Uncut Podcast: Holtmann, Bonner, Battle discuss 73-56 win over Western Michigan
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports

Ohio State opened up the Emerald Coast Classic with a win over a different school from that team up north Sunday afternoon.

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

Listen to the episode and subscribe: ​

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

Following Ohio State’s 73-56 win over the Western Michigan Broncos Sunday afternoon, Jamison Battle, Dale Bonner, and Chris Holtmann spoke to the media about the contest, which was technically the opening round of the Emerald Coast Classic.

Battle and Bonner spent some time talking about Zed Key when asked about his recovery from shoulder surgery and his quality of play so soon after getting back on the court. Battle said that Key is a “gamer” and that his years of experience in the Big Ten show how tough he is. Both he and Bonner said that they loved Key’s three-pointer he knocked down in the first half.

Holtmann gave credit to Western Michigan, and said, “Once they’re healthier they’re going to have a really good year.” He discussed the difference in pace when you’re playing against a zone defense vs typical man-to-man, and also talked about Bruce Thornton’s progression into a more natural and effective point guard.

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Connect with Connor:
Twitter: @lemons_connor

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You’re Nuts: Predictions, bold or otherwise, for Ohio State vs. Michigan
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

The season is on the line in The Game.

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

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

This week’s topic: Predictions, bold or otherwise, for Ohio State vs. Michigan​

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Josh’s Take​

We’re here, folks. It’s *ichigan Week. How about I/you/we just punt on this edition of You’re Nuts and save that energy for The Game? Kidding, of course.

But it is that time of year, and let’s face it, The Game is all we really care about. Work? Nah, we’ve pushed everything to 2024 already. Family? We can interact with them 51 weeks a year, no need to over-do it. Thanksgiving? Honestly, overrated. The sole focus this entire week is and/or should be Ohio State vs. TTUN. It’s as simple as that.

As for You’re Nuts, well, this is normally the part where I wax poetic for a few paragraphs, throw in a couple of jokes/sarcastic remarks, and then ultimately set the table for Gene to crush me in this good-natured quasi-debate. But my partner is absolutely dialed this week. So he said “Let’s just cut the BS and start talking ball.”

What Gene wants; Gene gets. He suggested we throw out a final score prediction, but I'm going to toss in one added wrinkle — a(nother) bold prediction to go along with it. Something like: Jim Harbaugh, Connor Stalions, Uncle T, and Biff Poggi lead TTUN out of the tunnel and hilarity ensues... Just an example, and hopefully one that is not stolen by Gene for this exercise. Let’s get to it.

The bold part of my prediction is that both Dallan Hayden and Carnell Tate play a key role for Ohio State’s offense. Not in place of other Buckeyes, but as supplementary weapons to aid Kyle McCord against a stout defense.

We have seen plenty of Tate scattered throughout the season, but far less Hayden. The latter seems to be by design, as Ryan Day has mentioned preserving the running back’s redshirt. However, Hayden was thrown into the mix late against Minnesota, in a game that was already well out of reach. Ohio State could have easily chewed up clock using Chip Trayanum and Evan Pryor... So why use Hayden, burning his third game in the process?

Well I believe that the Minnesota game was used as a tune-up game for Hayden. To get the Buckeyes’ second-year RB re-acclimated and ready for TTUN. Because OSU will likely need to lean on the running game (at times) in Ann Arbor, and TreVeyon Henderson should not be expected to do all the heavy lifting on his own. Hayden is the team’s second-most explosive option and, in my opinion, a more viable threat than Trayanum. The latter is more physical and likely better in pass pro, so there should be a role for all three. But Ohio State needs to put the best players on the field Saturday. And Hayden has proven to be one of them when given the opportunity.

As for Tate, well, he’s awesome. And again, the Buckeyes would be wise to put their most dangerous weapons on the field. So why not the freshman? As the sole proprietor and possibly sole inhabitant of Fleming Island, I know and understand that Julian Fleming is an experienced downfield blocker. However, he is not getting it done in the passing game. If Tate is out there, TTUN will be forced to genuinely account for him, possibly opening things up (more) for Marvin Harrison Jr., Emeka Egbuka, and Cade Stover.

Now for the score prediction...

There is so much on the line here, Gene. Are you aware of any over-the-counter narcotics that would safely knock me out for approximately 100 hours? So I can see the score after I wake, and then decide whether to watch The Game?

In all seriousness, I like the Buckeyes’ chances on Saturday. Playing in The Big House definitely concerns me, but TTUN has not proven to be perfect or unbeatable. On or off the field. The Wolverines’ running game, while productive, is not as explosive as it was last year. J.J. McCarthy hasn’t thrown the ball well in two weeks. Taulia Tagovailoa was able to find holes in their secondary. Oh, and Jim Harbaugh will be watching the game on TV... We think. Either way, Ohio State has a chance to go exercise some demons. And I believe in McCord.

Give me 24-23 Buckeyes. TTUN gets into the red zone a handful of times, but OSU’s defense forces three field goals. Marv shows out, Henderson and Hayden produce (enough) on the ground, and Day calls a good, smart game. There ya have it. Go Bucks!

Gene’s Take​

While overall I feel good about Ohio State heading into Ann Arbor, especially with the Buckeyes playing some of their best ball over the past two weeks, I do have four areas of concern for The Game: special teams, offensive line, the OSU run defense and slow starts.

If Parker Fleming cared at all about Ohio State, he would resign from his position before Saturday. The Buckeyes’ special teams unit has been dreadful under his watch in every facet of the game, whether it be kick/punt return defense, fielding punts, stopping obvious fakes or even things as simple as lining up correctly, it has all been awful. Ohio State ranks 115th in FBS in punt return defense, 110th in punt returns, 71st in kick returns and 47th in kick return defense — on top of all their other procedural issues. I am incredibly worried that in a game with slim margins such as this one, a special teams mistake could cost the Buckeyes the game.

The offensive line has gotten better as the year has gone on, but it is still largely inconsistent. It seems like on any given week a different Ohio State offensive lineman struggles, outside of the rock solid Matthew Jones. It has been a tough few games for Carson Hinzman, and I have some concerns about the young center going up against some really talented interior linemen in Kenneth Grant and Mason Graham. On the outside, Josh Fryar has gotten beaten badly off the edge a handful of times, and Josh Simmons is good for at least one false start or holding penalty per game. They’ve been solid as a unit overall, but there are enough red flags there to warrant hesitation.

When it comes to the run defense, I understand that statically Ohio State has been really good in this area this season. The Buckeyes rank 19th in FBS and 5th in the Big Ten giving up 108.5 yards per game on the ground, but many teams haven’t been able to run the ball a ton against Jim Knowles’ defense when they are playing from behind. Teams that have committed to running the football, like Notre Dame and Rutgers, have had success against the Silver Bullets, each rushing for at least 170 yards and 4.5 yards per carry. Blake Corum is the best running back Ohio State will have seen this season, and I do think he will find success even if he's not ripping off six or seven yards per attempt.

My final area of concern is a slow start that puts the Buckeyes behind the eight-ball. Outside of the Michigan State game, Ohio State has had a problem all season putting up points in the first quarter and first half of games. Against a team like Michigan, you cannot afford to play a bad half or even really a bad quarter of football. An early turnover that leads to points and puts you down 10-0 or worse could be monumental in deciding the outcome of the game. Kyle McCord, TreVeyon Henderson and Marvin Harrison Jr. will have to be at their best early to avoid digging an early hole.

All that is to say: I still think Ohio State will win this game. Outside of offensive line I do think the Buckeyes are better or even at really every position across the board. They have the best player on the field in Harrison Jr., and if the defense plays up to its standard from the previous 11 games, they should have success keeping Michigan out of the end zone for the majority of the contest. I have it 21-17 Ohio State, and I think J.T. Tuimoloau will be the difference in the game, whether it be a huge fourth-quarter play as he’s been so accustomed to making or just harassing J.J. McCarthy all afternoon.

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No. 15 Ohio State women’s basketball wins physical game against East Carolina 79-55
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Ohio State University athletic department

Buckeyes survive a game with four technical fouls with key shooting

Ohio State women’s basketball was having a warmer day than most, playing Monday’s game in the Bahamas at the Baha Mar Pink Flamingo Championship. In the first of two games in three days, the Buckeyes beat the East Carolina Pirates 79-55.

The Buckeyes got things going quickly, benefiting on the defensive side of the ball. Ohio State forced an ECU timeout after 2:32 on the clock because of a strong half court presence.

East Carolina couldn’t find a gap in the scarlet and gray’s defensive setup, going for a bad runner late in the shot clock. On the next defensive possession, forward Rebeka Mikulášiková intercepted a pass. Both moments turned into guard Jacy Sheldon scoring unopposed layups

Out of that timeout, it didn’t get better. Halfway through the first quarter, the Pirates hit its first shot, a three by leading scorer, guard Danae McNeil. By then, the Pirates were down seven, with five turnovers.

In what seems like a repeat story throughout the season, guard/forward Taylor Thierry was a constant for the Buckeyes. Thierry led Ohio State with 7 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals and 1 block on 3-for-3 shooting in the first quarter. The Buckeyes had a 10-point lead, 21-11 with the game comfortably in their hands at the end of the first, but ECU battled.

Poor shooting and turnovers hurt the scarlet and gray in the second quarter, with the Pirates taking the momentum. East Carolina outshot Ohio State 66.6% to 33.3% in the first seven minutes. Included was bad passing and foul trouble.

Ohio State had five turnovers in the second quarter, with three bad passes turning into six points off turnovers for the Pirates. Not there to assist was Thierry.

