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Nov 18, 2023

Our streaming expert has the best ways to watch Ohio State vs. Minnesota for free without cable
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Photo by Ben Jackson/Getty Images

You’ve got a number of free trials you can choose from of various lengths and breadths.

The No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes just have one more hurdle to clear before the biggest regular season game of the year... in Ryan Day’s coaching career... the history of The Game... the entire span of human existence. But, before we get to that, the Bucks have to get through the Minnesota Golden Gophers.

The game will air at 4 p.m. ET on the Big Ten Network, the second time that the team has played on the conference’s channel this season. By rule, every B1G squad must play a conference game on BTN, so even before the channel for this one was officially announced, we knew where it would air, because obviously next week’s game was going to be the Big Nooner.

As cord-cutting has become far more the norm than the exception across the United States, it would not be a surprise if you gave up cable or a live-streaming service following last year’s season only to realize that it’s the day of the game and you have no way to watch it.

Fortunately for you, I am something of a streaming expert... no really, I write about streaming services for a living. So, I am going to walk you through the best — and cheapest — ways for you to stream today’s game. Also, if you want to put a little money on the game over at DraftKings Sportsbook, not only would it make what could be a blowout even more exciting, but you could make enough cash to pay for a full month of cable or streaming!

How can I watch the Ohio State vs. Minnesota college football game?

Game Date/Time: Saturday, Nov. 18 4 p.m. ET
TV: Big Ten Network
Broadcasters: Cory Provus, Jake Butt, Brooke Fletcher
Betting Line: Ohio State -27.5 | 50 o/u
Odds/lines subject to change. T&Cs apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for details.

Best Streaming Option for All Week 2 College Football Games: DIRECTV STREAM | 5-Day Free Trial

If you just realized that you didn’t have a way to watch this afternoon’s game on the Big Ten Network, then DIRECTV STREAM is your best option. The live TV streaming service has the only guaranteed multi-day free trial in the industry and provides the most top cable channels of all of its competitors. The basic, Entertainment package comes with all of the major network channels — all of which have college football — ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC. It also has ESPN, ESPN2, and FS1. Then, if you want to upgrade, other packages include the ACC Network, Big Ten Network, ESPNU, SEC Network, CBS Sports Network, Longhorn Network, and more.

What’s great about DIRECTV STREAM’s free trial is that you are able to sign up for whatever package you want for free. You don’t have to worry about being charged for upgraded plans. So, you can simply sign up for the top-tier Premier package — which normally costs $154.99 per month — enjoy all 140 channels for five days and then cancel.

The only issue with DIRECTV STREAM is that the provider is currently locked in a carriage dispute with station owner Nexstar. So, there are a number of channels across the country that are blacked out on DIRECTV’s satellite and streaming services. So, if you are going to go with DIRECTV STREAM, make sure that you check here to see if the game(s) you want to watch are blacked out in your area.

Big Ten Network won’t be impacted by the blackout, but a lot of the other games today — and NFL opening weekend — will be.

Best Streaming Option for Week 12 College Football Games If You Have Local Blackouts: Fubo | At Least a 1-Day Free Trial

If you are unable to watch a game this weekend because of the DIRECTV/Nexstar dispute, Fubo is another good alternative. Currently, the service is only guaranteeing a one-day trial — as it is trying to discourage people from watching an entire weekend of football for free — but depending on the day and circumstances, it could be longer.

Either way, if you sign up here, you will at least be able to watch all of today’s games for free.

Join the conversation

Below is your Ohio State vs. Minnesota 2023 game thread. Be respectful, be kind and — as always — keep it classy, BuckeyeNation. If you like GIFs, lay ‘em on us. In all, be good fans, cheer for your teams, be cool to each other (even if somebody else isn’t) and everyone wins. Let’s finish the season strong!

Odds/lines subject to change. T&Cs apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for details.

Nov 17, 2023

You’re Nuts: What have we learned about the Ohio State men’s basketball team through three games?
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Buckeyes picked up wins over two teams they were expected to beat, and lost one to a team they were expected to hang with (and maybe beat).

We’re one week into the five-month-long frenzy that we know as the college basketball season, and the Buckeyes are 2-1. Early returns on this team are a mixed bag, with the Buckeyes falling at home to a ranked Texas A&M team and underperforming quite a bit against an Oakland team that was picked to finish fifth in the Big Ten. This week, we’re going to discuss some of our early thoughts on the team.

Last week, Connor and Justin debated what the biggest key will be to bet Texas A&M. Justin said Jamison Battle would be the biggest difference, while Connor just generally said “Hit a bunch of threes.”

Connor’s idea won, although it didn’t play out in real life, as the Buckeyes went 4-for-19 from downtown and lost the game.

After 126 weeks:

Connor- 58
Justin- 50
Other- 14

(There have been four ties)

This week, the guys are taking in all the data from the first three games and giving their biggest observations of the team. It’s still a bit early to draw any huge conclusions, but there’s been enough basketball to start putting together the identity of this team.

Today’s Question: What have we learned about the Ohio State men’s basketball team through three games?

Connor: Ohio State will only go as far as Bruce Thornton and Roddy Gayle take them

NCAA Basketball: Big Ten Conference Tournament Semifinals Purdue vs. Ohio State

David Banks-USA TODAY Sports

Neither Thornton nor Gayle were prepared to lead Ohio State last year. It was a bad team, with upperclassmen who weren’t producing at the level necessary for the team to win. Once the calendar flipped to 2023 and it started to become obvious there would be no post-season for Ohio State, Thornton, Gayle, and Felix Okpara got a lot more run. Nobody was expecting them to lead Ohio State to wins last year. The hope was that the experience they gained would help them lead Ohio State to a bunch of wins the next season.

Well, next season is here. And through two games, Thornton and Gayle are Ohio State’s two leading scorers, at 16.3 and 15.3 points per game. Thornton has already proven he can produce against top-level competition, and he’s taken it to another level this season so far. Gayle, however, averaged just 4.6 PPG last season. He’s more than tripled his production thus far, which wasn’t something I expected to happen. Will he keep up this pace for the next 30 games? Perhaps not, But I think it’s clear that when Thornton isn’t dominating the game, Gayle is the next man up.

Seniors Zed Key and Jamison Battle each are averaging double-digits as well, but Key has always been more of a complimentary piece and is trying to bounce back from off-season shoulder surgery. Battle has been a big-time scorer before, when he was at Minnesota. But his production primarily comes from three-pointers, which isn’t as sustainable if you’re hoping he could be “the guy.”

For those reasons, it’s looking a lot like the Buckeyes will go as far their two sophomore guards are able to take them. The Buckeyes only had one reliable scorer last season — Brice Sensabaugh. Two years ago, it had the 1-2 punch of E.J. Liddell and Malaki Branham. Having two reliable go-to guys should make it a lot easier for Chris Holtmann’s team on nights when the offense goes a bit stale.

For the first time since... I don’t even know when...... the Buckeyes have two dynamic, young guards. If they continue to progress, this could be a very special year for Ohio State. If they struggle or hit a wall during Big Ten play......big changes could be coming to the program next year.

Justin: Jamison Battle has to be the top offensive option

Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

After watching this team play for three games and 120 minutes total now, one thing is very clear. Jamison Battle is going to be the key to unlocking the best version of this team this season, which is a top-20 team in the country, in my opinion (I said the BEST version).

This is not surprising to me. I have said all offseason that Battle has the potential to be a 15–20-point scorer for the Buckeyes, filling a role that they desperately need. After losing Brice Sensabaugh to the NBA draft and Justice Sueing to graduation, the Buckeyes went out and got a solid shooting wing to help replace the offensive production they lost at that position.

So far this season, Battle is averaging 10.7 points per game and 5.0 rebounds per game. He is shooting 39 percent from the field, 38 percent from the three-point line, and 80 percent from the free-throw line.

Battled struggled with foul trouble against Texas A&M and only played 23 minutes. They missed his floor spacing and his shooting, and when they needed someone to get a bucket, he wasn’t there to get one.

In 2021-22 with Minnesota, Battle shot the three-ball at 38 percent on 7.1 attempts per game. That is an elite shooting season, and he averaged 17 points per game. Last year, he struggled with injuries and was the go-to guy on a bad offensive team, but with drive-first guards like Bruce Thornton and Roddy Gayle Jr., Battle will be able to get open looks from deep, as long as he is on the floor.

Something the Buckeyes have struggled with in recent years is outside shooting, and Battle was brought in to just that. I don't think it is crazy to say that Battle can average 17-20 points per game. The Buckeyes might need him to do just that to be the best version of their team this season.

Nov 17, 2023

MC&J: Ohio State is nearly a four touchdown favorite over Minnesota in Week 12’s Big Ten action
Brett Ludwiczak 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 11 Michigan State at Ohio State

Photo by Jason Mowry/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

The Buckeyes have one more hurdle to clear before they can turn their attention to Michigan.

Last week ATS: 7-7 (2-5 National, 5-2 B1G)

Season ATS: 89-87-1 (40-51-1 National, 49-37 B1G)

My predictions for eight interesting national games on Saturday can be found here.

B1G games

No. 3 Michigan (-19.5) v. Maryland - 12:00 p.m. - FOX

How funny would it be if Michigan ended up losing this week? I don’t see it happening, but it would be hilarious if the Terrapins gave acting head coach Sherrone Moore something to really cry about. The Wolverines played in a tough environment last week and didn’t have too much of an issue with the Nittany Lions, since James Franklin becomes an even bigger bum when the lights are brightest. Michigan didn’t have to attempt a pass over the last 40 or so minutes of the game, which is pretty wild.

Last week Maryland was finally able to earn bowl eligibility after trying for like a month. It wasn’t pretty though as the Terrapins beat Nebraska 13-10 in Lincoln. Can Maryland please do to Michigan what they have done to the Buckeyes a couple times? The Terrapins have pushed Ohio State to the limit on a couple of occasions in College Park a week before “The Game.”

I actually do like the points in this game. When Harbaugh was suspended earlier in the season, the Wolverines would jump out to a first half lead and pack it in. I feel like we see that formula on Saturday, especially with Michigan trying to keep everyone healthy ahead of next week’s game against Ohio State.

Michigan 31, Maryland 17

Rutgers v. No. 12 Penn State (-20.5) - 12:00 p.m. ET - FS1

There isn’t a number next to Rutgers, so Penn State will be fine this week since James Franklin is great at beating up on the lower tier of the Big Ten. You just know the Nittany Lions are going to be pissed off after Michigan came into State College and ran it down their throats. We’ll likely see the Penn State offense open up a little bit since they fired their offensive coordinator earlier this week.

Shut down the running attack of Rutgers and you’ll be fine. Last week Iowa didn’t give up a point to the Scarlet Knights, and it’s hard to see the Scarlet Knights scoring many points this week. I know this is a lot of points to be laying, I just think Penn State is going to take out a lot of their frustrations on Greg Schiano’s team.

Penn State 34, Rutgers 10

Michigan State v. Indiana (-4.5) - 12:00 p.m. ET - Big Ten Network

I definitely wasn’t expecting Indiana to put up 45 points last week. Honestly, the Hoosiers haven’t been playing bad football recently. Indiana pushed Penn State in State College, then they beat Wisconsin before going to overtime with Illinois. Quarterback Brendan Sorsby has played well during that span, tossing seven touchdowns. Even though the Hoosiers aren’t going bowling this season, they are still playing hard for Tom Allen.

Michigan State is dreadful. Trust me, I saw how bad they were in person last week. Obviously Indiana isn’t Ohio State, but at least the Hoosiers are trying, which feels like more than the Spartans are doing right now. The Spartans are just playing out the season and next Friday can’t come soon enough for them since their season will be over and they can go out and hire their next head coach. Indiana wins this by at least a touchdown.

Indiana 28, Michigan State 20

Purdue (-3) v. Northwestern - 12:00 p.m. ET - Big Ten Network

Don’t look now but Northwestern will be bowl eligible with a win. The Wildcats have to feel like their season has already been a success after the interim tag was removed head coach David Braun’s job title this week. Northwestern hasn’t been lighting things up on offense, but their defense has done a lot lately to put them in position to win some games. In the 24-10 win over Wisconsin last week, Ben Bryant threw a couple touchdown passes, while Cam Porter ran for around 70 yards.

Purdue’s offense exploded last week, putting up 49 points on Minnesota to halt a four-game losing streak. The Boilermakers ran all over the Golden Gophers, rushing for 353 yards in the win. I’m not convinced they can do the same against this rejuvenated Northwestern defense that has gotten better as the season has gone on. I’ll take the home underdog since they still have something to fight for.

Northwestern 24, Purdue 20

Illinois v. No. 16 Iowa (-3.5) - 3:30 p.m. ET - FS1

After John Paddock started in Illinois’ 48-45 overtime win over Indiana last week, Luke Altmyer will return to the lineup for this game according to Bret Bielema. Altmyer has been turnover prone this year, which is not good when going up against Iowa. The Hawkeyes did suffer a blow this week when Cooper DeJean was ruled out for the rest of the regular season, but there are plenty of other Iowa defenders that are capable of making plays.

We all know the Iowa offense is a tough watch. Even with how bad they are on that side of the football, the Hawkeyes still enter this game at 8-2. Teams with some pop on offense can get to Iowa, but Illinois doesn’t have the weapons on offense that they did last year. The Hawkeyes grind out another win as they continue to make their way to Indianapolis for the Big Ten Championship Game.

Iowa 21, Illinois 13

Nebraska v. Wisconsin (-4.5) - 7:30 p.m. ET - NBC

Why can’t you just be normal, Nebraska? You had bowl eligibility in your grasp and you’ve reverted to your form from the last few years, dropping the last two games by three points each. I have no idea what the Cornhuskers are going to do at quarterback this week. Last week Jeff Sims, Chuba Purdy, and Heinrich Haarberg all played in the 13-10 loss to Maryland.

Much like Nebraska, Wisconsin is also a win away from bowl eligibility, so whoever wins this game will be going bowling. Luke Fickell’s first season in Madison has turned into a nightmare, as the Badgers have lost their last three games. At least Tanner Mordecai returned last week, throwing for 255 yards in the 24-10 loss to Northwestern.

Although I’m concerned about the health of Braelon Allen heading into this game, I feel better about the Badgers heading into this game, which isn’t saying much. At least Wisconsin should show up at home in primetime to get their sixth win of the season.

Wisconsin 27, Nebraska 17

Minnesota v. No. 2 Ohio State (-27.5) - 4:00 p.m. ET - Big Ten Network

The Golden Gophers enter this game on a two-game losing streak. While quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis is playing well, pretty much everyone else on the team is struggling. Kaliakmanis is coming off a career-best passing performance against Purdue, yet the Golden Gophers still lost 49-30 in West Lafayette. Minnesota has a number of running backs that can run the football, but they’ll likely have a tough time against a stout Buckeye defense.

Ohio State is coming off one of their best performances of the year, dominating Michigan State 38-3. The game before the Michigan game can always be tricky since we never know just how tight Ryan Day is going to be with the offense. Either Day is going to try and keep things very vanilla, or he might throw some new looks into the game plan to give the Wolverines more to prepare for.

While this one could get out of control, especially after Minnesota gave up nearly 50 points to Purdue last week, I don’t see a four-touchdown win by Ohio State here. Best case scenario would be for the Buckeyes to get up by three touchdowns, take their starters out to keep them healthy and the clock moves faster than it ever has. We all know the Buckeyes have their eyes on next week’s game, so I don’t think we see the full arsenal from the Ohio State offense.

