-
New here? Register here now for access to all the forums, download game torrents, private messages, polls, Sportsbook, etc. Plus, stay connected and follow BP on Instagram @buckeyeplanet and Facebook.
LGHL You’re Nuts: Which remaining game against an unranked team will be the Buckeyes’ biggest challenge?
- News
- 0 Replies
You’re Nuts: Which remaining game against an unranked team will be the Buckeyes’ biggest challenge?
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
Your (almost) daily dose of good-natured, Ohio State banter.
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.
Crazy Jami is back again with another insane lady statement. I know you’re already rolling your eyes (Matt sure is—and honestly, can you blame him?)
When the Minnesota Golden Gophers take the field against Ohio State on Nov. 18, they won’t even have the home-field advantage Purdue, Wisconsin, and Rutgers do. These Golden Gophers will have been walloped by Michigan (a 52-10 loss) and handily beaten by UNC (31-13). They didn’t even beat Northwestern, and they barely beat Nebraska.
So I know I’m a little insane for thinking this team even belongs in the stadium with Ohio State. But here’s the thing: of the remaining unranked teams left for Ohio State to face, Minnesota is the team they are most likely to look past.
Purdue has a history of stepping up just to ruin a perfectly good football season. Even in their off years, they seem to find a spark when they’re playing the big games. And I think Ryan Day is smart enough to expect something of that nature come Saturday.
The same is true of Wisconsin. Even in their worst year, Madison is a HARD place to play a road game, and with Luke Fickell, there’s an element of the personal against Ohio State. The Buckeyes will prepare for this.
In fact, I expect the Buckeyes will prepare for both of those teams as if they are ranked opponents, which makes me feel like I can breathe a little bit in those two games.
But Minnesota? We play the dear, sweet Golden Gophers in the second-to-last week of the season, and given Minnesota’s season thus far, it would be perfectly reasonable for Ohio State to be looking past them to the following week’s Michigan game.
Herein lies my worry.
A great football team the Golden Gophers are not. But if they have a great day and Ohio State’s head is elsewhere, this could be Minnesota’s opportunity to find a reason to celebrate this season. Minnesota will have to play pretty close to a perfect football game, especially given that they are simply outmatched physically by this Buckeye squad in many respects.
But sloppiness from Ohio State if they’re not focused on this game could open a door for Minnesota, and it’s exactly the kind of win that team needs to avoid a future of irrelevancy. That kind of motivation, coupled with any sort of lack of focus from our guys in Scarlet and Gray could be reason for pause.
So I for one will not be looking past the Golden Gophers to The Game. I’ll just consistently be holding my breath from this Saturday on.
I appreciate where Jami is coming from on this one, but looking at the remaining schedule, I think I have to go with our good friend Luke Fickell’s team. I know that they lost in Week 3 to Washington State, but the Cougs have equated themselves very well this season and that looks like it was a fairly decent L for the Badgers.
Under the first-year coach, Wisconsin has been a pretty middle-of-the-pack Big Ten team, but the game will be at Camp Randall, a week after what I suspect will be a physical, tightly-contested game against Penn State, and there is the potential that it could be at night (although, I wouldn’t be surprised if Fox selects it as the Big Noon game). Wisconsin has long been a difficult place to play if for no other reason than their fans are some of the most aggressive and violent in the B1G.
From throwing marshmallows lined with quarters at players and fans to being generally hostile, Badgers fans do not make Madison a friendly place for opposing teams or fans. While most of that doesn’t directly impact the play on the field, it does add to the overall fraught environment.
This will be the first time that the Buckeyes have been back to Camp Randall since 2016 thanks to the divisional breakdown of the league, so no one on this team has any experience playing in the iconic stadium. Granted, OSU hasn’t lost to Wisconsin on the road since 2010, but I still never feel great about going there.
When you throw in the extra motivation of Fickell hosting his alma mater and the Badgers needing a statement win to stay a game ahead of Iowa in the West Division standings, there will be a lot on the line for both teams, and if Ryan Day’s squad gets caught looking ahead to Penn State next week at all, it could be an ugly trip up to the not-yet-so frozen tundra on Saturday.
Continue reading...
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
Your (almost) daily dose of good-natured, Ohio State banter.
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.
Today’s Question: Which remaining game against an unranked team will be the Buckeyes’ biggest challenge?
Jami’s Take: Minnesota
Crazy Jami is back again with another insane lady statement. I know you’re already rolling your eyes (Matt sure is—and honestly, can you blame him?)
