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LGHL Ohio State fans think Denzel Burke was the MVP of Buckeyes’ first four games

Ohio State fans think Denzel Burke was the MVP of Buckeyes’ first four games
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Syndication: The Columbus Dispatch

Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

Buckeye fans also predict the outcome of today’s game against Maryland.

It is a football Saturday once again as the No. 4 Ohio State Buckeyes return to the field after a week off to host the No. 26 Maryland Terrapins on a Homecoming Saturday at the cathedral of college football. So, to prepare for the contest, earlier this week, we asked the Ohio State-loving readers of Land-Grant Holy Land to share their thoughts on a couple of questions.


In our weekly fan survey, we asked two questions to see where your head and your heart were at in relation to everything that we saw during the Buckeyes’ first four games of the season and what you thought will happen in The Horseshoe this afternoon. See the responses to our questions below, and if you have other thoughts, feel free to share them in the comments at the bottom of the page.

Check out DraftKings Sportsbook, the official sportsbook partner of SB Nation.

Question 1: Who was Ohio State’s MVP from the first month of the season?​



As I said in the survey article earlier this week, I think this is the right answer. Given the struggles that Denzel Burke and the entire Buckeye secondary had last season, the fact that they have come back so strong in 2023 makes a huge difference. Of course, the first four opponents were not exactly a murderer’s row of passing offenses — no offense Western Kentucky — but there will certainly be more athletic challenges in the weeks to come. Nonetheless, Burke has been incredibly impressive and appears to be fully back to his All-American status.

Question 2: What will the score be for Saturday’s game against Maryland?​



When DraftKings Sportsbook released its initial odds for this matchup, OSU was favored by 19 points, but it has increased by half a point to come in at 19.5 as of publishing time.

Bill Connelly’s SP+ predicts a score of 34-18 in favor of the Buckeyes.

The College Football Nerds’ model spits out a score of OSU 32.7 to Maryland 23.9.

My favorite prediction machine, thanks to 2036 simulations as of the time I am typing this, the NCAA Game Simulator has an average score of Ohio State 34, Maryland 18.7.

So, who am I to argue with our computer overlords? I am officially predicting Ohio State 38, Maryland 14.

Bonus Questions: What is the must-watch game of Week 6?​


Which team is most likely to finish the season undefeated?​



These are a few results from the national SB Nation Reacts survey and do not represent the opinions of the intelligent, attractive, and all-around wonderful folks who participated in the Land-Grant Holy Land survey this week.

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LGHL OHIO STATE GAMEDAY: It’s a bad day to be a Maryland Terrapin

OHIO STATE GAMEDAY: It’s a bad day to be a Maryland Terrapin
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

COLLEGE FOOTBALL: SEP 23 Ohio State at Notre Dame

Photo by Robin Alam/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

The Buckeyes are back from the off week to host a Big Ten opponent.

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

With a week off to recover from a thrilling ending in a 17-14 win over Notre Dame, the Buckeyes now return to the friendly confines, where they will host Maryland. Ohio State has never lost to the Terrapins in the eight prior meetings, having outscored the fellow Big Ten East member 250-73 in games played in Columbus. Kyle McCord will like to lead the offense against what has been a stingy Maryland defense, while the Silver Bullets will look to slow down Taulia Tagovailoa and company.

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!

Football Podcasts​

Previews​

Sports Betting​

Basketball​

Recruiting​

Ask LGHL​

Other Columns​


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LGHL Tailgate Podcast: Everything you need to know to watch the Ohio State vs. Maryland game

Tailgate Podcast: Everything you need to know to watch the Ohio State vs. Maryland 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

Syndication: The Columbus Dispatch

Barbara J. Perenic/The Columbus / USA TODAY NETWORK

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​

No. 4 Ohio State Buckeyes (-19.5) vs. Maryland | over/under 57​


Game Date/Time: Saturday, Oct. 7 at 12 noon ET
Location: Columbus, Ohio
TV: Fox
Radio: 97.1 FM/1460 AM

Following the No. 4 Ohio State Buckeyes’ thrilling, physical 17-14 victory over the Notre Dame Fighting Irish two Saturdays ago, it felt perfect that they had last week off to physically heal and take what they learned in South Bend and apply it to the rest of their season.

