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LGHL Grumpy Old Buckeye: Nitpicking Ohio State’s 28-14 win over Texas
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Grumpy Old Buckeye: Nitpicking Ohio State’s 28-14 win over Texas
Michael Citro via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Tim Heitman-Imagn Images
Some of the moments that gave me Cotton Bowl mouth while the Buckeyes battled the Longhorns.
Ohio State went deep when it came to ripping out the hearts of Texas Friday night with a hard-fought 28-14 win over the Longhorns in the Cotton Bowl. While the Buckeyes hurt themselves at times, it would be wrong not to give Texas credit for a good game plan, especially against Jeremiah Smith, but ultimately Ohio State did enough to get past the Longhorns and into the national championship game against Notre Dame.
Here are the things that gave me a Texas-sized ulcer during the Cotton Bowl.
After a good defensive stand to start the game, Ohio State took over on offense and drove down the field. Will Howard delivered a strike to a wide-open Carnell Tate at the goal line for an easy touchdown. The problem was that Tate dropped the ball.
These things happen sometimes, and Quinshon Judkins picked up his teammate with a touchdown run on the next play anyway, but that could have been a costly early mistake.
It was uncharacteristic of TreVeyon Henderson to take the bait of whatever verbal extracurriculars the Longhorns were throwing at him, but the running back’s unsportsmanlike conduct penalty derailed the second OSU drive — a promising one that had started at the OSU 8-yard line.
Henderson, who had just brilliantly executed a 22-yard run to get into plus territory, was stuffed after a short gain and took exception to something, smacking defensive lineman Alex January upside the head, costing the Buckeyes 15 yards, and moving the ball from the Texas 37-yard line back into OSU territory.
The drive stalled as a result, prevented the Buckeyes from jumping on the Longhorns as they had pounced early on Tennessee and Oregon. Henderson atoned for it later in the game, but it always felt like putting Texas behind and making the Longhorn offense one dimensional could have made the proceedings a bit easier.
Caden Curry made a huge play after Ohio State’s drive stalled, sticking out a huge paw and knocking the ball out of Silas Bolden’s hands on the ensuing punt return. However, the Longhorns caught a huge break when the ball bounced perfectly back up into Bolden’s hands. A potentially monster turnover deep in Longhorn territory never materialized.
That stupid pointy ball again bounced in favor of Texas a few plays later, when Sonny Styles knocked the ball out of Quinn Ewers’ hands on a sack. Offensive lineman DJ Campbell got the benefit of the bounce, falling on the football to retain possession and allowing Texas to punt rather than Ohio State having the ball inside the Longhorns’ 15-yard line.
Of course, the stupid pointy ball evened things out in the second half, as Howard fell on his own fumble in the third quarter on a sack, and Jack Sawyer turned a strip sack into one of the most iconic plays in Ohio State history late in the game.
There isn’t a good time to commit a lot of penalties, but the College Football Playoff semifinals is an especially poor moment to draw a lot of flags. It was perhaps the only thing stopping the OSU offense in the first half.
In addition to Henderson’s undisciplined gaffe on the second drive, the third drive stalled due in large part to a holding penalty on Emeka Egbuka on a short pass to Smith. The wide receiver compounded a poor block by grabbing his man, knocking the offense off schedule and leading to a punt. The very next drive was undone by a holding penalty on Josh Fryar and a false start two plays later.
Critical infractions continued. Davison Igbinosun got a defensive holding penalty to help Texas move into Hail Mary territory late in the first half. Austin Siereveld got dinged for a 15-yard unnecessary roughness penalty after the whistle on a first down by Tate at the OSU 40 late in the third quarter. I’ll give Siereveld a break on this one because Tate was being driven backward and the whistle was late. By the time it was blown, the offensive lineman had already committed himself to trying to help his receiver out downfield.
A Fryar false start put the eventual go-ahead touchdown drive in jeopardy in the fourth quarter. Two pass interference penalties — one of them completely unnecessary due to double coverage — set up the final Texas goal-line opportunity.
The penalty parade ended with nine total enforced flags on Ohio State for 75 yards. Giving up almost an entire football field against any opponent, let alone a Top 5 team like Texas, is not a good idea. If the Buckeyes do that against Notre Dame, it may be a long night on Jan. 20.
Chip Kelly got a bit conservative in the middle section of the game and it put an OSU offense that had been only stopping itself to that point in bad spots, forcing obvious passing downs that allowed Texas to bring pressure on Howard.
With 8:07 to play in the first half, Henderson ran up the middle for no gain on first down. Ohio State went three-and-out. With 3:23 remaining, it was Quinshon Judkins running straight up the middle for no gain. Again, three-and-out, but this time setting up a tying drive by Texas.
The next two drives began with passes, with Henderson taking a screen pass to the house from 75 yards away on the first, and the second moving the ball until Howard threw an interception (more on that below). Then Ohio State began with an Egbuka end around that went nowhere (three-and-out).
It just felt like the play calling was helping set up the Texas pass rush in the middle part of the game. Ohio State came out of that and eventually started moving the ball again.
Howard made only a few mistakes in the game, but one was a critical one. Leading 14-7 and riding momentum, the Buckeyes got the ball to start the second half, and immediately started moving down the field. A 13-yard pass to Egbuka picked up a quick first down and a pair of 7-yard runs by Henderson earned another.
But then Howard got greedy on a play-action pass and tried to force a ball to Smith downfield. Locking in on Smith, he didn’t see linebacker David Gbenda drop underneath. Howard’s pass was low enough for Gbenda to leap up and snatch it, turning over the Buckeyes on a drive that could have pushed Texas to the brink.
Making matters worse were that there were open receivers on the play, including his check down man, Henderson, who almost certainly would have picked up another first down.
Ohio State’s defense bailed Howard out by forcing a three-and-out after the interception. The Buckeyes turned around and went three-and-out on their next possession as well, but they didn’t have to. On third-and-1, Howard handed to Judkins on the left. Texas had good pursuit, but Judkins only needed one yard.
Rather than plowing straight ahead between defenders, where getting the one yard was likely, Judkins began juking and jiving in the backfield, eventually being stopped for no gain after bouncing wide. Fast defenses kill plays like that. Sometimes lowing your head and getting what you can get is the best play, especially on third down.
Texas took advantage of the stop and scored a tying touchdown on the ensuing possession.
That’s what burnt my bacon when the Buckeyes played the Longhorns on Friday. There were more things I could point to (I was convinced Howard tackling himself in space after picking up that fourth down conversion was going to be costly, for example), but we’re already over a thousand words here. Besides, I don’t want to grumble. I want to celebrate.
