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2027 FL LB Kaden Henderson (Verbal Offer)
- By pnuts34
- Football Recruiting
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Class: 2027
Position: LB
School: Tampa(FL)Jesuit
Height: 6-foot-2
Weight: 210lbs
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Rivals
HudL
Class: 2027
Position: LB
School: Tampa(FL)Jesuit
Height: 6-foot-2
Weight: 210lbs
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LGHL Things you need to know about the Penn State Nittany Lions — and a few you don’t need to know, but are fun anyway
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Things you need to know about the Penn State Nittany Lions — and a few you don’t need to know, but are fun anyway
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Kyle Ross/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
James Franklin’s squad looks like a legit national title contender... No, but like, for real this time. I mean it. And as a Buckeye(s) fan, I am very, very concerned.
The Ohio State Buckeyes head to Happy Valley this weekend, to take onKeegan Michael Key’s James Franklin’s Penn State Nittany Lions. It pretty much goes without saying that this game has (and will have, residually speaking) massive Big Ten and CFP implications.
Frankly, I’m not sure what – if anything – else needs to be said. I mean, we’ve got two national title contenders, both of which are banged up but looking to prove something. Coached by two men who could (both) be on a very hot seat with a loss... This is a big one, folks. So let’s just get to it.
Here are a few things you should know about the Nittany Lions:
Penn(sylvania) State University started out as a high school exclusively for farmers!
Maybe... Kinda... Sorta... But not really.
In 1855, a U.S. Congressman donated a bunch of land to the Farmers’ High School of Pennsylvania, which was designated as a degree-granting institution shortly thereafter. But apparently Pennsylvanians didn’t care for the use of “college” or “university”, so the school’s name stuck until 1862, when it was changed to the Agricultural College of Pennsylvania.
It did not become Pennsylvania State University until 1953, when U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower’s brother Milton pushed for the change. Now you know.
The school’s official colors were originally black and dark pink. A color scheme that I think would make for some sick uniforms.
The Nittany in Nittany Lion(s) is a reference to Mount Nittany. Not a breed, species, or classification of the king of the jungle. I’ll be honest, for most of my life I just assumed that Nittany was a type of lion.
Does that make me a dope? Maybe. But I’m definitely not a big cat enthusiast, so give me a break.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25704599/1900667837.jpg)
Photo by Michael Wade/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Penn State thought it was Notre Dame for more than a century. Sort of a jab there, but the Penn State football team competed as an independent (no conference affiliation) from 1887-1890 and then again from 1892-1992.
Joe Paterno coached the Nittany Lions for 62 years. A lot of people might already know this, but prior to becoming the head coach at Penn State – a position he held for 46 (!) years/seasons – “JoePa” spent 16 years as an assistant in Happy Valley.
PSU quarterback Drew Allar is an Ohio kid who grew up rooting for Ohio State.
Allar grew up, attended high school, and obviously played football in Medina, OH, where he finished his HS career as the No. 1 QB in 247Sports’ 2022 recruiting rankings.
However, despite Allar’s “local” roots and lofty recruiting ranking, the Buckeyes were never really in the race for his services. That is because Ryan Day and Co. landed the commitment of Texas QB Quinn Ewers in November of 2020 and assumed, like the rest of us, that he (Ewers) was going to be the crown jewel of OSU’s 2022 class. Only, things didn’t shake out that way.
Ewers ended up reclassifying to 2021, and by the time he did so, Allar was firmly committed to Penn State. Day and Cory Dennis made a late offer to the in-state talent, but there was no changing his mind. Allar has since found his footing as the Nittany Lions’ signal caller and thrown 41 career touchdowns to only six interceptions.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25704600/usa_today_17197622.jpg)
Mike Cardew / USA TODAY NETWORK
Allar repping the Battling Bees (Medina’s mascot)
Penn State’s running back duo is right up there with Ohio State’s, in terms of both talent and production. Nick Singleton and Kayton Allen, both true juniors, form one of the best RB duos in the country. Though many view them as the burner and the bruiser, they are perfectly interchangeable and complement each other very well.
Singleton has been the slightly more productive back in terms of both total yardage and TDs, while Allen is about as consistent as they come with yearly averages of 5.2, 5.2, and 5.0 yards per carry. And though OSU was able to stifle both last season (18 combined carries for 74 yards), Jim Knowles and the Buckeyes would be wise to prepare for another heavy dose of PSU’s dangerous duo on Saturday.
PSU is making a case for TE U. Gesicki, Freiermuth, Strange, Johnson... Warren?
Alright, so Iowa is still TE U. The Hawkeyes’ extended run of Clark, Kittle, LaPorta and others has been insane. But going back to 2017, Penn State’s last four starting TEs have all been taken in the first four rounds of the NFL Draft.
And Warren will almost assuredly become the fifth. He currently leads the Nittany Lions in all receiving categories, after racking up an impressive 34 receptions, 422 yards, and 7 TD last season. He is a giant target at 6-foot-6, 250 pounds and has proven to be one of the most versatile weapons in the Big Ten if not the entire country.
In addition to his work as a pass catcher, Warren has also rushed for a TD and thrown for a TD. He’s basically a younger, better, bigger, not shoved down our throat(s) version of Taysom Hill.
But don’t forget about the Nittany Lions’ consistently stout defense.
Let’s be honest, if you’re reading this, you are likely (already) very familiar with this group. As you should be. Because not only does Penn State produce studs at all three levels, but the team’s defense also has not finished outside the top-10 in points per game allowed since 2020.
This year’s unit is led by a group of players that includes Jaylen Reed and Abdul Carter, the latter of which/whom has terrorized the Big Ten since his freshman season. Now a true junior, Carter boasts 15 career sacks and dozens, possibly hundreds of QB pressures.
But he is far from the only playmaker on PSU’s Tom Allen-coached defense... Yes, that Tom Allen. The former head coach of the Indiana Hoosiers has several former four and five-star recruits at his disposal, which speaks to the program’s recruiting prowess.
James Franklin is 1-9 vs. Ohio State. Look, facts is facts. Key from Key & Peele just struggles against the Buckeyes. However, this year’s version of Penn State squad is as good if not better than any of Franklin’s previous squads. And this weekend’s game is being played in Happy Valley. So I am certainly not taking anything for granted.
In fact, I would say that I’m quite nervous.
Continue reading...
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Kyle Ross/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
James Franklin’s squad looks like a legit national title contender... No, but like, for real this time. I mean it. And as a Buckeye(s) fan, I am very, very concerned.
The Ohio State Buckeyes head to Happy Valley this weekend, to take on
Frankly, I’m not sure what – if anything – else needs to be said. I mean, we’ve got two national title contenders, both of which are banged up but looking to prove something. Coached by two men who could (both) be on a very hot seat with a loss... This is a big one, folks. So let’s just get to it.
Here are a few things you should know about the Nittany Lions:
Penn(sylvania) State University started out as a high school exclusively for farmers!
Maybe... Kinda... Sorta... But not really.
In 1855, a U.S. Congressman donated a bunch of land to the Farmers’ High School of Pennsylvania, which was designated as a degree-granting institution shortly thereafter. But apparently Pennsylvanians didn’t care for the use of “college” or “university”, so the school’s name stuck until 1862, when it was changed to the Agricultural College of Pennsylvania.
It did not become Pennsylvania State University until 1953, when U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower’s brother Milton pushed for the change. Now you know.
The school’s official colors were originally black and dark pink. A color scheme that I think would make for some sick uniforms.
The Nittany in Nittany Lion(s) is a reference to Mount Nittany. Not a breed, species, or classification of the king of the jungle. I’ll be honest, for most of my life I just assumed that Nittany was a type of lion.
Does that make me a dope? Maybe. But I’m definitely not a big cat enthusiast, so give me a break.