The biggest win for this game for the Buckeyes would be if nobody gets hurt and they head into “The Game” as healthy as possible. Aside from that, I don’t really care about the point spread. That being said, 28 points does seem like a lot in this case, so I’ll side with Minnesota to keep it somewhat close.

Ohio State 37, Minnesota 3

Continue reading...

LordJeffBuck · Nov 17, 2023

2015: Michigan hires Connor Stalions as a voluntary staffer, a position that he holds until May of 2022, when he is hired as a paid "off-field recruiting analysts", with a salary reported to be $55,000.00 a year. During this time, Stalions apparently wrote his "Michigan Manifesto", a 550 to 600 page document in which he details his love for Michigan football and his plan to take over control of the Michigan football team.

01/02/2020: Connor Stalions tweets his thanks to Michigan football coach Chris Partridge: "Thank you to the coach who took a chance & got my foot in the door at my dream school. To the family who has basically adopted me on fall weekends. To one of my best friends now, thanks for everything you've done...."

March 2022: Connor Stalions, prior to becoming a paid member of the Michigan staff, purchases a home in Ann Arbor for the sum of $485,000. Shortly after moving in, Stalions is sued by his homeowners association for operating a prohibited business (a vacuum cleaner repair operation) from his home. In court documents, Stalions essentially uses Jim Harbaugh as a character reference.

10/01/2022: After beating Iowa 27-14, Michigan head football coach Jim Harbaugh presents Connor Stalions with a game ball.

01/05/2023: The NCAA sends Michigan a draft Notice of Allegations for multiple recruiting rules violations, including a Level I violation by head coach Jim Harbaugh for misleading NCAA investigators.

01/20/2023: Michigan fires co-offensive coordination Matt Weiss for cause for "inappropriately access[ing]" computer accounts belonging to other people.

02/13/2023: In response to an FOIA request from the AP, Michigan releases Weiss's termination letter but refuses to release any evidence in support of his termination, citing state law exemptions to FOIA (possibly citing an ongoing investigation by campus police and the FBI).

05/21/2023: After just five days on the job, Michigan assistant director of recruiting Glenn "Shemy" Schembechler, the son of former head football coach Bo Schembechler, "resigns" for Tweeting racist content.

08/12/2023: Negotiations between the NCAA and Michigan regarding punishment for Jim Harbaugh over his Level I infraction are terminated after the NCAA rejects a proposed 4-game suspension for Harbaugh. According to ESPN:

In a rare case of an official comment during an ongoing case, the NCAA issued a statement later Saturday hinting that Harbaugh was not cooperative with the investigation.

"The Michigan infractions case is related to impermissible on and off-campus recruiting during the COVID-19 dead period and impermissible coaching activities -- not a cheeseburger," said Derrick Crawford, the NCAA vice president of hearing operations, in reference to a common over-simplification of the case in some media circles that distilled it to buying burgers. "It is not uncommon for the COI to seek clarification on key facts prior to accepting."

The statement continued, "the COI may also reject an NR [negotiated resolution] if it determines that the agreement is not in the best interests of the Association or the penalties are not reasonable. If the involved parties cannot resolve a case through the negotiated resolution process, it may proceed to a hearing, but the committee believes cooperation is the best avenue to quickly resolve issues."

08/21/2023: Michigan self-imposes a 3-game suspension of Jim Harbaugh; the NCAA does not sign off on this punishment and keeps its investigation open.

08/25/2023: The Big Ten Conference retains U.S. Integrity (USI) "to enhance monitoring efforts and provide additional educational resources to help prevent student-athletes, coaches, and staff from engaging in prohibited sports wagering.... USI will provide integrity monitoring, educational, and social media monitoring services to the Big Ten Conference via its proprietary dashboard. USI conducts analysis across dozens of data sets to proactively identify irregular contest-level, officiating and wagering patterns."

09/01/2023: Michigan "recruiting analyst" Connor Stalions is on the Central Michigan sidelines for their Friday night game against Michigan State. Stalions is wearing Central Michigan coaching gear, has a sideline pass, and despite the lack of sunlight is wearing sunglasses that apparently contain a video recording device in the temple. The head coach for Central Michigan is Jim McElwain, who was an assistant coach at Michigan in 2018; also on the Central Michigan staff are former Michigan coaches Michael Zordich (2015-2020) and Jake Kostner (2015-2018).

09/29/2023: "Low level" football staffer Alex Yood attempts to meet a (fictional) 13-year old girl for sex. Michigan fires Yood shortly after the incident becomes public in the form of an Instagram video released by Boopac Shakur, a man who outed child predators.

10/17/2023: An "outside investigative firm" (presumably U.S. Integrity) notifies the NCAA of a potential prohibited sign-stealing scheme conducted by members of the Michigan football staff. The scheme allegedly involves Connor Stalions (and persons hired by him) attending opponents' games and filming their signs from coaches to players.

10/18/2023: The NCAA notifies the Big Ten and Michigan that it will be investigating the alleged sign-stealing scheme.

10/20/2023: Michigan places Connor Stalions on paid administrative leave. On the same date, Stalions removed hard drives from computers in the Michigan football offices and gave a Michigan football player a sheet containing playcalling signals of a future opponent.

10/23/2023: ESPN reports that Connor Stalions purchased tickets "for more than 30 games at 11 Big Ten schools over the past three years."

10/24/2023: Yahoo Sports reports that Connor Stalions purchased tickets for a Tennessee football game during the 2022 season; at that time, both the Volunteers and the Wolverines were potential 2022 Playoff participants (Michigan made the 2022 Playoffs, but Tennessee did not).

10/31/2023: Central Michigan begins an investigation into Connor Stalions's attendance at the aforementioned Michigan State game.

11/02/2023: In a telephone call with Michigan and the Big Ten, NCAA investigators state that they "knew and could prove" the extensive sign-stealing operation conducted by Connor Stalions.

11/03/2023: Connor Stalions resigns from Michigan and refuses to cooperate in any internal or external investigation.

11/07/2023: Evidence emerges that Connor Stalions and Michigan star running back Blake Corum are business partners in a Wyoming limited liability company. Corum lawyers up and denies any business relationship with Stalions despite government filings to the contrary.

11/10/2023: The Big Ten suspends Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh for the final three games of the 2023 regular season for violating the conference's Sportsmanship Policy by allegedly stealing opponents' signs: "The goal of the scheme was to gain an unfair advantage by stealing the signs of teams that the University's football team was due to play later in the season. Such misconduct inherently compromises the integrity of competition." The Big Ten presents a 13-page letter to Michigan in which it claims that the NCAA has strong evidence of sign stealing. Michigan files for a temporary restraining order against the Big Ten, claiming lack of due process and irreparable harm; the TRO hearing is set for November 17th.

11/16/2023: Michigan assistant coach Steve Clinkscale deletes his Twitter account. In unrelated news, Michigan unexpectedly drops its TRO motion on the eve of the hearing.

11/17/2023: Michigan fires assistant football coach Chris Partridge, one of Connor Stalions's best friends and the person who apparently got Stalions a job at Michigan, either for attempting to destroy computer evidence of the alleged sign-stealing operation (per Yahoo Sports) or for improperly communicating with others during an ongoing investigation, i.e. witness tampering (per Michigan press release).

11/17/2023: Yahoo reports that a Michigan booster known as "Uncle T" was at least partly responsible for funding Connor Stalions's sign-stealing operation. In unrelated news, the Champions Circle NIL collective for Michigan disassociates itself from Tim "Totchman" Smith, a major Michigan donor and former member of the Champions Circle board.

03/16/2024: Michigan defensive line coach Greg Scruggs is arrested for drunk driving around 3:00 AM. After the incident, Scruggs was suspended indefinitely and he resigned five days later.

04/15/2024: Michigan assistant director of player personnel Denard Robinson is arrested for drunk driving after a single-vehicle crash at 3:05 AM.

04/16/2024: In a press release, The NCAA announces that Michigan has admitted to recruiting violations related to Burgergate, specifically:

Impermissible in-person recruiting contacts during a COVID-19 dead period, impermissible tryouts, and the program exceeding the number of allowed countable coaches when noncoaching staff members engaged in on- and off-field coaching activities (including providing technical and tactical skills instruction to student-athletes). The negotiated resolution also involved the school's agreement that the underlying violations demonstrated a head coach responsibility violation and the former football head coach failed to meet his responsibility to cooperate with the investigation.

As a result, Michigan received three years of probation, recruiting restrictions, and a fine consistent with a Level I infraction, and five former staff members received one-year show cause orders consistent with Level II infractions.

Former head coach Jim Harbaugh refused to cooperate with the investigation, and the NCAA referred his case to the Committee on Infractions.

07/22/2024: Netflix announces that it will release "Sign Stealer", a documentary about Connor Stalions and the Sign Stealing scandal that will air on August 27th. Connor Stalions participated in the documentary and will deny any wrongdoing, citing "loopholes" in the NCAA rules on advanced scouting and sign stealing which rendered his scheme permissible.

07/25/2024: Mere days after the Netflix announcement, the NCAA delivers a draft Notice of Allegations (NOA) to Michigan regarding the Sign Stealing scandal. The same draft NOA was also delivered to Central Michigan for its role in the scandal, namely allowing a Michigan football staffer (Connor Stalions) to be on the Chippewas' sideline for their September 1st game against Michigan State, where he was apparently filming Spartan play call signals using his special spy sunglasses (see above).

07/30/2024: Central Michigan fires quarterback coach Jake Kostner, who spent four years as a student assistant at Michigan and knows Connor Stalions personally. Kostner is believed to be the person (or one of the persons) who arranged for Stalions to be on the Central Michigan sidelines for the aforementioned Michigan State game. Central Michigan refuses to comment on the ongoing NCAA investigation but pledges to cooperate fully with investigators.

08/04/2024: The contents of the draft NOA begin to leak..... On October 17, 2023, the day that news of the Sign Stealing scandal broke, Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore (then offensive coordinator) apparently deleted 52 text messages between himself and "low-level staffer" Connor Stalions, a Level II violation. The texts were subsequently recovered by investigators using device imaging. In addition, former Michigan staff members Jim Harbaugh, Chris Partridge, Denard Robinson, and Connor Stalions were also accused of committing Level I violations for their roles in the scandal; Stalions was specifically charged with removing hard drives from the football offices, amongst other things. Michigan was also charged with a Level I violation for its "pattern of noncompliance within the football program" and institutional efforts to impede the NCAA's investigation.

08/05/2024: An Ohio State fan, Eleven Warriors message board poster, and internet sleuth using the screen name Brohio (he appears undercover in the Netflix documentary) alleges that Connor Stalions performed freelance work of some kind for the NFL's Baltimore Ravens, whose head coach (perhaps not coincidentally) is John Harbaugh, the older brother of former Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh. Brohio also claims that it is likely that former Michigan staffer Matt Weiss stole practice videos from Ohio State, or at least had stolen practice videos on his computer (see above).

08/05/2024: In a statement to the media, former Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh claims that he never lies, never cheats, never steals, then denies all knowledge of the Sign Stealing scandal.

08/07/2024: The never-lying, never-cheating, never-stealing Jim Harbaugh receives from the NCAA a one-year suspension from coaching college football and a four-year show cause order as punishment for his Level I failure to cooperate violation in the Burgergate scandal. According to the NCAA press release, Harbaugh displayed "intentional disregard for NCAA legislation" and engaged in "unethical conduct":

Throughout the investigation, Harbaugh denied his involvement in the violations, which were overwhelmingly supported by the record. Harbaugh also refused to participate in a hearing before the committee. Harbaugh's violations of the COVID-19 recruiting dead period are Level II violations, but his unethical conduct and failure to cooperate with the membership's infractions process — specifically, his provision of false or misleading information — is a Level I violation.

The NCAA also issued a 48-page report with detailed allegations, including the following from a former Michigan director of recruiting (presumed to be Matty Dudek): "The recruiting director reported that the football staff took no precautions during the visits to avoid in-person contact with the prospects ... and as a general matter, ‘the culture (in the football program) wasn’t to be safe, the culture was to go to the line and cross it if you had to.'"

08/07/2024: In response tho the NCAA's punishment, Jim Harbaugh's personal attorney, Tom Mars, accuses the NCAA of being a "kangaroo court" with an "obvious conflict of interest".

08/09/2024: In blatant defiance of the recently issued show cause order, Michigan announces that Jim Harbaugh will be the Wolverines' honorary captain for their season opener against Fresno State on August 31st.

08/13/2024: Michigan reverses course and states that Jim Harbaugh will no longer be honorary captain for the Fresno State game. Harbaugh states that he would rather "stay in the foxhole" with his current team, the NFL's Los Angeles Chargers, than take a "deep, long bow" for winning a national championship* with Michigan.

08/20/2024: In a post on Eleven Warriors, internet sleuth Brohio confirms that at least one member of the Michigan coaching staff illegally accessed Ohio State's remote video server using a stolen login and password, presumably to obtain videos of Buckeye practices. Brohio states that the "digital breadcrumbs" seem to connect former co-offensive coordinator Matt Weiss and former defensive coordinator Jesse Minter to the hacking operation. Another Eleven Warriors poster using the screen name Premierdrum (real name Ross Musick, a former TV news assignments and digital editor with WSYX and WBNS in Columbus) confirms that Michigan hacked Ohio State's server and suggests that Michigan also attempted to hack into other teams' servers. Musick states that the Hacking scandal will be dealt with in yet another NCAA investigation (we're now up to three investigations in less than two years).

08/25/2024: With the Netflix "Sign Stealer" documentary set to be released in two days time, the NCAA delivers its formal NOA to Michigan. The NOA focuses on the Sign Stealing scandal, but also contains unrelated recruiting violations (in addition to those adjudicated in Burgergate). In line with the draft NOA that was delivered on or about July 25th, four former Michigan staffers – Jim Harbaugh, Chris Partridge, Denard Robinson, and Connor Stalions – along with current head coach Sherrone Moore, are charged with Level I violations; in addition, Michigan faces a Level I violation for its “pattern of noncompliance within the football program” and efforts to impede the NCAA's investigation.

08/28/2024: In an article entitled "Michigan football's once spotless reputation in tatters after decisions to win at all cost", USA Today reporter Matt Hayes unloads on the "shameless defiance" of the renegade program up north, citing in particular school president Santo Ono and athletic director Warde Manuel for their support Jim Harbaugh, who had already been suspended and was facing a Level I violation for his role in the Burgergate scandal. Hayes then states that Harbaugh knew exactly what Connor Stalions was doing and that his sign stealing operation gave Michigan an "undeniable competitive advantage." Hayes concludes:

This is what happens when a program sells its soul for a championship, when desperation leads to deception, and worse, outright cheating and flouting of rules. When chasing (and eventually catching and passing) bitter rival Ohio State is more important than the foundational moral flex of a "Michigan Man. ... The short con paid off, everyone. Reputation be damned.

08/28/2024: The Athletic and New York Times also publish articles excoriating Michigan, and include this gem:

Roughly four hours before the 2021 Big Ten championship game, a Big Ten coach called an Iowa staffer and issued a warning. “Michigan has got all of your signals and calls,” the coach told the Iowa staffer. “I wished I’d gotten to you earlier.” That coach confirmed the context of that conversation to The Athletic. By then it was too late for Iowa to change its signals. Michigan dominated in every phase, blowing out the Hawkeyes 42-3 in Indianapolis.

10/05/2024: After a 27-17 loss at Washington, Chris Bryant, Michigan's Director of High School Relations, tells a Husky fan to "Shut the fuck up before you get fucked up." Of course, this genius-level outburst is caught on a cellphone video and posted on the website formerly known as Twitter. Michigan subsequently removes Bryant's bio from its official site.

