Stock Market Report: Ohio State’s defense impressed against Minnesota, but it’s time to focus on Ann Arbor
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Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Clare Grant/The Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

It is time, folks. Ohio State and Michigan are 11-0, and they are two freight trains heading toward each other

I am not going to waste time on this one. Ohio State and Michigan fans have been waiting for this week for 11 months, and it is finally here. The No. 2 Buckeyes (11-0) are coming off a 37-3 win over Minnesota (5-6), and now they will go to Ann Arbor, Mich., to play the No. 3 Michigan Wolverines (11-0).

Let’s take a look at who has helped their stock heading into “The Game.”

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Blue Chip​

Kyle Robertson/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

“The Game”: Folks. The time is here. The game everyone has circled on their calendar. Just like last season, Ohio State and Michigan are 11-0, and they will face off for a spot in the Big Ten Championship game on Dec. 2.

This is the most anticipated college football game of the year, and to be honest, I am sick of the discourse around this game this season. I just want the two teams to get on the field and play a 60-minute football game. And that time has finally come. Let’s do it.

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Solid Investments​

Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

Jack Sawyer: Sawyer has taken some heat from Ohio State fans since he arrived in Columbus for not quite living up to expectations as a five-star prospect out of high school. However, he has been solid this season and has seemingly improved every week. He is coming off the best game of his career, and as the Buckeyes stare down Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards, they will need the best version of Jack Sawyer to stop the run.

Emeka Egbuka: Egbuka has not had the season he has wanted, and that is through no fault of his own. When healthy, Egbuka has been incredibly productive and was one of the main reasons the Buckeyes were able to get past Notre Dame. However, since has come back from injury, it has taken him a while to get back into the flow of things. He had five catches for 83 yards against Minnesota and looked like he is getting close to 100 percent health-wise. And that is key at this point in the season.

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Junk Bond​

Starting field position: Through the first half of this contest, the Buckeyes starting field position for their drives was their own eight-yard line.

This doesn’t make much of a difference against Minnesota or really anyone else they have played this year, but against Michigan, that could be a real problem when a three-and-out on offense could set up the Wolverine’s offense at midfield. They have to do a better job flipping field position as the games get into the postseason.

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Buy/Sell​

Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

Buy: Running game. The running game issues are fixed. And the answer was simple. A healthy TreVeyon Henderson is the answer. He is averaging about 700 yards a game over the last three weeks, and what used to be a multiple-back backfield is now seeing Henderson get the bulk of the carries, and the results speak for themselves. Blake Corum and TreVeyon Henderson must-see TV on Saturday.

Buy: Rivalry Week. Obviously, this week is highlighted by Ohio State-Michigan, but there are some awesome games every year when Thanksgiving weekend comes around. The Iron Bowl, The Egg Bowl, Oregon-Oregon State, and, of course, Iowa-Nebraska for the sickos. There are so many others as well. We just have to get Texas and Texas A&M back together to play annually. I miss that game.

Sell: Penalty for posing. This was just lame. Let the players have fun. They are hurting no one and not holding up the play of the game. What did hold up the game was the referee calling out eight different numbers of unsportsmanlike conduct penalties for celebrating a big play in the game.

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If This Were A Movie: Ryan Day and Jim Harbaugh star in ‘Grumpy Old Men’
Jami Jurich 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

On insults, practical jokes, and kicking the rivalry up a notch this Thanksgiving.

Grab your popcorn and get ready for pop culture references, a hint of snark, and a trip back in time to the Blockbuster Video days.

While the rest of America focuses their attention on turkeys, any true Ohio State or TTUN fan knows Thanksgiving is only the second-most important holiday happening this week. I say this as someone who loves Thanksgiving — it still gets trumped this week. That’s because we have finally entered Rivalry Week, and we have complete tunnel vision on The Game.

But since we do have to go through Glutton Fest to get to The Game, we’re bringing you an extra special Thanksgiving/Rivalry Week preview edition of “If This Were A Movie.”

As we near the end of college football’s regular season, fans of these rival schools seem even more fired up than usual, in large part because we are the Wolverines’ last remaining obstacle, and they, ours. The winner is guaranteed a spot in the Big Ten Championship, and a CFP playoff berth is on the line, with both teams currently sitting in the top four.

Nothing stokes the flames of a rivalry quite like having your sights set on the same end goal and having to go through each other to get there. It’s like the wildest game of Musical Chairs you’ve ever played. One chair remains, two teams want it. No one is going down without a fight.

Add to that the drama around what Buckeye fans would call “cheating,” and what the blue and yellow guys would call, “an act of injustice” or “cruel and unusual punishment” (aka the Sign Stealing Scandal) and everyone is at a boiling point.

Somewhere out there are two fictional feuding next-door neighbors who can relate to what Buckeye and Wolverine fans are going through right now because their neighborhood rivalry came to a head over the week of Thanksgiving too.

That’s right—I’m talking about none other than John Gustafson, Jr. (Jack Lemmon) and Max Goldman (Walter Matthau)—everyone’s favorite “Grumpy Old Men,” whose longstanding feud manifests in ways familiar to OSU and UM fans: insulting each other, name-calling, and playing practical jokes and pranks on each other just to get under each other’s skin; a tale as old as time.

Their neighbors and friends find their rivalry to be soul-crushing and irritating, and OSU and Michigan are nothing if not annoying to everyone else in the Big Ten/College Football (whether it’s because our teams are better than theirs or because we have overinflated egos and the volume of 10,000 screaming teenage girls at a boy band concert is a debate for another day).

Their disdain for each other is an ongoing part of everyday life, just as it is for Buckeye fans who don’t give a damn for the whole state of Michigan 365 days a year. The feeling is mutual, too.

But the Grumpy Old Men really take their rivalry up a notch when they realize they both have their eyes on a National Championship a.k.a. the same lady, Ariel Truax (played by Ann-Margret), who recently moved to their street.

As John begins to court Ariel, Max finds himself jealous, and it is eventually revealed that John and Max had their own Bo and Woody drama back in the day: Bo Schembechler betrayed everything good and holy to kick off the Ten Year War, John married Max’s high school sweetheart. Same thing, basically.

Now, as John and Max find themselves reliving the drama of competing over the same woman for a second time in their lives, OSU and TTUN find themselves competing for stakes as high as a National Championship.

“Grumpy Old Men” has a happy ending, and while one team will enjoy fleeting happiness on Saturday, I don’t anticipate that either school will let bygones be bygones any time in the next century. Certainly not while Jim Harbaugh is coaching (which is something I actively love about him as a rival coach—he and his team hate us as much as we hate them, and it ups the ante a bit). Certainly not while both teams are powerhouses with playoff shots.

But if you want to kill two birds with one stone during your time off this week, pop on “Grumpy Old Men” for some festive Thanksgiving fun that will also fuel your hatred for that team up north. You could even borrow from John and Max’s playbook and play some petty practical jokes on any Wolverine fans in your life!

From everyone here at Land-Grant Holy Land, may your Thanksgiving be full of good food and good company. Here’s to stuffing both turkeys AND Wolverines this week.

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Uncut: McGuff, Thierry talk confrontation; Mikulášiková on improved shooting
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 University athletic department

It was an up and down game for the Buckeyes, but following the win there are a lot of positives to cover

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


Monday, the Ohio State women’s basketball team played its second neutral site game of the season. This time, at the Baha Mar Pink Flamingo Championship, against the East Carolina Pirates.

In a game where the Pirates came within one point of the Buckeyes in the second quarter, Ohio State adjusted and turned up the intensity in the second half to pull away with a comfortable 79-55 win.

After the game, head coach Kevin McGuff and forwards Taylor Thierry and Rebeka Mikulášiková spoke with the media. Coach McGuff discussed a contentious third-quarter moment after Thierry went to the ground on an intentional foul on ECU. Also, improved rebounding and playing against a similar style of full-court press as their own.

Thierry and Mikulášiková talked about staying cool in a physical game and Mikulášiková talked about her improved shooting as the game went on, especially from deep. Finally, Thierry talks about the moment when teammate Celeste Taylor stepped in to defend her following a hard fall to the ground and how it represents the Buckeyes’ team chemistry.

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Connect with Thomas:

Twitter: @1ThomasCostello

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In Conversation Podcast: Mike Golic Jr. breaks down The Game and laughs at the sign-stealing idiocy
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here



We definitely agree with GoJo that the scandal coming from Ann Arbor is pure comedy.

On Land-Grant Holy Land In Conversation, we talk to people in and around Ohio State athletics, and the sporting world at large, to bring you a different insight and perspective to the teams, athletes, and university that you love.

Listen to the episode and subscribe:

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

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On the show today, Matt Tamanini is in conversation with DraftKings college football analyst, the host of “The GoJo Podcast,” and former Notre Dame offensive lineman Mike Golic Jr. GoJo breaks down this Saturday’s Ohio State game against That Team Up North. That includes taking a trip through the trenches and examining both offensive and defensive lines and how important their play will be to determining the Big Ten East champion.

Matt and Mike also discuss the ridiculousness of the entire sign-stealing scandal and whether or not it has any significant impact on the actual game itself.

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Connect with Mike Golic Jr.:
Twitter: @mikegolicjr
The GoJo Podcast: https://dknetwork.draftkings.com/gojo-show

Connect with Matt Tamanini
Twitter: @BWWMatt

Theme music provided by www.bensound.com​

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FTC lawyer James Weingarten put the following internal Xbox Game Pass slide in front of Spencer, asking him whether he agreed with the projections that show the subscription service surpassing 100 million users between FY29 and FY30, largely due to an increase in the PC and cloud market.

Spencer said in no uncertain terms that Microsoft could exit the gaming business if this projection became reality. Microsoft needs the light green and blue segments (PC and cloud) to get much larger and much faster by fiscal year 2027, or it could opt out of the business altogether.

