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LGHL Ohio State makes the cut for a 2026 receiver who has a major OSU commit as a teammate
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Ohio State makes the cut for a 2026 receiver who has a major OSU commit as a teammate
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Kayden Dixon-Wyatt | 247Sports
Four-star wide receiver Kayden Dixon-Wyatt keeps the Buckeyes in the mix.
Being on the road this weekend brings Ohio State to their second top-five road contest of the season. It will surely be another stellar television ratings performance, and all eyes will be on Ohio State and Penn State.
Though winning is the first priority, it never hurts to look at the part as recruits are taking notice. Whether via TV screen or on Penn State’s sideline, the Buckeyes have a huge opportunity this weekend to impress prospects. Hopefully this time around they make the most of it.
In the 2025 recruiting class, the Buckeyes are pretty much set besides hoping to add a few additional players to fill specific spots of need. The 2026 class, however, is another story. Ohio State currently only has one commit locked in thanks to five-star receiver, Chris Henry Jr. and while that’s not super alarming, it is a noticeably slower start than normal.
This nearly empty class is not for a lack of trying, the coaching staff has sent out more than enough offers to land a few top commits, but, hopefully, those will come as the cycle becomes Ohio State’s first priority after signing day and the postseason. The fortunate part of the slowdown is that the Buckeyes are already impressing several top players from around the country and at multiple positions. Like the current cycle, the next should present a ton of talent as those top targets get closer to decision time.
Keeping with the trend of 2026 receivers, the Buckeyes got some good news from another top player at the position on Wednesday from Mater Dei product, Kayden Dixon-Wyatt. The No. 139 player nationally and the 24th best at his position per the 247Sports Composite grades, Dixon-Wyatt holds offers from 30 schools but is now down to just 10 after releasing his latest top schools list.
Making the cut for the California native are Alabama, Georgia, Miami, Oregon, Penn State, Tennessee, Texas, Texas A&M, UCLA, and Ohio State. An interesting aspect here, as Kayden is a Mater Dei product, he is also a teammate of the aforementioned Henry Jr. and you’d have to think the two have talked about Ohio State and the potential of being Buckeyes together.
Brian Hartline typically doesn’t need much help when it comes to landing elite receiver targets, but it certainly doesn’t hurt to have a current commit in his ear just a little. A position that should do nothing but continue its recent success, Hartline will have plenty of options to land, but Dixon-Wyatt is one worth keeping a close eye on, knowing the consistent presence Ohio State has in his life via his teammate and future Buckeye.
A hoops commitment is on the agenda for five-star, Darryn Peterson, who is set to announce this coming Friday night via 247Sports. The No. 3 player in the 2025 class and top combo guard in the class per the 247Sports Composite grades, Peterson is down to just four schools with Ohio State joining the likes of Kansas, Kansas State, and USC as the finalists.
Per the 247Sports crystal ball feature, Peterson is pegged to end up with Kansas as the likely pick, but Ohio State is keeping up with some of the premier programs in the country for these top players as they continue to make the cut. Now, the goal will be to land one of these top targets and they’ll at least be in the running Friday night.
Continue reading...
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Kayden Dixon-Wyatt | 247Sports
Four-star wide receiver Kayden Dixon-Wyatt keeps the Buckeyes in the mix.
Being on the road this weekend brings Ohio State to their second top-five road contest of the season. It will surely be another stellar television ratings performance, and all eyes will be on Ohio State and Penn State.
Though winning is the first priority, it never hurts to look at the part as recruits are taking notice. Whether via TV screen or on Penn State’s sideline, the Buckeyes have a huge opportunity this weekend to impress prospects. Hopefully this time around they make the most of it.
Buckeyes make the cut for a top 2026 receiver target
In the 2025 recruiting class, the Buckeyes are pretty much set besides hoping to add a few additional players to fill specific spots of need. The 2026 class, however, is another story. Ohio State currently only has one commit locked in thanks to five-star receiver, Chris Henry Jr. and while that’s not super alarming, it is a noticeably slower start than normal.
This nearly empty class is not for a lack of trying, the coaching staff has sent out more than enough offers to land a few top commits, but, hopefully, those will come as the cycle becomes Ohio State’s first priority after signing day and the postseason. The fortunate part of the slowdown is that the Buckeyes are already impressing several top players from around the country and at multiple positions. Like the current cycle, the next should present a ton of talent as those top targets get closer to decision time.
Keeping with the trend of 2026 receivers, the Buckeyes got some good news from another top player at the position on Wednesday from Mater Dei product, Kayden Dixon-Wyatt. The No. 139 player nationally and the 24th best at his position per the 247Sports Composite grades, Dixon-Wyatt holds offers from 30 schools but is now down to just 10 after releasing his latest top schools list.
Making the cut for the California native are Alabama, Georgia, Miami, Oregon, Penn State, Tennessee, Texas, Texas A&M, UCLA, and Ohio State. An interesting aspect here, as Kayden is a Mater Dei product, he is also a teammate of the aforementioned Henry Jr. and you’d have to think the two have talked about Ohio State and the potential of being Buckeyes together.
