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LGHL You’re Nuts: What is the main key to victory against Texas A&M?
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You’re Nuts: What is the main key to victory against Texas A&M?
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
The Aggies are a top-15 team in the country, how can the Buckeyes pull off the upset at home?
Tonight, Ohio State has the opportunity to add a massive win to its resume against Texas A&M, and dare I say even snag a few AP votes while they’re at it. The Aggies visit Ohio State as the first part of a two-year home-and-home series and present the biggest challenge the Buckeyes will see for several weeks.
Last week, the guys both picked something that you needed to watch for in the Buckeyes’ season-opener against Oakland, Connor said to pay attention to defensive rebounding, while Justin picked the allotment of minutes at center between Felix Okpara and Zed Key. 88% of the people who followed the debate thought defensive rebounding was a more pertinent area of concern heading into the first game.
Connor- 57
After squeaking past Oakland, Ohio State will now see a sharp increase in difficulty as the Aggies, led by the exuberant but gruff Buzz Williams, visit the Schottenstein Center. The list of things the Buckeyes need to improve on from their first game is not short — if they were perfect, they wouldn’t have trailed for as long as they did against the Golden Grizzlies. But if it was up to you, what would be your main focus if you were hypothetically preparing this Ohio State team for Texas A&M?
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25072812/usa_today_21834471.jpg "Syndication: The Columbus Dispatch")
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
Ohio State doesn’t have the experience that Texas A&M does, nor does it bring the same physicality to the game that Buzz Williams’ squad will Friday night. One area that I do think Ohio State has the advantage, however, is beyond the arc.
A&M has two respectable shooters in Wade Taylor — the SEC Pre-Season Player of the Year — and Hayden Hefner. Last season, Taylor shot 36% from three-point range and Hefner was right at 35%. Both of those marks are respectable, not not lights-out or anything. In A&M’s first game of the season against Texas A&M Commerce, Taylor and Hefner combined to knock down 7-13 three-pointers.
In Bruce Thornton and Jamison Battle, Ohio State has two shooters better than A&M’s best two shooters. As the season goes on, I think Scotty Middleton will turn into a shooter who hovers around that 36% mark as well, if not better. Since A&M is the more well-balanced and experienced team, the Buckeyes will need to make up for the deficiencies somewhere — I think it needs to be from beyond the arc.
Against Oakland, Ohio State shot a ton of three-pointers because they weren’t able to move the ball against the zone and were settling. Very few of those threes came with time and space, and that’s a big reason they went 7-25 from downtown. It wouldn’t surprise anyone if Williams threw a zone at the Buckeyes for a while because of this, but I also think they’ll be in man-to-man quite a bit this evening. Even though Texas A&M is a much better team than Oakland, Ohio State will feel more comfortable running their offense against a more traditional defensive set, rather than a 1-1-3 (or 1-3-1, I don’t even remember) zone.
Texas A&M is not going to be out-physicaled by Ohio State. They probably won’t be out-rebounded. They have bigger, stronger guys in the post and one of the best point guards in the nation. Th Buckeyes have the home-court advantage, but not many other advantages in this matchup. Because of that, their good shooters need to show up Friday night. Battle and Thornton cannot combine to go 5-14 again. Roddy Gayle can’t go 0-4 again. Ohio State shouldn’t take ill-advised three-pointers, but they’ll need to out-shoot Texas A&M to win this game because it is one of the few areas they have an advantage on paper.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25068520/usa_today_21835524.jpg "Syndication: The Columbus Dispatch")
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
The Buckeyes are 1-0, but it was not the prettiest opening game. I don’t try to take away too much from just the first game because there are so many things the team and the coaches are trying to figure out.
However, they will have to play better against Texas A&M to start the season 2-0. And if they do beat the Aggies, they will start to gain some early national buzz, which is always fun
So, what do they have to do better? They have to get Jamison Battle more involved.
Don’t get me wrong, Battle played fine in the first game, but he did most of his damage in the first three minutes of the game. Battle finished with nine points on 3-for-8 shooting and 2-for-7 shooting from the three-point line.
Bruce Thornton, Zed Key, and Roddy Gayle combined for 51 of the Buckeye’s 79 points against Oakland, and Texas A&M will be able to throw a lot of different looks at them defensively, so Battle will have to step up and give them another threat the Aggies will have to account for.
Oakland head coach Greg Kampe said after the game that one of their main focuses on defense was to force Battle to put the ball on the floor and take away his three-point shooting ability. He was only 2-for-7 from deep and started 2-for-3, so their plan was fairly successful.
If Ohio State is going to beat Texas A&M, they will need double figures from Battle and likely 15 points or more.
Continue reading...
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
The Aggies are a top-15 team in the country, how can the Buckeyes pull off the upset at home?
Tonight, Ohio State has the opportunity to add a massive win to its resume against Texas A&M, and dare I say even snag a few AP votes while they’re at it. The Aggies visit Ohio State as the first part of a two-year home-and-home series and present the biggest challenge the Buckeyes will see for several weeks.
Last week, the guys both picked something that you needed to watch for in the Buckeyes’ season-opener against Oakland, Connor said to pay attention to defensive rebounding, while Justin picked the allotment of minutes at center between Felix Okpara and Zed Key. 88% of the people who followed the debate thought defensive rebounding was a more pertinent area of concern heading into the first game.
After 125 weeks:
Connor- 57
Justin- 50
Other- 14
(There have been four ties)
After squeaking past Oakland, Ohio State will now see a sharp increase in difficulty as the Aggies, led by the exuberant but gruff Buzz Williams, visit the Schottenstein Center. The list of things the Buckeyes need to improve on from their first game is not short — if they were perfect, they wouldn’t have trailed for as long as they did against the Golden Grizzlies. But if it was up to you, what would be your main focus if you were hypothetically preparing this Ohio State team for Texas A&M?
Today’s Question: What is the main key to victory against Texas A&M?
Connor: Knock down a bunch of threes
Ohio State doesn’t have the experience that Texas A&M does, nor does it bring the same physicality to the game that Buzz Williams’ squad will Friday night. One area that I do think Ohio State has the advantage, however, is beyond the arc.
A&M has two respectable shooters in Wade Taylor — the SEC Pre-Season Player of the Year — and Hayden Hefner. Last season, Taylor shot 36% from three-point range and Hefner was right at 35%. Both of those marks are respectable, not not lights-out or anything. In A&M’s first game of the season against Texas A&M Commerce, Taylor and Hefner combined to knock down 7-13 three-pointers.
In Bruce Thornton and Jamison Battle, Ohio State has two shooters better than A&M’s best two shooters. As the season goes on, I think Scotty Middleton will turn into a shooter who hovers around that 36% mark as well, if not better. Since A&M is the more well-balanced and experienced team, the Buckeyes will need to make up for the deficiencies somewhere — I think it needs to be from beyond the arc.
Against Oakland, Ohio State shot a ton of three-pointers because they weren’t able to move the ball against the zone and were settling. Very few of those threes came with time and space, and that’s a big reason they went 7-25 from downtown. It wouldn’t surprise anyone if Williams threw a zone at the Buckeyes for a while because of this, but I also think they’ll be in man-to-man quite a bit this evening. Even though Texas A&M is a much better team than Oakland, Ohio State will feel more comfortable running their offense against a more traditional defensive set, rather than a 1-1-3 (or 1-3-1, I don’t even remember) zone.
Texas A&M is not going to be out-physicaled by Ohio State. They probably won’t be out-rebounded. They have bigger, stronger guys in the post and one of the best point guards in the nation. Th Buckeyes have the home-court advantage, but not many other advantages in this matchup. Because of that, their good shooters need to show up Friday night. Battle and Thornton cannot combine to go 5-14 again. Roddy Gayle can’t go 0-4 again. Ohio State shouldn’t take ill-advised three-pointers, but they’ll need to out-shoot Texas A&M to win this game because it is one of the few areas they have an advantage on paper.
Justin: Jamison Battle has to be a threat on offense
The Buckeyes are 1-0, but it was not the prettiest opening game. I don’t try to take away too much from just the first game because there are so many things the team and the coaches are trying to figure out.
However, they will have to play better against Texas A&M to start the season 2-0. And if they do beat the Aggies, they will start to gain some early national buzz, which is always fun
So, what do they have to do better? They have to get Jamison Battle more involved.
Don’t get me wrong, Battle played fine in the first game, but he did most of his damage in the first three minutes of the game. Battle finished with nine points on 3-for-8 shooting and 2-for-7 shooting from the three-point line.
Bruce Thornton, Zed Key, and Roddy Gayle combined for 51 of the Buckeye’s 79 points against Oakland, and Texas A&M will be able to throw a lot of different looks at them defensively, so Battle will have to step up and give them another threat the Aggies will have to account for.
Oakland head coach Greg Kampe said after the game that one of their main focuses on defense was to force Battle to put the ball on the floor and take away his three-point shooting ability. He was only 2-for-7 from deep and started 2-for-3, so their plan was fairly successful.