I do not believe that that is what the future Xbox business would look like. This is a presentation from our devices organization to the gaming leadership team, so this is the view from the team that is chartered with building our hardware on what the future business would look like.

I can fairly safely say that if we do not make more progress than this off of console, we would exit the gaming business. If this were the outcome, we would -- I don't believe we'd still be in the business.

A majority of our customers are found off of our own hardware, I would hope by earlier than 2030. So, when you asked me if I agreed with this chart that the light green and blue depending on what colors you see there would have to be much larger much earlier. I would say by FY26, '27 that we should be in that position, or we'd have to make a different decision with the business.

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B1G Thoughts: It’s Ryan Day vs. Sherrone Moore in ‘The Game’
JordanW330 via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

It’s Rivalry Week, can Ohio State and Ryan Day reclaim the Big Ten throne or will Michigan make it three straight without Harbaugh on the sideline?

Every week after the Big Ten slate of games, I will bring you some B1G thoughts on everything that happened! This will include analysis, stats, key players, moments, and maybe a joke. With the Big Ten expanding from 14 teams to 18 teams in 2024 this article will also include the newest members, Oregon, UCLA, USC, and Washington. Check out the I-80 Football Show for more in-depth analysis and to preview the next week of B1G games.

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Ryan Day, It’s up to you to right this wrong ​

Ryan Day is either 1-0 or 1-2 against Michigan and Jim Harbaugh depending on who you ask and how much you weigh the sign-stealing scandal. If you believe the sign stealing scandal had a major impact on “The Game” then it’s fair to say that the scandal caused Day to almost become a pariah to his fan base with many Ohio State fans calling for his job. It also cost the Buckeyes a chance at a national championship in 2021 and it cost C.J. Stroud at least one Heisman trophy. If you’re an Ohio State fan this scandal has changed the fortunes of this program in a major way. That could all be hyperbole but tell your average Ohio State fan that, I dare you.

With that in mind, Ryan Day needs this win more than any coach has ever needed a win in the Game. This win not only rights the ship and puts the Buckeyes back on top of the Big Ten but it allows Day to compete for another national championship with Marvin Harrison Jr. on the roster. Day needs to shut the door on Michigan and let the narrative machine hit overdrive. If the Buckeyes win this game, and god forbid they win big, the narrative that Michigan only won because they cheated could feed the hungry. No one knows the full extent of the scandal, most people don’t care. For whatever reason, Harbaugh has had Day’s number the past two seasons and it’s time for Day to right the wrong or risk reaching a place with the fanbase he can never come back from.

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Kyle McCord vs. J.J. McCarthy ​

For the first time in close to two decades, Michigan may have a better quarterback entering ‘The Game’ than Ohio State. To be clear, I do not think J.J. McCarthy is a better quarterback than Kyle McCord but I am probably in the minority of that opinion. Regardless of which side you land on, it is a fair question for the first time in a long time. Both teams enter amazing defenses and good running backs but this game will be won or lost by the quarterback.

McCord is a full step down from C.J. Stroud and Justin Fields but he has enough juice and mettle to win this game. He has faced tough tests and led the Buckeyes on a game-winning drive to save their season versus Notre Dame. He also continues to make boneheaded plays and struggles massively in the first half.

McCarthy is in my opinion an average quarterback at best but he has improved this season. Despite the improvement, he has severely regressed in the last two games. Against Penn State and Maryland, he has gone 19-31 for 201 yards and one interception. That is not good enough to win “The Game.”

McCord and McCarthy have to play the best game of their season to put their team in the best position to win. Both quarterbacks have warts, whoever makes the least mistakes and capitalizes on what the opposing defense gives them will get a chance to leave the field with bragging rights.

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How important is a head coach on game day? ​

This week we may finally get an answer to a question that is almost impossible to answer. How important is a head coach on game day, specifically when the head coach doesn’t call plays? Gamedays in most cases are where coordinators and position coaches make their money. They call plays, handle substitutions, and relay information to their players. Head coaches who do not call plays largely make in-game decisions such as timeouts, challenges, and key decisions like when to punt, kick a field goal, or go for it on fourth down.

Those are important decisions but how much do they affect a game? It’s hard to quantify but we will get a chance to find out when Michigan plays Ohio State without Jim Harbaugh on the sideline. Harbaugh will have to watch the game from home due to being suspended, again, this time because of sign stealing. The head coaching duties fall on offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore who will be the man in charge for the fourth time this season. So far, Moore is 3-0 as a head coach but the last two games have been Michigan’s worst performances of the season.

Is that because Harbaugh isn’t on the sideline? Is that because they finally played an opponent with a pulse? Not sure but Moore has his toughest test yet having to lead his program against Ryan Day and Ohio State.

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A Heisman Moment for the Chosen Son ​

Let’s be clear, there is a very slim chance Marvin Harrison Jr. wins the Heisman. He is clearly the best player in college football but the Heisman has turned into a quarterback award. Anyone who watches the game understands that Harrison is the engine that pushes Ohio State offense but he won’t have the requisite stats to win the award. In 11 games he has 1,093 yards and 13 touchdowns on 62 catches.

A great season, but not Heisman-worthy in most years. Harrison Jr. should absolutely be in New York at the end of the season but to win the Heisman he needs to have a Heisman moment in “The Game.” If he goes for over 150 receiving yards and two or more touchdowns and Ohio State wins he will boost his case especially if one of Bo Nix or Michael Penix Jr. has a bad game and loses to their rivals. Ohio State needs a big game from Marv to reclaim the Big Ten throne but a big game could serve to bolster Marv’s Heisman chances as well.

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Ohio State Wins! #GoBucks ​

It’s time for a prediction. I believe that Ohio State is the better team. The best way I can say it is that Michigan reminds me of Ohio State in 2021. They have holes in the roster and bad moments that are being glossed over because of their recent success. Fairly or unfairly Michigan has earned the benefit of the doubt and no one they’ve played has been able to capitalize on their weaknesses.

Just like Michigan was the team that could capitalize on Ohio State’s weaknesses in 2021, the Buckeyes are the team. Michigan’s offensive line is not great, it may still be better than Ohio State but it is not in contention for the Joe Moore Award like it has been in the years it won. Their running game hasn’t been as effective and it seems as though Sherrone Moore does not trust McCarthy to win them a game in the air. Harbaugh might but he is not on the sideline making those decisions.

Michigan has the best defense in the country, ranking No. One in-stop rate for the entire season. Kyle McCord will need to take a step up if the Buckeyes want to win the game but they have the best player in the country on their team in Marvin Harrison Jr. Ohio State has the second-best defense in the country according to to stop rate and they have one of the better run-stopping defenses in the country. Ohio State has stepped back on offense but their defense has taken a massive jump forward. I believe Ohio State has arguably the three best players in the game with Marvin Harrison Jr., JT Tuimoloua, and Sonny Styles. That hasn’t stopped them from losing the past two years though.

Ultimately, this game will be won in the trenches. If Ohio State wins this game it means their offensive line has improved enough to withstand Michigan’s incredible interior defensive line. Michigan wins this game by bullying Ohio State up front and making McCord uncomfortable. Ohio State is better in every area on defense from last year and their offense is starting to click. Ohio State will win this game and win the Big Ten.

Ohio State- 30 Michigan- 20

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Can Matt Rhule do what Scott Frost couldn’t? ​

Nebraska has had a very up-and-down season in Matt Rhule’s first year as head coach. At times they’ve looked like a much-improved team who could contend for the West division title. Then they turn around and look like a team that can’t get the Scott Frost stink out of the program. Despite all of this, Nebraska goes into the last week with a chance to do what Frost could never do and that’s make a bowl game.

The problem, they have to get through Iowa to do it. It would not be the worst thing for Rhule not to make a bowl game in year one, the roster is in a tough place and he’s shown enough progress to prove he’s better than Frost ever was. Despite that, it would be very beneficial to Rhule, his program, and the long-suffering Nebraska fans for them to make a bowl game. Iowa, despite winning the West again, is not as good as they have been the previous few years. Nebraska can pull the upset in this game, it won’t be easy but they have a defense that can stop Iowa’s putrid offense.

They just need to not make mistakes on offense and special teams that led to Iowa points. Nebraska can survive one more season without bowl eligibility but Rhule should go and win this game to end this season on a high note.

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Kirk Ferentz did it again… ​

The Iowa Hawkeyes have once again won the Big Ten West with one of the worst offenses in the country. I’m sure Kirk Ferentz is out here somewhere smiling smugly and bemoaning the audacity of interim Athletic Director Beth Goetz’s decision to fire his son and offensive coordinator. This is a terrible outcome because everyone besides Kirk knows he needs to change but if they keep reaching his goals then he will never change.

The new Big Ten can’t get here fast enough some Ferentz can pay for his unwillingness to adjust to the times. Congrats to the players though, they faced a lot of coaching-led adversity but found a way to win games.

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Northwestern Head Coach David Braun​

Pat Fitzgerald lost his fastball. No one wants to admit it, and he would still be the coach here without being caught for hazing but he was not a good coach the last four years. David Braun is all the proof you needed, this is the same team everyone predicted to win one or two games under Pat. After taking over the interim title in the summer, Braun has brought life into this team, and going into the last game of the season they have a chance to win seven games.

For reference in Fitzgerald’s last three non-pandemic seasons, he won seven games total going 3-9 twice and 1-11 last season. Braun has rightly been awarded for his efforts with the interim tag being removed. I have no idea how this will work out in the future, the conference is getting much harder for teams like Northwestern but Braun is a good step in the right direction for this once lifeless program.

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Lincoln Riley wasted Caleb Williams, will he learn his lesson? ​

I do not think Caleb Williams is a generational NFL prospect. He is, one of the most talented college quarterbacks we’ve ever seen, and his talent was wasted by Riley who is considered one of the brightest offensive coaches in the sport. USC was good last season, they should have won the PAC 12 and made the playoffs but their defense was horrid, and couldn’t stop giving up 40-plus points in big games.