And there were plenty of things to celebrate.
Aside from Sawyer’s legendary play and a goal-line stand that will be remembered forever, Donovan Jackson played brilliantly at left tackle in pass protection, Henderson averaged nearly 17 yards per touch. Howard mostly took what the defense gave him, fitting the ball into small windows in the middle of the field to Tate, Egbuka, and Gee Scott.
Next up: the Buckeyes will have to beat Marcus Freeman’s brand of Tresselball when they face Notre Dame on Jan. 20 for the national title.
Continue reading...
Michael Citro via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Tim Heitman-Imagn Images
Some of the moments that gave me Cotton Bowl mouth while the Buckeyes battled the Longhorns.
Ohio State went deep when it came to ripping out the hearts of Texas Friday night with a hard-fought 28-14 win over the Longhorns in the Cotton Bowl. While the Buckeyes hurt themselves at times, it would be wrong not to give Texas credit for a good game plan, especially against Jeremiah Smith, but ultimately Ohio State did enough to get past the Longhorns and into the national championship game against Notre Dame.
Here are the things that gave me a Texas-sized ulcer during the Cotton Bowl.
Sloopy Hang On!
After a good defensive stand to start the game, Ohio State took over on offense and drove down the field. Will Howard delivered a strike to a wide-open Carnell Tate at the goal line for an easy touchdown. The problem was that Tate dropped the ball.
These things happen sometimes, and Quinshon Judkins picked up his teammate with a touchdown run on the next play anyway, but that could have been a costly early mistake.
Be Smart
It was uncharacteristic of TreVeyon Henderson to take the bait of whatever verbal extracurriculars the Longhorns were throwing at him, but the running back’s unsportsmanlike conduct penalty derailed the second OSU drive — a promising one that had started at the OSU 8-yard line.
Henderson, who had just brilliantly executed a 22-yard run to get into plus territory, was stuffed after a short gain and took exception to something, smacking defensive lineman Alex January upside the head, costing the Buckeyes 15 yards, and moving the ball from the Texas 37-yard line back into OSU territory.
The drive stalled as a result, prevented the Buckeyes from jumping on the Longhorns as they had pounced early on Tennessee and Oregon. Henderson atoned for it later in the game, but it always felt like putting Texas behind and making the Longhorn offense one dimensional could have made the proceedings a bit easier.
Stupid Pointy Ball
Caden Curry made a huge play after Ohio State’s drive stalled, sticking out a huge paw and knocking the ball out of Silas Bolden’s hands on the ensuing punt return. However, the Longhorns caught a huge break when the ball bounced perfectly back up into Bolden’s hands. A potentially monster turnover deep in Longhorn territory never materialized.
That stupid pointy ball again bounced in favor of Texas a few plays later, when Sonny Styles knocked the ball out of Quinn Ewers’ hands on a sack. Offensive lineman DJ Campbell got the benefit of the bounce, falling on the football to retain possession and allowing Texas to punt rather than Ohio State having the ball inside the Longhorns’ 15-yard line.
Of course, the stupid pointy ball evened things out in the second half, as Howard fell on his own fumble in the third quarter on a sack, and Jack Sawyer turned a strip sack into one of the most iconic plays in Ohio State history late in the game.
Flag Day
There isn’t a good time to commit a lot of penalties, but the College Football Playoff semifinals is an especially poor moment to draw a lot of flags. It was perhaps the only thing stopping the OSU offense in the first half.
In addition to Henderson’s undisciplined gaffe on the second drive, the third drive stalled due in large part to a holding penalty on Emeka Egbuka on a short pass to Smith. The wide receiver compounded a poor block by grabbing his man, knocking the offense off schedule and leading to a punt. The very next drive was undone by a holding penalty on Josh Fryar and a false start two plays later.
Critical infractions continued. Davison Igbinosun got a defensive holding penalty to help Texas move into Hail Mary territory late in the first half. Austin Siereveld got dinged for a 15-yard unnecessary roughness penalty after the whistle on a first down by Tate at the OSU 40 late in the third quarter. I’ll give Siereveld a break on this one because Tate was being driven backward and the whistle was late. By the time it was blown, the offensive lineman had already committed himself to trying to help his receiver out downfield.
A Fryar false start put the eventual go-ahead touchdown drive in jeopardy in the fourth quarter. Two pass interference penalties — one of them completely unnecessary due to double coverage — set up the final Texas goal-line opportunity.
The penalty parade ended with nine total enforced flags on Ohio State for 75 yards. Giving up almost an entire football field against any opponent, let alone a Top 5 team like Texas, is not a good idea. If the Buckeyes do that against Notre Dame, it may be a long night on Jan. 20.
Unimaginative
Chip Kelly got a bit conservative in the middle section of the game and it put an OSU offense that had been only stopping itself to that point in bad spots, forcing obvious passing downs that allowed Texas to bring pressure on Howard.
With 8:07 to play in the first half, Henderson ran up the middle for no gain on first down. Ohio State went three-and-out. With 3:23 remaining, it was Quinshon Judkins running straight up the middle for no gain. Again, three-and-out, but this time setting up a tying drive by Texas.
The next two drives began with passes, with Henderson taking a screen pass to the house from 75 yards away on the first, and the second moving the ball until Howard threw an interception (more on that below). Then Ohio State began with an Egbuka end around that went nowhere (three-and-out).
It just felt like the play calling was helping set up the Texas pass rush in the middle part of the game. Ohio State came out of that and eventually started moving the ball again.
The Pick
Howard made only a few mistakes in the game, but one was a critical one. Leading 14-7 and riding momentum, the Buckeyes got the ball to start the second half, and immediately started moving down the field. A 13-yard pass to Egbuka picked up a quick first down and a pair of 7-yard runs by Henderson earned another.
But then Howard got greedy on a play-action pass and tried to force a ball to Smith downfield. Locking in on Smith, he didn’t see linebacker David Gbenda drop underneath. Howard’s pass was low enough for Gbenda to leap up and snatch it, turning over the Buckeyes on a drive that could have pushed Texas to the brink.
Making matters worse were that there were open receivers on the play, including his check down man, Henderson, who almost certainly would have picked up another first down.
No Dancing
Ohio State’s defense bailed Howard out by forcing a three-and-out after the interception. The Buckeyes turned around and went three-and-out on their next possession as well, but they didn’t have to. On third-and-1, Howard handed to Judkins on the left. Texas had good pursuit, but Judkins only needed one yard.
