-
Follow us on Twitter @buckeyeplanet and @bp_recruiting, like us on Facebook! Enjoy a post or article, recommend it to others! BP is only as strong as its community, and we only promote by word of mouth, so share away!
2024 B1G Conference Champ Game, Dec 7, 2024 @ 8 PM ET, CBS
- By ScriptOhio
- College Football
- 0 Replies
2024 Discover Big Ten Football Championship Game
Everything you need to know about the 2024 Discover Big Ten Football Championship Game that will be played on December 7th at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
.
.
.
continued
2024 Big Ten Championship Game: Oregon clinches berth in first season of league membership
The Ducks are the first Power Four team to lock in a league title game spot in the 2024 season
www.cbssports.com
2024 Big Ten Championship Game: Oregon clinches berth in first season of league membership
The Ducks are the first Power Four team to lock in a league title game spot in the 2024 season
Oregon has clinched a spot in the Big Ten Championship Game (Sat, Dec. 7 at 8 p.m. ET on CBS), the conference announced on Tuesday. The Big Ten has certified that the Ducks' 11-0 record and 8-0 mark in conference play leaves no possible tiebreaker scenario where the program is left out of the league title game.
.
.
.
continued
Login to view embedded media
Oregon Officially Clinches Big Ten Championship Game Berth, Making Ohio State vs. Indiana A Battle For Second Spot
One half of this year’s Big Ten Championship Game is set.
The Big Ten announced Tuesday that Oregon had officially clinched one spot in the Big Ten Championship Game following “a comprehensive evaluation of all possible scenarios over the final two weeks of regular-season play” that determined Oregon would earn a championship game berth in any possible tiebreaking scenario even if it loses its regular-season finale against Washington.
Login to view embedded media
That leaves one spot up for grabs in what will effectively serve as a Big Ten championship play-in game this weekend when Ohio State hosts Indiana at Ohio Stadium.
If the winner of Saturday’s game between the Buckeyes and Hoosiers also wins its regular-season finale next week, there won‘t be any need for complicated math.
Ohio State will make the Big Ten Championship Game with an 11-1 record if it beats Indiana and Michigan as it would hold a head-to-head tiebreaker over Indiana and Penn State, the other two teams in the conference that could finish with one loss.
Indiana will make the Big Ten Championship Game if it beats Ohio State and Purdue as it would be one of a maximum of two Big Ten teams (along with Oregon, who is 11-0 with just one more regular-season game to play) who could finish the season undefeated.
.
.
.
continued
LGHL Away Day: A playlist for Ohio State women’s basketball fans heading to Athens
- News
- 0 Replies
Away Day: A playlist for Ohio State women’s basketball fans heading to Athens
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Ohio University on Twitter | @OhioU
Something to listen to if you’re planning on traveling to Wednesday’s game against Ohio University
Here at Land-Grant Holy Land, we’re here because of a passion for Ohio State, or sports in general. That means anytime you see a LGHL writer on location away from Ohio State’s campus, we’re doing it based on passion, and getting there on our own dime.
This is my fourth season writing about Ohio State women’s basketball on Land-Grant and I’ve taken road trips to Minneapolis, Chicago, Louisville, Ann Arbor, and more to bring coverage of the Buckeyes to your phone or laptop.
Well, I love music as much, if not more, than covering women’s college basketball so I thought I’d share.
When I’m not at the Schott or practice, I’m at a concert or listening to music. Whether it’s driving to a game or while making dinner, there’s always a song going.
Outside of basketball writing, I also freelance over at Columbus Calling where I write concert reviews from some of the shows I go to around the city.
So, for each away game, I travel to this season, I’m sharing a playlist. Sometimes they’ll have a theme, sometimes they won’t. This first time around it’s a batch of songs that I’ve loved over the past couple years.
They stretch alternative to alt-country, some singer-songwriter. and even a sprinkling of punk. When I put it together, I looked for songs I liked but they were also good songs for a drive through the sometimes hilly trek from Central Ohio down to Athens.
It’s long enough to get you to the Convocation Center from around Columbus, minus any of that beautiful traffic you might run into on your travels. You’re on your own for the ride home.
None of the songs are pointed to any person or team, and I’m not responsible for you liking any of the songs. After all, musical tastes are more diverse than even the number of teams in the Big Ten, which says a lot.
Here are links to Apple and Spotify. If you have a different service, an app like SongShift is a great tool to transfer playlists from one service to another.
Away Day Playlist on Apple Music
Away Day Playlist on Spotify
Check back later in the season for trips to Ann Arbor, State College, College Park, and Bloomington. Plus trips to the Big Ten Tournament, and maybe March Madness?
If listening to music isn’t your thing, and you still need some noise for your ride to Athens, listen to the latest episode of the “LGHL WBB Podcast.” I talk about the Buckeyes' close win over Belmont and preview games against two MAC schools this week.
Should you watch from home when the two Ohio sides battle on ESPN+, this music works anywhere.
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
Ohio University on Twitter | @OhioU
Something to listen to if you’re planning on traveling to Wednesday’s game against Ohio University
Here at Land-Grant Holy Land, we’re here because of a passion for Ohio State, or sports in general. That means anytime you see a LGHL writer on location away from Ohio State’s campus, we’re doing it based on passion, and getting there on our own dime.
This is my fourth season writing about Ohio State women’s basketball on Land-Grant and I’ve taken road trips to Minneapolis, Chicago, Louisville, Ann Arbor, and more to bring coverage of the Buckeyes to your phone or laptop.
Well, I love music as much, if not more, than covering women’s college basketball so I thought I’d share.
When I’m not at the Schott or practice, I’m at a concert or listening to music. Whether it’s driving to a game or while making dinner, there’s always a song going.
Outside of basketball writing, I also freelance over at Columbus Calling where I write concert reviews from some of the shows I go to around the city.
So, for each away game, I travel to this season, I’m sharing a playlist. Sometimes they’ll have a theme, sometimes they won’t. This first time around it’s a batch of songs that I’ve loved over the past couple years.
They stretch alternative to alt-country, some singer-songwriter. and even a sprinkling of punk. When I put it together, I looked for songs I liked but they were also good songs for a drive through the sometimes hilly trek from Central Ohio down to Athens.
It’s long enough to get you to the Convocation Center from around Columbus, minus any of that beautiful traffic you might run into on your travels. You’re on your own for the ride home.
None of the songs are pointed to any person or team, and I’m not responsible for you liking any of the songs. After all, musical tastes are more diverse than even the number of teams in the Big Ten, which says a lot.
Here are links to Apple and Spotify. If you have a different service, an app like SongShift is a great tool to transfer playlists from one service to another.
Away Day Playlist on Apple Music
Away Day Playlist on Spotify
Check back later in the season for trips to Ann Arbor, State College, College Park, and Bloomington. Plus trips to the Big Ten Tournament, and maybe March Madness?