If Ohio State is going to beat Texas A&M, they will need double figures from Battle and likely 15 points or more.
Continue reading...
LGHL Ohio State women’s basketball 2023-24 player preview: Cotie McMahon
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Ohio State women’s basketball 2023-24 player preview: Cotie McMahon
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 Steph Chambers/Getty Images
The sophomore forward is no longer an under the radar freshman: McMahon is on the doorstep of superstardom
Rounding out the final player in the 23-24 Ohio State women’s basketball player preview series is a name for the present and the future. A big piece of the excitement surrounding the Buckeyes towards the end of last season returns for the first of potentially three years remaining as a member of the scarlet and gray.
Forward Cotie McMahon had a quiet start to the 22-23 season, but by the end of the campaign she couldn’t be ignored. Now, McMahon looks at repeating those postseason performances and then some.
Name: Cotie McMahon
Position: Forward
Class: Sophomore
High School: Centerville High School (Centerville, Ohio)
2022-23 Stats: 15.1 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 2.4 apg, .394 FG%, .263 3FG%, .677 FT%
When McMahon enrolled early in the spring of 2022, the forward was the No. 23 recruit in the nation watching the Buckeyes win a share of the 21-22 Big Ten Regular Season title. After a summer with Team USA winning an international title in the FIBA Americas tournament, McMahon suited up for the scarlet and gray on the opening day roster against the Tennessee Volunteers.
In that game where Ohio State had a mini upset against the No. 5 ranked team in the nation, McMahon showed glimpses of what fans of the Buckeyes would see regularly throughout the year. McMahon was a bolt of lightning on the court, attacking the rim with reckless abandon.
After climbing up an early learning curve, playing only six minutes against the Louisville Cardinals where the then freshman scored one point and had two fouls the standout example, the game slowed down quickly and McMahon became indispensable.
Over the final 28 games of the year, McMahon led the Buckeyes in scoring in 12 games. McMahon scored a personal season high 30 points against the USF Bulls in a come-from-behind win in December. Partly benefiting off strong shooting on the perimeter from guard Taylor Mikesell, McMahon wasn’t just attacking the basket, but drawing in defenders and getting the ball to teammates like forward Taylor Thierry for easier baskets.
When the Buckeyes got to the postseason, McMahon hit a new level. At the Big Ten Tournament, McMahon averaged 21 points and 11 rebounds in three games. In four games of the NCAA Tournament, McMahon’s 18.3 points and 6.5 rebounds per game featured a 23-point game in the Sweet Sixteen, shocking the nation on national TV with Ohio State defeating the UConn Huskies.
Although Ohio State’s season ended on a down note, falling to the Virginia Tech Hokies in the Elite Eight, the attention surrounding the most exciting five seconds in basketball carried over to the 23-24 season. That’s when McMahon was placed on multiple watch lists for Small Forward of the Year, Player of the Year, a spot on the Big Ten’s preseason First Team and an AP All-American Honorable Mention.
McMahon is a force. Offensively, the forward gets the ball often on the wing and goes straight for the basket. On the way, McMahon is spinning off defenders and drawing in extra attention. With that attention it can go a few different ways.
Most often it's McMahon getting the ball into the basket, and getting trips to the free throw line. Last season alone the forward took 186 free throws, making 126. That’s 54 more attempts than Thierry with 132.
Those runs also turn into opportunities for McMahon’s teammates. While Mikesell is gone, McMahon still has outlets like Thierry, guard Jacy Sheldon and forward Rebeka Mikulášiková.
Towards the end of last season, McMahon also showed that she was working on her shooting from deep. The forward kept working in the offseason and showed increased prowess against the USC Trojans to start the 23-24 season. When the Buckeyes were firing and taking good shots in the 83-75 defeat in Las Vegas, Nevada, McMahon hit an open look in the first quarter.
Unfortunately for McMahon and the Buckeyes is something else people saw in the game against the Trojans: Added attention in the paint. When the Buckeyes were playing with less energy and USC extended leads, McMahon met two-to-three defenders in the paint each trip. Those exciting layups that bring energy to teammates couldn’t get through a defensive brick wall.
While there are learning curves this year for the scarlet and gray losing such a prolific shooter in Mikesell, McMahon will find her footing, teammates will make more shots and the lane will become more open.
Defensively, the sophomore is everywhere. In the Buckeyes’ press, McMahon can anticipate and intercept passes and run the court to increase the pressure. Only seven times last season did McMahon not log a steal in a game.
As long as McMahon is healthy, she’s playing for head coach Kevin McGuff. While McMahon’s first game didn’t show that attention-grabbing basketball of the 22-23 postseason, the potential is still there and then some.
McMahon will live up to the hype of being a star for the future of the Big Ten. Watch for McMahon to take more shots from deep to give herself and teammates room to work in the paint. If her shooting can reach the next level, there’s nothing that should surprise people about the work of McMahon.
See all McMahon is capable of with a highlight reel spanning the 22-23 season.
Continue reading...
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images
The sophomore forward is no longer an under the radar freshman: McMahon is on the doorstep of superstardom
Rounding out the final player in the 23-24 Ohio State women’s basketball player preview series is a name for the present and the future. A big piece of the excitement surrounding the Buckeyes towards the end of last season returns for the first of potentially three years remaining as a member of the scarlet and gray.
Forward Cotie McMahon had a quiet start to the 22-23 season, but by the end of the campaign she couldn’t be ignored. Now, McMahon looks at repeating those postseason performances and then some.
Name: Cotie McMahon
Position: Forward
Class: Sophomore
High School: Centerville High School (Centerville, Ohio)
2022-23 Stats: 15.1 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 2.4 apg, .394 FG%, .263 3FG%, .677 FT%
Last Season
When McMahon enrolled early in the spring of 2022, the forward was the No. 23 recruit in the nation watching the Buckeyes win a share of the 21-22 Big Ten Regular Season title. After a summer with Team USA winning an international title in the FIBA Americas tournament, McMahon suited up for the scarlet and gray on the opening day roster against the Tennessee Volunteers.
In that game where Ohio State had a mini upset against the No. 5 ranked team in the nation, McMahon showed glimpses of what fans of the Buckeyes would see regularly throughout the year. McMahon was a bolt of lightning on the court, attacking the rim with reckless abandon.
After climbing up an early learning curve, playing only six minutes against the Louisville Cardinals where the then freshman scored one point and had two fouls the standout example, the game slowed down quickly and McMahon became indispensable.
Over the final 28 games of the year, McMahon led the Buckeyes in scoring in 12 games. McMahon scored a personal season high 30 points against the USF Bulls in a come-from-behind win in December. Partly benefiting off strong shooting on the perimeter from guard Taylor Mikesell, McMahon wasn’t just attacking the basket, but drawing in defenders and getting the ball to teammates like forward Taylor Thierry for easier baskets.
When the Buckeyes got to the postseason, McMahon hit a new level. At the Big Ten Tournament, McMahon averaged 21 points and 11 rebounds in three games. In four games of the NCAA Tournament, McMahon’s 18.3 points and 6.5 rebounds per game featured a 23-point game in the Sweet Sixteen, shocking the nation on national TV with Ohio State defeating the UConn Huskies.
Although Ohio State’s season ended on a down note, falling to the Virginia Tech Hokies in the Elite Eight, the attention surrounding the most exciting five seconds in basketball carried over to the 23-24 season. That’s when McMahon was placed on multiple watch lists for Small Forward of the Year, Player of the Year, a spot on the Big Ten’s preseason First Team and an AP All-American Honorable Mention.
What to Expect
McMahon is a force. Offensively, the forward gets the ball often on the wing and goes straight for the basket. On the way, McMahon is spinning off defenders and drawing in extra attention. With that attention it can go a few different ways.
Most often it's McMahon getting the ball into the basket, and getting trips to the free throw line. Last season alone the forward took 186 free throws, making 126. That’s 54 more attempts than Thierry with 132.
Those runs also turn into opportunities for McMahon’s teammates. While Mikesell is gone, McMahon still has outlets like Thierry, guard Jacy Sheldon and forward Rebeka Mikulášiková.
Towards the end of last season, McMahon also showed that she was working on her shooting from deep. The forward kept working in the offseason and showed increased prowess against the USC Trojans to start the 23-24 season. When the Buckeyes were firing and taking good shots in the 83-75 defeat in Las Vegas, Nevada, McMahon hit an open look in the first quarter.
Unfortunately for McMahon and the Buckeyes is something else people saw in the game against the Trojans: Added attention in the paint. When the Buckeyes were playing with less energy and USC extended leads, McMahon met two-to-three defenders in the paint each trip. Those exciting layups that bring energy to teammates couldn’t get through a defensive brick wall.
While there are learning curves this year for the scarlet and gray losing such a prolific shooter in Mikesell, McMahon will find her footing, teammates will make more shots and the lane will become more open.
