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LGHL A majority of Ohio State fans are excited about today’s game being at Wrigley Field
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A majority of Ohio State fans are excited about today’s game being at Wrigley Field
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 Michael Reaves/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.
Alright, Buckeye Nation, while we never want to take any opponent for granted, Ohio State has one gimmie game left before they head into the teeth of their schedule, with up to seven games against quality opponents remaining, starting a week from today against No. 5 Indiana. But, before they get there, OSU has to take a trip to... checks notes... Wrigley Field?!?! Yep, the Buckeyes are playing their final road game of the regular season in a baseball stadium that isn’t really big enough to fit a football field in.
So, for our fan survey this week, we wanted to see how you all felt about the Bucks playing in the “friendly confines” this weekend. And, honestly, the results really surprised me.
Also, as we always do on a game week, we asked for your winning margin prediction, and y’all are looking for a blowout (and so am I). So, check out the results to both questions below, and if you want to chime in with any additional thoughts, feel free to do so in the comments at the bottom of the page.
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I’m not gonna lie, I did not expect this many Ohio State fans to be pumped up for a game at Wrigley Field. While I try to avoid the stirred-up hysteria inside the Ohio State fandom, I really thought more people were upset... or at least annoyed... by this.
On the podcast yesterday, our old friend and college football business reporter Matt Brown explained why this game was being played at Wrigley Field, but it still doesn’t make the lake of space around the field and the potential dangers of playing in a 110-year-old baseball stadium.
I mean, what happens if Jeremiah Smith tries to catch a pass in the back of the end zone but gets pushed into that wall and sustains an injury? What if Caleb Downs is in coverage and jumps to break up a pass but ends up colliding with the wall?
If any Buckeyes get hurt today because of this ludicrous setup, I am suing Ernie Banks, Ryne Sandburg, Harrey Carey, and that damn billy goat!
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The Ohio State Buckeyes will be looking for a repeat performance this weekend after blanking Purdue 45-0 last Saturday. With the undefeated Indiana Hoosiers coming to Columbus next week and the rival Michigan Wolverines to cap the regular season, Ryan Day and company undoubtedly want to eliminate any doubt against overmatched opponents.
The FanDuel Sportsbook has installed Ohio State as a 31.5-point favorite and the gold standard college football analytics model SP+ projects the Buckeyes to win by a score of 37-6.
In our predictions article earlier this morning, I picked Ohio State to get its second-straight shutout by the score of 42-0, so I would have been in that 8%, but I can respect the majority going with a sensible 31 to 40-point margin.
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 Michael Reaves/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.
Alright, Buckeye Nation, while we never want to take any opponent for granted, Ohio State has one gimmie game left before they head into the teeth of their schedule, with up to seven games against quality opponents remaining, starting a week from today against No. 5 Indiana. But, before they get there, OSU has to take a trip to... checks notes... Wrigley Field?!?! Yep, the Buckeyes are playing their final road game of the regular season in a baseball stadium that isn’t really big enough to fit a football field in.
So, for our fan survey this week, we wanted to see how you all felt about the Bucks playing in the “friendly confines” this weekend. And, honestly, the results really surprised me.
Also, as we always do on a game week, we asked for your winning margin prediction, and y’all are looking for a blowout (and so am I). So, check out the results to both questions below, and if you want to chime in with any additional thoughts, feel free to do so in the comments at the bottom of the page.
Question 1: What do you think about Ohio State playing a football game in Wrigley Field this weekend?
I’m not gonna lie, I did not expect this many Ohio State fans to be pumped up for a game at Wrigley Field. While I try to avoid the stirred-up hysteria inside the Ohio State fandom, I really thought more people were upset... or at least annoyed... by this.
On the podcast yesterday, our old friend and college football business reporter Matt Brown explained why this game was being played at Wrigley Field, but it still doesn’t make the lake of space around the field and the potential dangers of playing in a 110-year-old baseball stadium.
I mean, what happens if Jeremiah Smith tries to catch a pass in the back of the end zone but gets pushed into that wall and sustains an injury? What if Caleb Downs is in coverage and jumps to break up a pass but ends up colliding with the wall?
If any Buckeyes get hurt today because of this ludicrous setup, I am suing Ernie Banks, Ryne Sandburg, Harrey Carey, and that damn billy goat!
Question 2: What will the margin of victory be in Saturday’s game against Northwestern?
The Ohio State Buckeyes will be looking for a repeat performance this weekend after blanking Purdue 45-0 last Saturday. With the undefeated Indiana Hoosiers coming to Columbus next week and the rival Michigan Wolverines to cap the regular season, Ryan Day and company undoubtedly want to eliminate any doubt against overmatched opponents.
The FanDuel Sportsbook has installed Ohio State as a 31.5-point favorite and the gold standard college football analytics model SP+ projects the Buckeyes to win by a score of 37-6.
In our predictions article earlier this morning, I picked Ohio State to get its second-straight shutout by the score of 42-0, so I would have been in that 8%, but I can respect the majority going with a sensible 31 to 40-point margin.
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 Ohio State vs. Northwestern: Land-Grant’s experts make their picks
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Ohio State vs. Northwestern: 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 Jason Mowry/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. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes will be playing the Northwestern Wildcats in the ridiculously jacked-up “football field” inside the friendly confines of Wrigley Field on Saturday, Nov. 16 at 12 noon ET in a game to be broadcast on the Big Ten Network. As of this article’s writing, the Bucks are 28.5-point favorites according to FanDuel Sportsbook. College football’s gold-standard advanced analytics model SP+ is predicting a score of 37-6 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: Ohio State 38, Northwestern 6
Game MVP: Will Howard
Major Storyline: It will be a big day for Ohio State linebacker Cody Simon.
Score Prediction: Ohio State 35, Northwestern 7
Game MVP: Jeremiah Smith
Major Storyline: Ohio State could have scored 50+ but grew concerned about players getting hurt IN A BASEBALL STADIUM NOT DESIGNED FOR FOOTBALL!
Score Prediction: Ohio State 38, Northwestern 7
Game MVP: Carnell Tate
Major Storyline: Two touchdowns for Carnell Tate in his homecoming game.
Score Prediction: Ohio State 38, Northwestern 6
Game MVP: Will Howard
Major Storyline: Howard has the best game of his Ohio State career so far... while playing in a baseball stadium.
Score Prediction: Ohio State 38, Northwestern 9
Game MVP: Quinshon Judkins
Major Storyline: The venue! Plus, the return of Tyleik Williams and what it means for the defense moving forward.
Score Prediction: Ohio State 52, Northwestern 6
Game MVP: Carnell Tate
Major Storyline: Escaping with zero injuries playing on the wacky Wrigley setup.
Score Prediction: Ohio State 42, Northwestern 10
Game MVP: Quinshon Judkins
Major Storyline: Ohio State comes out of this week’s game at Wrigley healthy, setting the table for next week’s showdown with Indiana.
Score Prediction: Ohio State 42, Northwestern 6
Game MVP: Carnell Tate
Major Storyline: Carnell Tate will score two touchdowns in his return to his hometown.
Score Prediction: Ohio State 42, Northwestern 0
Game MVP: Sonny Styles
Major Storyline: Sonny Styles talked about being angry that Purdue got into the red zone last week, and I think the defense is going to go out and shoot for back-to-back shutouts as they head into the stretch run of the season.
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 Jason Mowry/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. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes will be playing the Northwestern Wildcats in the ridiculously jacked-up “football field” inside the friendly confines of Wrigley Field on Saturday, Nov. 16 at 12 noon ET in a game to be broadcast on the Big Ten Network. As of this article’s writing, the Bucks are 28.5-point favorites according to FanDuel Sportsbook. College football’s gold-standard advanced analytics model SP+ is predicting a score of 37-6 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: Ohio State 38, Northwestern 6
Game MVP: Will Howard
Major Storyline: It will be a big day for Ohio State linebacker Cody Simon.
Josh Dooley
Score Prediction: Ohio State 35, Northwestern 7
Game MVP: Jeremiah Smith
Major Storyline: Ohio State could have scored 50+ but grew concerned about players getting hurt IN A BASEBALL STADIUM NOT DESIGNED FOR FOOTBALL!
Justin Golba
Score Prediction: Ohio State 38, Northwestern 7
Game MVP: Carnell Tate
Major Storyline: Two touchdowns for Carnell Tate in his homecoming game.
Dan Hessler
Score Prediction: Ohio State 38, Northwestern 6
Game MVP: Will Howard
Major Storyline: Howard has the best game of his Ohio State career so far... while playing in a baseball stadium.
Jami Jurich
Score Prediction: Ohio State 38, Northwestern 9
Game MVP: Quinshon Judkins
Major Storyline: The venue! Plus, the return of Tyleik Williams and what it means for the defense moving forward.
Connor Lemons
Score Prediction: Ohio State 52, Northwestern 6
Game MVP: Carnell Tate
Major Storyline: Escaping with zero injuries playing on the wacky Wrigley setup.
