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LGHL Ohio State offers a rising 2025 in-state defensive lineman

Ohio State offers a rising 2025 in-state defensive lineman
Dan Hessler via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

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2025 three-star DL Brandon Caesar | Mick Walker - @MickWalker247, 247Sports

The Buckeyes already seem to be trending for their latest offeree.

It is Game Week. We have finally made it to the start of college football. Ohio State is gearing up to travel to Indiana for the Buckeyes’ first game of the season this Saturday. There are still plenty of questions surrounding this year’s current squad — mainly, who will be starting at quarterback this season.

With this, many of the headlines Ohio State will make in the coming months will focus on this year’s roster. However, Ryan Day and the Ohio State coaching staff will continue to put focus on recruiting the best to Columbus. Proving this true, Ohio State made the recruiting headlines Monday.

Ohio State offered and is trending for a rising in-state DL​


Ohio State defensive line coach Larry Johnson is one of the best to ever do it. However, in the last few seasons, many have questioned his recruiting efforts. In the 2024 cycle, Johnson and Ohio State has been able to secure commitments from five-star DL Justin Scott and five-star DE Eddrick Houston. Additionally, the Buckeyes are looking to bolster this group even more.

The coaching staff is also putting focus into next year’s cycle, and on Monday the team offered 2025 in-state defensive lineman Brandon Caesar (Cleveland, OH / Cleveland Heights).

Very happy to have received a offer from
Ohio State University ️@R2X_Rushmen1 @MacStephens @CoachNewton2 @kahari_hicks pic.twitter.com/gur3X2hEXj

— Brandon Caesar (@BCaesar2025) August 28, 2023
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Caesar is a three-star prospect currently in the 247Sports Composite, but he is primed to see a ranking increase before the class is done. His recruitment has exploded this summer, and he has received scholarship offers from programs like Notre Dame, Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan, USC, Tennessee, Alabama and now Ohio State.

Ryan Day has stressed a major focal point this Ohio State coaching staff has is keeping the best in-state talents in Ohio. Caesar may have only just received his scholarship offer Monday, but the Buckeyes are already trending for him.

Hours after the scholarship offer was made public by Caesar, Bill Kurelic, the Dean of Recruiting for BuckNuts, placed a Crystal Ball prediction connecting Caesar and the Buckeyes. These Crystal Ball predictions are far from guarantees, but they are a great indication into what recruits may be thinking.

Ohio State has to like where it is sitting with Caesar’s recruitment, and would love to add an early commitment to its 2025 class at a position of importance. The Buckeyes currently hold just one commitment in its 2025 class in four-star quarterback Tavien St. Clair.

Caesar is the No. 42 DL and the No. 433 overall prospect. He is also the No. 13 prospect out of Ohio.

Quick Hits​

  • Ohio State 2024 five-star DL target Dominick McKinley is scheduled to announce his commitment Friday, and has a final five schools of LSU, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Texas and Texas A&M. Ohio State would love to add McKinley alongside Scott and Houston, but this one looks like it is Texas’ to lose.

Oklahoma and LSU have made strong pushes in the final stretch, and the Buckeyes seem to be on the outside looking in. The only guarantee in recruiting is that there are no guarantees, and there is still a small chance McKinley picks the Buckeyes. That being said, it would be one of the biggest recruiting steals in Ryan Day’s career.

5-star DL Dominick McKinley is set to commit on Friday and tells On3's @samspiegs that he knows where he wants to go‼️

Which of his five finalists will it be?

More (On3+): https://t.co/BELN27MACA pic.twitter.com/GdKTVO3dBr

— On3 Recruits (@On3Recruits) August 28, 2023
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LGHL Silver Bullets Podcast: Neither Ohio State nor Indiana has named a QB, but that will likely lead to very different results

Silver Bullets Podcast: Neither Ohio State nor Indiana has named a QB, but that will likely lead to very different results
Michael Citro via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Syndication: The Columbus Dispatch

Brooke LaValley / USA TODAY NETWORK

We’re joined by Crimson Quarry staff writer Colin Lavery to better get to know the Indiana Hoosiers.

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


It’s game week at last and we’re ready to go after seeing some Week 0 games this past Saturday. The Buckeyes are going through their final preparations for the upcoming season and it starts with a Big Ten East showdown in Bloomington this Saturday.

We begin the show with some news, including the naming of Ted Carter as the next president of The Ohio State University. That was the first domino that needed to fall in order to get a new athletic director hired to replace Gene Smith in the position next year.

Ohio State also has a new stadium voice. We touched on that briefly before getting into the latest group of official Buckeyes who saw their black stripes removed from their helmets within the last week. These are guys who are showing that they came to Columbus to put in the work and we love to see it.

Colin Lavery from Crimson Quarry then jumps on with us to tell us about the 2023 Indiana Hoosiers, and to say that he’s not feeling optimistic about his team’s upcoming season might be an understatement. Tom Allen refuses to name his starting quarterback and there are 40 new faces on the Indiana roster, which could make for a bumpy 2023 season for fans of the Hoosiers.

