ducks on New Year’s Day.
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LGHL Ohio State vs. Tennessee: Land-Grant’s experts make their picks
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Ohio State vs. Tennessee: Land-Grant’s experts make their picks
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images
Every week, we will be picking the score, MVP, and major storyline for each Buckeye game.
Being the Buckeye beat’s black sheep blog, we here at Land-Grant Holy Land like to pat ourselves on the back. So, throughout the season, members of our staff will be making predictions about that day’s game. They will go on the record with what they think the final score will be, who the game’s MVP will be, and what the major storyline will be coming out of the day.
The No. 6 Ohio State Buckeyes will host the No. 7 Tennessee Volunteers in a rare, late-December night game in Ohio Stadium. The game is scheduled to kick off sometime after 8 p.m. ET and will be aired in various forms on ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPNEWS, SEC Network, and ESPN Deportes.
As of this article’s writing, the Bucks are 7.5-point favorites according to FanDuel Sportsbook. College football’s gold-standard advanced analytics model SP+ is predicting a score of 26-20 in favor of Ohio State.
Check out what our staff members think and then let us know your thoughts on the game in the comments below. As we move forward with the season, you will be able to keep up with just how well our prognosticators do on a weekly basis HERE.
Score Prediction: Tennessee 24, Ohio State 20
Game MVP: Will Howard
Major Storyline: Ryan Day still can’t win big games.
Score Prediction: Ohio State 31, Tennessee 21
Game MVP: Emeka Egbuka
Major Storyline: It is simple; Ohio State bounces back from the loss to Michigan to win a playoff game and set up a rematch with Oregon. I think the Buckeyes will get off to a fast start and show that The Game is behind them and they can move forward in hopes of winning a national title.
Score Prediction: Ohio State 31, Tennessee 27
Game MVP: Jeremiah Smith
Major Storyline: Ohio State’s offense gets back on track with multiple touchdowns through the air and on the ground. The defense still has some questions.
Score Prediction: Tennessee 17, Ohio State 14
Game MVP: Nico Iamaleava
Major Storyline: Tennessee plants a flag at midfield in Ohio Stadium, figuratively... or perhaps literally too.
Score Prediction: Tennessee 24, Ohio State 17
Game MVP: Dylan Sampson
Major Storyline: If Ohio State does not win the first December home game in program history, the main storyline will become the coaching search that will begin the minute the clock hits 0:00. Even after losing to Michigan, there was a path to salvation for Ryan Day if he was able to find success in the playoff — going one-and-done was not it.
Score Prediction: Ohio State 24, Tennessee 20
Game MVP: Caleb Downs
Major Storyline: Ohio State grinds out a win in a lively Ohio Stadium on Saturday night, setting up a rematch with Oregon in the Rose Bowl. In a game where every yard was earned, the Buckeyes will be a little bit tougher, channeling some anger from the criticism they heard since losing to Michigan. Caleb Downs seals the win with an interception late in the fourth quarter.
Score Prediction: Tennessee 17, Ohio State 10
Game MVP: James Pearce Jr.
Major Storyline: Ohio State’s offensive line rotation proves to be the train wreck everyone thought it would be, and the Buckeyes can’t get anything going offensively. Ohio State gets little on the ground and Will Howard doesn’t get much of any time to throw. Ohio State’s defense plays well, but the Ryan Day Era comes to a close as the clock strikes midnight.
Score Prediction: Ohio State 31, Tennessee 13
Game MVP: Cody Simon
Major Storyline: While I do expect Ryan Day and Chip Kelly to get their collective shit together and call a much better offensive game for the Buckeyes tonight, I believe that this game will be won by the Silver Bullets. The Vols have run the ball 61% of the time this season, and I do not expect that to change in the potentially single-digit temperatures in Columbus tonight. This defense has been very good against the run, and as impressive as Dylan Sampson has been, he is a high-volume runner. His 5.8 yards per carry is only good for 68th in FBS (TreVeyon Henderson’s 6.95 is tied for 17th).
So, with the threat of the passing game relatively minimal, I expect Jim Knowles to rely on his defensive line, linebackers, and nickel back to limit Tennessee’s ability to move the ball. I’m throwing in a defensive touchdown for good measure to make this a sound, and thorough victory that propels the Buckeyes onto a traditional, yet very non-traditional Rose Bowl matchup on New Year’s Day.
Score Prediction: Ohio State 38, Tennessee 17
Game MVP: Jeremiah Smith
Major Storyline: The major storyline leaving this game will be Jeremiah Smith dominating the Vols with the best game of his young career. The defense will hold Tennessee through much of the game, but after three weeks off, people will get a quick reminder of how talented Jeremiah Smith is as a true freshman.
Continue reading...
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images
Every week, we will be picking the score, MVP, and major storyline for each Buckeye game.
