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LGHL Ohio State women’s basketball moves to No. 8 in AP poll
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Ohio State women’s basketball moves to No. 8 in AP poll
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 Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
After two close wins, and some help around the NCAA, the Buckeyes move up in weekly polling
Last week of NCAA women’s basketball was interesting, to say the least. For Ohio State women’s basketball, it faced two teams it struggled against during the 22-23 campaign. While the Buckeyes had struggles again against the Illinois Fighting Illini and Purdue Boilermakers, head coach Kevin McGuff’s side still came out on top in both. The wins, and a lot of shakeups around the country, move the Buckeyes up to No. 8 in Monday’s AP poll.
How much help did Ohio State get exactly? Of the top 25 teams in the poll, 12 lost last week. Of those 12 sides, six were ranked ahead of the Buckeyes No. 12 spot. Including two teams that the scarlet and gray lost to already this season.
The then No. 2 and No. 11 UCLA Bruins and USC Trojans each suffered defeats in Pac-12 play. UCLA lost to the 16-5 Washington State Cougars 85-82, although the defeat was without center Lauren Betts. For the Trojans, it was a 62-59 loss at the hands of the 14-5 Washington Huskies.
Elsewhere in the top 11 teams, the then No. 10 Texas Longhorns fell to its Oklahoma Sooner rivals. Plus, ranked defeats for the No. 9 LSU Tigers against the No. 1 South Carolina Gamecocks, No. 8 UConn Huskies losing to No. 15 Notre Dame (who also lost to No. 22 Syracuse midweek) and the No. 3 Colorado Buffaloes losing to the No. 25 Oregon State Beavers.
Basically, pure havoc from top to bottom across Power Five conferences and beyond. That put the NCAA voters in quite the predicament in choosing the latest top 25 ranking.
In the Big Ten, the three teams who’ve consistently represented the conference are all still part of the conversation. The Iowa Hawkeyes moved up to No. 3 after dropping to No. 5 following last Sunday’s defeat to the Buckeyes. The Indiana Hoosiers, who played once, defeating the Northwestern Wildcats 100-59, also benefited from the chaos ahead of them, moving from No. 14 to No. 10.
Although no other Big Ten teams made the top 25, attention is starting to trickle down to the Penn State Nittany Lions. Reinvigorated with the addition of a now-healthy guard Ashley Owusu, the Nittany Lions are on a five-game winning streak, including a 112-76 win over the Maryland Terrapins, earning the Pennsylvania side a vote.
The NET rankings, also released Monday, put six Big Ten teams in the top 30. Along with the Buckeyes, Hawkeyes and Hoosiers are the Michigan State Spartans at No. 20, Nittany Lions at No. 26 and the Nebraska Cornhuskers right behind Penn State at No. 27.
Both weekly rankings are likely to change in the coming week for the Buckeyes. Following a home game against the Wisconsin Badgers on Thursday, the scarlet and gray welcome the crimson of No. 10 Indiana Sunday at noon.
Continue reading...
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 Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
After two close wins, and some help around the NCAA, the Buckeyes move up in weekly polling
Last week of NCAA women’s basketball was interesting, to say the least. For Ohio State women’s basketball, it faced two teams it struggled against during the 22-23 campaign. While the Buckeyes had struggles again against the Illinois Fighting Illini and Purdue Boilermakers, head coach Kevin McGuff’s side still came out on top in both. The wins, and a lot of shakeups around the country, move the Buckeyes up to No. 8 in Monday’s AP poll.
How much help did Ohio State get exactly? Of the top 25 teams in the poll, 12 lost last week. Of those 12 sides, six were ranked ahead of the Buckeyes No. 12 spot. Including two teams that the scarlet and gray lost to already this season.
The then No. 2 and No. 11 UCLA Bruins and USC Trojans each suffered defeats in Pac-12 play. UCLA lost to the 16-5 Washington State Cougars 85-82, although the defeat was without center Lauren Betts. For the Trojans, it was a 62-59 loss at the hands of the 14-5 Washington Huskies.
Elsewhere in the top 11 teams, the then No. 10 Texas Longhorns fell to its Oklahoma Sooner rivals. Plus, ranked defeats for the No. 9 LSU Tigers against the No. 1 South Carolina Gamecocks, No. 8 UConn Huskies losing to No. 15 Notre Dame (who also lost to No. 22 Syracuse midweek) and the No. 3 Colorado Buffaloes losing to the No. 25 Oregon State Beavers.
Basically, pure havoc from top to bottom across Power Five conferences and beyond. That put the NCAA voters in quite the predicament in choosing the latest top 25 ranking.
In the Big Ten, the three teams who’ve consistently represented the conference are all still part of the conversation. The Iowa Hawkeyes moved up to No. 3 after dropping to No. 5 following last Sunday’s defeat to the Buckeyes. The Indiana Hoosiers, who played once, defeating the Northwestern Wildcats 100-59, also benefited from the chaos ahead of them, moving from No. 14 to No. 10.
Although no other Big Ten teams made the top 25, attention is starting to trickle down to the Penn State Nittany Lions. Reinvigorated with the addition of a now-healthy guard Ashley Owusu, the Nittany Lions are on a five-game winning streak, including a 112-76 win over the Maryland Terrapins, earning the Pennsylvania side a vote.
The NET rankings, also released Monday, put six Big Ten teams in the top 30. Along with the Buckeyes, Hawkeyes and Hoosiers are the Michigan State Spartans at No. 20, Nittany Lions at No. 26 and the Nebraska Cornhuskers right behind Penn State at No. 27.
Both weekly rankings are likely to change in the coming week for the Buckeyes. Following a home game against the Wisconsin Badgers on Thursday, the scarlet and gray welcome the crimson of No. 10 Indiana Sunday at noon.
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2026 GA CB Dorian Barney (Alabama Decommit)
- By pnuts34
- Football Recruiting
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247
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HudL
Class: 2026
Position: CB
School: Carrollton (GA) Carrollton
Height: 6-foot-1
Weight: 175 lbs.