Despite this, Riley made no changes to his defensive staff and decided to double down for this season. He’ll regret that decision for a lifetime. There is a lot of conversation about USC’s defense and he finally fired Alex Grinch, but his offense was also broken this year relying too much on magical moments from Williams instead of succeeding in structure. USC was a bad team in all three phases of the game.

Williams is the most talented quarterback in a long run of talented quarterbacks for Riley and there is nothing to show for it. This is the most important offseason of Riley’s career, especially considering that they have one of the toughest schedules next year in their first season in the Big Ten.

Riley needs to find a new defensive coordinator, and a new quarterback, and rebuild his offensive and defensive lines. This team will not survive a Big Ten schedule as it’s currently constructed. Riley should also consider giving up playcalling. I have no faith Riley will learn the lessons this season is trying to teach him but I’ll be paying attention.

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The Civil War and The Apple Cup, let’s get weird​

As you are all aware, Oregon and Washington are entering the Big Ten next season and leaving their in-state rivals in conference purgatory. This is added fuel to the fire of two already heated rivalries and I can’t wait to watch these games. Washington at 11-0 with a win over Oregon already controls their destiny, if they win out they make the playoffs. Oregon may not fully control their destiny but it’ll be hard to imagine the playoff committee leaving out a one-loss Oregon if they are the PAC 12 champs and avenged their only loss to Washington in the conference championship game.

Enter Oregon State and Washington State. Washington and Washington State have signed a five-year contract to continue the Apple Cup but this could be the last iteration of the Civil War for a long time. The “little brothers” of these rivalries have a chance to ruin the seasons of their in-state counterparts while simultaneously getting a lot of anger out of their system for being left for dead. It’s probably fair to assume that both Oregon and Washington win but anything can happen on rivalry weekend, especially with the added stakes. Let’s get weird! We deserve at least one upset.

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Silver Bullets Podcast: Minnesota rewind and Michigan preview
Michael Citro via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Now that the preliminaries are out of the way, let’s get to The Game.

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

Ohio State handled its “trap” game with no real difficulty, dispatching the Minnesota Golden Gophers 37-3 at the Horseshoe on Saturday. The Buckeyes easily marched down the field for the first score and then the offense struggled for much of the rest of the first half. Meanwhile, the defense was stifling and kept the Gophers from getting anything going all game long.

We looked back at Saturday’s win over Minnesota and broke down how the game unfolded. We also looked back at our score predictions and our picks to click to see how our forecasting skills worked out for us against the Golden Gophers.

We took our weekly walk through the other Big Ten scores to see how the rest of the conference made out. There honestly weren’t a ton of surprises around the league on Saturday, although Michigan struggled a bit after jumping on top early. If not for a lot of self-inflicted wounds, Maryland might have stunned the Wolverines. As it turned out, the Terps only lost by a touchdown.

After checking the scoreboard, we dove into the happenings at Michigan, including all that has transpired since our last show. Jim Harbaugh did not have his day in court, a defensive coach deleted his Twitter account, another one was fired, and the University of Michigan doesn’t seem interested in wording its statements in a way that aligns with those coming out of the Big Ten offices. It’s a strange situation that will likely only get weirder as more is uncovered.

Finally, we looked ahead to The Game. It’s what we’ve all been waiting for all season and both teams enter the rivalry matchup without a loss. Both seem vulnerable at times and unbeatable at others. We also made our picks to click and our score predictions.

We’ll be here with you every week from now until the end of the 2023 Ohio State football season (and then monthly). We’d love to hear from you, so please reach out with your feedback and questions below in the comments section or send us an email.

Be sure to subscribe, rate, review, share, and follow the show over on Twitter at @SilvrBulletsPod.

As always, thanks for listening!

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A letter to this year’s Buckeyes from an Ohio State senior, pleading for a win
Megan.Husslein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Ben Jackson/Getty Images

I have never seen the Bucks beat TTUN while I’ve been an OSU student

Dear The Ohio State Football Team,

My name is Megan Husslein and I am a senior at Ohio State looking to go into sports broadcasting. I have been a Buckeye fan my entire life, born and raised in Columbus. All I have ever known was Ohio State beating TTUN every single year, but unfortunately, when I got to college, the script was flipped.

My freshman year, in 2020, That Team was way too scared to face Justin Fields & Co., so they canceled the game. Sophomore year was the beginning of the cheating scandal, but we didn’t know it at the time. That was an unfortunate beatdown led by Aidan Hutchinson.

Then, came last year, my junior year. I was so amped up. My first Ohio State/TTUN game! Plus, the fact that I was a student and in the student section made it so much more special. I was so confident in the Bucks. C.J. Stroud, Marvin Harrison Jr., Emeka Egbuka... how could they lose?

Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Well, I was apparently overconfident. That was such a miserable day. I cried multiple times in the fourth quarter and as I was leaving The Shoe. Yeah, yeah, some might say I was being dramatic, but I had been waiting for 20 years to witness The Game in person, so I was definitely disappointed that the Buckeyes didn’t come away with a win.

Now, it is my senior year. I graduate in the spring. This is my final opportunity to witness an Ohio State victory over TTUN while I am still a student. Plus, to make it even better, I have been covering the team all season long for The Lantern, so I’ve been filming every game on the field.

I will get to be on the field in The Big House as well, and I am ecstatic. While I do wish The Game was home this year, especially with the whole cheating scandal, I am excited to go to Ann Arbor. The fact that I could actually be there for a rivalry win is awesome. Then I would race back to Columbus to celebrate with all of my other Buckeyes.

Photo by Jason Mowry/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

So, I beg and I plead, Buckeyes, PLEASE WIN. TTUN is not America’s Team. Ohio State is. Marvin Harrison Jr. is the best player in the country, and TreVeyon Henderson is going to run with the team on his back. The defense has been playing out of their minds all season long, and this is the game they have been looking to redeem themselves for since last year.

THIS IS YOUR TIME! You have the talent and the heart. You just have to execute. I know you can do it. It’s going to be a hostile environment, but that’s the best kind of environment. I can’t believe that Rivalry Week is officially here. I believe in you and so does the rest of Buckeye Nation. Let’s do this!

Sincerely,

Megan Husslein
Ohio State class of 2024

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247
Rivals
HUDL
ON3



Class: 2025 (high school)
Position: Wide Receiver
School: Sachse (TX) Sachse
Height: 6-foot-2
Weight: 175 lbs

Made a huge jump in the new 247sports ranking after he put up 1300 receiving yards and 13 TDs this season, he’s now ranked as the #12 player in the nation and #3 WR. He told Wiltfong he believes Ohio State will be offering soon.

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In physical Ohio State win, Celeste Taylor has her team’s back
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 University athletic department

With the game going the Buckeyes’ way, the transfer guard stepped in when a moment got out of hand.

Monday afternoon, Ohio State women’s basketball played in paradise. At the Baha Mar resort in Nassau, Bahamas, the Buckeyes dispatched the East Carolina Pirates, but it wasn’t always an easy feat. It was a game that didn’t match up with the relaxing, tropical, locale. Instead, when the game got away from the Pirates, tensions grew high.

In the third quarter, that hit a pinnacle when forward Taylor Thierry went up for a close range shot, interrupted by Pirates guard Jade Tillman. The play happened right in front of the Buckeyes bench and head coach Kevin McGuff.

In the third quarter of today’s Ohio State game, forward Taylor Thierry was hit in the head on a foul, later upgraded to an intentional foul.

Celeste Taylor took no time stepping up for her teammate. pic.twitter.com/F3lvrpSojf

— Thomas Costello (@1ThomasCostello) November 21, 2023​

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“TT (Thierry) got hit in the head on the shot pretty hard,” said McGuff. “And then there were some words exchanged.”

Before there were words, there was a moment when transfer guard Celeste Taylor wasn’t having any of the situation. On the way to help Thierry, and Tillman walking away from the foul without looking back, Taylor didn’t walk around but through the ECU Pirate.

It was a moment that showed what many people don’t see watching games alone: The leadership of guard Celeste Taylor.

In practice, Taylor’s walking through plays with fellow guard Jacy Sheldon and letting her teammates know what needs to change. Before the season, Taylor was offering a shoulder to cry on and getting new players acclimated to drills and the Buckeyes’ system, although the graduate senior Taylor is new to the team herself.

“That shows just our team culture and how we have each other’s backs,” said Thierry. “We can rely on each other through thick and thin.”

Also included in the fold was guard Rikki Harris, not shown on the game stream because of an in-game replay. For their troubles, both Harris and Taylor received technical fouls, on top of an additional technical for Pirates forward Amiya Joyner and both an intentional foul and technical foul ejection for Tillman.

It’s easy for moments like that to dishevel a team, but it didn’t for a Buckeyes side full of experienced players.

“They’re a very physical team and Coach McGuff was talking about it a lot,” said Thierry. “And so we just tried to prepare for this game during practice. He kept emphasizing how physical they are. They go for rebounds, steals. So we were prepared.”

The preparation was evident. Immediately following the two technical free throws made by Sheldon, Harris hit her third three-point shot of the game, going perfect on three attempts from deep.

For Taylor, who hasn’t hit a stride offensively yet for the Buckeyes, the guard led the team in steals. In addition, Taylor held East Carolina standout guard Danae McNeal to 11 points, under her 19-point average entering Monday.

What the moment, and lack of reaction in the run of play afterwards, was what the team’s said behind the scenes all along: The team chemistry is on a different level. Also, interactions like these only make the team stronger.

“I was very happy to see my teammates have my back,” said Thierry. “And I know that my teammates can be confident that I’ll have their back as well.”

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Five-star 2024 offensive tackle has Ohio State in top schools
Dan Hessler via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


2024 five-star OT Jordan Seaton via Ryan Callahan, 247Sports

The Buckeyes made the cut for it biggest remaining target in the 2024 recruiting class, and also sit in good favor with a 2025 four-star DL.