When the Minnesota Golden Gophers take the field against Ohio State on Nov. 18, they won’t even have the home-field advantage Purdue, Wisconsin, and Rutgers do. These Golden Gophers will have been walloped by Michigan (a 52-10 loss) and handily beaten by UNC (31-13). They didn’t even beat Northwestern, and they barely beat Nebraska.
So I know I’m a little insane for thinking this team even belongs in the stadium with Ohio State. But here’s the thing: of the remaining unranked teams left for Ohio State to face, Minnesota is the team they are most likely to look past.
Purdue has a history of stepping up just to ruin a perfectly good football season. Even in their off years, they seem to find a spark when they’re playing the big games. And I think Ryan Day is smart enough to expect something of that nature come Saturday.
The same is true of Wisconsin. Even in their worst year, Madison is a HARD place to play a road game, and with Luke Fickell, there’s an element of the personal against Ohio State. The Buckeyes will prepare for this.
In fact, I expect the Buckeyes will prepare for both of those teams as if they are ranked opponents, which makes me feel like I can breathe a little bit in those two games.
But Minnesota? We play the dear, sweet Golden Gophers in the second-to-last week of the season, and given Minnesota’s season thus far, it would be perfectly reasonable for Ohio State to be looking past them to the following week’s Michigan game.
Herein lies my worry.
A great football team the Golden Gophers are not. But if they have a great day and Ohio State’s head is elsewhere, this could be Minnesota’s opportunity to find a reason to celebrate this season. Minnesota will have to play pretty close to a perfect football game, especially given that they are simply outmatched physically by this Buckeye squad in many respects.
But sloppiness from Ohio State if they’re not focused on this game could open a door for Minnesota, and it’s exactly the kind of win that team needs to avoid a future of irrelevancy. That kind of motivation, coupled with any sort of lack of focus from our guys in Scarlet and Gray could be reason for pause.
So I for one will not be looking past the Golden Gophers to The Game. I’ll just consistently be holding my breath from this Saturday on.
Matt’s Take: Wisconsin
I appreciate where Jami is coming from on this one, but looking at the remaining schedule, I think I have to go with our good friend Luke Fickell’s team. I know that they lost in Week 3 to Washington State, but the Cougs have equated themselves very well this season and that looks like it was a fairly decent L for the Badgers.
Under the first-year coach, Wisconsin has been a pretty middle-of-the-pack Big Ten team, but the game will be at Camp Randall, a week after what I suspect will be a physical, tightly-contested game against Penn State, and there is the potential that it could be at night (although, I wouldn’t be surprised if Fox selects it as the Big Noon game). Wisconsin has long been a difficult place to play if for no other reason than their fans are some of the most aggressive and violent in the B1G.
From throwing marshmallows lined with quarters at players and fans to being generally hostile, Badgers fans do not make Madison a friendly place for opposing teams or fans. While most of that doesn’t directly impact the play on the field, it does add to the overall fraught environment.
This will be the first time that the Buckeyes have been back to Camp Randall since 2016 thanks to the divisional breakdown of the league, so no one on this team has any experience playing in the iconic stadium. Granted, OSU hasn’t lost to Wisconsin on the road since 2010, but I still never feel great about going there.
When you throw in the extra motivation of Fickell hosting his alma mater and the Badgers needing a statement win to stay a game ahead of Iowa in the West Division standings, there will be a lot on the line for both teams, and if Ryan Day’s squad gets caught looking ahead to Penn State next week at all, it could be an ugly trip up to the not-yet-so frozen tundra on Saturday.
Continue reading...
Deshawn Warner (DE Kansas, transfer to ???)
- By pnuts34
- College Football
- 13 Replies
247
Rivals
Twitter
HudL
Class: 2024
School: Goodyear(AZ) Desert Edge
Position: DE
Height: 6-foot-4
Weight: 225lbs
Login to view embedded media
Rivals
HudL
Class: 2024
School: Goodyear(AZ) Desert Edge
Position: DE
Height: 6-foot-4
Weight: 225lbs
Login to view embedded media
LGHL Column: The Buckeyes’ mental fortitude could be the key to a postseason run
- News
- 0 Replies
Column: The Buckeyes’ mental fortitude could be the key to a postseason run
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
These guys do NOT give in.
How many times have we heard Ryan Day talk about how tough this Ohio State team is? For me, I feel like I see something about it every day. It may be a tad bit overdone, especially with the Lou Holtz situation, but honestly, this toughness could be the difference between making it to the national championship or not.
There have been three different instances this year where the Buckeyes have either been tied or have a one possession lead over their opponents after the first half. In the first game of the season, they only led 10-3 at halftime against Indiana, a game where the Bucks were 30-point favorites.