Penn State thought it was Notre Dame for more than a century. Sort of a jab there, but the Penn State football team competed as an independent (no conference affiliation) from 1887-1890 and then again from 1892-1992.
Joe Paterno coached the Nittany Lions for 62 years. A lot of people might already know this, but prior to becoming the head coach at Penn State – a position he held for 46 (!) years/seasons – “JoePa” spent 16 years as an assistant in Happy Valley.
PSU quarterback Drew Allar is an Ohio kid who grew up rooting for Ohio State.
Allar grew up, attended high school, and obviously played football in Medina, OH, where he finished his HS career as the No. 1 QB in 247Sports’ 2022 recruiting rankings.
However, despite Allar’s “local” roots and lofty recruiting ranking, the Buckeyes were never really in the race for his services. That is because Ryan Day and Co. landed the commitment of Texas QB Quinn Ewers in November of 2020 and assumed, like the rest of us, that he (Ewers) was going to be the crown jewel of OSU’s 2022 class. Only, things didn’t shake out that way.
Ewers ended up reclassifying to 2021, and by the time he did so, Allar was firmly committed to Penn State. Day and Cory Dennis made a late offer to the in-state talent, but there was no changing his mind. Allar has since found his footing as the Nittany Lions’ signal caller and thrown 41 career touchdowns to only six interceptions.
Allar repping the Battling Bees (Medina’s mascot)
Penn State’s running back duo is right up there with Ohio State’s, in terms of both talent and production. Nick Singleton and Kayton Allen, both true juniors, form one of the best RB duos in the country. Though many view them as the burner and the bruiser, they are perfectly interchangeable and complement each other very well.
Singleton has been the slightly more productive back in terms of both total yardage and TDs, while Allen is about as consistent as they come with yearly averages of 5.2, 5.2, and 5.0 yards per carry. And though OSU was able to stifle both last season (18 combined carries for 74 yards), Jim Knowles and the Buckeyes would be wise to prepare for another heavy dose of PSU’s dangerous duo on Saturday.
PSU is making a case for TE U. Gesicki, Freiermuth, Strange, Johnson... Warren?
Alright, so Iowa is still TE U. The Hawkeyes’ extended run of Clark, Kittle, LaPorta and others has been insane. But going back to 2017, Penn State’s last four starting TEs have all been taken in the first four rounds of the NFL Draft.
And Warren will almost assuredly become the fifth. He currently leads the Nittany Lions in all receiving categories, after racking up an impressive 34 receptions, 422 yards, and 7 TD last season. He is a giant target at 6-foot-6, 250 pounds and has proven to be one of the most versatile weapons in the Big Ten if not the entire country.
In addition to his work as a pass catcher, Warren has also rushed for a TD and thrown for a TD. He’s basically a younger, better, bigger, not shoved down our throat(s) version of Taysom Hill.
But don’t forget about the Nittany Lions’ consistently stout defense.
Let’s be honest, if you’re reading this, you are likely (already) very familiar with this group. As you should be. Because not only does Penn State produce studs at all three levels, but the team’s defense also has not finished outside the top-10 in points per game allowed since 2020.
This year’s unit is led by a group of players that includes Jaylen Reed and Abdul Carter, the latter of which/whom has terrorized the Big Ten since his freshman season. Now a true junior, Carter boasts 15 career sacks and dozens, possibly hundreds of QB pressures.
But he is far from the only playmaker on PSU’s Tom Allen-coached defense... Yes, that Tom Allen. The former head coach of the Indiana Hoosiers has several former four and five-star recruits at his disposal, which speaks to the program’s recruiting prowess.
James Franklin is 1-9 vs. Ohio State. Look, facts is facts. Key from Key & Peele just struggles against the Buckeyes. However, this year’s version of Penn State squad is as good if not better than any of Franklin’s previous squads. And this weekend’s game is being played in Happy Valley. So I am certainly not taking anything for granted.
In fact, I would say that I’m quite nervous.
Continue reading...
LGHL Life in Simulation: EA CFB 25 predicts Ohio State vs. Penn State
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Life in Simulation: EA CFB 25 predicts Ohio State vs. Penn State
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 Jason Mowry/Getty Images
The virtual Buckeyes take on the virtual Nittany Lions in Week 10.
College football finally returned to the virtual world in 2024 with the release of EA Sports College Football 25, allowing fans of all 134 FBS schools to take control of their favorite team. For Buckeye Nation, that means getting to dominate with one of the best rosters in the game.
The new game also allows us to get a glimpse at what the season could look like, at least if the computers had their say. Each week, Land-Grant Holy Land will simulate Ohio State’s real-life matchup to see what our AI overlords think will happen.
Here are the results of our Week 10 sim:
As is usually the case when these two programs meet on the actual football field, this week’s simulation gave us a closely contested game that resulted in an Ohio State victory. The Buckeyes defeated the Nittany Lions, 34-27, in a contest where Ryan Day’s squad was significantly out-gained on offense but managed to win the turnover battle as well as limit the damage on third down.
Both teams found the end zone on their first offensive possessions of the afternoon, as Carnell Tate’s 5-yard touchdown on Ohio State’s opening drive was matched by Liam Clifford’s 13-yard touchdown on Penn State’s ensuing series. The home team would pull ahead later on in the first quarter, with Drew Allar finding Tyler Denmark for a 32-yard catch-and-run score that gave the Nittany Lions an early seven-point lead.
The Buckeyes chipped away to begin the second quarter, with Jayden Fielding drilling a 47-yard field goal to cut the Penn State lead to four. A short while later, Ohio State hit on its first big play of the game with a 54-yard touchdown pass from Will Howard to Emeka Egbuka to put the scarlet and gray up, 17-14, with six minutes to go until halftime. That would be more than enough time for the Nittany Lions to tack on a field goal before the break, as the two sides headed to the locker room tied 17-17.
Ohio State came out of the half and dominated the third quarter. After a quick three-and-out for Penn State, Egbuka put the Buckeyes back on top with a 14-yard touchdown. Fielding would add another field goal midway through the period, and Egbuka put the capper on a 17-0 frame with his third touchdown of the game, this one from 20 yards out, as Ohio State entered the fourth quarter now leading 34-17.
The Nittany Lions did not go down without a fight. After a 39-yard field goal cut it to a two-score game, Kaytron Allen found the end zone on a 7-yard scamper as Penn State all the sudden trailed just 34-27 with still over eight minutes remaining in the game. James Franklin’s team got the ball back with a little over three minutes to go with a chance to tie or take the lead with one final drive, but Allar was picked off by Caleb Downs to seal the Ohio State victory.
The Buckeyes had a really poor day running the football, mustering only 75 yards on 23 attempts, but Howard made up for it with a 27-of-40 passing performance for 330 yards and four touchdowns with one pick. Egbuka was the real star of the show, however, with 10 catches for 158 yards and three touchdowns. Jeremiah Smith added five grabs for 89 yards, and Tate had four catches for 36 yards and a touchdown.
Defensively, it was a big day for Ohio State’s linebackers, with Sonny Styles and Cody Simon tallying 13 and 10 total tackles apiece, respectively. Tyler Bourne (J.T. Tuimoloau) and Ty Hamilton each recored a sack, with Tyleik Williams and Jack Sawyer earning a half sack each. Caleb Downs was likely the Buckeyes’ actual player of the game though, picking off two passes and recording six tackles with two tackles for loss.
While Ohio State’s defense played well when it mattered most, including holding Penn State to only 3-of-12 on third down, the Buckeyes were out-gained by the Nittany Lions 546-409. Penn State really dominated on the ground, rushing for 247 yards on 34 carries, led by Nick Singleton’s 12 carries for 192 yards. Penn State totaled 21 first downs to Ohio State’s 14, but for some reason could not move the chains on third or fourth down (0-for-2 on fourth down) or make the most of its red zone opportunities (one TD and one FG in five trips to the red zone).