Ohio State is now 11-0 following a 37-3 victory over Minnesota. The game was the last home game for this year’s Ohio State football team, and now the Buckeyes will be busy preparing for the biggest game of every season. This weekend, Ohio State will travel to the state up north to take on its rivals. Because of this, the majority of headlines surrounding the Buckeyes will focus on the upcoming game - and rightfully so.

However, Ryan Day and the Ohio State coaching staff understand the importance of recruiting so the Buckeyes will not be short of recruiting headlines this week either.

Five-star OT has Ohio State in top 7​

Ohio State’s 2024 recruiting class is almost finalized. National Signing Day is next month, and the Buckeyes are expecting the majority of their recruiting class to sign Letters of Intent as soon as they are able.

As a result, Ohio State has been able to place more of a focus on the 2025 and 2026 recruiting classes. However, it is hoping to pull off one last big recruiting win when five-star offensive tackle Jordan Seaton (Bradenton, FL / IMG Academy) announces his commitment.

Seaton has not yet announced when he will make his commitment, and he may wait until signing day. However, he has taken another step in his recruitment as he dropped his top seven schools on Friday and included the Buckeyes.

BREAKING: Five-Star OT Jordan Seaton tells me he’s down to Schools!

The 6’6 290 OT from Washington DC is ranked as the No. 1 OT in the ‘24 Class

Where Should He Go? https://t.co/tJNhBqBO53 pic.twitter.com/c6ViLLKcKa

— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) November 18, 2023​

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Alongside Ohio State, Seaton also included Tennessee, Oregon, Colorado, Florida, Alabama and Maryland. Seaton was able to take visits to all of the above schools, including Ohio State. However, he has not been able to take an official visit with the school for an in-game experience. He was scheduled to taken an official visit with the Buckeyes when they played host to Michigan State, but was unable to do so because his high school team was still in the playoffs.

Following the cancellation of his official visit to Ohio State, Seaton made it known he still wanted to visit with the school and that the Buckeyes will always be in the running. That being said, Ohio State has a lot of ground to make up in a short amount of time if it is going to earn his commitment.

Seaton has been able to take official visits with multiple of his other contending schools, including an official visit to Tennessee this past weekend. The visit was a return trip for him, and the Volunteers seem like they could be the current leaders in his recruitment.

As it sits, Tennessee, Oregon, Alabama and Ohio State seem to be the best bet to land Seaton, but the Buckeyes will need to go all out for him in this last month before the signing period.

Seaton is the No. 1 OT in the 247Sports Composite Rankings and is the No. 15 overall prospect. He is also the No. 4 recruit out of the talent-rich state of Florida.

Quick Hits​

• Ohio State 2025 four-star DL target Christopher Burgess Jr. (Chicago, IL / Simeon) is scheduled to announce his commitment on Jan. 6 during the All-American Bowl. Burgess holds more than 30 scholarship offers, but has not released a top schools list. Ohio State, Michigan, Notre Dame and LSU seem to be the teams to beat, but it is anyone's guess on where he will end up. Burgess recently spoke with Steve Wiltfong of 247Sports on his recruitment, and Ohio State in particular as he was in attendance for the game Saturday. Burgess had the following to say:

Chicago (Ill.) Simeon Top247 2025 DE Christopher Burgess Jr. is taking a couple more visits before announcing his college decision at @AABonNBC on Jan. 6. The blue-chipper was at #OhioState on Saturday.

"My relationship with Larry Johnson keeps me coming back."

Story here:…

— Steve Wiltfong (@SWiltfong247) November 19, 2023​

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• Ohio State’s biggest-named fan recently took to social media to help recruit Ohio State 2024 verbal commit and five-star wide receiver, Jeremiah Smith.

https://t.co/P14YoQLhTa

— Jeremiah Smith ✞ (@Jermiah_Smith1) November 20, 2023​

Click to expand...

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Game Preview: No. 13 Ohio State women’s basketball vs. East Carolina, tropical edition
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 Scott Wachter/NCAA Photos via Getty Images

The Buckeyes travel to the Bahamas for a date with 2023 AAC Tournament champions.

While people in Central Ohio prepare for a chilly Thanksgiving holiday week, the Ohio State women’s basketball team is going on a trip to the Caribbean. On the schedule are two games in three days at the Baha Mar Pink Flamingo Championship, in the Bahamas.

Up first for the Buckeyes is the East Carolina Pirates, a team that shares traits with the scarlet and gray.

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Preview​

In two home games last week, the Buckeyes survived unscathed. Following a lopsided win against the IUPUI Jaguars and a surprisingly one-sided game against the Boston College Eagles, which featured a scoreline that made the game look much closer than it appeared.

Now, Ohio State’s opponents increase in difficulty — slightly. It begins with a matinee matchup against the Pirates of East Carolina, who gives the Buckeyes a challenge they haven’t quite seen this year. That’s because the Pirates will employ a defense a lot like the Buckeyes’.

East Carolina plays a full court press, including an Ohio State-esque backcourt trap where immediately off the inbound pass, two players will close. Where the teams differ on defense is twofold.

The first, East Carolina carries that attack across the half court line. Out of the press, the Buckeyes move to a more traditional half court defense. When the Pirates score, expect Ohio State players to have that same intense press well into the front court.

After three games, East Carolina’s turnover margin is +18, with the Temple Owls a distant second in the American Athletic Conference with +9.5. In that, the Pirates loot like actual pirates, stealing the ball 21.33 times per game on average.

To put that in perspective, Ohio State averages 7.5 steals per game following its first three games and are second to last in the Big Ten, giving away 21 turnovers per game. That means the Buckeyes passing is an area to watch.

An example of Ohio State passing that won’t work is if it goes back to its form against the USC Trojans. In the scarlet and gray’s 20 turnovers in that defeat, relaxed passing gave the Trojans easy fast break points. The second difference in the defenses is who these teams faced so far in the 23-24 season.

East Carolina’s 2-1 record is against three teams that didn’t make the NCAA Tournament in 2023. It’s not three teams who were close either, with none of the three having winning records in the 22-23 season. Ohio State is sure to give the Pirates much more of a challenge.

The Buckeyes’ defensive press is diverse this year, and its half court work is strong and not seen as a liability. Guards Jacy Sheldon and Celeste Taylor have the experience to both steer the passing through the Pirates’ press and turn around and cause similar issues for the Pirates.

Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images
Celeste Taylor (left) and Jacy Sheldon (right) are working on becoming a top defensive pair in the country

Those two Ohio State home games against non-conference opponents helped improve team chemistry overall, and individual performances followed. The Buckeyes loss to USC was put in the rearview mirror with strong individual performances by most starters.

After putting up only seven points against the soon-to-be Big Ten USC side, McMahon scored 44 points in two games, turning over the ball only once and grabbing six rebounds and four steals.

Forward Taylor Thierry continued her NCAA-leading field goal percentage (83.3%), missing three combined shots in two games. What impressed about those numbers is where Thierry scored the points. Against IUPUI, the guard/forward hybrid was parked deep, hitting three-point shots. Then, against Boston College, Thierry was inside the paint causing issues for opponents.

On the bench, the standout of the week is forward Taiyier Parks. Following a tough five-minute debut against USC, the former Michigan State forward showed her ability to move and score in the paint, using her strength and size to get past opponents. It’s an adjustment new players especially can hone in on during early non-conference games against non-Power Five schools.

Parks, and starting forward Rebeka Mikulášiková, will be needed Monday against sophomore Amiya Joyner. The 6-foot-2 forward is the kind of player that usually gives the Buckeyes trouble.

Joyner has 13 double-doubles in 34 career NCAA games, and averaged 9.7 rebounds per game as a freshman. The size and athleticism will make rebounding more difficult for Ohio State. If the Pirates can win the rebounding margin, and force turnovers like it has against the mid majors its faced so far this season, Monday could be more interesting than the last two Buckeyes’ games.

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Lineup Notes​

• Head coach Kevin McGuff confirmed that guard Madison Greene won’t have any minutes in the Bahamas, but is getting closer to returning.
• Mikulášiková is starting, but is getting a more even minutes share with Parks. Mikulášiková averages 16.7 minutes per game and Parks is right behind her, averaging 13.3 minutes.
• Duke transfer Taylor is still adjusting on the offensive end, but is leading Ohio State in steals with eight over three games.

Lineup Notes

• Guard Danae McNeil leads the Pirates in scoring with 19.0 points per game, but she’s also the reigning AAC Defensive Player of the Year. McNeil averages 4.7 steals per game so far this season.
• Get past the two stars in McNeil and Joyner, and the Pirates team doesn’t match the depth of the Buckeyes, with no other player averaging at least seven points per game on the roster.
• ECU is an experienced team, like Ohio State. The Pirates start four upperclassmen, and haven’t seen a freshman take the court this season.

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Prediction​

Monday’s game will be exciting, strictly from all the running that’ll be done by both defenses. However, it won’t be an overly competitive game for four quarters.

East Carolina enters Monday’s game six days after a loss to Virginia Commonwealth University. VCU had trouble scoring to start the game because of the press, but the Pirates couldn’t capitalize either. Halfway through the first quarter the score was 1-0, with one VCU free throw.

The first Baha Mar Pink Flamingo game for the Buckeyes won’t be that low scoring, at least on Ohio State’s side. Expect the scarlet and gray to come on strong. With the passing of Taylor and Sheldon, expect Thierry and McMahon to benefit the most, getting down the court for more open looks or one-on-one matchups in the paint. Expect a big game for McMahon especially if the forward.