If listening to music isn’t your thing, and you still need some noise for your ride to Athens, listen to the latest episode of the “LGHL WBB Podcast.” I talk about the Buckeyes' close win over Belmont and preview games against two MAC schools this week.
Should you watch from home when the two Ohio sides battle on ESPN+, this music works anywhere.
Continue reading...
LGHL Ohio State men’s basketball vs. Evansville: Game preview and prediction
- News
- 0 Replies
Ohio State men’s basketball vs. Evansville: Game preview and prediction
Jami Jurich via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images
The Buckeyes head home to Columbus looking to bounce back from their first loss of the season.
Ohio State (2-1) kicks off a four-game homestand and looks to bounce back from their first loss of the season when they face Evansville (1-3) in Columbus tonight.
After upsetting No. 19 Texas and defeating Youngstown State, the Buckeyes return home after falling, 78-64, on the road at No. 23 Texas A&M. Evansville bounced back from their season-opening loss to North Texas with a massive win over (NAIA) Brescia, but they’ve dropped their last two (to Middle Tennessee and most recently, Radford). They’re 0-2 on the road this season.
It is the first meeting of the two programs since 1976, and only their fifth all-time matchup. The Buckeyes have won all four of their meetings to-date.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25740784/2183623623.jpg "COLLEGE BASKETBALL: NOV 11 Youngstown State at Ohio State")
Photo by Jason Mowry/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Through their first two games, the Buckeyes looked pretty consistent in terms of scoring, though they came out of the gate much slower in their loss against the Aggies.
Still, where the offense struggled to get going, the Buckeyes compensated with strong first half defense. Both teams looked shaky to start offensively, and the Buckeyes managed to force seven turnovers, holding the Aggies to under 24 percent shooting before the break. It was this defensive effort that allowed the Buckeyes to stay in the game in spite of themselves.
They fared much differently in the second half— the Aggies banged out six points in the first 90 seconds of the third quarter to extend their lead to 15, and the Buckeyes never managed to quite get themselves back in it, falling, 78-64.
Foul trouble was a problem for both teams, with a collective total of 45 fouls, but the disparity at the line was costly: While the Aggies went 32-for-40 on free throws, the Buckeyes were just 16-of-22 comparatively.
Bruce Thornton led the Buckeyes in scoring with 15 points–all but three of which came in the second half–and four assists. The 6-foot-2 junior guard currently leads the team with an average of 15.7 points and four assists per game.
Freshman John Mobley Jr. has been astonishing and sits just behind Thornton with 14.3 points per game and a team-leading ten three-pointers. His average of 3.3 threes per game is third-best in the country among freshmen. Senior guard Micah Parrish is also averaging double digits, with 10.3 points and 4.7 rebounds per game.
The Buckeyes have six players averaging 7.3 points per game or more on their roster. Collectively, the team is shooting better than 40 percent from three-point range.
For Evansville, Gabriel Pozzato—a 6-foot-7 freshman forward out of Italy—leads the way through their first four. He’s averaging 19.3 points, 3 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game.
Junior guard Cam Haffner, who put up a career-high 23 points (and six threes) in the Purple Aces’ loss to Radford, is averaging 14.8 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2 assists per game. The Buckeyes last saw Haffner in 2022, when he played for Eastern Illinois. The Buckeyes won, 65-43.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25740778/1442551773.jpg "Eastern Illinois v Ohio State")
Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images
Pozzato and Haffner each have 11-made three-pointers this year.
Rounding out their double-digit scorers, junior guard Tayshawn Comer is averaging 11.3 points, 3 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game. Senior guard Tanner Cuff leads in rebounds, assists and steals, averaging 7.5 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.5 steals per game.
The Purple Aces were favored in their last game against Radford and, at one point, led by 22 points. Unlike the Buckeyes against A&M, they started strong and carried an 18-point lead into halftime. Things didn’t go south until after the break, when Radford came out of the gate hitting seven of their first nine, while the Purple Aces missed each of their first five shots and tacked on three turnovers to their struggles.
Head coach David Ragland has gone with the same starting five in each of the Purple Aces’ first four games, with sophomore forward Joshua Hughes joining Pozzato, Haffner, Comer and Cuff. Hughes, for his part, is averaging 8.5 points and 4.8 rebounds per game.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25740786/2180858367.jpg "Ohio State v Cincinnati")
Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images
The Buckeyes’ struggles against A&M started early, with both teams combining for just eight points in the first five minutes of the matchup. Thornton kicked things off for Ohio State with a three-pointer, but there was radio silence from the Scarlet and Gray for over six minutes after that.
Ohio State doesn’t want to take that long to get going against any opponent, as it opens the door for trouble. Still, the Buckeyes should have a little more breathing room in this matchup.
After an extremely physical battle against the Aggies, the Purple Aces’ willingness to shoot from long-range might be a welcome break for the Buckeyes, allowing them to execute on defense without the physical toll.
Though Ohio State is expected to win this one easily, they can’t let themselves become complacent. Ragland is looking at this game as a way to prepare his team for Missouri Valley Conference play, but if opportunity knocks, his Aces won’t have any problem answering.
That means the Buckeyes need to stay out of foul trouble, execute better than they did against the Aggies, and establish their offense early.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25740779/1442551773.jpg "Eastern Illinois v Ohio State")
Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images
Even if the game is close in the first half, the Buckeyes should be able to maintain control and pull away in the second half for a comfortable win.
ESPN BPI: Ohio State 98.5%
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
TV: B1G+ (Big Ten Plus)
Continue reading...
Jami Jurich via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images
The Buckeyes head home to Columbus looking to bounce back from their first loss of the season.
Ohio State (2-1) kicks off a four-game homestand and looks to bounce back from their first loss of the season when they face Evansville (1-3) in Columbus tonight.
After upsetting No. 19 Texas and defeating Youngstown State, the Buckeyes return home after falling, 78-64, on the road at No. 23 Texas A&M. Evansville bounced back from their season-opening loss to North Texas with a massive win over (NAIA) Brescia, but they’ve dropped their last two (to Middle Tennessee and most recently, Radford). They’re 0-2 on the road this season.
It is the first meeting of the two programs since 1976, and only their fifth all-time matchup. The Buckeyes have won all four of their meetings to-date.
Preview
Through their first two games, the Buckeyes looked pretty consistent in terms of scoring, though they came out of the gate much slower in their loss against the Aggies.
Still, where the offense struggled to get going, the Buckeyes compensated with strong first half defense. Both teams looked shaky to start offensively, and the Buckeyes managed to force seven turnovers, holding the Aggies to under 24 percent shooting before the break. It was this defensive effort that allowed the Buckeyes to stay in the game in spite of themselves.
They fared much differently in the second half— the Aggies banged out six points in the first 90 seconds of the third quarter to extend their lead to 15, and the Buckeyes never managed to quite get themselves back in it, falling, 78-64.
