Ohio State is going to rock the championship stripes on Monday night
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Ohio State Athletics

All the Buckeye news thats fit to re-print.

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

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

You’re welcome!

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For your Earholes...​

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


Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | iHeart Radio

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On the Gridiron​

Championship DNA pic.twitter.com/qoAAwDPtnT

— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) January 16, 2025​

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Analyzing Cotton Bowl grades for Buckeyes, potential impact in title game
Austin Ward, Dotting The Eyes

Three Keys for Buckeyes in national title game against Notre Dame
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row

What Ohio State needs to do to beat Notre Dame in the National Championship
Noah Weiskopf, The Lantern

One More, Then Forever
Jack Sawyer, The Player’s Tribune

"He has been the face of this program for years. ... Jack Sawyer is the heartbeat of this team."@sportsiren on the impact of the Ohio State's star senior pic.twitter.com/x5VM6Aik1P

— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) January 16, 2025​

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TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins Could Both Achieve 1,000-Yard Rushing Seasons During CFP Title Game
Chris Lauderback, Eleven Warriors

Why Carnell Tate is seeing larger role in Ohio State passing game
Joey Kaufman, The Columbus Dispatch

Ohio State unsung heroes of the College Football Playoff
Alex Gleitman, Lettermen Row

Here are local theaters that will screen the CFP championship game
Amani Bayo, The Columbus Dispatch

Ohio State Has High Respect for Notre Dame Quarterback Riley Leonard, Whose Running Ability Makes Him Dangerous
Dan Hope, Eleven Warriors

MUST WATCH. (warning, happy tears will ensue)
A #NationalChampionship sized surprise.@KMac_DT and @caleb_downs2 share a football field at Ohio State, but they started as great childhood friends in metro Atlanta.
I sat down with a few of their elementary school teachers who got… pic.twitter.com/TFfgELzL3Z

— Maria Martin (@Ria_Martin) January 16, 2025​

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On the Hardwood​

No. 9 Ohio State extends winning streak to 17 games, buck the Badgers 80-69 in Madison
Thomas Costello, Land-Grant Holy Land


Unrest in Hoosierland: Dissecting Friday’s Indiana - Ohio State tilt with The Crimson Quarry
Connor Lemons, Land-Grant Holy Land

What To Watch: Struggling Ohio State, Indiana both in must-win posture as they meet
Steve Helwagen, Bucknuts

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And now for something completely different...​

Is he an alien? A robot? A wizard? I’m not sure, but I do know that Jeremiah Smith is HIM!

Get this awesome "Jer-HIM-iah" t-shirt from our friends at @BreakingT to commemorate the freshman's record-breaking season!https://t.co/nHjAhOAxs6

— Land-Grant Holy Land (@Landgrant33) January 16, 2025​

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Notre Dame vs Ohio State: 3 Key Buckeyes to Watch in the CFP National Championship - Sports Illustrated
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".

Notre Dame vs Ohio State: 3 Key Buckeyes to Watch in the CFP National Championship Sports Illustrated

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


Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images

Ohio State will look to snap a two-game losing streak when they host the Indiana Hoosiers tonight at Value City Arena.

Ohio State enters tonight’s game coming off a 70-68 loss at Wisconsin on Tuesday night, their second straight setback by two points. The Buckeyes were ice cold in the first half in Madison, scoring just 20 points against the Badgers in the first 20 minutes of play. With their sluggish start to the game, Ohio State went into the halftime break trailing by 17 points.

Jake Diebler’s team got their act together in the second half, chipping away at Wisconsin’s lead, outscoring the Badgers 48-33 after halftime. Ohio State pulled to within a point a couple times late in the game, but couldn’t pull ahead of the Badgers. Bruce Thornton finished with a team-high 21 points, while Devin Royal was the only other Buckeye to reach double figures, scoring 12 points in the loss.

Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images

The Buckeyes were really hurt in the loss to the Badgers by foul trouble. Ohio State committed 24 fouls in the game, resulting in Wisconsin attempting 28 free throws, almost more than double what the Buckeyes shot. Micah Parrish fouled out in the game, while Sean Stewart was charged with four fouls in just 15 minutes on the floor. The inability of Stewart to stay on the floor was a big loss since the Duke transfer led the team with eight rebounds in his limited action. Had it not been for Ohio State committing some careless fouls they likely would have beat the Badgers in Madison on Tuesday night.

The loss continues a troubling trend of January slumps for Ohio State. Since January 2023, the Buckeyes are 5-16 in the first month of the calendar year. This season Ohio State is just 1-3 in January, with their only win coming in double overtime at Minnesota last week. Following Friday night’s contest against Indiana, the Buckeyes have tough road games at Purdue and Penn State, which sandwich a home tilt with Iowa next Monday.

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Preview​

Much like Ohio State, Indiana enters tonight’s contest on a two-game losing streak. Unlike the Buckeyes, the Hoosiers haven’t been competitive during their skid. After losing 85-60 at Iowa, Indiana was embarrassed at home on Tuesday night by Illinois, 94-69. After the Hoosiers led 6-5 early in the game, the Fighting Illini broke off a 15-2 run to take the lead for good. By the time halftime hit, Illinois was leading 60-32.

The bright spot for Indiana in Tuesday’s loss was center Oumar Ballo, who finished with 16 points and 15 rebounds. The double-double was the fourth in the last five games for the Arizona transfer. Ballo is averaging 14.1 points per game and 10.1 rebounds per contest this season. If Ballo keeps up his current pace, this will be the second straight season he has averaged a double-double. Last season at Arizona, Ballo finished the season with 12.9 points per game and 10.1 rebounds per game.

There was a question of if Ballo would be able to play in Friday night’s game after the seven-footer flew in from out of nowhere to join into an end-of-game scuffle against Illinois, shoving Illini big man Tomislav Ivicic towards a row of photographers. The Big Ten conference did not issue any type of reprimand, so he will be available Friday.

Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

Along with Ballo, another important transfer this year for the Hoosiers has been guard Myles Rice, who started his college career at Washington State. After averaging 14.8 points per game for the Cougars last season, Rice is averaging 12.4 points per game in his first season in Bloomington. The sophomore from South Carolina has reach the 20-point mark in four games this season, and scored at least 12 points in four of the last five games.

Indiana has needed Rice and Ballo to pick up their scoring recently after Malik Reneau was injured early in the Rutgers game at the beginning of the month. Reneau was averaging 14.1 points per game before he was sidelined. His status for Friday night is up in the air, but earlier this week Woodson said that he’s hopeful that his star forward will be able to play.

One player who hasn’t met the moment after Reneau’s injury is Mackenzie Mgbako. The sophomore forward is 3-24 from the field over the last three games, scoring a total of 10 points during that span. Instead, Illinois transfer Luke Goode has been establishing himself as a threat at forward while Mgbako has struggled.

What was most interesting about Tuesday night’s game is it feels like the Hoosier fans are starting to turn on coach Mike Woodson, who played for Bobby Knight from 1976 to 1980. The former Atlanta Hawks and New York Knicks head coach is in his fourth year at the helm of his alma mater, compiling at 76-45 record so far. After making the NCAA Tournament in his first two seasons as head coach, last year the Hoosiers missed the big dance after finishing the regular season with a 19-14 record.

Despite their struggles last season, Indiana did sweep the regular season series with Ohio State. Following a 71-65 win over the Buckeyes at Assembly Hall in early January, the Hoosiers took down Ohio State at Value City Arena 76-73 a month later. The victories extended Indiana’s winning streak over the Buckeyes to three games, as the Hoosiers won the only meeting between the schools in the 2022-23 season. The last win for Ohio State over Indiana came back in February 2022, as the Buckeyes beat the Hoosiers 80-69 in overtime in Columbus. This will be the 201st meeting between the schools, with Indiana holding a 112-88 edge in the all-time series.