While the real life Buckeyes are 6-1 with a chance to move to 7-1, the virtual Buckeyes move to a perfect 8-0 on the year. Check back next week to see how Ohio State actually performed on the field compared to the simulation, and see how they fare in our Week 11 simulation against Purdue.
Continue reading...
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 Jason Mowry/Getty Images
The virtual Buckeyes take on the virtual Nittany Lions in Week 10.
College football finally returned to the virtual world in 2024 with the release of EA Sports College Football 25, allowing fans of all 134 FBS schools to take control of their favorite team. For Buckeye Nation, that means getting to dominate with one of the best rosters in the game.
The new game also allows us to get a glimpse at what the season could look like, at least if the computers had their say. Each week, Land-Grant Holy Land will simulate Ohio State’s real-life matchup to see what our AI overlords think will happen.
Here are the results of our Week 10 sim:
Ohio State 34 - Penn State 27
As is usually the case when these two programs meet on the actual football field, this week’s simulation gave us a closely contested game that resulted in an Ohio State victory. The Buckeyes defeated the Nittany Lions, 34-27, in a contest where Ryan Day’s squad was significantly out-gained on offense but managed to win the turnover battle as well as limit the damage on third down.
Both teams found the end zone on their first offensive possessions of the afternoon, as Carnell Tate’s 5-yard touchdown on Ohio State’s opening drive was matched by Liam Clifford’s 13-yard touchdown on Penn State’s ensuing series. The home team would pull ahead later on in the first quarter, with Drew Allar finding Tyler Denmark for a 32-yard catch-and-run score that gave the Nittany Lions an early seven-point lead.
The Buckeyes chipped away to begin the second quarter, with Jayden Fielding drilling a 47-yard field goal to cut the Penn State lead to four. A short while later, Ohio State hit on its first big play of the game with a 54-yard touchdown pass from Will Howard to Emeka Egbuka to put the scarlet and gray up, 17-14, with six minutes to go until halftime. That would be more than enough time for the Nittany Lions to tack on a field goal before the break, as the two sides headed to the locker room tied 17-17.
Ohio State came out of the half and dominated the third quarter. After a quick three-and-out for Penn State, Egbuka put the Buckeyes back on top with a 14-yard touchdown. Fielding would add another field goal midway through the period, and Egbuka put the capper on a 17-0 frame with his third touchdown of the game, this one from 20 yards out, as Ohio State entered the fourth quarter now leading 34-17.
The Nittany Lions did not go down without a fight. After a 39-yard field goal cut it to a two-score game, Kaytron Allen found the end zone on a 7-yard scamper as Penn State all the sudden trailed just 34-27 with still over eight minutes remaining in the game. James Franklin’s team got the ball back with a little over three minutes to go with a chance to tie or take the lead with one final drive, but Allar was picked off by Caleb Downs to seal the Ohio State victory.
The Buckeyes had a really poor day running the football, mustering only 75 yards on 23 attempts, but Howard made up for it with a 27-of-40 passing performance for 330 yards and four touchdowns with one pick. Egbuka was the real star of the show, however, with 10 catches for 158 yards and three touchdowns. Jeremiah Smith added five grabs for 89 yards, and Tate had four catches for 36 yards and a touchdown.
Defensively, it was a big day for Ohio State’s linebackers, with Sonny Styles and Cody Simon tallying 13 and 10 total tackles apiece, respectively. Tyler Bourne (J.T. Tuimoloau) and Ty Hamilton each recored a sack, with Tyleik Williams and Jack Sawyer earning a half sack each. Caleb Downs was likely the Buckeyes’ actual player of the game though, picking off two passes and recording six tackles with two tackles for loss.
While Ohio State’s defense played well when it mattered most, including holding Penn State to only 3-of-12 on third down, the Buckeyes were out-gained by the Nittany Lions 546-409. Penn State really dominated on the ground, rushing for 247 yards on 34 carries, led by Nick Singleton’s 12 carries for 192 yards. Penn State totaled 21 first downs to Ohio State’s 14, but for some reason could not move the chains on third or fourth down (0-for-2 on fourth down) or make the most of its red zone opportunities (one TD and one FG in five trips to the red zone).
While the real life Buckeyes are 6-1 with a chance to move to 7-1, the virtual Buckeyes move to a perfect 8-0 on the year. Check back next week to see how Ohio State actually performed on the field compared to the simulation, and see how they fare in our Week 11 simulation against Purdue.
Continue reading...
LGHL Five storylines for upcoming Ohio State women’s basketball season
- News
- 0 Replies
Five storylines for upcoming Ohio State women’s basketball season
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Jason Mowry/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
New names, new style and more in a new season of Buckeyes women's basketball.
College basketball season is fast approaching and Land-Grant Holy Land is here to get you ready. Before the season starts this fall, check back regularly for player previews, schedule news, features, and more heading into the 2024-25 Ohio State women’s basketball season.
On Tuesday, Nov. 5, the long summer without college basketball comes to an end. At the Jerome Schottenstein Center, Ohio State women’s basketball starts a 29-game regular season campaign against in-state mid-major Cleveland State. For the first time in a few years, questions linger around the program.
Who’s starting? Who’s stepping up? Will Ohio State stay in the conversation in the Big Ten and NCAA field at-large?
Here are five storylines to watch throughout the next five months.
The most obvious difference for folks who haven’t watched the news this offseason is who’s on the court. Ohio State returns only four names from last season’s roster who played at least 10 minutes a game.
Of the usual starting lineup for head coach Kevin McGuff, three are gone. Guards Jacy Sheldon and Celeste Taylor left for the WNBA and forward Rebeka Mikulasikova returned to Europe for pro basketball.
Fortunately for Ohio State fans, the two starters who are back are some of the best at what they do in the conference. Forward Cotie McMahon and guard/forward Taylor Thierry are starting every game for the Scarlet and Gray this season, barring injury.
That’s an AP All-American Honorable Mention in McMahon and the nation’s No. 1 Offensive Rating with Thierry.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25708839/1918193524.jpg "Rutgers v Ohio State")
Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images
For how good the two returners are, McGuff can’t rely on a veteran side full of program staples. However, there’s a lot of new skill coming in.
Both likely backcourt starters are new in junior transfer Chance Gray, out of the Oregon Ducks program and Cincinnati, Ohio in high school. Then there’s No. 1 point guard prospect Jaloni Cambridge penciled in as the starting point guard. In the paint, Ajae Petty joined the Buckeyes out of the SEC for four seasons.
Patience will be required this season more than previous years. There will be turnovers, missed assignments and errant passes, which should lessen as the season goes on and the team grows comfortable in real game situations.
Every team needs rebounding, but some need it more than others. Ohio State is that some.
The Buckeyes were last in the Big Ten on the boards during the 2023-24 season, averaging 33.5 rebounds per game. That’s missed second chances on offenses and more work needed to stop opponent’s second chances on defense.
For years now, the sheer number of turnovers created by the McGuff havoc-inducing press did its best to mask the problem, but in the games where Ohio State lost it was probably due in part to lack of production on the boards.
Petty’s arrival from Kentucky is a one-year fix for the Buckeyes’ presence in the paint. The former LSU Tiger and Kentucky Wildcat started her NCAA career slow but as a senior in Kentucky, Petty started every game and averaged 10.6 rebounds and 14.2 points.
Only three other players in the SEC averaged a double-double alongside Petty, including now WNBA star Angel Reese.
Add Petty to interior presences like McMahon and Thierry and rebounding doesn’t look like as big of a problem. There’s also 6-foot-6 freshman center Elsa Lemmila, from Finland, adding another dimension.
Should Petty or Lemmila reach the double-digit rebounding mark, it’ll be the first time Ohio State’s had someone grab at least 10 a game since the 20-21 season when Dorka Juhasz had 11.1 per game in her final season before transferring to UConn.