Finally, we dive into our picks to click for Saturday and make our first score predictions of the new college football season. Both of us feel we’re erring on the conservative side as the Buckeyes go on the road with a new signal caller. The game might start a little sluggishly for Ohio State, but we expect the Bucks to get stronger as the game goes on.

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

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

As always, thanks for listening!

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LGHL The Grumpy Old Buckeye’s guide to the 2023 Ohio State football schedule

The Grumpy Old Buckeye’s guide to the 2023 Ohio State football schedule
Michael Citro via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Syndication: The Columbus Dispatch

Kyle Robertson/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

The most annoying things about all 12 games on the regular season schedule.

It’s finally an Ohio State game week, and we can put the long, dark offseason behind us and look ahead to 12 brand new Buckeye games to help us pass the late summer and fall together. Many people before me have broken down Ohio State’s 2023 schedule, but I’m not sure anyone has done it the way I’m about to. My aim is to find the most aggravating thing (to me) about each of the 12 upcoming games on the schedule.

Saturday, Sept. 2: Ohio State at Indiana​


I’ve never been a fan of starting the season with a conference game. I like easing into the season with a MAC opponent or a smaller P5 opponent from out west somewhere. This year, that’s especially true with the Buckeyes breaking in a new quarterback. I don’t expect this game to be close in the second half, but I resent playing not only a conference opponent, but also a divisional one in the first week.

Saturday, Sept. 9: Youngstown State at Ohio State​


Why is this game happening? This is not a game that should be happening. This is one of those games in which Ohio State could win by 70 and everyone will say, “Well, you should win by 70 against Youngstown State.” And if it’s close, the mockery will be unbearable. Nothing against YSU, but this is not a game to put on the schedule.

Saturday, Sept. 16: Western Kentucky at Ohio State​


This should probably be the opener. This isn’t a sexy matchup but it’s perfectly suited for the season’s first game. I resent the fact that Western Kentucky is so far below my normal college football radar that I had to look up the school’s nickname to remind myself they are the Hilltoppers. I’m not a kid anymore and I forget a lot of stuff, such as that Western Kentucky calls its athletes the Hilltoppers, and also what a Hilltopper is. I’m actually not sure I ever knew what a Hilltopper is, come to think of it.

A quick Google search turned up this dumb answer:


Gee, thanks Google.

This automatically begs the questions of why WKU students had to carry things to the top of the hill, and which hill. Is there more than one hill on campus? Also, I resent the fact that WKU mascot Big Red is simultaneously terrifying and kind of cute.

Saturday, Sept. 23: Ohio State at Notre Dame​


I can sum this up in one phrase that gets said every year: “Notre Dame is back!”

Saturday, Oct. 7: Maryland at Ohio State​


The most annoying thing about facing the Terrapins in 2023 is that the Buckeyes will have to defend Maryland quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa for the ninth consecutive year. Didn’t he start school there a few months after Ohio State beat Oregon for the national championship? Maybe it only seems that way. At least it isn’t a road game.

Saturday, Oct. 14: Ohio State at Purdue​


Speaking of road games, is there any patch of the Earth where Ohio State plays less like Ohio State than in West Lafayette, Indiana? I’m pretty sure the engineering students and faculty at Purdue have created some kind of machine that makes Ohio State play like Big Ten-era Nebraska when visiting that campus. I hate the way the Buckeyes play when they visit the Boilermakers. It’s like everyone simultaneously decides to have the absolute worst game of their career. The university isn’t even in Lafayette. It’s in West Lafayette. Ugh.

Saturday, Oct. 21: Penn State at Ohio State​


I don’t know how this is possible, but James Franklin is almost certainly both the best and worst thing about Penn State. He recruits annoyingly well, but somehow usually loses the plot at some point during big games. Sometimes his players bail him out with insanely ridiculous jump ball catches for touchdowns, or by making the first man miss and going the distance. Other times, he calls running plays on fourth-and-medium to hilarious effect.

Also, the “We are!” cheer is just objectively dumb. Obviously no one else is going to claim they’re you, and perhaps no one aside from Rutgers wants to be you.

Saturday, Oct. 28: Ohio State at Wisconsin​


Storylines! I’m going to hate hearing all about the storylines with this game. Luke Fickell was a longtime coach at Ohio State. Did you know that? Luke Fickell played at Ohio State, too. And some think Luke Fickell did a good job in his lone season as the Buckeyes’ head coach after Jim Tressel left and should have gotten the job full time. I’ll be watching this one with the sound off.

Saturday, Nov. 4: Ohio State at Rutgers​


The most annoying thing about this game is that it stands as an annual reminder that Rutgers is in the Big Ten. I have nothing personally against Piscataway, New Jersey. I once visited a really nice record store there and had a delicious buffalo chicken philly in one of their fine local restaurants.

Saturday, Nov. 11: Michigan State at Ohio State​


I’m not sure if the most annoying thing about this game will be the mentions that the teams didn’t want to play a November night game, that the Big Ten doesn’t want to have November night games, or the complaints by fans if the weather sucks. I’ve been to day games when the wind chill was negative-20. Wear plenty of layers and find something to cover your face if it’s cold, so you don’t get frostbite.