11/13/2024: The NCAA amends the NOA based on additional information received from Central Michigan University.

12/12/2024: According to the NCAA Infractions Dashboard, an individual under investigation negotiated a resolution with the NCAA.

01/06/2025: According to the NCAA Infractions Dashboard, Michigan and an individual under investigation submitted responses to the NOA.

01/28/2025: Michigan leaks a portion of its NOA response to Yahoo sports reporter Ross Dellenger. In its response, Michigan admits essential elements of the scandal but accuses the NCAA of "overreach".

03/20/2025: After a lengthy investigation, the FBI charged former Michigan co-offensive coordinator Matt Weiss "in a 24-count indictment alleging 14 counts of unauthorized access to computers and 10 counts of aggravated identity theft." In a press release, the FBI gave the following details of Weiss's alleged conduct:

According to the indictment, between approximately 2015 and January 2023, Weiss gained unauthorized access to student athlete databases of more than 100 colleges and universities that were maintained by a third-party vendor. After gaining access to these databases, Weiss downloaded the personally identifiable information and medical data of more than 150,000 athletes. Using the information that he obtained from the student athlete databases and his own internet research, Weiss was able to obtain access to the social media, email, and/or cloud storage accounts of more than 2,000 target athletes. Weiss also illegally obtained access to the social media, email, and/or cloud storage accounts of more than 1,300 additional students and/or alumni from universities across the country. Once Weiss obtained access to these accounts, he downloaded personal, intimate digital photographs and videos that were never intended to be shared beyond intimate partners.

03/21/2025: On the day following the indictment of Matt Weiss, two female former student-athletes from the University of Michigan file a federal lawsuit against Weiss, the university, and Keffer Development Services, a firm that maintained a data base of information on more than 150,000 student-athletes. According to the lawsuit, Weiss's ability to hack into Keffer's database:

[W]as aided by the University and the Regents, both of whom permitted him to have access and use of electronic credentials that were means of viewing and downloading personal, private, and intimate images of Plaintiffs and others similar to them ... The recklessness and negligence and misconduct of the Regents, the University, and Keffer in these respects enabled Weiss to target female college athletes to obtain their private and sensitive information without authorization, including but not limited to Plaintiffs.

03/24/2025: Matt Weiss is arraigned in federal court on 24 counts of computer-related crimes; he pleads not guilty.

03/28/2025: A female student-athlete at the University of Michigan files a class action lawsuit against Matt Weiss; Michigan, the school's Board of Regents, and Keffer Development Services are named as co-defendants for enabling Weiss to commit "obscene privacy violations" against her and other female student-athletes. According to a press release issued by the plaintiff's attorney:

The university’s reckless negligence in supervising employees and securing its student data systems directly enabled Weiss to commit image-based sexual abuse against thousands of students. This isn’t just a major failure by the university — it’s an unforgivable dereliction of duty. And yet, instead of taking responsibility, the university has done nothing to protect victims, remedy the harm, or ensure this never happens again ... Due to poor cybersecurity and oversight practices from the university, Weiss was able to use his advanced access to students’ data to download personally identifiable information and medical data of more than 150,000 athletes. He then used that data to compromise passwords and hack into social media, email, or cloud storage accounts of more than 2,000 University of Michigan students and 1,300 additional students and alumni from universities and colleges across the country who also use Keffer’s databases.

04/28/2025: The NCAA announces that former Michigan football coaches Steve Clinkscale and Jesse Minter settled their respective recruiting violation cases (not related to the Sign Stealing Scandal). Clinkscale received a two-year show cause order and Minter a one-year show cause order.

05/04/2025: University of Michigan president/football fanboi Santo Ono announces that he is leaving the school to take the same position at the University of Florida (actually, he was named "sole finalist" for the job and has not been confirmed by the school). Ono's antics and defiance during the various Michigan football scandals allegedly annoyed certain important figures in the University community.

05/05/2025: Michigan suspends head football coach Sherrone Moore for two games for deleting all of his text messages with Connor Stalions, a Level 2 violation of NCAA rules. This self-imposed suspension was neither agreed to nor approved by the NCAA, and is unrelated to the underlying allegations of the Sign Stealing Scandal, which include six Level 1 violations of NCAA rules.

06/03/2025: The Florida Board of Governors rejects Santo Ono's appointment to be President of the University of Florida.

06/06/2025: The NCAA Committee on Infractions begins a two-day hearing on the Michigan Sign Stealing Scandal.

Nov 17, 2023

Ohio State vs. Minnesota: 2023 game preview and prediction
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images

The Buckeyes close out their 2023 home schedule by hosting the Minnesota Golden Gophers on Saturday.

Ohio State wraps up their 2023 home schedule on Saturday when they host the Minnesota Golden Gophers. The Buckeyes have dominated the series with Minnesota, posting a 46-7 record against the Golden Gophers.

Ohio State has won 11-straight games against Minnesota, and 27 of the last 28 meetings. The only win by the Golden Gophers during that span came in 2000 when they beat the Buckeyes 29-17 in Columbus. The last meeting between the schools came at the beginning of the 2021 season, with Ohio State winning 45-31 in Minneapolis.

An impressive performance last week

After dominating Michigan State from start to finish on Saturday night, the Buckeyes will be looking to do the same to Minnesota this week. Ohio State scored touchdowns on their first three drives to open up a 21-0 lead on the Spartans early in the second quarter. Marvin Harrison Jr. scored all three of those touchdowns for the Buckeyes, with the first of those scores being a rushing touchdown before hauling in two touchdown passes from Kyle McCord.

Harrison continued his assault on the Ohio State record books, becoming the first Buckeye receiver to amass at least 1,000 yards receiving in two different seasons. After finishing last season with 1,263 yards receiving, Harrison now has 1,063 yards receiving this year. With his 149 yards in the win over Michigan State, Harrison’s 14 career 100-yard receiving games has tied David Boston for most in school history.

Along with Harrison, a heavy target for Kyle McCord against the Spartans was tight end Cade Stover, who returned to the field after missing the game against Rutgers. Stover tied a career-high with seven receptions, finishing with 79 yards and a touchdown. Stover now has caught 75 passes in his Ohio State career, moving past Cedric Saunders and Dave Ellis last week for third-most in school history.

Throwing the football to Harrison and Stover last week was Kyle McCord, who posted a career-high 335 yards passing. Unlike previous games where McCord was inconsistent at times with his throws, against the Spartans he was on with the majority of his throws, only missing on seven of his 31 pass attempts. Heading into this week’s contest, McCord has thrown for 2,687 yards, 20 touchdowns, and just four interceptions.

While TreVeyon Henderson didn’t roll up as much yardage as he did in the previous two games, the junior running back still averaged nearly five yards per carry against Michigan State. With the Buckeyes jumping out to such a big lead early on, Henderson only carried the football 13 times, finishing with 63 yards and a touchdown. Henderson has now found the end zone at least once in each of the last six games he has played in. Since Henderson returned from injury, Ohio State has averaged over 30 yards more per game on the ground over the last three contests.

Defensive domination

When the offense is cooking like they did last week, the Buckeyes are almost impossible to beat since the defense has been one of the best in the country all year. Overall, Ohio State is fourth in college football, allowing just 262.2 yards per game, and they are second in the FBS, giving up just 9.9 points per game. The Buckeyes have been especially tough against the run, not allowing a rushing touchdown in five straight games. For the season, Ohio State has given up just three rushing touchdowns.

The defense was a bit shorthanded last week, since both Lathan Ransom and Tommy Eichenberg didn’t play against Michigan State. Ransom has been ruled out for at least the rest of the regular season, and it’s unknown if he’ll be able to play in a bowl game. The prognosis for Eichenberg is a little brighter, as Ohio State likely held him out as a precaution to make sure he is as healthy as possible for the Michigan game in a couple weeks.

Even though Ransom wasn’t able to play against Michigan State, the pass defense of the Buckeyes was in top form, allowing just 88 yards passing to the Spartans. After missing the Rutgers game, Denzel Burke was back in the lineup last week. The star cornerback leads Ohio State with nine pass breakups. Along with Burke, Jordan Hancock has been playing with a ton of confidence, while freshman Jermaine Mathews Jr. has seen valuable playing time as the season has gone on.

What has helped Ohio State still be dominant without Ransom in the lineup has been the tremendous depth they have at safety. Sonny Styles had a great game against Michigan State, adding even more highlights to his fabulous sophomore season. To balance the youth of Styles, veteran Josh Proctor continues to be a steadying force at safety for the Buckeyes, coming up with big plays in key spots.

At the other end of the defense, Tyleik Williams has been terrifying opposing offenses all year long. Williams leads Ohio State’s defensive linemen with 41 tackles, and has registered 9.5 tackles for loss this season, which is a team-high. The defensive tackle has three sacks on the season, which is just a sack behind J.T. Tuimoloau for the team lead. It’s frightening to think of just how good the Ohio State defense could be if Tuimoloau and Jack Sawyer were more constant sources of pressure on the defensive line.

Minnesota at a glance

Minnesota enters Saturday afternoon’s game on a two-game losing streak. The most recent of those setbacks came last week in West Lafayette, with the Golden Gophers falling 49-30 to Purdue. The loss kept former Ohio State graduate assistant P.J. Fleck from notching his 50th win as Minnesota’s head coach. Even though he didn’t record his 50th win, Fleck is still fifth in wins in school history.

The Golden Gophers have had little success against teams ranked in the AP top-three, posting a 8-32 record, with their last win coming in 1999 against Penn State. Along with their struggles against top-three teams, Minnesota also has lost six straight games in Columbus, which is their longest active road losing streak against one team.

Goldy’s Gophers on offense

Despite their recent losses, quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis has been playing some of his best football since becoming the starter for the Golden Gophers. Last week against Purdue, Kaliakmanis threw for a career-high 292 yards, and over the last two games he has thrown six touchdowns and no interceptions. So far this year Kaliakmanis has completed 129 of 247 passes for 1,582 yards, 13 touchdown passes, seven interceptions, two rushing touchdowns.

Kaliakmanis’ preferred target so far this year has been Daniel Jackson, who has hauled in 45 passes for 681 yards, and seven scores. Along with Jackson, Corey Crooms and tight end Brevyn Spann-Ford have also caught at least 20 passes this season. Chris Autman-Bell is back for his seventh season after he was injured early last season. The veteran has seen limited playing time this year, but it still someone the Ohio State defense will have to keep tabs on.

One thing Minnesota has done really well over the years is churn out running backs. Since 2021, seven Golden Gopher running backs have rushed for 100 yards in a game, and Minnesota has 26 100-yard games during that span. True freshman Darius Taylor looks like the next Minnesota running back that is going to have a great career. Despite missing five games with a rib injury, Taylor is still ninth in the Big Ten with 591 yards rushing.

With Taylor sidelined for the last three games, Jordan Nubin has stepped in. Three weeks ago against Michigan State, Nubin had a massive performance, carrying the football 40 times for 204 yards. Nubin is second on the team with 393 yards rushing, while Sean Tyler and Zach Evans have each rushed for over 200 yards so far this season. Tyler transferred to Minnesota from Western Michigan, while Evans is just a redshirt freshman.

Rowing the defense

The star of the Minnesota defense so far this year has been Tyler Nubin, who has four interceptions. This type of production is nothing new for Nubin, who has 12 career picks, which is tied for the most in school history. The senior defensive back is second on the team with 49 tackles, and his two interceptions in the season opener were a huge reason why the Golden Gophers were able to squeak by Nebraska 13-10. Rounding out the secondary are cornerbacks Justin Walley, Tre’Von Jones, and safety Darius Green. The quartet have started all 10 games this year at the backend of the Minnesota defense.

Leading the Golden Gophers in tackles is Maverick Baranowski, who has 52 stops so far this season. What has been so impressive about the play from Baranowski this year is he is just a redshirt freshman. Teaming with Baranowski at linebacker are Devon Williams and Jack Henderson, who each have over 40 tackles this season. Henderson has made some plays in pass defense, intercepting two passes this season.

There’s no question who is the most impactful defensive lineman for Minnesota. Danny Striggow has six sacks so far this season, which is most on the team. The senior has a sack in three of the last four games, and the next half sack will give him double digit sacks for his career. Along with Striggow, Jah Joyner, Jalen Logan-Redding, and Kyler Baugh all have at least two sacks this season. As a team, the Golden Gophers are averaging over two sacks per game.

Summary

Ohio State will want this game to look exactly like last week’s game against Michigan State. In a perfect world, the Buckeyes would jump out to a big lead, which would allow Ryan Day to pull his key players ahead of next week’s game at Michigan. The Buckeyes can’t afford to lose anyone for the game against the Wolverines. It’s a fine line though, since they are some players Day needs to get some playing time this week to get them ready for the Michigan game.

One of those players is Emeka Egbuka, who hasn’t done a lot since returning from injury. While Egbuka hasn’t had to do a ton since Marvin Harrison Jr. was so good last week, the Ohio State offense is even tougher to slow down when both Egbuka and Harrison are at the top of their game. Add in Cade Stover and the emerging Carnell Tate and it takes a lot of pressure off of Kyle McCord, who is coming off his best game as starting quarterback.

The Buckeyes can’t just assume Minnesota is going to roll over, though. The Golden Gophers are a team that plays with a lot of pride and toughness. The problem for P.J. Fleck is he doesn’t have the offensive arsenal to keep pace with Ohio State. What Fleck has to hope his team can do is control the clock with their running game, keeping the football out of the hands of McCord and the Buckeye offense.

Unfortunately for Minnesota, running the football is exactly what Ohio State wants you to do since they are so good as stopping the run. If the Buckeyes are able to stop the rushing attack of the Golden Gophers, it forces Athan Kaliakmanis to throw the football more, and even though he has been better over the last couple games, he has been turnover-prone. It feels like there is just no good way for this overmatched Minnesota offense to try and attack Ohio State.

Since this will be the final home game of the season for Ohio State, expect the Buckeyes to have little trouble in this game. Minnesota is struggling, losing their last two games, while Ohio State has momentum after their strong play last week. The Buckeyes know they are on a collision course with Michigan. For some teams this could be a look-ahead spot. Not for the Buckeyes, as they handle their business to stay undefeated this year.

LGHL score prediction: Ohio State 41, Minnesota 14

Nov 17, 2023

Three Things To Watch vs. Minnesota
Chip.Minnich via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports

Ohio State looks to send their seniors out on a winning note against the visiting Golden Gophers

One more home game in 2023 for the Ohio State Buckeyes before the coaches and players turn all of their focus towards The Game. The Minnesota Golden Gophers are making their first trip into Ohio Stadium since the 2018 season, when Urban Meyer was still the head coach of the Buckeyes, and Ohio State won, 30-14.

Senior day is always an understandably emotional affair, when players are given a final opportunity to take in the sights and sounds of Ohio Stadium for one more time. Ohio State head coach Ryan Day has a special attachment to these seniors, as these players were on the roster when Day took over as Ohio State’s head coach after Meyer.

Ryan Day on the impact the older players have made on him, as they play their last game in Ohio Stadium, Saturday, against Minnesota. pic.twitter.com/iadl6ZbZvO

— Lantern Sports (@LanternSports) November 14, 2023

While respecting the emotional significance of the last home game for the seniors, Ryan Day also has to weigh the importance of keeping players healthy. The Buckeyes are dealing with players such as Miyan Williams and Lathan Ransom out due to injury, and cannot afford to lose any starters with The Game looming.

For that reason, I believe the strategy by the coaching staff will mirror a great deal of what the Buckeyes did last week versus Michigan State — getting a lead, then playing the backups significantly in the second half of the game against Minnesota.