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Rivals
HudL
Class: 2026
Position: CB
School: Carrollton (GA) Carrollton
Height: 6-foot-1
Weight: 175 lbs.
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LGHL Cotie McMahon’s switch from pure scorer to do-it-all forward for Ohio State women’s basketball
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Cotie McMahon’s switch from pure scorer to do-it-all forward for Ohio State 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
Photo by Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
How the sophomore star is breaking through the zone in new ways, benefiting everyone on the Buckeyes.
The loss of a history-making three-point shooter is going to impact any team. Ohio State women’s basketball had to work through that transition this season with the graduation of the player with the second most three-point shots in a career, Taylor Mikesell.
The question over and over again was “who fills her shoes from beyond the arc?” Sophomore forward Cotie McMahon is proving that those who wanted an answer were asking the wrong question.
Last season, McMahon debuted for Ohio State, and hasn’t been left off a starting lineup since. For a season and a half, McMahon’s used speed, agility and desire to get her way around opponents in the paint. The work amassing an impressive highlight reel including spins, jumps and taking contact — all of which turning into high-scoring games and memorable performances.
Sunday against the Purdue Boilermakers had the same impact, albeit in ways that aren’t likely to show up on a Big Ten Network hype video.
In West Lafayette, Indiana, McMahon entered the fourth quarter with only five points scored to her name. Even so, the sophomore was flirting with a triple-double. It was clear evidence of the growth of McMahon’s game.
“We’ve been running our zone offense through the middle of the floor quite a bit with Cotie (McMahon),” said head coach Kevin McGuff. “And, you know, they kind of, they guarded her and she did a good job passing the ball.”
By the end of the third quarter, McMahon already had seven assists, tying a career high. McMahon ended the day with 10 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists, good for her third double-double in a row, matching her overall freshman season total.
“When teams go zone, it kind of helps us more than they think it hurts us,” said McMahon. “People draw their attention towards me, which leaves Rebeka (Mikulášiková) open on the post, or just people open on the perimeter.”
Forward Rebeka Mikulášiková’s team leading 15 points featured 10 of those points initiated by a McMahon pass. It came on a day where the Buckeyes needed all they could get from the inside game, with perimeter shooting struggling.
The workload of McMahon is a stark contrast to where the sophomore was at the end of the 2023 calendar. Following a five point, one assist, game for McMahon against the Michigan Wolverines on Dec. 30, where foul trouble held her to only 17 minutes, Coach McGuff’s heralded the work McMahon’s put in during practice. It’s helped McMahon reach a new level that was on display in Sunday’s 71-68 win over Purdue.
Since the start of 2024, McMahon is close to averaging a double-double in Ohio State’s seven game winning streak, scoring 15.1 points and grabbing 8.3 rebounds per contest. In the last three games, McMahon’s grabbed a combined 36 rebounds, leading the Buckeyes in each game. Then throw in eight assists for McMahon on Sunday and the forward looks like she’s only just getting started.
McMahon’s individual growth is one of the things improving for Ohio State as the end of the Big Ten schedule approaches. Although Purdue guard Abbey Ellis found open space on Sunday, to the tune of 14 second half points coming mostly on open three-point shots, the Buckeyes half court defense is improving. The evidence of that stronger defenses in games like Thursday when Ohio State held a surging Illinois Fighting Illini to 59 points or keeping the Michigan State Spartans to 20 points fewer than its season average.
Should opponents’ defensive zone continue its focus on McMahon, and the scarlet and gray’s outside shooting finds consistency, the individual attention won’t last long. Improving team shooting puts the Buckeyes one step closer to a performance peak at the right time: The postseason.
Another byproduct of better shooting is that it opens McMahon up to not only drive and dish to teammates, but have repeat performances like her 33 point game against the then-No. 2 Iowa Hawkeyes.
While Ohio State’s two games last week didn’t feature the best shooting or 100-point games, there’s a silver lining in the narrow victories. It’s the solace of knowing that no matter how defenses play McMahon, there’s going to be a positive impact when the sophomore is on the court.
Continue reading...
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 Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
How the sophomore star is breaking through the zone in new ways, benefiting everyone on the Buckeyes.
The loss of a history-making three-point shooter is going to impact any team. Ohio State women’s basketball had to work through that transition this season with the graduation of the player with the second most three-point shots in a career, Taylor Mikesell.
The question over and over again was “who fills her shoes from beyond the arc?” Sophomore forward Cotie McMahon is proving that those who wanted an answer were asking the wrong question.
Last season, McMahon debuted for Ohio State, and hasn’t been left off a starting lineup since. For a season and a half, McMahon’s used speed, agility and desire to get her way around opponents in the paint. The work amassing an impressive highlight reel including spins, jumps and taking contact — all of which turning into high-scoring games and memorable performances.
Sunday against the Purdue Boilermakers had the same impact, albeit in ways that aren’t likely to show up on a Big Ten Network hype video.
In West Lafayette, Indiana, McMahon entered the fourth quarter with only five points scored to her name. Even so, the sophomore was flirting with a triple-double. It was clear evidence of the growth of McMahon’s game.
“We’ve been running our zone offense through the middle of the floor quite a bit with Cotie (McMahon),” said head coach Kevin McGuff. “And, you know, they kind of, they guarded her and she did a good job passing the ball.”
By the end of the third quarter, McMahon already had seven assists, tying a career high. McMahon ended the day with 10 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists, good for her third double-double in a row, matching her overall freshman season total.
“When teams go zone, it kind of helps us more than they think it hurts us,” said McMahon. “People draw their attention towards me, which leaves Rebeka (Mikulášiková) open on the post, or just people open on the perimeter.”
Forward Rebeka Mikulášiková’s team leading 15 points featured 10 of those points initiated by a McMahon pass. It came on a day where the Buckeyes needed all they could get from the inside game, with perimeter shooting struggling.