Saturday, Nov. 18: Minnesota at Ohio State​


I hate that this is a trap game. It’s not exactly a “sandwich” trap game, because I think by mid-November the Michigan State Spartans won’t exactly be in contention (although, you never know), but I don’t like playing potentially good teams the week before The Game. This should be the Rutgers hole in the schedule henceforth. I think Ohio State will be fine, but Minnesota is also generally a physical team and that also isn’t ideal the week before the trip to Ann Arbor.

Saturday, Nov. 25: Ohio State at Michigan​


I mean, there’s not much about Michigan that isn’t annoying. I don’t get the raving and drooling that college football announcers give Michigan Stadium. It’s literally a hole in the ground, and if you want to use the restroom or get something to eat, plan on a lengthy ordeal that will take up nearly a quarter of the game.

Everything about Jim Harbaugh is annoying, from his insane antics to his whining when things don’t go his way. But mainly it’s just annoying that Ohio State has dropped the last two meetings in the series and all of the arrogance from the UM fanbase has returned en masse. Fair play, as they’ve got scoreboard the last two seasons, but it would be nice to right the ship and see how quickly that awful stadium returns to the half-empty status of the not-too-distant past.


These are the things that already annoy me about Ohio State’s 2023 schedule. Anything stick out that grinds your gears? Let me know in the comments below.

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LGHL Why is this News? All the articles and tweets Buckeye fans need for August 28, 2022

Why is this News? All the articles and tweets Buckeye fans need for August 28, 2022
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Syndication: The Columbus Dispatch

Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

All the Buckeye news thats fit to re-print.

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

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

You’re welcome!

For your Earholes...​


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

Countdown to Kickoff​


Ohio State Football Countdown: 5
Gene Ross, Land-Grant Holy Land

On the Gridiron​


Big Ten to require teams to issue injury report before football games
Bill Rabinowitz and Lori Schmidt, The Columbus Dispatch

Ohio State enters season opener as 30-point favorites vs. Indiana
Gene Ross, Land-Grant Holy Land

Marvin Harrison Jr.’s offseason changes could lead to an even better 2023
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts

Emeka Egbuka looks to improve on his breakout 2022 season
Justin Golba, Land-Grant Holy Land

Striving to improve after the catch, Marvin Harrison Jr. believes it’s a ‘mindset thing’ (paywall)
Andy Backstrom, Lettermen Row

Finally healthy, Julian Fleming has chance to showcase growth through adversity (paywall)
Andy Backstrom, Lettermen Row

Xavier Johnson does a little bit of everything, on and off the field, for Ohio State
Brett Ludwiczak, Land-Grant Holy Land

Listen to Brian Hartline, Marvin Harrison Jr., and Julian Fleming answer questions from the media:


Ohio State has already benefited greatly from tapping portal this offseason (paywall)
Tim May, Lettermen Row

Camp Wrap: August superlatives as Buckeyes turn focus to opener
Austin Ward, Dotting the Eyes

Ohio State fans are concerned about offensive tackle as season nears
Matt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land

If the Big Ten expands to 24 teams, what six schools would you want to add?
Matt Tamanini and Jami Jurich, Land-Grant Holy Land

On the Hardwood​


Which Big Ten junior will have the biggest impact this season?
Connor Lemons and Justin Golba, Land-Grant Holy Land

Outside the Shoe and Schott​


Ohio State Wrestler Sammy Sasso Sustained “Severe Nerve Damage” in Shooting
Garrick Hodge, Eleven Warriors

Women’s Volleyball: No. 14 Ohio State Sweeps ETSU to Wrap Up NKU Tournament
Ohio State Athletics

Field Hockey: Buckeyes Improve to 2-0 With a 4-1 Victory at Lafayette
Ohio State Athletics

Women’s Soccer: Buckeyes Draw Montana 2-2
Ohio State Athletics

Men’s Soccer: Buckeyes Fall in Wolstein Classic Final to UC Davis, 2-1
Ohio State Athletics

And now for something completely different...​


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LGHL Buckeye Briefing: It’s game week and Ohio State is playing on... CBS?

Buckeye Briefing: It’s game week and Ohio State is playing on... CBS?
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Syndication: The Columbus Dispatch

Adam Cairns / USA TODAY NETWORK

We’re catching you up on all of the news you need to know in order to be the most informed Buckeye fan possible.

On “The Buckeye Briefing,” we bring you all of the news that you need to know in order to be the most well-informed Buckeye fan that you can possibly be.

Listen to the episode and subscribe:

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


On the inaugural episode of “The Buckeye Briefing,” we are running through the info you need for the first game week of the 2023 Ohio State football season as the Buckeyes prepare for their season-opening match-up with the Indiana Hoosiers.

We also have details on the Big Ten’s new availability report rules and a big announcement for C.J. Stround in the NFL.


Connect with Matt Tamanini
Twitter: @BWWMatt

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LGHL You’re Nuts: What question would you like to see answered by Ohio State in the opener?

You’re Nuts: What question would you like to see answered by Ohio State in the opener?
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

COLLEGE FOOTBALL: NOV 26 Michigan at Ohio State

Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

The Buckeyes have a few questions that need answering heading into the 2023 campaign.