The Buckeyes started the quarter with the Cleveland, Ohio native getting rest on the bench. After coming in, the forward made an early shot but picked up two quick fouls, giving her three for the quarter. Thierry only played two minutes, requiring other Buckeyes to step up.

Head coach Kevin McGuff’s side rebounded and began creating turnovers of its own. With the Buckeyes up only one, looking at potentially its first deficit of the game, substitute forward Taiyier Parks used her in the paint ability to hit a layup. Then, guard Celeste Taylor grabbed a steal that turned into a three-point shot by Sheldon.

Entering the second half, Ohio State had a 38-32 lead and came back out with the full slate of starters, bringing back Thierry with three fouls. The chemistry between them made a difference. Off the inbound, Sheldon received a pass running into the paint, getting the scoring going quickly.

It turned into a 7-2 Buckeyes run to start the second half. Part of those seven points was an impressive, professional-level, move by forward Cotie McMahon. With a crowd in the paint, McMahon didn’t try to use finesse or strength to get a layup in. Instead, McMahon showed her growing game, stopping midway through the run and making a fadeaway midrange shot.

The third quarter looked a lot like the first. Halfway through the third, the Buckeyes outscored the Pirates 11-2. Out of the media timeout, ECU came out fast with a layup but guard Rikki Harris came in and stepped up.

Harris started with a corner three-point shot, negating the Micah Dennis transition shot. Then, on the next offensive drive, Harris hit another three from the other corner, with a body in her face. Harris missed on an earned free throw on the second make, but it got the Buckeyes’ lead to its largest of the game to that point, with a 16-point East Carolina deficit.

With 1:29 remaining, and the Pirates drifting further away on the scoreboard, tensions rose between the sides. After complete passing by the Buckeyes on offense, Thierry caught the final pass and went for a lay-in near the rim. Guard Jade Tillman for ECU went hard into Thierry, sending the forward to the ground.

In walked Celeste Taylor.

As Tillman walked away, Taylor walked towards her teammate on the ground and didn’t walk by, but through, Tillman with a strong shoulder. Taylor followed it up with some words for the East Carolina guard. That sent the referees to the monitor for a long review of the situation and extracurricular activity.

From the review, ECU head coach Kim McNeil was visibly annoyed with the conclusion, saying “of course, of course” to the referees after the group of officials passed down the fouls from the small skirmish. Tillman received an intentional and technical foul for the move on Thierry, sending Tillman out of the game.

Other technicals included Joyner, Taylor and Harris, with Sheldon following them up with two free throw makes. The technical didn’t bother Harris though, hitting another three-pointer on the inbound off the free throws.

In the fourth, the Buckeyes committed early fouls but kept shooting on the offensive end of the court. Sheldon and Mikulášiková each hit one, with the Slovakian forward hitting two. Ohio State increased the lead up to 22, its highest of the game to that point.

The Buckeyes held on to the big lead, winning 79-55.

Senior Guards Show Up​

While Taylor had a key moment sticking up for her teammates off the game clock, Harris and Sheldon were providing the same support while the time was running.

From the starting five, Sheldon hit layups consistently despite not logging a steal until the fourth quarter. Instead, the graduate senior was shooting. Sheldon led all Buckeyes in scoring with 20 points. For Harris, the three three-point shots made turned a game that ECU felt they could compete in to a game out of its hands.

Press vs. Press

Going into the game, a similarity between the sides was how the defenses operate. Both teams employ a full court press that isn’t one-on-one coverage but more swarming. The press didn’t work for ECU as it has against previous opponents.

For one, it's now against the Buckeyes and not a mid major side like the Pirates have faced this year. The other reason was how ECU calmed its press down against Ohio State.

In previous games, East Carolina threw two people on whoever received the ball in the backcourt. Instead, the team played more of a 2-1-2 setup where only two players stood in the backcourt, one stayed near half court and two sat back in case the ball got through.

It meant that the turnovers weren’t all there for ECU like in previous games. Ohio State gave up more than 20 turnovers, but it wasn’t because of the press. Had that press been more effective, the Pirates, who were within one point in the second quarter, might’ve made it more of a contest in the second half.

What’s Next​

It’s a quick turnaround for the Buckeyes in the Bahamas. On Wednesday, Ohio State takes on the other OSU: Oklahoma State University. The Cowgirls play the Penn State Nittany Lions Monday at 6 p.m. ET.

Oklahoma State made it to the First Round of the 2023 NCAA Tournament, losing to the surprise Miami Hurricanes. Before Monday’s game against Penn State, the Cowgirls are 2-1 with the lone loss coming against the Colorado Buffaloes on Nov. 12.

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How did Michigan turn arounds its rivalry with Ohio State? Land-Grant Holy Land breaks it down
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 Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

How did the Wolverines finally get over on their rival after eight consecutive losses?

They started cheating.

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All of the news you need to know to kick off Rivalry Week
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Ohio State played Minnesota on Saturday, but as soon as the game was over all attention turned to TTUN.

As you are almost certainly aware, it is now officially rivalry week for the No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes as they will travel to the state up north on Saturday to take on their third-ranked rivals. Whether you have the week off to celebrate Thanksgiving or if you are just trying to find stuff to pass the time at work, we are going to run you through all of the news since the Buckeyes’ 37-3 victory over th Minnesota Golden Gophers on Saturday.


It is now officially Beat M*ch*g*n Week! Get the info you need on the juiciest game in rivalry history
Matt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land

Ohio State opens as 4-point underdogs against Michigan
Gene Ross, Land-Grant Holy Land

Ohio State up to No. 2 in Week 13 Coaches, AP Poll
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts

Presser Bullets: Ryan Day Says Ohio State ‘Stayed in the Moment’ Against Minnesota but It’s Time to Test a Season’s Worth of Work vs. Michigan
Andy Anders, Eleven Warriors

Five Thoughts: On Ohio State’s win vs. Minnesota with an eye on Michigan (paywall)
Bill Landis, Dotting the Eyes

After being held out again, Tommy Eichenberg to return for Michigan game (paywall)
Andy Backstrom, Lettermen Row

Ohio State’s defensive bomb squad out to defuse Michigan’s explosives and finish its mission
Nathan Baird, cleveland.com

Three stats that could determine the winner of The Game
Matt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land


Jack Sawyer Puts Five-Star Talent on Full Display in Career Game vs. Minnesota
Dan Hope, Eleven Warriors

Healthy Emeka Egbuka ‘looked explosive,’ back to top form in time for The Game (paywall)
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row

3 things that makes the Michigan football offense work, and how Ohio State can counter: Film Review
Lance Reisland, cleveland.com

Football: Undefeated Buckeyes Are Confident Heading Into the Game
Brett Price, The Lantern

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Grumpy Old Buckeye: Ohio State vs. Minnesota
Michael Citro 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 Buckeyes channeled their inner Carl Spackler and took care of the Gophers on Saturday.

While it was good to see the Ohio State defense once again playing a dominating game in a 37-3 Senior Day victory over Minnesota — even when considering the opponent’s overall strength — the Buckeye offense returned to its bad habit of stalling without finishing drives. It’s a problem that has been there most of the season, with the exception of last week’s win over Michigan State.

It was still basically a complete performance, however, so let’s check in with the minor annoyances that made me think negative thoughts about a group of players and coaches who were on my television on Saturday.

Gettin’ Grabby​

A holding penalty on the punt return unit set the tone for a game filled with poor starting field position after Ohio State stopped the first drive by the Golden Gophers. Jayden Ballard called a fair catch, so no yards were gained by the hold, but the Buckeyes started at their own 15-yard line instead of the 25 because of a penalty. This was the first of several drives in which the OSU offense began from awful field position. Ohio State was able to easily move down the field and score anyway, which set a false tone for the offense.

Still Getting’ Grabby​

The second OSU drive started from even worse field position. Ohio State took over at its own 3-yard line and quickly moved six yards on a pair of TreVeyon Henderson runs. However, on the second, Cade Stover was called for holding, putting the Buckeyes behind the chains and off schedule. Stover caught a short pass on the next play to get the ball back to where it was, but an incomplete pass on third down killed the drive and set Minnesota up in good field position (at its own 45) after the punt.

Still Not Snappy​

The snap problems Ohio State has had intermittently the last several weeks showed up again on Saturday on the third OSU offensive series. A bad ball from Carson Hinzman began the drive. Kyle McCord was able to field it on one hop and deliver a strike to Marvin Harrison Jr., but the timing of the play was affected, and it’s a bit maddening that this keeps happening this far into the season.

Wait, I Thought We Were Calling Holding?​

Minnesota was facing a 3rd-and-14 on its third drive. The Buckeyes seemed poised to make a big play on defense and quickly get the ball back. However, Minnesota quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis was able to hit Corey Crooms on a crossing route for a big play of 32 yards. The time to throw was generously supplied by the Golden Gophers’ left tackle, who lived up to his position’s name by tackling J.T. Tuimoloau right in front of Kaliakmanis.

No flag flew, and the Gophers moved into OSU territory. Although the defense stiffened up and forced a punt, Ohio State took over at its own 11-yard line.

Second-Quarter Kyle Returns​

After lighting up Michigan State through the entire first half, it seemed McCord had taken a step forward a week ago. But his problems from late in the first quarter through halftime returned in this game with some poor reads, curious decisions, and bad throws. After starting 5-of-6 for 60 yards, McCord finished the first half connecting just six times on his last 12 attempts for 87 yards.

He clearly wasn’t seeing the field well, as several open targets downfield were ignored in favor of throwing into coverage. That included a blitz where Harrison’s man left him to rush the passer and Ohio State’s Heisman candidate was all alone.