Rather than plowing straight ahead between defenders, where getting the one yard was likely, Judkins began juking and jiving in the backfield, eventually being stopped for no gain after bouncing wide. Fast defenses kill plays like that. Sometimes lowing your head and getting what you can get is the best play, especially on third down.
Texas took advantage of the stop and scored a tying touchdown on the ensuing possession.
That’s what burnt my bacon when the Buckeyes played the Longhorns on Friday. There were more things I could point to (I was convinced Howard tackling himself in space after picking up that fourth down conversion was going to be costly, for example), but we’re already over a thousand words here. Besides, I don’t want to grumble. I want to celebrate.
And there were plenty of things to celebrate.
Aside from Sawyer’s legendary play and a goal-line stand that will be remembered forever, Donovan Jackson played brilliantly at left tackle in pass protection, Henderson averaged nearly 17 yards per touch. Howard mostly took what the defense gave him, fitting the ball into small windows in the middle of the field to Tate, Egbuka, and Gee Scott.
Next up: the Buckeyes will have to beat Marcus Freeman’s brand of Tresselball when they face Notre Dame on Jan. 20 for the national title.
Continue reading...
LGHL Stock Market Report: Defense holds strong as Ohio State punches its ticket to Atlanta
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Stock Market Report: Defense holds strong as Ohio State punches its ticket to Atlanta
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Jack Sawyer, Caleb Downs and Jim Knowles stepped up when it mattered most, and now Ohio State has one game left.
For the ninth time in school history, Ohio State will face off against Notre Dame. This time, there is a national championship on the line — the first one of the 12-team College Football Playoff era.
Ohio State defeated Texas 28-14, and Notre Dame defeated Penn State 27-24 to set up the matchup. Ohio State is 6-2 all-time against Notre Dame, and has won the last six matchups.
Here is who and what we are high and low on heading into the national championship.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25827229/usa_today_25165117.jpg "Syndication: USA TODAY")
Adam Cairns / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Jack Sawyer
I really don’t think I have to explain this one. He was one of the leaders who convinced the senior class to run it back for one more year, and now he will forever live in the history of Ohio State Football. He should have had his moment against Michigan, but instead it comes in the College Football Playoff semifinal against Texas.
Thank you, 33.
Timely turnovers
Early in this game, it felt like all of the 50/50 balls went to Texas. The fumble by Arch Manning wasn’t one of the two actual fumbles that Texas recovered, the first down by Quinn Ewers where his knee was a millimeter from the ground, etc.
But when it mattered, the ball fell right into Jack Sawyer’s hands on the strip sack, and Caleb Downs (more on him below) recorded the game-sealing interception. All you need is one or two, and the Buckeyes got them when it mattered most.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25827231/usa_today_25165072.jpg "Syndication: The Columbus Dispatch")
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Caleb Downs
It is becoming impossible to describe Caleb Downs’ impact on games. He saved a touchdown early in the game with a tackle on Ryan Wingo, blew up the pitch play that caused Texas to throw the ball on fourth and goal, and then recorded the game-sealing interception.
He processes the game like a computer, and his instincts are unlike any other.
Penalties
The Buckeyes had nine penalties and 75 yards. In the Tennessee and Oregon games combined, they had five penalties for 39 yards — two for 14 yards against Oregon, and three for 25 yards against Tennessee.
At least four of these penalties stalled drives, and the unsportsmanlike conduct against TreVeyon Henderson probably took points off the board. It was one game, and for the most part this has been a disciplined team, but they have to win the penalty game against Notre Dame.
Buy: Bend don’t break
The Ohio State defense has been bend-but-don’t-break all season. They may allow some yards and some chunk plays, but they have been incredible in the red zone all season. As defensive coordinator Jim Knowles says, “You give us an inch, and we will defend it.”
This is how they won the game against Penn State and against Texas. It will be key against Notre Dame with the dynamic run game they implement.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25827232/usa_today_25163702.jpg "NCAA Football: Cotton Bowl-Ohio State at Texas")
Tim Heitman-Imagn Images
Buy: Carnell Tate
On 90 percent of college football teams, Carnell Tate is WR1. However, on the Buckeyes, he is WR3 (more like WR1C, maybe), and he has been content with playing his role all season, being a great blocker and taking his production when it comes.
This was a game they needed Tate with the way Texas covered Jeremiah Smith, and Tate delivered with seven catches for 87 yards. He also dropped a touchdown pass that would have made that stat line look even better. He caught multiple huge first downs that kept drives alive.
Sell: Absolutely nothing
Was it a perfect game by the Buckeyes? Of course not. But the College Football Playoff is do or die, win or go home, and the Buckeyes found a way to win and punch their ticket to Atlanta.
That’s all that matters. Beat Notre Dame, and that is all that matters.
Continue reading...
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Jack Sawyer, Caleb Downs and Jim Knowles stepped up when it mattered most, and now Ohio State has one game left.
For the ninth time in school history, Ohio State will face off against Notre Dame. This time, there is a national championship on the line — the first one of the 12-team College Football Playoff era.
Ohio State defeated Texas 28-14, and Notre Dame defeated Penn State 27-24 to set up the matchup. Ohio State is 6-2 all-time against Notre Dame, and has won the last six matchups.
Here is who and what we are high and low on heading into the national championship.
Blue Chip
Jack Sawyer
I really don’t think I have to explain this one. He was one of the leaders who convinced the senior class to run it back for one more year, and now he will forever live in the history of Ohio State Football. He should have had his moment against Michigan, but instead it comes in the College Football Playoff semifinal against Texas.
Thank you, 33.
Solid Investments
Timely turnovers
Early in this game, it felt like all of the 50/50 balls went to Texas. The fumble by Arch Manning wasn’t one of the two actual fumbles that Texas recovered, the first down by Quinn Ewers where his knee was a millimeter from the ground, etc.
But when it mattered, the ball fell right into Jack Sawyer’s hands on the strip sack, and Caleb Downs (more on him below) recorded the game-sealing interception. All you need is one or two, and the Buckeyes got them when it mattered most.
Caleb Downs
It is becoming impossible to describe Caleb Downs’ impact on games. He saved a touchdown early in the game with a tackle on Ryan Wingo, blew up the pitch play that caused Texas to throw the ball on fourth and goal, and then recorded the game-sealing interception.
He processes the game like a computer, and his instincts are unlike any other.