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Prediction​

Both these teams come into tonight’s game desperate for a victory. Ohio State is trying to exercise the demons of the past three Januarys, while Mike Woodson needs a victory to try and point his squad in the right direction. A win for the Hoosiers wouldn’t fix everything, but it would at least buy Woodson a little bit of time to try and quiet the calls from Indiana fans for Woodson to be relieved of his duties. No matter the winner in Columbus tonight, they’ll still have a lot of work to do if they have designs on a NCAA Tournament spot considering the depth of the Big Ten with the addition of UCLA, USC, Oregon, and Washington.

This game is going to come down to which team can capitalize on the other team missing a key player. Indiana is going to be without forward Malik Reneau, while Ohio State guard Meechie Johnson Jr. has missed the last seven games. It feels like the loss of Reneau is more of an issue for the Hoosiers than the loss of Johnson for the Buckeyes. Without Reneau, Indiana loses some of their size and scoring in the front court. Ohio State has bodies in Devin Royal, Sean Stewart, and Aaron Bradshaw to throw at Ballo. What also helps the Buckeyes are the recent struggles of Mackenzie Mgbako.

Ohio State’s home court advantage is going to give them a slight edge in this game. Not that Value City Arena is some fortress that is impossible to win at, but winning on the road in the Big Ten is extremely difficult. While Oregon was able to beat the Buckeyes in Columbus last week, Ohio State gave a ranked team their best shot and the Ducks barely escaped with a win. Right now the Hoosiers aren’t on the level of Oregon, so the Buckeyes should have a little easier time navigating the challenge they’ll face from Indiana.

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ESPN BPI: Ohio State, 77.9%
Time: 8:00 p.m. ET
TV: FOX

LGHL score prediction: Ohio State 77, Indiana 73​

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Ohio State offers pair of 2026 defensive targets, gets settled in Georgia prior to Monday’s title game
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


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

The Buckeyes remain active on the recruiting front, dishing out a pair of new offers on Thursday.

With only the weekend separating us from Ohio State versus Notre Dame in the College Football Playoff National Championship, it’s really getting down to the wire. A game that can’t get here soon enough, the team is putting the finishing touches on a plan that will hopefully leave them as the last one standing, but that’s not all this staff is taking care of while down in Atlanta.

Riding the positive momentum the postseason wins have provided, the title game preparations provide an opportunity to get some recruiting done, and that’s been evident all week. Thursday being no different, here’s a quick rundown on some of the latest headlines surrounding the Buckeyes and their football recruiting.

Ohio State offers pair of 2026 defensive targets​

Ohio State’s on-field staff is as busy as it gets prepping for Monday’s national title, and that leaves recruiting opportunities for the administrative staff, who are taking full advantage of their time on the trail. Making it known they would leave their mark in the Atlanta area before Monday’s game, Thursday proved that to be the case as new offers were dished out to not one, but two prospects in the 2026 class.

Starting with defensive end Dre Quinn, the Buckeyes have another big time edge rusher now on their radar, and he’s one worth keeping an eye on for the long haul. At 6-foot-4, 220 pounds, the 2026 athlete has nearly 30 offers to his name, and from the likes of Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Georgia, LSU, Tennessee, and several others with the latest addition of course being Ohio State.

The No. 327 player nationally and the 27th best edge rusher in the class per the 247Sports Composite and an offer list already in tact, it’s not a surprise to also see the Buckeyes try and get in the mix here. What doesn’t hurt either is seeing how well Ohio State’s defensive line is playing during this postseason. With the combination of guys recruiting for this position group, there’s no reason as to why the success can’t continue.