Everybody knows that one of the best parts of being a sports fan is debating and dissecting the most (and least) important questions in the sporting world with your friends. So, we’re bringing that to the pages of LGHL with our favorite head-to-head column: You’re Nuts.

In You’re Nuts, two LGHL staff members will take differing sides of one question and argue their opinions passionately. Then, in the end, it’s up to you to determine who’s right and who’s nuts.

This week’s topic: What question would you like to see answered by Ohio State in the opener?

Josh’s Take​


Quick, what are the sweetest words in the English language? The answer is: “It is an Ohio State (football) game week.” And we are finally here... or there, I guess. Either way, Gene, we finally made it! A new college football season really begins this week, as I am choosing to ignore the Week 0 farce. So in the legendary words of Marvin Gaye, “Let’s get it on.”

Wait, did I just make it weird? I think I made it weird. You (all) know what I mean/meant... Let’s talk Buckeye football and a real, live, living, breathing game.

OSU hits the road to Bloomington to take on Indiana at 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, and Ryan Day’s squad is favored by roughly 30 points. Not one of your typical openers – either a marquee matchup or a human sacrifice in the form of a non-P5 team – Saturday’s contest is some combination of both. The Hoosiers are obviously a Big Ten conference foe, but few if any would call them a viable threat. To the Buckeyes or the rest of the B1G. Because let’s be honest, Tom Allen’s team is not very good. The same could have been said when these two teams kicked off the 2017 season, a game Urban Meyer’s Buckeyes won 49-21.

On the other hand, we don’t know how good this Ohio State team is or might be. We know how they are looked at and/or perceived heading into the 2023 season, but as of Monday morning, OSU doesn’t even have a starting quarterback! Kind of important, Gene! But before I get too worked up over potentially nothing, I should point out that QB is just one of the unknowns for this year’s Scarlet and Gray squad. Are these ‘unknowns’ of the utmost significance? No, probably not. But they do create uncertainty around a Ryan Day-led team that is or should be out to prove something.

With that in mind, Gene and I decided to each pose a question that we would like need to be answered during Week 1. And this cannot bleed into Week 2. I need to know right away! Surely, I jest, but we do not want these questions to go unanswered for too long.

Leading off, I am going to pass on the obvious. My partner can have the low-hanging fruit if he likes, but I actually have quite a bit of faith in Day and company to figure out the QB situation. I think the coach has earned that confidence and trust, so I will look elsewhere. The question I absolutely need to have/be answered is “Can OSU sack the quarterback?”

It has been nearly four years since Chase Young obliterated quarterbacks and set Ohio State’s single-season sack record under the legendary tutelage of defensive line coach Larry Johnson. Since then, LJ’s ‘Rushmen’ have played and performed like the ‘Bleh-men’ (sorry), totaling 91 sacks in 34 games. And actually, that is not even accurate, due to the fact that several sacks have come from linebackers and defensive backs. I somehow just fact-checked and pissed myself off in the same breath!

Regardless, the Buckeyes’ DL performance has been subpar since Young left Columbus. Johnson is still very much in town, and there are some who think the game has passed him by. I am not quite there yet. I see what his best guys are doing at the next level, and I say to myself: “There is no way that this man’s teachings and techniques have become irrelevant.” Furthermore, the legendary DL coach continues to recruit elite players. But I need to see some pressure on opposing quarterbacks in 2023, otherwise, I think OSU could find themselves in real trouble.

Ohio State’s secondary should be much-improved this season, and provided that is the case, the DL will have no excuses. I was willing to side with that unit while Buckeye DBs were getting torched like a marshmallow over a campfire, but Tim Walton and Perry Eliano finally seem to have those guys on the right track. So now it is up to Johnson’s Rushmen to really earn back that moniker.

If a unit comprised of J.T. Tuimoloau, Jack Sawyer, Kenyatta Jackson, Caden Curry, Mike Hall Jr., Tyleik Williams, and others can’t get it done, then what the hell are we doing here!? It’s not as if Indiana boasts an offensive line comparable to the Philadelphia Eagles or Kansas City Chiefs, but they’ve got some guys, right? And they have a new OL coach in Bob Bostad who did solid work at Wisconsin. So this is at least some sort of test for those Buckeyes along the DL. Will they pass with flying colors? Or provide more potential than production, like in recent seasons?

I need to know which one it is going to be in 2023, and I cannot wait to find out.

Gene’s Take​


Like Josh, I am also curious to see how this year’s Ohio State defensive line performs. As I wrote about in a column from earlier this morning, one of my major concerns this year is the ongoing battle between Larry Johnson and Jim Knowles over the use of the Jack position. How much will that play into the Buckeyes’ ability to sack the quarterback this season, and will we see players like C.J. Hicks and Mitchell Melton thrust into that role as an extra edge rusher?

However, since Josh already said his piece on the matter, I will look elsewhere. I will not take the low-hanging fruit as my counterpart suggested in looking at the quarterback battle. I’m confident in whoever starts between Kyle McCord and Devin Brown, especially with all of the talent at the skill positions around them, and I have a feeling we will see a little bit of both guys on Saturday one way or another. There is a chance this question is answered before game time, but I do think we see this competition extend beyond preseason camp into Week 1.