The young quarterback needs to avoid the bad streak that seems to inevitably follow a hot start in this Saturday’s game or it could be the difference between a trip to Indianapolis and sweating out other results to end up with a ranking high enough to overcome a costly loss. I’m not sure Ohio State will get the benefit of the doubt this year.

Two-Minute Follies​

Ohio State had all kinds of problems on its two-minute drive to end the first half. Instead of taking a timeout after a first down in bounds, Ohio State tried to go quickly. As has often happened when the Buckeyes try to go fast on offense, something went awry. The line wasn’t set for a second prior to the snap and Ohio State was forced to burn the timeout anyway to avoid a 10-second run-off. Had the timeout been called initially, the Buckeyes would have had five fewer yards to go and about six more seconds on the clock.

The wasteful drive got worse when the clock got low. With virtually no way to get down the field in the time remaining, Ohio State called a pass play. Josh Fryar completely blew his block and McCord got sacked, coming down awkwardly and limping to the locker room for halftime. I’m fine with going after points in the final seconds of a half, but after the previous play resulted in only a short gain and kept the clock moving, the final play should have been a kneel-down.

You Calling Us Posers?​

Jordan Hancock’s interception was fun, and it made up for him not throwing a block that could have gotten Tuimoloau into the end zone on an earlier Minnesota turnover. But the Buckeyes decided to celebrate the turnover and they got nailed for it. Most of the defensive unit posed in the end zone in front of photographers. The flag flew and the referee made a point of naming every player so that they’d each count against the ejection total.

In an era of unprecedented celebrating on the field, the Buckeyes ran to the end zone and did not celebrate in their opponents’ faces. Technically it’s a penalty, but lighten up, man. I’ve never heard a ref call out that many players by number on a play like that before, and said the penalty was for “posing.” It was the penalty call of the year in the Big Ten.

No Shutout​

The backups absolutely should have been on the field (and probably some of them earlier), but the defense allowed Minnesota to string some first downs together and the Gophers snapped the shutout with a 54-yard field goal. Way to go, backups. You had one job!

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Obviously the good vastly outweighed the bad for Ohio State on Saturday, and any perceived anger or venom above is purely tongue in cheek. Henderson ran wild on the Gophers, Dallan Hayden performed well when called upon, the defense was stifling and opportunistic at times, and Jack Sawyer had perhaps his best ever game as a Buckeye.

Next up is The Game in Ann Arbor on Saturday at noon. No matter what happens, Michigan cheated.

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Class: 2027
Position: RB
School: Buffalo (NY) Canisius
Height: 5'9"
Weight: 190 lbs



Visited for the Mich St game. Offers from Penn St., Oregon and Syracuse already

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Class: 2025 (high school)
Position: Defensive Line
School: Newberry (FL) Newberry
Height: 6-foot-2
Weight: 280 lbs
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Ohio State offers a trio of 2025 prospects over the weekend
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


2025 WR Talyn Taylor | via @taylor_talyn on Twitter

The Buckeyes were active on the recruiting trail after the final home game of the season.

Ohio State picked up a relatively easy 36-3 victory over Minnesota on Saturday. While they were doing so, the Buckeyes also had their final chance of the season to host recruits for a game day atmosphere. It was a fun night in Columbus, and it seems as though all went well on the recruiting front, with three new prospects coming away from the weekend with Ohio State offers in hand.

The first of that trio is 2025 wide receiver Talyn Taylor. Hailing out of Big Ten country in Illinois, Taylor currently ranks as the No. 15 WR and the No. 95 overall player in the class, per the 247Sports Composite. The 6-foot, 165-pound athlete holds over 20 offers to his name, with Ohio State now joining the likes of Alabama, Georgia, Michigan, Notre Dame, USC and more. He has made prior visits with both the Wolverines and the Fighting Irish, but as we have seen more often than not with Brian Hartline, things could escalate quickly here if there is mutual interest between the two parties.

#AGTG After a great conversation with @ryandaytime I am extremely blessed to receive an offer from The Ohio State University! @brianhartline @ParkerFleming_ @Rivals_Clint @AllenTrieu @ChadSimmons_ @LemmingReport @GenevaViking pic.twitter.com/30226WsYgU

— Talyn Taylor (@taylor_talyn) November 19, 2023​

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Next up is 2025 safety Messiah Delhomme. Making the trip to Ohio State this weekend from Virginia, Delhomme currently ranks as the No. 9 safety and the No. 127 player nationally per 247Sports’ rankings. Delhomme did a little bit of everything for the Raiders as a sophomore, rushing for 827 yards, racking up 575 yards as a receiver, and also recording 61 tackles and eight interceptions as a defensive back. The 6-foot-1 track athlete was named VHSL Class 4 First Team All-State as both a receiver and DB, and was also named the Region 4A Defensive Player of the Year.

I’m extremely blessed and grateful to say I have received my 16th D1 Scholarship from THE Ohio State University @ryandaytime @jchorba16 @Coach_Eliano @CoachSykes3 @Coach_D_Moody @coach_1906 @247Sports pic.twitter.com/otOTTuMoJs

— Messiah Delhomme (@DelhommeMessiah) November 19, 2023​

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The final player on our list is 2025 defensive lineman Jarquez Carter. A Florida native, Carter ranks as the No. 49 DL and No. 63 player out of the Sunshine State per 247Sports’ rankings. The 6-foot-2, 280-pound tackle also plays basketball for Newberry, but put up impressive numbers on the gridiron to the tune of 78 total tackles, 23 tackles for loss and 10 sacks as a sophomore. Carter holds over a dozen offers to his name to this point, including from programs such as Miami, Michigan, Notre Dame, Penn State and now the Buckeyes.

Blessed and honored to receive an offer from Ohio State University @R2X_Rushmen1 @N_Murph @ChadSimmons_ @RivalsFriedman #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/tB6o2PtTeN

— Jarquez Carter (@JarquezCarter) November 19, 2023​

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Quick Hits​

• In addition to the three new offerees, Ohio State had a chance to impressive some other high profile targets on Saturday. One of them was current USC commit Julian Lewis, the No. 1 QB and No. 1 overall player in the 2026 class. With a long way to go until Lewis signs on the dotted line and the Trojans finishing up a 7-5 season before their move to the Big Ten, there is still plenty of time for Ryan Day to make up some ground, and it sounds like the visit this weekend was very well received.

“It was a great atmosphere,” Lewis told Bucknuts. “I’m glad I got to finally get up there. I was super tired from my game the night before and an early flight, but it was worth the trip.”

In addition to Lewis, the Buckeyes also played host to five-star corner Dorian Brew. The No. 4 CB and No. 21 prospect overall the 2025 class, it was the third Ohio State game the Texas native has attended this season. With how well the Silver Bullets are playing under Tim Walton and Perry Eliano, and with OSU making his top 10 schools just last week, things seem to be trending very well for the Buckeyes with one of the nation’s premier defenders in the upcoming cycle.

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Ohio State beats (Western) Michigan 73-56 to kick off rivalry week
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports

The Buckeyes did not mess around with the directional Michigan school this afternoon.

Welcome to rivalry week! To kick off the best and most venomous sports week of the year, the Ohio State men’s basketball team welcomed the Western Michigan Broncos to the Schottenstein Center Sunday afternoon for the fourth-ever matchup between the two programs. Because even though Buckeyes fans can’t take a swing at the Wolverines until Saturday, the second-best thing is facing off with one of the several directional Michigan schools, right?

The Broncos (0-4) came into this game having lost games to North Dakota State, Georgia State, and Northwestern by a combined 15 points — an average deficit of just five points per loss. They entered Sunday’s contest sitting at No. 303 in KenPom overall and No. 313 in defensive efficiency, allowing 108.6 points per 100 possessions.

Second-year head coach Dwayne Stephens went with a starting five of Brandon Muntu, Jefferson De La Cruz Monegro, Seth Hubbard, Titus Wright, and Owen Lobsinger. Chris Holtmann’s Buckeyes (3-1) went with the same starting lineup they’ve used the first three games — Bruce Thornton, Roddy Gayle, Jamison Battle, Evan Mahaffey, and Felix Okpara.

Ohio State opened the scoring with a couple of three-pointers, courtesy of Thornton and Battle, to take an 11-6 lead into the first media timeout. While Okpara started this game, Zed Key checked in after three minutes and immediately had a big defensive stop against WMU’s Anthony Crump, who tried to back him down in the paint, then moved him out to the perimeter, and then tried to come back below the basket before Zed swatted it away wth five seconds remaining on the shot clock.

The Buckeyes really broke things open with a 14-0 run halfway through the first half, taking a seven-point lead and turning it into a 21-point lead not even three minutes later. It was a balanced scoring attack and a balanced defensive effort, with five different players scoring at least five points in the first half and five different players registering at leat one steal.

We'll be thinking about this Roddy Gayle dunk for awhile. @OhioStateHoops pic.twitter.com/Bx9JPY8ZCY

— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) November 19, 2023

Click to expand...

When the halftime buzzer sounded, Ohio State had their largest halftime lead of the season, 41-21, over Wester Michigan. Gayle had nine points on 4-of-5 shooting over 16 minutes as well as five rebounds, but also turned the ball over twice. Thornton, Battle, Key, and Dale Bonner each had at least six points in the first half. Collectively, Ohio State shot 51.7% in the first half, and was 8-of-15 from three (53.3%). De La Cruz Monegro had five points in the first half for WMU, which shot 30% in the first half.

Ohio State extended its already huge lead to 27 points over the first few minutes of the second half, with a 55-28 lead at the first media timeout. Gayle and Thornton continued to seek inside looks rather than settling for threes, which in turn opened up the perimeter for Battle.