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How to Watch​

Date: Monday, Nov. 20, 2023

Time: 1:30 p.m. ET

Where: Baha Mar Resort, Bahamas

Stream: FloHoops

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LGHL Prediction: 79-60 Ohio State Buckeyes​

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Exotic Locales​

Ohio State’s trip to the Bahamas is the first of three bucket list style journeys the squad’s made this season. First, it was a team bonding trip to Brazil in August. Then it was starting the regular season in Las Vegas, Nevada. Now it’s the Caribbean.

It’s a fitting itinerary so far in the 2023-24 season for a team that made national headlines last season in the NCAA tournament. On the first day, players were posting pictures from the beach across their social media platforms, but once Monday comes, it’s back on the task at hand and it's two games in three days. Wednesday, Ohio State takes on the other OSU: Oklahoma State University.

On the other end of this trip, and after the holiday week, the Buckeyes have the Tennessee Volunteers looming. Staying fresh and continuing the team growth in the Bahamas will go a long way before going into hostile territory down in SEC country.

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Uncut Podcast: Holtmann, Bonner, Battle discuss 73-56 win over Western Michigan
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports

Ohio State opened up the Emerald Coast Classic with a win over a different school from that team up north Sunday afternoon.

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

Listen to the episode and subscribe: ​

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

Following Ohio State’s 73-56 win over the Western Michigan Broncos Sunday afternoon, Jamison Battle, Dale Bonner, and Chris Holtmann spoke to the media about the contest, which was technically the opening round of the Emerald Coast Classic.

Battle and Bonner spent some time talking about Zed Key when asked about his recovery from shoulder surgery and his quality of play so soon after getting back on the court. Battle said that Key is a “gamer” and that his years of experience in the Big Ten show how tough he is. Both he and Bonner said that they loved Key’s three-pointer he knocked down in the first half.

Holtmann gave credit to Western Michigan, and said, “Once they’re healthier they’re going to have a really good year.” He discussed the difference in pace when you’re playing against a zone defense vs typical man-to-man, and also talked about Bruce Thornton’s progression into a more natural and effective point guard.

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Connect with Connor:
Twitter: @lemons_connor

Theme music provided by www.bensound.com​

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You’re Nuts: Predictions, bold or otherwise, for Ohio State vs. Michigan
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

The season is on the line in The Game.

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: Predictions, bold or otherwise, for Ohio State vs. Michigan​

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Josh’s Take​

We’re here, folks. It’s *ichigan Week. How about I/you/we just punt on this edition of You’re Nuts and save that energy for The Game? Kidding, of course.

But it is that time of year, and let’s face it, The Game is all we really care about. Work? Nah, we’ve pushed everything to 2024 already. Family? We can interact with them 51 weeks a year, no need to over-do it. Thanksgiving? Honestly, overrated. The sole focus this entire week is and/or should be Ohio State vs. TTUN. It’s as simple as that.

As for You’re Nuts, well, this is normally the part where I wax poetic for a few paragraphs, throw in a couple of jokes/sarcastic remarks, and then ultimately set the table for Gene to crush me in this good-natured quasi-debate. But my partner is absolutely dialed this week. So he said “Let’s just cut the BS and start talking ball.”

What Gene wants; Gene gets. He suggested we throw out a final score prediction, but I'm going to toss in one added wrinkle — a(nother) bold prediction to go along with it. Something like: Jim Harbaugh, Connor Stalions, Uncle T, and Biff Poggi lead TTUN out of the tunnel and hilarity ensues... Just an example, and hopefully one that is not stolen by Gene for this exercise. Let’s get to it.

The bold part of my prediction is that both Dallan Hayden and Carnell Tate play a key role for Ohio State’s offense. Not in place of other Buckeyes, but as supplementary weapons to aid Kyle McCord against a stout defense.

We have seen plenty of Tate scattered throughout the season, but far less Hayden. The latter seems to be by design, as Ryan Day has mentioned preserving the running back’s redshirt. However, Hayden was thrown into the mix late against Minnesota, in a game that was already well out of reach. Ohio State could have easily chewed up clock using Chip Trayanum and Evan Pryor... So why use Hayden, burning his third game in the process?

Well I believe that the Minnesota game was used as a tune-up game for Hayden. To get the Buckeyes’ second-year RB re-acclimated and ready for TTUN. Because OSU will likely need to lean on the running game (at times) in Ann Arbor, and TreVeyon Henderson should not be expected to do all the heavy lifting on his own. Hayden is the team’s second-most explosive option and, in my opinion, a more viable threat than Trayanum. The latter is more physical and likely better in pass pro, so there should be a role for all three. But Ohio State needs to put the best players on the field Saturday. And Hayden has proven to be one of them when given the opportunity.

As for Tate, well, he’s awesome. And again, the Buckeyes would be wise to put their most dangerous weapons on the field. So why not the freshman? As the sole proprietor and possibly sole inhabitant of Fleming Island, I know and understand that Julian Fleming is an experienced downfield blocker. However, he is not getting it done in the passing game. If Tate is out there, TTUN will be forced to genuinely account for him, possibly opening things up (more) for Marvin Harrison Jr., Emeka Egbuka, and Cade Stover.

Now for the score prediction...

There is so much on the line here, Gene. Are you aware of any over-the-counter narcotics that would safely knock me out for approximately 100 hours? So I can see the score after I wake, and then decide whether to watch The Game?

In all seriousness, I like the Buckeyes’ chances on Saturday. Playing in The Big House definitely concerns me, but TTUN has not proven to be perfect or unbeatable. On or off the field. The Wolverines’ running game, while productive, is not as explosive as it was last year. J.J. McCarthy hasn’t thrown the ball well in two weeks. Taulia Tagovailoa was able to find holes in their secondary. Oh, and Jim Harbaugh will be watching the game on TV... We think. Either way, Ohio State has a chance to go exercise some demons. And I believe in McCord.

Give me 24-23 Buckeyes. TTUN gets into the red zone a handful of times, but OSU’s defense forces three field goals. Marv shows out, Henderson and Hayden produce (enough) on the ground, and Day calls a good, smart game. There ya have it. Go Bucks!

Gene’s Take​

While overall I feel good about Ohio State heading into Ann Arbor, especially with the Buckeyes playing some of their best ball over the past two weeks, I do have four areas of concern for The Game: special teams, offensive line, the OSU run defense and slow starts.

If Parker Fleming cared at all about Ohio State, he would resign from his position before Saturday. The Buckeyes’ special teams unit has been dreadful under his watch in every facet of the game, whether it be kick/punt return defense, fielding punts, stopping obvious fakes or even things as simple as lining up correctly, it has all been awful. Ohio State ranks 115th in FBS in punt return defense, 110th in punt returns, 71st in kick returns and 47th in kick return defense — on top of all their other procedural issues. I am incredibly worried that in a game with slim margins such as this one, a special teams mistake could cost the Buckeyes the game.

The offensive line has gotten better as the year has gone on, but it is still largely inconsistent. It seems like on any given week a different Ohio State offensive lineman struggles, outside of the rock solid Matthew Jones. It has been a tough few games for Carson Hinzman, and I have some concerns about the young center going up against some really talented interior linemen in Kenneth Grant and Mason Graham. On the outside, Josh Fryar has gotten beaten badly off the edge a handful of times, and Josh Simmons is good for at least one false start or holding penalty per game. They’ve been solid as a unit overall, but there are enough red flags there to warrant hesitation.

When it comes to the run defense, I understand that statically Ohio State has been really good in this area this season. The Buckeyes rank 19th in FBS and 5th in the Big Ten giving up 108.5 yards per game on the ground, but many teams haven’t been able to run the ball a ton against Jim Knowles’ defense when they are playing from behind. Teams that have committed to running the football, like Notre Dame and Rutgers, have had success against the Silver Bullets, each rushing for at least 170 yards and 4.5 yards per carry. Blake Corum is the best running back Ohio State will have seen this season, and I do think he will find success even if he's not ripping off six or seven yards per attempt.

My final area of concern is a slow start that puts the Buckeyes behind the eight-ball. Outside of the Michigan State game, Ohio State has had a problem all season putting up points in the first quarter and first half of games. Against a team like Michigan, you cannot afford to play a bad half or even really a bad quarter of football. An early turnover that leads to points and puts you down 10-0 or worse could be monumental in deciding the outcome of the game. Kyle McCord, TreVeyon Henderson and Marvin Harrison Jr. will have to be at their best early to avoid digging an early hole.

All that is to say: I still think Ohio State will win this game. Outside of offensive line I do think the Buckeyes are better or even at really every position across the board. They have the best player on the field in Harrison Jr., and if the defense plays up to its standard from the previous 11 games, they should have success keeping Michigan out of the end zone for the majority of the contest. I have it 21-17 Ohio State, and I think J.T. Tuimoloau will be the difference in the game, whether it be a huge fourth-quarter play as he’s been so accustomed to making or just harassing J.J. McCarthy all afternoon.

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No. 15 Ohio State women’s basketball wins physical game against East Carolina 79-55
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 University athletic department

Buckeyes survive a game with four technical fouls with key shooting

Ohio State women’s basketball was having a warmer day than most, playing Monday’s game in the Bahamas at the Baha Mar Pink Flamingo Championship. In the first of two games in three days, the Buckeyes beat the East Carolina Pirates 79-55.

The Buckeyes got things going quickly, benefiting on the defensive side of the ball. Ohio State forced an ECU timeout after 2:32 on the clock because of a strong half court presence.

East Carolina couldn’t find a gap in the scarlet and gray’s defensive setup, going for a bad runner late in the shot clock. On the next defensive possession, forward Rebeka Mikulášiková intercepted a pass. Both moments turned into guard Jacy Sheldon scoring unopposed layups

Out of that timeout, it didn’t get better. Halfway through the first quarter, the Pirates hit its first shot, a three by leading scorer, guard Danae McNeil. By then, the Pirates were down seven, with five turnovers.

