Ohio State vs. Tennessee: Land-Grant’s experts make their picks
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images

Every week, we will be picking the score, MVP, and major storyline for each Buckeye game.

Being the Buckeye beat’s black sheep blog, we here at Land-Grant Holy Land like to pat ourselves on the back. So, throughout the season, members of our staff will be making predictions about that day’s game. They will go on the record with what they think the final score will be, who the game’s MVP will be, and what the major storyline will be coming out of the day.

The No. 6 Ohio State Buckeyes will host the No. 7 Tennessee Volunteers in a rare, late-December night game in Ohio Stadium. The game is scheduled to kick off sometime after 8 p.m. ET and will be aired in various forms on ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPNEWS, SEC Network, and ESPN Deportes.

As of this article’s writing, the Bucks are 7.5-point favorites according to FanDuel Sportsbook. College football’s gold-standard advanced analytics model SP+ is predicting a score of 26-20 in favor of Ohio State.

Check out what our staff members think and then let us know your thoughts on the game in the comments below. As we move forward with the season, you will be able to keep up with just how well our prognosticators do on a weekly basis HERE.

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Michael Citro​

Score Prediction: Tennessee 24, Ohio State 20
Game MVP: Will Howard
Major Storyline: Ryan Day still can’t win big games.

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Justin Golba​

Score Prediction: Ohio State 31, Tennessee 21
Game MVP: Emeka Egbuka
Major Storyline: It is simple; Ohio State bounces back from the loss to Michigan to win a playoff game and set up a rematch with Oregon. I think the Buckeyes will get off to a fast start and show that The Game is behind them and they can move forward in hopes of winning a national title.

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Dan Hessler​

Score Prediction: Ohio State 31, Tennessee 27
Game MVP: Jeremiah Smith
Major Storyline: Ohio State’s offense gets back on track with multiple touchdowns through the air and on the ground. The defense still has some questions.

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Jami Jurich​

Score Prediction: Tennessee 17, Ohio State 14
Game MVP: Nico Iamaleava
Major Storyline: Tennessee plants a flag at midfield in Ohio Stadium, figuratively... or perhaps literally too.

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Connor Lemons​

Score Prediction: Tennessee 24, Ohio State 17
Game MVP: Dylan Sampson
Major Storyline: If Ohio State does not win the first December home game in program history, the main storyline will become the coaching search that will begin the minute the clock hits 0:00. Even after losing to Michigan, there was a path to salvation for Ryan Day if he was able to find success in the playoff — going one-and-done was not it.

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Brett Ludwiczak​

Score Prediction: Ohio State 24, Tennessee 20
Game MVP: Caleb Downs
Major Storyline: Ohio State grinds out a win in a lively Ohio Stadium on Saturday night, setting up a rematch with Oregon in the Rose Bowl. In a game where every yard was earned, the Buckeyes will be a little bit tougher, channeling some anger from the criticism they heard since losing to Michigan. Caleb Downs seals the win with an interception late in the fourth quarter.

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Gene Ross​

Score Prediction: Tennessee 17, Ohio State 10
Game MVP: James Pearce Jr.
Major Storyline: Ohio State’s offensive line rotation proves to be the train wreck everyone thought it would be, and the Buckeyes can’t get anything going offensively. Ohio State gets little on the ground and Will Howard doesn’t get much of any time to throw. Ohio State’s defense plays well, but the Ryan Day Era comes to a close as the clock strikes midnight.

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Matt Tamanini​

Score Prediction: Ohio State 31, Tennessee 13
Game MVP: Cody Simon
Major Storyline: While I do expect Ryan Day and Chip Kelly to get their collective shit together and call a much better offensive game for the Buckeyes tonight, I believe that this game will be won by the Silver Bullets. The Vols have run the ball 61% of the time this season, and I do not expect that to change in the potentially single-digit temperatures in Columbus tonight. This defense has been very good against the run, and as impressive as Dylan Sampson has been, he is a high-volume runner. His 5.8 yards per carry is only good for 68th in FBS (TreVeyon Henderson’s 6.95 is tied for 17th).