The workload of McMahon is a stark contrast to where the sophomore was at the end of the 2023 calendar. Following a five point, one assist, game for McMahon against the Michigan Wolverines on Dec. 30, where foul trouble held her to only 17 minutes, Coach McGuff’s heralded the work McMahon’s put in during practice. It’s helped McMahon reach a new level that was on display in Sunday’s 71-68 win over Purdue.
Since the start of 2024, McMahon is close to averaging a double-double in Ohio State’s seven game winning streak, scoring 15.1 points and grabbing 8.3 rebounds per contest. In the last three games, McMahon’s grabbed a combined 36 rebounds, leading the Buckeyes in each game. Then throw in eight assists for McMahon on Sunday and the forward looks like she’s only just getting started.
McMahon’s individual growth is one of the things improving for Ohio State as the end of the Big Ten schedule approaches. Although Purdue guard Abbey Ellis found open space on Sunday, to the tune of 14 second half points coming mostly on open three-point shots, the Buckeyes half court defense is improving. The evidence of that stronger defenses in games like Thursday when Ohio State held a surging Illinois Fighting Illini to 59 points or keeping the Michigan State Spartans to 20 points fewer than its season average.
Should opponents’ defensive zone continue its focus on McMahon, and the scarlet and gray’s outside shooting finds consistency, the individual attention won’t last long. Improving team shooting puts the Buckeyes one step closer to a performance peak at the right time: The postseason.
Another byproduct of better shooting is that it opens McMahon up to not only drive and dish to teammates, but have repeat performances like her 33 point game against the then-No. 2 Iowa Hawkeyes.
While Ohio State’s two games last week didn’t feature the best shooting or 100-point games, there’s a silver lining in the narrow victories. It’s the solace of knowing that no matter how defenses play McMahon, there’s going to be a positive impact when the sophomore is on the court.
Continue reading...
LGHL You’re Nuts: When will Ohio State mens basketball finally end its B1G road losing streak?
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You’re Nuts: When will Ohio State mens basketball finally end its B1G road losing streak?
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Dylan Widger-USA TODAY Sports
The Buckeyes have to win a Big Ten road game eventually... right?
Everybody knows that one of the best parts of being a sports fan is debating and dissecting the most (and least) important questions in the sporting world with your friends. So, we’re bringing that to the pages of LGHL with our favorite head-to-head column: You’re Nuts.
In You’re Nuts, two LGHL staff members will take differing sides of one question and argue their opinions passionately. Then, in the end, it’s up to you to determine who’s right and who’s nuts.
The Ohio State men’s basketball team dropped yet another Big Ten road game this past weekend, making it 40 consecutive such losses dating back to 2019... Alright, so 40 is a lie. You got me. But it certainly feels like 40 losses and four-plus years since the Buckeyes last won a conference road game.
In reality, OSU has lost just (italicized for sarcasm) 14 consecutive Big Ten roadies, with their last conference road win coming on Jan. 1, 2023. And oh, what a glorious day that was (more sarcasm). Just a few hours earlier, as the ball dropped to signify a new year, the Buckeyes’ football team was having their heart(s) ripped out and stepped on and then thrown into incoming traffic.
A bit grim? Perhaps. But I can’t hide that the increasingly dark Chris Holtmann era has me feeling some type of way (shoutout to Rich Homie Quan).
14 consecutive Big Ten road losses is downright embarrassing. As is Ohio State’s 8-21 total conference record over the past two seasons. Especially if/when you remember that the Buckeyes were 24-16 in the B1G in the two seasons prior to 2022-23. And they won 11+ conference games in four of Holtmann’s first five seasons.
So they weren’t hanging banners, but they weren’t bad either! Now the Scarlet and Gray find themselves in a race to the bottom of the B1G, with Holtmann driving the bus and pressing the pedal to the metal.
Even worse, fans are developing apathy. Nobody wants to consume a bad, boring product, which is what OSU men’s basketball has become. And for those who say that the Big Ten has gotten better or that the standard should change/has changed, give me a break.
Simply put, Holtmann has failed to meet expectations in recent years. Since the 2017-18 season, his teams have not exceeded 21 total wins or finished in the top-3 of the regular season conference standings. Meaning that this season will, in all likelihood, mark six straight in which Ohio State falls short of the aforementioned benchmarks.
For comparison purposes, neither Jim O’Brien nor Thad Matta put together more than two consecutive seasons without reaching 22 wins and/or a top-3 finish in the Big Ten... Because they were fired/forced to resign after just a few lackluster campaigns! Sure, O’Brien had some other things going on, but the point remains: Holtmann has been clinging to mediocrity for half a decade. And don’t get me started on his lack of success in March!
With that out of the way and out of my system, it is time to address today’s topic/question for You’re Nuts, which was posed by my partner Gene Ross. He asked, “When will the Ohio State men’s basketball team end their Big Ten road losing streak?” And I actually have a few predictions.
First, I predict that OSU will not win a B1G roadie until sometime next season. Feb. 22 (this season) at Minnesota seems like a possibility. As does the team’s regular season finale at Rutgers on March 10. But unfortunately, I cannot sit here with any level of confidence and say that I expect the Buckeyes to win on the road for the remainder of this season... Primarily because of their coach.
For that reason, I also predict that Chris Holtmann will no longer be the coach of the Buckeyes when they win their next B1G roadie, sometime in December of 2024 or January of 2025. That last part sounds depressing, but Ohio State only has five more opportunities this season, and then I think it will be time for Holtmann and the program to part ways.
I am typically not one to call for anyone’s job, but Holtmann simply is not and has not been getting it done. If he were to lose 19-straight conference road games, there would be no justification whatsoever for retaining him as the Buckeyes’ coach, even if Gene Smith is on his way out — and things seem to be trending in that direction.