In what seems like a repeat story throughout the season, guard/forward Taylor Thierry was a constant for the Buckeyes. Thierry led Ohio State with 7 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals and 1 block on 3-for-3 shooting in the first quarter. The Buckeyes had a 10-point lead, 21-11 with the game comfortably in their hands at the end of the first, but ECU battled.

Poor shooting and turnovers hurt the scarlet and gray in the second quarter, with the Pirates taking the momentum. East Carolina outshot Ohio State 66.6% to 33.3% in the first seven minutes. Included was bad passing and foul trouble.

Ohio State had five turnovers in the second quarter, with three bad passes turning into six points off turnovers for the Pirates. Not there to assist was Thierry.

The Buckeyes started the quarter with the Cleveland, Ohio native getting rest on the bench. After coming in, the forward made an early shot but picked up two quick fouls, giving her three for the quarter. Thierry only played two minutes, requiring other Buckeyes to step up.

Head coach Kevin McGuff’s side rebounded and began creating turnovers of its own. With the Buckeyes up only one, looking at potentially its first deficit of the game, substitute forward Taiyier Parks used her in the paint ability to hit a layup. Then, guard Celeste Taylor grabbed a steal that turned into a three-point shot by Sheldon.

Entering the second half, Ohio State had a 38-32 lead and came back out with the full slate of starters, bringing back Thierry with three fouls. The chemistry between them made a difference. Off the inbound, Sheldon received a pass running into the paint, getting the scoring going quickly.

It turned into a 7-2 Buckeyes run to start the second half. Part of those seven points was an impressive, professional-level, move by forward Cotie McMahon. With a crowd in the paint, McMahon didn’t try to use finesse or strength to get a layup in. Instead, McMahon showed her growing game, stopping midway through the run and making a fadeaway midrange shot.

The third quarter looked a lot like the first. Halfway through the third, the Buckeyes outscored the Pirates 11-2. Out of the media timeout, ECU came out fast with a layup but guard Rikki Harris came in and stepped up.

Harris started with a corner three-point shot, negating the Micah Dennis transition shot. Then, on the next offensive drive, Harris hit another three from the other corner, with a body in her face. Harris missed on an earned free throw on the second make, but it got the Buckeyes’ lead to its largest of the game to that point, with a 16-point East Carolina deficit.

With 1:29 remaining, and the Pirates drifting further away on the scoreboard, tensions rose between the sides. After complete passing by the Buckeyes on offense, Thierry caught the final pass and went for a lay-in near the rim. Guard Jade Tillman for ECU went hard into Thierry, sending the forward to the ground.

In walked Celeste Taylor.

As Tillman walked away, Taylor walked towards her teammate on the ground and didn’t walk by, but through, Tillman with a strong shoulder. Taylor followed it up with some words for the East Carolina guard. That sent the referees to the monitor for a long review of the situation and extracurricular activity.

From the review, ECU head coach Kim McNeil was visibly annoyed with the conclusion, saying “of course, of course” to the referees after the group of officials passed down the fouls from the small skirmish. Tillman received an intentional and technical foul for the move on Thierry, sending Tillman out of the game.

Other technicals included Joyner, Taylor and Harris, with Sheldon following them up with two free throw makes. The technical didn’t bother Harris though, hitting another three-pointer on the inbound off the free throws.

In the fourth, the Buckeyes committed early fouls but kept shooting on the offensive end of the court. Sheldon and Mikulášiková each hit one, with the Slovakian forward hitting two. Ohio State increased the lead up to 22, its highest of the game to that point.

The Buckeyes held on to the big lead, winning 79-55.

Senior Guards Show Up​

While Taylor had a key moment sticking up for her teammates off the game clock, Harris and Sheldon were providing the same support while the time was running.

From the starting five, Sheldon hit layups consistently despite not logging a steal until the fourth quarter. Instead, the graduate senior was shooting. Sheldon led all Buckeyes in scoring with 20 points. For Harris, the three three-point shots made turned a game that ECU felt they could compete in to a game out of its hands.

Press vs. Press

Going into the game, a similarity between the sides was how the defenses operate. Both teams employ a full court press that isn’t one-on-one coverage but more swarming. The press didn’t work for ECU as it has against previous opponents.

For one, it's now against the Buckeyes and not a mid major side like the Pirates have faced this year. The other reason was how ECU calmed its press down against Ohio State.

In previous games, East Carolina threw two people on whoever received the ball in the backcourt. Instead, the team played more of a 2-1-2 setup where only two players stood in the backcourt, one stayed near half court and two sat back in case the ball got through.

It meant that the turnovers weren’t all there for ECU like in previous games. Ohio State gave up more than 20 turnovers, but it wasn’t because of the press. Had that press been more effective, the Pirates, who were within one point in the second quarter, might’ve made it more of a contest in the second half.

What’s Next​

It’s a quick turnaround for the Buckeyes in the Bahamas. On Wednesday, Ohio State takes on the other OSU: Oklahoma State University. The Cowgirls play the Penn State Nittany Lions Monday at 6 p.m. ET.

Oklahoma State made it to the First Round of the 2023 NCAA Tournament, losing to the surprise Miami Hurricanes. Before Monday’s game against Penn State, the Cowgirls are 2-1 with the lone loss coming against the Colorado Buffaloes on Nov. 12.

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How did Michigan turn arounds its rivalry with Ohio State? Land-Grant Holy Land breaks it down
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

How did the Wolverines finally get over on their rival after eight consecutive losses?

They started cheating.

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All of the news you need to know to kick off Rivalry Week
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Ohio State played Minnesota on Saturday, but as soon as the game was over all attention turned to TTUN.

As you are almost certainly aware, it is now officially rivalry week for the No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes as they will travel to the state up north on Saturday to take on their third-ranked rivals. Whether you have the week off to celebrate Thanksgiving or if you are just trying to find stuff to pass the time at work, we are going to run you through all of the news since the Buckeyes’ 37-3 victory over th Minnesota Golden Gophers on Saturday.


It is now officially Beat M*ch*g*n Week! Get the info you need on the juiciest game in rivalry history
Matt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land

Ohio State opens as 4-point underdogs against Michigan
Gene Ross, Land-Grant Holy Land

Ohio State up to No. 2 in Week 13 Coaches, AP Poll
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts

Presser Bullets: Ryan Day Says Ohio State ‘Stayed in the Moment’ Against Minnesota but It’s Time to Test a Season’s Worth of Work vs. Michigan
Andy Anders, Eleven Warriors

Five Thoughts: On Ohio State’s win vs. Minnesota with an eye on Michigan (paywall)
Bill Landis, Dotting the Eyes

After being held out again, Tommy Eichenberg to return for Michigan game (paywall)
Andy Backstrom, Lettermen Row

Ohio State’s defensive bomb squad out to defuse Michigan’s explosives and finish its mission
Nathan Baird, cleveland.com

Three stats that could determine the winner of The Game
Matt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land


Jack Sawyer Puts Five-Star Talent on Full Display in Career Game vs. Minnesota
Dan Hope, Eleven Warriors

Healthy Emeka Egbuka ‘looked explosive,’ back to top form in time for The Game (paywall)
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row

3 things that makes the Michigan football offense work, and how Ohio State can counter: Film Review
Lance Reisland, cleveland.com

Football: Undefeated Buckeyes Are Confident Heading Into the Game
Brett Price, The Lantern

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Grumpy Old Buckeye: Ohio State vs. Minnesota
Michael Citro via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Jason Mowry/Getty Images

The Buckeyes channeled their inner Carl Spackler and took care of the Gophers on Saturday.

While it was good to see the Ohio State defense once again playing a dominating game in a 37-3 Senior Day victory over Minnesota — even when considering the opponent’s overall strength — the Buckeye offense returned to its bad habit of stalling without finishing drives. It’s a problem that has been there most of the season, with the exception of last week’s win over Michigan State.

It was still basically a complete performance, however, so let’s check in with the minor annoyances that made me think negative thoughts about a group of players and coaches who were on my television on Saturday.

Gettin’ Grabby​

A holding penalty on the punt return unit set the tone for a game filled with poor starting field position after Ohio State stopped the first drive by the Golden Gophers. Jayden Ballard called a fair catch, so no yards were gained by the hold, but the Buckeyes started at their own 15-yard line instead of the 25 because of a penalty. This was the first of several drives in which the OSU offense began from awful field position. Ohio State was able to easily move down the field and score anyway, which set a false tone for the offense.

Still Getting’ Grabby​

The second OSU drive started from even worse field position. Ohio State took over at its own 3-yard line and quickly moved six yards on a pair of TreVeyon Henderson runs. However, on the second, Cade Stover was called for holding, putting the Buckeyes behind the chains and off schedule. Stover caught a short pass on the next play to get the ball back to where it was, but an incomplete pass on third down killed the drive and set Minnesota up in good field position (at its own 45) after the punt.

Still Not Snappy​

The snap problems Ohio State has had intermittently the last several weeks showed up again on Saturday on the third OSU offensive series. A bad ball from Carson Hinzman began the drive. Kyle McCord was able to field it on one hop and deliver a strike to Marvin Harrison Jr., but the timing of the play was affected, and it’s a bit maddening that this keeps happening this far into the season.

Wait, I Thought We Were Calling Holding?​

Minnesota was facing a 3rd-and-14 on its third drive. The Buckeyes seemed poised to make a big play on defense and quickly get the ball back. However, Minnesota quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis was able to hit Corey Crooms on a crossing route for a big play of 32 yards. The time to throw was generously supplied by the Golden Gophers’ left tackle, who lived up to his position’s name by tackling J.T. Tuimoloau right in front of Kaliakmanis.

No flag flew, and the Gophers moved into OSU territory. Although the defense stiffened up and forced a punt, Ohio State took over at its own 11-yard line.

Second-Quarter Kyle Returns​

After lighting up Michigan State through the entire first half, it seemed McCord had taken a step forward a week ago. But his problems from late in the first quarter through halftime returned in this game with some poor reads, curious decisions, and bad throws. After starting 5-of-6 for 60 yards, McCord finished the first half connecting just six times on his last 12 attempts for 87 yards.