Defensively, the sophomore is everywhere. In the Buckeyes’ press, McMahon can anticipate and intercept passes and run the court to increase the pressure. Only seven times last season did McMahon not log a steal in a game.
Prediction
As long as McMahon is healthy, she’s playing for head coach Kevin McGuff. While McMahon’s first game didn’t show that attention-grabbing basketball of the 22-23 postseason, the potential is still there and then some.
McMahon will live up to the hype of being a star for the future of the Big Ten. Watch for McMahon to take more shots from deep to give herself and teammates room to work in the paint. If her shooting can reach the next level, there’s nothing that should surprise people about the work of McMahon.
Highlights
See all McMahon is capable of with a highlight reel spanning the 22-23 season.
Miss a player preview? You can read the rest of them here:
- Jacy Sheldon
- Rebeka Mikulášiková
- Diana Collins
- Taiyier Parks
- Rikki Harris
- Taylor Thierry
- Kennedy Cambridge
- Faith Carson
- Madison Greene
- Celeste Taylor
- Emma Shumate
- Kaia Henderson
- Eboni Walker
- Karla Vreš
Continue reading...
2025 FL DL Myron Charles (Texas Signee)
- By brodybuck21
- Football Recruiting
- 2 Replies
247
Rivals
HUDL
ON3
Class: 2025 (high school)
Position: Defensive Line
School: Port Charlotte (FL) Port Charlotte
Height: 6-foot-4
Weight: 295 lbs
Login to view embedded media
Rivals
HUDL
ON3
Class: 2025 (high school)
Position: Defensive Line
School: Port Charlotte (FL) Port Charlotte
Height: 6-foot-4
Weight: 295 lbs
Login to view embedded media
LGHL B1G Thoughts: Updated power ranking after nine weeks, with Ohio State No. 1
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B1G Thoughts: Updated power ranking after nine weeks, with Ohio State No. 1
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 Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Nine weeks have passed and the two biggest games of the season are almost here.
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 in the Land-Grant Holy Land podcast feed for more in-depth analysis and to preview the next week of B1G games.
Halloween has passed, but the scary part of the Big Ten season is just beginning, as we have two of the biggest games of the year yet to be played plus rivalry week.
This coming week Michigan plays its first real opponent when they travel to State College to take on Penn State. James Franklin is trying to break the narrative that he can’t win big games, and the entire conference is hoping for Michigan to be humbled either on the field or off due to the in-person scouting investigation. Before Michigan and Penn State play, let’s review the first nine weeks of the season.
Michigan has looked like one of the best teams in the country after nine games, but they haven’t played anyone with a pulse. Ohio State is ranked No. 1 in the college football playoff rankings despite many people not thinking they’re the best team in the nation.
The Buckeyes are in a weird spot where they are a team being led by their defense while first-year starter Kyle McCord is trying to find his way. Former Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud is looking like a top-10 quarterback in the NFL, but he couldn’t beat Michigan. While McCord isn’t Stroud, he has a lot of pressure on him to win The Game.
Bryan Ferentz was fired after losing pace on the chase for 325. Illinois has disappointed, but that probably should have been expected with everyone they lost in the offseason. Greg Schiano is proving that Rutgers was right to return to him as he has the Scarlett Knights bowling with three games left in the season. Can they make it to 8-4?
Wisconsin and Nebraska have both had good and bad moments under their new coaches but it’s fair to say they’re both headed in positive directions. With three games left, they both need a win to become bowl-eligible and leave this season with their heads held high.
Ohio State, Penn State, and Michigan are fighting for a College Football Playoff spot, and the last three games still hold weight for a lot of teams.
Tell me if you’ve seen this before: Ohio State and Michigan are at the top of the Big Ten East and are heading towards a massive showdown on Thanksgiving weekend. Even the West is pretty standard. Iowa has continued to find a way to win despite being worse on offense than last season. At this point, the Hawkeyes in the driver’s seat for a head-on collision with whoever comes out of the East.
Michigan has a tough hill to climb to win the conference for the third-straight year, having to face Penn State, Maryland, and Ohio State in its final three games. Maryland is struggling right now, but they still have the ability to get going on offense. Nebraska, Minnesota, and Wisconsin are in the three-way tie to try and unseat Iowa, but they all play each other so that’s going to get cleared up.
The West has been fairly disappointing, maybe more than usual — which is not a good sign heading into the offseason and the 18-team Big Ten in 2024.
Similar to the College Football Playoffs, I can't put Michigan over Ohio State when they haven’t played anybody. I think Ohio State is getting more respect nationally than in the fanbase largely because they’re playing a different style. They’re a defense-first team with a quarterback who is figuring out the ropes and not immediately a Heisman contender in his first year. Michigan has been dominant, but it’s easy to dominate that schedule with or without stealing signs. If Michigan dominates Penn State my opinion will change, but I still think Ohio State is at the top because of who they beat.
Rutgers is making a surprise appearance in the top five of this ranking. I think this is largely a statement on how bad the conference is after the top three teams, but Schiano deserves a lot of credit. Michigan State and Indiana are at the bottom and both teams should be in the market for a new coach. Michigan State already is, and I’m sure despite the bad PR they’re happy to be out of Mel Tucker’s contract. Indiana needs to accept their mistakes, pay Tom Allen his buyout, and try to enter the market before the landscape of the conference changes and it’s too late.
Purdue is in a bad spot, but it’s Ryan Walters’s first year and they lost almost everyone from that Big Ten West winning program. Nebraska and Wisconsin may not have reached the heights they imagined, but with three games left, they’re both on track for a bowl game. In year one, especially for Nebraska, that’s a major win. Iowa is going to win the West again somehow, but no one in that program should be happy about it. It’ll be interesting to see if Kirk swallows his pride and continues coaching even though his Athletic Director used her power to fire his son Brian, something the previous athletic director would never have done.
The Big Ten is bad at offense, full stop.
On second thought… I have one last thing to say. Just about every team needs to find a new offensive coordinator and update their offense to the 21st century. Especially the Big Ten West teams. This is sad, and if they refuse to change they need to be fired and replaced with someone who will adjust to the times.
Saban didnt become Saban by being static. He gets older every year like the rest of us, but he is always relevant and adjusts to the times. He does whatever it takes to win. Can the coaches in the Big Ten say the same thing?
The B1G is great at defense. These stats make you wonder, is the conference so good at defense because the offenses are horrible and inflate the numbers? Or are the offenses so bad because the defenses are so good?
I know we like to pretend that defense doesn’t win championships, but ask USC and Oklahoma how not having a defense went. Ask Ryan Day why he decided to pay Jim Knowles $2 million a year. Defense is a prerequisite to winning a championship and in a 12-team playoff where the Big Ten will have three to four teams every year, these defenses can make some noise. Still, the Big Ten will never win a ring outside of Ohio State and maybe Michigan if programs won’t invest in their offense.
I can’t wait to see the PAC-4 enter the conference and play these defenses, and I’m excited for *insert SEC School* to have to travel up north and play one of these defenses in the cold. Inflated numbers or not, having the top four defenses in the country and seven of the top 25 is an impressive feat for a conference.
Honestly, these statistics are weird. I fully expected Taulia to be one of the best quarterbacks in the conference. Statistically, he was second or third the last two years behind CJ Stroud, and despite the JJ hype he was the best returning quarterback in the conference.
Marvin Harrison Jr. being the best wide receiver is also expected, but after that it gets weird. Blake Corum having 16 rushing touchdowns is wild, but he hasn’t been super effective outside the red zone and Michigan’s run game has struggled. No one could have predicted Kyle Monangai leading the conference in rushing or Roman Wilson having 10 touchdowns in nine games. He’s cooled down a little once the non-conference slate ended, but it’s still a special season for him.
Defensively, Illinois and Purdue are all over the leaderboards. Purdue has two players tied with seven sacks, yet their defense is bad. It’s been great for Ohio State to get Denzel Burke back to playing his best ball after a down season last year. Iowa hit the jackpot in the transfer portal. Their offensive additions haven’t been great, but Jay Higgins is a major impact player and has a chance to be an All-American along with Cooper DeJean. Wisconsin’s Ricardo Hallman is a major ball hawk. I’m excited to see if he can rack up a couple more interceptions in the final three games.
Record predictions are a crap shoot, but what's the point in writing this column and not predicting final records based on all the data and the games I’ve watched. This has not been a great year for the conference, but I’m predicting they still have nine bowl-eligible teams with three who could sneak in if there are not enough 6-6 teams.
I think Ohio State wins out and stays the No. 1 seed in the CFP rankings, although there is a chance Georgia jumps them if they play and dominate Alabama in the SEC Championship game. While it’s unlikely, a win at Michigan and a close loss to Ohio State could propel Penn State into a CFP berth, IF the PAC-12 and Big-12 continue to cannibalize themselves and both end up with two loss conference champs.