So, with the threat of the passing game relatively minimal, I expect Jim Knowles to rely on his defensive line, linebackers, and nickel back to limit Tennessee’s ability to move the ball. I’m throwing in a defensive touchdown for good measure to make this a sound, and thorough victory that propels the Buckeyes onto a traditional, yet very non-traditional Rose Bowl matchup on New Year’s Day.

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Jordan Williams​

Score Prediction: Ohio State 38, Tennessee 17
Game MVP: Jeremiah Smith
Major Storyline: The major storyline leaving this game will be Jeremiah Smith dominating the Vols with the best game of his young career. The defense will hold Tennessee through much of the game, but after three weeks off, people will get a quick reminder of how talented Jeremiah Smith is as a true freshman.

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How to Watch Ohio State Buckeyes vs. Tennessee Volunteers | CFP First Round, Dec. 21 - RealGM
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".

How to Watch Ohio State Buckeyes vs. Tennessee Volunteers | CFP First Round, Dec. 21 RealGM

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Ohio State fans desperate for Ryan Day to get the ball to his receivers vs. Tennessee
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Ben Jackson/Getty Images

You ask, we answer. Sometimes we ask, others answer. And then other times, we ask, we answer.

Throughout the Ohio State football season, we will be asking and answering questions about the team, college football, and anything else on our collective minds of varying degrees of importance. If you have a question that you would like to ask, you can tweet us @LandGrant33 or if you need more than 280 characters, send an email HERE.

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Tonight in potentially single-digit temperatures under the lights in the Horseshoe, the No. 6 Ohio State Buckeyes will host the No. 7 Tennessee Volunteers in the final first-round College Football Playoff of the season. There is a lot on the line for both teams as a date with Oregon in the Rose Bowl on New Year’s Day awaits the winner, but there is even more at stake for the Buckeyes and their head coach.

Ryan Day has deservedly been under fire over the past three weeks following arguably the worst loss in program history, falling for the fourth straight year to archrival Michigan. One game is not going to stem the tide of fans — and presumably boosters — looking to replace him, but if he wants to keep his job, he will need to string together three or maybe even four victories to end the season.


In my mind, the only way that he can do that is to get out of his own way. Day has been so hung up on proving that his team has been tough for the past three years, that he forgot that he didn’t build his team to be tough, he built them to be explosive. Day, and by extension his offensive coordinator Chip Kelly, have consistently hamstrung their elite playmakers in major moments by calling plays bereft of logic.

If OSU is to make any kind of run in the playoff, let alone this game, that will need to change. So, with that in mind, earlier this week, we asked you what you most wanted to see the Buckeyes change for tonight’s game against Tennessee. Well, the results from the fan survey are now in. So, check out the results down below, and if you want to add your two cents in to the discussion, feel free to do that in the comments below.

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Question 1: Which of these options do you most hope to see out of Ohio State against Tennessee?​

I didn’t include this option in the survey, but my true answer is “Ryan Day gets his head out of his ass and stops trying to prove he’s tough and uses his extremely talented offensive weapons to the best of their ability.”

But, since that wasn’t exactly on the list, I think that this fits the bill pretty well. I, of course, also want to see Day and Chip Kelly did something in the ground game other than running straight up the middle into an offensive line that was already not great even before being decimated by injuries, but to be completely honest, I’d be fine if they decided to throw the ball 70% of the time tonight, regardless of the weather.

Ultimately, I think that this game has two most likely outcomes, a) Ohio State’s offense looks pitiful again and it is a frustrating, low-scoring loss for the home team; or b) Ohio State’s offense looks like we’ve all known that it could, and ends up winning by three scores.

Sure, the other options are possible, but to me, these are the most likely. I sure hope it is the latter.

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Question 2: What will the margin of victory be in Saturday’s game against Tennessee?​

When the FanDuel SportsBook opened betting for this first-round College Football Playoff game matchup, it installed the home-team Buckeyes as 7.5-point favorites, and that line has stayed consistent in the two weeks following that announcement. The gold standard college football analytics model SP+ has Ohio State as a six-point favorite, but many of the experts are going with the big bad road underdog from the vastly superior SEC.