The Buckeyes make it a priority to recruit the state of Georgia in every cycle, and rightfully so. With how much elite talent the state has to offer, you’d be foolish to not spend ample time building relationships with the prospects throughout the state, and Quinn is just the next in line to hear from the Buckeyes defensive line unit.

#AGTG Extremely Blessed to receive my 26th offer from @OhioStateFB ! #GoBucks @N_Murph @GACFootball @CoachBuzzAldrin @Mhoward38 @CoachBeck56 pic.twitter.com/XxZ0iYo2Yh

— Dre Quinn 4 ️ Edge (@Dre2Quinn) January 16, 2025​

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In addition to Quinn, Ohio State felt the need for a double-dip on the defensive side of the ball on Thursday, and did so by also offering defensive back prospect, Peyton Dyer. Another Atlanta, Georgia native, Dyer is a 6-foot, 190 pound cornerback, and is currently committed to South Carolina since November of 2024.

Maybe a bit under the radar as a three-star prospect, Dyer still holds an impressive list of offers that includes Georgia, Florida, Michigan, Texas A&M, and plenty of others worth boating about. Being committed elsewhere, it’s interesting to see Ohio State throw their name into the mix, but if they’re doing so clearly there’s a good reason as to why.

The No. 366 player nationally and 28th best cornerback in the class per the 247Sports Composite, the Buckeyes found success in Georgia for their 2025 class with the cornerback position specifically, and looks as if they’ll try to do the same in the next cycle.

Likely not the last couple of players this staff offers from the Peach State, the Buckeyes are constantly in evaluation mode. Georgia is a place where they can remain true the entire recruiting class. Talent galore, it’s only a matter of time before more new names come to the surface.

@OhioStateFB Offered! #StillCommitted!@N_Murph @OGWalt_ @AnnaH247 @ChadSimmons_ @SWiltfong_ @coach_dirt @Coach_Cam_Jones pic.twitter.com/sRKc2jZDE1

— Peyton "ManMan" Dyer (@sauljerediah) January 16, 2025​

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Snag a ‘Jer-HIM-iah Smith’ t-shirt to celebrate the freshman’s record-breaking season
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here



Is he an alien? A robot? A wizard? I’m not sure, but I do know that he is HIM!

Is Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith an alien? A robot? Some other form of magical being? Neither I, nor the world’s greatest scientists, have yet been able to make that determination, but one thing that we all know is that Jeremiah Smith is HIM! In fact, you can call the freshman phenom Jer-HIM-iah Smith.

To commemorate the rookie’s record-breaking season, our pals over at BreakingT have released a new t-shirt informing everyone across the college football world of how to properly pronounce this icon’s name.

Smith’s 1,227 yards, 14 touchdowns, and 71 receptions are all Ohio State freshman records, demolishing the marks set by Hall of Famer Cris Carter 40 years ago during the 1984 season. So, while the Texas Longhorns might have had a quarter of their defense focused solely on shutting him down, I’m predicting an impressive return to form against Notre Dame in the national championship game.

Get Your “Jer-HIM-iah” T-Shirt Now!​

In addition to this Jeremiah Smith-focused shirt, BreakingT has also recently released an instantly iconic Scoop & Sawyer shirt, as well as a “The Legend of Captain Jack” T, as well. All shirts are incredibly soft and durable and BreakingT has the design in adult and child t-shirt and hoodie sizes as well as women’s v-neck t-shirt sizes as well.

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This Ohio State Buckeye Is Primed For A Massive Game Against Notre Dame - Sports Illustrated
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".

This Ohio State Buckeye Is Primed For A Massive Game Against Notre Dame Sports Illustrated

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Ohio State Buckeyes' Ryan Day Reveals Teams Primary Focus - Sports Illustrated
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".

Ohio State Buckeyes' Ryan Day Reveals Teams Primary Focus Sports Illustrated

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Celebrate Ohio State’s national title appearance with a Welcome to Atlanta bobblehead
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here



Take a trip to the Dirty South with Brutus Buckeye!