Junk Bond
Penalties
The Buckeyes had nine penalties and 75 yards. In the Tennessee and Oregon games combined, they had five penalties for 39 yards — two for 14 yards against Oregon, and three for 25 yards against Tennessee.
At least four of these penalties stalled drives, and the unsportsmanlike conduct against TreVeyon Henderson probably took points off the board. It was one game, and for the most part this has been a disciplined team, but they have to win the penalty game against Notre Dame.
Buy/Sell
Buy: Bend don’t break
The Ohio State defense has been bend-but-don’t-break all season. They may allow some yards and some chunk plays, but they have been incredible in the red zone all season. As defensive coordinator Jim Knowles says, “You give us an inch, and we will defend it.”
This is how they won the game against Penn State and against Texas. It will be key against Notre Dame with the dynamic run game they implement.
Buy: Carnell Tate
On 90 percent of college football teams, Carnell Tate is WR1. However, on the Buckeyes, he is WR3 (more like WR1C, maybe), and he has been content with playing his role all season, being a great blocker and taking his production when it comes.
This was a game they needed Tate with the way Texas covered Jeremiah Smith, and Tate delivered with seven catches for 87 yards. He also dropped a touchdown pass that would have made that stat line look even better. He caught multiple huge first downs that kept drives alive.
Sell: Absolutely nothing
Was it a perfect game by the Buckeyes? Of course not. But the College Football Playoff is do or die, win or go home, and the Buckeyes found a way to win and punch their ticket to Atlanta.
That’s all that matters. Beat Notre Dame, and that is all that matters.
Continue reading...
LGHL Game preview: No. 9 Ohio State women’s basketball vs Oregon
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Game preview: No. 9 Ohio State women’s basketball vs Oregon
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo courtesy of OhioStateBuckeyes.com
The Buckeyes will look to continue their undefeated season as they welcome Oregon for the first time as Big Ten foes.
The Ohio State women’s basketball team (15-0, 4-0) are back home this afternoon to take on the Oregon Ducks (12-4, 3-2), breaking up a stretch where the Buckeyes are playing three out of four games on the road.
Sunday’s game is Ohio State’s first home game since a 30-point win over Northwestern last Sunday, and the Buckeyes won’t be home again until Thursday, January 23rd, when they take on the 8th-ranked Maryland Terrapins.
Kevin McGuff’s squad has opened the season with 15 consecutive wins, including a dramatic come from behind win over the Michigan Wolverines in Ann Arbor on Wednesday night. Ohio State trailed by 16 points in the first half at one point and by single-digits in the fourth quarter, but rallied to pick up a win over their rivals up north, 84-77.
Ohio State’s 15-game winning streak is the longest since the program opened the 2022-2023 season with 19 wins, on the way to an eventual Elite Eight appearance. The program record is 20 consecutive wins.
This is an Oregon program that’s missed the NCAA Tournament each of the past two seasons, but has started out 3-2 in the Big Ten in its first season in the league. As of Sunday morning, ESPN “bracketologist” Charlie Creme has the Ducks by a pretty safe margin — they’re a 10-seed and avoiding the First Four play-in games.
Head coach Kelly Graves is now in year 11 in Eugene, and his Ducks are fresh off of a 63-61 win over Penn State Thursday night. After the Nittany Lions tied things up at 61 with 1:40 remaining in the game, Deja Kelly — a transfer guard who left North Carolina as the program’s seventh-leading scorer all-time — dribbled over a screen and knocked down the game-winner with four seconds remaining in Happy Valley.
The win improved Oregon’s road record to 2-1 this season. They’ll be looking to improve that to 3-1 Sunday afternoon in Columbus.
Oregon’s leading scorer Peyton Scott is not expected to play, as she’s been out with a knee injury suffered during the Ducks’ win over Northwestern on New Year’s Eve. Scott has Ohio ties — she is from Lynchburg, Ohio and played her first three collegiate seasons at Miami of Ohio. Scott transferred to Oregon in 2023 after scoring 1,871 points in Oxford and leaving as the fourth-leading scorer in program history. Sadly, it’s not looking like she will be able to suit up Sunday afternoon in her home state.
Like Scott, Kelly averages 10.9 points per game this season and has scored in double-digits in three of her last four games. She’s also averaging 4.8 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game.
Junior forward Amina Muhammad, a transfer from Texas, is averaging 8.6 points, 4.1 rebounds, and is shooting a career-best 57.8% overall.
The Ducks have a daunting presence below the basket in the form of 6-foot-8 center Phillipina Kyei. The senior is averaging 10.7 points and seven rebounds over her last three games, and is taller than anyone on Ohio State’s roster.
Oregon is one of the worst three-point shooting teams in the Big Ten at 29.1%, and that is with one of their better shooters — Scott — playing in 14 of their 16 games. They were 3-for-17 from beyond the arc against Penn State.
The Ducks take roughly 28% of their shots from beyond the arc, but were much more successful pounding the rock in the painted area against the Nittany Lions, outscoring Penn State 20-12 in the paint. Oregon has shot much better from two-point range this season, hitting those shots at an even 52%.
These two teams most recently met in the San Diego Invitational on Dec. 21, 2022 when the Buckeyes earned an 84-67 win. Today’s game is the second meeting between the two teams during Kevin McGuff’s tenure, but he is very familiar with the Ducks from his two seasons at the University of Washington.
Ohio State leads the all-time series with Oregon, 3-1. This is the first meeting between these teams in Columbus, and the first time they’ve played as conference opponents.
Like Ohio State, Oregon is one of the more sure-handed teams in the conference, averaging 13.9 turnovers per game — the fourth-lowest in the Big Ten. The Buckeyes are nearly identical in that category, averaging 13.3 turnovers per game.
If McGuff’s squad isn’t able to generate a ton of turnovers against the Ducks (they’ve forced a combined 69 turnovers against their last three opponents), look for the Buckeyes to try and create mismatches on the perimeter Sunday afternoon.
While Oregon having a 6-foot-8 center presents its challenges, Ohio State could potentially turn that into an advantage depending on which personnel McGuff uses. Against Michigan, he leaned heavily on his starters, not subbing at all in the second half.
Keep an eye out for possible ball screen actions on the perimeter by the Buckeyes — McGuff would be wise to try and use screens to isolate Kyei on the perimeter against McMahon and Thierry. While neither are knock-down shooters, they both present some length (both are taller than six-foot), and are also serviceable shooters. Kyei won’t want to chase either around or try to defend the perimeter. If Ohio State can effectively switch the assignment using screens, it could put Kyei and the Ducks in a bind defensively.