Foul trouble was a problem for both teams, with a collective total of 45 fouls, but the disparity at the line was costly: While the Aggies went 32-for-40 on free throws, the Buckeyes were just 16-of-22 comparatively.
Bruce Thornton led the Buckeyes in scoring with 15 points–all but three of which came in the second half–and four assists. The 6-foot-2 junior guard currently leads the team with an average of 15.7 points and four assists per game.
Freshman John Mobley Jr. has been astonishing and sits just behind Thornton with 14.3 points per game and a team-leading ten three-pointers. His average of 3.3 threes per game is third-best in the country among freshmen. Senior guard Micah Parrish is also averaging double digits, with 10.3 points and 4.7 rebounds per game.
The Buckeyes have six players averaging 7.3 points per game or more on their roster. Collectively, the team is shooting better than 40 percent from three-point range.
For Evansville, Gabriel Pozzato—a 6-foot-7 freshman forward out of Italy—leads the way through their first four. He’s averaging 19.3 points, 3 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game.
Junior guard Cam Haffner, who put up a career-high 23 points (and six threes) in the Purple Aces’ loss to Radford, is averaging 14.8 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2 assists per game. The Buckeyes last saw Haffner in 2022, when he played for Eastern Illinois. The Buckeyes won, 65-43.
Pozzato and Haffner each have 11-made three-pointers this year.
Rounding out their double-digit scorers, junior guard Tayshawn Comer is averaging 11.3 points, 3 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game. Senior guard Tanner Cuff leads in rebounds, assists and steals, averaging 7.5 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.5 steals per game.
The Purple Aces were favored in their last game against Radford and, at one point, led by 22 points. Unlike the Buckeyes against A&M, they started strong and carried an 18-point lead into halftime. Things didn’t go south until after the break, when Radford came out of the gate hitting seven of their first nine, while the Purple Aces missed each of their first five shots and tacked on three turnovers to their struggles.
Head coach David Ragland has gone with the same starting five in each of the Purple Aces’ first four games, with sophomore forward Joshua Hughes joining Pozzato, Haffner, Comer and Cuff. Hughes, for his part, is averaging 8.5 points and 4.8 rebounds per game.
Prediction
The Buckeyes’ struggles against A&M started early, with both teams combining for just eight points in the first five minutes of the matchup. Thornton kicked things off for Ohio State with a three-pointer, but there was radio silence from the Scarlet and Gray for over six minutes after that.
Ohio State doesn’t want to take that long to get going against any opponent, as it opens the door for trouble. Still, the Buckeyes should have a little more breathing room in this matchup.
After an extremely physical battle against the Aggies, the Purple Aces’ willingness to shoot from long-range might be a welcome break for the Buckeyes, allowing them to execute on defense without the physical toll.
Though Ohio State is expected to win this one easily, they can’t let themselves become complacent. Ragland is looking at this game as a way to prepare his team for Missouri Valley Conference play, but if opportunity knocks, his Aces won’t have any problem answering.
That means the Buckeyes need to stay out of foul trouble, execute better than they did against the Aggies, and establish their offense early.
Even if the game is close in the first half, the Buckeyes should be able to maintain control and pull away in the second half for a comfortable win.
ESPN BPI: Ohio State 98.5%
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
TV: B1G+ (Big Ten Plus)
LGHL score prediction: Ohio State 81, Evansville 65
Continue reading...
LGHL B1G Thoughts: A fight to face Oregon in Indianapolis!
- News
- 0 Replies
B1G Thoughts: A fight to face Oregon in Indianapolis!
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 Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
This upcoming weekend Ohio State faces Indiana for a potential spot in the Big Ten Championship Game.
Every week after the Big Ten games, I will bring you some B1G thoughts on everything that happened! This will include analysis, stats, key players, moments, and more. With the Big Ten expanding from 14 teams to 18 teams in 2024, we will have a bunch of storylines to follow.
Ryan Day and Ohio State are all in for the 2024 season. Is Oregon a national championship contender or will they stumble in their first Big Ten season? How do the former members of the Big Ten West fair in the new divisionless format?
This article tracks all these storylines and more as the Big Ten hopes to win back-to-back national championships. Check out the I-80 Football Show for more in-depth analysis and to preview the next week of B1G games.
Ohio State welcomes Indiana with a spot in the Big Ten championship game on the line, just as we thought. In August we could’ve never predicted this, but we’ve been heading to this major collision for weeks now.
Indiana, a team with no expectations, has been dominant across an easy schedule racking up multiple double-digit wins. Ohio State, the team with the assumed $20 million roster and national championship expectations, lost to Oregon and struggled against Nebraska but seems to be on the right track.
For both of these teams, this is the start of a playoff run — a top-five showdown followed by the Big Ten Championship in two weeks and the start of the 12-team College Football Playoff in three.
Indiana has questions due to playing an easy schedule. Will they be able to compete against someone of Ohio State’s caliber with a roster built for this moment, or will they prove the doubters wrong in a non-competitive showing? Ohio State has shown some flaws, especially at cornerback, and Indiana may just have the quarterback and wide receivers to attack this area.
On the other side of the ball, Ohio State and Jim Knowles must be salivating at the Michigan tape, where Indiana’s offensive line got dominated and had constant pressure on Kurtis Rourke all game.
This is why the games are played on the field. No matter what happens, both of these teams should be in the 12-team playoff regardless of what the national media pundits are saying about inserting two-loss SEC teams.
Nebraska was primed for a big season. I predicted that they could easily win nine games, but instead they are once again in November needing a win to be bowl eligible while it feels like their season is slipping away from them.
Nebraska is 0-9 since 2019 in games that would clinch bowl eligibility. Last season, after winning their fifth game in October, Nebraska lost all four games in November by less than seven points. This year Nebraska reached five wins in only six games, but has since gone on a four-game losing streak. Matt Rhule historically excels in his second season at a program, which makes this season even more confusing.
Nebraska brought back a large chunk of their roster, added key pieces in the transfer portal, and brought in five-star quarterback Dylan Raiola. This year was supposed to be different. Instead, Nebraska is sliding and must win against Wisconsin or Iowa in their final two games to reach a bowl game.
The Cornhusker faithful have held down this program through years of mediocrity, and as soon as they had a real reason to hope, the rug gets pulled out from underneath them. Nebraska must first find a way to win one of their last two games, but this offseason Rhule needs to take a long look at his program. This year, with an easy schedule, was supposed to be full of wins, and instead they’re in the same place they were last year and throughout the Scott Frost era.
Washington and Rutgers, welcome to bowl eligibility.
Washington reaching bowl eligibility in their first season in the Big Ten is a major win after having their roster decimated by the NFL Draft and the transfer portal after head coach Kalen Deboer left the Huskies for the Alabama job.
