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LGHL Ohio State men’s basketball vs. No. 11 Purdue: Game preview and prediction

Ohio State men’s basketball vs. No. 11 Purdue: Game preview and prediction
Jami Jurich via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

NCAA Basketball: Indiana at Ohio State

Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images

After three consecutive games decided by just one score, the Buckeyes hit the road for West Lafayette to face the No. 17 Boilermakers.

After losing their last three in close decisions, Ohio State (10-8, 2-5 B1G) heads to West Lafayette, Ind., tonight to face No. 11 Purdue (15-4, 7-1 B1G), at a point in the season where each game becomes critical for conference tournament success and NCAA tournament hopes.

The Boilermakers, for their part, have just one conference loss this season, an early December contest against Penn State in their first conference game of the season. That loss is also their lone blemish against an unranked team this year.

The teams last met in February of 2024, when Purdue—then the No. 2-team in the country—was upset by Ohio State, 73-69. It was Buckeye head coach Jake Diebler’s debut in the role, as he was serving as interim head coach at the time after Chris Holtman’s midseason firing.

NCAA Basketball: Indiana at Ohio State
Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images

Preview​


Bringing with them a record that doesn’t tell the full story, Ohio State sits just above .500 but teeters near the bottom of the conference, their lone conference victories coming against Rutgers and Minnesota (their most recent win).

Each of the Buckeyes’ last four contests were neck-and-neck (including that win against Minnesota — OSU came out ahead in double-overtime, 89-88). Then three consecutive losses followed.

Still, despite being on a three-game losing streak, the numbers don’t show how close those games were, decided by two points or fewer. Two of those games came against ranked opponents (then-No. 15 Oregon and No. 24 Wisconsin), one on the road in one of the toughest venues in college basketball (on the road in Madison). Their most recent loss was an overtime thriller against Indiana, which the Hoosiers took, 77-76.

Do the Buckeyes need a reset? Sure. But they also have more gas in the tank than the numbers show. It might not matter come March, but a win at Purdue would be a huge way to get Ohio State’s train back on its tracks.

Against the Hoosiers, the Buckeyes carried a 35-29 lead into halftime after shooting 46.2 percent in the first half, but five quick points from Luke Goode cut the lead to just one, four minutes into the second half. It remained neck-and-neck for a bit, with a few lead changes, until the Hoosiers gave themselves a 10-point buffer. Still, the Buckeyes had a little fight left in them, cutting that lead down to just three in the final 90 seconds of regulation, forcing overtime off a three from John Mobley Jr.

In overtime, back-and-forth baskets kept things close, but Goode landed a three with just over a minute left, and Indiana’s Anthony Leal blocked a Mobley jumper in the final seconds. Bruce Thornton was there with the rebound, setting up the chance for a buzzer-beating OSU victory, but his clean look at the three bounced in and out, ending the game with the Hoosiers ahead.

As the Buckeyes attempted to cover the 7-foot Oumar Ballo (who finished the game with 21 points and 15 rebounds for the double-double, along with four assists and two blocks), Goode was able to seize his moment, finishing with a career-high 23 points.

Mobley led for the Buckeyes with 22 points, while Micah Parrish added a season-high 19 points, along with four rebounds and three steals (tying his season-high). Thornton added 18 points of his own.

One of the biggest differentiators between Indiana and OSU in the matchup came down to offensive rebounds—while the Hoosiers turned 14 offensive rebounds into 17 second-chance points, the Buckeyes only grabbed nine rebounds, good for six points.

So far this year, Ohio State has four guys averaging in double-digit scoring: Thornton (17.4 ppg, the eighth-best in the Big Ten), Devin Royal (13.8 ppg), John Mobley Jr. (12.5 ppg), and Micah Parrish (10.5 ppg). Royal also leads in rebounds with 7.4 per game, and Thornton leads with 4.3 assists.

Royal was out against Indiana with a right wrist strain and his status remains questionable at Purdue.

On the other side, the Boilermakers have won their last seven, most recently earning a 7-point victory on the road at No. 13 Oregon, 65-58. Excepting their first conference game this season, against Penn State, their only losses have come against ranked teams, most recently against No. 2 Auburn. They haven’t dropped a contest since the holiday break.

They are led in scoring by forward Trey Kaufman-Renn, who is averaging 17.9 points per game, along with 6.5 rebounds. In Purdue’s last outing, a 65-58 road win over Oregon, Kaufman-Renn shot just 7-of-20 from the field but still managed to secure the double-double with 23 points and 11 rebounds. He also had 100 percent free throw shooting (6-of-6) and six offensive rebounds.

Behind Kaufman-Renn, guard Braden Smith is averaging 15.1 points per game and leads the team in assists (8.9 per game) and steals (2.4 per game). Against the Ducks, Smith contributed 15 points, seven assists, four rebounds and four steals.

Rounding out their double-digit scoring is guard Fletcher Loyer who is averaging 13.1 points per game.

NCAA Basketball: Purdue at Oregon
Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images

Prediction​


The Buckeyes got it done last year against a better Purdue team under far more unlikely circumstances, but while they’ve been knocking at the door of a big win for a few games now, last season also gave them the advantage of home court against the Boilermakers.

This time, they’ll have to head to West Lafayette to play in Mackey Arena, where the Buckeyes haven’t come out on top since the 2017-2018 season. Add to this the fact that last year’s upset is probably still fresh for Purdue players and fans alike, and this one is an uphill battle for the Buckeyes, who are facing a Purdue team that has been hot since the holiday break.

While Purdue hasn’t been shooting as efficiently on this recent road stretch as they usually do, the friendlier atmosphere of their home court should help them get back on their feet, so the Buckeyes will need to be able to cover them closely. Defensively, the Boilermakers are currently ranked 20th on KenPom, making them a formidable defensive foe for the Buckeyes.