If you’ve been living under a rock, it’s time to crawl out and learn about Jaloni Cambridge.
A player former Buckeyes assistant coach Wesley Brooks called the fastest player in women’s basketball wears scarlet and gray. Cambridge is likely to step into the starting role as a freshman and hold onto it until her final NCAA game.
The No. 2 overall 2024 recruit adds pace to the offensive transition and McGuff press, but it’s not all about speed. Cambridge sees plays develop, and already has the trust of new teammates like Petty who’s in her fifth college season.
Teammates Madison Greene and McMahon already compare the freshman to the former face of the program Sheldon. That’s before the freshman steps onto the court for a competitive game.
That doesn’t mean Cambridge too won’t require some patience from fans. After all, its a jump going from the high school ranks to college. The game speeds up and the competition is better.
Ohio State has a lighter non-conference schedule with all the new names on the roster, which makes sense. Look closer and the mid-majors that will come to Columbus throughout the end of the 2024 calendar are sides that are ranked near the top of their conferences. So, expect there to be trap games galore, but manageable enough competition to prepare Cambridge for the Big Ten gauntlet that starts at the end of December.
While Cambridge is the new and exciting name, Ohio State has plenty of excitement in McMahon.
For two seasons, the Centerville, Ohioan has spun her way into Ohio State fans’ hearts. McMahon’s also put herself into the national spotlight with her moves to the basket, next level energy and Grinch-themed shoes.
Now even UConn head coach Geno Auriemma knows McMahon and last year showed signs that the ceiling isn’t in sight.
In the second half of the season, McMahon had five double-doubles, and came close to her first triple-double. It shows that McMahon isn’t only a player who moves in the paint and hits layups. McMahon is a well-rounded star who has a group around her that she trusts. With that trust, there’s more room for McMahon to work.
This offseason, McMahon strengthened what already made her stand out by taking part in Team USA youth 3x3 play. At the WNBA All-Star weekend, McMahon wasn’t phased by the bright lights. Instead, McMahon took on the Team USA 3x3 Paris Olympic team and set the pace of the game early.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25708838/2162073539.jpg "2024 WNBA All Star - Skills Challenge & 3-Point Contest")
Photo by Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images
3x3 requires speed, one-on-one defense and shooting range. The by-product of that play is an improved McMahon at Ohio State.
That’s a scary prospect for opponents of the Buckeyes and it could propel McMahon into the national conversation alongside the likes of JuJu Watkins and Paige Bueckers.
Whether you want it or not, the Big Ten is four teams bigger. With the traditional Pac-12 going away, the USC Trojans, UCLA Bruins, Oregon Ducks and Washington Huskies are now on the Buckeyes’ conference schedule.
The three-team battle at the top of the conference over the past few years between Ohio State, Indiana and Iowa now includes a National Player of the Year candidate JuJu Watkins and the Trojans or Lauren Betts and the Bruins. Plus, an Oregon team that’s struggled over the past few seasons but has retooled in the offseason.
NCAA fans already see the impact on the football side of college athletics. Teams are traveling more, legs are tired and programs are adjusting to the new normal of the conference.
How teams adjust to this bigger Big Ten could help decide a conference champion. For Ohio State, it means a trip to California in February with a pair of games against the Los Angeles sides in three days, while Oregon and Washington head to the Schottenstein Center.
That’s on top of already difficult away trips to Bloomington to face the Hoosiers, Nebraska to face the Cornhuskers and heading to Maryland on the last day of the regular season to face Brenda Frese and the Terrapins.
Continue reading...
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Jason Mowry/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
New names, new style and more in a new season of Buckeyes women's basketball.
College basketball season is fast approaching and Land-Grant Holy Land is here to get you ready. Before the season starts this fall, check back regularly for player previews, schedule news, features, and more heading into the 2024-25 Ohio State women’s basketball season.
On Tuesday, Nov. 5, the long summer without college basketball comes to an end. At the Jerome Schottenstein Center, Ohio State women’s basketball starts a 29-game regular season campaign against in-state mid-major Cleveland State. For the first time in a few years, questions linger around the program.
Who’s starting? Who’s stepping up? Will Ohio State stay in the conversation in the Big Ten and NCAA field at-large?
Here are five storylines to watch throughout the next five months.
The Learning Curve
The most obvious difference for folks who haven’t watched the news this offseason is who’s on the court. Ohio State returns only four names from last season’s roster who played at least 10 minutes a game.
Of the usual starting lineup for head coach Kevin McGuff, three are gone. Guards Jacy Sheldon and Celeste Taylor left for the WNBA and forward Rebeka Mikulasikova returned to Europe for pro basketball.
Fortunately for Ohio State fans, the two starters who are back are some of the best at what they do in the conference. Forward Cotie McMahon and guard/forward Taylor Thierry are starting every game for the Scarlet and Gray this season, barring injury.
That’s an AP All-American Honorable Mention in McMahon and the nation’s No. 1 Offensive Rating with Thierry.
For how good the two returners are, McGuff can’t rely on a veteran side full of program staples. However, there’s a lot of new skill coming in.
Both likely backcourt starters are new in junior transfer Chance Gray, out of the Oregon Ducks program and Cincinnati, Ohio in high school. Then there’s No. 1 point guard prospect Jaloni Cambridge penciled in as the starting point guard. In the paint, Ajae Petty joined the Buckeyes out of the SEC for four seasons.
Patience will be required this season more than previous years. There will be turnovers, missed assignments and errant passes, which should lessen as the season goes on and the team grows comfortable in real game situations.
Rebounding
Every team needs rebounding, but some need it more than others. Ohio State is that some.
The Buckeyes were last in the Big Ten on the boards during the 2023-24 season, averaging 33.5 rebounds per game. That’s missed second chances on offenses and more work needed to stop opponent’s second chances on defense.
For years now, the sheer number of turnovers created by the McGuff havoc-inducing press did its best to mask the problem, but in the games where Ohio State lost it was probably due in part to lack of production on the boards.
Petty’s arrival from Kentucky is a one-year fix for the Buckeyes’ presence in the paint. The former LSU Tiger and Kentucky Wildcat started her NCAA career slow but as a senior in Kentucky, Petty started every game and averaged 10.6 rebounds and 14.2 points.
Only three other players in the SEC averaged a double-double alongside Petty, including now WNBA star Angel Reese.
Add Petty to interior presences like McMahon and Thierry and rebounding doesn’t look like as big of a problem. There’s also 6-foot-6 freshman center Elsa Lemmila, from Finland, adding another dimension.
Should Petty or Lemmila reach the double-digit rebounding mark, it’ll be the first time Ohio State’s had someone grab at least 10 a game since the 20-21 season when Dorka Juhasz had 11.1 per game in her final season before transferring to UConn.
Jaloni Cambridge
If you’ve been living under a rock, it’s time to crawl out and learn about Jaloni Cambridge.
A player former Buckeyes assistant coach Wesley Brooks called the fastest player in women’s basketball wears scarlet and gray. Cambridge is likely to step into the starting role as a freshman and hold onto it until her final NCAA game.
The No. 2 overall 2024 recruit adds pace to the offensive transition and McGuff press, but it’s not all about speed. Cambridge sees plays develop, and already has the trust of new teammates like Petty who’s in her fifth college season.
Teammates Madison Greene and McMahon already compare the freshman to the former face of the program Sheldon. That’s before the freshman steps onto the court for a competitive game.
That doesn’t mean Cambridge too won’t require some patience from fans. After all, its a jump going from the high school ranks to college. The game speeds up and the competition is better.
Ohio State has a lighter non-conference schedule with all the new names on the roster, which makes sense. Look closer and the mid-majors that will come to Columbus throughout the end of the 2024 calendar are sides that are ranked near the top of their conferences. So, expect there to be trap games galore, but manageable enough competition to prepare Cambridge for the Big Ten gauntlet that starts at the end of December.