Below are Three Things To Watch versus Minnesota, as the game will kick off at 4:00 p.m. ET on The Big Ten Network. For those of you going, it looks like a pretty decent weather forecast in the high 40s and sunny, but it will certainly be chilly by the time this game concludes.

The Minnesota running game vs. the Ohio State run defense

As Michael Citro and I discussed on our latest Silver Bullets Podcast, Minnesota quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis is completing a little better than 50 percent of his passes. This Minnesota offense, when it has been effective, has usually relied upon its offensive line and running game to control the clock and wear down their opposition.

Tommy Eichenberg has been the heart and soul of the Ohio State defense over the past two seasons, but it would not surprise me if Ohio State tries to limit Eichenberg’s play, knowing that a very physical contest against the Wolverines is only a week away. Look for Cody Simon to get substantial opportunities manning a linebacker spot, trying to slow down a Minnesota running game that features sophomore running back Jordan Nubin.

Listed at 5-foot-11, 210 pounds, Nubin is coming off a game that saw him carry the ball 16 times for 89 yards. On the season, Nubin has rushed for 393 yards and two touchdowns.

2. Will this be another opportunity to showcase “The X-Man”?

Xavier Johnson is one of those aforementioned seniors who will be playing in front of the home crowd for the last time against Minnesota. Johnson’s versatility as both a receiver and runner provide the Ohio State offense with options on how to use him, and Johnson was well-used last week against Michigan State, with one reception for 31 yards and four carries for 40 yards.

Considering how Emeka Egbuka is not at 100% health, and how important it will be to keep Marvin Harrison Jr. healthy for the game in Ann Arbor, could “the X-Man” get a chance to dazzle the home fans one more time? Johnson is just one of several talented players on the Ohio State roster who may see significant playing time against Minnesota.

3. Can Ohio State have another “fast start” game?

Throughout the 2023 season, Ohio State fans have become exasperated with the Buckeyes seemingly being unable to get out to a fast start against their opponents. The Buckeyes had no problems with that last week against Michigan State, and perhaps they will have a similar fast start against a Minnesota team that is coming off a dispiriting 49-30 loss at Purdue.

Minnesota sits at 5-5, knowing that bowl eligibility is a legitimate question with only two weeks remaining in the regular season. Minnesota head coach P.J. Fleck will do his best to slow the game down for the Golden Gophers, but Ohio State should have too much on both sides of the ball for Minnesota to make this much of a game beyond the first half.

I have it Ohio State 42, Minnesota 14.

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Nov 17, 2023

Five-star corner, former Ohio product releases top schools list, in-state edge rusher to visit this weekend
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Dorian Brew | 247Sports

One of the nation’s top cornerbacks in the 2025 class includes Ohio State in his top schools list.

In the 2024 recruiting class, Ohio State has landed arguably the best trio of cornerback commits in the country. Thanks to some major additions with Aaron Scott Jr., Bryce West, and Miles Lockhart, the Buckeyes have totally reloaded their defensive back room in this cycle, and will look to do so in the 2025 class as well.

Position coach Tim Walton looks to be off to a great start on that front thanks to the nation’s top cornerback in the class Devin Sanchez really feeling the Ohio State vibes. There’s a long ways to go with any top recruit, but if the momentum can stay on the Ohio State side, this 2025 class could be another strong haul for defensive backs.

On Thursday, another name the Buckeyes would love to have narrowed down his list to just 10 remaining schools. Five-star target Dorian Brew took to Twitter to release his latest recruiting update, and making the cut for the 6-foot-2, 185 pound athlete included Texas, Florida State, TCU, Penn State, Michigan, Florida, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas A&M, and Ohio State. The No. 21 player nationally, Brew is the fourth best corner in the class per the 247Sports Composite, and is no stranger to Ohio State’s coaches.

The Ohio native has since moved to Texas to finish his prep career, but growing up just over an hour from Columbus has Brew more than familiar with all that the Buckeyes have to offer. The move to Texas isn’t ideal for wanting to keep Brew close to campus during his last two years of high school, but in this case, the staff isn’t overly worried that he’s now now living in the Lone Star State in regard to their chances of winning out on his eventual decision.

Brew is going to be a guy the Buckeyes are in on until the very end, and if they are fortunate enough to land Sanchez on Jan. 6 when he makes his commitment public, the race to add at least one more elite playmaker next to him will be on. Surely Walton will continue being all over this recruitment, but for now, Ohio State is definitely in the mix.

NEWS: Elite 2025 CB Dorian Brew is down to Schools!

The 6’2 195 CB from Conroe, TX is ranked as a Top 25 Recruit in the ‘25 Class

Where Should He Go? https://t.co/m8FTdoIocY pic.twitter.com/2wlZjtdgQs

— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) November 16, 2023

Quick Hits

The last home game of the season for Ohio State, this Saturday versus Minnesota marks the last time the Buckeyes have a chance to host recruits for a game day visit. As it’s been seen all season long for home games, the coaches have been able to bring in elite talent from both a national stance and from right in Ohio as well. The Buckeyes will have several recruits on hand this weekend once against, and some from right in their own back yard.

Making the short trek Saturday, Upper Arlington product Cal Thrush has an unofficial visit set up with Ohio State. A 6-foot-4, 230 pound edge rusher, Thrush is currently a three-star recruit per 247Sports and holds three offers to his name. Cincinnati, Ball State, and Kent State have thrown their name into the mix, but Cal is looking for his recruitment to take off even further.

As for Ohio State, no staff does a better job recruiting their in-state players and with this visit scheduled, the coaches clearly have their eyes on him even if they haven’t offered. A solid senior film next season or a camp invite could take place before an offer is extended by the Buckeyes, or maybe it comes even sooner. Either way, Thrush will have a shot to speak with the staff and see where he stands as soon as Saturday.

I will be at the Shoe this weekend! @OhioStateFB @etwill21 @N_Murph @R2X_Rushmen1 @jbuttermore2 @GoldenBears_FB pic.twitter.com/eYKMUh3uke

— Cal Thrush (@cal_thrush) November 17, 2023

Nov 16, 2023

No. 13 Ohio State women’s basketball hits another gear, defeats Boston College 88-66
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

A Buckeye makes personal history during a not too competitive night for Ohio State

Ohio State women’s basketball returned to the Schottenstein Center on Thursday, playing its final game before a trip south to the Bahamas. Before there could be any soaking in the sun, the Buckeyes had the Boston College Eagles in town, looking to beat the ACC side for the second season in a row.

The Boston College side lost its two top scorers in the offseason to transfers and it showed Thursday. Ohio State dominated on both sides of the court, defeating the Eagles 88-66.

Guard Jacy Sheldon picked up where the Buckeyes left off last November in Boston. After scoring 14 points and grabbing 11 steals against the Eagles in that Buckeyes win, the guard was off to a hot start on both sides of the ball again Thursday.

In the first minute and a half, Sheldon already scored on two runs to the paint, and one off a steal off an inbound pass. The steal total could’ve been more too, because the guard didn’t let the Eagles breathe.

Combine that with forwards Cotie McMahon and Taylor Thierry getting hot early and Boston College was already down 20-6 with only a half of the first quarter in the books. Thierry excelled especially. In the first six minutes, the guard/forward hybrid was busy on the boards. Thierry had four rebounds, including one offensively on only her second missed basket in three games. After her layup rolled off the rim, Thierry kept with it, grabbed the rebound and hit the layup plus a shot at the free throw line.

It was that kind of game for Thierry. The forward ended the first quarter with seven points, five rebounds and two steals in only seven minutes. When Sheldon got a rest on the bench, Thierry was playing the Sheldon role, grabbing both first quarter steals while the Buckeyes’ point guard had a break.

For McMahon, it wasn’t a game like last year where Boston College was only her second NCAA game, still learning the ropes. The Eagles faced a McMahon with odd defensive tactics. From the jump, the sophomore had a basically open lane to work in. It seemed to surprise McMahon at one point, opting to take, and make, a midrange jumper instead of running in a wide open paint.

Overall, Boston College looked listless and confused by what Ohio State offered. After the first quarter, the Buckeyes were already up 32-11.

The second quarter was much of the same, with points in the paint. With five minutes remaining in the half, Ohio State took only two shots from deep, making one. On that make it was Sheldon, who hit prestigious company with the points. It put Sheldon over the 1,500 point mark as a member of the Buckeyes.

With two minutes remaining in the half, Ohio State was up 31 points. Thierry and McMahon led the Buckeyes in scoring with 16 and 18 points respectively, and it allowed head coach Kevin McGuff the chance to give more rest to starters. Boston College cut the lead to 29, but at the half it was still out of hand, with the scarlet and gray leading 55-26.

Out of the half, Boston College’s adjustments didn’t do too much to slow down the home side.

Ohio State had its worst shooting quarter of the game to that point, 57.1%, which says more about how well the first half went. The Eagles didn’t capitalize off it though, shooting 30.8% and struggling to make any consistent baskets or have multiple good possessions in a row.

The Buckeyes extended its lead by eight points into the final quarter, putting only one starter in the game to start the final 10 minutes, guard Celeste Taylor who led the Buckeyes with five assists.

With eight minutes remaining, Coach McGuff had all bench players in to close the game out. McMahon led the Buckeyes with 24 points, followed by an 18-point eight-rebound night by Thierry and 16 points and three steals by Sheldon.

Boston College responded, still playing with energy despite a 37-point deficit. The fourth quarter began with an 8-4 Eagles run and ballooned to 20-6, cutting Ohio State’s lead down to 26. However, it was three quarters too late, falling to the Buckeyes 88-66.

1,500 Club

Sheldon’s second quarter three put the Dublin, Ohio guard up to No. 17 in Buckeyes history for points in scarlet and gray. To make it to the next milestone of 2,000 points, Sheldon has a way to go but has the history to back up it happening.

The 21/22 season ended with Sheldon scoring 631 points, the second season in a row where she led the Buckeyes in scoring.

Even though it’s possible, Sheldon is likely not too caught up with the idea. In previous milestone moments as a Buckeye, Sheldon hasn’t given them much thought in the moment. When the guard hit 1,000, it was against a ranked Maryland Terrapins in 2022. Not only did the guard not know but had to take free throws to score the win while the crowd cheered for Sheldon’s big moment.

Focusing on the Paint

Against the USC Trojans on Nov. 6, Coach McGuff’s side took 21 three-point shots. The Buckeyes took 12 against the Eagles, making six.

Instead of forcing shots, or even taking catch-and-shoot opportunities, the Buckeyes moved the ball and focused on the paint. With Boston College’s defense playing Ohio State loosely, the Buckeyes exploited.

This year, there isn’t a clear and obvious three-point shooter on the team. There are seven Buckeyes who’ve hit one from deep this year. If Thursday is any indication, Ohio State’s selective approach could continue if it yields similar results.

What’s Next

Following Thursday’s game, the Buckeyes head south, all the way to the Caribbean. Up next is the Baha Mar Pink Flamingo Championships in the Bahamas. In two days, Ohio State faces the East Carolina Pirates (Nov. 20) and the Oklahoma State Cowgirls (Nov. 22). Both games stream live on FloHoops.

Then the scarlet and gray are back home. On Nov. 26, the Ivy League comes calling with a home game against Cornell and the Big Red women’s basketball team.

Continue reading...

Nov 16, 2023

Uncut Podcast: Chris Holtmann, Roddy Gayle, and Evan Mahaffey discuss 76-52 win over Merrimack
Connor Lemons 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

Ohio State moves to 2-1 on the season after uneven win against NEC foe.

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

Listen to the episode and subscribe:

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

Following a 76-52 win over Merrimack, we spoke to Roddy Gayle, Evan Mahaffey, and head coach Chris Holtmann about what worked and what did not.

Gayle was asked about the multiple dunks he threw down, but also made a point to say that Holtmann and Jake Diebler “put him in positions where he was allowed to fail,” which has been crucially important in his development. Mahaffey talked about how Ohio State wanted to attack Merrimack’s zone, which included his ability to sit in the middle and open up the floor more for others.

Holtmann spoke afterwards and was exceedingly complimentary of Gayle, Devin Royal, and Felix Okpara, who started the game but only played 12 minutes. Holtmann said Merrimack’s big man made it hard on Okpara, and that Zed Key was “just the better option tonight.”

Connect with Connor:
Twitter: @lemons_connor

Theme music provided by www.bensound.com

Nov 16, 2023

Updated Heisman Trophy odds with two weeks remaining in the regular season
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Photo by Brandon Sloter/Image Of Sport/Getty Images

Which individual performers stand out above the rest with two regular season games to go?

All odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.

Ohio State’s Heisman Trophy odds (Current // Preseason)

Marvin Harrison Jr. (+475 // +2000)
Kyle McCord (+30000 // +2200)

With TreVeyon Henderson and Emeka Egbuka no longer on the board, both having missed multiple weeks of action this season, Marvin Harrison Jr. and Kyle McCord are the last two Heisman Trophy hopefuls standing for Ohio State. Harrison Jr. is trying to become the rare wide receiver to win the award, and has done just about everything possible to do so with over 1,000 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns on the year, finishing seven games with over 100 yards and four of over 140 yards.

McCord is a super long shot at this point, as it would be nearly impossible for him to improve his own case without also improving Harrison Jr.’s. Still, it has been a good year statically for the Buckeye QB, throwing for nearly 2,700 yards with 20 TDs and four INTs through 10 games.

Overall Heisman Trophy Top 10:

Bo Nix - Oregon (+110)
Jayden Daniels - LSU (+320)
Michael Penix - Washington (+380)
Marvin Harrison Jr. - Ohio State (+475)
Carson Beck - Georgia (+4000)
Jalen Milroe - Alabama (+5000)
Jordan Travis - Florida State (+6000)
Blake Corum - Michigan (+10000)
Dillon Gabriel - Oklahoma (+10000)
J.J. McCarthy - Michigan (+10000)

As things boil down here with just two games remaining in the regular season, it is really just a four-man race for the Heisman Trophy, with a massive drop-off after the top quartet of guys. Bo Nix is the current betting favorite, leading all of FBS with his 77.7 completion percentage while ranking second nationally in TD passes (29) to Jayden Daniels (30). Michael Penix is the leader in the clubhouse when it comes to yardage, passing for over 3,500 yards — almost 300 more than the next-best — with still two games to play. Nix and Penix will get a chance to secure a signature Heisman moment when they almost certainly face off in the Pac-12 title game, while Daniels will not get that added data point with LSU out of the running in the SEC.

Odds/lines subject to change. T&Cs apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for details.

Continue reading...

Nov 16, 2023

MC&J: Week 12’s national slate will see Oregon State try to spoil Washington’s perfect season
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports

Plus predictions for seven other interesting games outside the Big Ten on Saturday.

Last week ATS: 7-7 (2-5 National, 5-2 B1G)

Season ATS: 89-87-1 (40-51-1 National, 49-37 B1G)

Last week we were back to normal, missing on a bunch of national games while hitting on most of our Big Ten picks. The good news is we broke even for the week, still giving us a couple game cushion on .500 ahead of the last couple weeks of the regular season.

National games

No. 10 Louisville (-1.5) v. Miami (FL) - 12:00 p.m. ET - ABC

Louisville has to be really kicking themselves for dropping a game at Pitt last month. Had it not been for the setback to the Panthers, the Cardinals would be undefeated and could possibly be battling Florida State in the ACC Championship Game for a spot in the College Football Playoff. Even with the loss, Jeff Brohm has had a phenomenal first season as head coach of his alma mater.

While Louisville is soaring right now, the same can’t be said for Miami. The Hurricanes have lost their last two games, and even though they hung with Florida State last week, quarterback Emory Williams was injured late in the loss. With Williams not available to play, Mario Cristobal will turn back to Tyler Van Dyke, who has thrown 12 interceptions this season.