Instead, I will also be taking a look at the defensive side of the ball, but my focus is on the secondary. I am interested to see how the five starting spots among the defensive backfield plays out, as well as how much rotation we see and who exactly it is that is playing on important downs.

Knowles’ system requires three safeties and two corners being on the field in his base defense. We can confidently say that one of the starting cornerbacks will be Denzel Burke and one of the starting safeties will be Lathan Ransom, but outside of those two guys there is room for intrigue. That being said, one of those other two safety jobs looks to be locked down as well.

We have heard that Sonny Styles has impressed enough this offseason to earn another of the safety spots. The former five-star graduated early to get an extra year of experience at Ohio State and saw a pretty decent amount of snaps against Georgia in the College Football Playoff as a freshman who should’ve still been in high school. It is no surprise that he is now a starter, and he will look to wreak havoc in a hybrid nickel safety/Sam linebacker role. I am excited to see the different ways that Knowles finds to use the talented athlete.

That leaves just one starting corner and one starting safety up for grabs.

At corner, we will likely see some combination of Jordan Hancock and Davison Igbinosun, but the question remains who will actually see the majority of reps opposite Burke? Hancock has the added bonus of having additional time in Knowles’ system but did struggle at times last season after returning from a hamstring injury that cost him half the year. Now healthy, he will have to battle the Ole Miss transfer Igbinosun, who comes to Ohio State having been named a freshman All-American in 2022.

Behind them, the competition for the starting free safety spot looks to be a three-way competition between Ja’Had Carter, Malik Hartford, and Josh Proctor, with Kye Stokes a distant fourth. The Syracuse transfer Carter seems to have the inside track as a former All-ACC honorable mention, but has battled some injuries in the offseason that have opened the door. Hartford, despite being a true freshman, has generated a lot of buzz for his play throughout camp and could see significant snaps in year one. Proctor, on the other hand, has not done anything during his time at Ohio State to warrant any additional playing time.

I’m expecting to see some heavy rotation in Week 1 in a game that the Buckeyes should be able to put out of reach relatively quickly, which would be ideal in allowing all of these guys to see the field at one point or another as the Ohio State coaching staff assesses what they have in real game reps. Ryan Day’s group has three de facto tune-up games before heading to Notre Dame in Week 4, but it would be nice to come out of the Indiana game with some sort of feel for what your ideal starting secondary looks like.

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LGHL You’re Nuts: If the Big Ten expands to 24 teams, what six schools would you want to add?

You’re Nuts: If the Big Ten expands to 24 teams, what six schools would you want to add?
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

NCAA Football: Notre Dame at Ohio State

Joseph Maiorana-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: If the Big Ten were to expand to 24 teams, what six schools would you want to add?​

Jami’s Take: ​


With the Pac-12 as we know it on the brink of complete collapse as Pac-12 teams scramble to join the Big Ten or Big 12, it seems the era of superconferences has finally arrived. The writing has been on the wall for a while, and with the playoff expansion, it seems likely that decades of tradition are on their way out the door.

So far, UCLA and USC have committed to joining the Big Ten in 2024, with Washington and Oregon to follow suit as the conference expands westward. Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, and Utah, for their part, have scurried to the Big 12, leaving behind just four teams.

But the Pac-12 isn’t the only conference that could dissolve. The ACC could look to expand themselves down the road, but at the moment, schools like FSU are threatening to walk, and the SEC could bite if this happens, sending the ACC the way of the Pac-12.

Much of this realignment is — as are most things — motivated by money (in this case, the media rights deals and payouts of the respective conferences), and as it stands, the ACC is locked into a long-term rights deal with a steep, nine-figure exit fee. But if schools stand to make more money in the long run, we could see some schools buying themselves out, especially given the fact that the Big Ten and SEC deals come with higher annual payouts.

Alternatively, schools and conferences could be thinking ahead as far as 2036 when the ACC deal ends. If the likes of Clemson are willing to jump ship, the Big Ten and SEC would be waiting to take that call.

If superconferences are the way of the future, it seems unlikely the Big Ten is done adding teams, so Matt and I are dreaming big and each picking the six teams we’d like to see join the Big Ten (Big 24?). Since we’re adding teams in pairs, I’ve chosen three duos I’d love to make regular conference opponents.

Cal and Stanford​


We’ve already netted Oregon, whose duck mascot is legendary. Let’s add the most chaotic mascot to the mix (the Stanford Tree. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, do yourself a favor and google this most delightful, cursed icon).

Don’t worry though, anthropomorphic trees aren’t the only thing these teams would bring to the Big Ten. Stanford brings a competitive football program that has the potential to be a sleeper team. It’s unlikely they’ll win the conference in their current iterations, but they have the potential to add some chaos. This is not a team you can look past when you play them. They could go on to become what Tennessee is to the SEC (full respect to Tennessee, Go Vols): Not always given the respect of an Alabama or Georgia, but almost always good enough to ruin a few seasons. It keeps things interesting, and I like the idea of having them in the fold.