Brett Ludwiczak
Score Prediction: Ohio State 42, Northwestern 10
Game MVP: Quinshon Judkins
Major Storyline: Ohio State comes out of this week’s game at Wrigley healthy, setting the table for next week’s showdown with Indiana.
Gene Ross
Score Prediction: Ohio State 42, Northwestern 6
Game MVP: Carnell Tate
Major Storyline: Carnell Tate will score two touchdowns in his return to his hometown.
Matt Tamanini
Score Prediction: Ohio State 42, Northwestern 0
Game MVP: Sonny Styles
Major Storyline: Sonny Styles talked about being angry that Purdue got into the red zone last week, and I think the defense is going to go out and shoot for back-to-back shutouts as they head into the stretch run of the season.
Continue reading...
LGHL OHIO STATE GAMEDAY: It’s a bad day to be a Northwestern Wildcat
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OHIO STATE GAMEDAY: It’s a bad day to be a Northwestern Wildcat
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Buckeyes head to the Windy City in Week 12.
Wake up, everyone. It’s Ohio State game day!
Following a low-stress win over Purdue last weekend, the Buckeyes will look to for another similar performance against Northwestern on Saturday. The Wildcats are also coming off a victory over the Boilermakers, but had some extra time to prepare for this one after a bye week. Ohio State will have to overcome both David Braun’s team as well as some less-than-ideal playing conditions at Wrigley Field, which is obviously not built with football in mind.
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
Photo by Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Buckeyes head to the Windy City in Week 12.
Wake up, everyone. It’s Ohio State game day!
Following a low-stress win over Purdue last weekend, the Buckeyes will look to for another similar performance against Northwestern on Saturday. The Wildcats are also coming off a victory over the Boilermakers, but had some extra time to prepare for this one after a bye week. Ohio State will have to overcome both David Braun’s team as well as some less-than-ideal playing conditions at Wrigley Field, which is obviously not built with football in mind.
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
- Silver Bullets: Purdue rewind and Northwestern preview
- Hangout in the Holy Land: Big Noon causing chaos, OSU heads to Wrigley Field
- In Conversation: Matt Brown on why the hell Ohio State’s playing football at Wrigley Field
- Power Two: Why you shouldn’t fire your head coach
- I-80 Football Show: The Big Ten owns the CFP top five
Previews
- Ohio State v. Northwestern: 2024 game preview and prediction
- Q&A: Previewing Ohio State vs. Northwestern with Inside NU
- Things you need to know about the Northwestern Wildcats
- Life in Simulation: EA CFB 25 predicts Ohio State vs. Northwestern
Sports Betting
- Ohio State opens as 31.5-point favorites over Northwestern
- MC&J: Who wins the Week 12 showdown between Tennessee and Georgia in the SEC?
- MC&J: Ohio State will look to bury Northwestern in Week 12’s Big Ten action
Mens Basketball
- No. 21 Ohio State out-muscled by No. 23 Texas A&M, 78-64
- By the numbers: Buckeyes freeze out the Penguins, 81-47
- Bucketheads: Buckeyes roll past Youngstown State, prepare for Texas A&M
- Uncut: Ohio State’s Bradshaw, Stewart, Diebler discuss lopsided win in home opener
- Ohio State men’s basketball ranked in the AP Top-25 Poll
- Cambridge or Mobley? Which Ohio State freshman had more impressive debut?
Women’s Basketball
- Chance Gray leads No. 12 Ohio State over Charlotte, 94-53
- Uncut: Gray on historic shooting night; McGuff on Cambridge knock
- Examining Jaloni Cambridge’s fall and trusting Ohio State’s freshman phenom
- What We’ve Learned: Start of Ohio State women’s basketball season
- Ohio State hires former Buckeye Katie Smith as assistant coach
- LGHL WBB Podcast: Katie Smith, Jacy Sheldon talk new roles, Jaloni Cambridge, more
Recruiting
- Ohio State makes the cut for 2026 four-star offensive lineman
- Ohio State gaining momentum for 2026 TE, set to host top safety next weekend
- Chris Henry Jr. stays consistent, Michigan falling short for top 2026 QB
Ask LGHL/B1G Top 10
- Big Ten Top 10: Oregon, Ohio State, Indiana impress in latest SBN B1G Writers Poll
- What do you think about Ohio State playing a football game at Wrigley Field?
Other Columns
- Which non-traditional venue would you like to see Ohio State play in?
- After playing Michigan close, should Indiana be concerned?
- Which Ohio State player has stepped up since the loss to Oregon?
- Michigan winning the natty, OSU losing to Oregon have actually been great for Buckeyes
Continue reading...
LGHL Streaming expert has the best ways to watch Ohio State vs. Northwestern for free without cable
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Streaming expert has the best ways to watch Ohio State vs. Northwestern for free without cable
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Made with Google AI
You’ve got a number of free trials you can choose from of various lengths and breadths.
With all due respect to the Northwestern Wildcats, the No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes have one more tune-up game before a six or seven-game run at a national championship. For the fourth week in a row — with two more to follow — the Buckeyes will kick off their college football Saturday at 12 noon ET. However, this time their game will not air on Fox, but will instead be on the Big Ten Network.
This season, the Buckeyes will play on three different broadcast networks (CBS, Fox, and NBC), at least one cable channel (Big Ten Network), and exclusively on a streaming service (Peacock); it can be tough to keep up with where and how to watch your favorite team.
As cord-cutting has become far more the norm than the exception across the United States, it would not be a surprise if you gave up cable or a live-streaming service following last year’s season only to realize that it’s the day of the game and you have no way to watch it.
And I know it can be incredibly confusing to find the best way to watch a game in today’s entertainment landscape. Fortunately for you, I am something of a streaming expert... no really, I write about streaming services for a living. So, I am going to walk you through the best — and cheapest — ways for you to stream today’s game.
Game Date/Time: Saturday, Nov. 16 at 12 noon ET
TV: Big Ten Network
Broadcasters: Jeff Levering, Jake Butt, Brooke Fletcher
Betting Line: Ohio State -28.5 | 43.5 o/u
Best Streaming Option for All College Football Games:
If you’re either looking for a streaming service just for this weekend of football or to watch as much college football as possible, 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.
DIRECTV STREAM: $87.99 per month five-day free trial
Sling TV: As low as $40 per month | First month 50% off
Fubo: $94.99 per month, at least a one-day free trial
YouTube TV: $72.99 per month
Below is your Ohio State vs. Northwestern 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.
With all due respect to the Northwestern Wildcats, the No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes have one more tune-up game before a six or seven-game run at a national championship. For the fourth week in a row — with two more to follow — the Buckeyes will kick off their college football Saturday at 12 noon ET. However, this time their game will not air on Fox, but will instead be on the Big Ten Network.
This season, the Buckeyes will play on three different broadcast networks (CBS, Fox, and NBC), at least one cable channel (Big Ten Network), and exclusively on a streaming service (Peacock); it can be tough to keep up with where and how to watch your favorite team.
As cord-cutting has become far more the norm than the exception across the United States, it would not be a surprise if you gave up cable or a live-streaming service following last year’s season only to realize that it’s the day of the game and you have no way to watch it.
And I know it can be incredibly confusing to find the best way to watch a game in today’s entertainment landscape. Fortunately for you, I am something of a streaming expert... no really, I write about streaming services for a living. So, I am going to walk you through the best — and cheapest — ways for you to stream today’s game.
How can I watch the No. 2 Ohio State vs. the Northwestern Boilermakers college football game?
Game Date/Time: Saturday, Nov. 16 at 12 noon ET
TV: Big Ten Network
Broadcasters: Jeff Levering, Jake Butt, Brooke Fletcher
Betting Line: Ohio State -28.5 | 43.5 o/u
Best Streaming Option for All College Football Games:
Hulu + Live TV | 3-Day Free Trial
If you’re either looking for a streaming service just for this weekend of football or to watch as much college football as possible, 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.
Other Streaming Options for the Ohio State and Northwestern Game:
DIRECTV STREAM: $87.99 per month five-day free trial
Sling TV: As low as $40 per month | First month 50% off
Fubo: $94.99 per month, at least a one-day free trial
YouTube TV: $72.99 per month
Join the conversation
Below is your Ohio State vs. Northwestern 2024 game thread. Be respectful, be kind and — as always — keep it classy, BuckeyeNation. If you like GIFs, lay ‘em on us. In all, be good fans, cheer for your teams, be cool to each other (even if somebody else isn’t) and everyone wins. Let’s finish the season strong!
Continue reading...
LGHL No. 21 Ohio State out-muscled by No. 23 Texas A&M 78-64, pick up first loss of the season
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No. 21 Ohio State out-muscled by No. 23 Texas A&M 78-64, pick up first loss of the season
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images
The Aggies went to the free throw line early and often, sweeping the home-and-home, two-year series in the process.
The early portion of Ohio State’s schedule had a bit of a country twang to it this season, as the No. 21 Buckeyes (2-1) faced two Texas teams in their first three games of the year.