I’m not impressed by Cristobal and the Hurricanes. I know this could be a redemption game for Van Dyke after a tough season, but I think Louisville is going to come out on top on Saturday. The Cardinals are angling for a New Year’s Six bowl bid, and they are better on both sides of the football. Louisville continues their strong play heading into the ACC Championship Game in a few weeks.

Louisville 34, Miami (FL) 21

No. 22 Utah (-1.5) v. No. 17 Arizona - 2:30 p.m. ET - Pac-12 Network

Arizona continued their recent roll, beating Colorado last week 34-31 in Boulder to extend their winning streak to four games. Even though he didn’t see significant playing time until the end of September, Noah Fifita has been one of the best quarterbacks in the country this year, throwing 16 touchdowns and just four interceptions. What makes what Fifita has done on the field so impressive is he has been playing against some of the best teams in the country. In the six games where he has attempted at least 10 passes, five of those contests were against teams that were ranked at the time.

If the College Football Playoff rankings were based on effort, Utah would be tops in the country. Even though they have had to play such a tough schedule without quarterback Cam Rising this year, the Utes enter this game with a 7-3 record. Utah is coming off a 35-28 loss at Washington, where Bryson Barnes threw for a career-high 267 yards against the Huskies.

Even though I know Utah is going to give Arizona all they can handle in Tucson, I still like the Wildcats in this one. Arizona is playing with a ton of confidence with Fifita at quarterback during their four-game winning streak, and they have a couple of outstanding receivers in Jacob Cowing and Tetairoa McMillan. The Wildcats keep the pressure on Oregon in the Pac-12 standings with a win over the Utes.

Arizona 31, Utah 27

No. 1 Georgia (-10.5) v. No. 18 Tennessee - 3:30 p.m. ET - CBS

I apparently am never going to learn when it comes to Georgia. One week the Bulldogs will struggle a bit and then I think their next opponent can hang with them. Then Kirby Smart’s team blows that team off the map and I think their next opponent has no chance to stay within the spread. It feels like it has been that way all season.

Tennessee is coming off a 36-7 loss at Missouri last week. Joe Milton definitely isn’t it at quarterback for the Vols. While he’s serviceable behind center, he isn’t a game-changer. Milton has played college football for like 26 years, so it’s not like he hasn’t been underachieving for quite a while.

Sorry Tennessee, Hendon Hooker ain’t walking through that door. Last week the Bulldogs put up over 600 yards on Ole Miss, while the Volunteers gave up over 500 yards to Missouri. Even if Brock Bowers isn’t able to play, Georgia has too much firepower for Milton and the inconsistent Tennessee offense to keep pace with. While Dolly Parton is going to be at the game on Saturday, it isn’t going to be able to help the Vols in this one.

Georgia 41, Tennessee 20

No. 20 North Carolina v. Clemson (-6.5) - 3:30 p.m. ET - ESPN

There was a little bit of truth to what Dabo Swinney said after the Notre Dame game when he said Clemson’s stock was on the rise. Last week the Tigers built off their win over the Fighting Irish by beating Georgia Tech 42-21. Clemson has a strong rushing attack with Will Shipley and Phil Mafah, while quarterback Cade Klubnik had one of his best games last week, throwing for four touchdowns against the Yellow Jackets.

North Carolina may be ranked entering this week’s game, but I’m not all that impressed by the Tar Heels. With their weak schedule so far this year, North Carolina should be entering this game undefeated. Clemson is going to be the toughest opponent this year, and I just don’t think Mack Brown’s team is good enough to beat a Clemson team that is playing their best football of the season right now.

Clemson 38, North Carolina 28

No. 21 Kansas State (-8.5) v. No. 25 Kansas - 7:00 p.m. ET - FS1

Kansas State has dominated the “Sunflower Showdown” recently, winning the last 14 meetings with the Jayhawks. This isn’t the same Kansas team we have become accustomed to, though. Earlier this year the Jayhawks beat Oklahoma, and another win this year would give Kansas their first eight-win season since 2008.

The good news for Kansas is head coach Lance Leipold is optimistic Jason Bean will be able to play on Saturday night after suffering a head injury in last week’s loss to Texas Tech. Right now Kansas State is playing great football, having no issues in four of their last five games, with the only loss during that span being an overtime setback to Texas. I like Kansas State to win, but Kansas to cover in this one.

Kansas State 34, Kansas 30

No. 5 Washington v. No. 11 Oregon State (-2.5) - 7:30 p.m. ET - ABC

Oregon State has a chance to truly bury the Pac-12 in the final season of the conference. If the Beavers beat the Huskies on Saturday night, it will be the first loss of the season for Washington and eliminate them from the College Football Playoff race. It’s already concerning that the Huskies aren’t in the top-four right now even though they’re undefeated. A loss to Oregon State would be something Washington wouldn’t be able to overcome in their drive to make the playoff for a second time.

Lately Washington has been testing the limits. Each of the last six wins by the Huskies have come by 10 points or less. The inability of Washington to truly put opponents away could really come back to bite them on the road against a team like Oregon State. Last week the Beavers throttled Stanford 62-17 in Corvallis. Damien Martinez ran for 146 yards and four touchdowns in the blowout of the Cardinal.

The Pac-12 loves to cannibalize itself, and a win by Oregon State would be extremely on brand. Just imagine if the Beavers not only beat Washington this year, but if they win next week against Oregon. While I’m not so sure if Oregon State can win their final rivalry battle with the Ducks next week, I do like their chances on Saturday against the Huskies.

Oregon State 31, Washington 24

Florida v. No. 9 Missouri (-11.5) - 7:30 p.m. ET - ESPN

I’m definitely rooting for Florida to lose their final two games so they’ll finish the regular season 5-7. I’m not going to spend a ton of time on this game since I think it’s a mismatch. Missouri is playing at a high level right now, while the Gators have lost three straight games. Now you want me to believe that Florida can come to Missouri and keep the score within two touchdowns? I’m not buying it. Brady Cook and the Tigers roll in this one.

Missouri 38, Florida 17

No. 7 Texas (-7.5) v. Iowa State - 8:00 p.m. ET - FOX

In a way you have to feel for Texas a little bit. After getting quarterback Quinn Ewers back from injury, the Longhorns lost running back Jonathon Brooks for the rest of the season. Even with the injury, Texas is still on track to make the Big 12 Championship Game in their final season in the conference, and has an outside shot at making the College Football Playoff.

Iowa State is a team that has gotten better as the year has gone on. The Cyclones have won four of their last five games, with the only loss during that span coming to Kansas. Last week Iowa State went out to Provo and demolished BYU 45-13. Matt Campbell’s team ran all over the Cougars, piling up 234 yards rushing in the blowout.

Texas is the better team, there’s no question about that. Strange things happen in Ames, though. I’m not ready to predict an Iowa State upset here, but I do feel comfortable enough to call for the Cyclones to keep this game within a touchdown. This game has the feel of a one that will have a similar scoreline to the Kansas/Iowa State game a couple weeks ago.

Texas 27, Iowa State 20

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ScriptOhio · Nov 16, 2023

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FOOTBALL TICKET PRICING – 2024 SEASON – 8 GAMES
OPPONENT	Zone 1	Zone 2	Zone 3	Zone 4	Zone 5	Zone 6
~~SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI~~ Akron (AUG. 31)	$ 123	$ 107	$ 92	$ 79	$ 68	$ 52
WESTERN MICHIGAN (SEPT. 7)	$ 109	$ 95	$ 82	$ 70	$ 60	$ 46
MARSHALL (SEPT. 21)	$ 128	$ 111	$ 96	$ 82	$ 70	$ 54
IOWA (OCT. 5)	$ 217	$ 189	$ 163	$ 140	$ 119	$ 91
NEBRASKA (OCT. 26)	$ 202	$ 176	$ 151	$ 130	$ 111	$ 85
PURDUE (NOV. 9)	$ 202	$ 176	$ 151	$ 130	$ 111	$ 85
INDIANA (NOV. 23)	$ 163	$ 142	$ 122	$ 105	$ 90	$ 69
MICHIGAN (NOV. 30)	$ 458	$ 399	$ 343	$ 295	$ 251	$ 192
SEASON TICKET (PUBLIC)	$ 1,365	$ 1,189	$ 1,024	$ 880	$ 752	$ 596
SEASON TICKET (FACULTY/STAFF)	$ 1,094	$ 952	$ 819	$ 705	$ 602	$ 490
SEASON TICKET (STUDENT)	$ 298	$ 298

The Ohio State Buckeyes released their official schedule for the 2024-25 season.
Aug. 31 – ~~Southern Mississippi~~ Akron
Sept. 7 – Western Michigan
Sept. 14 – BYE
Sept. 21 – Marshall
Sept. 28 – at Michigan State
Oct. 5 – Iowa
Oct. 12 – at Oregon
Oct. 19 – BYE
Oct. 26 – Nebraska
Nov. 2 – at Penn State
Nov. 9 – Purdue
Nov. 16 – at Northwestern
Nov. 23 – Indiana
Nov. 30 – Michigan

Nov 16, 2023

Ohio State Wrestling: Buckeyes upset Hokies, blow the doors off some Fighting Scots
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Ohio State wrestling - Twitter/X

OSU grappled with both Virginia Tech and Edinboro this past weekend, notching two impressive results.

Ohio State wrestling began its 2023-24 season in earnest this past weekend, competing in two team duals between Friday night and Sunday afternoon. Despite the tough turnaround and tight travel schedule (to Blacksburg, VA and then back home), Tom Ryan’s grapplers stormed out of the gates by taking both duals in impressive fashion.

The level of competition changed drastically from one dual to the next – as did the final score – but both results should give OSU plenty of confidence as their ’23-24 season kicks into high gear.

To open their dual season, the Buckeyes traveled to Blacksburg on Friday to take on No. 3 Virginia Tech. The Hokies boasted ranked wrestlers at all but one weight class and were likely considered a heavy favorite. However, Ryan and his squad did not get the memo. Ohio State only took two of the first five matches, but were tied at the midway point thanks to bonus points. The Scarlet and Gray then proceeded to take four of the last five, eventually running away with the match by a score of 24-12.

OSU’s young guns (of which they have many) were the stars of the VT dual, starting with 125-pound redshirt freshman Brendan McCrone. Replacing long-time 125 staple Malik Heinselman, McCrone was tasked with taking on Eddie Ventresca of VT, a top-5 wrestler in their shared weight class. After falling behind 0-3 in the first period, McCrone went on to score a near fall and the final 11 points of the match, earning an 11-3 major decision. It was the first and perhaps most impressive upset of the night, but certainly not the last.

The Ohio State bench reacts to Brendan McCrone’s 11-3 major decision over Virginia Tech’s Eddie Ventresca at 125 pounds. pic.twitter.com/cJHnJtkQ4u

— FloWrestling (@FloWrestling) November 11, 2023

After redshirt freshman Nic Bouzakis dropped his 133-lb match to VT’s Sam Latona, returning All-American Jesse Mendez put Ohio State back on top with an 18-3 tech fall at 141. But then the tide started to turn against the Buckeyes. Dylan D’Emilio and Paddy Gallagher lost back-to-back matches at 149 and 157, both to top-6 wrestlers. This led to a brief 9-9 tie and appeared to give VT some much-needed momentum... They (VT) also had five ranked wrestlers still due to compete.

Fortunately, this is when OSU’s big men rose to the occasion. In a major way. Isaac Wilcox, Ryan’s ‘super utility player’, defeated VT’s Connor Brady at 165, putting the Scarlet and Gray up 12-9. The Hokies then tied the match again with a win at 174. However, it would prove to be the home team’s last positive result of the evening.

At 184, true freshman Ryder Rogotzke put Ohio State ahead for good with his dominant win and pin of VT’s Sam Fisher. Luke Geog (197) and Nick Feldman (HWT), both redshirt freshmen, then sealed the deal for the Buckeyes, each earning a decision over a top-20 opponent... Notice the theme here?

a winning tradition #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/fmftR3B63W

— Ohio State Wrestling (@wrestlingbucks) November 11, 2023

OSU tallied six individual wins against VT, five of them coming from grapplers in their first or second year with the program. Wilcox was the only junior or senior to notch a dub, and he has long been considered ‘just’ a utility guy. I think he becomes a staple in Ryan’s lineup this season, but that is neither here nor there. The point is, Ohio State looked great kicking off their ’23-24 campaign. And it was youth leading the way.

The Scarlet and Gray then welcomed Edinboro to Covelli Center on Sunday, and... Well, let’s just say things got ugly. OSU destroyed the Fighting Scots by a score of 53-0, earning at least a major decision in every match. Four grapplers won via fall, with three of those taking place in the first 66 seconds of the match. I personally don’t recall seeing such a lopsided result, but Edinboro was simply outclassed here. Each and every Buckeye who donned a singlet impressed during this one.

The best thing about 2-0….. #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/ZGEcUG2lak

— Ohio State Wrestling (@wrestlingbucks) November 12, 2023

Paramount to this early November result over an inferior non-con opponent, is/was the fact that Sunday’s dual victory was No. 200 for Coach Ryan at Ohio State. A newly minted member of both the OSU and Hofstra athletics hall of fame(s), Ryan now boasts 309 combined dual victories to go with his numerous conference and NCAA achievements. And with such a young team already showing this much promise, it seems certain that he will notch a few more during this ’23-24 season.

Next up, the Buckeye wrestlers will compete in a unique doubleheader. That’s right, a wrestling doubleheader! Ryan’s squad will head to New York this weekend, to face both Columbia and Hofstra in Sunday duals. Get this: Ohio State will take on the former at 11:00 a.m. ET, before making a short drive to face their coach’s alma mater in the afternoon.

But this young group seems to be up for any challenge. So find the coverage on Sunday and enjoy an entire day of OSU wrestling. Go Bucks!

Continue reading...

Nov 16, 2023

Stock Market Report: The Buckeyes dominate Michigan State, send Marvin Harrison Jr. to New York
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Brooke LaValley / USA TODAY NETWORK

The stars shined in what was maybe the best overall performance this season by the Buckeyes.

The Ohio State Buckeyes are 10-0 on the season, but now they are the No. 2 team in the country after the Georgia Bulldogs beat the brakes off Ole Miss and overtook the No. 1 spot in the latest College Football Playoff rankings. None of that matters, as the Buckeyes will now take on Minnesota before the game everyone is waiting for.

For now, let’s take a look at who helped their stock against the Spartans.

Blue Chips

Good on Good Football

I almost made this Marvin Harrison Jr., but at this point, we know he is a generational talent. We all should appreciate the short time we have left watching him in the Scarlet and Gray.

Another great thing about this season, and this game in particular, is good on good football. A lot of people use this term to describe practice competition when there is a lot of depth at different positions and the competition is strong. It also means just simply when the offense complements the defense and vice versa. This has been great to see from the Buckeyes this year, and with injuries, other guys have stepped into roles in a big way.

Solid Investments

Brooke LaValley/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

Kyle McCord

I have been on the Kyle McCord train all season, and even though we have seemingly missed a few stops, it seems like McCord is starting to settle in. He has played very well over the last few games, and the Buckeyes are still 10-0. However, let’s be honest: the only thing that truly matters is how he plays on Nov. 25 at The Big House. And I am calling it now — I think he will show up.

Cade Stover

Stover missed the Rutgers game, and his absence in the passing game was noticed. He is a Biletnikoff semifinalist and one of the top tight ends in football that is not named Brock Bowers. He finished with seven catches for 71 yards and a touchdown against the Spartans, and will continuously be a big part of the offense, especially as Emeka Egbuka continues to get healthier.