Cotie McMahon’s Ascension
While Cambridge is the new and exciting name, Ohio State has plenty of excitement in McMahon.
For two seasons, the Centerville, Ohioan has spun her way into Ohio State fans’ hearts. McMahon’s also put herself into the national spotlight with her moves to the basket, next level energy and Grinch-themed shoes.
Now even UConn head coach Geno Auriemma knows McMahon and last year showed signs that the ceiling isn’t in sight.
In the second half of the season, McMahon had five double-doubles, and came close to her first triple-double. It shows that McMahon isn’t only a player who moves in the paint and hits layups. McMahon is a well-rounded star who has a group around her that she trusts. With that trust, there’s more room for McMahon to work.
This offseason, McMahon strengthened what already made her stand out by taking part in Team USA youth 3x3 play. At the WNBA All-Star weekend, McMahon wasn’t phased by the bright lights. Instead, McMahon took on the Team USA 3x3 Paris Olympic team and set the pace of the game early.
3x3 requires speed, one-on-one defense and shooting range. The by-product of that play is an improved McMahon at Ohio State.
That’s a scary prospect for opponents of the Buckeyes and it could propel McMahon into the national conversation alongside the likes of JuJu Watkins and Paige Bueckers.
Bigger Big Ten
Whether you want it or not, the Big Ten is four teams bigger. With the traditional Pac-12 going away, the USC Trojans, UCLA Bruins, Oregon Ducks and Washington Huskies are now on the Buckeyes’ conference schedule.
The three-team battle at the top of the conference over the past few years between Ohio State, Indiana and Iowa now includes a National Player of the Year candidate JuJu Watkins and the Trojans or Lauren Betts and the Bruins. Plus, an Oregon team that’s struggled over the past few seasons but has retooled in the offseason.
NCAA fans already see the impact on the football side of college athletics. Teams are traveling more, legs are tired and programs are adjusting to the new normal of the conference.
How teams adjust to this bigger Big Ten could help decide a conference champion. For Ohio State, it means a trip to California in February with a pair of games against the Los Angeles sides in three days, while Oregon and Washington head to the Schottenstein Center.
That’s on top of already difficult away trips to Bloomington to face the Hoosiers, Nebraska to face the Cornhuskers and heading to Maryland on the last day of the regular season to face Brenda Frese and the Terrapins.
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LGHL Ohio State v. Penn State: 2024 game preview and prediction
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Ohio State v. Penn State: 2024 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 John Fisher/Getty Images
For the second time in series history, Ohio State and Penn State meet with both teams ranked inside the Top 5.
Following last week’s close call against Nebraska, Ohio State will have another tough test when they hit the road to take on the Penn State Nittany Lions, who enter this week ranked third in the country.
This will be the second game between Top 5 teams that the Buckeyes have been involved in this season. Earlier this month, Ohio State lost a tight battle with Oregon 32-31 in Eugene.
The Top 5 clash with the Nittany Lions will be the second in series history. The Buckeyes won the first game of highly ranked foes 38-7 in 1996. Ohio State entered that game ranked third, while Penn State was ranked fourth.
Recent history in the series between the conference foes has been hotly contested, as the last eight meetings have been decided by an average of 7.5 points. Last year the Buckeyes beat the Nittany Lions 20-12 in Columbus. Marvin Harrison Jr. hauled in a career-high 11 passes for 162 yards and the game-winning touchdown with just over four minutes remaining in the game.
The victory marked Ohio State’s seventh consecutive win over Penn State, extending their edge in the series to 24-14.
The victory over Nebraska left the Buckeyes with more questions than answers heading into this week’s game. The biggest concern for Ohio State is with the offensive line. After losing tackle Josh Simmons for the rest of the season to an injury in the Oregon game, Zen Michalski was terrible against the Cornhuskers before leaving the game with an injury.
Head coach Ryan Day said it is up in the air if Michalski would play this week, but if he is healthy enough to take the field he will be the starter at tackle. If not, guard Donovan Jackson could slide over to tackle and Luke Montgomery or Carson Hinzman could step in to fill Jackson’s spot at guard.
With Michalski’s ineffectiveness before his injury, Ohio State struggled mightily to run the football despite having two of the best running backs in the country. Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson combined to rush for just 54 on 20 carries against the Cornhuskers. Judkins did end up scoring the game-winning touchdown with six minutes to go in the game on a nine-yard pass from Will Howard.
With seven more rushing yards, Henderson will move past Carlos Hyde and Keith Byars into ninth spot on Ohio State’s all-time rushing yardage list. The senior running back enters this week’s game with 3,194 career rushing yards.
At least Will Howard was able to pick up some of the slack for a non-existent rushing attack last week. The Kansas State transfer threw for 221 yards and three touchdowns against Nebraska. By completing 13 of his 16 passes in the game, Howard became the first Buckeye quarterback since Justin Fields in 2020 to complete at least 80 percent of their passes in three straight games.
Howard also surpassed 1,000 rushing yards in his career, sitting at 1,012 rushing yards heading into this week’s contest.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25709077/2180480595.jpg "COLLEGE FOOTBALL: OCT 26 Nebraska at Ohio State")
Photo by Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
In the first half of the Nebraska game, Howard used a couple deep passes to give Ohio State a 14-3 lead. The first was a 40-yard touchdown pass to Carnell Tate, who set career highs with four catches for 102 yards in the game. Both were tops among Buckeye receivers against the Cornhuskers.
The second touchdown was a 60-yard strike to Jeremiah Smith, who was able to get behind the secondary of the Cornhuskers. Smith now has touchdowns in each of his first seven collegiate games. With a receiving touchdown this week, Smith will join Marvin Harrison Jr., Chris Olave, and Terry Glenn as Ohio State receivers to find the end zone in eight straight games.
Along with chasing that mark, Smith is close to setting a number of Ohio State freshman receiving records. Last week Smith matched Cris Carter’s record of eight receiving touchdowns as a freshman. So far this season Smith has 35 catches for 623 yards, putting him seven catches and 26 yards shy of passing the totals Carter posted in 1984.
While Tate and Smith had solid games last week, Emeka Egbuka was pretty quiet against Nebraska. The senior receiver caught just three passes for 20 yards. The three receptions raised Egbuka’s career total to 167, which is now just one grab shy of tying Cris Carter for fourth in school history. Last year Egbuka missed the Penn State game as he was still recovering from an injury he suffered earlier in the season.
Had it not been for the defense last week, Ohio State would have been in serious trouble. The Buckeye defense was constantly in the backfield against the Cornhuskers, registering 13 tackles for loss, which was their highest total since they had 15 TFLs in 2021 against Indiana. Other impact plays made by the defense were a stop at the one-yard line on 4th and goal, and a Jordan Hancock interception late in the fourth quarter to secure the victory.
For the second straight week, Cody Simon led Ohio State in tackles, making eight stops against Nebraska. Simon was also a fixture in the backfield of the Cornhuskers, notching a team-high three TFLs. The linebacker from New Jersey enters this week’s games as the team’s second-leading tackler, with his 33 tackles only surpassed by fellow linebacker Sonny Styles’ 43 tackles.
Late in Saturday’s game it looked like the Buckeyes would be without Arvell Reese for the first half of this week’s game after he was ejected for a questionable targeting call that made head coach Ryan Day go ballistic. Luckily for Ohio State the suspension of Reese was overturned earlier this week on appeal.
Even though their performance wasn’t perfect, the Ohio State secondary was improved last week against Nebraska. Denzel Burke didn’t have as many issues tackling as he did against Oregon, finishing with six stops and two TFLs against the Cornhuskers. Safety Caleb Downs extended his streak to four straight games with at least one tackle for loss, while also picking up some of the slack for safety Lathan Ranson, who wasn’t active for the game because of injury. There is optimism that Ransom will be able to return to the field for this week’s game.