Brian Hartline typically doesn’t need much help when it comes to landing elite receiver targets, but it certainly doesn’t hurt to have a current commit in his ear just a little. A position that should do nothing but continue its recent success, Hartline will have plenty of options to land, but Dixon-Wyatt is one worth keeping a close eye on, knowing the consistent presence Ohio State has in his life via his teammate and future Buckeye.
NEWS: Four-Star WR Kayden Dixon-Wyatt (2026) is down to Schools, he tells me for @on3recruits
The 6’2 180 WR from Bay Area, CA is one of the Top WRs in the ‘26 Class
Where Should He Go?https://t.co/ICjQyoPZqK pic.twitter.com/29IE5OC2ij
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) October 30, 2024
Quick Hits:
A hoops commitment is on the agenda for five-star, Darryn Peterson, who is set to announce this coming Friday night via 247Sports. The No. 3 player in the 2025 class and top combo guard in the class per the 247Sports Composite grades, Peterson is down to just four schools with Ohio State joining the likes of Kansas, Kansas State, and USC as the finalists.
Per the 247Sports crystal ball feature, Peterson is pegged to end up with Kansas as the likely pick, but Ohio State is keeping up with some of the premier programs in the country for these top players as they continue to make the cut. Now, the goal will be to land one of these top targets and they’ll at least be in the running Friday night.
Continue reading...
LGHL MC&J: The SEC and ACC have a number of intriguing games on Week 10’s national schedule
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MC&J: The SEC and ACC have a number of intriguing games on Week 10’s national schedule
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 Ken Murray/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Even though there is only one game between ranked teams outside the Big Ten this week, plenty will be on the line across the country.
Last week ATS: 10-6 (6-2 National, 4-4 B1G)
Season ATS: 75-80 (30-32 National, 45-49 B1G)
After two weeks of ugly picks I was starting to wonder if I lost my fastball. Last week restored some of my confidence, as I was able to push my season record closer to .500. Now to continue to make gains as the calendar turns to November, meaning the end of the regular season isn’t too far off.
No. 19 Ole Miss (-6.5) v. Arkansas - 12:00 p.m. ET - ESPN
Ole Miss was able to rebound from their overtime loss to LSU with a hard-fought 26-14 win over Oklahoma last week. The Sooners made the Rebels work for the victory, leading 14-10 at halftime before a Jaxson Dart touchdown pass early in the third quarter gave Ole Miss the lead for good. Dart has been one of the best quarterbacks in the country so far this season, throwing for at least 260 yards in every game. Dart’s favorite target this year has been Tre Harris, who is already approaching 1,000 receiving yards.
Last week Arkansas decimated Mississippi State 58-25 in Starkville. Taylen Green entered the matchup with the Bulldogs with six passing touchdowns. The Boise State transfer nearly matched that mark by tossing five touchdowns against Mississippi State, while adding another score on the ground. The issue for the Razorbacks this year is they haven’t been able to build off their wins. Following a win over Auburn they lost to Texas A&M. Then after an upset of Tennessee they lost to LSU.
I have a feeling the trend for Arkansas will continue since Ole Miss knows they have no room for error the rest of the season, especially with a matchup with Georgia on deck next week. The Rebels aren’t just all offense, as they have the top scoring defense in the country. The Razorbacks will wish they would have saved some points from last week’s victory to use this week.
Ole Miss 31, Arkansas 20
Vanderbilt v. Auburn (-6.5) - 12:45 p.m. ET - SEC Network
Can Diego Pavia leave Jordan-Hare Stadium with a win for the second straight season? Last year Pavia and New Mexico State beat the Tigers 31-10. Hugh Freeze must be having nightmares this week heading into Saturday’s game with the versatile quarterback. The Commodores have been playing really good football this year, beating Alabama and taking Missouri and Texas to the limit in close losses.
Auburn has some serious problems on offense. The Tigers haven’t scored more than 24 points in a game since mid-September. Quarterback Payton Thorne doesn’t make good decisions with the football, already throwing seven interceptions this season, pushing his career total to 41 picks. Auburn will likely come into this game feeling good about themselves after rolling up 500 yards against Kentucky last week, but the Wildcats have fallen on hard times after upsetting Ole Miss.
I just like the way Vanderbilt has been playing this season a lot more than what I have seen from Auburn. The Commodores are on the brink of bowl eligibility, as a win over Auburn would get them to six victories. There is a bit of a worry about the close loss to Texas taking a lot out of Vanderbilt, but Clark Lea’s team was in a similar situation when they beat Alabama. The next week the Commodores went on the road and beat Kentucky. Pavia does the double and frustrates Freeze and Auburn fans for a second straight season.
Vanderbilt 24, Auburn 21
Florida v. No. 2 Georgia (-16.5) - 3:30 p.m. ET - ABC
Speaking of Georgia, the Bulldogs get back to work after having last weekend off following their win at Texas. The game against the new SEC member was very odd, with quarterback Carson Beck throwing three interceptions.