Date: Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025
Time: 1:00 p.m. ET
Where: The Schottenstein Center, Columbus, Ohio
Stream: B1G+
Continue reading...
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo courtesy of OhioStateBuckeyes.com
The Buckeyes will look to continue their undefeated season as they welcome Oregon for the first time as Big Ten foes.
The Ohio State women’s basketball team (15-0, 4-0) are back home this afternoon to take on the Oregon Ducks (12-4, 3-2), breaking up a stretch where the Buckeyes are playing three out of four games on the road.
Sunday’s game is Ohio State’s first home game since a 30-point win over Northwestern last Sunday, and the Buckeyes won’t be home again until Thursday, January 23rd, when they take on the 8th-ranked Maryland Terrapins.
Kevin McGuff’s squad has opened the season with 15 consecutive wins, including a dramatic come from behind win over the Michigan Wolverines in Ann Arbor on Wednesday night. Ohio State trailed by 16 points in the first half at one point and by single-digits in the fourth quarter, but rallied to pick up a win over their rivals up north, 84-77.
Ohio State’s 15-game winning streak is the longest since the program opened the 2022-2023 season with 19 wins, on the way to an eventual Elite Eight appearance. The program record is 20 consecutive wins.
Preview
This is an Oregon program that’s missed the NCAA Tournament each of the past two seasons, but has started out 3-2 in the Big Ten in its first season in the league. As of Sunday morning, ESPN “bracketologist” Charlie Creme has the Ducks by a pretty safe margin — they’re a 10-seed and avoiding the First Four play-in games.
Head coach Kelly Graves is now in year 11 in Eugene, and his Ducks are fresh off of a 63-61 win over Penn State Thursday night. After the Nittany Lions tied things up at 61 with 1:40 remaining in the game, Deja Kelly — a transfer guard who left North Carolina as the program’s seventh-leading scorer all-time — dribbled over a screen and knocked down the game-winner with four seconds remaining in Happy Valley.
The win improved Oregon’s road record to 2-1 this season. They’ll be looking to improve that to 3-1 Sunday afternoon in Columbus.
Oregon’s leading scorer Peyton Scott is not expected to play, as she’s been out with a knee injury suffered during the Ducks’ win over Northwestern on New Year’s Eve. Scott has Ohio ties — she is from Lynchburg, Ohio and played her first three collegiate seasons at Miami of Ohio. Scott transferred to Oregon in 2023 after scoring 1,871 points in Oxford and leaving as the fourth-leading scorer in program history. Sadly, it’s not looking like she will be able to suit up Sunday afternoon in her home state.
Like Scott, Kelly averages 10.9 points per game this season and has scored in double-digits in three of her last four games. She’s also averaging 4.8 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game.
Junior forward Amina Muhammad, a transfer from Texas, is averaging 8.6 points, 4.1 rebounds, and is shooting a career-best 57.8% overall.
The Ducks have a daunting presence below the basket in the form of 6-foot-8 center Phillipina Kyei. The senior is averaging 10.7 points and seven rebounds over her last three games, and is taller than anyone on Ohio State’s roster.
Oregon is one of the worst three-point shooting teams in the Big Ten at 29.1%, and that is with one of their better shooters — Scott — playing in 14 of their 16 games. They were 3-for-17 from beyond the arc against Penn State.
The Ducks take roughly 28% of their shots from beyond the arc, but were much more successful pounding the rock in the painted area against the Nittany Lions, outscoring Penn State 20-12 in the paint. Oregon has shot much better from two-point range this season, hitting those shots at an even 52%.
These two teams most recently met in the San Diego Invitational on Dec. 21, 2022 when the Buckeyes earned an 84-67 win. Today’s game is the second meeting between the two teams during Kevin McGuff’s tenure, but he is very familiar with the Ducks from his two seasons at the University of Washington.
Ohio State leads the all-time series with Oregon, 3-1. This is the first meeting between these teams in Columbus, and the first time they’ve played as conference opponents.
Like Ohio State, Oregon is one of the more sure-handed teams in the conference, averaging 13.9 turnovers per game — the fourth-lowest in the Big Ten. The Buckeyes are nearly identical in that category, averaging 13.3 turnovers per game.
If McGuff’s squad isn’t able to generate a ton of turnovers against the Ducks (they’ve forced a combined 69 turnovers against their last three opponents), look for the Buckeyes to try and create mismatches on the perimeter Sunday afternoon.
While Oregon having a 6-foot-8 center presents its challenges, Ohio State could potentially turn that into an advantage depending on which personnel McGuff uses. Against Michigan, he leaned heavily on his starters, not subbing at all in the second half.
Keep an eye out for possible ball screen actions on the perimeter by the Buckeyes — McGuff would be wise to try and use screens to isolate Kyei on the perimeter against McMahon and Thierry. While neither are knock-down shooters, they both present some length (both are taller than six-foot), and are also serviceable shooters. Kyei won’t want to chase either around or try to defend the perimeter. If Ohio State can effectively switch the assignment using screens, it could put Kyei and the Ducks in a bind defensively.
How to Watch
Date: Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025
Time: 1:00 p.m. ET
Where: The Schottenstein Center, Columbus, Ohio
Stream: B1G+
LGHL Score Prediction: No. 9 Ohio State 88, Oregon 71
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LGHL Hangout in the Holy Land: Jack Sawyer is a Buckeye legend
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Hangout in the Holy Land: Jack Sawyer is a Buckeye legend
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Austin McAfee/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The defense stepped up when it mattered most, and we breakdown the full game, plus some thoughts on Steve Sarkisian, Quinn Ewers, and Notre Dame
The latest episode of Land-Grant Holy Land’s flagship podcast is here! Join LGHL personalities as they discuss Ohio State football, basketball, recruiting, and much more! Come for the hot takes. Stay for the warm ones.
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
On this recap episode of Hangout in the Holy Land, Justin and Land-Grant Holy Land’s managing editor Gene Ross discuss Ohio State punching its ticket to the national title game.
Ohio State defeated Texas 28-14 in the Cotton Bowl to set up a date with Notre Dame in the national championship game next Monday.
What did the defense do to make life hard on the Texas offense? What did they do to confuse Quinn Ewers? What are our thoughts on Sark as Texas comes up just short? Plus, Jack Sawyer and Caleb Downs are aliens, and the offense made plays when they needed to.
We break down and recap the full game, and end the episode with a quick preview of Notre Dame and how they defeated Penn State.