Purdue is the better team on paper, but OSU has faced a few teams consecutively who are the better team on paper and still gave them a good fight. Victory is not impossible for OSU, but this hard-knock team will need to execute flawlessly, knock down shots, force turnovers, and capitalize on all second-chance opportunities if they have any hope of coming back to Columbus with this win under their belt.

Whether they manage to pull off the upset or not, the Buckeyes should be able to keep this one closer than people expect. They’re overdue for a tight matchup to end in their favor, and it could be exactly what they need to turn it around for the rest of the season.


ESPN BPI: Purdue 77.1%

Time: 7:30 p.m. ET

TV: Peacock

LGHL score prediction: Ohio State 73, Purdue 72​


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LGHL Ohio State has won the most impressive national title in college football history

Ohio State has won the most impressive national title in college football history
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

2025 CFP National Championship Presented by AT&T- Ohio State v Notre Dame

Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images

The Buckeyes navigated a never-before-seen postseason field and emerged victorious.

It wasn’t without its bumps and bruises along the way, but Ohio State’s 34-23 victory over Notre Dame in the College Football Playoff National Championship put an exclamation point on the most impressive title run in the sport’s history. On top of a navigating the first-ever 12-team postseason field, winning four games in a row against high-quality opponents, the Buckeyes accumulated no shortage of historical accolades along the way.

There has never before been a more deserving champion.

For starters, Ohio State played and defeated six of the top eight teams in the final CFP rankings, doing so by an average of almost 17 points. Four of those six wins came in the College Football Playoff, defeating Tennessee (No. 7), Oregon (No. 1), Texas (No. 3) and Notre Dame (No. 5) in succession. The other two came in the regular season, with victories over Penn State (No. 4) and Indiana (No. 8) to add to the ledger.

The only two teams in the top eight that escaped the Buckeyes’ wrath was Georgia (No. 2), whom they did not have to play, and themselves (No. 6).

Ohio State becomes the first team in college football history to knock off five AP Top-5 ranked teams in a single season. Only three teams ever before had defeated four AP Top-5 teams in a single campaign before, with 2019 LSU being the most recent to accomplish such a feat alongside 1967 USC and 1943 Notre Dame. The Buckeyes’ came into Monday night tied for that record, but now own it all to themselves as the only program to play and defeat five opponents of that magnitude over the course of a year.

Ryan Day and Ohio State obviously wouldn’t have been able to achieve this storybook ending if it weren’t for an elite group of players, and those guys made their own history along the way as well.

With their performances against the Fighting Irish, Ohio State became the first program ever to boast four 1,000-yard players in a single season.

Both TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins each managed to rush for over 1,000 yards, as Henderson finished with 1,016 yards and 11 total touchdowns and Judkins with 1,060 yards and 16 touchdowns, three of which came against Notre Dame. The Buckeyes also had a pair of 1,000-yard receivers in Jeremiah Smith and Emeka Egbuka. The five-star freshman ultimately finished with 1,315 yards and 15 TDs, while Egbuka racked up 1,011 yards and 10 scores.

That mark comes on top of the myriad of individual history made by this talented collection of guys.

Smith’s historical season has been well-documented, as the 19-year-old put together the greatest freshman season of any wide receiver in Ohio State history — and likely the country. Egbuka, meanwhile, surpassed K.J. Hill as Ohio State’s all-time program record-holder in career receptions with 205 after hauling in six catches for 64 yards against Notre Dame. In addition, Will Howard’s 73% completion percentage is also the best in Ohio State history, beating C.J. Stroud’s mark of 71.9% in 2021.

Ohio State did all of this without its two best offensive linemen, missing starting left tackle Josh Simmons for the final 10 games of the season and starting center Seth McLaughlin for the last five, with both guys out for the entirety of the College Football Playoff. All the other accolades and accomplishments aside, there is a real argument to be made that Donovan Jackson was Ohio State’s MVP this season for the tremendous job he did moving over from guard to tackle.

A lot of guys had to step up in order for the Buckeyes to make it here, and Jackson is chief among that list.

Speaking of stepping up, Jim Knowles deserves a ton of credit for what he was able to do with this Ohio State defense. Following a one-point loss to Oregon back in early October, the Buckeyes made significant changes to its defensive structure. The result was a stretch of seven-straight games without allowing a touchdown pass, and a group that finished the season ranked No. 1 in scoring defense, allowing just 12.9 points per game.

Against its four College Football Playoff opponents — four teams that each averaged more than 32 points per game heading into the CFP — Ohio State allowed an average of 18.8 points, holding both the Volunteers and the Longhorns under 20 points.

In the end, Ohio State can now lay claim as the winners to both the first-ever four-team College Football Playoff and now the first-ever 12-team College Football Playoff. No program in the sport’s history has had to face a gauntlet of four games quite like the Buckeye just did in order to secure a national title, and Ohio State managed to navigate that path while winning each of its four postseason games by double-digits, including a 25-point win over eighth-seeded Tennessee and a 20-point win over No. 1 Oregon.

Ohio State tackled the most difficult test of any national title winner before them, and it passed with flying colors. Ryan Day and the Buckeyes, who experienced perhaps the absolute darkest of days at the end of the regular season, bounced back to achieve the highest of highs. A campaign that looked dead in the water on Nov. 30 turned into one of redemption and glory.

You couldn’t write a better story, and nobody else ever has.

The 2024 Ohio State Buckeyes: the most impressive, deserving and undisputed national champions in college football history.

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LGHL Four-star defensive end prospect has Ohio State in top schools

Four-star defensive end prospect has Ohio State in top schools
Dan Hessler via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

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2026 four-star defensive edge Cam Brooks | via 247Sports

Ohio State made the cut for one of the nation’s top prospects in the 2026 class Monday afternoon.

Ohio State’s 2024-25 season has come and gone. While there were many ups and downs during a campaign that held immense levels of expectations, there is no doubt that Ryan Day and the Buckeyes ended things much better than what many thought possible in late November, and are now national champions.