It’s a bummer, Gene, but that’s what I got. OSU will not win another Big Ten road game until Holtmann is swapped out for... Thad Matta, perhaps? Can I interest you in a reunion?
Just throwing it out there.
I’m not going to pretend that I'm the world’s biggest Ohio State men’s basketball fan out there. In reality, I’ve probably watched the women’s team more this season, as it has been a far superior product than the alternative — shoutout those lady Bucks!
That being said, things are not looking so good for Chris Holtmann’s group, both in a literal and a metaphorical sense. The Buckeyes have dropped five of their last six games, and as Josh already touched on, an almost-impossible 14 consecutive losses on the road against Big Ten opponents dating back to last season. To draw even more attention to the streak, Ohio State’s most recent performance on the road was one of its worst: an 83-58 loss to Northwestern, a team that ranks in the bottom third of the conference in scoring.
If Ohio State is going to right the shape and finally earn that elusive road victory before the end of the 2023-24 campaign, it only has a few more opportunities to do so. The Buckeyes only have 11 games left in the regular season, and five of those are on the road: at Iowa on Feb. 2, at Wisconsin on Feb. 13, at Minnesota on Feb. 22, at Michigan State on Feb. 5 and the regular season finale at Rutgers on March 10.
Of those five teams, the Buckeyes have already played three of them at home, defeating both Minnesota and Rutgers in Columbus and losing to Wisconsin 71-60. Ohio State’s only meetings this year against the Hawkeyes and the Spartans both take place on the road, with the two conference foes each currently sitting with identical Big Ten (4-5) and overall records (12-8).
Probably the least likely win among those teams for Ohio State are the Badgers, who having already beaten Holtmann’s squad by double-digits on their own home floor sit atop the Big Ten at 8-1 in the conference and are currently the No. 6 team in the AP Poll. Iowa hasn't exactly set the world on fire, but their 85.3 points per game lead the B1G, and the Buckeyes have had more than their fair share of defensive woes of late. Minnesota is the definition of middle-of-the-pack in nearly every department, but it's hard to beat the same team twice in one season. The same goes for Rutgers, whom OSU narrowly defeated in early January.
That leaves me with just one option remaining for Ohio State to potentially end its road slid: Michigan State on Feb. 25. A matchup which, by the way, the ESPN matchup predictor gives the Spartans an 82.3% chance of winning.
Do I like the odds for the Buckeyes in this one? Well... not really. Michigan State has dominated Ohio State in East Lansing, posting a 17-6 mark against the Buckeyes at the Breslin Center. In fact, OSU has not won a game on the Spartans’ home court since 2012. Ohio State did defeat MSU in the last meeting between the two teams, 68-58 in 2023, but that game was played in Columbus.
So, by all accounts, it does not seem likely for Holtmann’s team to actually win that game, but it seems to be at least feasible among the remaining options. In reality, the most probable chance for Ohio State to end the road losing streak would likely occur in the season finale in Piscataway against Rutgers. However, having only beaten the Scarlet Knights by four at home in the prior meeting this season, that is no sure thing either.
As Josh predicted, there is a greater than zero chance that the Buckeyes finish out this season without picking up a Big Ten road victory, as crazy as that may sound, which would bring the streak to 19 consecutive losses in-conference away from home. I don't think there's much of anything Holtmann could really do to save his job at this point — outside an incredibly unlikely Big Ten Tournament run that gets his team into the NCAA Tournament — but it would still feel nice to get the monkey of his back by winning one of these B1G roadies to close out the year.
Continue reading...
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Dylan Widger-USA TODAY Sports
The Buckeyes have to win a Big Ten road game eventually... right?
Everybody knows that one of the best parts of being a sports fan is debating and dissecting the most (and least) important questions in the sporting world with your friends. So, we’re bringing that to the pages of LGHL with our favorite head-to-head column: You’re Nuts.
In You’re Nuts, two LGHL staff members will take differing sides of one question and argue their opinions passionately. Then, in the end, it’s up to you to determine who’s right and who’s nuts.
This week’s topic: When will Ohio State mens basketball finally end its road losing streak?
Josh’s Take
The Ohio State men’s basketball team dropped yet another Big Ten road game this past weekend, making it 40 consecutive such losses dating back to 2019... Alright, so 40 is a lie. You got me. But it certainly feels like 40 losses and four-plus years since the Buckeyes last won a conference road game.
In reality, OSU has lost just (italicized for sarcasm) 14 consecutive Big Ten roadies, with their last conference road win coming on Jan. 1, 2023. And oh, what a glorious day that was (more sarcasm). Just a few hours earlier, as the ball dropped to signify a new year, the Buckeyes’ football team was having their heart(s) ripped out and stepped on and then thrown into incoming traffic.
A bit grim? Perhaps. But I can’t hide that the increasingly dark Chris Holtmann era has me feeling some type of way (shoutout to Rich Homie Quan).
14 consecutive Big Ten road losses is downright embarrassing. As is Ohio State’s 8-21 total conference record over the past two seasons. Especially if/when you remember that the Buckeyes were 24-16 in the B1G in the two seasons prior to 2022-23. And they won 11+ conference games in four of Holtmann’s first five seasons.
So they weren’t hanging banners, but they weren’t bad either! Now the Scarlet and Gray find themselves in a race to the bottom of the B1G, with Holtmann driving the bus and pressing the pedal to the metal.
Even worse, fans are developing apathy. Nobody wants to consume a bad, boring product, which is what OSU men’s basketball has become. And for those who say that the Big Ten has gotten better or that the standard should change/has changed, give me a break.
Simply put, Holtmann has failed to meet expectations in recent years. Since the 2017-18 season, his teams have not exceeded 21 total wins or finished in the top-3 of the regular season conference standings. Meaning that this season will, in all likelihood, mark six straight in which Ohio State falls short of the aforementioned benchmarks.