Jake Diebler’s Buckeyes beat a ranked Texas team last week in Las Vegas at the Hall of Fame Invitational to start the season 1-0. Following a blowout win over Youngstown State earlier this week, Ohio State took a flight down to the Lone Star state, putting their undefeated record on the line against the No. 23 Texas A&M Aggies (3-1) in College Station.
Looking to avenge last year’s home loss to the Aggies, Diebler went with a starting five of Bruce Thornton, Meechie Johnson, Micah Parrish, Sean Stewart, and Aaron Bradshaw — the same lineup he’s started in each of the first two games of the year.
Buzz Williams went with the same starting lineup he used on Monday night against Lamar, save for one change. Instead of starting senior guard Jace Carter, Williams slotted in 6-foot-7 senior forward Andersson Garcia. The starting five of Wade Taylor, Zhuric Phelps, Jace Carter, Solomon Washington, and Pharrel Payne combined to score 46 points against the Cardinals, and as a team A&M put up 97 points.
It was clunky to start, with the teams combining for just eight points over the first five minutes. Texas A&M took a slight 5-3 lead into the first media timeout as the squads jostled to create any kind of rhythm on offense. Meechie Johnson, who has struggled with turnovers early in the season, had two more in the first four minutes of this one.
Thornton opened the scoring for Ohio State with a three-pointer, but then the Buckeyes went 6:22 without scoring until Bradshaw slammed home a lob from John Mobley Jr. at the 12:18 mark to make it 12-5. During that time, A&M went on a 12-0 run. CJ Wilcher answered Bradshaw’s bucket with a three-pointer moments later, making it 15-5 A&M at the under-12 media timeout.
Ohio State’s first-half defense was encouraging, holding A&M to under 24% shooting in the first half and forcing seven turnovers. After falling behind 18-8, the Buckeyes were able to lean on the defense and score just enough to stay within arm’s reach. Stewart split a pair of free throws and Mobley finally knocked down a three-pointer with 6:30 left in the half to make it 18-12.
The Aggies outscored Ohio State 13-10 over the final six-plus minutes of the first half to take a 31-22 lead into the locker room at halftime. The big difference in the opening 20 minutes was the free throw disparity — Texas A&M was 15-for-18 from the line, while Ohio State was 3-for-4. The Buckeyes may have gotten there more often if they looked for higher percentage shots, but in the first half more than half of their shots were from beyond the arc.
A&M came out in the second half and knocked down three-pointers on each of the first two possessions of the second half to give the Aggies their biggest lead of the game, 37-22. It took A&M over five minutes to score its first six points in the first half, but not even 90 seconds to do it in the second half.
The Buckeyes picked up three more fouls in the first 3:54 of the second half, sending A&M to the free throw line six more times before the first media timeout. The Aggies hit all six free throws, and took a 43-27 lead into the under-16 timeout.
Ohio State had a chance to cut A&M’s lead to single-digits for a moment, but the Aggies ripped off a quick 6-0 run to go ahead 51-33 with 12:26 remaining in the game. Thornton scored four consecutive points a few minutes later to cut the lead down to 56-45, but Obaseki answered with a three-point play to put A&M up, 59-45.
After being mostly a non-factor in the first half with just three points, Bruce Thornton played much better in the second half and finished with 11. It wasn’t nearly enough to get Ohio State back in this game, however, as the Buckeyes would eventually fall to the Aggies (for the second straight year), 78-64.
Thornton led Ohio State with 15 points on 3-of-6 shooting in 30 minutes. Mobley scored 13, and Parrish scored 10. Taylor and Obaseki combined for 30 points for the Aggies, who shot 54.2% in the second half.
If you weren’t around Friday night to watch Ohio State drop a tough game in College Station and fall to 2-1, here are a few of the key moments that ultimately led to the Buckeyes falling on the road:
Thornton opened the scoring with a three-pointer 1:20 into the game, but then Ohio State went over six minutes without scoring, allowing A&M to go on a 12-0 run and take firm control of this game in the first half. The Buckeyes played strong defense despite going completely cold offensively, so the game didn’t completely get out of hand in the first half.
Bradshaw dunked home a lob from Mobley to make it 12-5 with 12:18 remaining in the first half to stop the cold streak, but the tables had tilted firmly in favor of the home team.
Quez Glover knocked down a difficult, fadeaway three-pointer with 9:40 left in the first half to get Ohio State back within nine points, 17-8. After the teams exchanged six straight empty possessions, Thornton fouled Phelps at the basket and the A&M guard split the free throws to put the Aggies back up 18-8 with just over seven minutes remaining in the first half.
Ques Glover only played a combined 29 minutes in Ohio State’s first two games, scoring five points against the Penguins and zero against the Longhorns. At just a shade under six feet tall this wasn’t the best opponent for Glover to go against, but he hit a few incredibly difficult shots in the first half to help keep the Buckeyes in the game.
Each of Glover’s first-half three-pointers came moments after the Aggies opened up a 10-point lead or more, and his basket immediately brought the deficit back down to nine the first time and seven the second time. Glover finished the first half with six points on 2-of-4 shooting, setting a new season-high.
Johnson committed a combined eight turnovers in the first two games of the season, which actually meant he had more turnovers than made baskets (six). Diebler needed a better Meechie tonight in College Station, but his struggles continued as he looks to get comfortable back with the Buckeyes after two years away at South Carolina. In 14 first-half minutes, Johnson scored three points on 1-of-5 shooting (1-4 from three), and had three rebounds, two steals, and four more turnovers.
Already down 37-22 with 17 minutes left in the game, Phelps missed a three-pointer for the Aggies, but Payne came down with A&M’s sixth offensive rebound of the night. On the shot, Parrish turned and threw his shoulder into Solomon Washington’s chest without making any attempt to box out.
Parrish was assessed a flagrant foul, and Washington was awarded two free throws and possession. He hit both free throws, and on the next possession Bradshaw fouled Garcia below the basket. Garcia hit both free throws as well, making it a four-point possession on four free throws for the Aggies, giving them a 41-24 lead.
At one point in the second half, Ohio State actually had more made baskets than A&M, and yet trailed by 16 points. The Buckeyes got in foul trouble early and really never got out of it, sending the Aggies to the free throw line 18 times in the first half, hitting 15 of them.
Comparatively, Ohio State only shot four free throws in the first half. Both teams only shot in the 20s (percentage-wise) for most of this game, but A&M was constantly ahead by a ton because they were getting to the free throw line every other possession, it seemed.
Texas A&M finished the game 32-for-40 at the free throw line, while Ohio State was 16-22. Five different Buckeyes had three or more fouls, and Devin Royal fouled out for the second time in his career.
Ohio State (2-1) has a quick turnaround before its next game. The team will fly back to Columbus and have three days until the Evansville Purple Aces (1-2) come to town Tuesday night. That begins a stretch of four consecutive home games for Ohio State, as the Buckeyes won’t play a game away from Columbus again until December 4.
Ohio State’s game against Evansville will tip off at 7:00 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on BTN+.
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Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images
The Aggies went to the free throw line early and often, sweeping the home-and-home, two-year series in the process.
The early portion of Ohio State’s schedule had a bit of a country twang to it this season, as the No. 21 Buckeyes (2-1) faced two Texas teams in their first three games of the year.
Jake Diebler’s Buckeyes beat a ranked Texas team last week in Las Vegas at the Hall of Fame Invitational to start the season 1-0. Following a blowout win over Youngstown State earlier this week, Ohio State took a flight down to the Lone Star state, putting their undefeated record on the line against the No. 23 Texas A&M Aggies (3-1) in College Station.
Looking to avenge last year’s home loss to the Aggies, Diebler went with a starting five of Bruce Thornton, Meechie Johnson, Micah Parrish, Sean Stewart, and Aaron Bradshaw — the same lineup he’s started in each of the first two games of the year.
Buzz Williams went with the same starting lineup he used on Monday night against Lamar, save for one change. Instead of starting senior guard Jace Carter, Williams slotted in 6-foot-7 senior forward Andersson Garcia. The starting five of Wade Taylor, Zhuric Phelps, Jace Carter, Solomon Washington, and Pharrel Payne combined to score 46 points against the Cardinals, and as a team A&M put up 97 points.
It was clunky to start, with the teams combining for just eight points over the first five minutes. Texas A&M took a slight 5-3 lead into the first media timeout as the squads jostled to create any kind of rhythm on offense. Meechie Johnson, who has struggled with turnovers early in the season, had two more in the first four minutes of this one.
Thornton opened the scoring for Ohio State with a three-pointer, but then the Buckeyes went 6:22 without scoring until Bradshaw slammed home a lob from John Mobley Jr. at the 12:18 mark to make it 12-5. During that time, A&M went on a 12-0 run. CJ Wilcher answered Bradshaw’s bucket with a three-pointer moments later, making it 15-5 A&M at the under-12 media timeout.