The Land-Grant Holy Land staff will be making our official predictions in an article coming out a little later today, but I will give you a hint as to what I am thinking, see if you can figure it out. My predicted score will be a palindrome, with the Scarlet and Gray representing the larger number, the sum of the two totals will also be a palindrome. And for an extra hint, my score predicts a total of five touchdowns and three field goals scored. And for an extra special hint, I would be smack dab in the middle of 10% of the survey respondents.

Think you figured out my score prediction? Drop your prediction of my prediction in the comments below before the predictions article is published.

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Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Ohio State fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

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game 2

Dang. If you guys keep letting me create these basketball threads, we're bound to screw a lot up at some point.

Get your limited edition College Football Playoff Brutus mini bighead bobblehead now!
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here



At $40, this is a College Football Playoff and Christmas miracle!

Ohio State fans have a bit of a reputation for being a little full of themselves at times, and apparently, that has carried over to our mascot. In this new College Football Playoff release from our friends at FOCO, Brutus has an especially big head (although, it does seem pretty much to scale). This limited edition CFP Brutus mini bighead bobblehead is the perfect way to commemorate what will hopefully be a four-game run for the history books.

The bobblehead shows Brutus rocking his best Uncle Sam “I Want You” pose in his iconic gameday uniform. This handmade and hand-painted bobblehead stands 4.5 inches tall and there are only 124 of them, so you better act now. And what makes this even better is that you can preorder yours today for just $40! It’s a playoff and Christmas miracle!

Get Your Playoff Brutus Mini Bighead Bobblehead Today!​

As my office can confirm, FOCO is the absolute best when it comes to Ohio State bobbleheads! Last month, they released a must-have bobble scene that chronicles Ohio State football history and a super cute fuzzy head Brutus bobblehead. This season, FOCO has also release an Archie Griffin bobblehead celebrating the 50th anniversary of his first Heisman Trophy and a Buckeye bobblehead version of the classic Lucy and Charlie Brown football scene. As the season started, they also released this awesome double-Brutus bobblehead, not to mention some of the coolest and most unique Ohio State gear imaginable.

Then, last season, they dropped a very cool Brutus bobblehead with a hidden version of The Horseshoe. In the fall they released 15 different sport-specific Brutus bobbleheads and introduced Snoopy and Charlie Brown Buckeye bobblehead. Just about a year ago, FOCO unveiled a Brutus training camp bobblehead, and for Memorial Day, the company released an “I Want You” Uncle Sam-inspired Brutus bobblehead.

In addition, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Ohio Stadium, FOCO released a pair of must-have bobbleheads; one featuring Brutus, while the other shows Woody Hayes strutting above The Horseshoe.

As someone with a borderline unhealthy Ohio State bobblehead/collectible addiction, I can think of no better way to celebrate the final unofficial season before college football than with one (or all) of these magnificent merchandising masterpieces.

And, if you actually care about teams other than Ohio State, FOCO has stuff for other teams that you might be interested in as well, but who likes teams other than the Buckeyes?

If, for some reason, you think you might need some sort of memorabilia from another school, I guess you can find those things here.

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first game of cfp

Nick Saban sends real message to Ohio State fans on national TV regarding how Buckeye HC Ryan Day has been treated - AtoZ Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".

Nick Saban sends real message to Ohio State fans on national TV regarding how Buckeye HC Ryan Day has been treated AtoZ Sports

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Ohio State men’s basketball vs. Kentucky Game preview and prediction
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

The shorthanded Buckeyes will look to keep their winning record in the CBS Sports Classic against the Wildcats.

The Ohio State Buckeyes (7-4, 1-1) will look to keep its one-game winning streak going as they head to Madison Square Garden to take on the No. 4 Kentucky Wildcats (10-1, 0-0) in the CBS Sports Classic. The Buckeyes have lost two of their last four games by 25 or more points to Maryland and Auburn, losing to Auburn 91-53 last Saturday before a 22-point win over Valparaiso on Tuesday.

Now they get a Kentucky team that has not lost a step under Mark Pope. The Wildcats’ only loss is to Clemson by four points, and have wins over Duke, Gonzaga, and Louisville already on the ledger this season.