For comparison purposes, neither Jim O’Brien nor Thad Matta put together more than two consecutive seasons without reaching 22 wins and/or a top-3 finish in the Big Ten... Because they were fired/forced to resign after just a few lackluster campaigns! Sure, O’Brien had some other things going on, but the point remains: Holtmann has been clinging to mediocrity for half a decade. And don’t get me started on his lack of success in March!
With that out of the way and out of my system, it is time to address today’s topic/question for You’re Nuts, which was posed by my partner Gene Ross. He asked, “When will the Ohio State men’s basketball team end their Big Ten road losing streak?” And I actually have a few predictions.
First, I predict that OSU will not win a B1G roadie until sometime next season. Feb. 22 (this season) at Minnesota seems like a possibility. As does the team’s regular season finale at Rutgers on March 10. But unfortunately, I cannot sit here with any level of confidence and say that I expect the Buckeyes to win on the road for the remainder of this season... Primarily because of their coach.
For that reason, I also predict that Chris Holtmann will no longer be the coach of the Buckeyes when they win their next B1G roadie, sometime in December of 2024 or January of 2025. That last part sounds depressing, but Ohio State only has five more opportunities this season, and then I think it will be time for Holtmann and the program to part ways.
I am typically not one to call for anyone’s job, but Holtmann simply is not and has not been getting it done. If he were to lose 19-straight conference road games, there would be no justification whatsoever for retaining him as the Buckeyes’ coach, even if Gene Smith is on his way out — and things seem to be trending in that direction.
It’s a bummer, Gene, but that’s what I got. OSU will not win another Big Ten road game until Holtmann is swapped out for... Thad Matta, perhaps? Can I interest you in a reunion?
Just throwing it out there.
Gene’s Take
I’m not going to pretend that I'm the world’s biggest Ohio State men’s basketball fan out there. In reality, I’ve probably watched the women’s team more this season, as it has been a far superior product than the alternative — shoutout those lady Bucks!
That being said, things are not looking so good for Chris Holtmann’s group, both in a literal and a metaphorical sense. The Buckeyes have dropped five of their last six games, and as Josh already touched on, an almost-impossible 14 consecutive losses on the road against Big Ten opponents dating back to last season. To draw even more attention to the streak, Ohio State’s most recent performance on the road was one of its worst: an 83-58 loss to Northwestern, a team that ranks in the bottom third of the conference in scoring.
If Ohio State is going to right the shape and finally earn that elusive road victory before the end of the 2023-24 campaign, it only has a few more opportunities to do so. The Buckeyes only have 11 games left in the regular season, and five of those are on the road: at Iowa on Feb. 2, at Wisconsin on Feb. 13, at Minnesota on Feb. 22, at Michigan State on Feb. 5 and the regular season finale at Rutgers on March 10.
Of those five teams, the Buckeyes have already played three of them at home, defeating both Minnesota and Rutgers in Columbus and losing to Wisconsin 71-60. Ohio State’s only meetings this year against the Hawkeyes and the Spartans both take place on the road, with the two conference foes each currently sitting with identical Big Ten (4-5) and overall records (12-8).
Probably the least likely win among those teams for Ohio State are the Badgers, who having already beaten Holtmann’s squad by double-digits on their own home floor sit atop the Big Ten at 8-1 in the conference and are currently the No. 6 team in the AP Poll. Iowa hasn't exactly set the world on fire, but their 85.3 points per game lead the B1G, and the Buckeyes have had more than their fair share of defensive woes of late. Minnesota is the definition of middle-of-the-pack in nearly every department, but it's hard to beat the same team twice in one season. The same goes for Rutgers, whom OSU narrowly defeated in early January.
That leaves me with just one option remaining for Ohio State to potentially end its road slid: Michigan State on Feb. 25. A matchup which, by the way, the ESPN matchup predictor gives the Spartans an 82.3% chance of winning.
Do I like the odds for the Buckeyes in this one? Well... not really. Michigan State has dominated Ohio State in East Lansing, posting a 17-6 mark against the Buckeyes at the Breslin Center. In fact, OSU has not won a game on the Spartans’ home court since 2012. Ohio State did defeat MSU in the last meeting between the two teams, 68-58 in 2023, but that game was played in Columbus.
So, by all accounts, it does not seem likely for Holtmann’s team to actually win that game, but it seems to be at least feasible among the remaining options. In reality, the most probable chance for Ohio State to end the road losing streak would likely occur in the season finale in Piscataway against Rutgers. However, having only beaten the Scarlet Knights by four at home in the prior meeting this season, that is no sure thing either.
As Josh predicted, there is a greater than zero chance that the Buckeyes finish out this season without picking up a Big Ten road victory, as crazy as that may sound, which would bring the streak to 19 consecutive losses in-conference away from home. I don't think there's much of anything Holtmann could really do to save his job at this point — outside an incredibly unlikely Big Ten Tournament run that gets his team into the NCAA Tournament — but it would still feel nice to get the monkey of his back by winning one of these B1G roadies to close out the year.
Continue reading...
LGHL A Super Bowl rooting guide for Ohio State football fans
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A Super Bowl rooting guide for Ohio State football fans
Michael Citro via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports
If your team isn’t in the Super Bowl, which should you be pulling for in Super Bowl LVIII?
Now that we know who will be playing in the Super Bowl, it’s the time of year when neutrals are looking for a rooting interest. If your team made it to the big game, congratulations, you have no ambiguity whatsoever on the team for which you’ll be rooting. Likewise, if one of the teams is a rival of your favorite squad, you’re more likely to be rooting against either the Kansas City Chiefs or San Francisco 49ers.
However, what if you’re a true neutral? What would tip the scales for you to help you pick someone to root for on Feb. 11 in Super Bowl LVIII?
Since you’re reading this site, chances are you’re an Ohio State fan. So, which of the teams is the one with the strongest ties to the Buckeyes? Let’s look at the rosters and coaching staffs of the two teams for some answers.