Make sure to like and subscribe to the podcast. As always, Go Bucks!
Connect with the pod:
Twitter: @HolyLandPod
Connect with Justin Golba:
Twitter: @justin_golba
Connect with Gene Ross:
Twitter: Gene_Ross23
Continue reading...
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Austin McAfee/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The defense stepped up when it mattered most, and we breakdown the full game, plus some thoughts on Steve Sarkisian, Quinn Ewers, and Notre Dame
The latest episode of Land-Grant Holy Land’s flagship podcast is here! Join LGHL personalities as they discuss Ohio State football, basketball, recruiting, and much more! Come for the hot takes. Stay for the warm ones.
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
On this recap episode of Hangout in the Holy Land, Justin and Land-Grant Holy Land’s managing editor Gene Ross discuss Ohio State punching its ticket to the national title game.
Ohio State defeated Texas 28-14 in the Cotton Bowl to set up a date with Notre Dame in the national championship game next Monday.
What did the defense do to make life hard on the Texas offense? What did they do to confuse Quinn Ewers? What are our thoughts on Sark as Texas comes up just short? Plus, Jack Sawyer and Caleb Downs are aliens, and the offense made plays when they needed to.
We break down and recap the full game, and end the episode with a quick preview of Notre Dame and how they defeated Penn State.
Make sure to like and subscribe to the podcast. As always, Go Bucks!
Connect with the pod:
Twitter: @HolyLandPod
Connect with Justin Golba:
Twitter: @justin_golba
Connect with Gene Ross:
Twitter: Gene_Ross23
Continue reading...
LGHL Some of Ohio State’s most memorable defensive plays of the last 25 years
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Some of Ohio State’s most memorable defensive plays of the last 25 years
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 Alex Slitz/Getty Images
Jack Sawyer’s strip/sack/fumble return touchdown joins the list of some of the most incredible defensive plays by Buckeyes since 2000.
Ohio State advanced to the College Football Playoff Championship Game to take on Notre Dame next Monday after beating Texas 28-14 in the Cotton Bowl. The Buckeyes were leading 21-14 with less than four minutes to go in the game, but the Longhorns looked like they were about to tie the score when they were just a yard away from the end zone following a pass interference penalty on Jermaine Mathews Jr. in the end zone.
After Texas was stuffed on first down, running back Quintrevion Wisner ran towards the boundary and was swarmed by the Buckeye defense, losing seven yards on the play. On third down, Jack Sawyer rushed Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers, forcing him to throw an incompletion to set up fourth down.
Then came a play that will go down as one of the best defensive plays in Ohio State history. Not only did Jack Sawyer apply pressure to Ewers that made a touchdown nearly impossible, the senior defensive end had a strip-sack and picked up the football to scoot 83 yards to the end zone, extending Ohio State’s lead to 28-14.
While the whole defense deserves credit for keeping Texas from tying the score late in the fourth quarter, Sawyer etched his place in Buckeye lore with the scoop and score. The Pickerington native bleeds scarlet and gray and deserves all the praise for how he is closing out his Ohio State career.
A little more than a month ago Sawyer was distraught after the loss to Michigan since it meant he wouldn’t beat the Wolverines during his college career. Instead of wallowing, Sawyer and the other Buckeye seniors turned their focus to the national title, since they knew it was their last chance to have something to show for their time on the field at Ohio State.
While there will be plenty of debate on if Sawyer’s strip/sack/score is the best defensive play in Buckeye history, I’m not going to rank those plays today. Instead, I’ll go over some of the most memorable defensive plays to me. All these defensive efforts are special in their own way. A number were critical to Ohio State winning a national title, and others were just incredible defensive efforts. Let’s bask in what we saw from Sawyer, as well as past efforts from some
Buckeyes over the weekend, then come Monday we can turn our attention to Notre Dame.
With Ohio State leading Miami 14-7 in the third quarter, the Buckeyes looked like they were about to double their lead after a Chris Gamble 57-yard catch put them at Miami’s 6-yard line. Craig Krenzel and the offense couldn’t cash in a touchdown, as the Buckeye quarterback threw an interception to Sean Taylor, who returned it 28 yards before running back Maurice Clarett came out of nowhere to rip the football out of Taylor’s hands.
Ohio State would receive a fresh set of downs after the turnovers and would eventually tack on a field goal to push their lead to 17-7.
Despite not being able to score a touchdown on the drive, the Buckeyes didn’t hang their head during the interception. What made the play even more incredible is Clarett dispossessed one of the best safeties in college football history. Had Clarett not been able to strip Taylor of the football, maybe Miami goes down to tie the game, giving them the momentum they needed to stave off Ohio State’s upset attempt.
Instead, the Buckeyes were able to find a way to make it a two-score game with the field goal.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25827267/81347835.jpg "Ohio State’s Maurice Clarett, 2003 Fiesta Bowl")
SetNumber: X67450 TK3
I know a case can be made for Cie Grant’s hit on Miami quarterback Ken Dorsey to be on this list since it was the final play of Ohio State’s national title season, but had it not been for Clarett’s effort, then Grant and the Buckeyes likely wouldn’t have been in position to upset the Hurricanes since the Krenzel interception would have flipped the momentum in the game.
Heading into the 2015 Sugar Bowl, there wasn’t a ton of optimism for Ohio State’s chances against Alabama. The Buckeyes had already lost quarterback Braxton Miller to a shoulder injury before the season, and J.T. Barrett in the Michigan game to a broken ankle, leaving Cardale Jones to make his second career start against the Crimson Tide.
Even though Jones was very impressive in Ohio State’s 59-0 win over Wisconsin in the Big Ten Championship Game, taming Nick Saban and Alabama was going to be a whole different animal.
I remember watching the game at Dub Pub since I lived around Bethel & Sawmill at the time. The Sugar Bowl is always a brutal watch since it starts so late. It didn’t help that Alabama jumped out to a 21-6 lead in the second quarter.
For a while it was looking like Ohio State’s season would end in New Orleans. Then the Buckeyes woke up and went on a 21-0 run spanning halftime to take a 27-21 lead early in the third quarter.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25827263/usa_today_8306974.jpg "NCAA Football: Sugar Bowl-Ohio State vs Alabama")
Chuck Cook-Imagn Images
Then with just over three minutes left in the third quarter, defensive lineman Steve Miller intercepted a Blake Sims pass and returned it 41 yards for a touchdown, extending Ohio State’s lead to 34-21. Not only was the play memorable since we saw a very large defensive tackle rumble for a touchdown, it was also the first pick-six a Alabama quarterback threw since 2007.