Mop kid wasn’t ready for this Zed Key dunk. @iamzedkey x @OhioStateHoops pic.twitter.com/EshoUEcTbs

— Big Ten Men's Basketball (@B1GMBBall) November 19, 2023

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The Buckeyes clung to a measley 25-point lead at the under-eight timeout, 68-43. A lot of basketball happened during the under-eight and the final buzzer, but not a ton of it was consequential with Ohio State ultimately running away with a 73-56 win over Western Michigan to kick off rivalry week.

If you weren’t around for Ohio State’s final tune-up before heading to Florida this weekend, here’s a few key moments, plays, and statistics that led to win No. 3 on the season for the Buckeyes:

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Welcome to the Zed Key show ​

Felix Okpara has been starting at center this season, but Key had played signficantly more minutes than his fellow center through three games because he’s brought a lot more on the offensive end than Okpara.

Zed's doing it all for @OhioStateHoops. pic.twitter.com/rw8TNHrx48

— Big Ten Men's Basketball (@B1GMBBall) November 19, 2023

Click to expand...

Today, Okpara started but subbed out after three minutes. Key had an immediate impact upon entering the game, blocking two shots as well as adding a steal-and-score where he swiped the ball away and then ran the floor himself for a dunk. He threw in a three from straightaway to give himself five points, two blocks, two rebounds, and a steal just in his first five minutes on the floor.

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Ohio State’s 14-0 run helps Buckeyes break away ​

After Max Burton’s three-pointer made it 16-9 Buckeyes, Ohio State proceeded to go on a 14-0 run to basically put the game out of reach before even getting to halftime. Four different Buckeyes scored during the run (Dale Bonner, Zed Key, Scotty Middleton, and Battle), but it was fueled by the defense of the bigs — Key and Okpara. Key had multiple steals and blocks in the first half alone. Okpara — although he played more sparingly — still had an impact, blocking two shots and also was credited with a steal in the first half.

Thornton’s three-pointer with 9:21 left in the first half made it 30-9 Ohio State, but the Broncos would go on to score a minute later to eventually break their five-plus minute scoreless streak.

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Ugly first half final possession for Ohio State ​

Leading 41-18 with under a minute remaining, it looked like WMU and Ohio State would each get one possession before the halftime buzzer. After Bonner missed a three with 40 seconds remaining, Western Michigan brought the ball down and Anthony Crump knocked down a three to make it 41-21.

However, Scotty Middleton was called for a foul below the basket on the shot, so WMU got the bucket and retained possession, meaning there was an opportunity for a six-point possession, potentially. However, Ja’Vaughn Hannah missed a three, and that was how the half ended.

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Take care of the rock ​

Ohio State’s 11.3 turnovers per game was the fifth-fewest in the Big Ten enterign this game, although Holtmann would certainly like to see that number drop a bit more if possible. The Buckeyes were much more intentional with the basketball than its opponent on Sunday afternoon, committing just three turnovers over 40 minutes in comparison to WMU’s 11.

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Felix and Zed, co-existing on the floor ​

The idea of Key playing power forward and Okpara playing center in the same lineup, at the same time was a topic that’s come up each of the past two summers, but Ohio State had opted not to experiment with it in an actual game until Sunday afternoon.

With 13:54 left in the game and Ohio State up 59-28, Key subbed in for Battle, with Okpara still on the floor. Key played the four and played a lot more on the perimeter, while Okpara remained in the post.

The two played together for 2:15, until Okpara was subbed back out for Devin Royal. During the time they were on the floor together, Ohio State was outscored 7-6. Not a sterling review of the dual big man lineup, but the coaching staff was probably glad to get some film on that lineup against actual, live competition that they can review for the future.

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Up Next:​

Ohio State (3-1) has the next four days off before flying to Niceville, Florida for the Emerald Coast Classic. In game one, they’ll see the No. 22 Alabama Crimson Tide (4-0) who have scored at least 98 points in every game this season so far. They’re the No. 5 team in the nation according to KenPom, with the second-best offense in the country.

The Buckeyes’ game against Alabama will tip off at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, and will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network.

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Three stats that could determine the winner of The Game
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Scott W. Grau/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

From scoring defense to McCarthy’s stats vs. top-50 defenses to red zone conversions, there’s a lot to dig into.

On Saturday, Nov. 25, 2023 at 12 noon ET in Michigan Stadium, perhaps the most dramatic installment of The Game in history will finally happen. Between now and then, there will undoubtedly be millions of hours and column inches spent talking about sign-stealing, cheating, softness, suspensions, RICO charges, coverups, computer crimes, and many more salacious storylines, but when it is time to get the game underway, those things will mostly fade into the background as two of the best college football teams in the country will square off for the Big Ten East’s spot in the conference championship game, a virtual guaranteed berth into the College Football Playoff, and the ability to control their own destiny to win the national title.

While a suspended coach or a two-game losing streak very well might factor into the motivation for the players and coaches, it will be what the teams are able to do on the gridiron that will determine who comes out on top. So, we are going to dive into three statistics that very well could play a major part in determining this weekend’s winner.

There are undoubtedly plenty of other things that will come into play for both teams on Saturday, and we will spend the rest of the week breaking those things down, but these three areas are what jumps out less than 24 hours after the two teams wrapped up their penultimate regular season games.

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1) TTUN and Ohio State have the two best scoring defenses in the country​

Not only will Ohio State and their rivals almost certainly be ranked No. 2 and No. 3 respectively by the College Football Playoff committee when they head into the regular season finale, but they will also come in as the two top defenses in the country when it comes to giving up points.

Jesse Minter’s squad has given up just 99 points across its 11 games this season for an obvious average of 9 points per game. That is undoubtedly an impressive total, but also impressive if Ohio State’s 102 points allowed. Were it not for Minnesota kicker Dragan Kesich’s 54-yarder in the fourth quarter on Saturday, the two teams would have come into the game giving up the same number of points. Instead, the Buckeyes enter at a 9.27 points-per-game average.

Ohio State has given up the fewest touchdowns in FBS this season, allowing only 10, their rivals are in second placing having surrendered only 11. Logic dictates that, barring especially explosive scoring plays by either special teams or defenses, whichever defense gives up the fewest points this weekend will win.

But, while averages are useful in providing a complete picture of where teams are, this weekend, both defenses will be tasked with facing off against one specific offense. On Saturday, the home team will enter the game as the No. 11 scoring offense in the country, putting up 38.3 points per outing, while OSU is 24th nationally at 33.6 ppg.

But, because of the different non-conference schedules that the two teams played, it might be more instructive to look at the two teams’ stats against common opponents. In those matchups — all against Big Ten teams — Ohio State has scored 33 points per game, while their rivals have scored one touchdown more at 40 points. So, there is no doubt that, from a statistical standpoint, the Buckeye defense will have the tougher task on Saturday when it comes to slowing down the opposing offense.

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2) J.J. McCarthy has completed 12 passes in his last six quarters of action and OSU is the best pass defense in FBS​

Despite the prolific offense that the team from Ann Arbor has shown this season, one emerging factor that could swing the game in Ohio State’s favor is the fact that starting quarterback J.J. McCarthy seems to have hit a wall in terms of his productivity — and perhaps in the trust that his coaching staff has in him.

Two weeks ago, in a game against Penn State which was not decided until late in the fourth quarter, the one-time Heisman favorite did not officially attempt a single pass. Granted, his team did pull out the 24-15 victory, so perhaps he did not need to, but this surprising development definitely drew some attention. Now, he was 7-for-8 in the first half for 60 yards, but the offensive line was giving up an increasing number of pressures, and it appeared that offensive coordinator and interim head coach Sherrone Moore was uncomfortable with how McCarthy was handling that.

Then this weekend, the QB went 12-for-23 for 141 yards, 0 TDs, 1 INT vs. Maryland. While the Terrapins are not necessarily known as a dominant defense, this performance does shed some additional light on what type of performer McCarthy might be against above-average defenses. The Terps are the No. 43 passing defense in the country, they were only the fifth such team that McCarthy has faced so far this season. In those games, he has gone 68-for-95 (71.6%) for 838 yards (167.6 per game), 6 touchdowns, and 4 interceptions.

As has been the case all season, McCarthy is excellent at completing passes — he is third nationally with a 73.8% completion percentage — but, his yardage output tends to be very low against quality passing defenses.

Currently, Ohio State is the No. 1 passing defense in the country, allowing only 144.3 yards per game.

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3) Ohio State’s rival has the No. 2 red zone defense in the country​

Anyone who has watched the Buckeyes this season knows that their offense behind quarterback Kyle McCord is nowhere near as prolific as it has been in recent years when led by Dwayne Haskins Jr., Justin Fields, and C.J. Stroud. But one area where that has been especially detrimental to OSU’s success has been in the red zone.

In 2022, the Buckeyes were second nationally in red zone conversions, scoring on 95.24% of their trips inside the 20; they were sixth in FBS in red zone touchdown percentage at 74.6%. However, this season, OSU is 61st in red zone conversions at 85.11%, on 47 trips through 11 games, the team has scored 29 TDs and 11 field goals. Simple math will tell you that Ohio State has been kept out of the end zone 18 times when getting without 20 yards of the goal line and been turned away completely seven times.

This is especially concerning for Buckeye fans as their regular season finale opponent is second nationally in red zone defense and No. 1 in terms of allowing red zone touchdowns. TTUN has allowed scores on only 66.67% of opponents' red zone trips and only allowed six touchdowns on 18 opportunities (33%).