Ohio State’s first-half defense was encouraging, holding A&M to under 24% shooting in the first half and forcing seven turnovers. After falling behind 18-8, the Buckeyes were able to lean on the defense and score just enough to stay within arm’s reach. Stewart split a pair of free throws and Mobley finally knocked down a three-pointer with 6:30 left in the half to make it 18-12.
John Mobley Jr. for three
OSU: 12
TAM: 18 pic.twitter.com/xumb3yrDNi
— Ohio State Hoops (@OhioStateHoops) November 16, 2024
The Aggies outscored Ohio State 13-10 over the final six-plus minutes of the first half to take a 31-22 lead into the locker room at halftime. The big difference in the opening 20 minutes was the free throw disparity — Texas A&M was 15-for-18 from the line, while Ohio State was 3-for-4. The Buckeyes may have gotten there more often if they looked for higher percentage shots, but in the first half more than half of their shots were from beyond the arc.
A&M came out in the second half and knocked down three-pointers on each of the first two possessions of the second half to give the Aggies their biggest lead of the game, 37-22. It took A&M over five minutes to score its first six points in the first half, but not even 90 seconds to do it in the second half.
The Buckeyes picked up three more fouls in the first 3:54 of the second half, sending A&M to the free throw line six more times before the first media timeout. The Aggies hit all six free throws, and took a 43-27 lead into the under-16 timeout.
Ohio State had a chance to cut A&M’s lead to single-digits for a moment, but the Aggies ripped off a quick 6-0 run to go ahead 51-33 with 12:26 remaining in the game. Thornton scored four consecutive points a few minutes later to cut the lead down to 56-45, but Obaseki answered with a three-point play to put A&M up, 59-45.
After being mostly a non-factor in the first half with just three points, Bruce Thornton played much better in the second half and finished with 11. It wasn’t nearly enough to get Ohio State back in this game, however, as the Buckeyes would eventually fall to the Aggies (for the second straight year), 78-64.
Thornton led Ohio State with 15 points on 3-of-6 shooting in 30 minutes. Mobley scored 13, and Parrish scored 10. Taylor and Obaseki combined for 30 points for the Aggies, who shot 54.2% in the second half.
If you weren’t around Friday night to watch Ohio State drop a tough game in College Station and fall to 2-1, here are a few of the key moments that ultimately led to the Buckeyes falling on the road:
Buckeyes score first, but then go over six minutes without scoring
Thornton opened the scoring with a three-pointer 1:20 into the game, but then Ohio State went over six minutes without scoring, allowing A&M to go on a 12-0 run and take firm control of this game in the first half. The Buckeyes played strong defense despite going completely cold offensively, so the game didn’t completely get out of hand in the first half.
Bradshaw dunked home a lob from Mobley to make it 12-5 with 12:18 remaining in the first half to stop the cold streak, but the tables had tilted firmly in favor of the home team.
Phelps free throws puts A&M up double-digits
Quez Glover knocked down a difficult, fadeaway three-pointer with 9:40 left in the first half to get Ohio State back within nine points, 17-8. After the teams exchanged six straight empty possessions, Thornton fouled Phelps at the basket and the A&M guard split the free throws to put the Aggies back up 18-8 with just over seven minutes remaining in the first half.
Ques Glover was the only reason A&M didn’t blow this one open early
Ques Glover only played a combined 29 minutes in Ohio State’s first two games, scoring five points against the Penguins and zero against the Longhorns. At just a shade under six feet tall this wasn’t the best opponent for Glover to go against, but he hit a few incredibly difficult shots in the first half to help keep the Buckeyes in the game.
Each of Glover’s first-half three-pointers came moments after the Aggies opened up a 10-point lead or more, and his basket immediately brought the deficit back down to nine the first time and seven the second time. Glover finished the first half with six points on 2-of-4 shooting, setting a new season-high.
Meechie’s struggles continue in the first half
Johnson committed a combined eight turnovers in the first two games of the season, which actually meant he had more turnovers than made baskets (six). Diebler needed a better Meechie tonight in College Station, but his struggles continued as he looks to get comfortable back with the Buckeyes after two years away at South Carolina. In 14 first-half minutes, Johnson scored three points on 1-of-5 shooting (1-4 from three), and had three rebounds, two steals, and four more turnovers.
Micah Parrish picks up a flagrant foul, extending A&M’s lead
Already down 37-22 with 17 minutes left in the game, Phelps missed a three-pointer for the Aggies, but Payne came down with A&M’s sixth offensive rebound of the night. On the shot, Parrish turned and threw his shoulder into Solomon Washington’s chest without making any attempt to box out.
Parrish was assessed a flagrant foul, and Washington was awarded two free throws and possession. He hit both free throws, and on the next possession Bradshaw fouled Garcia below the basket. Garcia hit both free throws as well, making it a four-point possession on four free throws for the Aggies, giving them a 41-24 lead.
A&M kept earning it at the line
At one point in the second half, Ohio State actually had more made baskets than A&M, and yet trailed by 16 points. The Buckeyes got in foul trouble early and really never got out of it, sending the Aggies to the free throw line 18 times in the first half, hitting 15 of them.
Comparatively, Ohio State only shot four free throws in the first half. Both teams only shot in the 20s (percentage-wise) for most of this game, but A&M was constantly ahead by a ton because they were getting to the free throw line every other possession, it seemed.
Texas A&M finished the game 32-for-40 at the free throw line, while Ohio State was 16-22. Five different Buckeyes had three or more fouls, and Devin Royal fouled out for the second time in his career.
What’s next?
Ohio State (2-1) has a quick turnaround before its next game. The team will fly back to Columbus and have three days until the Evansville Purple Aces (1-2) come to town Tuesday night. That begins a stretch of four consecutive home games for Ohio State, as the Buckeyes won’t play a game away from Columbus again until December 4.
Ohio State’s game against Evansville will tip off at 7:00 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on BTN+.
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LGHL In Conversation: Matt Brown on why the hell Ohio State’s playing football at Wrigley Field
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In Conversation: Matt Brown on why the hell Ohio State’s playing football at Wrigley Field
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
David Banks-USA TODAY Sports
The Extra Points publisher also explains why the Buckeyes only play noon games now.
On Land-Grant Holy Land In Conversation, we talk to people in and around Ohio State athletics, and the sporting world at large, to bring you a different insight and perspective to the teams, athletes, and university that you love.
Listen to the episode and subscribe:
On today’s episode, Matt Tamanini is in conversation with LGHL legend and the publisher of the Extra Points Newsletter, Matt Brown. As the preeminent expert on college football’s inner workings, MB breaks down exactly why Ohio State is playing Northwestern at Wrigley Field this weekend and why the Buckeyes will end the regular season with six straight 12 noon kickoffs.
Matt also gives an inside look at how and why there will be a Division III Extra Points Bowl played in the state of Ohio later this month.
Purchase Tickets to the Extra Points Bowl:
https://www.ticketmaster.com/event/0500612999071566
Contact Matt Brown
Twitter: @MattBrownEP
Subscribe to Extra Points: https://www.extrapointsmb.com
Connect with Matt Tamanini
Online Portfolio: https://authory.com/MattTamanini
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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
David Banks-USA TODAY Sports
The Extra Points publisher also explains why the Buckeyes only play noon games now.
On Land-Grant Holy Land In Conversation, we talk to people in and around Ohio State athletics, and the sporting world at large, to bring you a different insight and perspective to the teams, athletes, and university that you love.
Listen to the episode and subscribe:
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | iHeart Radio
On today’s episode, Matt Tamanini is in conversation with LGHL legend and the publisher of the Extra Points Newsletter, Matt Brown. As the preeminent expert on college football’s inner workings, MB breaks down exactly why Ohio State is playing Northwestern at Wrigley Field this weekend and why the Buckeyes will end the regular season with six straight 12 noon kickoffs.
Matt also gives an inside look at how and why there will be a Division III Extra Points Bowl played in the state of Ohio later this month.
Purchase Tickets to the Extra Points Bowl:
https://www.ticketmaster.com/event/0500612999071566
Contact Matt Brown
Twitter: @MattBrownEP
Subscribe to Extra Points: https://www.extrapointsmb.com
Connect with Matt Tamanini
Online Portfolio: https://authory.com/MattTamanini
Theme music provided by www.bensound.com
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LGHL You’re Nuts: Players to watch on each side of tonight’s Ohio State vs. Texas A&M game
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You’re Nuts: Players to watch on each side of tonight’s Ohio State vs. Texas A&M game
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images
The Buckeyes travel to the Lone Star State tonight with their undefeated record on the line.
Tonight at 9:00 p.m. ET, the No. 21 Ohio State Buckeyes (2-0) will fly down to College Station to face the No. 23 Texas A&M Aggies (2-1) in the second leg of a two-year home-and-home series that began last season.
Last November, Buzz Williams’ team came to Columbus and beat the Buckeyes 73-66. They bullied the Buckeyes on the glass, and after the game Williams said that rebounding is, “woven into everything” A&M does.