With the season wrapped up, Day and the ret of Ohio State coaching staff and players will get some much deserved rest. There will be many headlines in the coming days revolving around this historic season, roster attrition and the state of the program heading into next season

Ohio State will still have a massive amount of pressure and expectations to meet next season, and the coaching staff will quickly get to work on ensuring the roster is as sure-fire as possible. This includes making more moves in the transfer portal, as well as adding to the team with the traditional recruiting tactics.

While many of the headlines will center around last night’s game, Ohio State did find a way to also make the recruiting headlines. They did so Monday afternoon, when the Buckeyes made the cut for one of the top recruits in the 2026 recruiting class.

Four-star defensive edge Cam Brooks (Thomasville, GA / Thomas County Central) released his top nine schools, and Ohio State was one of the remaining programs he is still interested in.


NEWS: Four-Star EDGE Cam Brooks is down to 9️⃣ Schools, he tells me for @on3recruits

The 6’3 235 EDGE from Thomasville, GA is ranked as a Top 95 Recruit in the ‘26 Class (per On3 Industry)

Where Should He Go?⬇️https://t.co/iao3MeJr42 pic.twitter.com/9gY5iGHdPU

— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) January 20, 2025​
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Alongside Ohio State, Brooks also included Cal, Tennessee, Georgia, Florida State, Michigan, Miami, Clemson and Auburn in his top schools list, giving the Buckeyes some tough competition.

Brooks has been able to visit with all of the above teams, including Ohio State, outside of Cal, Clemson and Michigan but he will likely schedule visits with the three remaining teams shortly. He was unable to visit many of his top schools this past season for an in-game atmosphere, and because of that he may try and wait until after next season to make a decision.

His visit with Ohio State occurred in June when he attended a recruiting camp held on Ohio State’s campus. Brooks impressed during the camp and was able to leave with an official scholarship offer from the Buckeyes. Expect the Buckeyes to try and get him back on campus this offseason for another recruiting camp and if the two parties remain interested in each other, an in-game visit for Brooks to Columbus would go a long way.

Brooks is the No. 9 defensive edge in the 247Sports Composite Rankings and he is the No. 82 overall prospect. He is also the No. 10 recruit from the talent-rich state of Georgia.

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Google Late Ohio State field goal is a win for Buckeyes bettors in CFP title game victory over Notre Dame - The Associated Press

Late Ohio State field goal is a win for Buckeyes bettors in CFP title game victory over Notre Dame - The Associated Press
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".

Late Ohio State field goal is a win for Buckeyes bettors in CFP title game victory over Notre Dame The Associated Press

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LGHL Ohio State, national college football fans expect Buckeyes to cover vs. Fighting Irish

Ohio State, national college football fans expect Buckeyes to cover vs. Fighting Irish
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

COLLEGE FOOTBALL: SEP 23 Ohio State at Notre Dame

Photo by Robin Alam/Icon Sportswire via 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.


It’s game day, my friends. That means all of the months of anticipation and excitement, the ups and downs, the pain and frustration are on the verge of culminating in a national championship for our Ohio State Buckeyes. Ryan Day’s squad is set to take on Marcus Freeman’s Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the first-ever 12-team College Football Playoff National Championship Game in the neighborhood of 7:30 p.m. ET. The game will be broadcast across nearly all of ESPN’s various outlets, but — depending on the delay — I would recommend the ESPN App on your smart TV because there you can stream the game and listen to the Ohio State radio broadcast with Paul Keels and Jim Lachey.


In anticipation of the game, last week, we asked our Buckeye Nation for their takes on the game, not only what they think the final score margin will be, but also why they were most excited for a potential Ohio State national title. Unfortunately, the SB Nation powers that be did not provide us with the results to the first question and no one was reachable over the holiday weekend, so we are riding with just the results from the score question. We did include an extra graphic to put it into point spread terms.

However, to make up for it, we are throwing in a bonus question that was asked of the entire SBN college football blogosphere. It is fairly similar to our scoring margin question through the lens of the point spread, so if you believe in the wisdom of the people, you might want to check that out.

Question 1: What are you looking forward to the most in the title game?​


This is the question that we did not get the results to from our Vox Media overlords. However, I still wanted to share the options and my personal feelings on the question.

Your options were:

- Ability to celebrate a historic group of Buckeyes
- Facing Ohio State alum Marcus Freeman for title
- Iconic matchup between two bluebloods
- Redemption for Ryan Day after calls for his job
- Redemption for the team after Michigan loss
- Shutting up Lou Holtz, Malik Zaire again
- Watching this team play together one last time

For me, Lou Holtz and Malik Zaire are annoying little gnats in the grand scheme of things, and I will be happy to see them swatted tonight, but they don’t matter.

I really respect and root for Marcus Freeman in every game that he doesn’t face his alma mater, so in this case, it doesn’t add much juice for me. The same is true with the fact that this is a matchup of two of the most tradition-rich programs in college football. Perhaps that would be different if the two teams hadn’t completed a home-and-home last season and the novelty was still there.

After that, we are starting to get into options that tug on my heartstrings. I have said for years that I truly like and respect Ryan Day as a human being and think that he has loads of skill as a football coach. However, there have been times — ok, one time — when I lost faith in his ability to lead this program to the heights it now approaches. Should Day break through that barrier, I will be genuinely ecstatic for him. There will be tears shed, and I will gladly line up to apologize for doubting him.

Finally, there are three options that essentially hit on very similar emotions. “Ability to celebrate a historic group of Buckeyes,” “Watching this team play together one last time,” and “Redemption for the team after Michigan loss.”

This team, this collection of Buckeyes is incredibly special. From those who picked Ohio State in the early days of Ryan Day’s tenure, to seniors coming back for one final run at glory, to fighting through four straight losses to Michigan, to being on the precipice of immortality, this is a group of Buckeyes that I will never forget.