Ohio State’s inability to consistently score in the red zone has been incredibly concerning to both fans and head coach Ryan Day alike. Throughout the season, the Buckeyes have tried different things to get the offense going down close to the goal line, including the Devin Brown QB-run package that eventually got him injured to running more end-arounds with Marvin Harrison Jr. and Xavier Johnson.

Unless they just score routinely from beyond 20 yards, if Ohio State wants to escape Ann Arbor with a win on Saturday, they must find a way to convert more consistently in the red zone.

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


Reese Strickland-USA TODAY Sports

It has been a rough start for the Broncos, who are 0-3 to start the season and are coming off a loss to another Big Ten team.

The Ohio State men’s basketball team is back in action after defeating Merrimack 76-54 last Wednesday. They will welcome in the Western Michigan Broncos as they start the Emerald Coast Classic.

The Buckeyes (2-1) will face the Broncos (0-3) in the campus game of the Emerald Coast Classic. Following this game, the Buckeyes will head to Northwest Florida State College in Niceville, Florida, to play No. 22 Alabama on Friday and either Oregon or Santa Clara on Saturday.

Buckeyes host @WMUMBB in first round of #EmeraldCoastClassic this Sunday before traveling to Florida Nov. 24-25#BasketballOnTheBeach ️ https://t.co/TjQFKlyxYU

— Emerald Coast Classic (@EmeraldCClassic) November 16, 2023

Click to expand...

The Buckeyes bounced back from a close loss to No. 13 Texas A&M, who are coming off solid wins over SMU and Oral Roberts, with a win over Merrimack to start a winning streak heading into the Western Michigan game.

For the first time all season, the Buckeyes were able to pull away and win a game by double digits, and they will look to continue the momentum of a 24-2 run in the second half of the game against the Warriors.

Let’s take a look at the Western Michigan Broncos.

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Preview​

Kayla Wolf-USA TODAY Sports

It has been a weird start to the season for Western Michigan. They are winless, but they haven’t lost a game by more than seven points and have played some solid opponents so far, including a 63-59 loss to Northwestern in its last game.

The Broncos have also lost to North Dakota State 80-76 and Georgia State 77-70.

They are led by sophomore guard Seth Hubbard, who is averaging 14.7 points per game. Senior center Titus Wright is averaging 9.0 points per game and 7.3 rebounds per game, and Graduate senior forward Anthony Crump is leading the team with 7.7 rebounds per game.

B. Artis White scored 20 points in the Broncos’ first game but has missed the last two due to an injury sustained in that first game against North Dakota State. He is questionable for this contest and would provide a huge scoring spark to the Broncos if he is able to go.

Western Michigan lost a lot of talent from a team that only went 8-23 last season and 4-14 in the conference. Lamar Norman, who averaged 17.3 points per game, Tray Maddox, who averaged 12.5 points and 3.8 rebounds per game, and Markeese Hastings, who averaged 8.3 points and 9.3 rebounds per game, have all left Kalamazoo, and it has made for a big hill to climb for new head coach Dwayne Stephens in just his second season.

For Ohio State, Roddy Gayle was the standout against Merrimack, tying his career high in points with 20, going 8-for-12 from the field, and providing a scoring spark and efficiency that hasn’t been there yet from him.

Jamison Battle added 13 points, while Zed Key added 11 points and 12 rebounds to secure his first double-double of the season. Battle struggled from the field for much of the game but got hot late, helping the Buckeyes pull away.

Bruce Thornton and Gayle are leading the way in scoring for the Buckeyes so far this season, with Thornton averaging 16.3 points per game and Gayle averaging 15.3 points per game. Gayle is also averaging 6.3 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game.

Key is nearly averaging a double-double, averaging 12.0 points and 9.0 rebounds per game in 24 minutes per game off the bench. Battle is averaging 10.7 points and 5.0 rebounds per game.

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Prediction​

Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

There are plenty of teams in the Mid-American Conference capable of upsetting more talented teams. Akron, Toledo, Kent State, and others have created headaches for coaches over the last three to four years.

However, Western Michigan is not one of those teams. They are at the bottom of the league and have been for a good, long while now, and it doesn’t look like they will be getting out of the cellar anytime soon

This is a game I could see being similar to Merrimack. A fairly close game for much of the first half, with the Buckeyes pulling away in the second half and winning comfortably. With the next two games coming up against a ranked team in Alabama and another solid team in either Oregon or Santa Clara, the Buckeyes need to handle the Broncos swiftly to head Florida fresh and ready for two games in two days.

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ESPN BPI: Ohio State 95.3%

Time: 4:00 p.m. ET

TV: Big Ten Network

LGHL score prediction: Ohio State 84, Western Michigan 64​

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Hangout in the Holy Land Podcast: Buckeyes steamroll the Gophers, shift focus to TTUN
Josh Dooley 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

Josh and Chuck recap the game before The Game, give their early thoughts on OSU men’s basketball, and discuss the tight race for this year’s College Football Playoff.

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

Listen to the episode and subscribe:

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

On this episode of “Hangout in the Holy Land,” Josh and Chuck begin to shift their focus toward *ichigan, but not before recapping Ohio State football’s thumping of Minnesota, as well as the men’s basketball team and their awkward start to this ‘23-24 season.

It’s (Western) *ichigan week! The OSU men’s basketball team takes on WMU today, and it’s all the Hangout boys can talk about... But really, what’s going on with Chris Holtmann’s squad? Are fans in for a repeat of last season?

After starting on the hardwood, the hosts then transition to the gridiron. The Buckeyes dominated the Minnesota Golden Gophers and did well to not look ahead to the Wolverines. While QB Kyle McCord could have been a tad sharper, Senior Day in The Shoe was otherwise a success across the board.

And now it’s time to gear up for TTUN. Nothing else matters. Let’s go!!!

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

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Connect with the pod
Twitter: @HolyLandPod

Connect with Josh Dooley
Twitter: @jdooleybuckeye

Connect with Chuck Holmes
Twitter: @ctholmes3

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Minnich’s Musings about Ohio State vs. Minnesota
Chip.Minnich via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

Ohio State moves to 11-0 and readies for THE GAME.

Before I get too deeply into this article, a quick point that I watched this game with my best friends from high school up at Lakeside, Ohio. My best friend has a cottage that we all get together to “winterize” it, which means we somehow turn an hour’s worth of work into a full day of mocking, ridiculing, and a tremendous weekend to enjoy our friendship at a local restaurant/bar.

It is under that vein that I submit my article about what we saw, and what we enjoyed about Ohio State’s 37-3 win over Minnesota.

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Feeling more comfortable about Ohio State going to Ann Arbor

I predicted an Ohio State win over Michigan this past August, and I will say that my feelings about the prediction are feeling better. While I will not go out and say that Ohio State is going to have a blow out win (although that would be nice), I feel the Buckeyes are peaking on both sides of the ball at the best time of the season.

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Kyle McCord needs to play at his best

Recognizing that this statement will be read by Ohio State fans as being as profound as water is wet, just give me a moment to elaborate. When Kyle McCord forces the ball into coverage, trying to get the ball to Marvin Harrison Jr., is where Ohio State fans become exasperated. If Ohio State sees that type of play from Kyle McCord in Ann Arbor, Ohio State will lose — guaranteed.

When McCord plays smartly — getting rid of the ball quickly, not forcing the ball into coverage, using the checkdown options, etc. — he has the Buckeyes playing among the best in the nation. Play well, Kyle. The opportunity to establish a positive legacy among the Ohio State faithful is there.

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Ohio State should go into Ann Arbor healthy

Forgive me for exhaling after this game, because I was tremendously concerned about any of the starters, on either side of the ball, getting injured. Even though it was not as early as I would have chosen, Ohio State head coach Ryan Day began substituting players at the beginning of the fourth quarter. Dallan Hayden, Lincoln Kienholz, Evan Pryor, Hero Kanu, Gabe Powers, Jermaine Mathews Jr., C.J. Hicks, etc. All were inserted into the game, getting valuable game repetitions that will be valuable in 2024.

More importantly, Ohio State can go into The Game with a fully healthy roster — minus Lathan Ransom — for the biggest game of the season.

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It will all come down to this final game of the season, as it should be. You will notice that I have not addressed the seemingly never-ending saga of scandal that has enveloped Ann Arbor. My reasoning is this: it is almost impossible to keep up with the latest drip, drip, drip of bad news that is coming out of Ann Arbor.

Ohio State won 37-3 over a Minnesota team that is truly fighting for bowl game eligibility. For the second-straight week, Ohio State came out, and decisively took control of this game from the onset.

Enjoy this coming week. Embrace the hate. The Game is here.

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Ohio State opens as 4-point underdogs against Michigan
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 Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

For the first time this season, the Buckeyes are not the favorite to begin the week.

This is it. We knew before the season began there was a great chance both teams headed into this week undefeated, but now it is official: 11-0 Ohio State vs. 11-0 Michigan in Ann Arbor for all the marbles. The winner earns a trip to Indianapolis, where they will face Iowa in the Big Ten title game, putting that team in the driver’s seat for a spot in the College Football Playoff. The Buckeyes are coming off back-to-back losses in The Game, but the Wolverines will not have the added bonus of stolen signals this time around. Ryan Day will look to stop the losing streak as the underdog on the road against a really good Michigan team, scandal or not.

All lines courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.

Spread: Michigan -4​

Ohio State has played some of its best football over the past two weeks, beating Michigan State and Minnesota by a combined score of 75-6. The emergence of a healthy TreVeyon Henderson has been a massive boost for the Buckeyes’ offense, as the junior running back has totaled 664 yards of offense over four games since returning from injury with five touchdowns and three 120-plus-yard outings on the ground during that span. Kyle McCord has settled into a bit of a groove, throwing for a combined 547 yards and five TDs with no picks against the Spartans and the Gophers, and Marvin Harrison Jr. is still Marvin Harrison Jr. with his nearly 1,100 yards and 13 TDs this season.