The defense really stepped up for Beck against a potent Texas offense a couple weeks ago, holding the Longhorns to 259 yards in Austin. Luckily for Georgia, they had Trevor Etienne on the field, as the Florida transfer running back found the end zone three times against Texas.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25707353/2178272263.jpg "Mississippi State v Georgia")
Photo by Steve Limentani/ISI Photos/Getty Images
It has been an extremely strange season for the Gators. After losing to Miami and Texas A&M early, Florida has won three of their last four games. Unfortunately for Billy Napier, quarterback Graham Mertz was injured against Tennessee, leaving freshman D.J. Lagway as the starter for the rest of the season.
The World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party (I know they don’t call it that anymore and I don’t care) kicks off an insanely difficult stretch for the Gators that will see them take on Texas, LSU, and Ole Miss after this week’s game. Even though they finish the season with Florida State, it’s hard to see the Gators finding two wins the rest of the way to become bowl eligible.
Georgia hasn’t lived up to expectations this year but it feels like this week could jumpstart the team since they have had some extra time to focus on the closing stretch of the regular season. We also are likely to see a little extra juice from Etienne since he’ll be going up against his old team. Beck doesn’t make nearly as many mistakes as we saw from him against Texas while the defense harrasses Lagway in Jacksonville.
Georgia 38, Florida 17
Texas Tech v. No. 11 Iowa State (-13.5) - 3:30 p.m. ET - ESPN
The Cyclones will be looking to keep pace with BYU at the top of the Big 12 standings. With a win, Iowa State will move to 5-0, matching the conference record of the Cougars. Matt Campbell’s team was taken to the limit by UCF two weeks ago, needing a fourth quarter comeback to beat the Knights and stay undefeated. Rocco Becht’s one-yard touchdown run with less than a minute to go was the deciding score in the game. Wide receiver Jaylin Noel tied a season-high with eight catches, while his 153 yards receiving was his best output of the year.
Texas Tech might not be all that good but at least they are exciting. Much like the Red Raider squads we have seen over the years, defense is definitely optional. In five of their eight games so far this season, Texas Tech has given up at least 30 points. The combination of quarterback Behren Morton and running back Tahj Brooks have at least been able to make up for some of the team’s deficiencies on defense. Brooks has to be licking his chops after seeing UCF roll up 354 yards on the ground two weeks ago.
At some point Iowa State is going to get tripped up. While I’m not daring enough to call for Texas Tech to be the team to hand the Cyclones their first loss of the season, I think as we get deeper into the regular season we’ll continue to see Iowa State play with fire. Despite the swiss cheese defense of the Red Raiders, they have enough offense to put a bit of a scare into Iowa State and keep the final score inside two touchdowns.
Iowa State 41, Texas Tech 31
No. 10 Texas A&M (-2.5) v. South Carolina - 7:30 p.m. ET - ABC
Texas A&M looked dead in the water after the first half last week against LSU. Then head coach Mike Elko decided to turn to Marcel Reed after quarterback Connor Weigman was ineffective against the Tigers.
All Reed did was rush for three touchdowns in the first 16 minutes of the second half, giving the Aggies a 28-17 lead. It is unknown if Weigman or Reed will take the snaps for Texas A&M this week, but it seems obvious that Reed is the more dynamic option of the two and will give the Aggies the best chance at staying on top of the SEC.
Which South Carolina squad are we going to get this week? The team that obliterated Oklahoma in Norman, or the version that was listless against Ole Miss? I know the crowd in Columbia will be rocking, I just can’t use that as my only reason for backing the Gamecocks here.
Texas A&M has a ferocious defense that is going to make life miserable for quarterback LaNorris Sellers. Purdue transfer Nic Scourton is one of the premier defensive ends in the country. The Aggies have 11 interceptions on the season, and I see Scourton getting after Sellers and forcing him into making some mistakes that are going to swing the game to keep Texas A&M undefeated in SEC play.
There is always the possibility of a letdown after a big win. Unlike when Texas A&M had Jimbo Fisher coaching, Mike Elko seems to be running a tighter ship than Fisher did. There is a lot of urgency for the Aggies to avoid the letdown here since if they are able to win, they have a non-conference game and a very winnable game against Auburn before they battle Texas in the final game of the regular season. With a short line, I like the Aggies here as they should be able to grind out a win over the Gamecocks.
Texas A&M 28, South Carolina 21
Louisville v. No. 11 Clemson (-10.5) - 7:30 p.m. ET - ESPN
For as much as we make fun of Dabo Swinney, I have to at least give him some credit for rallying his team after Clemson was humbled 34-3 in the season opener against Georgia. Since then, the Tigers have won all six of their games by at least 16 points.
Quarterback Cade Klubnik is looking like the top quarterback prospect that he was coming out of high school, tossing 20 touchdowns and just three interceptions this year. Add in running back Phil Mafah and Clemson can hurt you both on the ground and through the air.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25707355/2180029127.jpg "Virginia v Clemson")
Photo by Isaiah Vazquez/Getty Images
Louisville is one of the few teams the Tigers have played so far that have the potential to keep pace on offense. Like Klubnik, Tyler Shough has also thrown 20 touchdowns this year. I’m just not convinced the Cardinals have played anyone with a defense as tough as what they’ll see from Clemson.
Laying double digits against Louisville isn’t ideal, but I do think we’ll see a massive effort from the Tigers under the lights at Death Valley after a bye week. Clemson keeps the pressure on Miami and SMU to keep winning and in the mix for the ACC title.