Cal, for its part, tends to be more middle-to-bottom-of-the-pack, but in a superconference, they would certainly be competitive with the likes of the Purdues, Indianas, and Northwesterns of the world, and again, none of these are teams we can truly look past. On a good day, these are all still teams that have the potential to hand even the most dominant team a big L. Also, not for nothing, it is good for fandoms when teams have more games in which they are competitive, and Cal does that for a lot of the teams in the Big Ten. There’s a reason to buy in, and it would be fun to have this in the Big Ten (and selfishly, it would give me more excuses to get to the Bay Area as your California LGHL rep).

This duo also brings non-mainstream sports into the fold, adding some feathers to the Big Ten’s cap in sports like golf, swimming, and tennis. It could be extremely fun across the board to see this additional competition in other sports, and it would serve us well to remember the benefits of superconferences that can go far beyond football season for all parties involved.

One final note: We’ve already added four West Coast teams. That is a BRUTAL time change for teams in both directions. Adding Cal and Stanford would give West Coast teams more games on their coast, which does feel like an important consideration in the interest of fairness.

FSU and Clemson ​


This is a dream world. I might be an idiot, but I’m not that much of an idiot — I know the most likely scenario if these teams move to dissolve the ACC as we know it would be a leap to the SEC.

But hear me out — these teams both have a clearer path to the playoffs in the Big Ten. Even in an expanded playoff, the SEC has enough top-dog teams in any given season that FSU and even Clemson would have to work for their playoff spot. In the Big Ten, Clemson’s spot would almost surely be locked in, and FSU has a clear path. From a more selfish standpoint, having these teams would force OSU, Michigan, Penn State, and Michigan State (or any other team making a run for the playoff) and would give them a better taste of what they’ll face in a potential playoff opponent. Adding some heavy-hitting competition makes everyone better, and that’s a win for the Big Ten as much as it’s a clear playoff path for Clemson and FSU.

UNC and Duke ​


Superconference realignment has ramifications that go beyond football season, and UNC and Duke as a pairing would add some additional basketball dominance to the Big Ten. As in-state rivals in North Carolina, they’d also bring that rivalry energy to a conference that, as we all know, thrives on rivalries. I respect the disdain these programs and fanbases have for each other, born out of proximity and pettiness (fueled by Art Heyman’s decision to renege on his commitment to play basketball at UNC and play for Duke instead in the early 1960s). That’s got Bo and Woody energy, and I’d like to see it make its way to the Big Ten.

Matt’s Take: ​


I think that Jami’s picks are all logical and solid, however, I’ve got a different vision for the Big Ten than she does. While I don’t think the B1G would be able to pillage any notable team from the SEC, I believe that — should the league want to expand to 24 teams — it should be looking to claim every other significant college football team.

So, while I can appreciate the academics and Olympic-sport prowess of Cal and Stanford — and who doesn’t love The Big Game and reliving “The band is on the field!” every year — these conference realignment moves are solely about football, so the decisions should be made with that in mind. While getting the San Francisco market in the media mix would be nice, I would venture to guess that having UCLA and USC to the south and Washington and Oregon to the north would go a long way in that region anyway.

So, what I am proposing is to grab every non-SEC football school of note and make the Big Ten the Captain Planet of football conferences:

“MIDWEST! SO CAL! PACIFIC NORTHWEST! ATLANTIC OCEAN! GREAT PLAINS! By your powers combined... I AM THE BIG TEN CONFERENCE!”



Do all of these potential additions make logistical sense? Not at all, travel partners be damned. Do they fit in with the history and tradition of the conference? Of course not, but tradition doesn’t matter in college football anymore apparently. But will they help the

1) Notre Dame​


The Fighting Irish have been the Big Ten’s white whale for generations. I understand that the powers that be at ND would prefer to remain independent, and I actually kind of get that, it’s important to them, it’s part of their identity. It’s like how the Sprouse kids’ character in “Big Daddy” wanted to be called Frankenstein, there’s no real value or reason to it, but it was important for them, so Adam Sandler (a.k.a. the rest of the college football world) just has to go along with it.

But here’s the thing, it can’t stay like that forever. Eventually, the money that they could be making in a conference is going to be so much more substantial than what they can make in a solo deal with NBC that they will have no choice but to sign up for a league. Even notable Notre Dame alum and legacy Mike Golic Jr. told me that on the podcast earlier this week.


The other option to get ND into the B1G is if the way that college football reorganizes itself makes it more difficult for the Domers to make the College Football Playoff and win a national title. The elimination of the Pac-12 from an auto-berth might make it easier for them to get a bye or host a game, but if they eliminate automatic bids, a flood of SEC and B1G teams could make it harder for the Irish to get in, which could lead the school to finally slumming it with us conference members.

2) Florida State​


Does adding a team from Florida into the Big Ten make sense? Nope, but we’ve got California, Washington, and Oregon, so at least they are in the Eastern timezone. The Seminoles have made it clear that they are not super happy with their current arrangement with the ACC. While the grant of rights agreement with ESPN might make it difficult for them to leave, they don’t want to be there anymore, and there would be a big old cushion of money for the ‘Noles to fall back on in the Big Ten whenever they decided to leave.