They will see what they are able to do as they square off against the undefeated Maryland Terrapins who come into the game as the highest-ranked unranked team in the country. Led by quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa, the Terp offense is No. 14 in scoring, and Tagovailoa is 16th nationally in passing yards per game.

The Turtle defense has also been impressive, coming in as No. 16 in points allowed per game. However, the early-season stats are potentially a bit deceiving, because depending on which metric you look at, the Terps currently rank anywhere from the No. 115 to No. 130 best strength of schedule in FBS having played the underwhelming slate of Towson, Charlotte, Virginia, Michigan State, and Indiana.

Despite that, Maryland should present an interesting challenge for the Buckeye defense as it looks to prove that the secondary is back to #BIA status.

Matt’s Prediction: Ohio State 38, Maryland 14​


Kyle McCord: 325 yards passing
Taulia Tagovailoa: Under 200 passing yards


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

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

Syndication: The Columbus Dispatch

Joseph Scheller/Columbus Dispatc / USA TODAY NETWORK

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

Believe it or not, but there is legitimate reason to believe that the Maryland Terrapins are the fourth-best team in the Big Ten this season. Unfortunately for the Turtles, the three better teams are all in their division, making it difficult to imagine anything better than a 9-3 finish.

However, Mike Locksley’s squad will have a major opportunity to shock the world when they visit Ohio Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 7 at 12 noon ET as they take on the No. 4 Ohio State Buckeyes. As it is a game between two unbeaten B1G foes, the matchup will be Fox’s “Big Noon Saturday” game of the week.

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

And I know it can be incredibly confusing to find the best way to watch a game in today’s entertainment landscape. Fortunately for you, I am something of a streaming expert... no really, I write about streaming services for a living. So, I am going to walk you through the best — and cheapest — ways for you to stream today’s game.

Also, if you want to put a little money on the game over at DraftKings Sportsbook, not only would it make what could be a blowout even more exciting, but you could make enough cash to pay for a full month of cable or streaming!

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


Game Date/Time: Saturday, Oct. 7 at 12 noon ET
TV: Fox
Broadcasters: Gus Johnson, Joel Klatt, Jenny Taft
Betting Line: Ohio State -19.5 | 57 o/u
Odds/lines subject to change. T&Cs apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for details.

Best Streaming Option to Watch Ohio State vs. Maryland: DIRECTV STREAM | 5-Day Free Trial​


It is getting a little unusual for Ohio State games to not have a native streaming home. When their games air on CBS, they are also on Paramount+. If OSU plays on NBC, the games are also available to stream on Peacock — not to mention that next week’s Purdue game is a Peacock exclusive.

However, Fox does not have a subscription streaming service that broadcasts its live programming. So, if you are looking to stream the game, DIRECTV STREAM is your best option. The live TV streaming service has the only guaranteed multi-day free trial in the industry and provides the most top cable channels of all of its competitors. The basic, Entertainment package comes with all of the major network channels — all of which have college football — ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC. It also has ESPN, ESPN2, and FS1. Then, if you want to upgrade, other packages include the ACC Network, Big Ten Network, ESPNU, SEC Network, CBS Sports Network, Longhorn Network, and more.

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

Other Streaming Options for the Ohio State and Maryland Game: ​


Fubo: $84.99 per month, at least a one-day free trial
Sling TV: $40 per month, 50% off first month (Fox is only available in select media markets)
Hulu + Live TV: $69.99 per month
YouTube TV: $72.99 per month

Join the conversation​


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

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


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LGHL You’re Nuts: Who will be the 2023 Big Ten Men’s Basketball Coach of the Year?

You’re Nuts: Who will be the 2023 Big Ten Men’s Basketball Coach of the Year?
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

NCAA Basketball: NCAA Tournament Second Round-Maryland vs Alabama

Vasha Hunt-USA TODAY Sports

It’s hard to believe Tom Izzo has only won the award three times.