I am so grateful that I have the opportunity to watch them compete together one last time and hopefully leave Mercedes-Benz Stadium with a national title in hand.

Question 2: What will the margin of victory be in Monday’s game against Notre Dame?​



When the FanDuel Sportsbook opened up the odds for this game, it installed the Buckeyes as 9.5-point favorites. That number, unsurprisingly, has come down and now sits at 8.5. The gold standard college football analytics system SP+ has predicted OSU to win by a score of 27.6 to 21.7; or since actual games aren’t scored in decimals, about 28 to 22.

Ohio State has won each of its three previous CFP games by at least two touchdowns with an average score of 37 to 17.3. Notre Dame has outscored its playoff opponents by an average score of 25.6 to 17.

As I wrote in our LGHL experts’ predictions article, I am going with the Buckeyes to win 31-13 in what becomes essentially a coronation in the second half. From a betting perspective, that would be a cover for Ohio State, but it would just barely be an under of the 45.5-point line. Personally, I would stay away from the total points number, because that seems right about on target.

Here’s how the voting broke down against the spread.


Bonus National Pick: What do national fans think will be the result of the championship game?​


Kudos to the fine, informed, insightful, and astute readers from across the SB Nation family of college sites. As a whole, nearly two-thirds expect Ohio State to win the national title tonight, with more people picking the Buckeyes to cover the 8.5-point spread than for Notre Dame to win.

I do wonder how many of those people picking the Irish to pull the upset are Notre Dame fans, how many actually think ND is going to win, and how many just hate Ohio State and will root against them regardless of opponent.



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LGHL Ohio State v. Notre Dame: National title game preview and prediction

Ohio State v. Notre Dame: National title game preview and prediction
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Capital One Orange Bowl - Penn State v Notre Dame

Photo by CFP/Getty Images

It all comes down to this. Ohio State and Notre Dame meet on Monday night in Atlanta with a college football national championship on the line.

The final game of the college football season is upon us. Ohio State and Notre Dame will square off at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Monday night, with the winner being crowned the first champion of the CFP’s 12-team playoff.

How Ohio State has navigated the playoff so far​


To reach the title game, Ohio State beat Texas 28-14 in last Friday’s Cotton Bowl, their third win in the playoff by double digits. The Buckeyes jumped out to a 7-0 lead in the first quarter against the Longhorns, and have still not trailed in the playoff this season.

Through three playoff games, Ohio State has outscored opponents 42-0 in the first quarter, out-gaining their three foes 560 yards to 124 yards in the first 15 minutes of games. The Buckeyes have outscored their opponents 69-25 in the first half of CFP games.

Ohio State took a 14-7 lead into halftime against Texas following TreVeyon Henderson’s 75-yards receiving touchdown just before the break. The Longhorns would go on to tie the score in the third quarter following Jaydon Blue’s second touchdown of the game. The Buckeyes would take the lead for good after Quinshon Judkins scored his second touchdown of the game in the fourth quarter.

Texas threatened to tie the game with under four minutes to go in the fourth quarter, pushing the football down to Ohio State’s one-yard-line following a pass interference penalty against the Buckeyes in the end zone. Ohio State would deny the Longhorns on the first three downs before Jack Sawyer pressured quarterback Quinn Ewers on fourth down, stripping the former Buckeye of the football and returning in 83 yards for a touchdown, doubling Ohio State’s lead.

Caleb Downs intercepted Ewers on the ensuing drive to put the final in the coffin of the Longhorns.

History with Notre Dame​


For the third-straight season Ohio State and Notre Dame will meet. The Buckeyes have won each of those regular season games, beating the Fighting Irish 21-10 to open the 2022 season in Columbus, followed by a 17-14 win in South Bend last season.

With those victories, the Buckeyes have now won six straight games against Notre Dame. The last win for the Fighting Irish in the series came all the way back in 1936. This marks the third neutral site game between the schools. The first was at the 2006 Fiesta Bowl. followed by another Fiesta Bowl matchup in 2016.

There will be a number of members of both coaching staffs who have spent time at both schools. Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman was a linebacker at Ohio State during his playing career. Buckeye strength coach Mickey Marotti held the same position at Notre Dame from 1998 to 2005.

Tight ends coach Keenan Bailey was a Notre Dame graduate back in 2016. Ohio State linebackers coach James Laurinaitis was a graduate assistant at Notre Dame in 2022 before returning to Columbus. Notre Dame defensive line coach Al Washington was a linebackers coach at Ohio State from 2019 to 2021.

To say both these coaching staffs know each other is an understatement.

The grand finale for the Ohio State offense​


The biggest surprise from the Cotton Bowl was wide receiver Jeremiah Smith catching just one pass for three yards. Unlike Tennessee and Oregon, Texas wasn’t going to allow Smith to beat them deep, throwing Jahdae Barron and a number of other defenders at Smith.

With the freshman wide receiver blanketed, Carnell Tate was frequently targeted by Will Howard, catching a team-high seven passes for 87 yards. Along with Tate, Emeka Egbuka and tight end Gee Scott Jr. each caught five passes in the victory.

Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic - Ohio State v Texas
Photo by Steve Limentani/ISI Photos/Getty Images

Monday night will be Emeka Egbuka’s final game as a Buckeye. The wide receiver is close to breaking a couple of the school’s career receiving records. Egbuka has 199 career receptions after hauling in five passes against Texas, putting him three catches away from breaking K.J. Hill’s record of 201 receptions as a Buckeye.

The senior also has 2,804 career receiving yards, good for third in school history. With 52 more yards, Egbuka will move past David Boston, and 95 more yards will see Egbuka break Michael Jenkins’ school record for receiving yards in a career. In two games against Notre Dame, Egbuka has caught 16 passes for 186 yards.