Last week, Connor and Justin debated which Buckeye had the best performance in Ohio State’s win over Texas. Connor picked sophomore Devin Royal, while Justin went with graduate senior Micah Parrish. Just barely, Justin won with 30% of the vote. 28% picked Royal, while 25% of readers picked Bruce Thornton, and the remaining 17% went with John Mobley Jr.
Connor- 81
Land-Grant Holy Land also published a full game preview this morning, but this time we’ll focus on a few individual players that Connor and Justin think will be the difference in tonight’s game.
The Buckeyes are trying to even this home-and-home series between the programs, but to do so they will need to squeak out a win in College Station at Reed Arena, where the Aggies went 10-5 last season. Ohio State was 2-1 in true road games under Jake Diebler last season.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25734577/usa_today_24740469.jpg "NCAA Basketball: Youngstown State at Ohio State")
Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images
All of the press and previews for this game will focus on Bruce Thornton and Meechie Johnson against Zhuric Phelps and Wade Taylor, and for good reason. The backcourt matchup is going to be fun to watch.
However, two other players — Henry Coleman for Texas A&M and Micah Parrish for Ohio State — I think will be the X-factors in this one.
Micah Parrish, a transfer from San Diego State, is averaging double figures early on, tallying 10.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game. He has been one of the top-scoring options for the Buckeyes early on and one of their top defenders. He will be tasked with slowing down the wings on Texas A&M and helping facilitate the offense with Thornton.
The Texas A&M front court is formidable. Henry Coleman averages 11.0 points and 7.0 rebounds per game, while Pharrel Payne averages 9.0 points and 6.3 rebounds per game.
Last year, the Buckeyes hosted the then-ranked No. 15 Aggies for the second game of the season, with Texas A&M coming out on top 73-66. For the Aggies, Tyrece Radford and Wade Taylor had 21 points each, but Coleman was arguably the MVP of the game, as he recorded 20 points and 11 rebounds.
Both of these players are key to each team’s success, and will need to play well to help the production of their respective backcourts.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25734717/usa_today_24740178.jpg "NCAA Basketball: Youngstown State at Ohio State")
Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images
Ohio State has won each of its first two games rather comfortably, and Meechie Johnson did not play particularly well in either of them.
Is that a good thing? Of course, because it shows that the Buckeyes are capable of winning without firing on all cylinders. But still, Johnson’s final chapter of his college career has started off rather unceremoniously, with a combined eight turnovers in those first two games.
Poor shot selection plagued Johnson in the first game. He hoisted up a couple three-pointers that probably did not need to be taken, and finished the game 2-of-7 from distance. He finished with six points, and had more turnovers than made baskets.
Against Youngstown State Johnson hit three of his five three-point tries, but also turned the ball over a whopping five times — something he only did one time all of last season at South Carolina.
He’ll need to step up tonight against the Aggies. Not only will Jake Diebler need his senior guard to tighten up the handle and not give A&M free possessions, he will also need Meechie to defend at a high level. A&M boasts a few good guards, namely Wade Taylor — who will soon be the all-time leading scorer in Texas A&M history — and Zhuric Phelps.
Payne — a transfer center from Minnesota — will be a crucial player for the Aggies against Ohio State. While the star-studded matchups will be Bruce Thornton and Johnson against Taylor and Phelps, the battle in the trenches could win up being the difference.
Last season, Coleman out-worked Zed Key and Felix Okpara both scoring and rebounding the basketball. Neither of those guys are still with the program, but Coleman is still with Texas A&M, as is Payne.
Payne is a 6-foot-9, 250-pound center who scored 15 points in A&M’s season-opening loss to UCF, but in two games since has combined for just 12 points. Aaron Bradshaw and Sean Stewart both dealt with foul trouble in Ohio State’s win over Texas, so it will be worth keeping an eye on tonight to see if those two can stay in the game and away from the bench with foul trouble.
Payne won’t stretch the floor at all, and also won’t be too eager to move with Stewart or Bradshaw if they try to stretch the floor themselves. But through two games, neither Stewart not Bradshaw have had to guard as talented or large of a post player as Payne. If they pick up first-half fouls, A&M could really put the Buckeyes in a difficult spot.
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Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images
The Buckeyes travel to the Lone Star State tonight with their undefeated record on the line.
Tonight at 9:00 p.m. ET, the No. 21 Ohio State Buckeyes (2-0) will fly down to College Station to face the No. 23 Texas A&M Aggies (2-1) in the second leg of a two-year home-and-home series that began last season.
Last November, Buzz Williams’ team came to Columbus and beat the Buckeyes 73-66. They bullied the Buckeyes on the glass, and after the game Williams said that rebounding is, “woven into everything” A&M does.
Last week, Connor and Justin debated which Buckeye had the best performance in Ohio State’s win over Texas. Connor picked sophomore Devin Royal, while Justin went with graduate senior Micah Parrish. Just barely, Justin won with 30% of the vote. 28% picked Royal, while 25% of readers picked Bruce Thornton, and the remaining 17% went with John Mobley Jr.
After 178 weeks:
Connor- 81
Justin- 74
Other- 18
(There have been five ties)
Land-Grant Holy Land also published a full game preview this morning, but this time we’ll focus on a few individual players that Connor and Justin think will be the difference in tonight’s game.
The Buckeyes are trying to even this home-and-home series between the programs, but to do so they will need to squeak out a win in College Station at Reed Arena, where the Aggies went 10-5 last season. Ohio State was 2-1 in true road games under Jake Diebler last season.
This week’s question: One Ohio State player and one Texas A&M player to watch tonight?
Justin: Micah Parrish / Henry Coleman
All of the press and previews for this game will focus on Bruce Thornton and Meechie Johnson against Zhuric Phelps and Wade Taylor, and for good reason. The backcourt matchup is going to be fun to watch.
However, two other players — Henry Coleman for Texas A&M and Micah Parrish for Ohio State — I think will be the X-factors in this one.
Micah Parrish, a transfer from San Diego State, is averaging double figures early on, tallying 10.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game. He has been one of the top-scoring options for the Buckeyes early on and one of their top defenders. He will be tasked with slowing down the wings on Texas A&M and helping facilitate the offense with Thornton.
The Texas A&M front court is formidable. Henry Coleman averages 11.0 points and 7.0 rebounds per game, while Pharrel Payne averages 9.0 points and 6.3 rebounds per game.
Last year, the Buckeyes hosted the then-ranked No. 15 Aggies for the second game of the season, with Texas A&M coming out on top 73-66. For the Aggies, Tyrece Radford and Wade Taylor had 21 points each, but Coleman was arguably the MVP of the game, as he recorded 20 points and 11 rebounds.
Both of these players are key to each team’s success, and will need to play well to help the production of their respective backcourts.
Connor: Meechie Johnson / Pharrel Payne
Ohio State has won each of its first two games rather comfortably, and Meechie Johnson did not play particularly well in either of them.
Is that a good thing? Of course, because it shows that the Buckeyes are capable of winning without firing on all cylinders. But still, Johnson’s final chapter of his college career has started off rather unceremoniously, with a combined eight turnovers in those first two games.
Poor shot selection plagued Johnson in the first game. He hoisted up a couple three-pointers that probably did not need to be taken, and finished the game 2-of-7 from distance. He finished with six points, and had more turnovers than made baskets.
Against Youngstown State Johnson hit three of his five three-point tries, but also turned the ball over a whopping five times — something he only did one time all of last season at South Carolina.
He’ll need to step up tonight against the Aggies. Not only will Jake Diebler need his senior guard to tighten up the handle and not give A&M free possessions, he will also need Meechie to defend at a high level. A&M boasts a few good guards, namely Wade Taylor — who will soon be the all-time leading scorer in Texas A&M history — and Zhuric Phelps.
Payne — a transfer center from Minnesota — will be a crucial player for the Aggies against Ohio State. While the star-studded matchups will be Bruce Thornton and Johnson against Taylor and Phelps, the battle in the trenches could win up being the difference.
Last season, Coleman out-worked Zed Key and Felix Okpara both scoring and rebounding the basketball. Neither of those guys are still with the program, but Coleman is still with Texas A&M, as is Payne.
Payne is a 6-foot-9, 250-pound center who scored 15 points in A&M’s season-opening loss to UCF, but in two games since has combined for just 12 points. Aaron Bradshaw and Sean Stewart both dealt with foul trouble in Ohio State’s win over Texas, so it will be worth keeping an eye on tonight to see if those two can stay in the game and away from the bench with foul trouble.
Payne won’t stretch the floor at all, and also won’t be too eager to move with Stewart or Bradshaw if they try to stretch the floor themselves. But through two games, neither Stewart not Bradshaw have had to guard as talented or large of a post player as Payne. If they pick up first-half fouls, A&M could really put the Buckeyes in a difficult spot.
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LGHL What We’ve Learned: Start of Ohio State women’s basketball season
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What We’ve Learned: Start of Ohio State women’s basketball season
ThomasCostello 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
After two games, there are trends showing in the Buckeyes’ play, roster decisions and more
Ohio State women’s basketball is 2-0 after defeating two mid-major opponents to start the 2024-25 season. While it’s only been a couple games, there are trends emerging, and areas to watch as the season progresses.