Defensively, the Buckeyes have been without some of their best players on that side of the football, but it hasn’t stopped them from keeping both Michigan State and Minnesota out of the end zone. Ohio State held both the Spartans and Gophers under 200 yards of total offense, and have looked strong against the run and the pass all season long. The Silver Bullets should be almost back at full strength this week, with both Tommy Eichenberg and Mike Hall Jr. expected to return, but they will still be without safety Lathan Ransom. Sonny Styles and Jordan Hancock have stepped up in his absence, and Josh Proctor’s return helps in that regard as well, but it will take Ohio State’s best defensive performance of the year to slow down Michigan.

Michigan, playing in its second-straight game without its suspended head coach, played a closer-than-expected contest against Maryland on Saturday. It looked as though the Wolverines were going to run away with it, holding a 23-3 lead early in the second quarter, but the Terps cut it to a one-score game at 23-17 and then again 29-24 at the end of the third quarter. The Michigan defense held sturdy in the fourth quarter, keeping Maryland off the scoreboard while adding two points on a safety to close out a 31-24 victory and remain undefeated.

The Wolverines have been led on offense this year by star running back Blake Corum. While not quite as efficient as he was last year, Corum leads the Big Ten with his 20 rushing touchdowns while racking up nearly 900 yards on 180 carries. At quarterback, the Wolverines don’t ask J.J. McCarthy to throw the ball at ton, but when he does he has been efficient to the tune of just over 2,300 yards with 18 TDs and four picks while completing almost 74% of his passes. He has also added three scores with his legs. When he does toss the rock, his favorite target this season has been Roman Wilson, whose 10 receiving TDs rank second in the B1G behind Harrison Jr.

Even after a just-okay performance against Maryland, Michigan is still the No. 1 scoring defense in the country, allowing only nine points per game. The Wolverines rank atop the Big Ten in total yards allowed (234.8), sitting third in the conference in rushing yards allowed per game (90) and second in passing yards allowed (144.8). They’re also tied for the most interceptions in the league with 14, and have returned four of those for touchdowns. Mike Sainristil and Will Johnson have been the leaders in the secondary, while Jaylen Harrell and Josaiah Stewart have led the way up front. Junior Colton has a team-high 60 tackles from his linebacker position, as Michigan is strong at all three levels.

For all the talk of TTUN’s sign-stealing scandal, this is still a really good football team even when they aren’t cheating. It is going to be an incredibly tough task to go into the Big House and come away with a victory, especially with Michigan feeling confident coming off back-to-back victories in The Game. Ryan Day will have to be on his A-game calling plays, the defense will have to be extra stout against the run, and the offense cannot afford to talk the first half off as they have in a handful of games this season. These are two of the best programs in college football right now, and it could be one of the all-time great matchups in the history of the rivalry.

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

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Rivalry week. Only 1 of these matchups matters.

Week 13

Tuesday, Nov. 21

Bowling Green at Western Michigan | 7 p.m. | ESPNU
Eastern Michigan at Buffalo | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN2

Thursday, Nov. 23

Tuskegee at Alabama State | 3 p.m. | ESPN+
Ole Miss at Mississippi State | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN

Friday, Nov. 24

TCU at Oklahoma | 12 p.m. | FOX
Iowa at Nebraska | 12 p.m. | CBS
Miami (Fla.) at Boston College | 12 p.m. | ABC
Memphis at Temple | 12 p.m. | ESPN
Toledo at Central Michigan | 12 p.m. | ESPNU
Ohio at Akron | 12 p.m.
UTSA at Tulane | 3:30 p.m. | ABC
Utah State at New Mexico | 3:30 p.m. | CBSSN
Missouri at Arkansas | 4 p.m. | CBS
Air Force at Boise State | 4 p.m. | FS1

Texas Tech at Texas | 7:30 p.m. | ABC
Penn State at Michigan State | 7:30 p.m. | NBC
Oregon State at Oregon | 8:30 p.m. | FOX

Saturday, Nov. 25

Ohio State at Michigan | 12 p.m. | FOX

Texas A&M at LSU | 12 p.m. | ESPN
Indiana at Purdue | 12 p.m. | Big Ten Network
Middle Tennessee at Sam Houston | 12 p.m. | ESPN+
UConn at UMass | 12 p.m. | ESPN+
Navy at SMU | 12 p.m. | ESPN2
Houston at UCF | 12 p.m. | FS1
Miami (Ohio) at Ball State | 12 p.m. | CBS Sports Network
Kentucky at Louisville | 12 p.m. | ABC
Troy at Southern Miss | 12 p.m. | ESPNU
Northern Illinois at Kent State | 12 p.m. | ESPN+
Pitt at Duke | 12 p.m. | ACC Network

Florida Atlantic at Rice | 1 p.m. | ESPN+
Wake Forest at Syracuse | 2 p.m. | CW Network
Tulsa at East Carolina | 2 p.m. | ESPN+
UAB at North Texas | 2 p.m. | ESPN+
Georgia State at Old Dominion | 2 p.m. | ESPN+
Southern vs. Grambling (in New Orleans) | 2 p.m. | NBC
Western Kentucky at Florida International | 3 p.m. | ESPN+
UL Monroe at Louisiana | 3 p.m. | ESPN+
Colorado at Utah | 3 p.m. | Pac-12 Network

BYU at Oklahoma State | 3:30 p.m. | ABC
Arizona at Arizona State | 3:30 p.m. | ESPN
Alabama at Auburn | 3:30 p.m. | CBS
Vanderbilt at Tennessee | 3:30 p.m. | SEC Network
Northwestern at Illinois | 3:30 p.m. | Big Ten Network
Wisconsin at Minnesota | 3:30 p.m. | FS1
Maryland at Rutgers | 3:30 p.m. | Big Ten Network
Liberty at UTEP | 3:30 p.m. | CBSSN
Georgia Southern at Appalachian State | 3:30 p.m. | ESPNU
James Madison at Coastal Carolina | 3:30 p.m. | ESPN2
Virginia Tech at Virginia | 3:30 p.m. | ACC Network
Arkansas State at Marshall | 3:30 p.m. | ESPN+

Washington State at Washington | 4 p.m. | FOX
Jacksonville State at New Mexico State | 4 p.m. | ESPN+

Florida State at Florida | 7 p.m. | ESPN
West Virginia at Baylor | 7 p.m. | FS1
Notre Dame at Stanford | 7 p.m. | Pac-12 Network
Georgia at Georgia Tech | 7:30 p.m. | ABC
Kansas at Cincinnati | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN2
Clemson at South Carolina | 7:30 p.m. | SEC Network
Charlotte at South Florida | 7:30 p.m. | ESPNU
North Carolina at NC State | 8 p.m. | ACC Network
Iowa State at Kansas State | 8 p.m. | FOX

Wyoming at Nevada | 9 p.m. | CBSSN
Cal at UCLA | 10:30 p.m. | ESPN
Fresno State at San Diego State | 10:30 p.m. | FS1
Colorado State at Hawai'i | 11 p.m. | Spectrum Sports PPV

Bucks host WMU Sunday. The 0-3 Broncos lost at Northwestern by 4 in their last game

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly: Ohio State’s 37-3 win over Minnesota
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

It is official Rivalry Week.

Ohio State handled business against Minnesota on Saturday, winning by an almost identical score as last week against Michigan State with a 37-3 win over the Golden Gophers. The goal for the Buckeyes was to get in, get a win and make sure nobody got hurt ahead of The Game next weekend. They were able to accomplish all of that, and with both Ohio State and Michigan sitting at 11-0, the biggest game of the 2023 college football season will be played a week from now in Ann Arbor.

Here is the good, the bad and the ugly from Ohio State’s win over Minnesota.

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The Good​

TreVeyon Henderson

Ohio State’s run game has looked completely different since TreVeyon Henderson came back from his injury. It was another huge day for the Buckeyes’ lead running back against Minnesota, finishing the game with 146 yards rushing on just 15 carries with two touchdowns, including a long 75-yard TD run to begin the second half. Henderson has eclipsed 100 yards on the ground in four of his last five games with at least one score in each of his last seven games. RB1 is now averaging over 6.7 yards per carry on this season, and has been instrumental in keeping the offense on track.

Jack Sawyer

There has been a lot of talk surrounding Jack Sawyer since he stepped foot on campus. The former five-star defensive end came to Ohio State as the No. 6 player in the country in the 2021 class, but hasn’t quite lived up to his recruiting rankings to this point. Coming into Saturday’s game with 2.5 TFLs and 1.5 sacks on the year, Sawyer put together perhaps his best performance as a Buckeye against the Gophers. The edge rusher led the team with six tackles on the afternoon, tallying 3.5 tackles for loss, a sack, a forced fumble and a QB hurry. His presence on the field was certainly noticeable, and Larry Johnson will hope to get more of the same from Sawyer moving forward.

The Rest of the Defense

While Sawyer put together one of the standout performances of the day, Ohio State’s defense as a whole was once again spectacular. The Silver Bullets held Minnesota to just 159 total yards — 70 rushing and 89 passing — while forcing two turnovers and holding the Gophers to 3-of-12 on third down. Jordan Hancock recorded an interception, his second of the season, while the Buckeyes racked up seven tackles for loss. OSU did all of this without Tommy Eichenberg and Mike Hall Jr., both of whom are likely to return next weekend against Michigan. If not for a long 54-yard field goal midway through the fourth quarter, Ohio State could have pitched a shutout.