Being the Buckeye beat’s black sheep blog, we here at Land-Grant Holy Land like to pat ourselves on the back. So, throughout the season, members of our staff will be making predictions about that day’s game. They will go on the record with what they think the final score will be, who the game’s MVP will be, and what the major storyline will be coming out of the day.
The No. 6 Ohio State Buckeyes will host the No. 7 Tennessee Volunteers in a rare, late-December night game in Ohio Stadium. The game is scheduled to kick off sometime after 8 p.m. ET and will be aired in various forms on ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPNEWS, SEC Network, and ESPN Deportes.
As of this article’s writing, the Bucks are 7.5-point favorites according to FanDuel Sportsbook. College football’s gold-standard advanced analytics model SP+ is predicting a score of 26-20 in favor of Ohio State.
Check out what our staff members think and then let us know your thoughts on the game in the comments below. As we move forward with the season, you will be able to keep up with just how well our prognosticators do on a weekly basis HERE.
Michael Citro
Score Prediction: Tennessee 24, Ohio State 20
Game MVP: Will Howard
Major Storyline: Ryan Day still can’t win big games.
Justin Golba
Score Prediction: Ohio State 31, Tennessee 21
Game MVP: Emeka Egbuka
Major Storyline: It is simple; Ohio State bounces back from the loss to Michigan to win a playoff game and set up a rematch with Oregon. I think the Buckeyes will get off to a fast start and show that The Game is behind them and they can move forward in hopes of winning a national title.
Dan Hessler
Score Prediction: Ohio State 31, Tennessee 27
Game MVP: Jeremiah Smith
Major Storyline: Ohio State’s offense gets back on track with multiple touchdowns through the air and on the ground. The defense still has some questions.
Jami Jurich
Score Prediction: Tennessee 17, Ohio State 14
Game MVP: Nico Iamaleava
Major Storyline: Tennessee plants a flag at midfield in Ohio Stadium, figuratively... or perhaps literally too.
Connor Lemons
Score Prediction: Tennessee 24, Ohio State 17
Game MVP: Dylan Sampson
Major Storyline: If Ohio State does not win the first December home game in program history, the main storyline will become the coaching search that will begin the minute the clock hits 0:00. Even after losing to Michigan, there was a path to salvation for Ryan Day if he was able to find success in the playoff — going one-and-done was not it.
Brett Ludwiczak
Score Prediction: Ohio State 24, Tennessee 20
Game MVP: Caleb Downs
Major Storyline: Ohio State grinds out a win in a lively Ohio Stadium on Saturday night, setting up a rematch with Oregon in the Rose Bowl. In a game where every yard was earned, the Buckeyes will be a little bit tougher, channeling some anger from the criticism they heard since losing to Michigan. Caleb Downs seals the win with an interception late in the fourth quarter.
Gene Ross
Score Prediction: Tennessee 17, Ohio State 10
Game MVP: James Pearce Jr.
Major Storyline: Ohio State’s offensive line rotation proves to be the train wreck everyone thought it would be, and the Buckeyes can’t get anything going offensively. Ohio State gets little on the ground and Will Howard doesn’t get much of any time to throw. Ohio State’s defense plays well, but the Ryan Day Era comes to a close as the clock strikes midnight.
Matt Tamanini
Score Prediction: Ohio State 31, Tennessee 13
Game MVP: Cody Simon
Major Storyline: While I do expect Ryan Day and Chip Kelly to get their collective shit together and call a much better offensive game for the Buckeyes tonight, I believe that this game will be won by the Silver Bullets. The Vols have run the ball 61% of the time this season, and I do not expect that to change in the potentially single-digit temperatures in Columbus tonight. This defense has been very good against the run, and as impressive as Dylan Sampson has been, he is a high-volume runner. His 5.8 yards per carry is only good for 68th in FBS (TreVeyon Henderson’s 6.95 is tied for 17th).
So, with the threat of the passing game relatively minimal, I expect Jim Knowles to rely on his defensive line, linebackers, and nickel back to limit Tennessee’s ability to move the ball. I’m throwing in a defensive touchdown for good measure to make this a sound, and thorough victory that propels the Buckeyes onto a traditional, yet very non-traditional Rose Bowl matchup on New Year’s Day.
Jordan Williams
Score Prediction: Ohio State 38, Tennessee 17
Game MVP: Jeremiah Smith
Major Storyline: The major storyline leaving this game will be Jeremiah Smith dominating the Vols with the best game of his young career. The defense will hold Tennessee through much of the game, but after three weeks off, people will get a quick reminder of how talented Jeremiah Smith is as a true freshman.