San Francisco’s roster features defensive ends Nick Bosa and Chase Young — two of the all-time greats at the position in Ohio State history. Bosa is San Francisco’s sack leader, with 10.5, and he’s amassed 46 tackles (27 solo) and four passes defensed. He has been a starter written in ink since becoming the 49ers’ first-round draft selection (No. 2 overall) in the 2019 NFL Draft. The 2017 first-team All-American played in 29 career games at Ohio State, logging 77 tackles (47 solo), 17.5 sacks, two passes defensed, two forced fumbles, and one touchdown.
Young, who was acquired midseason in a trade with the Washington Commanders, is a recent arrival in San Francisco. After an injury-plagued career in the nation’s capital, Washington traded the defensive end to San Francisco on Nov. 1 of last year in exchange for a third-round pick in the 2024 NLF Draft. Young played in seven games with Washington, starting six, before heading to San Francisco, where he played in nine games (no starts). He recorded a combined 25 tackles on the season (17 solo) with 7.5 sacks and two passes defensed. The Maryland native was a unanimous All-American at Ohio State in 2019 and was a Heisman Trophy finalist after breaking the school’s single-season sack record, racking up 16.5.
On the coaching side, the 49ers don’t have many ties to Ohio, although tight ends coach Brian Fleury did spend time as the Browns’ outside linebackers coach in 2015 after a season as an assistant linebackers coach in Cleveland. San Francisco Linebackers Coach Johnny Holland spent 2016 in the same role with the Browns.
The biggest connection is Running Backs Coach Robert Turner, Jr., who served as Ohio State’s running backs coach in 1989 and 1990, where he oversaw Scottie Graham’s transition from fullback to tailback and also coached Robert Smith. The Buckeyes led the Big Ten in rushing yards per game (241) in 1989, while averaging 418 yards of total offense and just a fraction under 30 points per game.
A big drawback for Ohio State fans looking for a rooting interest is that former Michigan quarterback Brian Griese is San Francisco’s quarterbacks coach. Additionally, San Francisco has recent Wolverines receiver Ronnie Bell, kicker Jake Moody, and cornerback Ambry Thomas. Bell is a rookie and third-string receiver who was selected in the seventh round (No. 253) in the 2023 NFL Draft. He played in 17 games this season and made just six receptions for 68 yards, but managed to score three touchdowns among those six catches.
Moody was also a 2023 draft pick by San Francisco, which selected him in the third round (No. 99), which is quite high for a kicker. He played in all the team’s games in 2023 and made 84% of his field-goal attempts, making 21 of 25 on the year.
Thomas, a backup to Deommodore Lenoir at corner, was a third-round pick by the 49ers (No. 102 overall) in 2021. He appeared in 15 games and made 42 tackles (35 solo) with seven passes defensed and one interception.
The Kansas City Chiefs do not have any Ohio State players on the roster. However, they do have one Michigan Wolverine – defensive end Michael Danna, who Kansas City drafted in the fifth round back in 2020. Danna, who starts opposite George Karlaftis on the defensive line, appeared in 16 games in 2023, making 47 total tackles (29 solo) to go along with 6.5 sacks and three passes defensed.
The Chiefs’ main coaching staff is also bereft of Ohio State personnel.
This one is a pretty easy call. San Francisco has more ties to Ohio State than Kansas City, although the 49ers also have more Wolverines. But if the Chiefs win, no former Buckeyes get to win it, so the OSU rooting interest should be with the NFC’s 49ers.
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Michael Citro via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports
If your team isn’t in the Super Bowl, which should you be pulling for in Super Bowl LVIII?
Now that we know who will be playing in the Super Bowl, it’s the time of year when neutrals are looking for a rooting interest. If your team made it to the big game, congratulations, you have no ambiguity whatsoever on the team for which you’ll be rooting. Likewise, if one of the teams is a rival of your favorite squad, you’re more likely to be rooting against either the Kansas City Chiefs or San Francisco 49ers.
However, what if you’re a true neutral? What would tip the scales for you to help you pick someone to root for on Feb. 11 in Super Bowl LVIII?
Since you’re reading this site, chances are you’re an Ohio State fan. So, which of the teams is the one with the strongest ties to the Buckeyes? Let’s look at the rosters and coaching staffs of the two teams for some answers.
San Francisco’s roster features defensive ends Nick Bosa and Chase Young — two of the all-time greats at the position in Ohio State history. Bosa is San Francisco’s sack leader, with 10.5, and he’s amassed 46 tackles (27 solo) and four passes defensed. He has been a starter written in ink since becoming the 49ers’ first-round draft selection (No. 2 overall) in the 2019 NFL Draft. The 2017 first-team All-American played in 29 career games at Ohio State, logging 77 tackles (47 solo), 17.5 sacks, two passes defensed, two forced fumbles, and one touchdown.
Young, who was acquired midseason in a trade with the Washington Commanders, is a recent arrival in San Francisco. After an injury-plagued career in the nation’s capital, Washington traded the defensive end to San Francisco on Nov. 1 of last year in exchange for a third-round pick in the 2024 NLF Draft. Young played in seven games with Washington, starting six, before heading to San Francisco, where he played in nine games (no starts). He recorded a combined 25 tackles on the season (17 solo) with 7.5 sacks and two passes defensed. The Maryland native was a unanimous All-American at Ohio State in 2019 and was a Heisman Trophy finalist after breaking the school’s single-season sack record, racking up 16.5.
On the coaching side, the 49ers don’t have many ties to Ohio, although tight ends coach Brian Fleury did spend time as the Browns’ outside linebackers coach in 2015 after a season as an assistant linebackers coach in Cleveland. San Francisco Linebackers Coach Johnny Holland spent 2016 in the same role with the Browns.
The biggest connection is Running Backs Coach Robert Turner, Jr., who served as Ohio State’s running backs coach in 1989 and 1990, where he oversaw Scottie Graham’s transition from fullback to tailback and also coached Robert Smith. The Buckeyes led the Big Ten in rushing yards per game (241) in 1989, while averaging 418 yards of total offense and just a fraction under 30 points per game.