Against Notre Dame, they only led 3-0 at the half, and were actually losing until there was one second left in the game. Most recently, against Maryland, they were tied 10-10 at the half against the Terrapins who were unranked.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24990034/1722722715.jpg "Maryland v Ohio State")
Photo by Ben Jackson/Getty Images
So, what is my point in all of this? Ohio State is 5-0 on the season. They have been down in three games this season, or at least now blowing out their opponents like Western Kentucky and Youngstown State, yet they still come out on top. For the Indiana game, the Buckeyes ended up pulling it together and winning 23-3.
We all know what happened with Notre Dame, and they had a very strong second half against Maryland. Defeating two conference opponents and a very good Fighting Irish team is no easy feat, but they did so by coming back and finishing the game better than they started — and THAT is the key to a successful team in my opinion.
Now obviously, it would be preferable for them to play their hearts out 100% of the time and not have to wait until the second half to turn on the jets. When facing opponents like Penn State and TTUN, it will be very difficult to flip a switch in the second half and just completely outplay both of them.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24990040/usa_today_21493541.jpg "Syndication: USA TODAY")
Kyle Robertson / USA TODAY NETWORK
However, the fact that the Buckeyes have faced these deficits this early on in the season and can still find a way to win is very encouraging. It doesn’t get into a much tougher situation then playing on the road, in a top-10 matchup at night and it coming down to the final seconds to pull off a victory. If they can do that, and then build upon it the rest of the season, their confidence and mental strength are going to be HARD to knock down.
This Ohio State team is definitely playing with a chip on their shoulder this season. They have heard the doubts the past couple of years now, and haven’t been able to completely quell them after losing to TTUN two years in a row, and failing to make it to the national championship since 2020.
Will this be the year that all of that changes? So far, so good. As long as the Bucks don’t become complacent, which I don’t see happening, and continue to improve every week, I don’t see how they can be defeated with the grit and mental toughness that they have. Penn State will be the ultimate test of this, so we will have to wait and see.
Continue reading...
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
These guys do NOT give in.
How many times have we heard Ryan Day talk about how tough this Ohio State team is? For me, I feel like I see something about it every day. It may be a tad bit overdone, especially with the Lou Holtz situation, but honestly, this toughness could be the difference between making it to the national championship or not.
There have been three different instances this year where the Buckeyes have either been tied or have a one possession lead over their opponents after the first half. In the first game of the season, they only led 10-3 at halftime against Indiana, a game where the Bucks were 30-point favorites.
Against Notre Dame, they only led 3-0 at the half, and were actually losing until there was one second left in the game. Most recently, against Maryland, they were tied 10-10 at the half against the Terrapins who were unranked.
So, what is my point in all of this? Ohio State is 5-0 on the season. They have been down in three games this season, or at least now blowing out their opponents like Western Kentucky and Youngstown State, yet they still come out on top. For the Indiana game, the Buckeyes ended up pulling it together and winning 23-3.
We all know what happened with Notre Dame, and they had a very strong second half against Maryland. Defeating two conference opponents and a very good Fighting Irish team is no easy feat, but they did so by coming back and finishing the game better than they started — and THAT is the key to a successful team in my opinion.
Now obviously, it would be preferable for them to play their hearts out 100% of the time and not have to wait until the second half to turn on the jets. When facing opponents like Penn State and TTUN, it will be very difficult to flip a switch in the second half and just completely outplay both of them.
However, the fact that the Buckeyes have faced these deficits this early on in the season and can still find a way to win is very encouraging. It doesn’t get into a much tougher situation then playing on the road, in a top-10 matchup at night and it coming down to the final seconds to pull off a victory. If they can do that, and then build upon it the rest of the season, their confidence and mental strength are going to be HARD to knock down.
This Ohio State team is definitely playing with a chip on their shoulder this season. They have heard the doubts the past couple of years now, and haven’t been able to completely quell them after losing to TTUN two years in a row, and failing to make it to the national championship since 2020.
Will this be the year that all of that changes? So far, so good. As long as the Bucks don’t become complacent, which I don’t see happening, and continue to improve every week, I don’t see how they can be defeated with the grit and mental toughness that they have. Penn State will be the ultimate test of this, so we will have to wait and see.
Continue reading...
LGHL You’re Nuts: Which game against the new Big Ten members are you most looking forward to?
- News
- 0 Replies
You’re Nuts: Which game against the new Big Ten members are you most looking forward to?