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LGHL Ohio State fans desperate for Ryan Day to get the ball to his receivers vs. Tennessee
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Ohio State fans desperate for Ryan Day to get the ball to his receivers vs. Tennessee
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Ben Jackson/Getty Images
You ask, we answer. Sometimes we ask, others answer. And then other times, we ask, we answer.
Throughout the Ohio State football season, we will be asking and answering questions about the team, college football, and anything else on our collective minds of varying degrees of importance. If you have a question that you would like to ask, you can tweet us @LandGrant33 or if you need more than 280 characters, send an email HERE.
Tonight in potentially single-digit temperatures under the lights in the Horseshoe, the No. 6 Ohio State Buckeyes will host the No. 7 Tennessee Volunteers in the final first-round College Football Playoff of the season. There is a lot on the line for both teams as a date with Oregon in the Rose Bowl on New Year’s Day awaits the winner, but there is even more at stake for the Buckeyes and their head coach.
Ryan Day has deservedly been under fire over the past three weeks following arguably the worst loss in program history, falling for the fourth straight year to archrival Michigan. One game is not going to stem the tide of fans — and presumably boosters — looking to replace him, but if he wants to keep his job, he will need to string together three or maybe even four victories to end the season.
In my mind, the only way that he can do that is to get out of his own way. Day has been so hung up on proving that his team has been tough for the past three years, that he forgot that he didn’t build his team to be tough, he built them to be explosive. Day, and by extension his offensive coordinator Chip Kelly, have consistently hamstrung their elite playmakers in major moments by calling plays bereft of logic.
If OSU is to make any kind of run in the playoff, let alone this game, that will need to change. So, with that in mind, earlier this week, we asked you what you most wanted to see the Buckeyes change for tonight’s game against Tennessee. Well, the results from the fan survey are now in. So, check out the results down below, and if you want to add your two cents in to the discussion, feel free to do that in the comments below.
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I didn’t include this option in the survey, but my true answer is “Ryan Day gets his head out of his ass and stops trying to prove he’s tough and uses his extremely talented offensive weapons to the best of their ability.”
But, since that wasn’t exactly on the list, I think that this fits the bill pretty well. I, of course, also want to see Day and Chip Kelly did something in the ground game other than running straight up the middle into an offensive line that was already not great even before being decimated by injuries, but to be completely honest, I’d be fine if they decided to throw the ball 70% of the time tonight, regardless of the weather.
Ultimately, I think that this game has two most likely outcomes, a) Ohio State’s offense looks pitiful again and it is a frustrating, low-scoring loss for the home team; or b) Ohio State’s offense looks like we’ve all known that it could, and ends up winning by three scores.
Sure, the other options are possible, but to me, these are the most likely. I sure hope it is the latter.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25800189/OhioState_2_121824.png)
When the FanDuel SportsBook opened betting for this first-round College Football Playoff game matchup, it installed the home-team Buckeyes as 7.5-point favorites, and that line has stayed consistent in the two weeks following that announcement. The gold standard college football analytics model SP+ has Ohio State as a six-point favorite, but many of the experts are going with the big bad road underdog from the vastly superior SEC.
The Land-Grant Holy Land staff will be making our official predictions in an article coming out a little later today, but I will give you a hint as to what I am thinking, see if you can figure it out. My predicted score will be a palindrome, with the Scarlet and Gray representing the larger number, the sum of the two totals will also be a palindrome. And for an extra hint, my score predicts a total of five touchdowns and three field goals scored. And for an extra special hint, I would be smack dab in the middle of 10% of the survey respondents.
Think you figured out my score prediction? Drop your prediction of my prediction in the comments below before the predictions article is published.
Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Ohio State fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
Continue reading...
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Ben Jackson/Getty Images
You ask, we answer. Sometimes we ask, others answer. And then other times, we ask, we answer.
Throughout the Ohio State football season, we will be asking and answering questions about the team, college football, and anything else on our collective minds of varying degrees of importance. If you have a question that you would like to ask, you can tweet us @LandGrant33 or if you need more than 280 characters, send an email HERE.
Tonight in potentially single-digit temperatures under the lights in the Horseshoe, the No. 6 Ohio State Buckeyes will host the No. 7 Tennessee Volunteers in the final first-round College Football Playoff of the season. There is a lot on the line for both teams as a date with Oregon in the Rose Bowl on New Year’s Day awaits the winner, but there is even more at stake for the Buckeyes and their head coach.
Ryan Day has deservedly been under fire over the past three weeks following arguably the worst loss in program history, falling for the fourth straight year to archrival Michigan. One game is not going to stem the tide of fans — and presumably boosters — looking to replace him, but if he wants to keep his job, he will need to string together three or maybe even four victories to end the season.
In my mind, the only way that he can do that is to get out of his own way. Day has been so hung up on proving that his team has been tough for the past three years, that he forgot that he didn’t build his team to be tough, he built them to be explosive. Day, and by extension his offensive coordinator Chip Kelly, have consistently hamstrung their elite playmakers in major moments by calling plays bereft of logic.