Rutgers will go to the highest-ranked bowl possibly in school history. Illinois has had a down year, and if they can get to 6-6 — which is not what I’m projecting — I think they will consider this year a win. Same with Minnesota with all they’ve had to replace.
As I’ve mentioned, Northwestern, Michigan State, and Indiana should all be hiring new coaches this offseason. Indiana just has to recognize its problem and fire Tom Allen. Nebraska going 7-5 in their first season with Matt Rhule will solidify for their fan base that he’s the right hire. I don’t know their ceiling, but Nebraska is going to be a tough out with Rhule at the helm.
There are going to be a few teams who will wish they capitalized on this final year in the 14-team Big Ten, but it’s too late at this point. All they can hope is to finish strong and gain some sort of momentum towards the offseason.
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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 Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Nine weeks have passed and the two biggest games of the season are almost here.
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 in the Land-Grant Holy Land podcast feed for more in-depth analysis and to preview the next week of B1G games.
Halloween has passed, but the scary part of the Big Ten season is just beginning, as we have two of the biggest games of the year yet to be played plus rivalry week.
This coming week Michigan plays its first real opponent when they travel to State College to take on Penn State. James Franklin is trying to break the narrative that he can’t win big games, and the entire conference is hoping for Michigan to be humbled either on the field or off due to the in-person scouting investigation. Before Michigan and Penn State play, let’s review the first nine weeks of the season.
Michigan has looked like one of the best teams in the country after nine games, but they haven’t played anyone with a pulse. Ohio State is ranked No. 1 in the college football playoff rankings despite many people not thinking they’re the best team in the nation.
The Buckeyes are in a weird spot where they are a team being led by their defense while first-year starter Kyle McCord is trying to find his way. Former Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud is looking like a top-10 quarterback in the NFL, but he couldn’t beat Michigan. While McCord isn’t Stroud, he has a lot of pressure on him to win The Game.
Bryan Ferentz was fired after losing pace on the chase for 325. Illinois has disappointed, but that probably should have been expected with everyone they lost in the offseason. Greg Schiano is proving that Rutgers was right to return to him as he has the Scarlett Knights bowling with three games left in the season. Can they make it to 8-4?
Wisconsin and Nebraska have both had good and bad moments under their new coaches but it’s fair to say they’re both headed in positive directions. With three games left, they both need a win to become bowl-eligible and leave this season with their heads held high.
Ohio State, Penn State, and Michigan are fighting for a College Football Playoff spot, and the last three games still hold weight for a lot of teams.
Tell me if you’ve seen this before: Ohio State and Michigan are at the top of the Big Ten East and are heading towards a massive showdown on Thanksgiving weekend. Even the West is pretty standard. Iowa has continued to find a way to win despite being worse on offense than last season. At this point, the Hawkeyes in the driver’s seat for a head-on collision with whoever comes out of the East.
Michigan has a tough hill to climb to win the conference for the third-straight year, having to face Penn State, Maryland, and Ohio State in its final three games. Maryland is struggling right now, but they still have the ability to get going on offense. Nebraska, Minnesota, and Wisconsin are in the three-way tie to try and unseat Iowa, but they all play each other so that’s going to get cleared up.
The West has been fairly disappointing, maybe more than usual — which is not a good sign heading into the offseason and the 18-team Big Ten in 2024.
Similar to the College Football Playoffs, I can't put Michigan over Ohio State when they haven’t played anybody. I think Ohio State is getting more respect nationally than in the fanbase largely because they’re playing a different style. They’re a defense-first team with a quarterback who is figuring out the ropes and not immediately a Heisman contender in his first year. Michigan has been dominant, but it’s easy to dominate that schedule with or without stealing signs. If Michigan dominates Penn State my opinion will change, but I still think Ohio State is at the top because of who they beat.
Rutgers is making a surprise appearance in the top five of this ranking. I think this is largely a statement on how bad the conference is after the top three teams, but Schiano deserves a lot of credit. Michigan State and Indiana are at the bottom and both teams should be in the market for a new coach. Michigan State already is, and I’m sure despite the bad PR they’re happy to be out of Mel Tucker’s contract. Indiana needs to accept their mistakes, pay Tom Allen his buyout, and try to enter the market before the landscape of the conference changes and it’s too late.
Purdue is in a bad spot, but it’s Ryan Walters’s first year and they lost almost everyone from that Big Ten West winning program. Nebraska and Wisconsin may not have reached the heights they imagined, but with three games left, they’re both on track for a bowl game. In year one, especially for Nebraska, that’s a major win. Iowa is going to win the West again somehow, but no one in that program should be happy about it. It’ll be interesting to see if Kirk swallows his pride and continues coaching even though his Athletic Director used her power to fire his son Brian, something the previous athletic director would never have done.
The Big Ten is bad at offense, full stop.
On second thought… I have one last thing to say. Just about every team needs to find a new offensive coordinator and update their offense to the 21st century. Especially the Big Ten West teams. This is sad, and if they refuse to change they need to be fired and replaced with someone who will adjust to the times.
Saban didnt become Saban by being static. He gets older every year like the rest of us, but he is always relevant and adjusts to the times. He does whatever it takes to win. Can the coaches in the Big Ten say the same thing?
The B1G is great at defense. These stats make you wonder, is the conference so good at defense because the offenses are horrible and inflate the numbers? Or are the offenses so bad because the defenses are so good?
I know we like to pretend that defense doesn’t win championships, but ask USC and Oklahoma how not having a defense went. Ask Ryan Day why he decided to pay Jim Knowles $2 million a year. Defense is a prerequisite to winning a championship and in a 12-team playoff where the Big Ten will have three to four teams every year, these defenses can make some noise. Still, the Big Ten will never win a ring outside of Ohio State and maybe Michigan if programs won’t invest in their offense.
I can’t wait to see the PAC-4 enter the conference and play these defenses, and I’m excited for *insert SEC School* to have to travel up north and play one of these defenses in the cold. Inflated numbers or not, having the top four defenses in the country and seven of the top 25 is an impressive feat for a conference.
Honestly, these statistics are weird. I fully expected Taulia to be one of the best quarterbacks in the conference. Statistically, he was second or third the last two years behind CJ Stroud, and despite the JJ hype he was the best returning quarterback in the conference.
Marvin Harrison Jr. being the best wide receiver is also expected, but after that it gets weird. Blake Corum having 16 rushing touchdowns is wild, but he hasn’t been super effective outside the red zone and Michigan’s run game has struggled. No one could have predicted Kyle Monangai leading the conference in rushing or Roman Wilson having 10 touchdowns in nine games. He’s cooled down a little once the non-conference slate ended, but it’s still a special season for him.
Defensively, Illinois and Purdue are all over the leaderboards. Purdue has two players tied with seven sacks, yet their defense is bad. It’s been great for Ohio State to get Denzel Burke back to playing his best ball after a down season last year. Iowa hit the jackpot in the transfer portal. Their offensive additions haven’t been great, but Jay Higgins is a major impact player and has a chance to be an All-American along with Cooper DeJean. Wisconsin’s Ricardo Hallman is a major ball hawk. I’m excited to see if he can rack up a couple more interceptions in the final three games.
Record predictions are a crap shoot, but what's the point in writing this column and not predicting final records based on all the data and the games I’ve watched. This has not been a great year for the conference, but I’m predicting they still have nine bowl-eligible teams with three who could sneak in if there are not enough 6-6 teams.
I think Ohio State wins out and stays the No. 1 seed in the CFP rankings, although there is a chance Georgia jumps them if they play and dominate Alabama in the SEC Championship game. While it’s unlikely, a win at Michigan and a close loss to Ohio State could propel Penn State into a CFP berth, IF the PAC-12 and Big-12 continue to cannibalize themselves and both end up with two loss conference champs.
Rutgers will go to the highest-ranked bowl possibly in school history. Illinois has had a down year, and if they can get to 6-6 — which is not what I’m projecting — I think they will consider this year a win. Same with Minnesota with all they’ve had to replace.
As I’ve mentioned, Northwestern, Michigan State, and Indiana should all be hiring new coaches this offseason. Indiana just has to recognize its problem and fire Tom Allen. Nebraska going 7-5 in their first season with Matt Rhule will solidify for their fan base that he’s the right hire. I don’t know their ceiling, but Nebraska is going to be a tough out with Rhule at the helm.
There are going to be a few teams who will wish they capitalized on this final year in the 14-team Big Ten, but it’s too late at this point. All they can hope is to finish strong and gain some sort of momentum towards the offseason.
Follow The I-80 Football Show on YouTube: @JordanW330
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LGHL Ohio State Men’s Basketball vs Texas A&M: Game Preview and Prediction
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Ohio State Men’s Basketball vs Texas A&M: Game Preview and Prediction
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
The Buckeyes get a tough test early in the season at home against No. 15 Texas A&M.