While the SEC might make more geographical sense for Florida State, we all know that there has always been a healthy competition between the UF and FSU, so how do you beat them? Not by joining their conference

3) Miami​


Despite all of the decades of NCAA violations and illegal activity (who amongst us, amirite?), in many ways, the Hurricanes are more of a Big Ten school than an SEC school. This year, Miami accepted an invitation to join the Association of American Universities (AAU), which had long been required for Big Ten membership. So from an academic standpoint, they would fit perfectly.

From a football perspective, they have an impressive history and still aspire to championship levels, but are more often than not left to cling to the glories of the past. What’s more Big Ten than that?

4) Clemson​


Look, there’s no football program that I despise more than Clemson — including TTUN and the Nits — but if you are going to build an anti-SEC Death Star, you can’t not take Dabo. So, grudgingly,

5) Utah​


Here’s where I start to venture a wee bit outside of the normal train of thought. I know that Utah isn’t exactly a traditional national title contender, but under Kyle Whittingham, the Utes have become one of the most consistently competitive teams in the country. With the disillusion of the Pac-12, Utah has instantly become one of the best programs in the Big 12 and their profile will likely only increase because of it. Also, adding a quality team between Nebraska and the West Coast would be nice not only for travel purposes but for geographical domination, it helps to lock up that part of the country.

6) Boise State​


Ok, now hear me out. I know that the blue turf is offputting, but don’t discount the Broncos just because of that. Boise State would easily be a mid-tier SEC program competing with the Arkansases, Vanderbilts, Missouris, Mississippi States, and Auburns of that part of the world.

Don’t believe me? Pop quiz, hot shot; which college football program has the most wins since 2000? That’s right, it’s Boise with 112, with traditional SEC teams Texas and Oklahoma tied with 110, then long-time Big Ten rivals Ohio State and USC tied at 102. So, adding a third B1G squad to that list would be pretty helpful in our Captain Planet plan.

Also, this would mean that save for the strip of Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, and New Mexico, there would be a path of Big Ten states from the Atlantic all the way to the Pacific. So, if Coach Prime can get the Buffs back to respectability, maybe we can fit in that last puzzle piece with the B1G goes to 26!


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LGHL Devin Brown still very much in the mix to start at quarterback for the Buckeyes

Devin Brown still very much in the mix to start at quarterback for the Buckeyes
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Ohio State v Penn State

Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images

No matter who gets the starting nod this year, Brown has a bright future in Columbus

Every day from now until the start of the season, Land-Grant Holy Land is highlighting Ohio State football players that you should be watching this season. Check out all of our “Player to Watch” articles to get ready for the season opener against Indiana.


The Ohio State Buckeyes play in five days to open the 2023 season against the Indiana Hoosiers, and we have no idea who the starting quarterback will be.

Now, no need to panic. I know everyone reading this will have nightmares about J.T. Barrett and Cardale Jones in 2015 and how hard it was to watch when no one on the coaching staff would commit to either quarterback, and neither of them could ever find a rhythm.

Even though it is almost definite that both Kyle McCord and Devin Brown will play in the opener, you can bet head coach Ryan Day will make a choice on the starter at the very latest before the Notre Dame game on Sep. 23, and will stay committed to that guy throughout the season.


But, as of right now, we do not know who that will be. Will it be McCord or Brown? Or could it be Tristian Gebbia!? (It won’t be Gebbia).

Brown has only taken one snap as a Buckeye, but he came in as a highly touted recruit in the 2022 class. Brown was listed as a four-star prospect by 247Sports from Corner Canyon High School in Draper, Utah. He was the No. 44 recruit overall in the 2022 class, the No. 5 quarterback, and the No. 2 player in the state of Utah.

This is what Blair Angulo, the Mountain Region Recruiting Analyst for 247Sports, had to say about Brown as he exited high school:

“Long, wiry frame with room to add muscle mass. Carries 190 lbs. well and continues to fill out. He is a dynamic quarterback with a basketball background. Shows very good arm strength and zip on his passes. Flashes ability to make off-platform throws without losing velocity. Distributes to all levels of the field and looks extremely comfortable rolling out to space. Displays good timing and anticipation over the middle. Mechanically sound and quick to release the football. He is athletic and tough enough to plant his foot and gain yards with his legs...”
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McCord and Brown have battled it out all spring, with neither quarterback seemingly gaining an advantage one way or the other. Back to the point I made above, ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported last week that he expects McCord and Brown to both play against Indiana.

“I actually talked to Ryan Day this morning and this will be a battle right through the Indiana game,” Thamel told College Football Live host Kelsey Riggs. “He said as of right now, he expects to play both quarterbacks in that game. There’s a big scrimmage for Ohio State on Saturday. That could maybe determine who does become the starter, eventually. Interesting battle. Kyle McCord, a little more veteran, a little more polished. He’s kind of a more drop-back guy. Devin Brown’s got a little more wiggle to him and a little more of a dual-threat.”

“What they want is to find a quarterback because they have to build an identity,” Thamel continued.” They go to Notre Dame Sept. 23. By then, they certainly want to have that battle set.”

So it seems confirmed that we will see both quarterbacks against Indiana. The other two games before the Notre Dame showdown are against Youngstown State and Western Kentucky, so we likely would not learn too much about either player in those games.