A big drawback for Ohio State fans looking for a rooting interest is that former Michigan quarterback Brian Griese is San Francisco’s quarterbacks coach. Additionally, San Francisco has recent Wolverines receiver Ronnie Bell, kicker Jake Moody, and cornerback Ambry Thomas. Bell is a rookie and third-string receiver who was selected in the seventh round (No. 253) in the 2023 NFL Draft. He played in 17 games this season and made just six receptions for 68 yards, but managed to score three touchdowns among those six catches.
Moody was also a 2023 draft pick by San Francisco, which selected him in the third round (No. 99), which is quite high for a kicker. He played in all the team’s games in 2023 and made 84% of his field-goal attempts, making 21 of 25 on the year.
Thomas, a backup to Deommodore Lenoir at corner, was a third-round pick by the 49ers (No. 102 overall) in 2021. He appeared in 15 games and made 42 tackles (35 solo) with seven passes defensed and one interception.
The Kansas City Chiefs do not have any Ohio State players on the roster. However, they do have one Michigan Wolverine – defensive end Michael Danna, who Kansas City drafted in the fifth round back in 2020. Danna, who starts opposite George Karlaftis on the defensive line, appeared in 16 games in 2023, making 47 total tackles (29 solo) to go along with 6.5 sacks and three passes defensed.
The Chiefs’ main coaching staff is also bereft of Ohio State personnel.
This one is a pretty easy call. San Francisco has more ties to Ohio State than Kansas City, although the 49ers also have more Wolverines. But if the Chiefs win, no former Buckeyes get to win it, so the OSU rooting interest should be with the NFC’s 49ers.
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LGHL Ohio State sends out slew of new offers, including elite former Florida State WR commit
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Ohio State sends out slew of new offers, including elite former Florida State WR commit
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
2026 WR Devin Carter | Andrew Ivins, 247Sports
The Buckeyes are busy evaluating talent in the next two cycles.
We are nearing the end of January, a month that has been almost exclusively positive for Ryan Day’s group on both the recruiting trail and in the transfer portal. The Buckeyes’ latest good news came in the form of a huge commitment in the 2025 class, as in-state offensive lineman Carter Lowe committed to Ohio State as one of the nation’s best at his position.
Day and his staff will look to keep the good times rolling as the calendar flips to February, and have already been busy in their talent evaluations in both the 2025 and 2026 classes. Ohio State has sent out numerous offers in each cycle in just the past few days, including a former Florida State commit who happens to be one of the top wide receivers in the country in the sophomore class.
Georgia native Devin Carter earned an Ohio State offer as one of a handful of schools that have offered the 2026 prospect since he de-committed from the Seminoles on Jan. 22 — a group that includes Miami, Texas, and others in addition to the Buckeyes.
Carter currently ranks as the No. 3 wide receiver and the No. 35 player overall in the 2026 class, and his offer sheet this early in the process is beginning to reflect that as he nears 20 total schools in pursuit of the Cedar Grove High School product. The 6-foot pass-catcher comes from a football family, as his brother Dexter Carter Jr. was a wideout at Georgia Southern from 2016-20 and his father Dexter Carter played running back at FSU and won a Super Bowl with the San Francisco 49ers in 1995.
A track athlete, Carer played varsity snaps as a freshman on a Saints team that went 11-3 and played for a state title, catching 30 passes for 417 yards and six touchdowns, earning himself a spot in the FBU Freshman All-American Bowl. He followed it up with a dominant sophomore season, hauling in 51 catches for 923 yards and 13 TDs en route to a state title.
As a Florida State legacy, it was seemingly a forgone conclusion that Carter wound play for the Seminoles at the next level, but now that his recruitment is once again open, you can never count out Brian Hartline. There is a lot of time between now and when Carter will sign, as he is just a high school sophomore, and if Hartline is serious about this one, Ohio State should always like its chances.
Moving to the nearer future in the 2025 class, the Buckeyes continued to scour the country for talent on both sides of the football. That search took them to South Carolina, where Ohio State extended an offer to four-star defensive lineman Isaiah Campbell.
Campbell, the No. 5 DL and No. 72 overall player per the 247Sports Composite, holds over 30 offers to his name, including the likes of Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, LSU, Notre Dame, Penn State, USC and many others. After an impressive campaign as a sophomore, totaling 61 tackles, 17 tackles for loss and five sacks, Campbell really showed out in his junior season, compiling a whopping 110 tackles, 27 tackles for loss, 16 sacks and a pair of forced fumbles.
Ohio State is likely a bit behind the eight-ball here, as many of the nation’s top programs have been in the 6-foot-4, 260-pound lineman for some time. It seems as though Clemson is the odds-on favorite for Campbell right now, with three Crystal Ball predictions in favor of the Tigers — including two of just this past week. Larry Johnson and the Buckeyes will have some work to do if they want to sway the Durham native up north, but they will have almost an entire calendar year to do so if they wish.
Keeping in line with 2025 defensive linemen, Ohio State also offered four-star edge rusher Darren Ikinnagbon late last week.
A New Jersey native, Ikinnagbon is the No. 27 EDGE and No. 239 player in the cycle per 247Sports’ rankings, as well as the No. 8 player in the state. The 6-foot-5, 225 Hillside product has over 20 offers to his name thus far, including from big name programs in Georgia, Miami, Oklahoma, Penn State, Tennesee and others. Ikinnagbon racked up 25 tackles, five tackles for loss and two sacks this past season.
Expect defensive line recruiting in the 2025 class to remain busy for the Buckeyes, as Ohio State will need to bring in at least five or six guys — if not more — in this cycle after just three additions in 2024. As things stand, LJ and the staff have sent out at least 25 official offers to defensive lineman in the class, the most of any position group. Ohio State already has one DL commitment in four-star edge rusher Zahir Mathis, and remains in good standing with Justin Hill, Brandon Caesar and others.