After a season-opening win against Oakland, the Ohio State Buckeyes (1-0) will now turn their attention to the No. 15 Texas A&M Aggies (1-0), a talented team full of experienced players.
The Buckeyes defeated Oakland 79-73, and while there were some things to work on, it was the first game against a veteran coach like Greg Kampe, the important thing was to get out with a win and move on.
Also, the Buckeyes got an unexpected chance to test their late-game execution, and it went well, breaking the press a couple of times, securing important defensive rebounds, and making late free throws.
Ohio State finished with 17 points from Bruce Thornton, Roddy Gayle, and Zed Key apiece to lead the team. Gayle also finished with seven rebounds and five assists, while Key chipped in eight rebounds on top of his points. Freshman Scotty Middleton finished with 13 points and eight rebounds, with five of those rebounds being on the offensive side of the ball. He played 28 minutes in his first collegiate game.
Sophomores Evan Mahaffey and Felix Okpara started for the Buckeyes but only played 14 and 13 minutes due to early foul trouble and the emergence late of Key and Middleton.
Texas A&M is also 1-0, but they had a much different route to that record than Ohio State. The Aggies defeated Texas A&M Commerce 78-46 and held the Lions to just 19 second-half points. Hayden Hefner led the way with 19 points, while Wade Taylor added 16 points.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25072824/usa_today_21836145.jpg "NCAA Basketball: Texas A&M Commerce at Texas A&M")
Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports
Texas A&M has a well-balanced team that can beat you at all three levels. They are not an elite shooting team, but they can hit enough shots to make you respect that aspect of their game. Taylor and Hefner combined to hit 7 of their 13 three-point attempts in their first game of the year.
Led by Taylor and Tyrese Radford, this is one of the top backcourts the Buckeyes will see this season. The duo combined for 25 points, 10 assists, and eight rebounds on 10-for-19 shooting and 4-for-8 shooting from three-point range. A solid and efficient start to the season.
The surprise was Hefner, whose 19 points were a career-high, and he shot 7-for-10 from the field and added four rebounds.
One thing that is currently unknown for Texas A&M is forward Julius Marble. Marble is away from the team right now for an undisclosed reason and did not play in the season opener. His status for right now is unknown, but he is not expected to be with the team for this contest.
While Marble is out, Henry Coleman and Wildens Leveque are the starting forwards. The duo combined for 14 rebounds in the opener but only five points. The game quickly got out of hand, and the guards did most of the scoring, but that will be something to monitor with Felix Okpara guarding the paint for Ohio State.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25072826/usa_today_21835272.jpg "NCAA Basketball: Oakland at Ohio State")
Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports
This is going to be one of the best teams the Buckeyes face all season, and it is coming very early in the season. These are great games to test exactly where a team is early on and to snuff out weaknesses before conference play starts.
This game could easily come down to which backcourt plays better. Bruce Thornton and Roddy Gayle or Wade Taylor and Tyrese Radford. Both backcourts are talented, but the Aggies have the experience edge, how much will that play a factor in a game down the road?
This is going to be tough for the Buckeyes to win because the Aggies will be hard to come back against if they get a lead early, and they will also be hard to put away if the Buckeyes have a lead late.
However, I do think the Buckeyes pull this one out. It will be close all game and likely will come down to who executes better late in this game, and while Texas A&M is more experienced, the Buckeyes have already had to execute late in a game to win, and that will bode in their favor.
ESPN BPI: Texas A&M 53.4%
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
TV: Peacock
LGHL score prediction: Ohio State 70, Texas A&M 67
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justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
The Buckeyes get a tough test early in the season at home against No. 15 Texas A&M.
After a season-opening win against Oakland, the Ohio State Buckeyes (1-0) will now turn their attention to the No. 15 Texas A&M Aggies (1-0), a talented team full of experienced players.
The Buckeyes defeated Oakland 79-73, and while there were some things to work on, it was the first game against a veteran coach like Greg Kampe, the important thing was to get out with a win and move on.
Also, the Buckeyes got an unexpected chance to test their late-game execution, and it went well, breaking the press a couple of times, securing important defensive rebounds, and making late free throws.
Ohio State finished with 17 points from Bruce Thornton, Roddy Gayle, and Zed Key apiece to lead the team. Gayle also finished with seven rebounds and five assists, while Key chipped in eight rebounds on top of his points. Freshman Scotty Middleton finished with 13 points and eight rebounds, with five of those rebounds being on the offensive side of the ball. He played 28 minutes in his first collegiate game.
Sophomores Evan Mahaffey and Felix Okpara started for the Buckeyes but only played 14 and 13 minutes due to early foul trouble and the emergence late of Key and Middleton.
Texas A&M is also 1-0, but they had a much different route to that record than Ohio State. The Aggies defeated Texas A&M Commerce 78-46 and held the Lions to just 19 second-half points. Hayden Hefner led the way with 19 points, while Wade Taylor added 16 points.
Preview
Texas A&M has a well-balanced team that can beat you at all three levels. They are not an elite shooting team, but they can hit enough shots to make you respect that aspect of their game. Taylor and Hefner combined to hit 7 of their 13 three-point attempts in their first game of the year.
Led by Taylor and Tyrese Radford, this is one of the top backcourts the Buckeyes will see this season. The duo combined for 25 points, 10 assists, and eight rebounds on 10-for-19 shooting and 4-for-8 shooting from three-point range. A solid and efficient start to the season.
The surprise was Hefner, whose 19 points were a career-high, and he shot 7-for-10 from the field and added four rebounds.
One thing that is currently unknown for Texas A&M is forward Julius Marble. Marble is away from the team right now for an undisclosed reason and did not play in the season opener. His status for right now is unknown, but he is not expected to be with the team for this contest.
While Marble is out, Henry Coleman and Wildens Leveque are the starting forwards. The duo combined for 14 rebounds in the opener but only five points. The game quickly got out of hand, and the guards did most of the scoring, but that will be something to monitor with Felix Okpara guarding the paint for Ohio State.
Prediction
This is going to be one of the best teams the Buckeyes face all season, and it is coming very early in the season. These are great games to test exactly where a team is early on and to snuff out weaknesses before conference play starts.
This game could easily come down to which backcourt plays better. Bruce Thornton and Roddy Gayle or Wade Taylor and Tyrese Radford. Both backcourts are talented, but the Aggies have the experience edge, how much will that play a factor in a game down the road?
This is going to be tough for the Buckeyes to win because the Aggies will be hard to come back against if they get a lead early, and they will also be hard to put away if the Buckeyes have a lead late.
However, I do think the Buckeyes pull this one out. It will be close all game and likely will come down to who executes better late in this game, and while Texas A&M is more experienced, the Buckeyes have already had to execute late in a game to win, and that will bode in their favor.
ESPN BPI: Texas A&M 53.4%
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
TV: Peacock
LGHL score prediction: Ohio State 70, Texas A&M 67
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LGHL New names continue to pile up for this weekend’s Big Ten tilt vs. Michigan State
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New names continue to pile up for this weekend’s Big Ten tilt vs. Michigan State
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
The Buckeyes are set to host some big time recruits this weekend.
It’s hard to believe, but Ohio State only two games left at Ohio Stadium in 2023. A season that has gone way too fast, the Buckeyes have Michigan State coming to town. While the first objective is getting better, there’s room for recruiting to take priority too.
A weekend that has seen it’s guest list grow throughout the past few days, the Buckeyes will be playing host to several targets. On Thursday a new batch of names surface that have plans on seeing all that Ohio State has to offer with the Spartans in attendance.
With how well the back end of the Ohio State defense is playing, it’s easy to see why the recruiting success is a theme, and should be that way for the foreseeable future. Several top targets are expressing their interest in what the Buckeyes have to offer, and with this weekend being another home contest, the recruiting opportunities are here for the staff once again.
On Thursday another defensive back prospect made it known that he has plans to be in Columbus tomorrow for the Michigan State game. Class of 2026 athlete Zelus Hicks (Lilburn, Georgia/Parkway) is slated to be in town for an unofficial visit, and the 6-foot-2, 180 pound safety will get to see how well his position group is playing this fall under Perry Eliano.
The No. 32 player nationally in the 2026 class, Hicks is also the third best safety and sixth best player in Georgia per the 247Sports Composite. Only a high school sophomore, Hicks holds nearly 20 offers to his name, but Ohio State has yet to join the mix. At any rate, this weekend’s visit could change that, as the interest is certainly there from both sides of this recruitment and that’s common sense when you consider what he can do on the field.
This is a five-star athlete, and one the staff will be thrilled to have on their sideline on Saturday come game time.
If there’s one program that seems to be trying any and everything to be like Ohio State, it’s Miami. The Hurricanes are constantly in the discussion when talking about Florida native Ohio State commits the last few cycles, and this 2024 class is no different.