Beaver Stadium was the setting for one of the best individual defensive performances in college football history. Back in 2022, J.T. Tuimoloau recorded three tackles for loss, two sacks, two interceptions, with one being returned for a touchdown, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery in the 44-31 win. Had it not been for Tuimoloau’s efforts, it is questionable if the Buckeyes would have won the game, which they trailed 16-14 early in the fourth quarter.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25709080/2169390281.jpg "COLLEGE FOOTBALL: AUG 31 Akron at Ohio State")
Photo by Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Tuimoloau enters this week’s contest coming off one of his better games of the season. Last week the senior defensive end had five tackles, two behind the line of scrimmage, and a sack. Tuimoloau leads the team with four sacks, while fellow defensive linemen Jack Sawyer, Tyleik Williams, and Ty Hamilton all have recorded 2.5 sacks so far this season.
With their 28-13 win last week at Wisconsin, Penn State secured their 20th 7-0 start in school history, and the third under current head coach James Franklin. Now in his 11th season as head coach of the Nittany Lions, Franklin has posted a 95-39 record.
One hurdle Franklin hasn’t been able to regularly clear is Ohio State, who he has a 1-9 record against. The lone win for Franklin against the Buckeyes came in 2016 when the Nittany Lions needed to return a blocked field goal for a touchdown to secure the 24-21 victory in State College.
Despite their undefeated start to the season, Penn State is facing a big question this week at quarterback. Drew Allar was injured against the Badgers, leaving Beau Pribula to take the snaps the rest of the game. Combined, Allar and Pribula went 25 for 31 with 246 yards passing and two passing touchdowns in the victory.
In his second season as starter for the Nittany Lions, Allar is currently the only FBS quarterback since 1956 to attempt 500 passes, throw at least 40 touchdowns, and be intercepted six or less times. Currently Allar is a game-time decision.
If he isn’t able to play, Pribula will bring a bit of a different dynamic to the Penn State offense. Pribula has been effective as a runner during his limited time behind center, with his seven rushing touchdowns equaling the number of touchdowns the sophomore has passed for. Last week’s game was the first time Pribula has attempted more than 10 passes in a game.
No matter who starts at quarterback for Penn State, they’ll have one of the best tight ends in the country at their disposal. Tyler Warren enters Saturday’s game with 47 catches for 559 yards, scoring four touchdowns. Warren had a game for the ages at USC last month, with the tight end hauling in 17 passes, racking up 224 yards in the overtime victory.
Not only is the 224 yards a Big Ten record for receiving yards by a tight end in a conference game, the 17 receptions tied a conference record. Warren is certainly going to be a finalist for the Mackey Award at the end of the regular season, given annually to the best tight end in the country.
One player who will get plenty of attention on Saturday is wide receiver Julian Fleming. Unfortunately it won’t be because of his production so far this season, instead it will be because Fleming is a former Buckeye. After appearing in 37 games in scarlet and gray, catching 80 passes for 990 yards and scoring seven times, the Pennsylvania native has just 10 catches for 148 yards in 2024.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25709081/2174752822.jpg "Kent State v Penn State")
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Harrison Wallace III has been the most productive Penn State receiver so far this year, entering Saturday’s game with 22 grabs for 350 yards. The two receiving touchdowns Wallace has is tied with Omari Evans for the most among Nittany Lion wide receivers. Liam Clifford also has been a trusted target in the passing attack, recording 14 catches through the first seven games of the season.
Much like Ohio State, Penn State has a dynamic duo at running back. Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen have both rushed for over 2,200 yards during their time in State College, making them just the second pair of Nittany Lion teammates to rush for over 2,000 yards with the school. The first pair of running backs to achieve that feat were Lydell Mitchell and Franco Harris.
Through seven games, Singleton and Allen have combined to carry the football 176 times, rushing for 992 yards and seven touchdowns. The tandem didn’t find much success last season in Columbus, rushing 18 times for 74 yards.
2022 was a little better for Allen and Singleton, with the two rushing for 121 yards and an Allen touchdown on the ground. They had to work hard to reach that mark, totaling 26 carries in the 44-31 Ohio State win. This year the two should find comfort in running behind an offensive line that has had the same five starters in all seven games.
The Penn State defense is one of the toughest units in the country to crack. Through seven games this season, the Nittany Lions have only allowed more than 13 points in a game twice.
As tough as it has been for opponents to put points on the scoreboard against Penn State, it has been almost impossible to do so after halftime. In the second half of games this year, the Nittany Lions have only allowed 30 points, with just six of those coming in the third quarter.
Over the last few seasons, the bread and butter of the Penn State defense has been their rush defense. By allowing just 81 yards rushing to Wisconsin last week, with only 10 of those yards coming in the second half, the Nittany Lions have now held 24 opponents to less than 100 yards rushing since the beginning of the 2022 season. After defensive coordinator Manny Diaz took the head coaching job at Duke in the offseason, Franklin brought in former Indiana head coach Tom Allen to replace Diaz.
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Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The star of the Nittany Lion defense is defensive end Abdul Carter, who spent the last two years at linebacker before moving to the defensive line. Last year Carter was one of the best defenders in the conference, regardless of position, earning All-Big Ten first team honors. So far this season Carter has been a menace for opposing offenses, registering 9.5 TFLs and four sacks. Joining Carter on the defensive line are defensive tackles Dvon J-Thomas and Zane Durant, as well as Dani Dennis-Sutton at the other defensive end spot.
Taking snaps at linebacker for Penn State are Tony Rojas and Kobe King, who have combined to record 64 tackles and seven stops behind the line of scrimmage. The Nittany Lions also utilize a hybrid linebacker/defensive back spot, which has seen defensive back Cam Miller line up at that spot. With Ohio State’s ability to throw the football, it’s likely that Penn State will continue to use this strategy to get more resources on the field to cover Egbuka, Smith, Tate, and the other Buckeye receiving options.
One defensive back that Will Howard will have to be aware of at all times is safety Jaylen Reed, who had a 19-yard interception return for a touchdown last week against Wisconsin. Along with his two interceptions this season, Reed’s 44 tackles are the most on the team, and the junior from Detroit also has a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
At the other safety spot is another junior, Zakee Wheatley, whose 37 tackles ranks second on the team. Wheatley was extremely active against Wisconsin, finishing with a team-high 10 tackles. The cornerback spots will be manned by A.J. Harris and Jalen Kimber. The duo have a mix of youth and experience, as Harris is a sophomore and Kimber is a senior.
Unlike the Oregon, which provided plenty of offensive fireworks, this is going to be more of your typical Big Ten clash, even more so if Allar isn’t able to suit up. Penn State will look to use Singleton and Allen to open up the passing game for Allar with play-action. If Pribula ends up starting in this game, the backup will provide another running threat the Buckeyes will have to account for.
When it comes to the Ohio State offense, it all comes down to the offensive line. Even though Ryan Day said if Michalski will play if he is cleared after suffering an injury last week, the best course of action will likely be to slide Donovan Jackson to tackle, especially since the Nittany Lions have a destructive defensive end in Abdul Carter. If Michalski plays and hasn’t significantly improved from what he showed against Nebraska, Will Howard and the Buckeye offense will be under constant pressure.
What Ohio State has going for them is their dominance over Penn State over the last decade. The Buckeyes have gone into State College multiple times and quieted the raucous crowd. The mystique of Beaver Stadium isn’t quite as daunting in the daylight as it is at night. Even though the coaching of Ryan Day leaves a lot to be desired at times, James Franklin has failed to meet the moment in nearly every big game during his time at Penn State.
In the end, Ohio State is a little too talented on both sides of the football for the Nittany Lions to handle. The Buckeyes received a scare last week from Nebraska, which will make them take an even harder look at what they hope to accomplish, and how they are going to meet those goals. Will Howard shines in his return to his home state, as Ohio State hands Penn State their first loss of the season.