The CBS Sports Classic is an annual American men’s college basketball event that began in 2014. This year’s participants include Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio State, and UCLA. Each team has played one game each year (except for 2021 due to Covid cancellations), with the four teams completing a doubleheader. Both games are annually broadcast on U.S. television on CBS, the Classic’s namesake.

On July 21, 2022, the CBS Sports Classic was renewed through 2026. It is uncertain what will happen with UCLA & Ohio State, as UCLA has since moved to the Big Ten, and neutral events generally avoid including multiple teams from one conference.

For the 2024-25 season, CBS Sports launched the CBS Sports Classic: HBCU Showcase featuring North Carolina A&T, North Carolina Central, Hampton, and Howard.

Ohio State is 5-4 all-time in the CBS Sports Classic, with the 2021 matchup getting canceled due to COVID-19. The Buckeyes are 2-0 against Kentucky, 3-1 against UCLA, and 0-3 against North Carolina. North Carolina is 6-4 all-time, Kentucky is 5-5 all-time, and UCLA is 3-6 all-time.

Ohio State defeated No. 4 Kentucky 74-67 in 2015 at the Barclays Center, and No. 5 Ohio State defeated No. 6 Kentucky in 2019 71-65 at T-Mobile Arena.

The Buckeyes are coming into this one shorthanded, as they were down four rotation players against Valparaiso. Meechie Johnson Jr. is currently not with the team as he handles personal matters, and Aaron Bradshaw, Ques Glover, and Colin White were all out but with the team. Bradshaw is a Kentucky transfer, so he would love to return to the lineup for this contest.

Head coach Jake Diebler was hopeful they may have one or two of those players back for Saturday, but as of right now they are all questionable. Bradshaw is back with the team after missing time for a university investigation, but according to Diebler, he is back and going through a, “ready to play” process.

With these players all missing the Valpo game, Micah Parrish played 37 minutes, John Mobley Jr. played 34 minutes, and Devin Royal played 33 minutes. Bruce Thornton would have played more, but he was in foul trouble.

Ohio State is not deep right now and will need these guys back sooner rather than later as they enter conference play shortly.

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Preview​

Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Ohio State is led into this contest by sophomore forward Devin Royal, who is averaging a team-high 15.6 points and a team-high 7.9 rebounds per game. Royal is coming off his best game as a Buckeye, recording 31 points and 15 rebounds against Valparaiso. Royal is shooting 61.1 percent from the field.

According to Ohio State men’s basketball Sports Information Director Gary Petit, the last Buckeye with a 30-point and 15-rebound game was Jared Sullinger, with 30 points and 19 rebounds against South Carolina on Dec. 18, 2010.

Junior point guard Bruce Thornton is averaging 14.8 points, 5.1 assists and 2.7 rebounds per game. He is shooting 52.5 percent from the field and 48.7 percent from the three-point line. Thornton is No. 9 in the country in assist-to-turnover ratio at 4.14 with 58 assists to only 14 turnovers. Thornton is the only player averaging over 30 minutes played per game for Ohio State.

Freshman standout John Mobley Jr. is averaging 12.1 points on 53.6 percent shooting from three-point range. He has struggled to finish from inside the three-point line and at the rim, shooting only 46.2 percent from the field overall.

Micah Parrish is averaging 10.5 points and 4.7 rebounds per game. Meechie Johnson is averaging 9.1 points per game, but he will not be available for this contest.

Ohio State is still shooting the ball from deep at an elite level. It ranks No. 12 in the country at 40.57 percent from three-point range, and has made 99 threes on 244 attempts this season.

Kentucky enters this game with the No. 1 scoring offense in the country, averaging 91.3 points per game, and is the only team nationally averaging over 90 points per game. For context, Auburn and Maryland are No. 6 and No. 9 in scoring offense, and both of those teams blew out Ohio State.

Oklahoma transfer Otega Oweh leads the Wildcats with 15.7 points per game, while San Diego State transfer Lamont Butler is averaging 15.1 points, 3.1 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game. BYU transfer Jaxson Robinson and Dayton transfer Kobe Brea are averaging 12.5 and 12.2 points per game, respectively. Brea is shooting 53.1 percent from three-point range.