Clemson 37, Louisville 24
No. 18 Pitt v. No. 20 SMU (-7.5) - 8:00 p.m. ET - ACC Network
Prior to the season, who had this game between Pitt and SMU being the only game between ranked teams outside the Big Ten? If you say you did then you are a liar. Both teams are undefeated in the ACC so far this season, and the Panthers enter this game with a perfect 7-0 record.
Last week Pitt victimized former Ohio State quarterback Honda McCord, returning three interceptions for touchdowns in the 41-13 win. The health of quarterback Eli Holstein is in question for this game. If the freshman can’t play, Kevin Yarnell will take the snaps for the Panthers.
SMU closed out a three-game road trip with a 28-27 win over Duke in overtime, needing a stop on the two-point conversion of the Blue Devils to stay undefeated in conference play. Kevin Jennings will have to be better this week for the Mustangs. Last week, Jennings tossed three interceptions, so you know Pitt’s secondary is excited to try and build off their pick party last week.
Even with uncertainty at quarterback for Pitt, I still like the Panthers here. Getting a touchdown and the hook are huge in a game between teams that have habits of playing tight games. This feels like a game that will feature plenty of shenanigans and isn’t decided until late.
Pitt 35, SMU 31
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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 Ken Murray/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Even though there is only one game between ranked teams outside the Big Ten this week, plenty will be on the line across the country.
Last week ATS: 10-6 (6-2 National, 4-4 B1G)
Season ATS: 75-80 (30-32 National, 45-49 B1G)
After two weeks of ugly picks I was starting to wonder if I lost my fastball. Last week restored some of my confidence, as I was able to push my season record closer to .500. Now to continue to make gains as the calendar turns to November, meaning the end of the regular season isn’t too far off.
National games
No. 19 Ole Miss (-6.5) v. Arkansas - 12:00 p.m. ET - ESPN
Ole Miss was able to rebound from their overtime loss to LSU with a hard-fought 26-14 win over Oklahoma last week. The Sooners made the Rebels work for the victory, leading 14-10 at halftime before a Jaxson Dart touchdown pass early in the third quarter gave Ole Miss the lead for good. Dart has been one of the best quarterbacks in the country so far this season, throwing for at least 260 yards in every game. Dart’s favorite target this year has been Tre Harris, who is already approaching 1,000 receiving yards.
Last week Arkansas decimated Mississippi State 58-25 in Starkville. Taylen Green entered the matchup with the Bulldogs with six passing touchdowns. The Boise State transfer nearly matched that mark by tossing five touchdowns against Mississippi State, while adding another score on the ground. The issue for the Razorbacks this year is they haven’t been able to build off their wins. Following a win over Auburn they lost to Texas A&M. Then after an upset of Tennessee they lost to LSU.
I have a feeling the trend for Arkansas will continue since Ole Miss knows they have no room for error the rest of the season, especially with a matchup with Georgia on deck next week. The Rebels aren’t just all offense, as they have the top scoring defense in the country. The Razorbacks will wish they would have saved some points from last week’s victory to use this week.
Ole Miss 31, Arkansas 20
Vanderbilt v. Auburn (-6.5) - 12:45 p.m. ET - SEC Network
Can Diego Pavia leave Jordan-Hare Stadium with a win for the second straight season? Last year Pavia and New Mexico State beat the Tigers 31-10. Hugh Freeze must be having nightmares this week heading into Saturday’s game with the versatile quarterback. The Commodores have been playing really good football this year, beating Alabama and taking Missouri and Texas to the limit in close losses.
Auburn has some serious problems on offense. The Tigers haven’t scored more than 24 points in a game since mid-September. Quarterback Payton Thorne doesn’t make good decisions with the football, already throwing seven interceptions this season, pushing his career total to 41 picks. Auburn will likely come into this game feeling good about themselves after rolling up 500 yards against Kentucky last week, but the Wildcats have fallen on hard times after upsetting Ole Miss.
I just like the way Vanderbilt has been playing this season a lot more than what I have seen from Auburn. The Commodores are on the brink of bowl eligibility, as a win over Auburn would get them to six victories. There is a bit of a worry about the close loss to Texas taking a lot out of Vanderbilt, but Clark Lea’s team was in a similar situation when they beat Alabama. The next week the Commodores went on the road and beat Kentucky. Pavia does the double and frustrates Freeze and Auburn fans for a second straight season.
Vanderbilt 24, Auburn 21
Florida v. No. 2 Georgia (-16.5) - 3:30 p.m. ET - ABC
Speaking of Georgia, the Bulldogs get back to work after having last weekend off following their win at Texas. The game against the new SEC member was very odd, with quarterback Carson Beck throwing three interceptions.
The defense really stepped up for Beck against a potent Texas offense a couple weeks ago, holding the Longhorns to 259 yards in Austin. Luckily for Georgia, they had Trevor Etienne on the field, as the Florida transfer running back found the end zone three times against Texas.
It has been an extremely strange season for the Gators. After losing to Miami and Texas A&M early, Florida has won three of their last four games. Unfortunately for Billy Napier, quarterback Graham Mertz was injured against Tennessee, leaving freshman D.J. Lagway as the starter for the rest of the season.