I can’t even remember all the Steve Miller Band puns I made after the touchdown. The Crimson Tide would close to within a touchdown on two other occasions in the game, but weren’t able to tie the game up, allowing the Buckeyes to make the first title game of the four-team playoff.
In late October, Ohio State welcomed Penn State, who was ranked 17th at the time, to Ohio Stadium. The Buckeyes were coming off a 19-14 win over Wisconsin in Madison to keep their undefeated season intact. Chris Gamble started on both offense and defense in the game, becoming the first Buckeye to accomplish that feat since 1963. Gamble would go on to play 89 plays in the game.
Penn State went into halftime with a 7-3 lead. Gamble already had a massive play in the game when he caught a Penn State defender from behind following a Craig Krenzel fumble. Instead of the Nittany Lions being able to score points on the drive, a couple plays later A.J. Hawk intercepted a pass to keep Penn State off the scoreboard.
Then just a couple minutes after halftime, Gamble picked off a Zack Mills pass and returned it 40 yards to give Ohio State a 10-7 lead. The Buckeyes would add a field goal later in the third quarter to extend the lead to 13-7, which would end up being the final score of the game.
In a season that saw five of Ohio State’s Big Ten games decided by a touchdown or less, this might have been the biggest defensive play of the regular season by a Buckeye. Penn State looked like they had Ohio State’s number after going into halftime with a lead. Gamble’s interception energized the crowd and many Buckeye fans that were there say they have never heard Ohio Stadium louder.
Ohio State’s backs were against the wall early in the 2014 season after losing to Virginia Tech in Columbus in September. The rest of the country had written off the Buckeyes following the loss since the team was without quarterback Braxton Miller. Heading into State College in late October, Ohio State had reeled off four straight wins, scoring at least 50 points in each of those contests.
The Buckeye offense found the sledding a little tougher under the lights at Beaver Stadium, scoring just 17 points in regulation. Luckily for Ohio State, the Nittany Lions were also only able to score 17 points, sending the game to overtime. Penn State opened up overtime with a touchdown before the Buckeyes matched the score. In the second overtime, Ohio State got the ball first and only needed three plays to score to go up 31-24.
Following the touchdown in the second overtime, Ohio State’s defense bowed up. First they stuffed running back Akeel Lynch, followed by allowing just a short completion on second down to setup 3rd & 5. Christian Hackenberg missed on his third down throw, allowing the Buckeye defense to pin their ears back.
Joey Bosa came through in the clutch, bowling Penn State’s running back into Hackenberg to end the game. The walk-off sack kept Ohio State’s hopes alive not only in the Big Ten, but as the season moved on their playoff hopes would continue to grow.
This play is fresh in our memory because it happened just a few months ago. We all know how ugly the start to the game at Penn State was with Will Howard throwing a pick-six early in the tilt with the Nittany Lions. Howard would regroup to put the Buckeyes back on top in the second quarter.
It looked like Ohio State was going to build on their lead with about 10 minutes left before halftime but Howard had the football punched out of his arm and out of bounds in the end zone to give the football back to Penn State.
The teams would trade punts and the Nittany Lions would get the football back with under two minutes left in the half. Drew Allar would drive his team down the field and it looked like Penn State would at worst close the score to 14-13, and possibly take the lead heading into the halftime break.
With 11 seconds left in the half and Penn State at Ohio State’s three-yard-line, Davison Igbinosun pinned the football against the Nittany Lion receiver and gained possession with one hand before stepping out of bounds in the end zone.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25827259/usa_today_24654839.jpg "NCAA Football: Ohio State at Penn State")
Matthew O’Haren-Imagn Images
The interception was massive because the second half featured just three field goals, with two of them from the Buckeyes. Ohio State was already behind the eight ball since they lost earlier in the month at Oregon. Had the Buckeyes lost two games by early November, they would have a tough time making the playoff.
The interception looks even more critical now since Ohio State inexplicably lost the Michigan game. Igbinosun has received a lot of criticism for a number of pass interference penalties this season, but his interception before halftime pretty much kept the Buckeyes in the playoff hunt.
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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 Alex Slitz/Getty Images
Jack Sawyer’s strip/sack/fumble return touchdown joins the list of some of the most incredible defensive plays by Buckeyes since 2000.
Ohio State advanced to the College Football Playoff Championship Game to take on Notre Dame next Monday after beating Texas 28-14 in the Cotton Bowl. The Buckeyes were leading 21-14 with less than four minutes to go in the game, but the Longhorns looked like they were about to tie the score when they were just a yard away from the end zone following a pass interference penalty on Jermaine Mathews Jr. in the end zone.
After Texas was stuffed on first down, running back Quintrevion Wisner ran towards the boundary and was swarmed by the Buckeye defense, losing seven yards on the play. On third down, Jack Sawyer rushed Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers, forcing him to throw an incompletion to set up fourth down.
Then came a play that will go down as one of the best defensive plays in Ohio State history. Not only did Jack Sawyer apply pressure to Ewers that made a touchdown nearly impossible, the senior defensive end had a strip-sack and picked up the football to scoot 83 yards to the end zone, extending Ohio State’s lead to 28-14.
While the whole defense deserves credit for keeping Texas from tying the score late in the fourth quarter, Sawyer etched his place in Buckeye lore with the scoop and score. The Pickerington native bleeds scarlet and gray and deserves all the praise for how he is closing out his Ohio State career.
A little more than a month ago Sawyer was distraught after the loss to Michigan since it meant he wouldn’t beat the Wolverines during his college career. Instead of wallowing, Sawyer and the other Buckeye seniors turned their focus to the national title, since they knew it was their last chance to have something to show for their time on the field at Ohio State.
While there will be plenty of debate on if Sawyer’s strip/sack/score is the best defensive play in Buckeye history, I’m not going to rank those plays today. Instead, I’ll go over some of the most memorable defensive plays to me. All these defensive efforts are special in their own way. A number were critical to Ohio State winning a national title, and others were just incredible defensive efforts. Let’s bask in what we saw from Sawyer, as well as past efforts from some
Buckeyes over the weekend, then come Monday we can turn our attention to Notre Dame.