Wake Forest transfer Andrew Carr is averaging 10.9 points and 6.5 rebounds per game, while Drexel transfer Amari Williams is averaging 10.2 points and 9.1 rebounds per game. Oklahoma State transfer Brandon Garrison is averaging 5.9 points and 5.1 rebounds per game.

Arizona and West Virginia transfer guard Kerr Kriisa will miss this contest with an injury he sustained two games ago.

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Prediction​

Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

It is hard to imagine the Buckeyes can win this one. They beat Texas to open the season, but other than that, they have been beaten by double digits in all of their games against great opponents — and Kentucky is great.

Hopefully the Buckeyes will get Bradshaw back for this game, and he can help slow down the dynamic front court that Kentucky has. Ohio State just doesn’t have the depth right now to keep up with this Wildcat offense.

The Buckeyes need to show they can keep the game close and not be down by 30 at the half against a quality opponent. Then maybe — just maybe — shock the world in the Big Apple.

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ESPN BPI: Kentucky 66.0%
Time: 5:30 p.m. ET
TV: CBS

LGHL score prediction: Kentucky 80, Ohio State 66​

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Ohio State Buckeyes vs. Tennessee Volunteers prediction: Who wins, and why? - Sports Illustrated
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".

Ohio State Buckeyes vs. Tennessee Volunteers prediction: Who wins, and why? Sports Illustrated

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I live overseas and will need to catch up on games 1-2 days after they happened (realize it's been only one game so far).
Anyone have any CFP torrent for Indiana Notre Dame?

Buckeyes, Vols look for more - Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".

Buckeyes, Vols look for more Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

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


Made with Google AI

You’ve got a number of free trials you can choose from of various lengths and breadths.

The College Football Playoff has finally arrived. Following the horrific showing in the regular season finale, the No. 6 Ohio State Buckeyes will be back on the field vs. the No. 7 Tennessee Volunteers in the Horseshoe tonight at 8 p.m. ET in a game airing on ESPN. It will be a cold night in Columbus with temperatures feeling like they are in the single digits. Despite what Buckeye turncoat Kirk Herbstreit says, I have a feeling that the Scarlet and Gray fans in attendance will have more than enough energy built up by the time the ball is kicked off to have a positive impact on the game.

With the College Football Playoff underway, the remainder of Ohio State’s season will be played on ESPN. With so many different streamer services carry the most popular cable network on the market, it can be tough to keep up with what the best ways are to stream the action.

As cord-cutting has become far more the norm than the exception across the United States, it would not be a surprise if you gave up cable or a live-streaming service following last year’s season only to realize that it’s the day of the game and you have no way to watch it.

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

If you are looking for the best way to stream the entirety of the CFP, I would recommend Sling TV, but if you are just hoping to stream tonight’s game, I’d go with Hulu + Live TV.

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How can I watch the No. 6 Ohio State vs. No. 7 Tennessee College Football Playoff game?​

Game Date/Time: Saturday, Dec. 21 at 8 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN
Broadcasters: Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit, Holly Rowe
Betting Line: Ohio State -7.5 | 46 o/u

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

If you’re either looking for a streaming service just for this weekend of football, then Hulu + Live TV very well might be the perfect option. Everyone who signs up gets a three-day free trial, so you can watch the entire college football Saturday, NFL Sunday, and “Monday Night Football” without having to pay a single penny.

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

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

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

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

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Best Streaming Option for All of College Football Playoff: Sling TV | $23 for one month​

Over the next month and a half, there will be tons of college football and NFL postseason games coming to you and sports fans will not want to miss a single second of the action. If you fall into that category, then Sling is the way to go for you. It is the cheapest way to get national broadcast channels and the biggest cable networks as well, which will be especially important as the College Football Playoff will air a significant portion of its games on cable.