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Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images
For the second time in series history, Ohio State and Penn State meet with both teams ranked inside the Top 5.
Following last week’s close call against Nebraska, Ohio State will have another tough test when they hit the road to take on the Penn State Nittany Lions, who enter this week ranked third in the country.
This will be the second game between Top 5 teams that the Buckeyes have been involved in this season. Earlier this month, Ohio State lost a tight battle with Oregon 32-31 in Eugene.
The Top 5 clash with the Nittany Lions will be the second in series history. The Buckeyes won the first game of highly ranked foes 38-7 in 1996. Ohio State entered that game ranked third, while Penn State was ranked fourth.
Recent history in the series between the conference foes has been hotly contested, as the last eight meetings have been decided by an average of 7.5 points. Last year the Buckeyes beat the Nittany Lions 20-12 in Columbus. Marvin Harrison Jr. hauled in a career-high 11 passes for 162 yards and the game-winning touchdown with just over four minutes remaining in the game.
The victory marked Ohio State’s seventh consecutive win over Penn State, extending their edge in the series to 24-14.
Ohio State’s most recent game
The victory over Nebraska left the Buckeyes with more questions than answers heading into this week’s game. The biggest concern for Ohio State is with the offensive line. After losing tackle Josh Simmons for the rest of the season to an injury in the Oregon game, Zen Michalski was terrible against the Cornhuskers before leaving the game with an injury.
Head coach Ryan Day said it is up in the air if Michalski would play this week, but if he is healthy enough to take the field he will be the starter at tackle. If not, guard Donovan Jackson could slide over to tackle and Luke Montgomery or Carson Hinzman could step in to fill Jackson’s spot at guard.
The Buckeye offense is looking to bounce back
With Michalski’s ineffectiveness before his injury, Ohio State struggled mightily to run the football despite having two of the best running backs in the country. Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson combined to rush for just 54 on 20 carries against the Cornhuskers. Judkins did end up scoring the game-winning touchdown with six minutes to go in the game on a nine-yard pass from Will Howard.
With seven more rushing yards, Henderson will move past Carlos Hyde and Keith Byars into ninth spot on Ohio State’s all-time rushing yardage list. The senior running back enters this week’s game with 3,194 career rushing yards.
At least Will Howard was able to pick up some of the slack for a non-existent rushing attack last week. The Kansas State transfer threw for 221 yards and three touchdowns against Nebraska. By completing 13 of his 16 passes in the game, Howard became the first Buckeye quarterback since Justin Fields in 2020 to complete at least 80 percent of their passes in three straight games.
Howard also surpassed 1,000 rushing yards in his career, sitting at 1,012 rushing yards heading into this week’s contest.
In the first half of the Nebraska game, Howard used a couple deep passes to give Ohio State a 14-3 lead. The first was a 40-yard touchdown pass to Carnell Tate, who set career highs with four catches for 102 yards in the game. Both were tops among Buckeye receivers against the Cornhuskers.
The second touchdown was a 60-yard strike to Jeremiah Smith, who was able to get behind the secondary of the Cornhuskers. Smith now has touchdowns in each of his first seven collegiate games. With a receiving touchdown this week, Smith will join Marvin Harrison Jr., Chris Olave, and Terry Glenn as Ohio State receivers to find the end zone in eight straight games.
Along with chasing that mark, Smith is close to setting a number of Ohio State freshman receiving records. Last week Smith matched Cris Carter’s record of eight receiving touchdowns as a freshman. So far this season Smith has 35 catches for 623 yards, putting him seven catches and 26 yards shy of passing the totals Carter posted in 1984.
While Tate and Smith had solid games last week, Emeka Egbuka was pretty quiet against Nebraska. The senior receiver caught just three passes for 20 yards. The three receptions raised Egbuka’s career total to 167, which is now just one grab shy of tying Cris Carter for fourth in school history. Last year Egbuka missed the Penn State game as he was still recovering from an injury he suffered earlier in the season.
Ohio State’s defense has bent but been not broken
Had it not been for the defense last week, Ohio State would have been in serious trouble. The Buckeye defense was constantly in the backfield against the Cornhuskers, registering 13 tackles for loss, which was their highest total since they had 15 TFLs in 2021 against Indiana. Other impact plays made by the defense were a stop at the one-yard line on 4th and goal, and a Jordan Hancock interception late in the fourth quarter to secure the victory.
For the second straight week, Cody Simon led Ohio State in tackles, making eight stops against Nebraska. Simon was also a fixture in the backfield of the Cornhuskers, notching a team-high three TFLs. The linebacker from New Jersey enters this week’s games as the team’s second-leading tackler, with his 33 tackles only surpassed by fellow linebacker Sonny Styles’ 43 tackles.
Late in Saturday’s game it looked like the Buckeyes would be without Arvell Reese for the first half of this week’s game after he was ejected for a questionable targeting call that made head coach Ryan Day go ballistic. Luckily for Ohio State the suspension of Reese was overturned earlier this week on appeal.
Even though their performance wasn’t perfect, the Ohio State secondary was improved last week against Nebraska. Denzel Burke didn’t have as many issues tackling as he did against Oregon, finishing with six stops and two TFLs against the Cornhuskers. Safety Caleb Downs extended his streak to four straight games with at least one tackle for loss, while also picking up some of the slack for safety Lathan Ranson, who wasn’t active for the game because of injury. There is optimism that Ransom will be able to return to the field for this week’s game.
Beaver Stadium was the setting for one of the best individual defensive performances in college football history. Back in 2022, J.T. Tuimoloau recorded three tackles for loss, two sacks, two interceptions, with one being returned for a touchdown, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery in the 44-31 win. Had it not been for Tuimoloau’s efforts, it is questionable if the Buckeyes would have won the game, which they trailed 16-14 early in the fourth quarter.
Tuimoloau enters this week’s contest coming off one of his better games of the season. Last week the senior defensive end had five tackles, two behind the line of scrimmage, and a sack. Tuimoloau leads the team with four sacks, while fellow defensive linemen Jack Sawyer, Tyleik Williams, and Ty Hamilton all have recorded 2.5 sacks so far this season.
Penn State enters this week undefeated
With their 28-13 win last week at Wisconsin, Penn State secured their 20th 7-0 start in school history, and the third under current head coach James Franklin. Now in his 11th season as head coach of the Nittany Lions, Franklin has posted a 95-39 record.
One hurdle Franklin hasn’t been able to regularly clear is Ohio State, who he has a 1-9 record against. The lone win for Franklin against the Buckeyes came in 2016 when the Nittany Lions needed to return a blocked field goal for a touchdown to secure the 24-21 victory in State College.
Allar’s injury raises questions for the Nittany Lion offense
Despite their undefeated start to the season, Penn State is facing a big question this week at quarterback. Drew Allar was injured against the Badgers, leaving Beau Pribula to take the snaps the rest of the game. Combined, Allar and Pribula went 25 for 31 with 246 yards passing and two passing touchdowns in the victory.
In his second season as starter for the Nittany Lions, Allar is currently the only FBS quarterback since 1956 to attempt 500 passes, throw at least 40 touchdowns, and be intercepted six or less times. Currently Allar is a game-time decision.
If he isn’t able to play, Pribula will bring a bit of a different dynamic to the Penn State offense. Pribula has been effective as a runner during his limited time behind center, with his seven rushing touchdowns equaling the number of touchdowns the sophomore has passed for. Last week’s game was the first time Pribula has attempted more than 10 passes in a game.
No matter who starts at quarterback for Penn State, they’ll have one of the best tight ends in the country at their disposal. Tyler Warren enters Saturday’s game with 47 catches for 559 yards, scoring four touchdowns. Warren had a game for the ages at USC last month, with the tight end hauling in 17 passes, racking up 224 yards in the overtime victory.