New head coach Jedd Fisch took over a team with almost no returning starters, and found a way to be competitive in a new conference. Reaching six wins is a far cry from reaching the national championship, but it’s a step in the right direction.
After beating Maryland last Saturday, Rutgers reached back-to-back bowl games for the first time since going to four-straight from 2011-2014. This time they reached six wins with two games left on their schedule, both of which are winnable games, meaning eight wins are still on the table.
Many laughed at Rutgers bringing back Greg Schiano, but he continues to prove he is the one guy who can consistently win games for the Scarlet Knights. With the expanded playoffs, so much focus is put on who makes the 12-team field, but making a bowl game is still a positive for most of the country.
Rutgers and Washington should be proud of their accomplishment. Now it’s time to see how many more wins they can add before their seasons comes to an end.
Wisconsin head coach Luke Fickell finally took steps to right the first wrong he committed as the Badgers head coach by firing offensive coordinator Phil Longo.
Fickell had a winning formula at Cincinnati, a formula that attracted many big jobs to him before he took the leap and accepted the Wisconsin vacancy. Immediately after accepting the job, he turned his back on his formula and what made Wisconsin successful by hiring Longo and trying to bring an offensive system to Madison that was never going to succeed.
Outside of the poor fit of an offensive scheme to the talent available, Longo tends to forget about the run game even after their starting quarterback got injured early in the season. In his last game calling plays, Wisconsin gashed Oregon in the running game, but when the game got tight at the end, Longo forced a backup quarterback to try to win against the No. 1 team in the country.
Longo should never have been hired, and it may have set Wisconsin back a few years but Fickell finally took a step in the right direction. With games against Nebraska and Minnesota left, Wisconsin can salvage this season, but heading into the offseason he needs to get back to his roots and hire a coordinator who will run the damn ball!
Follow The I-80 Football Show on YouTube: @JordanW330.
Subscribe to the podcast: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
Connect with me on Twitter: @JordanW330
Follow I-80 Football Show on Instagram: @I80FootballShow
Continue reading...
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 Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
This upcoming weekend Ohio State faces Indiana for a potential spot in the Big Ten Championship Game.
Every week after the Big Ten games, I will bring you some B1G thoughts on everything that happened! This will include analysis, stats, key players, moments, and more. With the Big Ten expanding from 14 teams to 18 teams in 2024, we will have a bunch of storylines to follow.
Ryan Day and Ohio State are all in for the 2024 season. Is Oregon a national championship contender or will they stumble in their first Big Ten season? How do the former members of the Big Ten West fair in the new divisionless format?
This article tracks all these storylines and more as the Big Ten hopes to win back-to-back national championships. Check out the I-80 Football Show for more in-depth analysis and to preview the next week of B1G games.
Ohio State vs. Indiana in another top-five Big Ten showdown
Ohio State welcomes Indiana with a spot in the Big Ten championship game on the line, just as we thought. In August we could’ve never predicted this, but we’ve been heading to this major collision for weeks now.
Indiana, a team with no expectations, has been dominant across an easy schedule racking up multiple double-digit wins. Ohio State, the team with the assumed $20 million roster and national championship expectations, lost to Oregon and struggled against Nebraska but seems to be on the right track.
For both of these teams, this is the start of a playoff run — a top-five showdown followed by the Big Ten Championship in two weeks and the start of the 12-team College Football Playoff in three.
Indiana has questions due to playing an easy schedule. Will they be able to compete against someone of Ohio State’s caliber with a roster built for this moment, or will they prove the doubters wrong in a non-competitive showing? Ohio State has shown some flaws, especially at cornerback, and Indiana may just have the quarterback and wide receivers to attack this area.
On the other side of the ball, Ohio State and Jim Knowles must be salivating at the Michigan tape, where Indiana’s offensive line got dominated and had constant pressure on Kurtis Rourke all game.
This is why the games are played on the field. No matter what happens, both of these teams should be in the 12-team playoff regardless of what the national media pundits are saying about inserting two-loss SEC teams.
It should’ve never come down to this Nebraska… I believed in you!
Nebraska was primed for a big season. I predicted that they could easily win nine games, but instead they are once again in November needing a win to be bowl eligible while it feels like their season is slipping away from them.
Nebraska is 0-9 since 2019 in games that would clinch bowl eligibility. Last season, after winning their fifth game in October, Nebraska lost all four games in November by less than seven points. This year Nebraska reached five wins in only six games, but has since gone on a four-game losing streak. Matt Rhule historically excels in his second season at a program, which makes this season even more confusing.
Nebraska brought back a large chunk of their roster, added key pieces in the transfer portal, and brought in five-star quarterback Dylan Raiola. This year was supposed to be different. Instead, Nebraska is sliding and must win against Wisconsin or Iowa in their final two games to reach a bowl game.
The Cornhusker faithful have held down this program through years of mediocrity, and as soon as they had a real reason to hope, the rug gets pulled out from underneath them. Nebraska must first find a way to win one of their last two games, but this offseason Rhule needs to take a long look at his program. This year, with an easy schedule, was supposed to be full of wins, and instead they’re in the same place they were last year and throughout the Scott Frost era.
Welcome to bowl eligibility! It’s pretty nice on this side.
Washington and Rutgers, welcome to bowl eligibility.
Washington reaching bowl eligibility in their first season in the Big Ten is a major win after having their roster decimated by the NFL Draft and the transfer portal after head coach Kalen Deboer left the Huskies for the Alabama job.
New head coach Jedd Fisch took over a team with almost no returning starters, and found a way to be competitive in a new conference. Reaching six wins is a far cry from reaching the national championship, but it’s a step in the right direction.
After beating Maryland last Saturday, Rutgers reached back-to-back bowl games for the first time since going to four-straight from 2011-2014. This time they reached six wins with two games left on their schedule, both of which are winnable games, meaning eight wins are still on the table.
Many laughed at Rutgers bringing back Greg Schiano, but he continues to prove he is the one guy who can consistently win games for the Scarlet Knights. With the expanded playoffs, so much focus is put on who makes the 12-team field, but making a bowl game is still a positive for most of the country.
Rutgers and Washington should be proud of their accomplishment. Now it’s time to see how many more wins they can add before their seasons comes to an end.
Sorry, Phil. It had to be done!
Wisconsin head coach Luke Fickell finally took steps to right the first wrong he committed as the Badgers head coach by firing offensive coordinator Phil Longo.
Fickell had a winning formula at Cincinnati, a formula that attracted many big jobs to him before he took the leap and accepted the Wisconsin vacancy. Immediately after accepting the job, he turned his back on his formula and what made Wisconsin successful by hiring Longo and trying to bring an offensive system to Madison that was never going to succeed.
Outside of the poor fit of an offensive scheme to the talent available, Longo tends to forget about the run game even after their starting quarterback got injured early in the season. In his last game calling plays, Wisconsin gashed Oregon in the running game, but when the game got tight at the end, Longo forced a backup quarterback to try to win against the No. 1 team in the country.