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Tom Hauck/Getty Images
Your (almost) daily dose of good-natured, Ohio State banter.
Late last week the revised Big Ten schedules for 2024 through 2028 were released. The conference had previously released future schedules but those matchups were scrapped since they were set before Oregon and Washington were announced as the members of the Big Ten starting in the 2024 season. The Ducks and Huskies join USC and UCLA as Pac-12 defectors who couldn’t pass up what the Big Ten had to offer.
With 18 teams now in the Big Ten, the conference actually did a good job at making sure the Buckeyes square off with the newbies over the next five years. Oregon leads the way with three games against Ohio State during that span, while the other three new members will all play the Buckeyes twice. 2024 will see Oregon be the only new member Ohio State will play, and in each of the following four years, there will be two former Pac-12 members on the schedule for the Buckeyes.
Currently, all four of the incoming conference members are ranked in the AP Top 25. Today we want to know what recently announced matchup involving one of the new Big Ten teams are you most looking forward to. Of course, it’s hard to know what players will be on the field for the teams as the years go on, but there will still be some fun locations to visit. Or maybe you are looking for Ohio State to get some revenge in Columbus on Oregon and USC since both teams beat the Buckeyes the last time they played at Ohio Stadium.
It is probably not a surprise this is my choice since I’ve mentioned in the past that I have family and friends out in Oregon. I originally was planning on going out to the game in Eugene in 2020 before COVID-19 led to the game being canceled. The game was likely cursed though, since even had there not been a pandemic, the September tilt would have likely been postponed because of wildfires in the Pacific Northwest. On the morning the Buckeyes and Ducks were scheduled to play, Eugene had the worst air quality in the world, so it’s hard to imagine the game being played that night.
Who knows, next year’s contest could be a battle between teams that made the College Football Playoff, and could even be a rematch of a playoff game. We’ve already seen the Buckeyes and Ducks square off in the championship game of the first four-team playoff, so it would only be fitting if they found a way to meet in the last four-team playoff, as next year the field will expand to 12 teams. There is no doubt next year’s game between Ohio State and Oregon will be one of the marquee matchups of the college football season.
Both my Dad and my uncle live in the southern part of Oregon in Medford. I’ve been out there a few times to visit, but I definitely don’t get out there nearly as much as I’d like to. Also, my Dad’s neighbor is a big Oregon fan, and regularly goes to games at Autzen, so even though I’d be the enemy I’m sure I could get a little assistance at finding some reasonable tickets for the game. Honestly though, you could put me in the top row of the stadium and I’d still be happy to be there since Autzen Stadium looks like a great place to watch a football game.
My gut instinct was to say the first time that the Buckeyes played USC. Not only is that an old school, Rose Bowl matchup of two of the bluest-blooded programs in college football, but — more importantly for my sadistic purposes — the Trojan defense is currently coached by former Ohio State coordinator Alex Grinch, and I would looooooove to see OSU go up against his unit.
However, Ohio State and USC don’t face off as conference foes until 2026, and I would be absolutely flabbergasted if Grinch was still employed by USC at that point. Of course, there is the possibility that the two teams could meet up in the postseason before Lincoln Riley moves on to a competent DC, so I will continue to hope and pray for that.
So, since that matchup is so far in the future, and Grinch will almost certainly be elsewhere by then, I am going to go with a far more bankable pick. While it is even further down the calendar than the matchup with the Men of Troy, I am looking forward five years in the future for when the Buckeyes travel to UCLA. Obviously, if both schools’ current head coaches are still in place, that will lead to a fun teacher-student narrative for the game, but who knows what happens in the half-decade between now and then.
So, rather than attempt to prognosticate whether Ryan Day and Chip Kelly will be standing on opposite sidelines for that one, I am just thinking about the breathtaking setting of playing the Rose Bowl.
For decades, the Buckeyes’ foremost goal was to make it to Pasadena on Jan. 1. With the advent of the BCS and College Football Playoff, that has taken a bit of a backseat, but that doesn’t erase any of the glory and splendor that comes from playing in one of the most picture-perfect places that the college football gods ever conceived.
For fans of a certain age, this game will likely hold more meaning for younger generations, but it will still provide a beautiful backdrop to what will hopefully be a competitive matchup between two iconic programs. Who knows, I have never been to the Rose Bowl — the postseason contest or the venue — so maybe, I will make my way out west in 2028 to see what all of the fuss is about in person.
Continue reading...
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Tom Hauck/Getty Images
Your (almost) daily dose of good-natured, Ohio State banter.