With almost exactly one month until the college basketball season, we can finally start making predictions that likely won’t be accurate. The fun part of the offseason!

This week for “You’re Nuts,” we debate Who we think will be the 2023 Big Ten Men’s Basketball Coach of the Year.

Last week, we talked about whether or not we think Ohio State and head coach Chris Holtmann should deploy a three-guard lineup next season.


Connor won the majority of the vote with his answer of No, they should start one of the freshmen.

After 120 weeks:​

Connor- 55
Justin- 48
Other- 13​

(There have been four ties)​


And now, this week’s debate.

Today’s Question: Who will be the 2023 Big Ten Men’s Basketball Coach of the Year?​

Connor: Greg Gard ​

Purdue v Wisconsin
Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images

There’s typically two driving forces behind a coach winning the Big Ten Coach of the Year award. No. 1 — the coach leads their team to a Big Ten championship. No. 2 — the coach doesn’t win the conference, but his/her team does considerably better than they were expected to. I’m going with scenario No. 2 here.

Even though Purdue will probably win the Big Ten, I think there will be some fatigue with Matt Painter, and he won’t win it despite having the best team — kind of like why Urban Meyer never won Big Ten Coach of the Year. Tom Izzo, Kevin Willard, or Brad Underwood are all possibilities too, but none of those teams were bad enough last year that a top-four finish would be deserving of the award.

That means I have to give it to the coach of the team that I think is most likely to makee the biggest jump from last year to this year — and I think that team is Wisconsin.

The Badgers lost three of their last four games to end the season last year, sliding just out of the NCAA Tournament picture and into the NIT, where they wound up losing to North Texas in the semifinals.

Wisconsin brings essentially everyone back from last year’s team that just missed the Big Dance, including Chucky Hepburn, Connor Essegian, Tyler Wahl, Steven Crowl, among others. Getting old and staying old is the name of the game in college basketball, and Gard will have one of the most experienced teams in the Big Ten.

But after missing the tournament with this same group, some folks might be asking, “why should we be confident in a group of guys who missed the NCAA Tournament and are just running it back?” That’s valid! While Essegian is entering his sophomore year, the rest of the Badgers’ core are experienced players. I am willing to bank on an improved Essegian and Wisconsin not crumbling down the stretch this year being the difference in them going from NIT semifinalist to an NCAA Tournament team. I think this Wisconsin team could wind up in the top-four in the Big Ten.

If it were to happen, this would be Gard’s third Big Ten Coach of the Year Award. He would join Tom Izzo and Matt Painter as the three active coaches in the B1G who have taken home the award three times.

Justin: Kevin Willard​

NCAA Basketball: Big Ten Conference Tournament Quarterfinals - Indiana vs Maryland
David Banks-USA TODAY Sports

To be honest, I almost put Chris Holtmann in this spot. I have the Buckeyes finishing fourth in the conference, so going from second to last place to a double bye in the conference tournament would be worthy of coach of the year.

However, I do think that since he isn’t turning anything around and last year was just a vast disappointment, that could hurt his candidacy.

Also, I think Maryland’s floor is higher. I have Ohio State finishing fourth, but they could finish anywhere from 4-8 to me. I have Maryland finishing third, but no lower than fifth.

For those reasons, I am picking Kevin Willard.

Maryland went 22-13 overall and 11-9 in the conference last season in Willard’s first season. They earned the No. 8 seed in the NCAA Tournament and beat West Virginia in the first round in a great game to start March Madness, then lost to the No. 1 seed Alabama by 20 in the Round of 32.

With Jahmir Young, Donta Scott, and Julian Reese coming back and DeShawn Harris-Smith and Jamie Kaiser coming in as highly touted freshmen, this Terrapin team has a lot of potential and should be a top-20 team throughout the season.

They finished tied for fifth in the conference last season, so jumping to third isn’t a huge jump, but with Purdue and Michigan State being on a tier of their own in the conference this season, everyone else is fighting for third.