If OSU is to make any kind of run in the playoff, let alone this game, that will need to change. So, with that in mind, earlier this week, we asked you what you most wanted to see the Buckeyes change for tonight’s game against Tennessee. Well, the results from the fan survey are now in. So, check out the results down below, and if you want to add your two cents in to the discussion, feel free to do that in the comments below.
Question 1: Which of these options do you most hope to see out of Ohio State against Tennessee?
I didn’t include this option in the survey, but my true answer is “Ryan Day gets his head out of his ass and stops trying to prove he’s tough and uses his extremely talented offensive weapons to the best of their ability.”
But, since that wasn’t exactly on the list, I think that this fits the bill pretty well. I, of course, also want to see Day and Chip Kelly did something in the ground game other than running straight up the middle into an offensive line that was already not great even before being decimated by injuries, but to be completely honest, I’d be fine if they decided to throw the ball 70% of the time tonight, regardless of the weather.
Ultimately, I think that this game has two most likely outcomes, a) Ohio State’s offense looks pitiful again and it is a frustrating, low-scoring loss for the home team; or b) Ohio State’s offense looks like we’ve all known that it could, and ends up winning by three scores.
Sure, the other options are possible, but to me, these are the most likely. I sure hope it is the latter.
Question 2: What will the margin of victory be in Saturday’s game against Tennessee?
When the FanDuel SportsBook opened betting for this first-round College Football Playoff game matchup, it installed the home-team Buckeyes as 7.5-point favorites, and that line has stayed consistent in the two weeks following that announcement. The gold standard college football analytics model SP+ has Ohio State as a six-point favorite, but many of the experts are going with the big bad road underdog from the vastly superior SEC.
The Land-Grant Holy Land staff will be making our official predictions in an article coming out a little later today, but I will give you a hint as to what I am thinking, see if you can figure it out. My predicted score will be a palindrome, with the Scarlet and Gray representing the larger number, the sum of the two totals will also be a palindrome. And for an extra hint, my score predicts a total of five touchdowns and three field goals scored. And for an extra special hint, I would be smack dab in the middle of 10% of the survey respondents.
Think you figured out my score prediction? Drop your prediction of my prediction in the comments below before the predictions article is published.
Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Ohio State fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
Continue reading...
LGHL Get your limited edition College Football Playoff Brutus mini bighead bobblehead now!
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Get your limited edition College Football Playoff Brutus mini bighead bobblehead now!
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
At $40, this is a College Football Playoff and Christmas miracle!
Ohio State fans have a bit of a reputation for being a little full of themselves at times, and apparently, that has carried over to our mascot. In this new College Football Playoff release from our friends at FOCO, Brutus has an especially big head (although, it does seem pretty much to scale). This limited edition CFP Brutus mini bighead bobblehead is the perfect way to commemorate what will hopefully be a four-game run for the history books.
The bobblehead shows Brutus rocking his best Uncle Sam “I Want You” pose in his iconic gameday uniform. This handmade and hand-painted bobblehead stands 4.5 inches tall and there are only 124 of them, so you better act now. And what makes this even better is that you can preorder yours today for just $40! It’s a playoff and Christmas miracle!
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25800571/BHNCBGMNIPOMSOH_Square4x5.jpg)
As my office can confirm, FOCO is the absolute best when it comes to Ohio State bobbleheads! Last month, they released a must-have bobble scene that chronicles Ohio State football history and a super cute fuzzy head Brutus bobblehead. This season, FOCO has also release an Archie Griffin bobblehead celebrating the 50th anniversary of his first Heisman Trophy and a Buckeye bobblehead version of the classic Lucy and Charlie Brown football scene. As the season started, they also 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
At $40, this is a College Football Playoff and Christmas miracle!
Ohio State fans have a bit of a reputation for being a little full of themselves at times, and apparently, that has carried over to our mascot. In this new College Football Playoff release from our friends at FOCO, Brutus has an especially big head (although, it does seem pretty much to scale). This limited edition CFP Brutus mini bighead bobblehead is the perfect way to commemorate what will hopefully be a four-game run for the history books.
The bobblehead shows Brutus rocking his best Uncle Sam “I Want You” pose in his iconic gameday uniform. This handmade and hand-painted bobblehead stands 4.5 inches tall and there are only 124 of them, so you better act now. And what makes this even better is that you can preorder yours today for just $40! It’s a playoff and Christmas miracle!
Get Your Playoff Brutus Mini Bighead Bobblehead Today!