Buckeye fans, we are taking a road trip to the Dirty South as the Ohio State Buckeyes will face off with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the College Football Playoff National Championship game on Monday, Jan. 20 in Atlanta. And whether or not you are making the trip to the ATL, we all know that Brutus Buckeye will be.

So, to commemorate the epic road trip, the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum has released a special celebratory, limited edition bobblehead in honor of the title matchup in Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Purchase Your Brutus Welcome to Atlanta Bobblehead!​

Every bobblehead stands 8 inches tall and is individually numbered up to 2,025 and features everybody’s favorite nut-headed mascot standing on a textured highway base with a ball in one hand and a suitcase in the other. He is flanked by the iconic Block O logo on his right and by a sign that reads “Welcome To Atlanta” on the left.

“We’re excited to unveil this special bobblehead celebrating the Ohio State Buckeyes’ trip to Atlanta as the team looks to capture the school’s ninth football National Championship,” National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum co-founder and CEO Phil Sklar said. “This bobblehead is the perfect way for OSU fans, alumni, students, faculty, and staff to commemorate the trip to Atlanta and show off their school pride!”

These bobbleheads are available for preorder, so get yours now to add to the celebration for after the Buckeyes win the title on Monday night.

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No. 9 Ohio State extends winning streak to 17 games, buck the Badgers 80-69 in Madison
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Ohio State women’s basketball on Twitter | @OhioStateWBB

Despite a strong shooting game from beyond the arc for the Badgers, the combo of Chance Gray and Jaloni Cambridge was too much for Wisconsin to handle.

No. 9 Ohio State women’s basketball (17-0, 6-0) traveled north Thursday to face the Wisconsin Badgers (10-8, 1-6). Despite a strong shooting game from deep and a double-double for Serah Williams, guards Chance Gray and Jaloni Cambridge combined for 49 points to defeat the Badgers 80-69.

The strategy for the Wisconsin Badgers was clear in the first half — take the three-point shot. With forward Serah Williams and center Carter McCray taking attention inside the post, Wisconsin guards had an efficient first half that kept the game close for the home side.

In the first quarter, the Badgers went 3-of-7 with guard Tess Myers hitting two, mainly from open looks with the Buckeyes sending help near the basket for the duo of Wisconsin bigs. At the start of the second quarter, Ohio State looked like they adjusted to the deep threat, but it was short-lived, with Wisconsin going 4-of-8 in the second quarter. Myers handed the baton to Lily Krahn, who hit two before halftime.

Deep shooting accounted for 21 of the Badgers' 32 points in the first quarter. The plan looked similar to what the Michigan Wolverines did against Ohio State in the first half in Ann Arbor on Jan. 8. This time, it didn’t mean the Buckeyes had an uphill battle. Freshman Jaloni Cambridge was a spark in the first half, helping the visitors go up seven points at halftime.

first half points from @OhioStateWBB’s Jaloni Cambridge #B1GWBBall pic.twitter.com/eKvH6pj3pr

— Big Ten Women's Basketball (@B1Gwbball) January 17, 2025​

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Cambridge scored 19 points in the first half, hitting six shots in a row at one point, going 8-of-10 from the floor. The freshman did it inside the paint, hopping through defenders or running right past them. Then, Cambridge moved to the midrange and also one from beyond the arc.

No matter what the Badgers did to try to stop Cambridge, it didn't work. The freshman’s play was one of three key areas that stood out in the first two quarters. On top of that, the Buckeyes only gave away one turnover in the first half and Williams scored only five points on 2-of-10 shooting.

In the third quarter, the deep shooting slowed for the home side but with that subsiding, Williams began hitting her stride. Wisconsin’s leading scorer had 15 points in the quarter on 6-of-6 shooting. No matter what the Buckeyes tried, Williams still got to the basket either with a shot or earning whistles.