Longo should never have been hired, and it may have set Wisconsin back a few years but Fickell finally took a step in the right direction. With games against Nebraska and Minnesota left, Wisconsin can salvage this season, but heading into the offseason he needs to get back to his roots and hire a coordinator who will run the damn ball!
Follow The I-80 Football Show on YouTube: @JordanW330.
Subscribe to the podcast: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
Connect with me on Twitter: @JordanW330
Follow I-80 Football Show on Instagram: @I80FootballShow
Continue reading...
LGHL You’re Nuts: Biggest area of concern for Ohio State against Indiana?
- News
- 0 Replies
You’re Nuts: Biggest area of concern for Ohio State against Indiana?
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Buckeyes host a top-five matchup in Columbus on Saturday.
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.
Ohio State hosts Indiana this weekend, and folks, I’ve got a surprise for you: This game is a Big Nooner! That’s right, another noon kickoff for OSU, the Buckeyes’ 15th this season.
Ok, maybe I exaggerated a bit. But it sure as hell seems like Ohio State has been playing at noon every Saturday since the beginning of time. Not that it’s my favorite kick time, but I don’t even remember what a 3:30 kick feels like. And I vaguely recall the feeling of getting amped up for that Oregon night game, but when does OSU get to host a marquee matchup at night? On the banks of the Olentangy... Shoutout Keith Jackson, RIP.
What does start time have to do with the upcoming top-5 matchup against Indiana? Allow me to explain — and eventually weave it into today’s edition of You’re Nuts.
The Hoosiers are a legitimately good football team, as well as a viable threat to the Buckeyes’ Big Ten and CFP chances. Scoff at IU’s strength of schedule all you want, but this is a massive game for Ryan Day and Co. As such, Gene and I (and others) are taking it very seriously. Which is to say we have concerns. That’s what happens when your team’s head coach owns a less-than-stellar record against top-5 and top-10 opponents.
So when my partner suggested sharing our biggest concern(s) for the Indiana game, my mind immediately went to the noon kick and, more specifically, Ohio State’s tendency to start slow. Because I believe that if the Buckeyes come out lethargic against the Hoosiers, the former could be or find themselves in real trouble.
The Scarlet and Gray have played 10 games this season, meaning 10 first quarters. In those 10 (first) quarters, Ohio State has scored more than 7 points just once! And that was against Western Michigan, a 5-5 MAC team currently ranked 117 out of 134 in points per game allowed. In all other contests, OSU has averaged roughly 5.8 first quarter points.
Now admittedly, Indiana has not been much better in the first quarter scoring department. At least (not) in conference play. But these are Buckeye concerns, not Hoosier concerns. So I am concerned that if Ohio State doesn’t start well, they might begin to press and/or force the issue(s). Or, even worse, OSU could let IU build momentum on the road. And if that happens, the Hoosiers will gain confidence in their ability to pull off a massive upset.
Indiana is not an opponent that Ohio State can or should take lightly. Because the Buckeyes likely won’t sleepwalk their way to 28-7 halftime lead like they did at Northwestern — err, Wrigley. Against Northwestern. You know what I mean.
Another issue with starting slow is that if OSU does indeed do so on Saturday, the weather could potentially affect or impact the Buckeyes’ ability to bounce back quickly. The high in Columbus is currently projected to be 44 degrees, with 10+ MPH winds possible. Not exactly conducive to playing catch-up. Also not conducive to airing the ball out, which has been Ohio State’s most effective means of moving the ball on offense.
Despite these concerns – which are very real – I am confident in the Buckeye’s ability to go out and win this game on Saturday. They are the superior team, playing at home, against a team in Indiana that has not played an opponent nearly as talented as them (OSU)...
But Ohio State can’t and/or shouldn’t “play with their food”. Coach Cig and the Hoosiers would love nothing more than to shut the entire country up and prove themselves a contender. So it’s up to Day and the Buckeyes to put IU back in its place. One way of doing that is to start hot and stay hot.
The slow starts are a genuine concern for Ohio State against Indiana, as my partner laid out. The Buckeyes have not done well at waking up for these noon starts, however I do think Saturday’s game will play out a bit differently from an approach style for the opposition.
I don't believe Curt Cignetti and the Hoosiers are scared enough of Ohio State to be running excessive amounts of clock like all the overmatched teams against the Buckeyes have been doing to severely limit possessions. Indiana is a legitimately good football team, and while it would still be wise to limit the amount of time Chip Kelly’s offense has the ball, I don't think it'll be to the extreme like we saw against Northwestern. Maybe Ohio State will even have two offensive possessions in the first quarter this week instead of one!
Jokes aside, my biggest area of worry for the Buckeyes against the Hoosiers is their secondary. That is, Ohio State’s secondary.
The Silver Bullets have done a great job all season at limiting opposing teams’ air attacks, ranking No. 6 in the country with just 160.1 passing yards allowed per game. They have allowed more than 200 passing yards in a game only twice, once being the 201 yards they gave up this past weekend against Northwestern — 85 of which came during that aforementioned sleepy first quarter — and the other being against Oregon, the latter of which being my main reason for concern.
Ohio State’s secondary got exposed big time against the Ducks, allowing 341 yards through the air against Dillon Gabriel and company — more than double the Buckeyes’ season average. Oregon is obviously the most explosive offense Jim Knowles’ defense has faced this year, and the results were not exactly great. That being said, Kurtis Rourke and this Indiana passing attack, while maybe lacking in some name recognition, is just as good if not better on paper than the Ducks.
Indiana ranks 23rd nationally in passing offense, just a few spots lower than Oregon at 18th by a difference of less than five yards per game. The Hoosiers are even better than the Ducks on a down to down basis, sitting at No. 9 in passing yards per completion (compared to 85th for UO) and third in passing efficiency — one spot ahead of Ohio State and seven spots ahead of Oregon. Rourke has also not turned the ball over much this season, throwing only four interceptions all year.
Much like Oregon’s duo of Tez Johnson and Evan Stewart, the Hoosiers also have an impressive wide receiver duo in Elijah Sarratt and Omar Cooper Jr., the former of which has more yards on the season than both Johnson and Stewart. Sarratt followed Cignetti from James Madison to Bloomington, leading the team with 38 catches for 685 yards and six touchdowns, while the sophomore Cooper is their big play guy, catching 24 passes for 527 yards (22 yards per catch good for No. 1 in the Big Ten) and five touchdowns.
Ohio State has had more than its fair share of coverage issues this season, especially from the cornerback position. Denzel Burke has had a poor campaign overall, and Davison Igbinosun has made a bunch of big plays, but has also seemingly been flagged weekly for his overly aggressive style. The Buckeyes will need both of those guys to play their best games of the season if they are going to slow down Rourke and the Hoosiers’ passing offense.