As my office can confirm, FOCO is the absolute best when it comes to Ohio State bobbleheads! Last month, they released a must-have bobble scene that chronicles Ohio State football history and a super cute fuzzy head Brutus bobblehead. This season, FOCO has also release an Archie Griffin bobblehead celebrating the 50th anniversary of his first Heisman Trophy and a Buckeye bobblehead version of the classic Lucy and Charlie Brown football scene. As the season started, they also 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 men’s basketball vs. Kentucky Game preview and prediction
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Ohio State men’s basketball vs. Kentucky Game preview and prediction
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Jordan Prather-Imagn Images
The shorthanded Buckeyes will look to keep their winning record in the CBS Sports Classic against the Wildcats.
The Ohio State Buckeyes (7-4, 1-1) will look to keep its one-game winning streak going as they head to Madison Square Garden to take on the No. 4 Kentucky Wildcats (10-1, 0-0) in the CBS Sports Classic. The Buckeyes have lost two of their last four games by 25 or more points to Maryland and Auburn, losing to Auburn 91-53 last Saturday before a 22-point win over Valparaiso on Tuesday.
Now they get a Kentucky team that has not lost a step under Mark Pope. The Wildcats’ only loss is to Clemson by four points, and have wins over Duke, Gonzaga, and Louisville already on the ledger this season.
The CBS Sports Classic is an annual American men’s college basketball event that began in 2014. This year’s participants include Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio State, and UCLA. Each team has played one game each year (except for 2021 due to Covid cancellations), with the four teams completing a doubleheader. Both games are annually broadcast on U.S. television on CBS, the Classic’s namesake.
On July 21, 2022, the CBS Sports Classic was renewed through 2026. It is uncertain what will happen with UCLA & Ohio State, as UCLA has since moved to the Big Ten, and neutral events generally avoid including multiple teams from one conference.
For the 2024-25 season, CBS Sports launched the CBS Sports Classic: HBCU Showcase featuring North Carolina A&T, North Carolina Central, Hampton, and Howard.
Ohio State is 5-4 all-time in the CBS Sports Classic, with the 2021 matchup getting canceled due to COVID-19. The Buckeyes are 2-0 against Kentucky, 3-1 against UCLA, and 0-3 against North Carolina. North Carolina is 6-4 all-time, Kentucky is 5-5 all-time, and UCLA is 3-6 all-time.
Ohio State defeated No. 4 Kentucky 74-67 in 2015 at the Barclays Center, and No. 5 Ohio State defeated No. 6 Kentucky in 2019 71-65 at T-Mobile Arena.
The Buckeyes are coming into this one shorthanded, as they were down four rotation players against Valparaiso. Meechie Johnson Jr. is currently not with the team as he handles personal matters, and Aaron Bradshaw, Ques Glover, and Colin White were all out but with the team. Bradshaw is a Kentucky transfer, so he would love to return to the lineup for this contest.
Head coach Jake Diebler was hopeful they may have one or two of those players back for Saturday, but as of right now they are all questionable. Bradshaw is back with the team after missing time for a university investigation, but according to Diebler, he is back and going through a, “ready to play” process.
With these players all missing the Valpo game, Micah Parrish played 37 minutes, John Mobley Jr. played 34 minutes, and Devin Royal played 33 minutes. Bruce Thornton would have played more, but he was in foul trouble.
Ohio State is not deep right now and will need these guys back sooner rather than later as they enter conference play shortly.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25798699/usa_today_25012584.jpg "Syndication: The Columbus Dispatch")
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Ohio State is led into this contest by sophomore forward Devin Royal, who is averaging a team-high 15.6 points and a team-high 7.9 rebounds per game. Royal is coming off his best game as a Buckeye, recording 31 points and 15 rebounds against Valparaiso. Royal is shooting 61.1 percent from the field.
According to Ohio State men’s basketball Sports Information Director Gary Petit, the last Buckeye with a 30-point and 15-rebound game was Jared Sullinger, with 30 points and 19 rebounds against South Carolina on Dec. 18, 2010.
Junior point guard Bruce Thornton is averaging 14.8 points, 5.1 assists and 2.7 rebounds per game. He is shooting 52.5 percent from the field and 48.7 percent from the three-point line. Thornton is No. 9 in the country in assist-to-turnover ratio at 4.14 with 58 assists to only 14 turnovers. Thornton is the only player averaging over 30 minutes played per game for Ohio State.
Freshman standout John Mobley Jr. is averaging 12.1 points on 53.6 percent shooting from three-point range. He has struggled to finish from inside the three-point line and at the rim, shooting only 46.2 percent from the field overall.
Micah Parrish is averaging 10.5 points and 4.7 rebounds per game. Meechie Johnson is averaging 9.1 points per game, but he will not be available for this contest.
Ohio State is still shooting the ball from deep at an elite level. It ranks No. 12 in the country at 40.57 percent from three-point range, and has made 99 threes on 244 attempts this season.