Normally, Sling costs $46 per month, but you can currently get 50% off your first month of service, meaning that you can watch a month of the college postseason and the stretch run of the NFL for as little as $23. Sling has two different base packages, Orange and Blue. You can subscribe to one or both. If you do opt to combine Orange and Blue it will run you $61 monthly — still substantially cheaper than the comparable [live TV streaming] services — but with the first-month deal, you can stream everything on both packages for just $30.50.

The College Football will air all of its games on either ESPN or TNT, so every single snap of the entire 11-game bracket will be available on Sling. That means that there is no cheaper option in streaming to watch all of the CFP action over the next month.

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Other Streaming Options for the Ohio State and Tennessee Game: ​

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

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Join the conversation​

Below is your Ohio State vs. Tennessee 2024 game thread. Be respectful, be kind and — as always — keep it classy, BuckeyeNation. If you like GIFs, lay ‘em on us. In all, be good fans, cheer for your teams, be cool to each other (even if somebody else isn’t) and everyone wins. Let’s finish the season strong!

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Ohio State Football: Preview and Prediction CFP Round One vs Tennessee - Sports Illustrated
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".

Ohio State Football: Preview and Prediction CFP Round One vs Tennessee Sports Illustrated

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Ohio State Buckeyes Keys to Victory Over the Tennessee Volunteers - The Wright Way Network
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Ohio State Buckeyes Keys to Victory Over the Tennessee Volunteers The Wright Way Network

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Ohio State vs. Tennessee prediction, pick, College Football Playoff odds, spread, where to watch, TV, stream - CBS Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".

Ohio State vs. Tennessee prediction, pick, College Football Playoff odds, spread, where to watch, TV, stream CBS Sports

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Staff picks, final thoughts for Buckeyes vs. Volunteers in CFP - On3.com
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Staff picks, final thoughts for Buckeyes vs. Volunteers in CFP On3.com

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Three things to watch when Ohio State women’s basketball takes on Stanford
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images

Keep an eye out for these things when the Buckeyes face the Cardinal.

No. 11 Ohio State women’s basketball is back for their last non-conference game of the season, and it’s a big one. The Buckeyes take on the Stanford Cardinal, and although the California side is unranked, and going through a myriad of changes, it’s a game where the Big Ten faces the ACC and two young sides continue growing on the court.

Here are three things to watch as the two sides take to San Francisco in the Bay Area Women’s Classic.

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Who’s in at point guard?​

For the past three games, Ohio State’s mostly been without freshman star Jaloni Cambridge. After taking a rough fall against the Ball State Cardinals on Dec. 10, the No. 1 overall point guard recruit hasn’t played, and may not against the Cardinal.

“We’re still kind of evaluating her to see how she’s gonna be on Friday, I guess,” said head coach Kevin McGuff. “She has a huge impact on our team, and as we kinda go through the season, the more experience she can get in a game like that, the better off we’ll be.”

Cambridge leads Ohio State with 4,4 assists per game and the entire Big Ten with 2.6 steals per game, obviously living up to the hype. However, it’s not all lost without Cambridge playing for the Buckeyes.

Graduate senior Madison Greene’s been in these situations before and although she’s missed most of the last three seasons with ACL injuries, Greene’s defense this season is at a career-best.

Greene has averaged 2.4 steals in the last six games, the last two in the starting lineup. In terms of defensive plus/minus, or the stat that shows how a player stacks up defensively against the average, Greene is at a career-high 7.4. If the Pickerington, Ohio native played the minimum amount of minutes needed for in-conference statistical ranking, it’d be good for sixth best and first on the Buckeyes.

While the graduate senior doesn’t have the same speed as Cambridge, a hard thing to find on any team in the country, Greene’s experience shines. The guard chooses her moments wisely and times them well, so the Buckeyes won’t lose the amount of steals per se with Greene in over Cambridge. They’ll just come in different ways.

Turnovers and defensive pressure will be key against a young Stanford side that includes only one starter who was on their roster as a regular starter last season.

Offensively, Greene’s had a quieter year but Ohio State doesn’t need the graduate senior to take over games on that side of the court. Greene patrols the floor, runs plays effectively, and finds the right outlets. Then, Greene finds time to attack when the opponent least expects it.