He clearly wasn’t seeing the field well, as several open targets downfield were ignored in favor of throwing into coverage. That included a blitz where Harrison’s man left him to rush the passer and Ohio State’s Heisman candidate was all alone.

The young quarterback needs to avoid the bad streak that seems to inevitably follow a hot start in this Saturday’s game or it could be the difference between a trip to Indianapolis and sweating out other results to end up with a ranking high enough to overcome a costly loss. I’m not sure Ohio State will get the benefit of the doubt this year.

Two-Minute Follies​

Ohio State had all kinds of problems on its two-minute drive to end the first half. Instead of taking a timeout after a first down in bounds, Ohio State tried to go quickly. As has often happened when the Buckeyes try to go fast on offense, something went awry. The line wasn’t set for a second prior to the snap and Ohio State was forced to burn the timeout anyway to avoid a 10-second run-off. Had the timeout been called initially, the Buckeyes would have had five fewer yards to go and about six more seconds on the clock.

The wasteful drive got worse when the clock got low. With virtually no way to get down the field in the time remaining, Ohio State called a pass play. Josh Fryar completely blew his block and McCord got sacked, coming down awkwardly and limping to the locker room for halftime. I’m fine with going after points in the final seconds of a half, but after the previous play resulted in only a short gain and kept the clock moving, the final play should have been a kneel-down.

You Calling Us Posers?​

Jordan Hancock’s interception was fun, and it made up for him not throwing a block that could have gotten Tuimoloau into the end zone on an earlier Minnesota turnover. But the Buckeyes decided to celebrate the turnover and they got nailed for it. Most of the defensive unit posed in the end zone in front of photographers. The flag flew and the referee made a point of naming every player so that they’d each count against the ejection total.

In an era of unprecedented celebrating on the field, the Buckeyes ran to the end zone and did not celebrate in their opponents’ faces. Technically it’s a penalty, but lighten up, man. I’ve never heard a ref call out that many players by number on a play like that before, and said the penalty was for “posing.” It was the penalty call of the year in the Big Ten.

No Shutout​

The backups absolutely should have been on the field (and probably some of them earlier), but the defense allowed Minnesota to string some first downs together and the Gophers snapped the shutout with a 54-yard field goal. Way to go, backups. You had one job!

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Obviously the good vastly outweighed the bad for Ohio State on Saturday, and any perceived anger or venom above is purely tongue in cheek. Henderson ran wild on the Gophers, Dallan Hayden performed well when called upon, the defense was stifling and opportunistic at times, and Jack Sawyer had perhaps his best ever game as a Buckeye.

Next up is The Game in Ann Arbor on Saturday at noon. No matter what happens, Michigan cheated.

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Visited for the Mich St game. Offers from Penn St., Oregon and Syracuse already

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Ohio State offers a trio of 2025 prospects over the weekend
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


2025 WR Talyn Taylor | via @taylor_talyn on Twitter

The Buckeyes were active on the recruiting trail after the final home game of the season.

Ohio State picked up a relatively easy 36-3 victory over Minnesota on Saturday. While they were doing so, the Buckeyes also had their final chance of the season to host recruits for a game day atmosphere. It was a fun night in Columbus, and it seems as though all went well on the recruiting front, with three new prospects coming away from the weekend with Ohio State offers in hand.

The first of that trio is 2025 wide receiver Talyn Taylor. Hailing out of Big Ten country in Illinois, Taylor currently ranks as the No. 15 WR and the No. 95 overall player in the class, per the 247Sports Composite. The 6-foot, 165-pound athlete holds over 20 offers to his name, with Ohio State now joining the likes of Alabama, Georgia, Michigan, Notre Dame, USC and more. He has made prior visits with both the Wolverines and the Fighting Irish, but as we have seen more often than not with Brian Hartline, things could escalate quickly here if there is mutual interest between the two parties.

#AGTG After a great conversation with @ryandaytime I am extremely blessed to receive an offer from The Ohio State University! @brianhartline @ParkerFleming_ @Rivals_Clint @AllenTrieu @ChadSimmons_ @LemmingReport @GenevaViking pic.twitter.com/30226WsYgU

— Talyn Taylor (@taylor_talyn) November 19, 2023​

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Next up is 2025 safety Messiah Delhomme. Making the trip to Ohio State this weekend from Virginia, Delhomme currently ranks as the No. 9 safety and the No. 127 player nationally per 247Sports’ rankings. Delhomme did a little bit of everything for the Raiders as a sophomore, rushing for 827 yards, racking up 575 yards as a receiver, and also recording 61 tackles and eight interceptions as a defensive back. The 6-foot-1 track athlete was named VHSL Class 4 First Team All-State as both a receiver and DB, and was also named the Region 4A Defensive Player of the Year.

I’m extremely blessed and grateful to say I have received my 16th D1 Scholarship from THE Ohio State University @ryandaytime @jchorba16 @Coach_Eliano @CoachSykes3 @Coach_D_Moody @coach_1906 @247Sports pic.twitter.com/otOTTuMoJs

— Messiah Delhomme (@DelhommeMessiah) November 19, 2023​

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The final player on our list is 2025 defensive lineman Jarquez Carter. A Florida native, Carter ranks as the No. 49 DL and No. 63 player out of the Sunshine State per 247Sports’ rankings. The 6-foot-2, 280-pound tackle also plays basketball for Newberry, but put up impressive numbers on the gridiron to the tune of 78 total tackles, 23 tackles for loss and 10 sacks as a sophomore. Carter holds over a dozen offers to his name to this point, including from programs such as Miami, Michigan, Notre Dame, Penn State and now the Buckeyes.

Blessed and honored to receive an offer from Ohio State University @R2X_Rushmen1 @N_Murph @ChadSimmons_ @RivalsFriedman #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/tB6o2PtTeN

— Jarquez Carter (@JarquezCarter) November 19, 2023​

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Quick Hits​

• In addition to the three new offerees, Ohio State had a chance to impressive some other high profile targets on Saturday. One of them was current USC commit Julian Lewis, the No. 1 QB and No. 1 overall player in the 2026 class. With a long way to go until Lewis signs on the dotted line and the Trojans finishing up a 7-5 season before their move to the Big Ten, there is still plenty of time for Ryan Day to make up some ground, and it sounds like the visit this weekend was very well received.

“It was a great atmosphere,” Lewis told Bucknuts. “I’m glad I got to finally get up there. I was super tired from my game the night before and an early flight, but it was worth the trip.”

In addition to Lewis, the Buckeyes also played host to five-star corner Dorian Brew. The No. 4 CB and No. 21 prospect overall the 2025 class, it was the third Ohio State game the Texas native has attended this season. With how well the Silver Bullets are playing under Tim Walton and Perry Eliano, and with OSU making his top 10 schools just last week, things seem to be trending very well for the Buckeyes with one of the nation’s premier defenders in the upcoming cycle.

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Ohio State beats (Western) Michigan 73-56 to kick off rivalry week
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports

The Buckeyes did not mess around with the directional Michigan school this afternoon.

Welcome to rivalry week! To kick off the best and most venomous sports week of the year, the Ohio State men’s basketball team welcomed the Western Michigan Broncos to the Schottenstein Center Sunday afternoon for the fourth-ever matchup between the two programs. Because even though Buckeyes fans can’t take a swing at the Wolverines until Saturday, the second-best thing is facing off with one of the several directional Michigan schools, right?

The Broncos (0-4) came into this game having lost games to North Dakota State, Georgia State, and Northwestern by a combined 15 points — an average deficit of just five points per loss. They entered Sunday’s contest sitting at No. 303 in KenPom overall and No. 313 in defensive efficiency, allowing 108.6 points per 100 possessions.

Second-year head coach Dwayne Stephens went with a starting five of Brandon Muntu, Jefferson De La Cruz Monegro, Seth Hubbard, Titus Wright, and Owen Lobsinger. Chris Holtmann’s Buckeyes (3-1) went with the same starting lineup they’ve used the first three games — Bruce Thornton, Roddy Gayle, Jamison Battle, Evan Mahaffey, and Felix Okpara.

Ohio State opened the scoring with a couple of three-pointers, courtesy of Thornton and Battle, to take an 11-6 lead into the first media timeout. While Okpara started this game, Zed Key checked in after three minutes and immediately had a big defensive stop against WMU’s Anthony Crump, who tried to back him down in the paint, then moved him out to the perimeter, and then tried to come back below the basket before Zed swatted it away wth five seconds remaining on the shot clock.

The Buckeyes really broke things open with a 14-0 run halfway through the first half, taking a seven-point lead and turning it into a 21-point lead not even three minutes later. It was a balanced scoring attack and a balanced defensive effort, with five different players scoring at least five points in the first half and five different players registering at leat one steal.

We'll be thinking about this Roddy Gayle dunk for awhile. @OhioStateHoops pic.twitter.com/Bx9JPY8ZCY

— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) November 19, 2023

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When the halftime buzzer sounded, Ohio State had their largest halftime lead of the season, 41-21, over Wester Michigan. Gayle had nine points on 4-of-5 shooting over 16 minutes as well as five rebounds, but also turned the ball over twice. Thornton, Battle, Key, and Dale Bonner each had at least six points in the first half. Collectively, Ohio State shot 51.7% in the first half, and was 8-of-15 from three (53.3%). De La Cruz Monegro had five points in the first half for WMU, which shot 30% in the first half.

Ohio State extended its already huge lead to 27 points over the first few minutes of the second half, with a 55-28 lead at the first media timeout. Gayle and Thornton continued to seek inside looks rather than settling for threes, which in turn opened up the perimeter for Battle.