Kentucky enters this game with the No. 1 scoring offense in the country, averaging 91.3 points per game, and is the only team nationally averaging over 90 points per game. For context, Auburn and Maryland are No. 6 and No. 9 in scoring offense, and both of those teams blew out Ohio State.
Oklahoma transfer Otega Oweh leads the Wildcats with 15.7 points per game, while San Diego State transfer Lamont Butler is averaging 15.1 points, 3.1 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game. BYU transfer Jaxson Robinson and Dayton transfer Kobe Brea are averaging 12.5 and 12.2 points per game, respectively. Brea is shooting 53.1 percent from three-point range.
Wake Forest transfer Andrew Carr is averaging 10.9 points and 6.5 rebounds per game, while Drexel transfer Amari Williams is averaging 10.2 points and 9.1 rebounds per game. Oklahoma State transfer Brandon Garrison is averaging 5.9 points and 5.1 rebounds per game.
Arizona and West Virginia transfer guard Kerr Kriisa will miss this contest with an injury he sustained two games ago.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25798698/usa_today_25002293.jpg "NCAA Basketball: Louisville at Kentucky")
Jordan Prather-Imagn Images
It is hard to imagine the Buckeyes can win this one. They beat Texas to open the season, but other than that, they have been beaten by double digits in all of their games against great opponents — and Kentucky is great.
Hopefully the Buckeyes will get Bradshaw back for this game, and he can help slow down the dynamic front court that Kentucky has. Ohio State just doesn’t have the depth right now to keep up with this Wildcat offense.
The Buckeyes need to show they can keep the game close and not be down by 30 at the half against a quality opponent. Then maybe — just maybe — shock the world in the Big Apple.
ESPN BPI: Kentucky 66.0%
Time: 5:30 p.m. ET
TV: CBS
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justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
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Jordan Prather-Imagn Images
The shorthanded Buckeyes will look to keep their winning record in the CBS Sports Classic against the Wildcats.
The Ohio State Buckeyes (7-4, 1-1) will look to keep its one-game winning streak going as they head to Madison Square Garden to take on the No. 4 Kentucky Wildcats (10-1, 0-0) in the CBS Sports Classic. The Buckeyes have lost two of their last four games by 25 or more points to Maryland and Auburn, losing to Auburn 91-53 last Saturday before a 22-point win over Valparaiso on Tuesday.
Now they get a Kentucky team that has not lost a step under Mark Pope. The Wildcats’ only loss is to Clemson by four points, and have wins over Duke, Gonzaga, and Louisville already on the ledger this season.
The CBS Sports Classic is an annual American men’s college basketball event that began in 2014. This year’s participants include Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio State, and UCLA. Each team has played one game each year (except for 2021 due to Covid cancellations), with the four teams completing a doubleheader. Both games are annually broadcast on U.S. television on CBS, the Classic’s namesake.
On July 21, 2022, the CBS Sports Classic was renewed through 2026. It is uncertain what will happen with UCLA & Ohio State, as UCLA has since moved to the Big Ten, and neutral events generally avoid including multiple teams from one conference.
For the 2024-25 season, CBS Sports launched the CBS Sports Classic: HBCU Showcase featuring North Carolina A&T, North Carolina Central, Hampton, and Howard.
Ohio State is 5-4 all-time in the CBS Sports Classic, with the 2021 matchup getting canceled due to COVID-19. The Buckeyes are 2-0 against Kentucky, 3-1 against UCLA, and 0-3 against North Carolina. North Carolina is 6-4 all-time, Kentucky is 5-5 all-time, and UCLA is 3-6 all-time.
Ohio State defeated No. 4 Kentucky 74-67 in 2015 at the Barclays Center, and No. 5 Ohio State defeated No. 6 Kentucky in 2019 71-65 at T-Mobile Arena.
The Buckeyes are coming into this one shorthanded, as they were down four rotation players against Valparaiso. Meechie Johnson Jr. is currently not with the team as he handles personal matters, and Aaron Bradshaw, Ques Glover, and Colin White were all out but with the team. Bradshaw is a Kentucky transfer, so he would love to return to the lineup for this contest.
Head coach Jake Diebler was hopeful they may have one or two of those players back for Saturday, but as of right now they are all questionable. Bradshaw is back with the team after missing time for a university investigation, but according to Diebler, he is back and going through a, “ready to play” process.
With these players all missing the Valpo game, Micah Parrish played 37 minutes, John Mobley Jr. played 34 minutes, and Devin Royal played 33 minutes. Bruce Thornton would have played more, but he was in foul trouble.
Ohio State is not deep right now and will need these guys back sooner rather than later as they enter conference play shortly.