Here’s what we’ve learned about the Buckeyes before they take their first road trip of the season.
With Celeste Taylor and Jacy Sheldon exhausting their NCAA eligibility after last season, a concern for Ohio State was the effectiveness of head coach Kevin McGuff’s havoc-inducing full court press.
McGuff put a freshman at the helm, making it was hard to guess which direction the team would go, and it's trending positively for the Scarlet and Gray. In two games, the Buckeyes forced 24 turnovers and had 16 steals as a team in each win.
Compare that to last season and the second and third games of the season, not including the first game against USC because they’re a higher level of competition than the sides against Ohio State this season. Against IUPUI and Boston College, the Buckeyes forced 43 combined turnovers with 21 steals.
The Buckeyes are winning the ball in the backcourt on press from inbound passes and their half court defense, closing down defenders, is causing errant passes and making life difficult for opponents.
That freshman is doing pretty well on defense, and everywhere else.
All the signs were there:
Even so, it’s hard to know for certain how game shifts from high school to college. For Jaloni Cambridge: it’s as advertised.
It began with her historic 31-point debut, the best start to an Ohio State freshman campaign in program history. Go further than the ball going into the basket, and Cambridge’s complete game has been on display early.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25734985/2183535868.jpg "Cleveland State v Ohio State")
Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images
In that debut, Cambridge also added six rebounds, six assists and five steals. Even a couple blocks for good measure. The guard’s only played in six quarters, after missing the second half against Charlotte on Tuesday after a big fall to start the third quarter, but she leads the team in steals, assists and tied for most in points.
The composure of the freshman stands out. With her speed, she’s doing things defensively that player turned Head of Player Development Sheldon was doing in year five. As long as Cambridge can stay healthy, she’s got a chance to make a program impact like former stars Kelsey Mitchell, Jessica Davenport and Katie Smith.
Ohio State’s Achille’s heel over the past three seasons is having a big who can consistently be a presence in the paint offensively and grabbing boards. McGuff went ahead and fixed it with the transfer of Ajae Petty and freshman Elsa Lemmilä.
Look at the stat sheet, and the rebounds don’t necessarily jump off the page. For instance, the Buckeyes were outrebounded against Charlotte on Tuesday, 36-29, but watch the game tape and the story tells itself.
With Petty and Lemmilä, Charlotte had players crashing the post. Petty didn’t have many free opportunities to make a basket near the rim, and got into early foul trouble, playing only nine minutes in the first half. That increased attention in the paint led to success from the perimeter.
In previous seasons, players like Sheldon and Taylor Mikesell had to face their fair share of double-teams and hands in the face, trying anything to limit their effectiveness. The Buckeyes outshot the 49ers from deep on Tuesday 10-5 and junior transfer Chance Gray hit a program-tying record nine three-point shots in the win.
The more Petty and Lemmilä excel near the basket, the more players like Gray, Cambridge and forward Cotie McMahon can make excel.
After two games, there are trends in how McGuff is going to use his roster. Coming off the bench first each game is Lemmilä.
Each forward averages exactly 20 minutes per game to start the season, and each brings different strengths to the table. For Petty, she can get to the basket and grab boards through well-timed jumps and positioning. For Lemmilä, her 6-foot-6 frame makes rebounding easy without the need a strong leap.
Also, Lemmilä doesn’t allow much in terms of post offense, blocking five shots in two games. Ohio State hasn’t had a player average at least a block a game since Aaliyah Patty and Dorka Juhasz did it in the 2020-21 season. Since then, its been guards Emma Shumate and Taylor leading the team in blocks from a predominantly perimeter role.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25734982/usa_today_24750593.jpg "Syndication: The Columbus Dispatch")
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Graduate senior Madison Greene and Kennedy Cambridge are the next ones in for McGuff. McGuff’s used Green and Cambridge to switch out Kennedy’s younger sister Jaloni and Gray. The two bring different skills to the roles, with Greene’s leadership and court vision and Cambridge’s stellar defensive work.
McGuff’s used all 10 players in both games. Before the start of the year, the Buckeyes’ coach said he’d be using a rotation of around nine to 10 players and so far he’s held to that comment.
Eboni Walker and Ava Watson round out the time on the court, and while Watson is still adjusting to the college game, Walker’s brought energy in her 14.5 minutes per game and hasn’t given up a turnover in two games. Extrapolate the effectiveness of Walker into a per 40 minutes average and Walker’s work on the boards is second best on the team (12.4) with Lemmilä top of the list (13.0).
There was a moment on Tuesday that shows Ohio State isn’t lacking in terms of on-court leadership. Following Cambridge’s crash to the court on the first offensive possession of the second half, the Buckeyes looked lethargic.
Charlotte took over, going on a nine-point run. In previous seasons, McGuff might have called a timeout to calm the team down and give needed instruction. That didn’t happen Tuesday.
Instead, he let the Buckeyes work it out on their own and through Cotie McMahon and Taylor Thierry the run ended and the Scarlet and Gray gathered their composure.
The lack of timeout is a small detail for a pair of Buckeyes who are taking big steps in their ownership of the program’s direction. It’s clear not only in results against mid-majors, but the way Ohio State is gelling to start the season, plus the comfort of the freshmen like Cambridge and Lemmilä, who are thriving.
Productivity-wise, McMahon and Thierry haven’t had to be the McMahon and Thierry of past seasons with players filling in gaps in play. McMahon’s 14 points per game is third on the team but her turnovers are down by one per game. The junior’s play is responsible and clean, especially important in a year with so many new players on the roster and the chance for more turnovers than normal.
Thierry’s been quiet scoring, averaging 10 points per game, but is creating more defensively, averaging two steals in Ohio State’s wins.
Competition will increase as the year goes on, but its clear the foundation is establishing itself from the top to the bottom of the roster.
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ThomasCostello 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
After two games, there are trends showing in the Buckeyes’ play, roster decisions and more
Ohio State women’s basketball is 2-0 after defeating two mid-major opponents to start the 2024-25 season. While it’s only been a couple games, there are trends emerging, and areas to watch as the season progresses.
Here’s what we’ve learned about the Buckeyes before they take their first road trip of the season.
The Press is Working
With Celeste Taylor and Jacy Sheldon exhausting their NCAA eligibility after last season, a concern for Ohio State was the effectiveness of head coach Kevin McGuff’s havoc-inducing full court press.
McGuff put a freshman at the helm, making it was hard to guess which direction the team would go, and it's trending positively for the Scarlet and Gray. In two games, the Buckeyes forced 24 turnovers and had 16 steals as a team in each win.
Compare that to last season and the second and third games of the season, not including the first game against USC because they’re a higher level of competition than the sides against Ohio State this season. Against IUPUI and Boston College, the Buckeyes forced 43 combined turnovers with 21 steals.
The Buckeyes are winning the ball in the backcourt on press from inbound passes and their half court defense, closing down defenders, is causing errant passes and making life difficult for opponents.
That freshman is doing pretty well on defense, and everywhere else.
Jaloni Cambridge is For Real
All the signs were there:
- McDonald’s All-American
- Making game-altering shots in high pressure high school championship situations
- No. 1 ranked point guard in the country
Even so, it’s hard to know for certain how game shifts from high school to college. For Jaloni Cambridge: it’s as advertised.
It began with her historic 31-point debut, the best start to an Ohio State freshman campaign in program history. Go further than the ball going into the basket, and Cambridge’s complete game has been on display early.
In that debut, Cambridge also added six rebounds, six assists and five steals. Even a couple blocks for good measure. The guard’s only played in six quarters, after missing the second half against Charlotte on Tuesday after a big fall to start the third quarter, but she leads the team in steals, assists and tied for most in points.
The composure of the freshman stands out. With her speed, she’s doing things defensively that player turned Head of Player Development Sheldon was doing in year five. As long as Cambridge can stay healthy, she’s got a chance to make a program impact like former stars Kelsey Mitchell, Jessica Davenport and Katie Smith.
Strong Post Play
Ohio State’s Achille’s heel over the past three seasons is having a big who can consistently be a presence in the paint offensively and grabbing boards. McGuff went ahead and fixed it with the transfer of Ajae Petty and freshman Elsa Lemmilä.
Look at the stat sheet, and the rebounds don’t necessarily jump off the page. For instance, the Buckeyes were outrebounded against Charlotte on Tuesday, 36-29, but watch the game tape and the story tells itself.
With Petty and Lemmilä, Charlotte had players crashing the post. Petty didn’t have many free opportunities to make a basket near the rim, and got into early foul trouble, playing only nine minutes in the first half. That increased attention in the paint led to success from the perimeter.
In previous seasons, players like Sheldon and Taylor Mikesell had to face their fair share of double-teams and hands in the face, trying anything to limit their effectiveness. The Buckeyes outshot the 49ers from deep on Tuesday 10-5 and junior transfer Chance Gray hit a program-tying record nine three-point shots in the win.
The more Petty and Lemmilä excel near the basket, the more players like Gray, Cambridge and forward Cotie McMahon can make excel.