Madison getting our second half scoring started #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/hjsEaAKyvU

— Ohio State Women’s Basketball (@OhioStateWBB) December 14, 2024​

Click to expand...

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Another Chance at Stanford

In two seasons with the Oregon Ducks, shooting guard Chance Gray played four times against the Cardinal, each one ending with a Ducks defeat.

This season, Gray switched Oregon green for scarlet and gray, and with the change of uniform has come a change in how the guard contributes offensively. At Oregon, Gray wasn’t the primary offensive weapon, which is a completely different story with the Buckeyes.

Coach McGuff gives Gray the greenlight to shoot. Normally camped beyond the arc in the five-out system, Gray gets open looks with Cotie McMahon, Ajae Petty, and Taylor Thierry grabbing attention on the court. Leave Gray with any sort of space and a teammate will find her, with a three normally following.

Gray is making 1.3 more threes this season than any year in the Pacific Northwest. Plus, the attempts are more accurate with a career-high 44.9% efficiency rating from beyond the arc, putting her second in the Big Ten early this season.

Coming from a family of basketball, Gray is a student of the game, always has a grasp of what’s happening on the court, and stays calm. That composure is crucial for an Ohio State team with three new starters this season, herself included.

Now, Gray has the opportunity to beat the Cardinal for the first time, leading the Buckeyes scoring this year and adding needed experience to the program roster. Those previous four outings don’t mean that Gray gives Ohio State a tactical advantage on the court.

“I played against a different Stanford team,” said Gray. “I jelled well playing against them, and I found different ways to score so I can help the team in that way but obviously, we’ll have to look at film. We’ll have to see how they’ve changed.”

A positive for Gray and the Buckeyes is that Stanford no longer has forwards Cameron Brink and Kiki Iriafen on the court. With the former going to the WNBA, and the latter facing Ohio State in February after moving to USC, the Cardinal are vastly different personnel-wise.

The head coach is different too with Tara VanDerveer leaving the program after nearly 40 years at the helm. Kate Paye is the new head of the program, a former player and assistant coach for VanDerveer on the Cardinal. That means the style of play is still mostly the same, but who’s playing it is different.

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Post play​

Of the new batch of Stanford starters, forward Nunu Agara is the player to watch.

Agara is a physical 6-foot-2 big who can shoot from anywhere on the court, but most of the damage gets done inside. The forward from Minnesota can back her way to the rim, wait for an eager defender, and take contact for shots at the line, averaging 4.3 free throws per game. Agara also hits baskets with frequency in the paint and leads the Cardinal with a career-high 17.4 points per game.

Last season, Agara was behind the two All-Pac-12 players Brink and Iraifen on the depth chart, playing 13.9 minutes per game. Now, starting every game, she’s showing fans that Stanford can still retain top talent and help them grow.

Outside of the paint, Agara is still effective. Although she averages just under a three made per game, Agara hits them at a 40% clip and can drag out defenders to give more space inside. If left open, Agara will shoot and has lately with five makes in the last three games from beyond the arc.

> #GoStanford x @NunuAgara pic.twitter.com/Es8mfhI5P9

— Stanford WBB (@StanfordWBB) December 7, 2024​

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The likely matchup for Agara on the Buckeyes is forward Ajae Petty, who’s done well so far this season defending near the rim. Against the then-ranked Illinois Fighting Illini, the interior defense, including Petty, held forward Kendall Bostic to 46.7% from the floor. In four previous games against Ohio State, without Petty, the forward averaged 80%. Bostic scored 17 points but that’s because she gave up going to the basket and opted for midrange jumpers.

Petty is third on the Buckeyes in defensive rating (68.8), with fellow big Elsa Lemmilä leading the team (59.9). Between the two, they have their hands full against Agara, like they did with Bostic. That also means trying to stay out of foul trouble.

In Ohio State’s win over Illinois, Petty played only 21 minutes because of whistles going against the forward. Friday’s game against the best non-conference opponent on the schedule will mean some nerves. How Petty and Lemmilä handle it will be key.

Should they hold Agara back, it allows the other four players on the court to focus on the outside shooters of Stanford.

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