Continue reading...
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Buckeyes host a top-five matchup in Columbus on Saturday.
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: Biggest area of concern for Ohio State against Indiana?
Josh’s Take
Ohio State hosts Indiana this weekend, and folks, I’ve got a surprise for you: This game is a Big Nooner! That’s right, another noon kickoff for OSU, the Buckeyes’ 15th this season.
Ok, maybe I exaggerated a bit. But it sure as hell seems like Ohio State has been playing at noon every Saturday since the beginning of time. Not that it’s my favorite kick time, but I don’t even remember what a 3:30 kick feels like. And I vaguely recall the feeling of getting amped up for that Oregon night game, but when does OSU get to host a marquee matchup at night? On the banks of the Olentangy... Shoutout Keith Jackson, RIP.
What does start time have to do with the upcoming top-5 matchup against Indiana? Allow me to explain — and eventually weave it into today’s edition of You’re Nuts.
The Hoosiers are a legitimately good football team, as well as a viable threat to the Buckeyes’ Big Ten and CFP chances. Scoff at IU’s strength of schedule all you want, but this is a massive game for Ryan Day and Co. As such, Gene and I (and others) are taking it very seriously. Which is to say we have concerns. That’s what happens when your team’s head coach owns a less-than-stellar record against top-5 and top-10 opponents.
So when my partner suggested sharing our biggest concern(s) for the Indiana game, my mind immediately went to the noon kick and, more specifically, Ohio State’s tendency to start slow. Because I believe that if the Buckeyes come out lethargic against the Hoosiers, the former could be or find themselves in real trouble.
The Scarlet and Gray have played 10 games this season, meaning 10 first quarters. In those 10 (first) quarters, Ohio State has scored more than 7 points just once! And that was against Western Michigan, a 5-5 MAC team currently ranked 117 out of 134 in points per game allowed. In all other contests, OSU has averaged roughly 5.8 first quarter points.
Now admittedly, Indiana has not been much better in the first quarter scoring department. At least (not) in conference play. But these are Buckeye concerns, not Hoosier concerns. So I am concerned that if Ohio State doesn’t start well, they might begin to press and/or force the issue(s). Or, even worse, OSU could let IU build momentum on the road. And if that happens, the Hoosiers will gain confidence in their ability to pull off a massive upset.
Indiana is not an opponent that Ohio State can or should take lightly. Because the Buckeyes likely won’t sleepwalk their way to 28-7 halftime lead like they did at Northwestern — err, Wrigley. Against Northwestern. You know what I mean.
Another issue with starting slow is that if OSU does indeed do so on Saturday, the weather could potentially affect or impact the Buckeyes’ ability to bounce back quickly. The high in Columbus is currently projected to be 44 degrees, with 10+ MPH winds possible. Not exactly conducive to playing catch-up. Also not conducive to airing the ball out, which has been Ohio State’s most effective means of moving the ball on offense.
Despite these concerns – which are very real – I am confident in the Buckeye’s ability to go out and win this game on Saturday. They are the superior team, playing at home, against a team in Indiana that has not played an opponent nearly as talented as them (OSU)...
But Ohio State can’t and/or shouldn’t “play with their food”. Coach Cig and the Hoosiers would love nothing more than to shut the entire country up and prove themselves a contender. So it’s up to Day and the Buckeyes to put IU back in its place. One way of doing that is to start hot and stay hot.
Gene’s Take
The slow starts are a genuine concern for Ohio State against Indiana, as my partner laid out. The Buckeyes have not done well at waking up for these noon starts, however I do think Saturday’s game will play out a bit differently from an approach style for the opposition.
I don't believe Curt Cignetti and the Hoosiers are scared enough of Ohio State to be running excessive amounts of clock like all the overmatched teams against the Buckeyes have been doing to severely limit possessions. Indiana is a legitimately good football team, and while it would still be wise to limit the amount of time Chip Kelly’s offense has the ball, I don't think it'll be to the extreme like we saw against Northwestern. Maybe Ohio State will even have two offensive possessions in the first quarter this week instead of one!
Jokes aside, my biggest area of worry for the Buckeyes against the Hoosiers is their secondary. That is, Ohio State’s secondary.
The Silver Bullets have done a great job all season at limiting opposing teams’ air attacks, ranking No. 6 in the country with just 160.1 passing yards allowed per game. They have allowed more than 200 passing yards in a game only twice, once being the 201 yards they gave up this past weekend against Northwestern — 85 of which came during that aforementioned sleepy first quarter — and the other being against Oregon, the latter of which being my main reason for concern.
Ohio State’s secondary got exposed big time against the Ducks, allowing 341 yards through the air against Dillon Gabriel and company — more than double the Buckeyes’ season average. Oregon is obviously the most explosive offense Jim Knowles’ defense has faced this year, and the results were not exactly great. That being said, Kurtis Rourke and this Indiana passing attack, while maybe lacking in some name recognition, is just as good if not better on paper than the Ducks.
Indiana ranks 23rd nationally in passing offense, just a few spots lower than Oregon at 18th by a difference of less than five yards per game. The Hoosiers are even better than the Ducks on a down to down basis, sitting at No. 9 in passing yards per completion (compared to 85th for UO) and third in passing efficiency — one spot ahead of Ohio State and seven spots ahead of Oregon. Rourke has also not turned the ball over much this season, throwing only four interceptions all year.
Much like Oregon’s duo of Tez Johnson and Evan Stewart, the Hoosiers also have an impressive wide receiver duo in Elijah Sarratt and Omar Cooper Jr., the former of which has more yards on the season than both Johnson and Stewart. Sarratt followed Cignetti from James Madison to Bloomington, leading the team with 38 catches for 685 yards and six touchdowns, while the sophomore Cooper is their big play guy, catching 24 passes for 527 yards (22 yards per catch good for No. 1 in the Big Ten) and five touchdowns.
Ohio State has had more than its fair share of coverage issues this season, especially from the cornerback position. Denzel Burke has had a poor campaign overall, and Davison Igbinosun has made a bunch of big plays, but has also seemingly been flagged weekly for his overly aggressive style. The Buckeyes will need both of those guys to play their best games of the season if they are going to slow down Rourke and the Hoosiers’ passing offense.
Continue reading...
LGHL LGHL WBB Podcast: Cotie McMahon leads Buckeyes over Belmont, looking ahead to OU and Bowling Green
- News
- 0 Replies
LGHL WBB Podcast: Cotie McMahon leads Buckeyes over Belmont, looking ahead to OU and Bowling Green
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Ohio State University Athletic Department
Ohio State wins two, but it doesn’t come easily, plus a double MAC week.
The Land-Grant Women’s Basketball Podcast is a show dedicated to coverage of the Ohio State women’s basketball team. Each Monday during the basketball season, LGHL recaps recent games, previews upcoming contests, and talks with those in and around the Ohio State women’s basketball universe. Hear directly from players and coaches and receive additional context behind what they say to the media.