Quarterback Will Howard is now just one win away from leading Ohio State to a national title in what will be his only season in Columbus. By throwing for 289 yards and a touchdown against Texas, Howard was named the Cotton Bowl Offensive MVP. Over three CFP games, Howard has completed 73.8 percent of his passes, throwing for 919 yards and six touchdowns. For the season, Howard has 40 total touchdowns, with 33 of those scores coming through the air.

Even though running backs TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins haven’t been used a lot during the playoffs, they have been very effective when their numbers have been called. Each running back has rushed for four touchdowns over the three games. Henderson also added the 75-yard receiving touchdown right before halftime of the Cotton Bowl.

The numbers this year for Henderson and Judkins are eerily similar. Henderson has rushed for 992 yards and 10 touchdowns, while Judkins has rushed for 982 yards and 12 scores. Entering his final game as a Buckeye, Henderson has 3,712 rushing yards, good for fifth in school history. If Henderson rushes for 57 yards on Monday night he’ll move past Eddie George for fourth all-time at Ohio State.

The Buckeye defense is playing with purpose​


If Notre Dame has designs of winning a national title, they’ll have to crack Ohio State’s top-ranked defense. The Buckeyes lead the country in scoring defense, total defense, and pass defense, while ranking third in rush defense and sacks. In the College Football Playoff, the Ohio State rush defense has been even stronger, allowing just 62.3 yards per game on the ground. Last Friday in Dallas, Texas only gained two yards per carry, finishing with 58 yards rushing.

Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic - Ohio State v Texas
Photo by CFP/Getty Images

While Jack Sawyer deservedly was named Cotton Bowl Defensive MVP after his scoop and score late in the fourth quarter, J.T. Tuimoloau has been an even bigger menace this season. After being credited with 2.5 TFLs and 1.5 sacks in the Cotton Bowl, Tuimoloau has 19.5 TFLs and 11.5 sacks this season, 2.5 more sacks than Sawyer has. As a team, the Buckeyes have 16 sacks over their three playoff games, with Tuimoloau and Sawyer combining to record 10 sacks.

The pressure by the Ohio State defense isn’t just coming from the defensive line. Linebackers Cody Simon and Sonny Styles have combined to record 12 of the 51 sacks by the Buckeye defense this year. Styles led Ohio State with nine tackles in the win over Texas, while Simon added seven stops. With his output against the Longhorns, Simon hit triple digits in tackles, sitting at 104 tackles entering Monday’s title game. Styles is on Simon’s heels, as he is six away from also reaching 100 tackles this season.

The most formidable safety duo in the country this season has to be Caleb Downs and Lathan Ransom. Downs had the game-sealing interception of Quinn Ewers to go along with five tackles. Ransom added four tackles, with one of those being behind the line of scrimmage. Together, Downs and Ransom have combined for 149 tackles and 16.5 TFLs this season. Downs has intercepted two passes this year, while Ransom has picked off a pass, recovered a fumble, and forced three fumbles.

Coming out of the Cotton Bowl there was a concern because cornerback Denzel Burke didn’t play in the second half because of injury, leaving Jermaine Mathews Jr. to fill in. According to head coach Ryan Day, Burke is good to go on Monday night, joining Davison Igbinosun and Jordan Hancock in the secondary.

Both Burke and Igbinosun have intercepted two passes this year. Igbinosun has nine pass breakups this year, with Hancock adding seven PBUs.

How Notre Dame secured a spot in Atlanta ​


Notre Dame clinched their spot in the title game with a thrilling 27-24 win over Penn State in the Orange Bowl, their fourth win over a Big Ten team this season. After Jaden Greathouse’s 54-yard touchdown catch to tie the score at 24 with 4:38 left in the fourth quarter, Mitch Jeter hit a 41-yard field goal with seven seconds left following a Drew Allar interception. Prior to the victory over Penn State, the Fighting Irish beat Indiana in the first round of the College Football Playoff, followed by a 23-10 win over Georgia in the Sugar Bowl.

The only setback for Notre Dame this year came in one of the biggest upsets of the season when Northern Illinois left South Bend with a 16-14 victory back in September. Since then the Fighting Irish have left no doubt in games, winning 11 of their next 13 games by double figures. The only games they failed to win by at least 10 points were a 31-24 victory against Louisville and the tight win in the Orange Bowl over Penn State.

With a 14-1 record, Marcus Freeman is now 33-9 in his third full season as head coach of the Fighting Irish.

All the Notre Dame offense needs is some Leonard and Love​


Leading the charge for the Notre Dame offense is their rushing attack. Not only will Ohio State have to account for running back Jeremiyah Love, they’ll also have to keep tabs on quarterback Riley Leonard. Both rushed for a touchdown against Penn State, marking the 11th straight game the duo have each rushed for a touchdown, breaking the FBS record set by Nevada’s Colin Kaepernick and Vai Taua for most consecutive games a quarterback and running back on the same team have each rushed for a touchdown.

Love entered the Orange Bowl banged up after suffering a knock against Georgia in the Sugar Bowl. Love finished with 46 yards rushing on 11 carries, pushing rushing total this season to 1,122 yards and 17 touchdowns. Love has now scored a rushing touchdown in 13 straight games, setting a school record for consecutive games with a rushing touchdown.

One of those scores was an incredible 98-yard touchdown early in the first round game against Indiana to set the tone for the Fighting Irish. Along with Love, Jadarian Price has rushed for 733 yards and seven touchdowns this season.

Capital One Orange Bowl - Penn State v Notre Dame
Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images

Taking the snaps for Notre Dame is Duke transfer quarterback Riley Leonard. Along with throwing for 19 touchdowns this season, Leonard added 16 rushing touchdowns, setting a Notre Dame record for rushing touchdowns by a quarterback in a season. For his career, Leonard has 35 rushing touchdowns, ranking second among active quarterbacks in the FBS.