Late last week the revised Big Ten schedules for 2024 through 2028 were released. The conference had previously released future schedules but those matchups were scrapped since they were set before Oregon and Washington were announced as the members of the Big Ten starting in the 2024 season. The Ducks and Huskies join USC and UCLA as Pac-12 defectors who couldn’t pass up what the Big Ten had to offer.
With 18 teams now in the Big Ten, the conference actually did a good job at making sure the Buckeyes square off with the newbies over the next five years. Oregon leads the way with three games against Ohio State during that span, while the other three new members will all play the Buckeyes twice. 2024 will see Oregon be the only new member Ohio State will play, and in each of the following four years, there will be two former Pac-12 members on the schedule for the Buckeyes.
Currently, all four of the incoming conference members are ranked in the AP Top 25. Today we want to know what recently announced matchup involving one of the new Big Ten teams are you most looking forward to. Of course, it’s hard to know what players will be on the field for the teams as the years go on, but there will still be some fun locations to visit. Or maybe you are looking for Ohio State to get some revenge in Columbus on Oregon and USC since both teams beat the Buckeyes the last time they played at Ohio Stadium.
Today’s question: Which recently announced game against a new Big Ten member are you most looking forward to?
We’d love to hear your choices. Either respond to us on Twitter at @Landgrant33 or leave your choice in the comments.
Brett’s answer: 2024 at Oregon
It is probably not a surprise this is my choice since I’ve mentioned in the past that I have family and friends out in Oregon. I originally was planning on going out to the game in Eugene in 2020 before COVID-19 led to the game being canceled. The game was likely cursed though, since even had there not been a pandemic, the September tilt would have likely been postponed because of wildfires in the Pacific Northwest. On the morning the Buckeyes and Ducks were scheduled to play, Eugene had the worst air quality in the world, so it’s hard to imagine the game being played that night.
Who knows, next year’s contest could be a battle between teams that made the College Football Playoff, and could even be a rematch of a playoff game. We’ve already seen the Buckeyes and Ducks square off in the championship game of the first four-team playoff, so it would only be fitting if they found a way to meet in the last four-team playoff, as next year the field will expand to 12 teams. There is no doubt next year’s game between Ohio State and Oregon will be one of the marquee matchups of the college football season.
Both my Dad and my uncle live in the southern part of Oregon in Medford. I’ve been out there a few times to visit, but I definitely don’t get out there nearly as much as I’d like to. Also, my Dad’s neighbor is a big Oregon fan, and regularly goes to games at Autzen, so even though I’d be the enemy I’m sure I could get a little assistance at finding some reasonable tickets for the game. Honestly though, you could put me in the top row of the stadium and I’d still be happy to be there since Autzen Stadium looks like a great place to watch a football game.
Matt’s answer: 2028 at UCLA
My gut instinct was to say the first time that the Buckeyes played USC. Not only is that an old school, Rose Bowl matchup of two of the bluest-blooded programs in college football, but — more importantly for my sadistic purposes — the Trojan defense is currently coached by former Ohio State coordinator Alex Grinch, and I would looooooove to see OSU go up against his unit.
However, Ohio State and USC don’t face off as conference foes until 2026, and I would be absolutely flabbergasted if Grinch was still employed by USC at that point. Of course, there is the possibility that the two teams could meet up in the postseason before Lincoln Riley moves on to a competent DC, so I will continue to hope and pray for that.
So, since that matchup is so far in the future, and Grinch will almost certainly be elsewhere by then, I am going to go with a far more bankable pick. While it is even further down the calendar than the matchup with the Men of Troy, I am looking forward five years in the future for when the Buckeyes travel to UCLA. Obviously, if both schools’ current head coaches are still in place, that will lead to a fun teacher-student narrative for the game, but who knows what happens in the half-decade between now and then.
So, rather than attempt to prognosticate whether Ryan Day and Chip Kelly will be standing on opposite sidelines for that one, I am just thinking about the breathtaking setting of playing the Rose Bowl.
For decades, the Buckeyes’ foremost goal was to make it to Pasadena on Jan. 1. With the advent of the BCS and College Football Playoff, that has taken a bit of a backseat, but that doesn’t erase any of the glory and splendor that comes from playing in one of the most picture-perfect places that the college football gods ever conceived.
For fans of a certain age, this game will likely hold more meaning for younger generations, but it will still provide a beautiful backdrop to what will hopefully be a competitive matchup between two iconic programs. Who knows, I have never been to the Rose Bowl — the postseason contest or the venue — so maybe, I will make my way out west in 2028 to see what all of the fuss is about in person.
Continue reading...