The World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party (I know they don’t call it that anymore and I don’t care) kicks off an insanely difficult stretch for the Gators that will see them take on Texas, LSU, and Ole Miss after this week’s game. Even though they finish the season with Florida State, it’s hard to see the Gators finding two wins the rest of the way to become bowl eligible.
Georgia hasn’t lived up to expectations this year but it feels like this week could jumpstart the team since they have had some extra time to focus on the closing stretch of the regular season. We also are likely to see a little extra juice from Etienne since he’ll be going up against his old team. Beck doesn’t make nearly as many mistakes as we saw from him against Texas while the defense harrasses Lagway in Jacksonville.
Georgia 38, Florida 17
Texas Tech v. No. 11 Iowa State (-13.5) - 3:30 p.m. ET - ESPN
The Cyclones will be looking to keep pace with BYU at the top of the Big 12 standings. With a win, Iowa State will move to 5-0, matching the conference record of the Cougars. Matt Campbell’s team was taken to the limit by UCF two weeks ago, needing a fourth quarter comeback to beat the Knights and stay undefeated. Rocco Becht’s one-yard touchdown run with less than a minute to go was the deciding score in the game. Wide receiver Jaylin Noel tied a season-high with eight catches, while his 153 yards receiving was his best output of the year.
Texas Tech might not be all that good but at least they are exciting. Much like the Red Raider squads we have seen over the years, defense is definitely optional. In five of their eight games so far this season, Texas Tech has given up at least 30 points. The combination of quarterback Behren Morton and running back Tahj Brooks have at least been able to make up for some of the team’s deficiencies on defense. Brooks has to be licking his chops after seeing UCF roll up 354 yards on the ground two weeks ago.
At some point Iowa State is going to get tripped up. While I’m not daring enough to call for Texas Tech to be the team to hand the Cyclones their first loss of the season, I think as we get deeper into the regular season we’ll continue to see Iowa State play with fire. Despite the swiss cheese defense of the Red Raiders, they have enough offense to put a bit of a scare into Iowa State and keep the final score inside two touchdowns.
Iowa State 41, Texas Tech 31
No. 10 Texas A&M (-2.5) v. South Carolina - 7:30 p.m. ET - ABC
Texas A&M looked dead in the water after the first half last week against LSU. Then head coach Mike Elko decided to turn to Marcel Reed after quarterback Connor Weigman was ineffective against the Tigers.
All Reed did was rush for three touchdowns in the first 16 minutes of the second half, giving the Aggies a 28-17 lead. It is unknown if Weigman or Reed will take the snaps for Texas A&M this week, but it seems obvious that Reed is the more dynamic option of the two and will give the Aggies the best chance at staying on top of the SEC.
Which South Carolina squad are we going to get this week? The team that obliterated Oklahoma in Norman, or the version that was listless against Ole Miss? I know the crowd in Columbia will be rocking, I just can’t use that as my only reason for backing the Gamecocks here.
Texas A&M has a ferocious defense that is going to make life miserable for quarterback LaNorris Sellers. Purdue transfer Nic Scourton is one of the premier defensive ends in the country. The Aggies have 11 interceptions on the season, and I see Scourton getting after Sellers and forcing him into making some mistakes that are going to swing the game to keep Texas A&M undefeated in SEC play.
There is always the possibility of a letdown after a big win. Unlike when Texas A&M had Jimbo Fisher coaching, Mike Elko seems to be running a tighter ship than Fisher did. There is a lot of urgency for the Aggies to avoid the letdown here since if they are able to win, they have a non-conference game and a very winnable game against Auburn before they battle Texas in the final game of the regular season. With a short line, I like the Aggies here as they should be able to grind out a win over the Gamecocks.
Texas A&M 28, South Carolina 21
Louisville v. No. 11 Clemson (-10.5) - 7:30 p.m. ET - ESPN
For as much as we make fun of Dabo Swinney, I have to at least give him some credit for rallying his team after Clemson was humbled 34-3 in the season opener against Georgia. Since then, the Tigers have won all six of their games by at least 16 points.
Quarterback Cade Klubnik is looking like the top quarterback prospect that he was coming out of high school, tossing 20 touchdowns and just three interceptions this year. Add in running back Phil Mafah and Clemson can hurt you both on the ground and through the air.
Louisville is one of the few teams the Tigers have played so far that have the potential to keep pace on offense. Like Klubnik, Tyler Shough has also thrown 20 touchdowns this year. I’m just not convinced the Cardinals have played anyone with a defense as tough as what they’ll see from Clemson.
Laying double digits against Louisville isn’t ideal, but I do think we’ll see a massive effort from the Tigers under the lights at Death Valley after a bye week. Clemson keeps the pressure on Miami and SMU to keep winning and in the mix for the ACC title.
Clemson 37, Louisville 24
No. 18 Pitt v. No. 20 SMU (-7.5) - 8:00 p.m. ET - ACC Network
Prior to the season, who had this game between Pitt and SMU being the only game between ranked teams outside the Big Ten? If you say you did then you are a liar. Both teams are undefeated in the ACC so far this season, and the Panthers enter this game with a perfect 7-0 record.