Preview
Ohio State is led into this contest by sophomore forward Devin Royal, who is averaging a team-high 15.6 points and a team-high 7.9 rebounds per game. Royal is coming off his best game as a Buckeye, recording 31 points and 15 rebounds against Valparaiso. Royal is shooting 61.1 percent from the field.
According to Ohio State men’s basketball Sports Information Director Gary Petit, the last Buckeye with a 30-point and 15-rebound game was Jared Sullinger, with 30 points and 19 rebounds against South Carolina on Dec. 18, 2010.
Junior point guard Bruce Thornton is averaging 14.8 points, 5.1 assists and 2.7 rebounds per game. He is shooting 52.5 percent from the field and 48.7 percent from the three-point line. Thornton is No. 9 in the country in assist-to-turnover ratio at 4.14 with 58 assists to only 14 turnovers. Thornton is the only player averaging over 30 minutes played per game for Ohio State.
Freshman standout John Mobley Jr. is averaging 12.1 points on 53.6 percent shooting from three-point range. He has struggled to finish from inside the three-point line and at the rim, shooting only 46.2 percent from the field overall.
Micah Parrish is averaging 10.5 points and 4.7 rebounds per game. Meechie Johnson is averaging 9.1 points per game, but he will not be available for this contest.
Ohio State is still shooting the ball from deep at an elite level. It ranks No. 12 in the country at 40.57 percent from three-point range, and has made 99 threes on 244 attempts this season.
Kentucky enters this game with the No. 1 scoring offense in the country, averaging 91.3 points per game, and is the only team nationally averaging over 90 points per game. For context, Auburn and Maryland are No. 6 and No. 9 in scoring offense, and both of those teams blew out Ohio State.
Oklahoma transfer Otega Oweh leads the Wildcats with 15.7 points per game, while San Diego State transfer Lamont Butler is averaging 15.1 points, 3.1 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game. BYU transfer Jaxson Robinson and Dayton transfer Kobe Brea are averaging 12.5 and 12.2 points per game, respectively. Brea is shooting 53.1 percent from three-point range.
Wake Forest transfer Andrew Carr is averaging 10.9 points and 6.5 rebounds per game, while Drexel transfer Amari Williams is averaging 10.2 points and 9.1 rebounds per game. Oklahoma State transfer Brandon Garrison is averaging 5.9 points and 5.1 rebounds per game.
Arizona and West Virginia transfer guard Kerr Kriisa will miss this contest with an injury he sustained two games ago.
Prediction
It is hard to imagine the Buckeyes can win this one. They beat Texas to open the season, but other than that, they have been beaten by double digits in all of their games against great opponents — and Kentucky is great.
Hopefully the Buckeyes will get Bradshaw back for this game, and he can help slow down the dynamic front court that Kentucky has. Ohio State just doesn’t have the depth right now to keep up with this Wildcat offense.
The Buckeyes need to show they can keep the game close and not be down by 30 at the half against a quality opponent. Then maybe — just maybe — shock the world in the Big Apple.
ESPN BPI: Kentucky 66.0%
Time: 5:30 p.m. ET
TV: CBS
LGHL score prediction: Kentucky 80, Ohio State 66
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LGHL Streaming expert on best ways to watch Ohio State vs. Tennessee playoff game for free
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Streaming expert on best ways to watch Ohio State vs. Tennessee playoff game for free
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
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The College Football Playoff has finally arrived. Following the horrific showing in the regular season finale, the No. 6 Ohio State Buckeyes will be back on the field vs. the No. 7 Tennessee Volunteers in the Horseshoe tonight at 8 p.m. ET in a game airing on ESPN. It will be a cold night in Columbus with temperatures feeling like they are in the single digits. Despite what Buckeye turncoat Kirk Herbstreit says, I have a feeling that the Scarlet and Gray fans in attendance will have more than enough energy built up by the time the ball is kicked off to have a positive impact on the game.
With the College Football Playoff underway, the remainder of Ohio State’s season will be played on ESPN. With so many different streamer services carry the most popular cable network on the market, it can be tough to keep up with what the best ways are to stream the action.
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.
If you are looking for the best way to stream the entirety of the CFP, I would recommend Sling TV, but if you are just hoping to stream tonight’s game, I’d go with Hulu + Live TV.
Game Date/Time: Saturday, Dec. 21 at 8 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN
Broadcasters: Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit, Holly Rowe
Betting Line: Ohio State -7.5 | 46 o/u
Best Streaming Option for Ohio State vs. Tennessee:
If you’re either looking for a streaming service just for this weekend of football, then Hulu + Live TV very well might be the perfect option. Everyone who signs up gets a three-day free trial, so you can watch the entire college football Saturday, NFL Sunday, and “Monday Night Football” without having to pay a single penny.
But, if you are looking for something for the whole season, then Hulu is great because it comes with ESPN+ (more on that below), so in addition to all of the channels available on the live streaming service, you also get all of the streaming-exclusive games via the worldwide leader’s platform.