Listen to the episode and subscribe:
Ohio State women’s basketball took to the court twice in week two with vastly different wins. On Tuesday, it was a big shooting performance from deep by Chance Gray, and the Buckeyes losing their freshman phenom for a half. Then, on Sunday, it was a poor shooting day all around with rebounding, Cotie McMahon and last second Jaloni Cambridge brilliance bringing a win back to Columbus.
On this week’s “Land-Grant WBB Podcast,” a closer look at the wins over Charlotte and Belmont, plus looking ahead to another week of two mid-major sides trying to best the Buckeyes.
Hear from Kevin McGuff, Cotie McMahon, Jaloni Cambridge and Chance Gray from the two games and hear who wins the Player of the Week award, a brand new award the one-person voting of host Thomas Costello will decide each week.
Connect with Thomas:
Bluesky: @ThomasCostello
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
Ohio State University Athletic Department
Ohio State wins two, but it doesn’t come easily, plus a double MAC week.
The Land-Grant Women’s Basketball Podcast is a show dedicated to coverage of the Ohio State women’s basketball team. Each Monday during the basketball season, LGHL recaps recent games, previews upcoming contests, and talks with those in and around the Ohio State women’s basketball universe. Hear directly from players and coaches and receive additional context behind what they say to the media.
Listen to the episode and subscribe:
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | iHeart Radio
Ohio State women’s basketball took to the court twice in week two with vastly different wins. On Tuesday, it was a big shooting performance from deep by Chance Gray, and the Buckeyes losing their freshman phenom for a half. Then, on Sunday, it was a poor shooting day all around with rebounding, Cotie McMahon and last second Jaloni Cambridge brilliance bringing a win back to Columbus.
On this week’s “Land-Grant WBB Podcast,” a closer look at the wins over Charlotte and Belmont, plus looking ahead to another week of two mid-major sides trying to best the Buckeyes.
Hear from Kevin McGuff, Cotie McMahon, Jaloni Cambridge and Chance Gray from the two games and hear who wins the Player of the Week award, a brand new award the one-person voting of host Thomas Costello will decide each week.
Connect with Thomas:
Bluesky: @ThomasCostello
Theme music: “HOLY MOLY” by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com
Continue reading...
LGHL A brief history of Evansville’s frightening mascot, ‘Ace Purple’
- News
- 0 Replies
A brief history of Evansville’s frightening mascot, ‘Ace Purple’
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo courtesy AnchorOfGold.com
Move over, Friar Dom — there’s a new (terrifying) sheriff in town.
He won’t be roaming the arena tonight during his team’s game against Ohio State, but Ace Purple – the law-breaking, gun-wielding mascot of the Evansville Purple Aces — deserves a place among the creepiest mascots in college sports.
While Purdue Pete, Friar Dom, and the Saint Louis Billiken get plenty of credit for being the creepiest, most disconcerting symbols of collegiate athletics, ‘Ace Purple’, the mascot of Ohio State’s opponent Tuesday night, is also worthy of that title.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25740875/Screenshot_2024_11_18_at_9.22.05_PM.png)
Photo courtesy GoPurpleAces.com
The legend of Ace Purple goes back 100 years to the 1924 basketball season, when Evansville – then know as the Pioneers – beat Louisville 59-39. After the game, Louisville head coach Fred Enke told Evansville head coach John Harmon, “You didn’t have four Aces up your sleeve, you had five!”
The nickname stuck, and since Evansville’s school colors were purple and white at the time, the nickname “Purple Aces” was adopted.
In the late 1960s, Ace Purple, a gun-toting, slippery riverboat gambler, was created to represent Evansville athletics. Evansville lies in southern Indiana directly on the banks of the Ohio River, so the untrustworthy card shark made sense, at least geographically speaking.
However, the image of Ace Purple brandishing a gun in one hand and a spiked club in the other, paired with a cigar hanging out of his mouth, lost popularity by the late 1970s. The University “was not pleased” with the image of Ace Purple, and he suddenly disappeared, despite the athletic teams still going by the Purple Aces.
When Evansville athletics moved to Division-I in 1977, Greg Knipping, the university’s sports information director at the time, wanted to bring Ace Purple back to life. After contacting the same artist who helped bring Purdue Pete back to life, Knipping and the university turned Ace Purple into a more “likable” character, while keeping the characteristics of “cunning, quick wit, and shrewd judgment.”
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25740865/Screenshot_2024_11_18_at_9.43.28_PM.png)
Ace Purple before his 2019 re-design. Photo courtesy Sportsmascots.fandom.com.
Ace Purple was redesigned yet again in 2019, becoming less menacing but far creepier. His large, cartoonish eyes were replaced by small beady black dots hidden underneath Waluigi-like eyebrows. His broad shoulders were replaced with a slimmer frame and his white 10-gallon cowboy hat was replaced with a purple bowler’s hat.
But the worst part by far are his teeth.
Ace Purple, who previously had a closed set of lips hidden under a massive brown mustache, now has a fully opened mouth that shows off a full set of teeth. Teeth don’t belong in the mouths of lifeless, mute mascots. Imagine Brutus with teeth, or Western Kentucky’s Big Red with a full set of mandibles – it just doesn’t sit right with me.
Nearly every school’s mascot has a long, winding history that includes a makeover or two, but Ace Purple’s journey from a tobacco-loving, firearm carrying card shark to the less threatening but far more creepy Waluigi-look alike deserved some love today, before Evansville takes on Ohio State for the fifth time in program history and the first time since 1976.
Continue reading...
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo courtesy AnchorOfGold.com
Move over, Friar Dom — there’s a new (terrifying) sheriff in town.
He won’t be roaming the arena tonight during his team’s game against Ohio State, but Ace Purple – the law-breaking, gun-wielding mascot of the Evansville Purple Aces — deserves a place among the creepiest mascots in college sports.
While Purdue Pete, Friar Dom, and the Saint Louis Billiken get plenty of credit for being the creepiest, most disconcerting symbols of collegiate athletics, ‘Ace Purple’, the mascot of Ohio State’s opponent Tuesday night, is also worthy of that title.
Photo courtesy GoPurpleAces.com
The legend of Ace Purple goes back 100 years to the 1924 basketball season, when Evansville – then know as the Pioneers – beat Louisville 59-39. After the game, Louisville head coach Fred Enke told Evansville head coach John Harmon, “You didn’t have four Aces up your sleeve, you had five!”
The nickname stuck, and since Evansville’s school colors were purple and white at the time, the nickname “Purple Aces” was adopted.
In the late 1960s, Ace Purple, a gun-toting, slippery riverboat gambler, was created to represent Evansville athletics. Evansville lies in southern Indiana directly on the banks of the Ohio River, so the untrustworthy card shark made sense, at least geographically speaking.