Last week Pitt victimized former Ohio State quarterback Honda McCord, returning three interceptions for touchdowns in the 41-13 win. The health of quarterback Eli Holstein is in question for this game. If the freshman can’t play, Kevin Yarnell will take the snaps for the Panthers.
SMU closed out a three-game road trip with a 28-27 win over Duke in overtime, needing a stop on the two-point conversion of the Blue Devils to stay undefeated in conference play. Kevin Jennings will have to be better this week for the Mustangs. Last week, Jennings tossed three interceptions, so you know Pitt’s secondary is excited to try and build off their pick party last week.
Even with uncertainty at quarterback for Pitt, I still like the Panthers here. Getting a touchdown and the hook are huge in a game between teams that have habits of playing tight games. This feels like a game that will feature plenty of shenanigans and isn’t decided until late.
Pitt 35, SMU 31
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LGHL Bucketheads Podcast: We finally have a game to preview as the Buckeyes head to Vegas
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Bucketheads Podcast: We finally have a game to preview as the Buckeyes head to Vegas
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
Plus, we go through some historic metrics and give a fresh recruiting update.
“Bucketheads” is LGHL’s men’s basketball podcast, hosted by Connor Lemons and Justin Golba. In every episode, they give you the latest scoop on the Ohio State Buckeyes and everything else happening in college hoops.
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
We are back weekly now with the Ohio State men’s basketball season on the horizon, and for Episode 134, we finally have a game to preview!
The Buckeyes are heading to Las Vegas to take on the No. 19 Texas Longhorns in the season opener, and we break down the matchup for you.
Texas is a team full of transfers and freshmen, but it is as talented as they come. We look at who the leaders are for Texas and what they have brought in for this season. Plus, we look at what they lost from last season.
We also play a game of metrics and where Ohio State sits entering the season. Plus, we give recruiting updates on Darryn Peterson, Niko Bundalo, and Isaiah Denis.
Make sure to like, subscribe, comment, and leave a review on the show!
Connect with the Podcast:
Twitter: @BucketheadsLGPN
Connect with Connor:
Twitter: @lemons_connor
Connect with Justin:
Twitter: @justin_golba
Continue reading...
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
Plus, we go through some historic metrics and give a fresh recruiting update.
“Bucketheads” is LGHL’s men’s basketball podcast, hosted by Connor Lemons and Justin Golba. In every episode, they give you the latest scoop on the Ohio State Buckeyes and everything else happening in college hoops.
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
We are back weekly now with the Ohio State men’s basketball season on the horizon, and for Episode 134, we finally have a game to preview!
The Buckeyes are heading to Las Vegas to take on the No. 19 Texas Longhorns in the season opener, and we break down the matchup for you.
Texas is a team full of transfers and freshmen, but it is as talented as they come. We look at who the leaders are for Texas and what they have brought in for this season. Plus, we look at what they lost from last season.
We also play a game of metrics and where Ohio State sits entering the season. Plus, we give recruiting updates on Darryn Peterson, Niko Bundalo, and Isaiah Denis.
Make sure to like, subscribe, comment, and leave a review on the show!
Connect with the Podcast:
Twitter: @BucketheadsLGPN
Connect with Connor:
Twitter: @lemons_connor
Connect with Justin:
Twitter: @justin_golba
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LGHL Kaia Henderson enters junior year at Ohio State
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Kaia Henderson enters junior year at Ohio State
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Matt Krohn-Imagn Images
Next in player previews is a guard who’s never cracked into the Buckeyes’ rotation
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.
Ohio State women’s basketball has been upperclassmen heavy in the guard position for the last three seasons. First it was Jacy Sheldon and Taylor Mikesell, then Rikki Harris and Mikesell, ending last season with the return of Sheldon to a fully healthy season alongside graduate transfer Celeste Taylor.
Breaking into the group has always been difficult. Next is a guard who’s been part of that group trying to break through. It’s junior guard Kaia Henderson.
Name: Kaia Henderson
Position: Guard
Class: Junior
High School: New Hartford High School (New Hartford, New York)
2023-24 Stats: 0.8 ppg, 0.7 rpg, 0.4 apg, 0.353 FG%
Henderson played more minutes than her freshman season, but all the minutes were in the same kind of situations. The 5-foot-6 star out of Upstate New York played near the end of games where the Buckeyes were firmly in control.
The guard scored 12 points overall, split amongst three of her 15 appearances. They came against the likes of Ohio University, IUPUI and one shot made against the Wisconsin Badgers.
In four of those appearances, Henderson played over 10 minutes a game.
Henderson is a scorer who isn’t afraid to go to the basket against bigger paint opponents. The guard can also shoot at all three levels, showing impressive range in a high school career that ended with her amassing 2,284 points in New York’s Section III, good enough for fourth all time in the state.
Head coach Kevin McGuff said in media availability that this Buckeyes side is deep, with about nine or 10 players who will find themselves regular minutes in the rotation. When mentioning guards to fill those roles, Henderson’s name hasn’t come up over freshman like Jaloni Cambridge or Ava Watson.
It looks like it’ll be a group of four regular guards rotating in the backcourt, and it doesn’t feel like Henderson will be part of that group.