Hulu + Live TV 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 $82.99 per month after your three-day free trial. It is a little more expensive than some of the other options, but if you are just looking to watch this game, Hulu + Live TV is your best option.
Over the next month and a half, there will be tons of college football and NFL postseason games coming to you and sports fans will not want to miss a single second of the action. If you fall into that category, then Sling is the way to go for you. It is the cheapest way to get national broadcast channels and the biggest cable networks as well, which will be especially important as the College Football Playoff will air a significant portion of its games on cable.
Normally, Sling costs $46 per month, but you can currently get 50% off your first month of service, meaning that you can watch a month of the college postseason and the stretch run of the NFL for as little as $23. Sling has two different base packages, Orange and Blue. You can subscribe to one or both. If you do opt to combine Orange and Blue it will run you $61 monthly — still substantially cheaper than the comparable [live TV streaming] services — but with the first-month deal, you can stream everything on both packages for just $30.50.
The College Football will air all of its games on either ESPN or TNT, so every single snap of the entire 11-game bracket will be available on Sling. That means that there is no cheaper option in streaming to watch all of the CFP action over the next month.
DIRECTV STREAM: $87.99 per month five-day free trial
Fubo: $79.99 per month, at least a one-day free trial | $30 off first month
YouTube TV: $82.99 per month
Below is your Ohio State vs. Tennessee 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
Made with Google AI
You’ve got a number of free trials you can choose from of various lengths and breadths.
The College Football Playoff has finally arrived. Following the horrific showing in the regular season finale, the No. 6 Ohio State Buckeyes will be back on the field vs. the No. 7 Tennessee Volunteers in the Horseshoe tonight at 8 p.m. ET in a game airing on ESPN. It will be a cold night in Columbus with temperatures feeling like they are in the single digits. Despite what Buckeye turncoat Kirk Herbstreit says, I have a feeling that the Scarlet and Gray fans in attendance will have more than enough energy built up by the time the ball is kicked off to have a positive impact on the game.
With the College Football Playoff underway, the remainder of Ohio State’s season will be played on ESPN. With so many different streamer services carry the most popular cable network on the market, it can be tough to keep up with what the best ways are to stream the action.
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.
If you are looking for the best way to stream the entirety of the CFP, I would recommend Sling TV, but if you are just hoping to stream tonight’s game, I’d go with Hulu + Live TV.
How can I watch the No. 6 Ohio State vs. No. 7 Tennessee College Football Playoff game?
Game Date/Time: Saturday, Dec. 21 at 8 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN
Broadcasters: Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit, Holly Rowe
Betting Line: Ohio State -7.5 | 46 o/u
Best Streaming Option for Ohio State vs. Tennessee:
Hulu + Live TV | 3-Day Free Trial
If you’re either looking for a streaming service just for this weekend of football, then Hulu + Live TV very well might be the perfect option. Everyone who signs up gets a three-day free trial, so you can watch the entire college football Saturday, NFL Sunday, and “Monday Night Football” without having to pay a single penny.
But, if you are looking for something for the whole season, then Hulu is great because it comes with ESPN+ (more on that below), so in addition to all of the channels available on the live streaming service, you also get all of the streaming-exclusive games via the worldwide leader’s platform.
Hulu + Live TV 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 $82.99 per month after your three-day free trial. It is a little more expensive than some of the other options, but if you are just looking to watch this game, Hulu + Live TV is your best option.
Best Streaming Option for All of College Football Playoff: Sling TV | $23 for one month
Over the next month and a half, there will be tons of college football and NFL postseason games coming to you and sports fans will not want to miss a single second of the action. If you fall into that category, then Sling is the way to go for you. It is the cheapest way to get national broadcast channels and the biggest cable networks as well, which will be especially important as the College Football Playoff will air a significant portion of its games on cable.
Normally, Sling costs $46 per month, but you can currently get 50% off your first month of service, meaning that you can watch a month of the college postseason and the stretch run of the NFL for as little as $23. Sling has two different base packages, Orange and Blue. You can subscribe to one or both. If you do opt to combine Orange and Blue it will run you $61 monthly — still substantially cheaper than the comparable [live TV streaming] services — but with the first-month deal, you can stream everything on both packages for just $30.50.
The College Football will air all of its games on either ESPN or TNT, so every single snap of the entire 11-game bracket will be available on Sling. That means that there is no cheaper option in streaming to watch all of the CFP action over the next month.
Other Streaming Options for the Ohio State and Tennessee Game:
DIRECTV STREAM: $87.99 per month five-day free trial
Fubo: $79.99 per month, at least a one-day free trial | $30 off first month
YouTube TV: $82.99 per month
Join the conversation
Below is your Ohio State vs. Tennessee 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...