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Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
2026 WR Devin Carter | Andrew Ivins, 247Sports
The Buckeyes are busy evaluating talent in the next two cycles.
We are nearing the end of January, a month that has been almost exclusively positive for Ryan Day’s group on both the recruiting trail and in the transfer portal. The Buckeyes’ latest good news came in the form of a huge commitment in the 2025 class, as in-state offensive lineman Carter Lowe committed to Ohio State as one of the nation’s best at his position.
Day and his staff will look to keep the good times rolling as the calendar flips to February, and have already been busy in their talent evaluations in both the 2025 and 2026 classes. Ohio State has sent out numerous offers in each cycle in just the past few days, including a former Florida State commit who happens to be one of the top wide receivers in the country in the sophomore class.
Georgia native Devin Carter earned an Ohio State offer as one of a handful of schools that have offered the 2026 prospect since he de-committed from the Seminoles on Jan. 22 — a group that includes Miami, Texas, and others in addition to the Buckeyes.
Carter currently ranks as the No. 3 wide receiver and the No. 35 player overall in the 2026 class, and his offer sheet this early in the process is beginning to reflect that as he nears 20 total schools in pursuit of the Cedar Grove High School product. The 6-foot pass-catcher comes from a football family, as his brother Dexter Carter Jr. was a wideout at Georgia Southern from 2016-20 and his father Dexter Carter played running back at FSU and won a Super Bowl with the San Francisco 49ers in 1995.
A track athlete, Carer played varsity snaps as a freshman on a Saints team that went 11-3 and played for a state title, catching 30 passes for 417 yards and six touchdowns, earning himself a spot in the FBU Freshman All-American Bowl. He followed it up with a dominant sophomore season, hauling in 51 catches for 923 yards and 13 TDs en route to a state title.
As a Florida State legacy, it was seemingly a forgone conclusion that Carter wound play for the Seminoles at the next level, but now that his recruitment is once again open, you can never count out Brian Hartline. There is a lot of time between now and when Carter will sign, as he is just a high school sophomore, and if Hartline is serious about this one, Ohio State should always like its chances.
Moving to the nearer future in the 2025 class, the Buckeyes continued to scour the country for talent on both sides of the football. That search took them to South Carolina, where Ohio State extended an offer to four-star defensive lineman Isaiah Campbell.
Campbell, the No. 5 DL and No. 72 overall player per the 247Sports Composite, holds over 30 offers to his name, including the likes of Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, LSU, Notre Dame, Penn State, USC and many others. After an impressive campaign as a sophomore, totaling 61 tackles, 17 tackles for loss and five sacks, Campbell really showed out in his junior season, compiling a whopping 110 tackles, 27 tackles for loss, 16 sacks and a pair of forced fumbles.
Ohio State is likely a bit behind the eight-ball here, as many of the nation’s top programs have been in the 6-foot-4, 260-pound lineman for some time. It seems as though Clemson is the odds-on favorite for Campbell right now, with three Crystal Ball predictions in favor of the Tigers — including two of just this past week. Larry Johnson and the Buckeyes will have some work to do if they want to sway the Durham native up north, but they will have almost an entire calendar year to do so if they wish.
Keeping in line with 2025 defensive linemen, Ohio State also offered four-star edge rusher Darren Ikinnagbon late last week.
After a great conversation I am truly blessed to receive an offer from THE Ohio State University️ @CoachBGGrant @coachlrblanc @R2X_Rushmen1
#OhioState #buckeyes pic.twitter.com/qDNQgDotRF
— Darren Ikinnagbon (@AceSZNF) January 26, 2024
A New Jersey native, Ikinnagbon is the No. 27 EDGE and No. 239 player in the cycle per 247Sports’ rankings, as well as the No. 8 player in the state. The 6-foot-5, 225 Hillside product has over 20 offers to his name thus far, including from big name programs in Georgia, Miami, Oklahoma, Penn State, Tennesee and others. Ikinnagbon racked up 25 tackles, five tackles for loss and two sacks this past season.
Expect defensive line recruiting in the 2025 class to remain busy for the Buckeyes, as Ohio State will need to bring in at least five or six guys — if not more — in this cycle after just three additions in 2024. As things stand, LJ and the staff have sent out at least 25 official offers to defensive lineman in the class, the most of any position group. Ohio State already has one DL commitment in four-star edge rusher Zahir Mathis, and remains in good standing with Justin Hill, Brandon Caesar and others.
Quick Hits
- Ohio State appears to be in great shape with 2025 linebacker Tarvos Alford. The Buckeyes are among the top three schools for the four-star Florida native, with in-state schools Miami and UCF the other two contenders. Alford is the No. 10 LB and No. 70 overall player in the 247Sports Composite.
- Ryan Day and Brian Hartline also made time this past week to check in with five-star wide receiver Jaime Ffrench. The 6-foot-1 Florida native had been committed to Alabama since July, but de-committed following the news of Nick Saban’s retirement. Hartline and Ohio State remained in constant pursuit of the No. 3 WR and No. 12 overall player in the 2025 class even while pledged to the Tide, and the door is now wide open to turn him into a Buckeye.
- Ohio State added one more player to the offer sheet over the weekend, sending out a new offer to 2025 offensive lineman Atamai Matau on Saturday. The 6-foot-2, 310-pound California native does not yet have a rating on 247Sports, but is now approaching double-digit offers with big names among the likes of Florida, Ole Miss and now the Buckeyes having joined the fray in just the last two months.
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2026 GA DE Xavier Griffin (USC Verbal)
- By pnuts34
- Football Recruiting
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Class: 2026
School: Gainesville(GA) Gainesville
Position: DE
Height: 6-foot-4
Weight: 210lbs
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Rivals
HudL
Class: 2026
School: Gainesville(GA) Gainesville
Position: DE
Height: 6-foot-4
Weight: 210lbs
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