Junk Bond

Nonaggression with backups

This has been somewhat of a trend with Ryan Day, but when he puts in the backups, they just seem to run out the clock. I am not advocating for running the score up on teams, but it would be nice to see a little more than 2-for-3 for 18 yards from the backup quarterback. Let him air it out a little.

Buy/Sell

Brooke LaValley/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

Buy: Marvin Harrison Jr.’s Heisman odds

This was basically the best week possible for anyone who has money on Marvin Harrison Jr. winning the Heisman trophy. Most people would agree that right now, it is down to Bo Nix, Michael Penix Jr., Jayden Daniels, and Marvin Harrison Jr.

MHJ scored three touchdowns in one half of football and is outscoring teams on his own. There have been concerns about McCord and whether or not he can be a national title-winning quarterback, and while I don’t personally subscribe to those doubts, it has undoubtedly been a testament to Marvin Harrison Jr. that he has been able to produce no matter what, even with the injuries to Henderson, Egbuka, and Stover.

Buy: Gray Uniforms

Everything can be divisive in sports. However, I think 90-95 percent of the reaction to the gray was positive, and I personally loved them. I did see some people say they wished the gray of the jerseys and the helmet were the same, and I thought it was, so I am slightly worried about my vision.

Sell: Injuries

Of course, they happen to every team. And that does not make them suck any less. The Buckeyes could be without Lathan Ransom until at least the postseason, and maybe not even then. Miyan Williams is out for the season, and Tommy Eichenberg and Josh Proctor are dealing with injuries that seem less serious, but are still without an official timetable to return. Let’s go into the video game sliders, turn them all to zero for the injuries the rest of the season, and let the boys play.

Continue reading...

Nov 16, 2023

Buckeyes have momentum with 2025 tight end, set to host nation’s top player in 2026 this weekend
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Ohio State looks to have the lead for a four-star tight end target.

He may only be in his first full season at the helm of the tight end position, but Keenan Bailey has been a major key to Ohio State’s success at the position the last several years. Working as an assistant for both the wide receivers and quarterbacks before his full-time role, Bailey’s tenure in Columbus has landed him own position group. Of the many reasons why, recruiting is certainly up there, as he knows what he’s doing on the trail.

Looking at the 2025 class, the Buckeyes have already offered a healthy amount of players at the position, and look to have it set at taking two guys in the cycle. Of the names that have mentioned most often, none is a bigger target than Oklahoma native, Nate Roberts. A 6-foot-4, 235 pound athlete, Roberts is currently the No. 92 player nationally and the second best tight-end for the 2025 class per the 247Sports Composite.

Owning an Ohio State offer since May, the Buckeyes are one of nearly 40 programs to throw their name into the mix, and right now look to be in a great spot. It’s been mainly Ohio State and Oklahoma that are out in front in this recruitment thus far, and on Wednesday the Buckeyes picked up some more momentum as 247Sports analyst Tom Loy submitted his Crystal Ball prediction in favor of Ohio State.

With that, there’s a ton of time still in this recruitment before all is said and done, and the Sooners are certainly not out of contention yet. The staff will continue to stay on this one, but right now it is trending towards Ohio State landing an elite player at the tight end position in the 2025 class that follows a very strong 2024 haul and a roster than boasts key guys like Jelani Thurman, who we got to see a small glimpse of against Michigan State.

UPDATE: 2025 4️ TE Nate Roberts has been Crystal Balled to Ohio State By 247 Tom Loy

Roberts is a big time prospect out of the state of Oklahoma

Currently Roberts is the 2nd Ranked TE In the Class of 2025

Would be a MASSIVE GET For Ohio State pic.twitter.com/HA9MyKFxAo

— Recruiting Edits (@614EditzDSGN) November 15, 2023

Top player in the 2026 class looking to see Ohio State

With it being the last home game of the 2023 season, the Buckeyes have one last chance at hosting recruits for a game day visit, and this weekend they’ll end with a major guest on hand to see all things Ohio State. Taking advantage of some big time game days this year, the coaching staff has been able to bring in elite talent all season long, and this Saturday looks to be no different.

The No. 1 player nationally and top quarterback in the class of 2026, Julian Lewis is planning on being in Columbus this weekend when the Buckeyes play host to Minnesota. A current USC commit, Lewis has been committed since August, but taking visits elsewhere typically means he’s not ruling any one out just yet. Of course, when it comes to quarterbacks and development, the two coaches in the front of it are Ryan Day and Lincoln Riley, so it makes sense that Lewis is committed to one already and looking to see what the other has to offer as well.

The Buckeyes have the 2024 and 2025 quarterback recruiting situations taken care of and can really focus in on 2026. Sure, a USC commitment means something, but this far away from Lewis signing anything, the Buckeyes know they have more than enough time to make up ground. The first step of getting him on campus looks to already be underway, and then all bets are off. When you have the run of success at the most important position like the Buckeyes do, you’re never out of the game.

At any rate, there’s no telling what could happen in the next year or two, so Ohio State wanting to get in the mix here is no surprise. Odds are Lewis will leave Columbus with a lot to think about.

Carrollton (Ga.) High Top247 2026 QB Julian Lewis - @247Sports No. 1 prospect in the sophomore class - will visit #OhioState this weekend. Story here: https://t.co/LAapHO0yvZ

— Steve Wiltfong (@SWiltfong247) November 15, 2023

Quick Hits

It’s almost a tradition or a right of passage seeing Ohio State commits play their last prep game in San Antonio, Texas, and this year the Buckeyes will have another strong showing once again at the All-American Bowl.

Receiving his jersey on Wednesday, current Buckeye commit Justin Scott is another to add to the watchlist for the Jan. 6 contest. The No. 12 player nationally, Scott is the third best player at his position and the top player from Illinois per the 247Sports Composite and one of the more important commits to this 2024 haul.

No. 1 Player in Illinois

Welcome ️️️️️ Justin Scott (@juustinscott) to the 2024 All-American Bowl @NBCSports #GoBucks #AABCO2ON4TION #AllAmericanBowl @adidasFballUS pic.twitter.com/JgmLbxHWOx

— All-American Bowl (@AABonNBC) November 16, 2023

Nov 16, 2023

Game Preview: No. 13 Ohio State women’s basketball vs. Boston College
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

COLLEGE BASKETBALL: NOV 13 Women’s Ohio State at Boston College

Photo by Erica Denhoff/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

The Columbus leg of a home-and-home matchup from last season will look different this time around, for both sides

With the constant conference shuffling of universities in the last few years, a recent casualty was basketball’s ACC/B1G Challenge. Since 2007 on the women’s side, Ohio State women’s basketball took on a team from the predominantly east coast conference, culminating in a win over the Louisville Cardinals in the final iteration during the 22-23 season.

This year, the Ohio State women’s continues the tradition, in a way, taking on the Boston College Eagles in Columbus. Part of a two-year home-away agreement, both the Buckeyes and Eagles enter Thursday’s game with key differences that will impact the game.

Preview

Ohio State enters Thursday off a one-sided victory against the IUPUI Jaguars at the Schottenstein Center. The game showed that the Buckeyes can look cohesive for four quarters, unlike its first game of the season against the USC Trojans. However, the opponent wasn’t nearly the same caliber.

Against Boston College, the challenge is higher than Sunday, but it isn’t a game between two evenly matched sides. From the Eagles perspective, a win over the Buckeyes would be a big upset.

That’s because the team that Ohio State faced, and beat, last year in New England isn’t the same side head coach Kevin McGuff’s side can expect to enter the Schottenstein Center. The Eagles fell 82-64, and this time around Boston College is without their two leading playmakers.

Forward Maria Gakdeng and guard Taina Mair, the two leading scorers for the Eagles, transferred out after featuring prominently for head coach Joanna Bernabei-McNamee. Starting every game for Boston College, the duo both left for other ACC schools: Gakdeng to the North Carolina Tar Heels and Mair to rival Duke Blue Devils.

Versus the Buckeyes on Nov. 13, 2022, Mair had 10 assists, seven points and three steals in her third NCAA game. The 6-foot-3 forward Gakdeng led all Eagles with 13 points, adding five rebounds in what was actually a subdued game for a big going up against Ohio State’s usually light paint defense against impressive post players.

Now, the lineup for the Eagles looks a lot different, returning two starters from the end of the 22-23 campaign. In terms of new blood, there’s one transfer and four freshman taking up spots on the roster. From the West Virginia Mountaineers is guard Savannah Samuel, who hasn’t played a minute for the Eagles this season.

In terms of experience, there are two seniors and four juniors on a squad of 14 players, meaning there’s a distinct advantage to the Buckeyes who are a team on the older side, in terms of NCAA squads. It’s a situation ripe for Ohio State to take advantage.

Returning for the Buckeyes are the same four who faced the Eagles last year, minus guard Taylor Mikesell. Standing out was Ohio State guard Jacy Sheldon, who had a double-double with points and steals with 14 and 11, respectively. This year, Sheldon is playing as consistent as the healthy guard from two seasons ago when the scarlet and gray won a share of the Big Ten regular season title.

Across Ohio State’s two games, Sheldon averages 19.5 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists. Plus three steals per game, playing above career averages, although there’s a small sample size for the 23/24 season.

Sheldon’s looked healthy again, diving on the court for loose balls and forcing turnovers, even if she’s not the one grabbing as many steals as the start of last season. Still, six steals in two games is impressive for any NCAA athlete, even if the Sheldon of 22/23 grabbed 17 in two games to start the season.

Instead, Sheldon’s splitting the defensive guard load with Duke transfer Celeste Taylor. Although the pair looked a little disjointed against USC, the reps against IUPUI showed the duo’s capabilities. Against Boston College, it’ll be a slightly larger test.

On the opposition is still dangerous players, most notably guard Dontavia Waggoner. The former NC State guard had a career high six steals against the Buckeyes in Boston last year. Also adding nine points and close to a career high in rebounds with 13. The guard’s energy caught Ohio State off guard, and made life difficult for the Buckeyes when Waggoner was on the court, giving a matchup to watch on Thursday.

This season, the Eagles are 2-1. None of the three games came against Power Five conference opponents, beating Holy Cross and Northeastern, with a loss to Harvard sandwiched between the two victories. None of the wins have been convincing either, beating Holy Cross by five and Northeastern by nine.

Something in the visitor’s favor is what lies ahead for the scarlet and gray, potentially shifting focus to next week. After Thursday, Coach McGuff’s side heads to the Bahamas for two games in three days, facing the East Carolina Pirates and Oklahoma State Cowgirls.

Lineup Notes

Forward Taylor Thierry is 8-for-9 from the floor this year, missing one three. Thierry leads Buckeye starters in efficiency, rebounds and her 14.0 points per game is third on the team.
After taking no free throws against the Trojans, forward Cotie McMahon was more aggressive against IUPUI, getting to the line 10 times, making eight.
Forward Taiyier Parks recovered from a tough five minutes against USC to a 12-point, five-rebound performance in only 14 minutes against IUPUI.

Lineup Notes

Boston College is last in the ACC in shooting efficiency heading into Thursday, shooting 36.2% from the field.
Waggoner leads the Eagles and the entire conference in shot attempts after three games, but is shooting a career low 38.8%.
For the shooting concerns, Boston College takes care of the ball, ranking 22nd in the nation averaging 11 turnovers per game

Prediction

The upcoming trip to the beach won't be a distraction for the Buckeyes. The competitors on Ohio State grew against IUPUI, and Thursday will be much of the same. Ohio State gets off to a strong start, thanks to forward Rebeka Mikulášiková who will control the paint early.

Similar to the IUPUI game, starters won’t have to play more than 30 minutes in the contest, although most of the Buckeyes’ top players didn’t even reach 20 minutes against the Jaguars. Taylor will be on Waggoner and limit attempts, and Ohio State will cruise to a comfortable win against the ACC side.

How to Watch

Date: Thursday, Nov. 16, 2023
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
Where: Schottenstein Center, Columbus, Ohio
Stream: B1G+

LGHL Prediction: 89-62 Ohio State Buckeyes

Wooden Watch

On Tuesday, The Wooden Award, in honor of former legendary UCLA men’s basketball coach John Wooden, included three Buckeyes in its top 50 for the 23-24 season. Graduate senior guards Sheldon and Taylor joined sophomore forward McMahon on the list.

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A post shared by Ohio State WBB (@ohiostatewbb)

Given out by the Los Angeles Athletic Club, the historically men’s award branched out to the women’s game beginning the ‘03-04 season. Since its inception, only one player from the Big Ten received the honor, and that came last season when Iowa Hawkeyes megastar Caitlin Clark swept most Player of the Year honors.

If a Buckeye wins, it’ll be the second time the university overall has won the honor, after men’s guard Evan Turner won it for the ‘09-10 season.

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Nov 15, 2023

Moments that mattered: Ohio State’s slightly concerning (but still a win), win over Merrimack
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

NCAA Basketball: Merrimack at Ohio State

Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports

The Buckeyes were able to emerge victorious Wednesday night, but it wasn’t comfortable, and I feel gross for watching all of it.

Undefeated no more, Ohio State (2-1) returned to the hardwood Wednesdy evening, looking to get back on track after a tight home loss to No. 13 Texas A&M on Friday night. While on paper the Merrimack Warriors (2-2) looked like a far inferior opponent compared to either of the Buckeyes’ first two foes, head coach Chris Holtmann noted last week that it does run a primarily zone defense, which will give his team an opportunity to improve after struggling against Oakland’s zone last week.

Merrimack lost its first game of the season to Vermont, before winning games against Division-III Worcester State and Maine. They came into the game as the No. 312 team in the nation according to KenPom, out of 362. If you were curious, Merrimack College, with an enrollment of 4,229, is located in North Andover, Massachusetts.

With leading scorer Jordan Derkack out with a left leg injury, eighth-year head coach Joe Gallo went with a starting five of Adam Clark, Jaylen Stinson, Devon Savage, Samba Diallo, and Bryan Etumnu. Of those five, only Savage and Diallo averaged six or more points per game last season. Chris Holtmann countered with Bruce Thornton, Roddy Gayle, Jamison Battle, Evan Mahaffey, and Felix Okpara — the same five that’ve been used in each of the first two games.

It wasn’t the prettiest first few minutes, but Ohio State did jump out to a 16-7 lead by the under-12 media timeout. The Buckeyes actually did a good job early throwing the ball to the elbow and below the basket to get better looks, but just blew a few easy shots. Roddy Gayle started the game off with back-to-back triples, and after that the Buckeyes almost exclusively operated below the basket for the next six to seven minutes.

Rejected @OhioStateHoops pic.twitter.com/zYr4AuUyBU

— FOX College Hoops (@CBBonFOX) November 16, 2023

The Warriors went on a 12-4 run over a five-minute stretch to get back within four points at one point, but Ohio State held on and went to the locker room up 35-29. It was an uninspiring first half five days after nearly knocking off a top-25 team at home. Gayle was superb in the first half with 13 points on 5-6 shooting, but his nine teammates combined to shoot 4-22 and score 22 points. Devon Savage led the Warriors with eight first-half points.

You need to see this dunk from @roddy_gayle. pic.twitter.com/vEIMeywYKo

— Big Ten Men's Basketball (@B1GMBBall) November 16, 2023

Truthfully, Ohio State probably would’ve been losing this game at halftime if Merrimack didn’t foul 14 times and send the Buckeyes to the line 20 times in the first 20 minutes.