However, the image of Ace Purple brandishing a gun in one hand and a spiked club in the other, paired with a cigar hanging out of his mouth, lost popularity by the late 1970s. The University “was not pleased” with the image of Ace Purple, and he suddenly disappeared, despite the athletic teams still going by the Purple Aces.
When Evansville athletics moved to Division-I in 1977, Greg Knipping, the university’s sports information director at the time, wanted to bring Ace Purple back to life. After contacting the same artist who helped bring Purdue Pete back to life, Knipping and the university turned Ace Purple into a more “likable” character, while keeping the characteristics of “cunning, quick wit, and shrewd judgment.”
Ace Purple before his 2019 re-design. Photo courtesy Sportsmascots.fandom.com.
Ace Purple was redesigned yet again in 2019, becoming less menacing but far creepier. His large, cartoonish eyes were replaced by small beady black dots hidden underneath Waluigi-like eyebrows. His broad shoulders were replaced with a slimmer frame and his white 10-gallon cowboy hat was replaced with a purple bowler’s hat.
But the worst part by far are his teeth.
Ace Purple, who previously had a closed set of lips hidden under a massive brown mustache, now has a fully opened mouth that shows off a full set of teeth. Teeth don’t belong in the mouths of lifeless, mute mascots. Imagine Brutus with teeth, or Western Kentucky’s Big Red with a full set of mandibles – it just doesn’t sit right with me.
Nearly every school’s mascot has a long, winding history that includes a makeover or two, but Ace Purple’s journey from a tobacco-loving, firearm carrying card shark to the less threatening but far more creepy Waluigi-look alike deserved some love today, before Evansville takes on Ohio State for the fifth time in program history and the first time since 1976.
Continue reading...
LGHL Football ramps up for Indiana as men’s basketball faces Evansville
- News
- 0 Replies
Football ramps up for Indiana as men’s basketball faces Evansville
Matt Tamanini 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
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!
Subscribe to the Land-Grant Podcast Network for all of your Ohio State needs
Matt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | iHeart Radio
2025 four-star defensive end de-commits from Ohio State
Dan Hessler, Land-Grant Holy Land
Ross Bjork Views Kickoff Times As An “Offseason Conversation” But Thinks Ohio State Can Make Changes to Improve Ohio Stadium Environment
Dan Hope, Eleven Warriors
Huh, I would not have guessed that:
First Look: Ohio State turns focus to first ever top-five game vs. Indiana
Steve Helwagen, Bucknuts
Three Key Questions as Buckeyes start Championship Season
Austin Ward, Dotting The Eyes
Five Things to Know About Indiana in Ohio State’s Third Top-Five Showdown of 2024 Season
Andy Anders, Eleven Warriors
Setting the table: Buckeyes set for high-stakes top-five Indiana matchup
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row
Indiana Coach Curt Cignetti Press Conference: ‘I think we have a confident team’
Steve Helwagen, Bucknuts
Ryan Day Expects A “Hostile, Angry” Environment in the Horseshoe Against No. 5 Indiana: “Let’s Make It the Loudest Ohio Stadium’s Ever Been”
Andy Anders, Eleven Warriors
J.K. All Day!
Grumpy Old Buckeye: Nitpicking Ohio State’s 31-7 win over Northwestern
Michael Citro, Land-Grant Holy Land
‘I see the smile on his face’: Judkins finds happiness with Ohio State
Bill Rabinowitz, The Columbus Dispatch
Big Ten Top 10: Texas is the only non-B1G team in our poll’s top five
Matt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land
Ohio State men’s basketball vs. Evansville: Game preview and prediction
Jami Jurich, Land-Grant Holy Land
What should Ohio State focus on as Evansville opens run of home games?
Adam Jardy, The Columbus Dispatch
Jake Diebler Wants Better Shot Selection, Less Turnovers and Fouls From Ohio State
Andy Anders, Eleven Warriors
Young Buckeyes rely on McMahon’s maturity after nearly falling in Belmont
Thomas Costello, Land-Grant Holy Land
Buckeyes earn No. 1 overall seed in NCAA men’s soccer tournament
Staff Reports, The Columbus Dispatch
This is AWESOME!
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
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 to the Land-Grant Podcast Network for all of your Ohio State needs
Matt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | iHeart Radio
On the Gridiron
2025 four-star defensive end de-commits from Ohio State
Dan Hessler, Land-Grant Holy Land
Ross Bjork Views Kickoff Times As An “Offseason Conversation” But Thinks Ohio State Can Make Changes to Improve Ohio Stadium Environment
Dan Hope, Eleven Warriors
Huh, I would not have guessed that:
First Look: Ohio State turns focus to first ever top-five game vs. Indiana
Steve Helwagen, Bucknuts
Three Key Questions as Buckeyes start Championship Season
Austin Ward, Dotting The Eyes
Five Things to Know About Indiana in Ohio State’s Third Top-Five Showdown of 2024 Season
Andy Anders, Eleven Warriors
Setting the table: Buckeyes set for high-stakes top-five Indiana matchup
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row
Indiana Coach Curt Cignetti Press Conference: ‘I think we have a confident team’
Steve Helwagen, Bucknuts
Ryan Day Expects A “Hostile, Angry” Environment in the Horseshoe Against No. 5 Indiana: “Let’s Make It the Loudest Ohio Stadium’s Ever Been”
Andy Anders, Eleven Warriors
J.K. All Day!
Grumpy Old Buckeye: Nitpicking Ohio State’s 31-7 win over Northwestern
Michael Citro, Land-Grant Holy Land
‘I see the smile on his face’: Judkins finds happiness with Ohio State
Bill Rabinowitz, The Columbus Dispatch
Big Ten Top 10: Texas is the only non-B1G team in our poll’s top five
Matt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land
On the Hardwood
Ohio State men’s basketball vs. Evansville: Game preview and prediction
Jami Jurich, Land-Grant Holy Land
What should Ohio State focus on as Evansville opens run of home games?
Adam Jardy, The Columbus Dispatch
Jake Diebler Wants Better Shot Selection, Less Turnovers and Fouls From Ohio State
Andy Anders, Eleven Warriors
Young Buckeyes rely on McMahon’s maturity after nearly falling in Belmont
Thomas Costello, Land-Grant Holy Land
NEWS: 5️ Caleb Wilson is down to five schools, he tells @On3Recruits.
The 6-9 Wing / Forward is looking to make a commitment in either December or January. https://t.co/5em3Ybnbzl pic.twitter.com/wcz0rPZZZ2
— Joe Tipton (@TiptonEdits) November 18, 2024
Outside the Shoe and Schott
Buckeyes earn No. 1 overall seed in NCAA men’s soccer tournament
Staff Reports, The Columbus Dispatch
And now for something completely different...
This is AWESOME!
Continue reading...