Mop kid wasn’t ready for this Zed Key dunk. @iamzedkey x @OhioStateHoops pic.twitter.com/EshoUEcTbs

— Big Ten Men's Basketball (@B1GMBBall) November 19, 2023

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The Buckeyes clung to a measley 25-point lead at the under-eight timeout, 68-43. A lot of basketball happened during the under-eight and the final buzzer, but not a ton of it was consequential with Ohio State ultimately running away with a 73-56 win over Western Michigan to kick off rivalry week.

If you weren’t around for Ohio State’s final tune-up before heading to Florida this weekend, here’s a few key moments, plays, and statistics that led to win No. 3 on the season for the Buckeyes:

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Welcome to the Zed Key show ​

Felix Okpara has been starting at center this season, but Key had played signficantly more minutes than his fellow center through three games because he’s brought a lot more on the offensive end than Okpara.

Zed's doing it all for @OhioStateHoops. pic.twitter.com/rw8TNHrx48

— Big Ten Men's Basketball (@B1GMBBall) November 19, 2023

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Today, Okpara started but subbed out after three minutes. Key had an immediate impact upon entering the game, blocking two shots as well as adding a steal-and-score where he swiped the ball away and then ran the floor himself for a dunk. He threw in a three from straightaway to give himself five points, two blocks, two rebounds, and a steal just in his first five minutes on the floor.

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Ohio State’s 14-0 run helps Buckeyes break away ​

After Max Burton’s three-pointer made it 16-9 Buckeyes, Ohio State proceeded to go on a 14-0 run to basically put the game out of reach before even getting to halftime. Four different Buckeyes scored during the run (Dale Bonner, Zed Key, Scotty Middleton, and Battle), but it was fueled by the defense of the bigs — Key and Okpara. Key had multiple steals and blocks in the first half alone. Okpara — although he played more sparingly — still had an impact, blocking two shots and also was credited with a steal in the first half.

Thornton’s three-pointer with 9:21 left in the first half made it 30-9 Ohio State, but the Broncos would go on to score a minute later to eventually break their five-plus minute scoreless streak.

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Ugly first half final possession for Ohio State ​

Leading 41-18 with under a minute remaining, it looked like WMU and Ohio State would each get one possession before the halftime buzzer. After Bonner missed a three with 40 seconds remaining, Western Michigan brought the ball down and Anthony Crump knocked down a three to make it 41-21.

However, Scotty Middleton was called for a foul below the basket on the shot, so WMU got the bucket and retained possession, meaning there was an opportunity for a six-point possession, potentially. However, Ja’Vaughn Hannah missed a three, and that was how the half ended.

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Take care of the rock ​

Ohio State’s 11.3 turnovers per game was the fifth-fewest in the Big Ten enterign this game, although Holtmann would certainly like to see that number drop a bit more if possible. The Buckeyes were much more intentional with the basketball than its opponent on Sunday afternoon, committing just three turnovers over 40 minutes in comparison to WMU’s 11.

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Felix and Zed, co-existing on the floor ​

The idea of Key playing power forward and Okpara playing center in the same lineup, at the same time was a topic that’s come up each of the past two summers, but Ohio State had opted not to experiment with it in an actual game until Sunday afternoon.

With 13:54 left in the game and Ohio State up 59-28, Key subbed in for Battle, with Okpara still on the floor. Key played the four and played a lot more on the perimeter, while Okpara remained in the post.

The two played together for 2:15, until Okpara was subbed back out for Devin Royal. During the time they were on the floor together, Ohio State was outscored 7-6. Not a sterling review of the dual big man lineup, but the coaching staff was probably glad to get some film on that lineup against actual, live competition that they can review for the future.

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Up Next:​

Ohio State (3-1) has the next four days off before flying to Niceville, Florida for the Emerald Coast Classic. In game one, they’ll see the No. 22 Alabama Crimson Tide (4-0) who have scored at least 98 points in every game this season so far. They’re the No. 5 team in the nation according to KenPom, with the second-best offense in the country.

The Buckeyes’ game against Alabama will tip off at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, and will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network.

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Three stats that could determine the winner of The Game
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Scott W. Grau/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

From scoring defense to McCarthy’s stats vs. top-50 defenses to red zone conversions, there’s a lot to dig into.

On Saturday, Nov. 25, 2023 at 12 noon ET in Michigan Stadium, perhaps the most dramatic installment of The Game in history will finally happen. Between now and then, there will undoubtedly be millions of hours and column inches spent talking about sign-stealing, cheating, softness, suspensions, RICO charges, coverups, computer crimes, and many more salacious storylines, but when it is time to get the game underway, those things will mostly fade into the background as two of the best college football teams in the country will square off for the Big Ten East’s spot in the conference championship game, a virtual guaranteed berth into the College Football Playoff, and the ability to control their own destiny to win the national title.

While a suspended coach or a two-game losing streak very well might factor into the motivation for the players and coaches, it will be what the teams are able to do on the gridiron that will determine who comes out on top. So, we are going to dive into three statistics that very well could play a major part in determining this weekend’s winner.

There are undoubtedly plenty of other things that will come into play for both teams on Saturday, and we will spend the rest of the week breaking those things down, but these three areas are what jumps out less than 24 hours after the two teams wrapped up their penultimate regular season games.

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1) TTUN and Ohio State have the two best scoring defenses in the country​

Not only will Ohio State and their rivals almost certainly be ranked No. 2 and No. 3 respectively by the College Football Playoff committee when they head into the regular season finale, but they will also come in as the two top defenses in the country when it comes to giving up points.

Jesse Minter’s squad has given up just 99 points across its 11 games this season for an obvious average of 9 points per game. That is undoubtedly an impressive total, but also impressive if Ohio State’s 102 points allowed. Were it not for Minnesota kicker Dragan Kesich’s 54-yarder in the fourth quarter on Saturday, the two teams would have come into the game giving up the same number of points. Instead, the Buckeyes enter at a 9.27 points-per-game average.

Ohio State has given up the fewest touchdowns in FBS this season, allowing only 10, their rivals are in second placing having surrendered only 11. Logic dictates that, barring especially explosive scoring plays by either special teams or defenses, whichever defense gives up the fewest points this weekend will win.

But, while averages are useful in providing a complete picture of where teams are, this weekend, both defenses will be tasked with facing off against one specific offense. On Saturday, the home team will enter the game as the No. 11 scoring offense in the country, putting up 38.3 points per outing, while OSU is 24th nationally at 33.6 ppg.

But, because of the different non-conference schedules that the two teams played, it might be more instructive to look at the two teams’ stats against common opponents. In those matchups — all against Big Ten teams — Ohio State has scored 33 points per game, while their rivals have scored one touchdown more at 40 points. So, there is no doubt that, from a statistical standpoint, the Buckeye defense will have the tougher task on Saturday when it comes to slowing down the opposing offense.

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2) J.J. McCarthy has completed 12 passes in his last six quarters of action and OSU is the best pass defense in FBS​

Despite the prolific offense that the team from Ann Arbor has shown this season, one emerging factor that could swing the game in Ohio State’s favor is the fact that starting quarterback J.J. McCarthy seems to have hit a wall in terms of his productivity — and perhaps in the trust that his coaching staff has in him.

Two weeks ago, in a game against Penn State which was not decided until late in the fourth quarter, the one-time Heisman favorite did not officially attempt a single pass. Granted, his team did pull out the 24-15 victory, so perhaps he did not need to, but this surprising development definitely drew some attention. Now, he was 7-for-8 in the first half for 60 yards, but the offensive line was giving up an increasing number of pressures, and it appeared that offensive coordinator and interim head coach Sherrone Moore was uncomfortable with how McCarthy was handling that.

Then this weekend, the QB went 12-for-23 for 141 yards, 0 TDs, 1 INT vs. Maryland. While the Terrapins are not necessarily known as a dominant defense, this performance does shed some additional light on what type of performer McCarthy might be against above-average defenses. The Terps are the No. 43 passing defense in the country, they were only the fifth such team that McCarthy has faced so far this season. In those games, he has gone 68-for-95 (71.6%) for 838 yards (167.6 per game), 6 touchdowns, and 4 interceptions.

As has been the case all season, McCarthy is excellent at completing passes — he is third nationally with a 73.8% completion percentage — but, his yardage output tends to be very low against quality passing defenses.

Currently, Ohio State is the No. 1 passing defense in the country, allowing only 144.3 yards per game.

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3) Ohio State’s rival has the No. 2 red zone defense in the country​

Anyone who has watched the Buckeyes this season knows that their offense behind quarterback Kyle McCord is nowhere near as prolific as it has been in recent years when led by Dwayne Haskins Jr., Justin Fields, and C.J. Stroud. But one area where that has been especially detrimental to OSU’s success has been in the red zone.

In 2022, the Buckeyes were second nationally in red zone conversions, scoring on 95.24% of their trips inside the 20; they were sixth in FBS in red zone touchdown percentage at 74.6%. However, this season, OSU is 61st in red zone conversions at 85.11%, on 47 trips through 11 games, the team has scored 29 TDs and 11 field goals. Simple math will tell you that Ohio State has been kept out of the end zone 18 times when getting without 20 yards of the goal line and been turned away completely seven times.

This is especially concerning for Buckeye fans as their regular season finale opponent is second nationally in red zone defense and No. 1 in terms of allowing red zone touchdowns. TTUN has allowed scores on only 66.67% of opponents' red zone trips and only allowed six touchdowns on 18 opportunities (33%).

Ohio State’s inability to consistently score in the red zone has been incredibly concerning to both fans and head coach Ryan Day alike. Throughout the season, the Buckeyes have tried different things to get the offense going down close to the goal line, including the Devin Brown QB-run package that eventually got him injured to running more end-arounds with Marvin Harrison Jr. and Xavier Johnson.

Unless they just score routinely from beyond 20 yards, if Ohio State wants to escape Ann Arbor with a win on Saturday, they must find a way to convert more consistently in the red zone.

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