In the Orange Bowl, Leonard was forced to the sidelines before halftime as officials were worried about a possible concussion. Steve Angeli stepped in to complete six of his seven pass attempts, totaling 44 yards. Leonard returned to the field after halftime, and will start in Monday night’s game. While Leonard’s legs are part of what makes him successful because of his ability to keep defenses guessing, it also does open him up to more hits, like he took before halftime against Penn State.

Even though Notre Dame doesn’t have the stable of receivers Ohio State does, the Buckeye defense can’t overlook the Fighting Irish wideouts. Jaden Greathouse was the star of the Orange Bowl, finishing with a team-high 105 yards on seven receptions. For the season, Greathouse has 36 catches for 464 yards. The yardage amassed by Greathouse is the most on the team among receivers, while Mitchell Evans’ 39 catches are a team-high.

Clemson transfer Beaux Collins has caught 37 passes for 458 yards, scoring three touchdowns. Jordan Faison and Kris Mitchell have both caught at least 20 passes this season.

Much like Ohio State, Notre Dame is dealing with injuries on the offensive line. Left tackle Anthonie Knapp has been ruled out of Monday’s game after suffering a knee injury in the Orange Bowl. Filling in for Knapp will be either Tosh Baker or Charles Jagusah.

The good news for the Fighting Irish is right guard Rocco Spindler will be available to play after he was injured against the Nittany Lions. With the injury to Knapp, the only starter on the offensive line who started in the same position in the season opener against Texas A&M will be right tackle Aamil Wagner.

The defense of the Fighting Irish is powered by Watts​


The Fighting Irish also suffered a massive loss on the defensive line when Rylie Mills injured his knee in the first round game against Indiana, sidelining him for the rest of the season. Prior to his injury, Mills had 7.5 sacks this season, which is still the high mark on the team.

Filling in for Mills has been Gabriel Rubio, who saw the first two starts of his career in the Sugar Bowl and Orange Bowl. Lining up with Rubio on the defensive line are Howard Cross III, R.J. Oben, and Joshua Burnham.

The strength of the Notre Dame defense lies with their linebackers and secondary. Leading the team in tackles is linebacker Jack Kiser, who had 10 stops in the Orange Bowl, raising his season total to 85 tackles. Lining up with Kiser at linebacker is Drayk Bowen, who has 70 tackles this season.

Both Kiser and Bowen have four tackles for loss and two forced fumbles this year. Kiser has also recovered two fumbles. Joining the mix at linebacker is Jaylen Sneed, who has started the last two games at Notre Dame’s hybrid CB/S/LB spot.

Capital One Orange Bowl - Penn State v Notre Dame
Photo by CFP/Getty Images

The star of the Notre Dame defense is Xavier Watts. The safety has six interceptions this year, giving him 13 picks over the last two years, which is four more interceptions than any FBS player has during that span. Watts also has recorded 74 tackles this season. While Watts will have his hands full with Ohio State’s wide receivers, he will have some help.

Cornerback Christian Gray picked off Drew Allar late in the Orange Bowl to put Notre Dame in position to kick the game-winning field goal. Filling out the other spots in the secondary of the Fighting Irish are Adon Shuler and Leonard Moore.

Prediction​


Notre Dame has put together a strong run to reach the College Football Playoff Championship Game. Unfortunately for the Fighting Irish it isn’t as impressive as what Ohio State has done to secure a spot in Atlanta.

Indiana was obviously out of their element, Georgia had a backup quarterback making his first career start, and Penn State had no receiving weapons outside tight end Tyler Warren. The Nittany Lions couldn’t even complete a pass to a wide receiver in the game. That wasn’t because Notre Dame’s secondary is so good, it’s more because the Penn State wide receivers are terrible.

Not to say the Fighting Irish defense isn’t good, because they are one of the best units in the country. The problem for defensive coordinator Al Golden is he hasn’t yet faced an offense as dynamic as what Ohio State brings to the table. The veteran leadership at quarterback of Will Howard, the dynamic duo at running back with TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins, followed by the stable of talented wide receivers. Notre Dame just doesn’t have the horses to keep pace with the Buckeyes.

If Ohio State is able to jump out on Notre Dame early on, the Fighting Irish are going to be in big trouble since they don’t have a strong passing game. What has made Notre Dame so successful this season is they can jump out on their opponents, use their running game to bleed the clock, and force their opponents to pass, allowing Watts and company to force turnovers. The Buckeyes aren’t going to allow Jeremiyah Love and Riley Leonard to find much success on the ground, considering how stout they have been against the run in the playoffs.

As long as Ryan Day doesn’t try and outthink himself like he did in the Michigan game, the Buckeyes should be in good shape. Ohio State can match Notre Dame on defense, and there is no question the offense of the Buckeyes has more firepower than that of the Fighting Irish. Notre Dame has played Ohio State tight each of the last two years.

While this game won’t be a blowout, it also doesn’t feel like it is going to be decided on the last possession like last year’s contest in South Bend.

LGHL score prediction: Ohio State 28, Notre Dame 17​


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LGHL Ohio State’s Jaloni Cambridge wins second straight Big Ten Freshman of the Week honor

Ohio State’s Jaloni Cambridge wins second straight Big Ten Freshman of the Week honor
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

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The Ohio State University Athletic Department

The Ohio State freshman shares the win with an upcoming opponent from Nebraska.

The weekend ended poorly for No. 12 Ohio State women’s basketball, dropping a tough game against unranked Penn State to lose their first game of the season. On Monday, the program earned some good news with freshman Jaloni Cambridge earning her second consecutive Big Ten Freshman of the Week honor. This week, sharing it with Nebraska guard Britt Prince.

Part of the reason Sunday ended poorly for the Buckeyes was Cambridge’s absence. The freshman missed the game due to illness. Even so, the one game where Cambridge did play this week was more than enough to earn the point guard her honor.