Player Rotation
After two games, there are trends in how McGuff is going to use his roster. Coming off the bench first each game is Lemmilä.
Each forward averages exactly 20 minutes per game to start the season, and each brings different strengths to the table. For Petty, she can get to the basket and grab boards through well-timed jumps and positioning. For Lemmilä, her 6-foot-6 frame makes rebounding easy without the need a strong leap.
Also, Lemmilä doesn’t allow much in terms of post offense, blocking five shots in two games. Ohio State hasn’t had a player average at least a block a game since Aaliyah Patty and Dorka Juhasz did it in the 2020-21 season. Since then, its been guards Emma Shumate and Taylor leading the team in blocks from a predominantly perimeter role.
Graduate senior Madison Greene and Kennedy Cambridge are the next ones in for McGuff. McGuff’s used Green and Cambridge to switch out Kennedy’s younger sister Jaloni and Gray. The two bring different skills to the roles, with Greene’s leadership and court vision and Cambridge’s stellar defensive work.
McGuff’s used all 10 players in both games. Before the start of the year, the Buckeyes’ coach said he’d be using a rotation of around nine to 10 players and so far he’s held to that comment.
Eboni Walker and Ava Watson round out the time on the court, and while Watson is still adjusting to the college game, Walker’s brought energy in her 14.5 minutes per game and hasn’t given up a turnover in two games. Extrapolate the effectiveness of Walker into a per 40 minutes average and Walker’s work on the boards is second best on the team (12.4) with Lemmilä top of the list (13.0).
McMahon and Thierry Lead
There was a moment on Tuesday that shows Ohio State isn’t lacking in terms of on-court leadership. Following Cambridge’s crash to the court on the first offensive possession of the second half, the Buckeyes looked lethargic.
Charlotte took over, going on a nine-point run. In previous seasons, McGuff might have called a timeout to calm the team down and give needed instruction. That didn’t happen Tuesday.
Instead, he let the Buckeyes work it out on their own and through Cotie McMahon and Taylor Thierry the run ended and the Scarlet and Gray gathered their composure.
Behind the back like it was nothing pic.twitter.com/3yBcV35pvk
— Ohio State Women’s Basketball (@OhioStateWBB) November 13, 2024
The lack of timeout is a small detail for a pair of Buckeyes who are taking big steps in their ownership of the program’s direction. It’s clear not only in results against mid-majors, but the way Ohio State is gelling to start the season, plus the comfort of the freshmen like Cambridge and Lemmilä, who are thriving.
Productivity-wise, McMahon and Thierry haven’t had to be the McMahon and Thierry of past seasons with players filling in gaps in play. McMahon’s 14 points per game is third on the team but her turnovers are down by one per game. The junior’s play is responsible and clean, especially important in a year with so many new players on the roster and the chance for more turnovers than normal.
Thierry’s been quiet scoring, averaging 10 points per game, but is creating more defensively, averaging two steals in Ohio State’s wins.
Competition will increase as the year goes on, but its clear the foundation is establishing itself from the top to the bottom of the roster.
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LGHL MC&J: Ohio State will look to bury Northwestern in Week 12’s Big Ten action
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MC&J: Ohio State will look to bury Northwestern in Week 12’s Big Ten action
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Buckeyes are 28.5-point favorites over the Wildcats. Plus, picks for the other five games this weekend in the Big Ten.
Last week ATS: 5-8 (3-4 National, 2-4 B1G)
Season ATS: 88-95 (36-40 National, 52-55 B1G)
My picks for Tennessee-Georgia and six other games on Saturday outside the Big Ten can be found here
UCLA v. Washington (-4.5) - Friday 9:00 p.m. ET - FOX
This season looked like it was going to be a lost cause for UCLA in Deshaun Foster’s first season as head coach. The Bruins have come out of hibernation lately, winning their last three games.
During their winning streak, Ethan Garbers has thrown eight touchdown passes. Last week running back T.J. Harden had his best performance of the season, rushing for 125 yards against Iowa.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25734280/2183290804.jpg "COLLEGE FOOTBALL: NOV 08 Iowa at UCLA")
Photo by Jevone Moore/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
After going to the national title game last year, Washington is on the verge of missing a bowl game this season. The Huskies have five wins with two games remaining, and their final game of the regular season is at Oregon, so we might as well chalk that game up as a loss. Washington has a proud defense, their issue is Will Rogers just doesn’t have much to work with on offense.
I really like how UCLA is playing of late. Even if Washington is able to gut out a win here, they aren’t going to blow out the Bruins. Garbers is playing with a lot of confidence, and last week the running game got going for the first time this year. UCLA goes into Seattle and wins their first battle with the Huskies as Big Ten teams.
UCLA 24, Washington 20
Michigan State v. Illinois (-2.5) - 2:30 p.m. ET - FS1
The bye week came at the perfect time for Illinois. The Fighting Illini have lost two straight games, as they were routed by Oregon before returning home to lose a tight matchup with Minnesota. What will help Illinois in this game is quarterback Luke Altmyer makes a lot of smart decisions with the football, only throwing three picks this year.
Unlike Illinois and Altmyer, Michigan State quarterback Aidan Chiles is a turnover machine, throwing 11 interceptions so far this season. The Spartans are also on a two-game losing streak, most recently being decimated by Indiana 47-10 two weeks ago.
Illinois is just a better team on both sides of the football. I’m actually surprised this line is as short as it is. Michigan State is still adjusting to life under Jonathan Smith and working to put the pieces in place for the future. The Fighting Illini play smarter in this game and should end up winning by at least a touchdown.
Illinois 28, Michigan State 17
No. 4 Penn State (-28.5) v. Purdue - 3:30 p.m. ET - CBS
We just saw what Ohio State did to Purdue last week in Columbus. Despite this game being in West Lafayette, that shouldn’t change the fact that the Boilermakers are likely in for another beatdown. Along with Penn State being way more talented, usually teams struggle the week after taking on the Buckeyes since the physicality takes a lot out of teams.
The only factor working against Penn State is how much they’ll get up for a game like this. In past years I might be worried about it since the Nittany Lions might be left out of a four-team playoff. That isn’t the case this year with the expansion to 12 teams. Penn State knows they are in line for a home playoff game in State College, so expect them to handle their business here.
Penn State 41, Purdue 7
Nebraska v. USC (-8.5) - 4:00 p.m. ET - FOX
A promising start to the season for both teams have turned in two big messes. USC has lost five of the last six games, and during the bye week Lincoln Riley announced UNLV transfer Jordan Maiava would be replacing Miller Moss at quarterback. Even though Maiava showed promise at UNLV last year, this feels like rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. The problems of the Trojans are deeper than just a quarterback change.
Nebraska is in danger of missing a bowl game for what feels like the 43rd straight year. Dylan Raiola’s hot start seems like forever ago, with the freshman throwing five interceptions over the last three games. At least Raiola and the Cornhuskers had last week off to try and reset and focus on earning the sixth win they have been lusting after for years.
What Nebraska does have is a tough defense that should cause some issues for Maiava. The Cornhuskers are cornfed and about hard work, while USC is driven by glitz and glamour. Give me the team that feels like they’ll care more in this game. I just don’t get that vibe from USC.
Nebraska 27, USC 24
Rutgers v. Maryland (-5.5) - 6:00 p.m. ET - FS1
It wasn’t pretty but Rutgers was able to get back in the win column in Athan Kaliakmanis’ revenge game, beating Minnesota 26-19. The victory moved the Scarlet Knights closer to bowl eligibility, now needing just one more win to qualify. If Rutgers can get running back Kyle Monangai back this week, they’ll be even more dangerous.
While Maryland tried really hard last week at Oregon, the Terrapins never really threatened the Ducks. Now Maryland has to put the trip out west behind them and return home to take on Rutgers. Quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. is a gunslinger, I just don’t think his style will work well against the solid defense of the Scarlet Knights. Rutgers wins their second in a row after their slide earlier in the season.
Rutgers 23, Maryland 20
No. 1 Oregon (-14.5) v. Wisconsin - 7:30 p.m. ET - NBC
A night game in Madison used to be terrifying. That isn’t the case anymore. Luke Fickell has had a rough go of it in his two seasons with the Badgers. I know he has had to deal with some significant injuries, but even if Wisconsin was healthy I don’t think they’d be sitting much higher in the conference standings.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25734278/2183264539.jpg "COLLEGE FOOTBALL: NOV 09 Maryland at Oregon")
Photo by Brian Murphy/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Just how is Wisconsin going to slow down Dillon Gabriel, Jordan James, and the rest of the Oregon offense? Even if the Badgers are able to get some stops, will they be able to put points on the scoreboard? I highly doubt they’ll be able to do either. The Ducks are the top-ranked team in the country for a reason, and they have just a couple more hurdles to clear before a potential rematch with Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship Game.
Oregon has played in enough tough environments to not be rattled by what they’ll see in Madison. Gabriel continues to state his case to be a Heisman finalist, as the Ducks cruise to another easy victory.