Tess Myers has 15 PTS for @BadgerWBB

She cuts the Buckeye lead down to 3 #B1GWBBall on Peacock pic.twitter.com/oCZE2Fewy2

— Big Ten Women's Basketball (@B1Gwbball) January 17, 2025​

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With 2:12 remaining in the third, Wisconsin cut the Ohio State lead to three points, causing an incensed head coach Kevin McGuff to call a timeout. McGuff complained to the referees about a quarter of basketball where the Buckeyes committed five fouls compared to one for the home side, with Wisconsin playing physically inside the paint.

Regardless of the whistles, Ohio State’s defense struggled in the third quarter, allowing a 53.3 percent shooting quarter for the Badgers. Even with Wisconsin knocking down some shots in the third quarter, the Buckeyes hit timely shots down the stretch and extended their lead back up to nine points by the time the quarter ended, 63-54.

Ohio State lost a key starter to foul trouble with 8:39 left in the game. That’s when Taylor Thierry fouled out. She finished Thursday night’s game with four points on 1-of-3 shooting, plus two rebounds. Most of those five fouls for Thierry came trying to stop Williams. McGuff asked the officiating crew to confirm it was five fouls, with the Ohio State coach believing it was only four. Referees confirmed the five fouls and Thierry was done.

The Buckeyes started the final quarter scoring 10 of the first 13 points, but Wisconsin took advantage of Ohio State losing Thierry’s size inside alongside forward Ajae Petty. In less than two game minutes, the Badgers cut a 16-point Buckeyes lead to 10 points.

Coach McGuff’s side held on and extended the lead out of the fourth quarter media timeout, giving the Buckeyes their 17th game in a row.

Cambridge led Scarlet and Gray scorers with 27 points, seven rebounds and four assists. Gray wasn’t too far behind, scoring 22 points on 5-of-9 shooting from deep. Forward Cotie McMahon scored 17 points, with a lot of skill shown by the junior in her fadeaway midrange shot.

Wisconsin had three players in double figures, with Williams scoring 20 points with an absurd 17 rebounds (five offensive rebounds) against the Scarlet and Gray interior defense. Myers scored 18 points, with all of them coming from beyond the arc.

What’s Next​

The Buckeyes are on the road again Sunday, Jan. 19, this time in Pennsylvania to take on the Penn State Nittany Lions. Penn State is one of four teams without a win in conference play this season.

Ohio State has 15 wins in the last 16 against the Nittany Lions, with the lone loss coming on Feb. 24, 2021, a two-point defeat in University Park.

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Ohio State Has High Respect for Notre Dame Quarterback Riley Leonard, Whose Running Ability Makes Him Dangerou - Eleven Warriors
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".

Ohio State Has High Respect for Notre Dame Quarterback Riley Leonard, Whose Running Ability Makes Him Dangerou Eleven Warriors

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Buckeyes Head Out to Indianapolis for Second Indoor Meet - Ohio State University
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".

Buckeyes Head Out to Indianapolis for Second Indoor Meet Ohio State University

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Three Keys for Buckeyes in national title game against Notre Dame - On3.com
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Three Keys for Buckeyes in national title game against Notre Dame On3.com

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Bucketheads Podcast: Buckeyes drop another road heartbreaker, L.C. Norton joins to preview IU-OSU
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 John Fisher/Getty Images

The Crimson Quarry’s managing editor helps us break down the Friday night’s battle between the Buckeyes and Hoosiers.

“Bucketheads” is LGHL’s men’s basketball podcast, hosted by Connor Lemons and Justin Golba. In every episode, they give you the latest scoop on the Ohio State Buckeyes and everything else happening in college hoops.

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Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio

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For episode 145 of Bucketheads, Connor and Justin were joined by L.C. Norton of The Crimson Quarry to preview the upcoming Indiana vs. Ohio State matchup on Friday.