Whether Brown starts all year or not, all signs are pointing to him being a contributor at least early in the season, and then being the guy next in line to McCord — as McCord was to C.J. Stroud.

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LGHL Can Kyle McCord hold off Devin Brown and become QB1?

Can Kyle McCord hold off Devin Brown and become QB1?
JordanW330 via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Ohio State Spring Football Game

Photo by Ben Jackson/Getty Images

McCord is entering the most important two-week stretch of his collegiate career.

Every day from now until the start of the season, Land-Grant Holy Land is highlighting Ohio State football players that you should be watching this season. Check out all of our “Player to Watch” articles to get ready for the season opener against Indiana.


It’s late August and Ohio State doesn’t have a starting quarterback. Head coach Ryan Day has chosen to not name a starter because he believes two things to be true: One, neither quarterback has separated themselves from the other, and two, both quarterbacks are good enough to be the starter.

If you’re on social media you’ve seen a multitude of takes from Ohio State fans, Ohio State haters, and national media pundits. Some people think that both quarterbacks are bad and OSU will take a step back. Others think they’re both really good and Day is being honest when he says that both are starting caliber.

There is always the sentiment that when you have two quarterbacks you don’t have any but I don’t think that is always true. Ohio State fans are split on who they want to start. On one side you have the fans who think that if McCord, the more experienced quarterback, hasn’t won the job outright, then they should give the job to Brown. Others — and I lean more in this camp — believe you give the job to the older guy.

My reasoning for this is that if you start McCord you have more options.

Option one: You start him and he’s not good so you bench him for Brown.

Option two: You start him, he’s excellent and he goes to the NFL after one season and Brown is the starter next year, allowing you to have both of them start in their OSU career.

Option three: You start him and he’s good, but after the season Devin Brown wins the job in the spring, which is what happened with rival Michigan between incumbent starter Cade McNamara and JJ McCarthy.

If you start Brown, you only have one option, and that is Brown starts for two seasons, and McCord transfers as soon as the season is over. McCord has been loyal to Ohio State, but after three seasons and losing two competitions, he would be in the transfer portal as soon as the NCAA allows.

All of this hinges on both quarterbacks being equal. This brings us to McCord, to this the most important two-week stretch of his career. He has been battling Brown for the starting job since the spring. He has two weeks left to win the job, otherwise, he will effectively end his Ohio State career. Whether it’s at Ohio State or elsewhere I think McCord will be successful and maybe even an NFL Draft pick, but the chances of that happening at Ohio State are getting slimmer and slimmer by the second.

It seems as though this QB competition will go into the season, which I’m not sure benefits McCord. Brown is the better athlete, he brings more to the table with the QB run game and Ohio State fans almost always support the younger player. McCord needs to leverage his unquestionable talent, his extra year in the system, and the connection he’s built with superstar wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. since they played together in high school.

McCord needs to close the door on Brown before the season starts because unless Brown goes out and throws multiple interceptions, I think McCord may be on the wrong end of the fanbase once Brown gets into the game. I’ve been on team McCord since he stepped on campus. I believed he would be at Ohio State longer than Quinn Ewers and was proven right. I think McCord has everything it takes to lead Ohio State to Ryan Day’s first national championship, but he’s running out of time to prove that to Ryan Day and offensive coordinator Brian Hartline.

McCord is not only fighting for his job, he’s fighting for his future in Columbus. Time to see if he has what it takes to hold off Devin Brown for a couple more weeks.


Connect with Jordan on Twitter: @JordanW330

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LGHL Ohio State Football Countdown: 5

Ohio State Football Countdown: 5
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

COLLEGE FOOTBALL: OCT 01 Rutgers at Ohio State

Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

One play or big moment per day as we count down to the start of Ohio State’s 2023 football season.

As we count down to the start of the 2023 season, we will be looking back at one play or big moment in Ohio State history over the past decade or so that corresponds to the remaining days left until Buckeyes take the field against Indiana on Sept. 2. There are 5 days remaining.

Play of the Day: Miyan Williams’ 5 rushing TDs vs. Rutgers (2022)​


Ohio State always puts up a ton of points against an overmatched Rutgers team, but Miyan Williams did a little bit extra in this matchup, scoring five rushing touchdowns in one game against the Scarlet Knights to tie a single-game program record. Williams would finish the afternoon with 189 yards on 21 carries with the five scores, as he helped the Buckeyes cruise to a 49-10 win in Columbus. Williams became just the third Ohio State player all-time to rush for five touchdowns in one game, joining Pete Johnson in 1974 vs. North Carolina and Keith Byars in 1984 vs. Illinois.

Players to Wear the #5 (since 2010): ​

  • Dominic Clarke (2011)
  • Braxton Miller (2011-13)
  • Camren Williams (2012)
  • Jeff Heuerman (2014)
  • Raekwon McMillan (2014-16)
  • Johnny Dixon (2015)
  • Corey Smith (2016)
  • Baron Browning (2017-20)
  • Garrett Wilson (2019-21)
  • Marcus Williamson (2021)
  • Dallan Hayden (2022-present)

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