Doing their best to keep their top in-state players at home, Miami has tried to undercut the Buckeyes in a variety of ways. Whether it be by NIL, selling the close to home narrative, or even early playing time, Miami is a has been a thorn in the side for Ohio State. That being said, the Buckeyes are winning majority of the battles here, and at least Ohio State’s head coach knows when to take a knee.
Ohio State will have Miami scurrying this weekend as their current commit in the 2026 class, Malachi Toney, will be on site to see the Buckeyes. A 5-foot-9, 170 pound receiver, Toney has been committed to Miami since August, but with two full years still in high school, plenty can change in his recruitment. When it comes to Brian Hartline, he tends to get who he wants and if he’s making a priority to see Toney, look for the Buckeyes to return the favor and be a thorn in the side of his current pledge.
The Buckeyes are known for landing elite receivers out of Florida, and with Malachi being from American Heritage, obviously their ties to this school are strong as they were just able to land Brandon Inniss in the 2023 class. Surely those two will speak this weekend on all things Ohio State.
An unranked running back right, Taylor does hold offers from Kentucky and a couple of MAC programs so far. Maybe not a player Ohio State offers in the near future, this is still another visit Michael is making and clearly the staff is paying attention to what he’s doing on the field enough to continue having him back on campus.
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Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
The Buckeyes are set to host some big time recruits this weekend.
It’s hard to believe, but Ohio State only two games left at Ohio Stadium in 2023. A season that has gone way too fast, the Buckeyes have Michigan State coming to town. While the first objective is getting better, there’s room for recruiting to take priority too.
A weekend that has seen it’s guest list grow throughout the past few days, the Buckeyes will be playing host to several targets. On Thursday a new batch of names surface that have plans on seeing all that Ohio State has to offer with the Spartans in attendance.
Big time 2026 prospect locks in unofficial visit
With how well the back end of the Ohio State defense is playing, it’s easy to see why the recruiting success is a theme, and should be that way for the foreseeable future. Several top targets are expressing their interest in what the Buckeyes have to offer, and with this weekend being another home contest, the recruiting opportunities are here for the staff once again.
On Thursday another defensive back prospect made it known that he has plans to be in Columbus tomorrow for the Michigan State game. Class of 2026 athlete Zelus Hicks (Lilburn, Georgia/Parkway) is slated to be in town for an unofficial visit, and the 6-foot-2, 180 pound safety will get to see how well his position group is playing this fall under Perry Eliano.
The No. 32 player nationally in the 2026 class, Hicks is also the third best safety and sixth best player in Georgia per the 247Sports Composite. Only a high school sophomore, Hicks holds nearly 20 offers to his name, but Ohio State has yet to join the mix. At any rate, this weekend’s visit could change that, as the interest is certainly there from both sides of this recruitment and that’s common sense when you consider what he can do on the field.
This is a five-star athlete, and one the staff will be thrilled to have on their sideline on Saturday come game time.
Florida native making the trip to see Ohio State
If there’s one program that seems to be trying any and everything to be like Ohio State, it’s Miami. The Hurricanes are constantly in the discussion when talking about Florida native Ohio State commits the last few cycles, and this 2024 class is no different.
Doing their best to keep their top in-state players at home, Miami has tried to undercut the Buckeyes in a variety of ways. Whether it be by NIL, selling the close to home narrative, or even early playing time, Miami is a has been a thorn in the side for Ohio State. That being said, the Buckeyes are winning majority of the battles here, and at least Ohio State’s head coach knows when to take a knee.
Ohio State will have Miami scurrying this weekend as their current commit in the 2026 class, Malachi Toney, will be on site to see the Buckeyes. A 5-foot-9, 170 pound receiver, Toney has been committed to Miami since August, but with two full years still in high school, plenty can change in his recruitment. When it comes to Brian Hartline, he tends to get who he wants and if he’s making a priority to see Toney, look for the Buckeyes to return the favor and be a thorn in the side of his current pledge.
The Buckeyes are known for landing elite receivers out of Florida, and with Malachi being from American Heritage, obviously their ties to this school are strong as they were just able to land Brandon Inniss in the 2023 class. Surely those two will speak this weekend on all things Ohio State.
Quick Hits
- Another in-state Ohio native will also make the short trek to campus for tomorrow’s game. 2025 running back prospect Michael Taylor (Pickerington, Ohio/Pickerington North) is making another visit to see the Buckeyes.
An unranked running back right, Taylor does hold offers from Kentucky and a couple of MAC programs so far. Maybe not a player Ohio State offers in the near future, this is still another visit Michael is making and clearly the staff is paying attention to what he’s doing on the field enough to continue having him back on campus.
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LGHL Ohio State women’s basketball 2023-24 player preview: Karla Vreš
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Ohio State women’s basketball 2023-24 player preview: Karla Vreš
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 Erica Denhoff/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
How the Croatian forward can have an impact for the Buckeyes in her graduate season.
Before the 22-23 season, the Ohio State women’s basketball team brought in two forwards from the transfer portal. The first was highlighted in the last player preview, with Las Vegas, Nevada native Eboni Walker. The other hails from a bit further away in the nation of Croatia.
Karla Vreš didn’t make an impact on the court last year and may not see much more time this year, but still plays an important role for the Buckeyes.
Name: Karla Vreš
Position: Forward
Class: Graduate senior
High School: Jensen Gymnasium Sodra (Zagreb, Croatia)
2022-23 Stats: 9 appearances with 18 minutes played
Vreš transferred to the Buckeyes from American University where the Patriot League side used Vreš as a bench role-player. After earning the most minutes in the forward’s NCAA career (238), Vreš joined Ohio State.
It was a jump for the multi-lingual European in competition, game speed and more. Vreš didn’t make it into too many contests playing behind Walker and fellow European Rebeka Mikulášiková.
Of Vreš’ nine appearances, none of them featured the forward for more than three minutes and all but one of her nine appearances were when the Buckeyes were ahead cruising to victories. The lone time Ohio State lost was a one-sided affair in Columbus with the Indiana Hoosiers defeating the Buckeyes 83-59.
Before coming to the scarlet and gray, Vreš showed an ability to play inside and make mid-to-long range shots. Vreš hit 29 threes in two seasons before the transfer, good for 39.7% efficiency. Defensively, Vreš was also third on the 21-22 American squad in blocks in 21 games and two starts.
On the court, there isn’t going to be many minutes for Vreš. Ohio State’s gotten better in the paint this offseason, adding Michigan State transfer forward Taiyier Parks. That, and Walker returning for a final season, put Vreš further down the depth chart. However, the student athlete can make an impact off the court.
While its likely that Mikulášiková, Parks and Walker rotate their minutes on the court, there’s a center on the bench who will benefit from having Vreš next to her: Freshman Faith Carson.
Vreš hasn’t played much, but she’s practiced a full season and offseason with the Buckeyes. The Academic All-Big Ten and OSU Scholar Athlete can help Carson understand the system from watching on the sideline, with Carson also likely taking the first year to observe her fellow players in the post.
If Carson has a question, there’s someone who understands the system next to her in Vreš.
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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 Erica Denhoff/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
How the Croatian forward can have an impact for the Buckeyes in her graduate season.
Before the 22-23 season, the Ohio State women’s basketball team brought in two forwards from the transfer portal. The first was highlighted in the last player preview, with Las Vegas, Nevada native Eboni Walker. The other hails from a bit further away in the nation of Croatia.
Karla Vreš didn’t make an impact on the court last year and may not see much more time this year, but still plays an important role for the Buckeyes.
Name: Karla Vreš
Position: Forward
Class: Graduate senior
High School: Jensen Gymnasium Sodra (Zagreb, Croatia)
2022-23 Stats: 9 appearances with 18 minutes played
Last Season
Vreš transferred to the Buckeyes from American University where the Patriot League side used Vreš as a bench role-player. After earning the most minutes in the forward’s NCAA career (238), Vreš joined Ohio State.
It was a jump for the multi-lingual European in competition, game speed and more. Vreš didn’t make it into too many contests playing behind Walker and fellow European Rebeka Mikulášiková.
Of Vreš’ nine appearances, none of them featured the forward for more than three minutes and all but one of her nine appearances were when the Buckeyes were ahead cruising to victories. The lone time Ohio State lost was a one-sided affair in Columbus with the Indiana Hoosiers defeating the Buckeyes 83-59.
What to Expect
Before coming to the scarlet and gray, Vreš showed an ability to play inside and make mid-to-long range shots. Vreš hit 29 threes in two seasons before the transfer, good for 39.7% efficiency. Defensively, Vreš was also third on the 21-22 American squad in blocks in 21 games and two starts.
Prediction
On the court, there isn’t going to be many minutes for Vreš. Ohio State’s gotten better in the paint this offseason, adding Michigan State transfer forward Taiyier Parks. That, and Walker returning for a final season, put Vreš further down the depth chart. However, the student athlete can make an impact off the court.
While its likely that Mikulášiková, Parks and Walker rotate their minutes on the court, there’s a center on the bench who will benefit from having Vreš next to her: Freshman Faith Carson.