Before we talk with L.C., we discuss the Buckeyes’ recent home loss to Oregon and a road loss to Wisconsin. What went wrong for Ohio State down the stretch? How was Wisconsin able to open up a 17-point lead in the first half? We also discuss Aaron Bradshaw only playing eight minutes against the Badgers.

Then, we get into our interview with L.C. What is happening with Indiana and Mike Woodson, and how can Indiana turn it around? Also, what weaknesses can Ohio State head coach Jake Diebler take advantage of to hopefully snap a three-game losing streak against IU?

Remember to like and subscribe to the podcast wherever you listen, leave a comment ,and review!

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Connect with the Podcast:
Twitter: @BucketheadsLGPN

Connect with Connor:
Twitter: @lemons_connor

Connect with Justin:
Twitter: @justin_golba

Connect with L.C.:
Twitter: ByLCNorton

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ESPN's Paul Finebaum says the SEC is rooting against the 'Big Bad Guy' in National Championship Game - AtoZ Sports
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ESPN's Paul Finebaum says the SEC is rooting against the 'Big Bad Guy' in National Championship Game AtoZ Sports

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Will Ohio State or Notre Dame win it all? - NBC Sports
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Will Ohio State or Notre Dame win it all? NBC Sports

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‘One more, then forever’: Jack Sawyer depicts his Ohio State football journey in Players' Tribune - cleveland.com
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‘One more, then forever’: Jack Sawyer depicts his Ohio State football journey in Players' Tribune cleveland.com

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‘One more, then forever’: Jack Sawyer depicts his Ohio State football journey in Players' Tribune - cleveland.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".

‘One more, then forever’: Jack Sawyer depicts his Ohio State football journey in Players' Tribune cleveland.com

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Blue Jackets, Red Wings players pranked with Ohio State jerseys - The Columbus Dispatch
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Blue Jackets, Red Wings players pranked with Ohio State jerseys The Columbus Dispatch

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Ohio State kick TikTok star Caden Davis off the football team just days before national championship game - Daily Mail
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Ohio State kick TikTok star Caden Davis off the football team just days before national championship game Daily Mail

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"The Stars Are in Alignment" Notre Dame vs. Buckeyes - PR Newswire
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"The Stars Are in Alignment" Notre Dame vs. Buckeyes PR Newswire

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Visiting Locker Room: Badgers Ball Knower talks Wisconsin women’s basketball
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Mark Stewart / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Discussing, and lamenting, the 2024-25 Wisconsin Badgers women’s basketball team.

Ohio State women’s basketball is one of three remaining undefeated teams in Division-I basketball. The Buckeyes are 16-0 despite replacing three starters and playing with 10-player active roster, all the while with a freshman running point and pushing the Scarlet and Gray to the top of the early Big Ten standings.

For Wisconsin, the Badgers started the conference strong with a win over the Rutgers Scarlet Knights, but followed it with five straight losses to the likes of the Indiana Hoosiers, Minnesota Golden Gophers and Maryland Terrapins.

Even so, the Badgers have an All-American caliber forward in Serah Williams and a returning roster featuring 75.7 percent of their 2023-24 scoring core. To learn more about the Badgers from someone who knows them well, Land-Grant Holy Land talked with Drew Hamm from the independent Badgers Ball Knower blog.

Not only does Hamm know all there is to know about the Badgers, he also creates an annual conference preview document that even Maryland head coach Brenda Frese supports.

Here’s what he had to say about Wisconsin, in the Visiting Locker Room:

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Land-Grant Holy Land: Head coach Marisa Moseley brought in Carter McCray from the Horizon League this offseason, and the move to the Big Ten hasn’t been too big of a jump for the sophomore. How has she helped the Badgers?

Badgers Ball Knower: McCray had a dominant season at Northern Kentucky as a freshman, especially rebounding the ball, and her move to the Big Ten this year has certainly been more of a challenge, but not an insurmountable one. She and Serah Williams have sometimes formed a bit of an awkward partnership in the post, as Williams is slowly developing an outside game and McCray has a mostly non-existent one, and they can sometimes find themselves trying to occupy the same area.