In Thursday’s game against the Wisconsin Badgers, Cambridge exploded out of the gates and scored 19 points in the first half. Cambridge started the game going 2-of-3 from the floor in the first quarter and attacking the basket aggressively. In the second quarter, Cambridge hit another level, scoring 13 points on 6-of-7 shooting, this time from deep, midrange, and near the rim.

Wisconsin struggled to effectively stop the No. 1 overall point guard recruit of the 2024 class and when Cambridge saw indecision, she pounced. Cambridge ended the 80-69 Ohio State victory with 27 points, a career-high eight rebounds, and a team-high four assists.

Cambridge’s individual honor is the second in a row for the freshman, which ties her with Rutgers Scarlet Knights’ guard Kiyomi McMiller and Michigan Wolverines’ guard Syla Swords as the only players in the conference to earn the award twice in the 2024-25 season.

Sharing the award with Cambridge is Prince, the Nebraska guard who scored 22 points to help the Cornhuskers defeat the Iowa Hawkeyes in Iowa City for the first time since 2018. Prince hit a pair of free throws with 2.8 seconds remaining in regulation to send the game into overtime where the Cornhuskers won 87-84. Prince also had a career-high in made three-point shots (5) and steals (6).

The Buckeyes head to Nebraska Sunday to face Prince, forward Alexis Markowski, and the Cornhuskers on their home court. It’s been four years since the Buckeyes lost to the Cornhuskers, but that came in Lincoln, Nebraska before most of both rosters were in college.

Winning Big Ten Player of the Week this week was No. 8 Maryland Terrapins’ Shyanne Sellers. The Ohio native led the Terps over the No. 24 Minnesota Golden Gophers and will be at the Schottenstein Center Thursday when the two ranked sides face each other for the first of two regular-season games this season.

Last week, Cambridge won the honor for scoring 22 of her 29 points against the Michigan Wolverines to erase a 16-point second-quarter deficit to defeat the then-ranked Wolverines side.

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LGHL Uncut: Day, Freeman on similarities between Ohio State, Notre Dame on eve of title game

Uncut: Day, Freeman on similarities between Ohio State, Notre Dame on eve of title game
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

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The title game coaches gave a joint press conference on Sunday morning before buttoning everything up for the game.

Throughout the year, the Land-Grant Podcast Network will be bringing you uncut audio primarily from Ohio State press conferences, but also from individual interview sessions.

Listen to the episode and subscribe:


Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | iHeart Radio


On today’s episode of “Land-Grant Uncut,” we are bringing you unedited audio from the Sunday, Jan. 19 press conference featuring the two head coaches who will meet in the first-ever 12-team College Football Playoff National Championship Game. Ohio State’s Ryan Day and Notre Dame’s Marcus Freeman met with the media in a joint press conference the morning before their teams met to decide who would take home the title.

In their final media availabilities before the game, the coaches discussed how their teams are built similarly from recruiting to transfer portal to philosophies, and more. Day went into how much the Buckeyes respected Freeman for his time at Ohio State and what he has done in South Bend, and much more.

You can watch the full press conference on the College Football Playoff’s official YouTube page:
https://www.youtube.com/live/IQkhya-j9C4


Contact Matt Tamanini
Online Profile: https://authory.com/MattTamanini

Music by: www.bensound.com​


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LGHL Streaming expert on how to watch Ohio State vs. Notre Dame national title game for free

Streaming expert on how to watch Ohio State vs. Notre Dame national title game for free
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

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Made with Google AI

There are numerous free trials to choose from of various on multiple streaming services, we break them down.

The Ohio State Buckeyes are on the doorstep of completing a remarkable turnaround following a stunning defeat in the regular season finale. Just 60 minutes of football stands between Ryan Day’s team and the College Football Playoff National Championship. Tonight at 7:30 p.m. ET (or likely closer to 7:45 p.m.), the Buckeyes will face off against a familiar foe in the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

The game will be broadcast across the vast majority of the ESPN family of networks, as well as on radio and the worldwide leader’s streaming app. However, as cord-cutting has become far more the norm than the exception across the United States, it would not be a surprise if you gave up cable or a live-streaming service following last year’s season only to realize that it’s the day of the game and you have no way to watch it.

And I know it can be incredibly confusing to find the best way to watch a game in today’s entertainment landscape. Fortunately for you, I am something of a streaming expert—no, really. I write about streaming services for a living. So, I am going to walk you through the best—and cheapest—ways for you to stream today’s game.

If you are looking for the cheapest way to stream tonight’s game, a healthy portion of college hoops, NHL, NBA, and MLB action, and more I would recommend Sling TV. But if you are just hoping to stream tonight’s game, I’d go with Hulu + Live TV.

How can I watch the Ohio State vs. Notre Dame College Football Playoff National Championship Game?​


Game Date/Time: Monday, Jan. 20 at 7:30 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPNEWS, ESPN Deportes
Broadcasters: Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit, Holly Rowe, Molly McGrath
Betting Line: Ohio State -8.5 | 45.5 o/u

Best Streaming Option for Ohio State vs. Notre Dame:
Hulu + Live TV | 3-Day Free Trial​


If you’re looking for a streaming service just for this specific game, then Hulu + Live TV might be the perfect option. Everyone who signs up gets a three-day free trial, so you can watch the game tonight and all of the postgame coverage in the coming days without having to pay a single penny.

If you are looking for something for year-round sports, then Hulu is also great because it comes with ESPN+ (more on that below), so in addition to all of the channels available on the live streaming service, you also get all of the streaming-exclusive games via the worldwide leader’s platform.

Hulu + Live TV has one of the few guaranteed multi-day free trials in the industry and provides nearly all of the major cable channels on the market. The basic package comes with all of the major broadcast network channels — all of which have college football — ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC. It also has ESPN, ESPN2, Big Ten Network, FS1, FS2, ESPNU, CBS Sports Network, SEC Network, ACC Network, and the NFL Network (yes, they have college games) without having to sign up for any sports add-on plans. However, if you do want more sports, you can add NFL RedZone, MLB StrikeZone, FanDuel TV, the Tennis Channel, and more.