Vreš hasn’t played much, but she’s practiced a full season and offseason with the Buckeyes. The Academic All-Big Ten and OSU Scholar Athlete can help Carson understand the system from watching on the sideline, with Carson also likely taking the first year to observe her fellow players in the post.
If Carson has a question, there’s someone who understands the system next to her in Vreš.
Miss a player preview? Here’s who you can read about so far:
- Jacy Sheldon
- Rebeka Mikulášiková
- Diana Collins
- Taiyier Parks
- Rikki Harris
- Taylor Thierry
- Kennedy Cambridge
- Faith Carson
- Madison Greene
- Celeste Taylor
- Emma Shumate
- Kaia Henderson
- Eboni Walker
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LGHL MC&J: Week 11’s national schedule will feature a showdown between Ole Miss and Georgia
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MC&J: Week 11’s national schedule will feature a showdown between Ole Miss and Georgia
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports
The Rebels will be looking to ruin Georgia’s dreams of another undefeated season. Plus, picks for six other interesting national games.
Last week we moved back over the .500 mark, using a solid set of national picks to get back into positive territory. Things looked ugly early after Kansas State fell behind Texas, but thankfully the Wildcats kept plugging away to get back inside the number. Now if only Ole Miss hadn’t let Texas A&M back in the game, we could have had a win instead of a tie on the record for the week.
No. 8 Alabama (-10.5) v. Kentucky - 12:00 p.m. ET - ESPN
<Insert Undertaker raising from the dead GIF here> Don’t look now, Alabama is back in the top-10. The Crimson Tide are coming off a 42-28 win over LSU last week, and control their own destiny in the SEC West. If Alabama is able to win this week against Kentucky, as well as in a couple weeks against Auburn, they’ll be heading to the SEC Championship Game to take on Georgia, and if they beat the Bulldogs Nick Saban will be back in the College Football Playoff.
Kentucky snapped a three-game losing streak with a 24-3 win over Mississippi State last week. The victory over the Bulldogs secured bowl eligibility for the Wildcats for the eighth straight season. It feels like Kentucky is not quite good enough to be a top team in the conference, but they also are good enough to be in that second tier of teams in the SEC.
Alabama has figured out how to correctly use quarterback Jalen Milroe, which is big trouble for everyone left on the schedule of the Crimson Tide. Do you see Devin Leary out-dueling Milroe and Alabama? I know I certainly don’t. Running back Ray Davis isn’t going to be able to run wild on the defense of the Crimson Tide like he was able to against Florida earlier in the year. Alabama wins this game by at least two touchdowns.
Alabama 31, Kentucky 14
No. 18 Utah v. No. 5 Washington (-9.5) - 3:30 p.m. ET - FOX
Utah rebounded from their blowout loss to Oregon by beating up on Arizona State last week in Salt Lake City. Bryson Barnes tossed a career-high four touchdowns in the 55-3 win over the Sun Devils, doubling his total for the season. The Utes are going to likely need another outstanding game from Barnes this week, as they’ll travel to Seattle to take on a Washington team that currently sits just outside the College Football Playoff.
Following lackluster performances against Arizona State and Stanford, Washington looked great last week in their 52-42 win at USC. While quarterback Michael Penix Jr. is mentioned as a Heisman Trophy candidate, running back Dillon Johnson was the star of last week’s victory, rushing for 256 yards and four touchdowns against the Trojans. The Huskies still have some work to do to make the playoff, with each win the light at the end of the tunnel gets a little brighter.
I know Utah is going to play really hard for Kyle Whittingham in this game. The effort is only going to get them so far, though. The Utes aren’t as good on the road when they aren’t facing an Alex Grinch defense. Utah probably should have lost at Baylor early in the year, and they weren’t able to get anything going at Oregon State at the end of September. Washington has too much firepower for the Utes to keep pace with.
Washington 38, Utah 21
Miami (FL) v. No. 4 Florida State (-13.5) - 3:30 p.m. ET - ABC
Florida State has to be pushed to the limit at least once more this season, right? The ACC has been a joke this season, which is why I don’t think all that much about Florida State. Don’t get me wrong, the Seminoles have some talented players, I just wouldn’t pick them to beat some of the top teams in the country.
Not that Miami is one of the best teams in the country, but they do have some talent that could keep up with Florida State. Plus, the Hurricanes likely still have last year’s 45-3 loss to their rival still in their heads. What better way for Mario Cristobal to ease some of the pressure from a failed season than by handing the Seminoles their first loss of the year?
If Tyler Van Dyke plays smart football, Miami does have a chance to pull the upset on Saturday. Van Dyke can’t do what he did last week against NC State, where he threw three interceptions. While I don’t see the Hurricanes handing the Seminoles their first loss of the season, I do think Miami will be competitive in this contest.
Florida State 35, Miami (FL) 27
No. 13 Tennessee (-1.5) v. No. 14 Missouri - 3:30 p.m. ET - CBS
There are a number of entertaining games on the schedule for Saturday, but this could be one of those sneaky good games. Currently both teams are tied for second in the SEC East. While Missouri lost last week to Georgia, Tennessee knows it has an outside shot at heading to Atlanta if the Bulldogs slip up against Ole Miss this week. If Georgia loses and Tennessee beats Missouri on Saturday, then next week’s game against the Bulldogs in Knoxville will be for the SEC East crown.
Missouri has had a great season this year. Unfortunately, I think the Tigers have peaked. Much like when teams play Ohio State, a game against Georgia takes a lot out of teams. Plus, star wide receiver Luther Burden is banged up heading into this game, which will make moving the football against a stout Tennessee defense even tougher. Even though Brady Cook will do everything he can, the Volunteers are just a little too much for the Tigers.
Tennessee 31, Missouri 21
No. 9 Ole Miss v. No. 2 Georgia (-10.5) - 7:00 p.m. ET - ESPN
It feels like every week we are wondering just how good Georgia really is. The Bulldogs are still undefeated, they just aren’t nearly as dominant as they have been over the last two years. Kirby Smart has had to replace a lot of talent that is now playing in the NFL, and the injury to Brock Bowers has left quarterback Carson Beck without a true top threat in the passing game.
If only Ole Miss hadn’t fallen apart in the second half against Alabama, this would be the top game in the SEC this year. The Rebels can hurt through the air with Jaxson Dart, as well as on the ground with running back Quinshon Judkins. The only cause for concern for Ole Miss heading into this game is they might have gotten used to some home cooking, with four of their last five games being played in Oxford.
At some point Georgia is going to lose a game. This week’s game against Ole Miss is the toughest contest on the schedule so far this year for the Bulldogs. The Rebels are catching Georgia at the right time, since the Bulldogs are without their top offensive threat. If there ever was a time for Lane Kiffin to truly make some waves in the SEC, this would be the week. Even if Ole Miss doesn’t win this game, I think it comes down to the last possession.
Ole Miss 30, Georgia 27
No. 7 Texas (-10.5) v. TCU - 7:30 p.m. ET - ABC
Regression was expected for TCU after last year’s run to the national title game. Even though another playoff run didn’t seem likely heading into the season, not many people expected the Horned Frogs to be struggling to reach .500. With their 35-28 loss to Texas Tech last week, TCU heads into this game with a 4-5 record. The biggest issue for the Horned Frogs is scoring the football, since they have scored 28 points or less in four of the last five games, losing all four of those contests.
After losing to Oklahoma last month, Texas knows they have no room for error if they want to make the College Football Playoff this season. The task got even tougher when quarterback Quinn Ewers was sidelined. Maalik Murphy has done a solid job stepping in for Ewers, but the Longhorns were playing with fire last week when they were nearly upset by Kansas State in Austin.
With games against Texas and Oklahoma still on the schedule, it’s going to be really tough for TCU to become bowl eligible this season. Even with the injury to Ewers, the Longhorns are still too good on both sides of the football for the Horned Frogs in this one. Texas extracts some revenge for TCU winning last year’s meeting between the schools in Austin.
Texas 34, TCU 17
USC v. No. 6 Oregon (-14.5) - 10:30 p.m. ET - FOX
I’ll never understand why it took Lincoln Riley this long to fire defensive coordinator Alex Grinch. Following last week’s 52-42 loss to Washington, Riley finally put on his big boy pants and dismissed the worst defensive coordinator in college football.
Now there really is only two games left in the college career of quarterback Caleb Williams. While Williams could come back next year, it wouldn’t make any sense for the probable top pick in April’s NFL Draft to not declare for the draft following USC’s regular season finale in a couple weeks against UCLA.
Unlike USC, Oregon has plenty left to play for. As long as they don’t drop another game, the Ducks are on a path to a rematch with Washington in the Pac-12 Championship Game. Last week Oregon put 63 points up against Cal, and they could near that total this week against one of the worst defenses in the country. With a few more big games, Bo Nix could earn a spot in New York City as a Heisman Trophy finalist. Heading into this week’s game, Nix has 30 total touchdowns this year.