Oregon 38, Wisconsin 17
No. 2 Ohio State (-28.5) v. Northwestern - 12:00 p.m. ET - Big Ten Network
I have been vocal about my displeasure with this game being played at Wrigley Field. Even though the venue is interesting, I hate some of the things that will likely been seen during this game.
There is almost no room at the back of one of the end zones, which could lead to some injuries if players run into the back wall. Also, last year the turf for Iowa-Northwestern is dreadful. With Ohio State having so much to play for after this game, I just hope they don’t lose an important player because of something that happens because of the inadequate features or turf.
If we’re being honest, Ohio State should roll in this game. Northwestern is a slightly better Purdue, and we all saw what the Buckeyes did to the Boilermakers last week. Will Howard is in complete control of this offense, completing nearly 75 percent of his passes this year. Jeremiah Smith is a dude, Emeka Egbuka is a savvy vet, and Carnell Tate is emerging. Add in the talented duo of TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins and there aren’t many defenses in the country who can slow the Buckeyes down.
Quarterback Jack Lausch could be in for a long day. Lausch was named the starter before the third game of the season, but will likely be missing Bryce Kirtz, who is the most reliable receiver for the Wildcats. Running back Cam Porter is solid, he just doesn’t have that game-breaking ability. Porter is more of a grinder, which doesn’t work well against an Ohio State defense that is tough to crack on the ground.
A perfect game for Ohio State would be to jump out to an early lead and harass Lausch and the Wildcats into making mistakes, allowing the Buckeyes to build a healthy lead so they can rest their starters for most of the second half and keep them out of harm’s way. The Wildcats just don’t have the chops on offense to keep up with the Ohio State machine.
Ohio State 42, Northwestern 10
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Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Buckeyes are 28.5-point favorites over the Wildcats. Plus, picks for the other five games this weekend in the Big Ten.
Last week ATS: 5-8 (3-4 National, 2-4 B1G)
Season ATS: 88-95 (36-40 National, 52-55 B1G)
My picks for Tennessee-Georgia and six other games on Saturday outside the Big Ten can be found here
Big Ten games (All games Saturday unless otherwise noted)
UCLA v. Washington (-4.5) - Friday 9:00 p.m. ET - FOX
This season looked like it was going to be a lost cause for UCLA in Deshaun Foster’s first season as head coach. The Bruins have come out of hibernation lately, winning their last three games.
During their winning streak, Ethan Garbers has thrown eight touchdown passes. Last week running back T.J. Harden had his best performance of the season, rushing for 125 yards against Iowa.
After going to the national title game last year, Washington is on the verge of missing a bowl game this season. The Huskies have five wins with two games remaining, and their final game of the regular season is at Oregon, so we might as well chalk that game up as a loss. Washington has a proud defense, their issue is Will Rogers just doesn’t have much to work with on offense.
I really like how UCLA is playing of late. Even if Washington is able to gut out a win here, they aren’t going to blow out the Bruins. Garbers is playing with a lot of confidence, and last week the running game got going for the first time this year. UCLA goes into Seattle and wins their first battle with the Huskies as Big Ten teams.
UCLA 24, Washington 20
Michigan State v. Illinois (-2.5) - 2:30 p.m. ET - FS1
The bye week came at the perfect time for Illinois. The Fighting Illini have lost two straight games, as they were routed by Oregon before returning home to lose a tight matchup with Minnesota. What will help Illinois in this game is quarterback Luke Altmyer makes a lot of smart decisions with the football, only throwing three picks this year.
Unlike Illinois and Altmyer, Michigan State quarterback Aidan Chiles is a turnover machine, throwing 11 interceptions so far this season. The Spartans are also on a two-game losing streak, most recently being decimated by Indiana 47-10 two weeks ago.
Illinois is just a better team on both sides of the football. I’m actually surprised this line is as short as it is. Michigan State is still adjusting to life under Jonathan Smith and working to put the pieces in place for the future. The Fighting Illini play smarter in this game and should end up winning by at least a touchdown.
Illinois 28, Michigan State 17
No. 4 Penn State (-28.5) v. Purdue - 3:30 p.m. ET - CBS
We just saw what Ohio State did to Purdue last week in Columbus. Despite this game being in West Lafayette, that shouldn’t change the fact that the Boilermakers are likely in for another beatdown. Along with Penn State being way more talented, usually teams struggle the week after taking on the Buckeyes since the physicality takes a lot out of teams.
The only factor working against Penn State is how much they’ll get up for a game like this. In past years I might be worried about it since the Nittany Lions might be left out of a four-team playoff. That isn’t the case this year with the expansion to 12 teams. Penn State knows they are in line for a home playoff game in State College, so expect them to handle their business here.
Penn State 41, Purdue 7
Nebraska v. USC (-8.5) - 4:00 p.m. ET - FOX
A promising start to the season for both teams have turned in two big messes. USC has lost five of the last six games, and during the bye week Lincoln Riley announced UNLV transfer Jordan Maiava would be replacing Miller Moss at quarterback. Even though Maiava showed promise at UNLV last year, this feels like rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. The problems of the Trojans are deeper than just a quarterback change.
Nebraska is in danger of missing a bowl game for what feels like the 43rd straight year. Dylan Raiola’s hot start seems like forever ago, with the freshman throwing five interceptions over the last three games. At least Raiola and the Cornhuskers had last week off to try and reset and focus on earning the sixth win they have been lusting after for years.
What Nebraska does have is a tough defense that should cause some issues for Maiava. The Cornhuskers are cornfed and about hard work, while USC is driven by glitz and glamour. Give me the team that feels like they’ll care more in this game. I just don’t get that vibe from USC.
Nebraska 27, USC 24
Rutgers v. Maryland (-5.5) - 6:00 p.m. ET - FS1
It wasn’t pretty but Rutgers was able to get back in the win column in Athan Kaliakmanis’ revenge game, beating Minnesota 26-19. The victory moved the Scarlet Knights closer to bowl eligibility, now needing just one more win to qualify. If Rutgers can get running back Kyle Monangai back this week, they’ll be even more dangerous.
While Maryland tried really hard last week at Oregon, the Terrapins never really threatened the Ducks. Now Maryland has to put the trip out west behind them and return home to take on Rutgers. Quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. is a gunslinger, I just don’t think his style will work well against the solid defense of the Scarlet Knights. Rutgers wins their second in a row after their slide earlier in the season.
Rutgers 23, Maryland 20
No. 1 Oregon (-14.5) v. Wisconsin - 7:30 p.m. ET - NBC
A night game in Madison used to be terrifying. That isn’t the case anymore. Luke Fickell has had a rough go of it in his two seasons with the Badgers. I know he has had to deal with some significant injuries, but even if Wisconsin was healthy I don’t think they’d be sitting much higher in the conference standings.
Just how is Wisconsin going to slow down Dillon Gabriel, Jordan James, and the rest of the Oregon offense? Even if the Badgers are able to get some stops, will they be able to put points on the scoreboard? I highly doubt they’ll be able to do either. The Ducks are the top-ranked team in the country for a reason, and they have just a couple more hurdles to clear before a potential rematch with Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship Game.
Oregon has played in enough tough environments to not be rattled by what they’ll see in Madison. Gabriel continues to state his case to be a Heisman finalist, as the Ducks cruise to another easy victory.
Oregon 38, Wisconsin 17
No. 2 Ohio State (-28.5) v. Northwestern - 12:00 p.m. ET - Big Ten Network
I have been vocal about my displeasure with this game being played at Wrigley Field. Even though the venue is interesting, I hate some of the things that will likely been seen during this game.
There is almost no room at the back of one of the end zones, which could lead to some injuries if players run into the back wall. Also, last year the turf for Iowa-Northwestern is dreadful. With Ohio State having so much to play for after this game, I just hope they don’t lose an important player because of something that happens because of the inadequate features or turf.
If we’re being honest, Ohio State should roll in this game. Northwestern is a slightly better Purdue, and we all saw what the Buckeyes did to the Boilermakers last week. Will Howard is in complete control of this offense, completing nearly 75 percent of his passes this year. Jeremiah Smith is a dude, Emeka Egbuka is a savvy vet, and Carnell Tate is emerging. Add in the talented duo of TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins and there aren’t many defenses in the country who can slow the Buckeyes down.
Quarterback Jack Lausch could be in for a long day. Lausch was named the starter before the third game of the season, but will likely be missing Bryce Kirtz, who is the most reliable receiver for the Wildcats. Running back Cam Porter is solid, he just doesn’t have that game-breaking ability. Porter is more of a grinder, which doesn’t work well against an Ohio State defense that is tough to crack on the ground.
A perfect game for Ohio State would be to jump out to an early lead and harass Lausch and the Wildcats into making mistakes, allowing the Buckeyes to build a healthy lead so they can rest their starters for most of the second half and keep them out of harm’s way. The Wildcats just don’t have the chops on offense to keep up with the Ohio State machine.
Ohio State 42, Northwestern 10
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