However, Henderson’s work off the court impresses, showing that half of student athletes is student. Henderson’s done work on the NIL level, working to empower other athletes in the space to build a life outside of the sport.
Also, the guard’s done a podcast series with Missouri gymnast Kennedy Griffin that highlights trailblazers in women’s sports.
Even if Henderson doesn’t get regular time on the court, the guard makes her presence known in the work she does off of it.
Watch as Henderson scores 20 consecutive points for New Hartford High School.
Miss a player preview? Click the links below to learn more about the 2024-25 Buckeyes roster:
Madison Greene
Eboni Walker
Ava Watson
Chance Gray
Elsa Lemmilä
Kennedy Cambridge
Taylor Thierry
Seini Henry
Ajae Petty
Faith Carson
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
Matt Krohn-Imagn Images
Next in player previews is a guard who’s never cracked into the Buckeyes’ rotation
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.
Ohio State women’s basketball has been upperclassmen heavy in the guard position for the last three seasons. First it was Jacy Sheldon and Taylor Mikesell, then Rikki Harris and Mikesell, ending last season with the return of Sheldon to a fully healthy season alongside graduate transfer Celeste Taylor.
Breaking into the group has always been difficult. Next is a guard who’s been part of that group trying to break through. It’s junior guard Kaia Henderson.
Name: Kaia Henderson
Position: Guard
Class: Junior
High School: New Hartford High School (New Hartford, New York)
2023-24 Stats: 0.8 ppg, 0.7 rpg, 0.4 apg, 0.353 FG%
Last Season
Henderson played more minutes than her freshman season, but all the minutes were in the same kind of situations. The 5-foot-6 star out of Upstate New York played near the end of games where the Buckeyes were firmly in control.
The guard scored 12 points overall, split amongst three of her 15 appearances. They came against the likes of Ohio University, IUPUI and one shot made against the Wisconsin Badgers.
In four of those appearances, Henderson played over 10 minutes a game.
What to Expect
Henderson is a scorer who isn’t afraid to go to the basket against bigger paint opponents. The guard can also shoot at all three levels, showing impressive range in a high school career that ended with her amassing 2,284 points in New York’s Section III, good enough for fourth all time in the state.
Prediction
Head coach Kevin McGuff said in media availability that this Buckeyes side is deep, with about nine or 10 players who will find themselves regular minutes in the rotation. When mentioning guards to fill those roles, Henderson’s name hasn’t come up over freshman like Jaloni Cambridge or Ava Watson.
It looks like it’ll be a group of four regular guards rotating in the backcourt, and it doesn’t feel like Henderson will be part of that group.
However, Henderson’s work off the court impresses, showing that half of student athletes is student. Henderson’s done work on the NIL level, working to empower other athletes in the space to build a life outside of the sport.
Also, the guard’s done a podcast series with Missouri gymnast Kennedy Griffin that highlights trailblazers in women’s sports.
Even if Henderson doesn’t get regular time on the court, the guard makes her presence known in the work she does off of it.
Highlights
Watch as Henderson scores 20 consecutive points for New Hartford High School.
Other Player Previews
Miss a player preview? Click the links below to learn more about the 2024-25 Buckeyes roster:
Madison Greene
Eboni Walker
Ava Watson
Chance Gray
Elsa Lemmilä
Kennedy Cambridge
Taylor Thierry
Seini Henry
Ajae Petty
Faith Carson
Continue reading...
LGHL No. 10 Ohio State heads into Big Ten Women’s Soccer Tournament as the eighth seed
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- 0 Replies
No. 10 Ohio State heads into Big Ten Women’s Soccer Tournament as the eighth seed
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Ohio State Athletics
Lori Walker-Hock’s Buckeyes look for their fourth all-time B1G Tournament title.
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College sports can be confusing at times. For example, the Ohio State women’s soccer team enters the postseason as the No. 10 team in the country... however, they are the eighth-seed team in the Big Ten Tournament. The top six teams all have a bye into the second round, so teams No. 7 through 10 have to play an extra game in order to win the conference crown.
Ohio State finished in a tie for seventh in the league with the Minnesota Golden Gophers after losing three of their last five games, all by one goal. Thanks to a 3-2 win at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium earlier in October, the Gophers — who are hosting the tournament — got the benefit of the tiebreaker.
So, despite the Buckeyes being the second-highest-ranked B1G team in the national polls, they will have “No. 8” next to their name for the next two weeks as they hope to right their ship and win their fourth tournament title.
To make things even more confusing, according to the NCAA’s RPI, which factors in strength of schedule, Ohio State is No. 13 nationally. This makes them the fourth-best ranking for a Big Ten school, behind No. 5 USC, No. 9 Penn State, and No. 10 Iowa. However, in the B1G Tournament, USC is No. 1 and Iowa is No. 3 — which makes sense given their RPI ranks — however, the Nittany Lions are entering the postseason as the No. 10 seed, two spots below the Buckeyes.
So, perhaps the moral of this story is that rankings don’t tell you nearly the complete story about a team’s season, and they all become irrelevant in the postseason anyway as it becomes survive and advance for everyone.