Maurice Clarett’s strip of Sean Taylor
With Ohio State leading Miami 14-7 in the third quarter, the Buckeyes looked like they were about to double their lead after a Chris Gamble 57-yard catch put them at Miami’s 6-yard line. Craig Krenzel and the offense couldn’t cash in a touchdown, as the Buckeye quarterback threw an interception to Sean Taylor, who returned it 28 yards before running back Maurice Clarett came out of nowhere to rip the football out of Taylor’s hands.
Ohio State would receive a fresh set of downs after the turnovers and would eventually tack on a field goal to push their lead to 17-7.
Despite not being able to score a touchdown on the drive, the Buckeyes didn’t hang their head during the interception. What made the play even more incredible is Clarett dispossessed one of the best safeties in college football history. Had Clarett not been able to strip Taylor of the football, maybe Miami goes down to tie the game, giving them the momentum they needed to stave off Ohio State’s upset attempt.
Instead, the Buckeyes were able to find a way to make it a two-score game with the field goal.
I know a case can be made for Cie Grant’s hit on Miami quarterback Ken Dorsey to be on this list since it was the final play of Ohio State’s national title season, but had it not been for Clarett’s effort, then Grant and the Buckeyes likely wouldn’t have been in position to upset the Hurricanes since the Krenzel interception would have flipped the momentum in the game.
Steve Miller’s interception return for a touchdown against Alabama
Heading into the 2015 Sugar Bowl, there wasn’t a ton of optimism for Ohio State’s chances against Alabama. The Buckeyes had already lost quarterback Braxton Miller to a shoulder injury before the season, and J.T. Barrett in the Michigan game to a broken ankle, leaving Cardale Jones to make his second career start against the Crimson Tide.
Even though Jones was very impressive in Ohio State’s 59-0 win over Wisconsin in the Big Ten Championship Game, taming Nick Saban and Alabama was going to be a whole different animal.
I remember watching the game at Dub Pub since I lived around Bethel & Sawmill at the time. The Sugar Bowl is always a brutal watch since it starts so late. It didn’t help that Alabama jumped out to a 21-6 lead in the second quarter.
For a while it was looking like Ohio State’s season would end in New Orleans. Then the Buckeyes woke up and went on a 21-0 run spanning halftime to take a 27-21 lead early in the third quarter.
Then with just over three minutes left in the third quarter, defensive lineman Steve Miller intercepted a Blake Sims pass and returned it 41 yards for a touchdown, extending Ohio State’s lead to 34-21. Not only was the play memorable since we saw a very large defensive tackle rumble for a touchdown, it was also the first pick-six a Alabama quarterback threw since 2007.
I can’t even remember all the Steve Miller Band puns I made after the touchdown. The Crimson Tide would close to within a touchdown on two other occasions in the game, but weren’t able to tie the game up, allowing the Buckeyes to make the first title game of the four-team playoff.
Chris Gamble’s pick-six against Penn State in 2002
In late October, Ohio State welcomed Penn State, who was ranked 17th at the time, to Ohio Stadium. The Buckeyes were coming off a 19-14 win over Wisconsin in Madison to keep their undefeated season intact. Chris Gamble started on both offense and defense in the game, becoming the first Buckeye to accomplish that feat since 1963. Gamble would go on to play 89 plays in the game.
Penn State went into halftime with a 7-3 lead. Gamble already had a massive play in the game when he caught a Penn State defender from behind following a Craig Krenzel fumble. Instead of the Nittany Lions being able to score points on the drive, a couple plays later A.J. Hawk intercepted a pass to keep Penn State off the scoreboard.
Then just a couple minutes after halftime, Gamble picked off a Zack Mills pass and returned it 40 yards to give Ohio State a 10-7 lead. The Buckeyes would add a field goal later in the third quarter to extend the lead to 13-7, which would end up being the final score of the game.
In a season that saw five of Ohio State’s Big Ten games decided by a touchdown or less, this might have been the biggest defensive play of the regular season by a Buckeye. Penn State looked like they had Ohio State’s number after going into halftime with a lead. Gamble’s interception energized the crowd and many Buckeye fans that were there say they have never heard Ohio Stadium louder.
Joey Bosa’s walk-off sack against Penn State in 2014
Ohio State’s backs were against the wall early in the 2014 season after losing to Virginia Tech in Columbus in September. The rest of the country had written off the Buckeyes following the loss since the team was without quarterback Braxton Miller. Heading into State College in late October, Ohio State had reeled off four straight wins, scoring at least 50 points in each of those contests.
The Buckeye offense found the sledding a little tougher under the lights at Beaver Stadium, scoring just 17 points in regulation. Luckily for Ohio State, the Nittany Lions were also only able to score 17 points, sending the game to overtime. Penn State opened up overtime with a touchdown before the Buckeyes matched the score. In the second overtime, Ohio State got the ball first and only needed three plays to score to go up 31-24.
Following the touchdown in the second overtime, Ohio State’s defense bowed up. First they stuffed running back Akeel Lynch, followed by allowing just a short completion on second down to setup 3rd & 5. Christian Hackenberg missed on his third down throw, allowing the Buckeye defense to pin their ears back.
Joey Bosa came through in the clutch, bowling Penn State’s running back into Hackenberg to end the game. The walk-off sack kept Ohio State’s hopes alive not only in the Big Ten, but as the season moved on their playoff hopes would continue to grow.
Davison Igbinosun’s interception in the end zone against Penn State
This play is fresh in our memory because it happened just a few months ago. We all know how ugly the start to the game at Penn State was with Will Howard throwing a pick-six early in the tilt with the Nittany Lions. Howard would regroup to put the Buckeyes back on top in the second quarter.
It looked like Ohio State was going to build on their lead with about 10 minutes left before halftime but Howard had the football punched out of his arm and out of bounds in the end zone to give the football back to Penn State.
The teams would trade punts and the Nittany Lions would get the football back with under two minutes left in the half. Drew Allar would drive his team down the field and it looked like Penn State would at worst close the score to 14-13, and possibly take the lead heading into the halftime break.
With 11 seconds left in the half and Penn State at Ohio State’s three-yard-line, Davison Igbinosun pinned the football against the Nittany Lion receiver and gained possession with one hand before stepping out of bounds in the end zone.
The interception was massive because the second half featured just three field goals, with two of them from the Buckeyes. Ohio State was already behind the eight ball since they lost earlier in the month at Oregon. Had the Buckeyes lost two games by early November, they would have a tough time making the playoff.
The interception looks even more critical now since Ohio State inexplicably lost the Michigan game. Igbinosun has received a lot of criticism for a number of pass interference penalties this season, but his interception before halftime pretty much kept the Buckeyes in the playoff hunt.
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