What’s great about Hulu + Live TV is that in addition to all of the broadcast and cable channels that you could possibly want, it also comes with the Disney Bundle for free. So, you also get the full on-demand Hulu library, Disney+, and ESPN+, which also has hundreds of college football games every season.

Currently, a subscription to Hulu + Live TV costs $82.99 per month after your three-day free trial. It is a little more expensive than some of the other options, but if you are just looking to watch this game, Hulu + Live TV is your best option.

Best Streaming Option for a Variety of Sports: Sling TV | $23 for one month​


There is a reason that ESPN is known as the “worldwide leader in sports,” and that’s because they carry more live games than anyone else. So, if you don’t want to miss any of that, then Sling is the way to go for you. It is the cheapest way to get national broadcast channels and the biggest cable networks as well, which includes ESPN.

Normally, Sling costs $46 per month, but you can currently get 50% off your first month of service, meaning that you can watch the stretch run of the NFL season as well as hockey and basketball coverage for as little as $23.

Sling has two different base packages, Orange and Blue. You can subscribe to one or both. If you do opt to combine Orange and Blue it will run you $61 monthly — still substantially cheaper than the comparable live TV streaming services — but with the first-month deal, you can stream everything on both packages for just $30.50.

That means that there is no cheaper option in streaming to watch all of the ESPN action regardless of the season. The one drawback to Sling is that it does not carry all broadcast networks in every market, and it does not offer CBS at all. So, just be wary of what options you have where you live when you sign up.

Other Streaming Options for the Ohio State and Notre Dame Game: ​


DIRECTV STREAM: $87.99 per month five-day free trial
Sling TV: $46 per month, $23 for first month
Fubo: $79.99 per month, at least a one-day free trial | $30 off first month
YouTube TV: $82.99 per month

Join the conversation​


Below is your Ohio State vs. Notre Dame 2025 national title 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!

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LGHL All of the news, previews, predictions you need to be prepared for the national title game

All of the news, previews, predictions you need to be prepared for the national title game
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

NCAA Football: CFP National Championship-City Scenes

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

All the Buckeye news thats fit to re-print.

Look, we get it. Your days are busy and you don’t have time to read all of the stories and tweets from the three dozen websites dedicated to covering Ohio State athletics, or the 237 Buckeye beat writers churning out hot takes and #content on a daily basis. But that’s ok, that’s what your friends at Land-Grant Holy Land are here for.

Monday through Friday, we’ll be collecting all of the articles, tweets, features, interviews, videos, podcasts, memes, photos, and whatever else we stumble across on the interwebz and putting them in our daily “Why is this News?” article. That way, you’ll have a one-stop shop for all of the most important Buckeye news, jokes, and analysis.

You’re welcome!

For your Earholes...​


Subscribe to the Land-Grant Podcast Network for all of your Ohio State needs
Matt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land


Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | iHeart Radio

Our National Title Game Coverage​


Ohio State v. Notre Dame: National title game preview and prediction
Brett Ludwiczak, Land-Grant Holy Land

Ohio State and Notre Dame injury reports heading into national championship game
Matt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land

Ohio State is an 8.5-point favorite heading into the national title game
Gene Ross, Land-Grant Holy Land

Three keys to Ohio State beating Notre Dame for the national title
Matt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land


Ohio State vs. Notre Dame: Key matchups to watch
Gene Ross, Land-Grant Holy Land

Three prop bets worth taking a look at in the national title game
Matt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land

In Conversation: Vegas insider Adam Burke is taking the under in Monday’s title game
Matt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land

Game Previews ​


National Championship Game Preview: Notre Dame Defense, Run Game Stand in Way of College Football’s Ultimate Prize for Buckeyes
Andy Anders, Eleven Warriors

What Ohio State has to do to beat Notre Dame, be crowned national champions
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts

Comparing Ohio State vs. Notre Dame at Every Position
Dan Hope, Eleven Warriors

Ohio State must improve upon Cotton Bowl performance, here’s how
Noah Weiskopf, The Lantern

“It’s going to be a great challenge:” What Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman said during final national title preview press conference
Mick Walker, Lettermen Row

Game Predictions​


Ohio State vs Notre Dame CFP championship predictions
Brian White, The Columbus Dispatch

Will Ohio State leave Atlanta with a national championship?
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts

Bold Predictions for Buckeyes, Notre Dame in national title game
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row

College football SP+ rankings entering CFP championship game
Bill Connelly, ESPN

College football experts, talking heads, reporters predictions for Ohio State vs. Notre Dame
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row

The Game’s Xs and Os​


Has there ever been 2 RB & 2 WR each with over 1000 yards and 10 touchdowns pic.twitter.com/zP1IWEFBEd

— kevin (@kev2240212) January 18, 2025​
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‘It’s our DNA’: Notre Dame embraces playing man pass coverage vs. Buckeyes
Bill Rabinowitz, The Columbus Dispatch

Caleb Downs thriving as key piece in middle of Ohio State’s defense
Bill Landis, Dotting The Eyes

Study haul: Ohio State smart safety Caleb Downs helped save season
Rob Oller, The Columbus Dispatch

National Championship Game Data: Ohio State, Notre Dame playing for national title
Steve Helwagen, Bucknuts

The Game’s Off-Field Stories​


Foes on Monday, but Laurinaitis-Freeman friendship endures
Bill Rabinowitz, The Columbus Dispatch

Ohio State players have rallied around Ryan Day on cusp of a national championship
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts

Ryan Day, Marcus Freeman focus on the now as Ohio State, Notre Dame head into title game
Tim May, Lettermen Row

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