Being out there with Williams has also cut into McCray’s overall rebounding numbers, but her rebounding rates (98th percentile off. rebounding; 78th percentile def. rebounding) are still excellent. She is also scoring at an extremely efficient clip, sporting a 60.7% eFG% (96th%) and averaging 1.02 PPP (94th%). Her usage is down but that efficiency is up, which is what you like to see, baby!

Per Torvik’s ratings, McCray is the second most valuable player on the Badgers and I think the eye test would probably say the same thing. When she aggressively attacks the basket there aren’t a ton of players who can keep her away from the rim, however at 6-foot-1 she can be overwhelmed by taller post players defensively.

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LGHL: Serah Williams is having another Serah Williams-esque season for Wisconsin. What is Williams doing differently this year than her previous two?

BBK: For the Badgers to have a chance to upset Ohio State (or beat anyone remaining on the schedule) Serah Williams has to be at her best. During this current five-game losing streak, Williams has had four of her worst five offensive ratings of the year and I’m no rocket doctor but I’d guess those two things are highly correlated. Now, she is still playing at an All-Big Ten level overall, she is just in a slump which she is slowly breaking out of.

There are actually a number of things that Williams has improved on from last year. She has better and more varied post moves this year; her mid-range game is looking better; her turnovers are down, despite her usage being up; and she has wildly improved her passing, especially out of double teams. Her assist rate of 21.3 this season blows her career best mark from last year (8.6) out of the water.

The one disappointing thing so far has been that she is performing far worse against the top teams on UW’s schedule so it’s pretty lucky that Ohio State is only…undefeated and ranked in the top-10. Uh-oh.

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LGHL: The move to a 15-team Big Ten Tournament has turned the bottom of the standings into something like a soccer relegation battle, with teams hoping to avoid being relegated to the couch in the first weekend of March. Right now, the Badgers are in 14th place. Looking at their remaining schedule, do you see Wisconsin staying in the top 15?

BBK: Short answer? No.

Long answer? Still “no” but I’ll give you a few reasons! The main one is this: the Big Ten is a very good conference and Wisconsin isn’t anywhere close to being a very good team. Per Torvik, Wisconsin is favored to win in one (home vs. Northwestern) of their remaining 12 games. While the Badgers probably ARE better than the Wildcats, NU is 9-1 in their last 10 games against Wisconsin soooooo, you know.

The Badgers have already beaten Rutgers, one of the teams below them in the standings, and have matchups against Purdue, Northwestern, and Penn State upcoming, but by the time the game against the Boilermakers comes around, Wisconsin will quite likely be on a nine-game losing streak. That doesn’t really scream “ready to beat Purdue on the road to secure a much-needed win for Big Ten Tournament qualification” to me.

This has been a frustrating season for Wisconsin. It’s Year 4 of Marisa Moseley’s tenure and while the team has improved their win total in each of her first three seasons there hasn’t really been a moment where you felt the team was close to breaking through from the bottom of the conference. They are probably the worst recruiting team in the Big Ten despite playing in a state that produces a surprising amount of national-level talent. There don’t seem to be any AAU connections that Moseley has developed either as many of her recent recruits have been from overseas.

Southern Cal and UCLA are obviously going to be top teams in the Big Ten moving forward and Wisconsin is nowhere close to being in their ballpark, but last week UW was in the Pacific Northwest for a two-game road trip and got absolutely blasted by Oregon AND Washington. Winning at Wisconsin in women’s basketball shouldn’t be as difficult as it has been for, oh, just about ever and yet here we are once again! I could go on, but I feel like I’ve gone off the rails already for this single-game preview on an Ohio State blog.

Anyways, if Wisconsin keeps the deficit below 20 on Thursday, I’m counting it as a win.

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