After their lead shrunk to just four points a few minutes into the second half, Ohio State responded with an 8-0 run, capped off by a Bruce Thornton-to-Roddy Gayle inbounds slam, to push their lead back to 43-31 with 14 minutes left in the game. The Buckeyes started to pick up the pace and try to make Merrimack look vulnerable in transition, and it worked enough to give OSU some breathing room.

He can't be stopped tonight. @roddy_gayle is on fire for @OhioStateHoops. pic.twitter.com/eexKcWGMyX

— Big Ten Men's Basketball (@B1GMBBall) November 16, 2023

Ohio State extended its lead to 59-43 with 7:24 left in the game thanks to a Jamison Battle three, which also represented the largest lead of the evening. The Buckeyes mostly avoided shooting from the perimeter in this one — whether that was a conscious effort after struggling so badly, or because they didn’t want to shoot over the zone, we may never know. But second-half triples from Gayle, Battle, and Bruce Thornton all helped take Ohio State’s uncomfortably small lead and push it to an insurmountable one in the closing minutes.

By the time all was said and done, the Buckeyes had wrapped up a win that looks easy in the box score but was anything but in real life, 76-52. They were led by Gayle, who had 20 points to go along with five rebounds and three assists. Battle also scored in double digits with 13. Savage led Merrimack with 14 points on 5-11 shooting.

If you weren’t around tonight to catch Ohio State’s win over reigning NEC champ Merrimack in front of dozens of adoring fans at the Schott, here are few of the moments that mattered:

“Hot Rod” (2007) starring Roddy Gayle Jr.

Gayle started the season by missing his first seven three-point attempts of the year, which was a little concerning considering the heater he went on in the Big Ten Tournament last season. He was able to finally take the lid off the basket on Wednesday night, knocking down back-to-back three-pointers on consecutive possessions to start the game and put Ohio State up 6-0 early.

Devin Royal’s first collegiate basket

Devin Royal didn’t attempt a shot against Oakland and only took one shot against A&M, but there were expectedly more opportunities on Wednesday for the local product. After missing two good looks below the basket in the first half, Royal dropped in a layup off the glass with 8:19 left in the first half to give Ohio State a 23-11 lead.

Merrimack’s 7-0 run

A 7-0 run isn’t huge and typically isn’t noteworthy, but in a game played at a snail’s pace like tonight’s, it makes a difference. After Royal’s bucket with 8:19 left in the first half made it 23-11, the Warriors went on a 7-0 run over the next 1:27 to get right back into the game. Clark had two of the baskets, and his second layup during the run, with 6:52 to go, got the Warriors back within five points.

Don’t play with your food!

There was no reason for Ohio State to even entertain Merrimack Wednesday night. With all due respect to the Warriors, they are a sub-300 team in KenPom, and their only double-digit scorer was out Wednesday night.

Still, Ohio State refused to put them away. Merrimack started the second half by hitting just one of their first five shots and turning the ball over twice, giving the Buckeyes a prime opportunity to push their lead to double digits. Instead, Ohio State turned the ball over on three of their first six possessions to start the second half, and actually watched their lead shrink to four points after about three minutes of play in the second half.

10-0 run pushes lead to double digits

Ohio State came out flat in the second half, allowing Merrimack to cut their lead to four points, 35-31. But after Etumnu’s layup at the 19:26 mark, Merrimack didn’t score for over seven minutes. The Buckeyes outscored them 10-0 during that period, taking a 45-33 lead by the under-12 media timeout.

Part of that 10-0 run was a flashy inbounds alley-oop from Bruce Thornton to Roddy Gayle, as one freshman found the other for a big dunk that gave us shades of Aaron Craft to Sam Thompson nearly a decade ago.

Battle, Thornton seal the deal from real far away

Merrimack closed the lead to just six points with 9:24 left in the game, but the Buckeyes responded with a 16-0 run to essentially put this one away. During that run, Battle and Thornton took turns hitting three’s on back-to-back possessions, and then two possessions later Battle hit another — his second of the game and second in the last 2:20 — to stretch the lead to 59-43.

Ohio State didn’t take a ton of three-pointers in this game, but did finish 7-13 (53.8%) from the beyond the arc.

Up Next:

Ohio State (2-1) gets three days off and will return to action Sunday afternoon against MAC cellar-dweller Western Michigan (0-3). The Broncos finished last in the MAC last season, and that’s where they sit right now as well. WMU is the No. 307 team in the country, according to KenPom.

The Buckeyes’ game against Western Michigan tips off at 4:00 p.m. Sunday and will be broadcast on BTN.

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Nov 15, 2023

Ohio State keeping tabs on Northwestern offensive line commit
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

2024 OL Gabe VanSickle | Dan Harker, 247Sports

The Buckeyes are still looking to add another blocker to their 2024 class.

Ohio State’s current 2024 recruiting class has a few remaining spots up for grabs. The nation’s second-ranked class per 247Sports, the Buckeyes boast 23 guys currently committed, but are looking to secure a couple more before it’s on to 2025 and 2026. Of those spots, the trenches are where a lot of the focus is for Ohio State’s staff right now, and rightfully so.

Specifically speaking, the offensive line is a huge area of importance for Ohio State, and though there’s three players at the position in the fold right now, adding another offensive tackle has long been the goal here. IMG Academy product Jordan Seaton has always been the desired candidate, but his canceled visit for this past weekend against Michigan State as a result of a practice schedule conflict has soured the confidence that he will wind up in the class.

Seaton has made it public that he wants to visit, and that he does think highly of the Buckeyes, but until he’s actually able to step foot on campus, it’s a little far-fetched to believe he will choose Ohio State. That said, the staff is still working overtime to get him back in Columbus, and will do so as long as they feel they have a shot.

Looking elsewhere, the Buckeyes know they have to have a backup plan. There’s a couple of names that come to mind when thinking along these lines. From a recency bias, the staff was able to bring in Gabe VanSickle this past weekend, and that’s where our focus lies today.

A possible flip-candidate worth watching

A 6-foot-5, 285 pound tackle, VanSickle has been committed to Northwestern since May of this year. Knowing the changes that program has seen over the last several months, it’s a little more clear to see why he chose to visit the Buckeyes this past weekend. In doing so, there’s been an aura of growing confidence that he could be a realistic flip-candidate for Ohio State.

A Coopersville, Michigan native, VanSickle plays in the same football conference as the high school team I coach, and is a load to deal with. It is a given that he is the best player on his offensive line, but he’s one of the better players at his position in the state overall. Having faced him in week three of the season, there was game planning involved to scheme around him, and even still his presence was felt.

Following his visit, there hasn’t been a ton of talk about his plans. Being a prospect that isn’t super active and vocal on social media, it’s not out of the ordinary, but this is a recruitment worth following. If the Buckeyes are unable to make any progress with Seaton, surely the efforts with VanSickle will increase.

VanSickle is a three-star recruit, and the No. 61 interior offensive lineman as well as the No. 14 player out of Michigan, per the 247Sports Composite. At any rate, his senior film is worth watching:

VanSickle was one of three potential flip candidates in attendance for the Michigan State game that Ohio State will be working on trying to sway away from their current pledges, with the other two being Florida defensive line commit Amaris Williams and Miami wide receiver commit Chance Robinson.

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Nov 15, 2023

Hangout in the Holy Land Podcast: Michigan football’s unfathomable victim mentality, plus a preview of Ohio State’s home finale against Minnesota
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports

After weighing in on the Michigan football saga - again - Josh and Chuck preview the game before The Game.

The latest episode of Land-Grant Holy Land’s flagship podcast is here! Join LGHL’s Josh Dooley and Chuck Holmes as they discuss Ohio State football, recruiting, and much, much more! Come for the hot takes, stay for the warm ones.

Listen to the episode and subscribe:

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

On this episode of “Hangout in the Holy Land,” the dynamic duo is back together, and they’ve got some bones to pick. Josh and Chuck call out University of Michigan football coaches - as well as the university’s ‘leadership’ - for their absurd behavior.

Is U of M’s response to Big Ten punishment legit? Or some form of obnoxious trolling?

Next, after a quick recap of Ryan Day’s Tuesday press conference, the Hangout boys jump into a preview of Ohio State-Minnesota (on the gridiron). The Buckeyes host their final home game of the 2023-24 season Saturday, with a trip to Ann Arbor looming in the not-so-distant future.

So for OSU, this weekend’s gameplan should focus on starting fast, scoring often, and hopefully sitting stars late.

Please make sure to like, rate, review, and subscribe to the podcast! And as always, Go Bucks!

Connect with the pod
Twitter: @HolyLandPod

Connect with Josh Dooley
Twitter: @jdooleybuckeye

Connect with Chuck Holmes
Twitter: @ctholmes3

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Nov 15, 2023

Ohio State Men’s Basketball vs Merrimack: Game Preview and Prediction
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Buckeyes will look to bounce back from their loss to Texas A&M against the Warriors.

The Ohio State Buckeyes men’s basketball team is back in action Wednesdy night against the Merrimack Warriors.

The Buckeyes (1-1) are coming off a loss to No. 13 Texas A&M at home on Friday night, 73-66. Ohio State defeated Oakland in the season opener 79-73 to start the season last Monday.

It’s been an interesting 80 minutes of basketball for the Buckeyes thus far. They have looked solid at times and, at others, struggled to hit the deep ball and rebounding — particularly on the defensive end

Against Texas A&M, the Buckeyes were outrebounded 45-35 and allowed 16 offensive rebounds compared to their own 12. Henry Coleman recorded 20 points and 11 rebounds on 8-for-14 shooting in 36 minutes and was the main difference maker for the Aggies, making it difficult down low for both Zed Key and Felix Okpara.

Wade Taylor and Tyrese Radford make up possibly the best backcourt the Buckeyes will see all season, and they took the game over late, combining for 42 points, seven rebounds, and four assists.

Both teams struggled from behind the three-point line, with the Aggies shooting 3-for-18 and the Buckeyes shooting 4-for-19.

Ohio State looks to bounce back with two home games against inferior opponents as they prepare for the Emerald Coast Classic over Thanksgiving weekend, where they will play No. 24 Alabama and then either Oregon or Santa Clara.

Preview

Kris Craig / USA TODAY NETWORK

Sophomore guard Bruce Thornton has been the Buckeye’s leading scorer to this point, averaging 20.5 points per game after scoring 17 against Oakland and 24 against Texas A&M. However, against the Aggies, Thornton was 8-for-20 and found himself in some situations where the ball stopped moving and was forced to try and create the offense for himself. Thornton added five assists and had no turnovers, which is incredibly impressive against a guard of Taylor’s caliber.

Roddy Gayle had another solid stat line, recording nine points, seven rebounds, and six assists. Although he struggled offensively, shooting just 4-for-12 from the field and 0-for-3 from three-point range.

Jamison Battle joined Thornton as the only other Buckeye in double-figures with 10 points, but he struggled with foul trouble through much of the second half and played just 23 minutes.

Zed Key finished with eight points and seven rebounds on 4-for-5 shooting from the field.

Merrimack is led by stellar sophomore guard Jordan Derkack, who is averaging 16.3 points per game and 7.3 rebounds per game. However, Derkack is “questionable” for this game after injuring his left leg in Merrimack’s win over Maine this past weekend.

The Warriors made national headlines last season as they won the Northeast Conference, but could not go to the NCAA tournament due to NCAA rules from transferring Division II to Division I. Because they could not participate, the NEC automatic bid went to Fairleigh Dickinson; the rest is history.

The Warriors lost a lot from last year’s team. Jordan Minor averaged 17.4 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks per game, but transferred to Virginia in the offseason. Ziggy Reid averaged 14.2 points per game last year, and transferred to Youngstown State. Javon Bennett averaged 9.6 points per game and transferred to Dayton.

Now, the Warriors have ushered in a new era and are led by Derkack, Adam Clark, Samba Diallo, and Devon Savage. They are 2-1 with a 12-point loss to Vermont to start the season but wins over Worcester State and Maine.

Prediction

Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Buckeyes are coming into this one with a stale taste in their mouth after the loss to the Aggies, and the best way to get that out is to get off to a solid early start.

Ohio State is a much better team than the Warriors, but Merrimack runs a fairly unique defense and won their conference last season, so the chance for this one to be close at least early in the game is decent.

However, the Buckeyes are the better team, which will take over as the game progresses. This is a great game to work on the things that held them back against Oakland and Texas A&M, like securing rebounds and not allowing second-chance points, their on-ball defense, and knocking down shots from behind the arc.

This should be a comfortable home win for the Buckeyes; if it is not, we will allow the panic button to be placed on the table, within arm’s reach.

On the bright side for fans, this is the first game that is not on streaming. While the Oakland game was on Big Ten Network Plus and the Texas A&M game was on Peacock, this one is on the good ole Big Ten Network.

ESPN BPI: Ohio State 91.1%

Time: 7:00 p.m. ET

TV: Big Ten Network

LGHL score prediction: Ohio State 82, Merrimack 60

Nov 14, 2023

Bucketheads Podcast: Recapping the Texas A&M loss, and why it is okay not to panic yet
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

Two games in, and some people have hit the panic button. It is okay to keep it in the drawer, at least for right now.

“Bucketheads” is LGHL’s men’s basketball podcast, hosted by Connor Lemons and Justin Golba. Every episode, they give you the latest scoop on the Ohio State Buckeyes and everything else happening in the college hoops world.

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

On the newest episode of “Bucketheads,” Connor and Justin recap the Texas A&M loss. As always for Ohio State Buckeyes’ men’s basketball home games, Connor was boots on the ground and covering the game while Justin watched it, like everyone else, from his couch.

Was the loss to Texas A&M concerning? Or just one loss against a good team? What were the main takeaways from the Buckeyes’ loss, and how can they improve on that moving into the Emerald Coast Classic?

Also, we talk about the Gavitt Games, what is going on with the Big Ten, and Justin's rant about Kent State-James Madison.

Be sure to like and subscribe to the podcast and leave a review of what you think of the show!

Connect with the Podcast:
Twitter: @BucketheadsLGPN

Connect with Connor:
Twitter: @lemons_connor

Connect with Justin:
Twitter: @justin_golba

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Nov 14, 2023

Lack of respect for Taylor Thierry’s shooting is a benefit for Ohio State women’s basketball
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

There was a different Taylor shooting big shots for the Buckeyes on Sunday.

When talking about the 23-24 edition of Ohio State women’s basketball, the conversation usually includes a name from previous years in guard Taylor Mikesell. The lights-out shooting guard was well known for getting to practices and games early to take extra shots, which led to big moments in games, and Buckeye victories. On Sunday, fans got a small glimpse of another lights-out shooting performance by a different Taylor: Junior guard/forward Taylor Thierry.

Sunday, in a lopsided victory against IUPUI, Thierry was the most efficient scorer for either side. The guard had 12 points on 3-for-3 shooting, plus a perfect 4-for-4 from the line. Zoom out a bit to look at both games for Ohio State and Thierry is 8-for-9 from the floor and 10-for-10 from the free throw line. The lone shot missed by Thierry was a three-point attempt against the USC Trojans on Monday, Nov. 6.

Against IUPUI, Thierry made up for that.

Of the forward’s three shots on Sunday, all of them were from deep, with one counting as a long two because of her foot on the line. They were also taken from the corner, without the safety of the backboard for a lucky bounce or two.

While the shooting did impact Thierry’s rebounding numbers, grabbing only two which is under Thierry’s 2022-23 average of 6.5 per game, it's indicative of the type of shooter opponents should expect, even though so far they haven’t.

“Yeah, I told you, she’s a great shooter,” said forward Cotie McMahon. “She has more opportunity to be able to get those looks because people aren’t gonna be respecting her shot as much because last year she just didn’t look to, you know, shoot it.”