The Buckeyes enter the postseason 11-4-3 overall and 6-3-2 against Big Ten competition, however, none of those wins or losses came against the Wisconsin Badges, who will be OSU’s first-round opponent on Thursday, Oct. 31 at 4:30 p.m. ET. The Badgers are 9-4-4 overall and 5-3-3 in the league.
Ohio State has the advantage in the all-time series against Wisconsin with a record of 13-11-8, but it is even more impressive in the B1G Tournament where OSU is 3-0 against the Badgers; granted two of those wins came before many of the players were even born (1998 and 2002), but they still count.
Unlike the Buckeyes who stumbled a bit down the stretch, Wisconsin won four of its last five matches, allowing on a single goal in those four Ws.
Coming into the postseason, the Buckeyes are led by senior forward Kailyn Dudukovich who scored her 41st career goal in the regular season finale against No. 15 Penn State, passing Tiffany Cameron to become the program’s leading goal scorer. The goal was her 16th of the season to go along with an assist, giving her a team-leading 33 points on the season for head coach Lori Walker-Hock.
The last time that these two teams met, Dudukovich scored a second-half game-winner in Madison on Oct. 15, 2023. She was assisted by Amanda Schlueter who leads the Buckeyes and the Big Ten with 10 assists this season. Schlueter has also contributed eight goals this fall, bringing her to 26 points on the campaign.
Paula Wilkins’ Badgers are led by grad student Aryssa Mahrt who has nine goals and a pair of assists to give her 20 points on the season. The only other Wisconsin player with double-digit points is senior midfielder Ashley Martinez who has done most of her damage via her seven assists that go along with her pair of goals.
You can watch first and second-round games on BTN+ with the Big Ten Network picking up coverage on Thursday, Nov. 7 with the semifinals at 2 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. ET. The Big Ten Championship Game will take place on Sunday, Nov. 10 at 12 noon ET.
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
Ohio State Athletics
Lori Walker-Hock’s Buckeyes look for their fourth all-time B1G Tournament title.
College sports can be confusing at times. For example, the Ohio State women’s soccer team enters the postseason as the No. 10 team in the country... however, they are the eighth-seed team in the Big Ten Tournament. The top six teams all have a bye into the second round, so teams No. 7 through 10 have to play an extra game in order to win the conference crown.
Ohio State finished in a tie for seventh in the league with the Minnesota Golden Gophers after losing three of their last five games, all by one goal. Thanks to a 3-2 win at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium earlier in October, the Gophers — who are hosting the tournament — got the benefit of the tiebreaker.
So, despite the Buckeyes being the second-highest-ranked B1G team in the national polls, they will have “No. 8” next to their name for the next two weeks as they hope to right their ship and win their fourth tournament title.
To make things even more confusing, according to the NCAA’s RPI, which factors in strength of schedule, Ohio State is No. 13 nationally. This makes them the fourth-best ranking for a Big Ten school, behind No. 5 USC, No. 9 Penn State, and No. 10 Iowa. However, in the B1G Tournament, USC is No. 1 and Iowa is No. 3 — which makes sense given their RPI ranks — however, the Nittany Lions are entering the postseason as the No. 10 seed, two spots below the Buckeyes.
So, perhaps the moral of this story is that rankings don’t tell you nearly the complete story about a team’s season, and they all become irrelevant in the postseason anyway as it becomes survive and advance for everyone.
The Buckeyes enter the postseason 11-4-3 overall and 6-3-2 against Big Ten competition, however, none of those wins or losses came against the Wisconsin Badges, who will be OSU’s first-round opponent on Thursday, Oct. 31 at 4:30 p.m. ET. The Badgers are 9-4-4 overall and 5-3-3 in the league.
Ohio State has the advantage in the all-time series against Wisconsin with a record of 13-11-8, but it is even more impressive in the B1G Tournament where OSU is 3-0 against the Badgers; granted two of those wins came before many of the players were even born (1998 and 2002), but they still count.
Unlike the Buckeyes who stumbled a bit down the stretch, Wisconsin won four of its last five matches, allowing on a single goal in those four Ws.
Coming into the postseason, the Buckeyes are led by senior forward Kailyn Dudukovich who scored her 41st career goal in the regular season finale against No. 15 Penn State, passing Tiffany Cameron to become the program’s leading goal scorer. The goal was her 16th of the season to go along with an assist, giving her a team-leading 33 points on the season for head coach Lori Walker-Hock.
The last time that these two teams met, Dudukovich scored a second-half game-winner in Madison on Oct. 15, 2023. She was assisted by Amanda Schlueter who leads the Buckeyes and the Big Ten with 10 assists this season. Schlueter has also contributed eight goals this fall, bringing her to 26 points on the campaign.
Paula Wilkins’ Badgers are led by grad student Aryssa Mahrt who has nine goals and a pair of assists to give her 20 points on the season. The only other Wisconsin player with double-digit points is senior midfielder Ashley Martinez who has done most of her damage via her seven assists that go along with her pair of goals.
You can watch first and second-round games on BTN+ with the Big Ten Network picking up coverage on Thursday, Nov. 7 with the semifinals at 2 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. ET. The Big Ten Championship Game will take place on Sunday, Nov. 10 at 12 noon ET.
Continue reading...