Finishing Unscathed

Speaking of Eichenberg and Hall, it was nice for Ohio State to get through this game without losing anyone to injury. There were a couple scares at various points, with guard Matthew Jones heading to the locker room in the second quarter and Kyle McCord limping a bit after a sack to end of the first half, but both guys came back in the second half and looked no worse for wear. With Josh Proctor back in action on Saturday, Emeka Egbuka looking much healthier and both Eichenberg and Hall trending in the right direction, the Buckeyes should have their full compliment of playmakers for The Game outside of Lathan Ransom.

The Bad​

The Final Drive of the First Half

Ohio State’s offense kind of sputtered in the second quarter, with Kyle McCord missing a few throws and a handful of plays that didn’t work, but none of it was all that egregious. That was true at least until the final drive of the first half, when the Buckeyes got the ball back with just under two minutes left at their own 3-yard line. OSU was set to get the ball at half, but it provided a chance to perhaps practice the two-minute drill.

Instead, Ryan Day seemed to be stuck in between, and after Henderson picked up a first down out to the 21-yard line, Ohio State got called for a false start, followed by an incomplete pass and a three-yard gain by Cade Stover. McCord was sacked on third down as both teams went to the half, and the whole sequence seemed really ugly and discombobulated. It wasn’t the end of the world, but had McCord been seriously hurt on the sack or turned the ball over, it could have been a problem.

Red Zone Offense

Ohio State’s red zone offense wasn’t necessarily ‘bad’, as the Buckeyes still finished with 27 points in five trips inside the 20, and scored at least three points on each one of those chances, but some of those red zone issues that have plagued Ryan Day’s offense for years reared their ugly head on Saturday.

The scarlet and gray were forced to settle for a 26-yard field goal in the second quarter after a 21-yard pick-up by Emeka Egbuka had Ohio State at Minnesota’s 6-yard line. A two-yard run and two incomplete passes later, and the Buckeyes could only come away with three points. In the third quarter, OSU started a drive at the Gophers’ 29-yard line following an interception, and even though Henderson picked up 13 yards on the first play of the series to work the ball to the 16-yard line, again it was a two-yard run and two incomplete passes that led to another field goal try.

The Buckeyes have had issues punching it in from the red zone for large parts of the last three seasons under Ryan Day. For some reason, that part of the game seems to continue to allude him. Ohio State cannot afford to leave points on the table next weekend against Michigan, and will have to find a way to capitalize in the red zone with touchdowns instead of field goals when the opportunity presents itself.

The Ugly​

Parker Fleming

As has been the case every single week that Parker Fleming has stolen money from been employed by Ohio State, the special teams unit was below average. Sure, the Buckeyes made all three of their field goal attempts, but they were also called for holding on a punt that was fair caught anyway and let two punts bounce inside the five instead of fair catching the ball on those occasions. It was nothing that costed the Buckeyes too greatly at the end of the day, but I’m still extremely worried a special teams mistake will cost Ohio State a game against a better team where the margins are thinner — see: Michigan — and don’t understand why Fleming still has keycard access to the Woody.

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Instant Recap: It is officially the week of “The Game”
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports

Time to cross out all the M’s in Columbus.

On LGHL Instant Recap Pods, Land-Grant Holy Land writers break down Ohio State games just minutes after the action ends. They bring you the biggest stats, storylines, and moments of the game before the players make it back to the locker room.

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

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Justin Golba and Jordan Williams join up for the first time this season to talk about Ohio State defeating Minnesota 37-3.

There aren't too many things to take away from a game like this, so the recap podcast quickly transitioned to a Michigan preview podcast. What makes us feel good about the Buckeyes going into this one? What are our concerns going into Ann Arbor?

Also, they discuss Ryan Day and his coaching job thus far this season and the Buckeyes’ improvements on defense throughout the season.

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Contact Jordan Williams
Twitter: @jordanw330

Contact Justin Golba
Twitter: justin_golba

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It is now officially Beat M*ch*g*n Week! Get the info you need on the juiciest game in rivalry history
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here



Time to see how the Ann Arbor Cheaters do without stealing signs!

Now that the clock has gone to zeros in Ohio State’s victory over Minnesota, that means that it is now officially “Beat M*ch*g*n Week”! It is time to purge all of the blue from your wardrobe, to put red Xs over every visible M on your social media profiles, and to remove the name Michigan from your vocabulary.

Despite all of the drama surrounding the Cheating Cheaters of Ann Arbor over the past month or so, for the second straight season, both the Buckeyes and the Mitten Men have made it through the first 11 games of their seasons undefeated and advanced to what is essentially a play-in game for the College Football Playoff on Saturday, Nov. 25 at Michigan Stadium.

While there is an outside chance that the loser of The Game can still get a CFP bid, as Ohio State did in 2022, they would need a significant amount of help to make that happen.

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Here are some quick facts to get you ready for the 2023 edition of The Game:​

History​

• Though the Weasels own an all-time record in the rivalry of 60-51-6, since Woody Hayes took over the Buckeye program in 1951, they are 29-40-2. Furthermore, since Jim Tressel became the OSU coach in 2001, they are 4-17 in the series.
• OSU is 51-49-4 against TTUN in Big Ten Conference games.
• M*ch*g*n is 2-5 against Ohio State since Jim Harbaugh was named the Maize and Blue head coach.
• Though the Fighting Ferrets won The Game in each of the last two seasons, we now know that those games are at least tainted and at most about to be vacated. In general, I think vacating games is silly; we all watched the contests and know what actually happened on the field, so pretending like the outcome was anything else for the record books is just dumb. However, in this case, I am willing to change my stance; not only because it is my alma mater’s most bitter rival, but because the Corn and Blue’s not-simply-alleged-but-actually-definitively-proven violations actually impacted on-field play. While I don’t believe that knowing Ohio State’s signs changed the outcome of the game, I acknowledge that the butterfly effect of winning games earlier in the seasons could have allowed players to avoid injuries or get more rest that, had they not been cheating, could have had some sort of substantive impact on The Game. So, one the NCAA eventually vacates those games, I am going to actively change all of those records listed above to recognize that OSU did not, in fact, lose those games.

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What’s at Stake?​

• With the Mitten Men’s victory on Saturday over the Maryland Terrapins and the Buckeyes’ victory over Maryland, the winner of The Game will represent the Big Ten East in the conference championship game and will be practically guaranteed a spot in the College Football Playoff.
• Depending on how things shake out, the loser could still be alive, but that would likely require Florida State to lose at some point, or some other form of chaos between now and Selection Sunday. So, in my opinion, I think it would just be better if Ohio State didn’t lose.

• Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. is currently the top candidate to win the Heisman Trophy as anything other than a quarterback according to odds-on favorite to win the Heisman trophy according to DraftKings Sportsbook at +475, while TTUN quarterback J.J. McCarthy has slipped to 10th at +10000. Obviously, a strong performance from Marv in a win still likely won’t seal the trophy, but if the QBs ahead of him (Bo Nix, +110; Jayden Daniels, +320; Michael Penix, +380) slip up, who knows what could happen.
• DraftKings currently has those Sign-Stealing Scoundrels as the betting favorite to win the national title at +215. Two-time defending champion Georgia is in second at +255. Ohio State is in fifth at +800, behind one-loss teams Alabama and Oregon.

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Looking Ahead​

• The current forecast shows a high of 40° F on Saturday afternoon under mostly cloudy skies in Ann Arbor. There is a 7% chance of precipitation with winds coming from the northwest at 9 mph.
• I would imagine that both FOX’s “Big Noon Kickoff” and ESPN’s “College GameDay” will be in that cesspool of scandal and cheating known as Ann Arbor on Saturday. The Big Ten Network’s “BTN Tailgate” might very well be on hand as well.

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Be Prepared​

• Game Time: Saturday, Nov. 25 at 12 noon ET
• Broadcast Details: FOX | Broadcast crew: Gus Johnson, Joel Klatt, Jenny Taft
• We will be bringing you two or threedifferent podcast episodes every single day in the lead-up to the game, so make sure you subscribe on Apple Podcasts or whoever you get your podcasts.
• This list is a year old, so I have added some since, but here is a collection of nicknames for TTUN that you can use without having to call them by the name of their state. We’ve also got some decent ones for their coach too.

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We will be covering the rivalry game all week here at Land-Grant Holy Land, so make us your home for all of your Corn and Blue hate from now until next Saturday.

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Tailgate Podcast: Everything you need to know to watch the Ohio State vs. Minnesota game
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Ben Jackson/Getty Images

The only Ohio State game day podcast you need.

Before every Ohio State football game, Matt Tamanini will get you ready with all of the information that you need for that day’s game on the “LGHL Tailgate” podcast.

Listen to the episode and subscribe:

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

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No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes (-27.5) vs. Minnesota | over/under 50​

Game Date/Time: Saturday, Nov. 18 at 4 p.m. ET
Location: Columbus, Ohio
TV: Big Ten Network
Radio: 97.1 FM/1460 AM

Today at 4:00 pm ET at the cathedral of college football known to the world as Ohio Stadium, the No. 2 and 10-0 Ohio State Buckeyes — coached by Ryan Day — will take on the 5-5 Minnesota Golden Gophers under the direction of the greatest boat rower in the history of the world P.J. Fleck.

This past Tuesday, the Buckeyes were jumped by the two-time defending national champion Georgia Bulldogs to be the No. 1 spot in the College Football Playoff rankings. Ohio State now sits at No. 2.

The Buckeyes remain third in both the AP and Coaches polls with one first-place vote from the media and three from the coaches. Minnesota is not ranked.