Last year, head coach Kevin McGuff didn’t need always Thierry to shoot the ball. The guard/forward hybrid used outstanding technique and athletic ability to grab rebounds and hit layups. Also adding mobility and ball handling in the paint to her game. While Thierry still showed those abilities in Ohio State’s loss on opening day to USC, Sunday showed that Thierry can’t be pinned to a player who will hurt a team inside the post.

Sunday’s shooting performance wasn’t a flash in the pan or the planets aligning. Thierry’s shots been refined over her two seasons at Ohio State. It's grown on the practice court.

Thierry, like Mikesell, spent more time in the gym to work on her shooting. After team practices, the Cleveland, Ohio native was in the facility taking shots. It didn’t always show up in the game, which is linked to confidence in that ability.

“I mean, she’s a really talented player,” said Coach McGuff. “I think we need her to be assertive, and she was today, and we need more of that effort.”

Against IUPUI, Thierry didn’t hesitate. When McMahon drew attention while driving in the lane, the forward found Thierry in the corner for a catch-and-shoot. On the next possession, Thierry repeated it. Last year, in similar situations, Thierry was more apt to hesitate and unload to a teammate.

That work by Thierry is going to stretch the court for the Buckeyes this season, giving her teammates more room to work. It’ll also tire out forwards who want to cover the threat. While Thierry starts the game as a guard, so far this season, she’s also played the No. 5 role for the Buckeyes. It creates a mismatch where Thierry either brings the opposing big out of the paint, gives Thierry a favorable matchup against a smaller guard, or allows a teammate to go to the basket without a forward or center looming under the basket.

Thierry isn’t getting the same kind of attention others with her skills receive. The soft-spoken hybrid threat hasn't reached the national conversation, but don’t expect that to last if her start to the season is consistently repeated throughout the campaign.

“I feel like she’s always kind of been the underdog,” said McMahon. “With T-Mike (Mikesell) being gone, yes, it was a blessing having her here. She was a great player, but it just opens opportunity for other players to kind of, you know, feel like they have the chance to be that next star player. So, I feel like for Taylor, she’s more confident.”

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pnuts34 · Nov 14, 2023

247
Rivals
HudL
ON3

Class: 2025
Position: OL
School: Las Vegas(NV) Bishop Gorman
Height: 6-foot-6
Weight: 300lbs

https://buckeyeswire.usatoday.com/2...s-utu-offered-2025-offensive-tackle-buckeyes/

Nov 14, 2023

Michigan showed flaws against Penn State, while Ohio State is surging at the right time
Megan.Husslein 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 11 Michigan at Penn State

Photo by Randy Litzinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

I don’t want to jinx anything, but I’m feeling pretty good about the Buckeyes.

TTUN’s first true test of the season came this past Saturday at Penn State at its whiteout game. The Wolverines may have pulled out the win, but they didn’t look the greatest while doing so. Meanwhile, the Buckeyes looked absolutely dominant against Michigan State. This bodes very well in preparation for The Game in just two weeks.

Michigan relied almost entirely on its run game in order to take down the Nittany Lions. J.J. McCarthy went 7-of-8 and only threw for 60 yards. 60! Meanwhile, Blake Corum rushed for 145 yards on 26 carries, and Donovan Edwards added another 52 yards on 10 carries. At one point in the game, they ran the ball 32 straight times.

It is highly unlikely that the Wolverines will be able to do that against Ohio State, or that they will try to do so. They can, but they definitely won’t experience the same success as they did against Penn State — at least I would hope. Jim Knowles has gotten this defense into shape, and that includes the run defense.

Photo by Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images

The Buckeyes held six different opponents under 100 yards rushing this season, including holding Penn State to under 50 yards on the ground, while allowing just three rushing scores. However, they did allow Rutgers’ Kyle Monangai to rush for 159 yards against them, but look... the Bucks still won. Corum may not be as efficient as he was a season ago, but he has still averaged 5.2 yards per carry with 18 rushing touchdowns and will provide another stiff test for the Ohio State run defense.

The good news for Ohio State is that they looked to find a bit of a groove on offense last time out. Marvin Harrison Jr. and Kyle McCord looked phenomenal Saturday against Michigan State. I realize it was against the Spartans, which doesn’t mean much, but it definitely was comforting to see how capable of greatness that duo is. We all knew this about Marv, but to see McCord have such a strong performance was a confidence booster to both fans and him.

Now, Michigan does currently have the top overall defense in the nation. Drew Allar and the Nittany Lions still managed to put up two touchdowns, scoring 15 points against the Wolverines compared to 12 against Ohio State. Both teams finished their games allowing nearly identical yardage to Penn State, with Michigan giving up 238 total yards and Ohio State giving up 240. The Buckeyes, however, allowed just one touchdown, which came in the final minutes with the game already in hand.

Photo by Jason Mowry/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Ohio State’s offense has a much higher ceiling than Michigan’s when fully healthy, especially considering they can lay claim to the best wide receiver in all of college football. Assuming TreVeyon Henderson, Harrison Jr., Emeka Egbuka, and Cade Stover all play, Michigan will certainly have their hands full. Penn State was the best offense they have played all year — which isn’t saying much — and they gave up 15 points, so it’s not impossible to think the Buckeyes can have success if they execute their game plan.

So, my main takeaway from the Michigan/Penn State game? Michigan is beatable, especially against this Ohio State team. I don’t put a ton of stock in the fact that Michigan has the No. 1 overall defense because they haven’t played really any good offenses besides Penn State. Are they talented? Of course. A bit overrated? Definite possibility.

Meanwhile, if the Buckeyes have a game like they did against MSU this Saturday against Minnesota, I think they will be peaking at just the right time as they head to Ann Arbor. Only two more weeks, my friends!

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Nov 14, 2023

Breaking down Ohio State’s 38-3 win over Michigan State by the numbers
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

NCAA Football: Michigan State at Ohio State

Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports

The Buckeyes were dominant from start to finish on Saturday night in Columbus.

On Saturday night, Ohio State dominated Michigan State from start to finish, beating the Spartans 38-3. Not only did the Buckeye defense continue to stand their ground, the offense was cooking early and Michigan State had no answers for Kyle McCord, Marvin Harrison Jr., and the rest of the Ohio State offense.

To wrap up the fun night at Ohio Stadium, we are going to dive into some of the important numbers to come out of the game.

14

Marvin Harrison Jr. finished Saturday night’s with seven receptions for 149 yards, two receiving touchdowns, and a rushing touchdown. With the yardage he racked up against Michigan State, Harrison now has 14 games where he has eclipsed 100 yards receiving, tying David Boston’s school record of 14 games of at least 100 yards receiving. Harrison now will have at least two chances to move past Boston, as the Buckeyes finish up the regular season by hosting Minnesota before heading to Ann Arbor to take on Michigan.

Beyond those two games, it is still up in the air if we see Harrison in the scarlet and gray again if Ohio State doesn’t make the Big Ten Championship Game or the College Football Playoff.

1,000

David Boston’s school record for 100-yard receiving games wasn’t the only mark Harrison was able to reach on Saturday night. Last year, Harrison finished with 1,263 yards receiving, and with his 149 yards against the Spartans, the standout wide receiver has 1,063 receiving yards this season. Harrison now has reached 1,000 receiving yards in two different seasons, which is something no other Ohio State receiver has done. The feat is pretty impressive considering the talent the Buckeyes have had at wide receiver over the years.

335

Ohio State quarterback Kyle McCord was on his game on Saturday night against Michigan State, completing 24-of-31 passes for a career-high 335 yards. Prior to his performance against the Spartans, McCord’s career-best mark came in his first start in 2021 when he threw for 319 yards against Akron. So far this season, McCord has one other game of at least 300 yards passing. Against Western Kentucky, McCord threw for 318 yards in the 63-10 win over Western Kentucky.

5

Along with the passing yardage he racked up against Michigan State, McCord threw three touchdowns on Saturday night, marking the fifth time this season where he has thrown for three touchdowns in a game. The first-year starter now has back-to-back games with three touchdown passes for the second time this season. Through 10 games this season. McCord has thrown 20 touchdown passes, which puts him third in the Big Ten.

Maryland’s Taulia Tagovailoa is two touchdowns ahead of McCord for the lead in the conference, and Drew Allar of Penn State has one more touchdown pass than the Ohio State quarterback.

75

After missing the game against Rutgers, tight end Cade Stover returned to the field on Saturday night, tying a career-high with seven receptions for 79 yards and a touchdown. Entering the game against the Spartans, Stover was fifth in school history for receptions by a tight end with 68 catches. With his performance, Stover now sits third in school history, passing Cedric Saunders and Jeff Ellis.

Sitting ahead of Stover on the school’s all-time receptions list among tight ends are John Frank and Billy Anders. Frank has 121 career receptions, while Anders has 108 catches, so it’s unlikely Stover will be able to move ahead of those two tight ends.

30

With their win on Saturday night, Ohio State now has recorded at least 10 wins in 30 seasons, which is fourth all-time in FBS history. Aside from the 2020 season that was shortened because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the last time the Buckeyes didn’t reach at least 10 wins in a season came back in 2011, when Luke Fickell was the interim head coach for the season after the dismissal of Jim Tressel.

182

Ohio State’s defense was dominant on Saturday night, only allowing 182 yards to Michigan State. The yardage total was the second-lowest of the season for the Buckeyes, who gave up just 153 yards in the season opener to Indiana. It was also the second time this season that Ohio State didn’t give up a touchdown in a game, as they also accomplished the feat against Indiana.

38-2

Head coach Ryan Day is now 38-2 in Big Ten games. The only two losses for Day in conference play came against Michigan the last two seasons, and those losses now look a little suspicious after sign stealing by the Wolverines has been uncovered. The last loss in the Big Ten for Ohio State against a team other than Michigan came back in 2018 during Urban Meyer’s last season as head coach when Purdue dismantled the Buckeyes in West Lafayette.

320-77

With their win on Saturday night., Ohio State has now won eight-straight meetings with Michigan State after the Spartans beat the Buckeyes 17-14 in Columbus in 2015. Aside from the 17-16 win by Ohio State in 2016, the Buckeyes have absolutely dominated Michigan State. During the eight-game winning streak, Ohio State has outscored the Spartans 320-77. Of those eight-straight victories, the Buckeyes have held Michigan State to less than 10 points in four of those games.

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LGHL Our streaming expert has the best ways to watch Ohio State vs. Minnesota for free without cable

How can I watch the Ohio State vs. Minnesota college football game?​

Best Streaming Option for All Week 2 College Football Games: DIRECTV STREAM | 5-Day Free Trial​

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Join the conversation​

Odds/lines subject to change. T&Cs apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for details.​

LGHL You’re Nuts: What have we learned about the Ohio State men’s basketball team through three games?

After 126 weeks:​

Connor- 58 Justin- 50 Other- 14​

(There have been four ties)​

Today’s Question: What have we learned about the Ohio State men’s basketball team through three games? ​

Connor: Ohio State will only go as far as Bruce Thornton and Roddy Gayle take them ​

Justin: Jamison Battle has to be the top offensive option​

LGHL MC&J: Ohio State is nearly a four touchdown favorite over Minnesota in Week 12’s Big Ten action

Last week ATS: 7-7 (2-5 National, 5-2 B1G)​

Season ATS: 89-87-1 (40-51-1 National, 49-37 B1G)​

B1G games​

Locked A Timeline of the Various tCun Scandals

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An impressive performance last week​

Defensive domination​

Minnesota at a glance​

Goldy’s Gophers on offense​

Rowing the defense​

Summary​

LGHL score prediction: Ohio State 41, Minnesota 14​

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Quick Hits ​

LGHL No. 13 Ohio State women’s basketball hits another gear, defeats Boston College 88-66

1,500 Club​

Focusing on the Paint​

What’s Next​

LGHL Uncut Podcast: Chris Holtmann, Roddy Gayle, and Evan Mahaffey discuss 76-52 win over Merrimack

Listen to the episode and subscribe: ​

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

Theme music provided by www.bensound.com​

LGHL Updated Heisman Trophy odds with two weeks remaining in the regular season

Ohio State’s Heisman Trophy odds (Current // Preseason)​

Overall Heisman Trophy Top 10: ​

LGHL MC&J: Week 12’s national slate will see Oregon State try to spoil Washington’s perfect season

Last week ATS: 7-7 (2-5 National, 5-2 B1G)​

Season ATS: 89-87-1 (40-51-1 National, 49-37 B1G)​

National games​

2024 Season Ticket Prices

LGHL Ohio State Wrestling: Buckeyes upset Hokies, blow the doors off some Fighting Scots

LGHL Stock Market Report: The Buckeyes dominate Michigan State, send Marvin Harrison Jr. to New York

Blue Chips​

Solid Investments​

Junk Bond​

Buy/Sell​

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Top player in the 2026 class looking to see Ohio State​

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Preview​

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LGHL Prediction: 89-62 Ohio State Buckeyes​

Wooden Watch​

LGHL Moments that mattered: Ohio State’s slightly concerning (but still a win), win over Merrimack

“Hot Rod” (2007) starring Roddy Gayle Jr.​

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Don’t play with your food! ​

10-0 run pushes lead to double digits ​

Battle, Thornton seal the deal from real far away ​

Up Next:​

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

LGHL Ohio State Men’s Basketball vs Merrimack: Game Preview and Prediction

Preview​

Prediction​

LGHL score prediction: Ohio State 82, Merrimack 60​

How can I watch the Ohio State vs. Minnesota college football game?

Best Streaming Option for All Week 2 College Football Games: DIRECTV STREAM | 5-Day Free Trial

Best Streaming Option for Week 12 College Football Games If You Have Local Blackouts: Fubo | At Least a 1-Day Free Trial

Join the conversation

Odds/lines subject to change. T&Cs apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for details.

After 126 weeks:

Connor- 58
Justin- 50
Other- 14

(There have been four ties)

Today’s Question: What have we learned about the Ohio State men’s basketball team through three games?

Connor: Ohio State will only go as far as Bruce Thornton and Roddy Gayle take them

Justin: Jamison Battle has to be the top offensive option

Last week ATS: 7-7 (2-5 National, 5-2 B1G)

Season ATS: 89-87-1 (40-51-1 National, 49-37 B1G)

B1G games

Locked

A Timeline of the Various tCun Scandals

An impressive performance last week

Defensive domination

Minnesota at a glance

Goldy’s Gophers on offense

Rowing the defense

Summary

LGHL score prediction: Ohio State 41, Minnesota 14

Quick Hits

1,500 Club

Focusing on the Paint

What’s Next

Listen to the episode and subscribe:

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

Theme music provided by www.bensound.com

Ohio State’s Heisman Trophy odds (Current // Preseason)

Overall Heisman Trophy Top 10:

Last week ATS: 7-7 (2-5 National, 5-2 B1G)

Season ATS: 89-87-1 (40-51-1 National, 49-37 B1G)

National games

Blue Chips

Solid Investments

Junk Bond

Buy/Sell

Top player in the 2026 class looking to see Ohio State

Quick Hits

Preview

Lineup Notes

Lineup Notes

Prediction

How to Watch

LGHL Prediction: 89-62 Ohio State Buckeyes

Wooden Watch

“Hot Rod” (2007) starring Roddy Gayle Jr.

Devin Royal’s first collegiate basket

Merrimack’s 7-0 run

Don’t play with your food!

10-0 run pushes lead to double digits

Battle, Thornton seal the deal from real far away

Up Next:

A possible flip-candidate worth watching

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

Preview

Prediction

LGHL score prediction: Ohio State 82, Merrimack 60

14

1,000

335

5

75

30

182

38-2

320-77