At first glance this feels like a lot of points for Oregon to be laying against a high-powered offense. Just remember that USC doesn’t have much left to play for. Maybe the Trojans get up for this game and try to play spoiler, I just don’t see it happening. The Ducks are way too tough in Eugene for a soft team like USC to hang with them.
Oregon 52, USC 28
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Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports
The Rebels will be looking to ruin Georgia’s dreams of another undefeated season. Plus, picks for six other interesting national games.
Last week ATS: 8-6-1 (5-2-1 National, 3-4 B1G)
Season ATS: 82-80-1 (38-46-1 National, 44-34 B1G)
Last week we moved back over the .500 mark, using a solid set of national picks to get back into positive territory. Things looked ugly early after Kansas State fell behind Texas, but thankfully the Wildcats kept plugging away to get back inside the number. Now if only Ole Miss hadn’t let Texas A&M back in the game, we could have had a win instead of a tie on the record for the week.
National games
No. 8 Alabama (-10.5) v. Kentucky - 12:00 p.m. ET - ESPN
<Insert Undertaker raising from the dead GIF here> Don’t look now, Alabama is back in the top-10. The Crimson Tide are coming off a 42-28 win over LSU last week, and control their own destiny in the SEC West. If Alabama is able to win this week against Kentucky, as well as in a couple weeks against Auburn, they’ll be heading to the SEC Championship Game to take on Georgia, and if they beat the Bulldogs Nick Saban will be back in the College Football Playoff.
Kentucky snapped a three-game losing streak with a 24-3 win over Mississippi State last week. The victory over the Bulldogs secured bowl eligibility for the Wildcats for the eighth straight season. It feels like Kentucky is not quite good enough to be a top team in the conference, but they also are good enough to be in that second tier of teams in the SEC.
Alabama has figured out how to correctly use quarterback Jalen Milroe, which is big trouble for everyone left on the schedule of the Crimson Tide. Do you see Devin Leary out-dueling Milroe and Alabama? I know I certainly don’t. Running back Ray Davis isn’t going to be able to run wild on the defense of the Crimson Tide like he was able to against Florida earlier in the year. Alabama wins this game by at least two touchdowns.
Alabama 31, Kentucky 14
No. 18 Utah v. No. 5 Washington (-9.5) - 3:30 p.m. ET - FOX
Utah rebounded from their blowout loss to Oregon by beating up on Arizona State last week in Salt Lake City. Bryson Barnes tossed a career-high four touchdowns in the 55-3 win over the Sun Devils, doubling his total for the season. The Utes are going to likely need another outstanding game from Barnes this week, as they’ll travel to Seattle to take on a Washington team that currently sits just outside the College Football Playoff.
Following lackluster performances against Arizona State and Stanford, Washington looked great last week in their 52-42 win at USC. While quarterback Michael Penix Jr. is mentioned as a Heisman Trophy candidate, running back Dillon Johnson was the star of last week’s victory, rushing for 256 yards and four touchdowns against the Trojans. The Huskies still have some work to do to make the playoff, with each win the light at the end of the tunnel gets a little brighter.
I know Utah is going to play really hard for Kyle Whittingham in this game. The effort is only going to get them so far, though. The Utes aren’t as good on the road when they aren’t facing an Alex Grinch defense. Utah probably should have lost at Baylor early in the year, and they weren’t able to get anything going at Oregon State at the end of September. Washington has too much firepower for the Utes to keep pace with.
Washington 38, Utah 21
Miami (FL) v. No. 4 Florida State (-13.5) - 3:30 p.m. ET - ABC
Florida State has to be pushed to the limit at least once more this season, right? The ACC has been a joke this season, which is why I don’t think all that much about Florida State. Don’t get me wrong, the Seminoles have some talented players, I just wouldn’t pick them to beat some of the top teams in the country.
Not that Miami is one of the best teams in the country, but they do have some talent that could keep up with Florida State. Plus, the Hurricanes likely still have last year’s 45-3 loss to their rival still in their heads. What better way for Mario Cristobal to ease some of the pressure from a failed season than by handing the Seminoles their first loss of the year?
If Tyler Van Dyke plays smart football, Miami does have a chance to pull the upset on Saturday. Van Dyke can’t do what he did last week against NC State, where he threw three interceptions. While I don’t see the Hurricanes handing the Seminoles their first loss of the season, I do think Miami will be competitive in this contest.
Florida State 35, Miami (FL) 27
No. 13 Tennessee (-1.5) v. No. 14 Missouri - 3:30 p.m. ET - CBS
There are a number of entertaining games on the schedule for Saturday, but this could be one of those sneaky good games. Currently both teams are tied for second in the SEC East. While Missouri lost last week to Georgia, Tennessee knows it has an outside shot at heading to Atlanta if the Bulldogs slip up against Ole Miss this week. If Georgia loses and Tennessee beats Missouri on Saturday, then next week’s game against the Bulldogs in Knoxville will be for the SEC East crown.
Missouri has had a great season this year. Unfortunately, I think the Tigers have peaked. Much like when teams play Ohio State, a game against Georgia takes a lot out of teams. Plus, star wide receiver Luther Burden is banged up heading into this game, which will make moving the football against a stout Tennessee defense even tougher. Even though Brady Cook will do everything he can, the Volunteers are just a little too much for the Tigers.
Tennessee 31, Missouri 21
No. 9 Ole Miss v. No. 2 Georgia (-10.5) - 7:00 p.m. ET - ESPN
It feels like every week we are wondering just how good Georgia really is. The Bulldogs are still undefeated, they just aren’t nearly as dominant as they have been over the last two years. Kirby Smart has had to replace a lot of talent that is now playing in the NFL, and the injury to Brock Bowers has left quarterback Carson Beck without a true top threat in the passing game.
If only Ole Miss hadn’t fallen apart in the second half against Alabama, this would be the top game in the SEC this year. The Rebels can hurt through the air with Jaxson Dart, as well as on the ground with running back Quinshon Judkins. The only cause for concern for Ole Miss heading into this game is they might have gotten used to some home cooking, with four of their last five games being played in Oxford.
At some point Georgia is going to lose a game. This week’s game against Ole Miss is the toughest contest on the schedule so far this year for the Bulldogs. The Rebels are catching Georgia at the right time, since the Bulldogs are without their top offensive threat. If there ever was a time for Lane Kiffin to truly make some waves in the SEC, this would be the week. Even if Ole Miss doesn’t win this game, I think it comes down to the last possession.
Ole Miss 30, Georgia 27
No. 7 Texas (-10.5) v. TCU - 7:30 p.m. ET - ABC
Regression was expected for TCU after last year’s run to the national title game. Even though another playoff run didn’t seem likely heading into the season, not many people expected the Horned Frogs to be struggling to reach .500. With their 35-28 loss to Texas Tech last week, TCU heads into this game with a 4-5 record. The biggest issue for the Horned Frogs is scoring the football, since they have scored 28 points or less in four of the last five games, losing all four of those contests.
After losing to Oklahoma last month, Texas knows they have no room for error if they want to make the College Football Playoff this season. The task got even tougher when quarterback Quinn Ewers was sidelined. Maalik Murphy has done a solid job stepping in for Ewers, but the Longhorns were playing with fire last week when they were nearly upset by Kansas State in Austin.
With games against Texas and Oklahoma still on the schedule, it’s going to be really tough for TCU to become bowl eligible this season. Even with the injury to Ewers, the Longhorns are still too good on both sides of the football for the Horned Frogs in this one. Texas extracts some revenge for TCU winning last year’s meeting between the schools in Austin.
Texas 34, TCU 17
USC v. No. 6 Oregon (-14.5) - 10:30 p.m. ET - FOX
I’ll never understand why it took Lincoln Riley this long to fire defensive coordinator Alex Grinch. Following last week’s 52-42 loss to Washington, Riley finally put on his big boy pants and dismissed the worst defensive coordinator in college football.
Now there really is only two games left in the college career of quarterback Caleb Williams. While Williams could come back next year, it wouldn’t make any sense for the probable top pick in April’s NFL Draft to not declare for the draft following USC’s regular season finale in a couple weeks against UCLA.
Unlike USC, Oregon has plenty left to play for. As long as they don’t drop another game, the Ducks are on a path to a rematch with Washington in the Pac-12 Championship Game. Last week Oregon put 63 points up against Cal, and they could near that total this week against one of the worst defenses in the country. With a few more big games, Bo Nix could earn a spot in New York City as a Heisman Trophy finalist. Heading into this week’s game, Nix has 30 total touchdowns this year.
At first glance this feels like a lot of points for Oregon to be laying against a high-powered offense. Just remember that USC doesn’t have much left to play for. Maybe the Trojans get up for this game and try to play spoiler, I just don’t see it happening. The Ducks are way too tough in Eugene for a soft team like USC to hang with them.
Oregon 52, USC 28
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