The Gophers come into the game at 5-5 this season, their wins came against Nebraska, Eastern Michigan, Louisiana, Iowa, and Michigan State. However, they are riding a two-game losing streak falling to Illinois and Purdue in consecutive Saturdays. If Fleck’s squad wants to become bowl-eligible, they will need to either beat the Buckeyes today or Luke Fickell’s Badgers in the season finale.

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Matt’s Prediction: Ohio State 41, Minnesota 10​

Kyle McCord: 300 yards passing
TreVeyon Henderson: 1 touchdown on a 25+ yard touch
Marvin Harrison Jr: 3 touchdowns

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Contact Matt Tamanini
Twitter: @BWWMatt

Music by: epidemicsound.com​

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

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You’re Nuts: Aside from Ohio State-Michigan, which regular season game are you most looking forward to?
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 Ali Gradischer/Getty Images

Your (almost) daily dose of good-natured, Ohio State banter.

It felt like just yesterday the college football season was kicking off. Now we are just two weeks away from the end of the regular season. While it’s natural to be sad that we are closer to the end of the college football season than the beginning, there are still plenty of great games left on the schedule before the conference championship games, College Football Playoff field, and bowl games are set.

The obvious most anticipated game left on the regular season schedule is the showdown between Ohio State and Michigan next Saturday in Ann Arbor. Since we’ll be talking about The Game plenty over the next week and a half, we are going to shine the spotlight on some of the other interesting contests that will be played over the next two weeks. What we want to know is what regular season game besides Ohio State-Michigan you are most looking forward to.

Today’s question: Aside from Ohio State-Michigan, what regular season game are you most looking forward to?​

We’d love to hear your choices. Either respond to us on Twitter at @Landgrant33 or leave your choice in the comments.​

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Brett’s answer: Oregon State vs. Oregon​

Since my Dad, uncle, and a few friends live out there, I do have a soft spot for the state of Oregon. I’ve been through Corvallis and Eugene, and I do plan on heading out there next season when Ohio State takes on the Ducks at Autzen Stadium. My dad’s friend & neighbor from across the street played at Oregon years ago, while his son ended up going to Oregon State. Talk about a house divided when “The Civil War” comes around!

While I do love the addition of Oregon to the Big Ten, I do hate that it puts a halt to the annual game against the rivals. Oregon has won 12 of the last 15 meetings between the schools, but Oregon State has won two of the last three. There have been editions of the rivalry that decided which team from the conference would go to the Rose Bowl. 2010 saw College GameDay come to Corvallis for the first time as Oregon needed a win over the Beavers to secure a spot in the BCS National Championship Game. Overall, Oregon leads the series 67-49-10.

Along with being the final meeting between the schools as conference foes, there will be plenty on the line next Friday. Oregon controls their own destiny when it comes to earning a spot in the final Pac-12 Championship Game. Oregon State has a tough game this week against Washington, but it’s not an unwinnable game. If the Beavers are able to beat the Huskies on Saturday night, they could still possibly make the conference title game if they beat the Ducks next week in Eugene.

As if all of that wasn’t enough to raise your interest in Oregon State-Oregon, it falls at the perfect time. Just imagine settling in on Friday night to charge your batteries for Ohio State-Michigan and tuning in to Beavers-Ducks. There’s nothing like a little hate from out west to get you ready to run your rival over. Enjoy one last battle between these two schools since we don’t know when they will meet again.

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Matt’s answer: Washington vs. Oregon State​

Like Brett, I am going to stick out west and go with a Pac-12 game tonight as the No. 5 Washington Huskies will head to Corvallis to take on the No. 11 Oregon State at 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC. Not only do these teams have two of the best offenses in the country — more so on the Huskies’ side — but there is still a lot at stake for both squads, and (most importantly) the outcome of the game could impact the Buckeyes down the road.

Coming into the week, Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. is one of the favorites to win the Heisman Trophy — although Oregon’a Bo Nix has taken the betting lead — and the UW offense is the No. 1 passing attack in the country, averaging 378 yards per game, better than the No. 2 team in that category — their rival Washington State Cougars — by more than 38 yards per game.

While the Beavers are not quite as prolific, they are the No. 14 scoring offense in FBS at 37.9 points per game, while the Huskies are in fifth with 41 points.

Like Nix and Penix, (the other) OSU quarterback DJ Uiagalelei has found success after transferring from a program that was never able to properly use his talents. More on DJU in a bit, but this game will have massive implications in the race to a Pac-12 Championship berth.

The conference — which will essentially cease to exist in two weeks’ time — does not have divisions, so the two top teams in the standings will play in Las Vegas following the regular season finale. Currently, Washington is leading the league at 7-0, while Oregon is at 6-1; their only loss was to UW 36-33 thanks to a Penix TD pass with 33 seconds remaining in regulation.

However, the Beavs and Arizona are tied in third at 5-2. if Oregon State can pull off consecutive upsets and beat No. 5 Washington and No. No. 6 Oregon in consecutive weeks, that would put them in the conference title game. So, that is a huge opportunity for them, but... let’s be honest. While I have enjoyed the Oregon State story this season, at this time of year, I only really care about how things impact Ohio State.

Despite the fact that (the real) OSU and the Ann Arbor Cheaters are currently ranked No. 2 and No. 3 in the College Football Playoff rankings, because there are three other Power 5 undefeated teams remaining, the loser of The Game will need some help in order to get back in line for a CFP bid, like Ohio State did in 2022.

However, even in No. 1 Georgia were to somehow lose to No. 18 Tennessee today, if they were to beat No. 8 Alabama in the SEC Championship Game, they would almost assuredly stay ahead of the one-loss Big Ten East runner-up. So, if the B1G wants to get a second team in the title bracket, they likely need either Washington or Florida State to lose somewhere along the way, but even that’s not a guarantee.

If Washington does lose tonight, but chalk holds the rest of the way, they would face a rematch with the Ducks in the Pac-12 Title Game, and the winner there would have a leg up over the Harboys (or, I guess maybe the Buckeyes) when it came to stacking resumes. At this point, it would take some extra chaos to not have a Pac-12 team in the CFP... so, we root for chaos!

Honestly, the best way to ensure that two Big Ten teams make the final four is to have FSU lose somewhere along the way, against the vaunted North Alabama Lions today (now that would be chaotic), Florida next week, or against Louisville (most likely) in the ACC Championship Game. The No. 4 Seminoles feel like they have the best chance to lose down the stretch of any of the top five teams, but the last few weeks of any college football season are always so difficult to predict.

Nonetheless, I am going to be eagerly watching tonight’s game out west and rooting for the Oregon State upset. Besides, after DJ’s brother Matayo decided to go to Oregon instead of Ohio State — despite Big Dave loving Larry Johnson and the Buckeye program — I think the least that his older brother could do is help with the far superior OSU’s back-up plan to get into the College Football Playoff.

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OHIO STATE GAMEDAY: It’s a bad day to be a Minnesota Golden Gopher
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/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

The Buckeyes have one final roadblock in their way before The Game.

Wake up, everyone. It’s Ohio State game day!

No disrespect to Minnesota, but Saturday’s game against the Golden Gophers is more about staying healthy ahead of the highly anticipated season finale in Ann Arbor next week than anything else. Of course, Ohio State still needs to win the game in order to have a shot at the College Football Playoff, but Ryan Day’s squad will be looking to get in, grab a victory and get out relatively unscathed as they try to clean up any remaining issues before The Game.

Over the past week, our talented group of writers and podcasters have put together preview pieces, analytical breakdowns, and everything in-between.

If you missed out on any of the coverage, we have you... well, covered. Below, each type of story is categorized. If you’re looking for podcasts and previews we’ve done, you can find them; if you’re looking for the betting lines and non-football topics, they are there, too.

Enjoy the day everyone. As always, Go Bucks!

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Podcasts​

• Hangout in the Holy Land: Michigan’s victim mentality, Ohio State-Minnesota preview
• Silver Bullets: Michigan State rewind and Minnesota preview
• Bucketheads: Recapping the Texas A&M loss, and why it is okay not to panic yet
• Uncut: Chris Holtmann, Roddy Gayle, Evan Mahaffey discuss win over Merrimack

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Previews​

• Ohio State vs. Minnesota: 2023 game preview and prediction
• Three Things To Watch vs. Minnesota

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Sports Betting​

• Ohio State opens as 27.5-point favorites over Minnesota
• Week 12 Big Ten games
• Week 12 national games
• Updated Heisman Trophy odds with two weeks remaining in the regular season

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Basketball​

• No. 13 Ohio State women’s basketball hits another gear, defeats Boston College 88-66
• Moments that mattered: Ohio State’s slightly concerning win over Merrimack
• Lack of respect for Taylor Thierry’s shooting benefitting Ohio State women’s basketball
• Way-too-early level of concern for OSU men’s basketball
• What have we learned about the Ohio State men’s basketball team through three games?
• Karla Vreš’ moment for Ohio State women’s basketball

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Recruiting​

• Five-star corner releases top schools list, in-state edge rusher to visit this weekend
• Buckeyes have momentum with 2025 tight end, set to host nation’s top player in 2026
• Ohio State keeping tabs on Northwestern offensive line commit
• 2026 quarterback had a ‘great night’ on Ohio State visit

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Other Columns​

• Ohio State Wrestling: Buckeyes upset Hokies, blow the doors off some Fighting Scots
• Stock Market Report: Buckeyes dominate Michigan State, send Marv to New York
• Michigan showed flaws against Penn State, Ohio State is surging at the right time
• Breaking down Ohio State’s 38-3 win over Michigan State by the numbers
• ‘Hey Now, Hey Now’ — Did Ohio State’s win over MSU give you Lizzie McGuire vibes?

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