Not only is the 224 yards a Big Ten record for receiving yards by a tight end in a conference game, the 17 receptions tied a conference record. Warren is certainly going to be a finalist for the Mackey Award at the end of the regular season, given annually to the best tight end in the country.
One player who will get plenty of attention on Saturday is wide receiver Julian Fleming. Unfortunately it won’t be because of his production so far this season, instead it will be because Fleming is a former Buckeye. After appearing in 37 games in scarlet and gray, catching 80 passes for 990 yards and scoring seven times, the Pennsylvania native has just 10 catches for 148 yards in 2024.
Harrison Wallace III has been the most productive Penn State receiver so far this year, entering Saturday’s game with 22 grabs for 350 yards. The two receiving touchdowns Wallace has is tied with Omari Evans for the most among Nittany Lion wide receivers. Liam Clifford also has been a trusted target in the passing attack, recording 14 catches through the first seven games of the season.
Much like Ohio State, Penn State has a dynamic duo at running back. Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen have both rushed for over 2,200 yards during their time in State College, making them just the second pair of Nittany Lion teammates to rush for over 2,000 yards with the school. The first pair of running backs to achieve that feat were Lydell Mitchell and Franco Harris.
Through seven games, Singleton and Allen have combined to carry the football 176 times, rushing for 992 yards and seven touchdowns. The tandem didn’t find much success last season in Columbus, rushing 18 times for 74 yards.
2022 was a little better for Allen and Singleton, with the two rushing for 121 yards and an Allen touchdown on the ground. They had to work hard to reach that mark, totaling 26 carries in the 44-31 Ohio State win. This year the two should find comfort in running behind an offensive line that has had the same five starters in all seven games.
The Penn State defense has been roaring
The Penn State defense is one of the toughest units in the country to crack. Through seven games this season, the Nittany Lions have only allowed more than 13 points in a game twice.
As tough as it has been for opponents to put points on the scoreboard against Penn State, it has been almost impossible to do so after halftime. In the second half of games this year, the Nittany Lions have only allowed 30 points, with just six of those coming in the third quarter.
Over the last few seasons, the bread and butter of the Penn State defense has been their rush defense. By allowing just 81 yards rushing to Wisconsin last week, with only 10 of those yards coming in the second half, the Nittany Lions have now held 24 opponents to less than 100 yards rushing since the beginning of the 2022 season. After defensive coordinator Manny Diaz took the head coaching job at Duke in the offseason, Franklin brought in former Indiana head coach Tom Allen to replace Diaz.
The star of the Nittany Lion defense is defensive end Abdul Carter, who spent the last two years at linebacker before moving to the defensive line. Last year Carter was one of the best defenders in the conference, regardless of position, earning All-Big Ten first team honors. So far this season Carter has been a menace for opposing offenses, registering 9.5 TFLs and four sacks. Joining Carter on the defensive line are defensive tackles Dvon J-Thomas and Zane Durant, as well as Dani Dennis-Sutton at the other defensive end spot.
Taking snaps at linebacker for Penn State are Tony Rojas and Kobe King, who have combined to record 64 tackles and seven stops behind the line of scrimmage. The Nittany Lions also utilize a hybrid linebacker/defensive back spot, which has seen defensive back Cam Miller line up at that spot. With Ohio State’s ability to throw the football, it’s likely that Penn State will continue to use this strategy to get more resources on the field to cover Egbuka, Smith, Tate, and the other Buckeye receiving options.
One defensive back that Will Howard will have to be aware of at all times is safety Jaylen Reed, who had a 19-yard interception return for a touchdown last week against Wisconsin. Along with his two interceptions this season, Reed’s 44 tackles are the most on the team, and the junior from Detroit also has a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
At the other safety spot is another junior, Zakee Wheatley, whose 37 tackles ranks second on the team. Wheatley was extremely active against Wisconsin, finishing with a team-high 10 tackles. The cornerback spots will be manned by A.J. Harris and Jalen Kimber. The duo have a mix of youth and experience, as Harris is a sophomore and Kimber is a senior.
Prediction
Unlike the Oregon, which provided plenty of offensive fireworks, this is going to be more of your typical Big Ten clash, even more so if Allar isn’t able to suit up. Penn State will look to use Singleton and Allen to open up the passing game for Allar with play-action. If Pribula ends up starting in this game, the backup will provide another running threat the Buckeyes will have to account for.
When it comes to the Ohio State offense, it all comes down to the offensive line. Even though Ryan Day said if Michalski will play if he is cleared after suffering an injury last week, the best course of action will likely be to slide Donovan Jackson to tackle, especially since the Nittany Lions have a destructive defensive end in Abdul Carter. If Michalski plays and hasn’t significantly improved from what he showed against Nebraska, Will Howard and the Buckeye offense will be under constant pressure.
What Ohio State has going for them is their dominance over Penn State over the last decade. The Buckeyes have gone into State College multiple times and quieted the raucous crowd. The mystique of Beaver Stadium isn’t quite as daunting in the daylight as it is at night. Even though the coaching of Ryan Day leaves a lot to be desired at times, James Franklin has failed to meet the moment in nearly every big game during his time at Penn State.
In the end, Ohio State is a little too talented on both sides of the football for the Nittany Lions to handle. The Buckeyes received a scare last week from Nebraska, which will make them take an even harder look at what they hope to accomplish, and how they are going to meet those goals. Will Howard shines in his return to his home state, as Ohio State hands Penn State their first loss of the season.
LGHL score prediction: Ohio State 28, Penn State 17
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LGHL In Conversation: Mike Golic Jr. is taking Ohio State State and laying the points against PSU
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In Conversation: Mike Golic Jr. is taking Ohio State State and laying the points against PSU
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
The former Notre Dame offensive lineman discusses OSU’s o-line issues.
On Land-Grant’s “In Conversation” podcast, we talk to people in and around Ohio State athletics, and the sporting world at large, to bring you a different insight and perspective to the teams, athletes, and university that you love.
Listen to the episode and subscribe:
On the show today, Matt Tamanini is in conversation with DraftKings college football analyst, the host of “The GoJo Podcast,” and former Notre Dame offensive lineman Mike Golic Jr. GoJo dives into the issues that the Ohio State offensive line is dealing with, both in terms of production and injuries and previews what Chip Kelly might do against Penn State in order to cover up for that unit’s deficiencies.
He also gets into what Jim Knowles should do to attack the Nittany Lions’ offensive line as well as a number of other topics. And, as a DraftKings Sports Network representative, he sheds some light on what he would do if he was betting on the game.
Connect with Mike Golic Jr.
Twitter: @mikegolicjr
The GoJo Podcast: https://dknetwork.draftkings.com/gojo-show
Connect with Matt Tamanini
Twitter: @BWWMatt
Continue reading...
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
The former Notre Dame offensive lineman discusses OSU’s o-line issues.
On Land-Grant’s “In Conversation” podcast, we talk to people in and around Ohio State athletics, and the sporting world at large, to bring you a different insight and perspective to the teams, athletes, and university that you love.
Listen to the episode and subscribe:
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | iHeart Radio
On the show today, Matt Tamanini is in conversation with DraftKings college football analyst, the host of “The GoJo Podcast,” and former Notre Dame offensive lineman Mike Golic Jr. GoJo dives into the issues that the Ohio State offensive line is dealing with, both in terms of production and injuries and previews what Chip Kelly might do against Penn State in order to cover up for that unit’s deficiencies.
He also gets into what Jim Knowles should do to attack the Nittany Lions’ offensive line as well as a number of other topics. And, as a DraftKings Sports Network representative, he sheds some light on what he would do if he was betting on the game.
Connect with Mike Golic Jr.
Twitter: @mikegolicjr
The GoJo Podcast: https://dknetwork.draftkings.com/gojo-show
Connect with Matt Tamanini
Twitter: @BWWMatt
Theme music provided by www.bensound.com
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