They might give it to Izzo, but I do think Michigan State would have to win the conference, and I am not sure they will. They won’t give it to Matt Painter for going from first to first, even if he may deserve it.


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LGHL Rankings and snubs; Big Ten releases preseason All-B1G Teams, rankings and more

Rankings and snubs; Big Ten releases preseason All-B1G Teams, rankings and more
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Syndication: The Columbus Dispatch

Barbara J. Perenic/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Buckeyes are coming off an outstanding season, and the expectations carry into the 23/24 season

All of the major outlets released their preseason rankings, bracketology and predictions for the 23/24 season. On Wednesday, the Big Ten conference released their own prognostications with its annual preseason All-B1G Team, preseason rankings and the coveted Player of the Year honor. Here’s where Ohio State women’s basketball landed throughout, with a couple arguments for snubs.

Ohio State is again predicted near the top of the conference. Coaches have the Buckeyes second behind the Iowa Hawkeyes, with the media putting the scarlet and gray third behind Iowa and the Indiana Hoosiers.

Last season, the top four mirrored this season’s selections for both voting camps, with the Maryland Terrapins coming in at No. 4. What’s changed are the No. 5 picks. Last season, coaches had Michigan rounding out top teams but this year the Illinois Fighting Illini jumped the Wolverines. Before the 22/23 season, the media selected the Nebraska Cornhuskers at No. 5 but instead have Michigan occupying the final slot.

The individual benefactors from the Buckeyes is guard Jacy Sheldon and forward Cotie McMahon. Each of the stars earned a spot on both the coaches and media All-B1G Teams. Of the two, McMahon was unanimous for the coaches, joining a group of other unanimous selections in Indiana center Mackenzie Holmes, Maryland guard Shyanne Sellers, Michigan guard Laila Phelia and Iowa Hawkeye star Caitlin Clark, who was the only player unanimous in both teams.

Clark was also selected as the Big Ten Preseason Player of the Year for both coaches and media, which is no surprise. What is surprising is that players like graduate senior Holmes, who’s arguably the Big Ten Player of the Year if Clark didn’t exist, wasn’t a unanimous media selection. Reminder that Land-Grant Holy Land is not included in the media vote.

McMahon and Sheldon are obvious choices. Last year, McMahon earned the Big Ten Freshman of the Year award and a secure spot on the All-Freshman Team (although the media didn’t include McMahon unanimously there either). McMahon ended the season as the Buckeyes’ most dangerous weapon on offense. After starting her freshman season with up and down performances in the first month, McMahon came on strong when it counted.

At season’s end, McMahon averaged 15.5 points and 5.5 rebounds. Most of those points came from blistering attacks to the basket that teams couldn’t seem to stop. McMahon spun and Euro-stepped her way into the national conversation as a future star in the NCAA.

For Sheldon, the Dublin, Ohio native is on the other side of that conversation. As a graduate senior, the guard has one more season to make even more of an indelible impact on her already impressive Ohio State legacy.

Sheldon began last season up there with Clark as the only unanimous preseason selections for both coaches and media. At the start of the season, Sheldon was more than living up to the hype. The guard averaged 16.0 points and 6.0 steals per game in the first five games of the season, including a program-tying 11 steals against the Boston College Eagles. Then Sheldon vanished, due to a foot injury that followed the guard through the rest of the season.

The guard returned for the Big Ten conference tournament, but in limited minutes. It was the NCAA Tournament where the Sheldon of November returned. The menacing senior averaged 17.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 2.3 steals in four games, including hitting the game-winning shot in the second round against the North Carolina Tar Heels.

While McMahon and Sheldon are warranted on the preseason lists, two names missing are transfer guard Celeste Taylor and forward/guard Taylor Thierry.

Taylor is new to the Big Ten, by way of Texas and Duke, but a National Defensive Player of the Year finalist and ACC Defensive Player of the Year award winner going ignored by the conference is a shock.

In Thierry’s case, the Buckeye made a leap from her freshman to sophomore season, leading to a All-B1G Second Team and All-B1G Defensive Team selection for the 22-23 season. Head coach Kevin McGuff often calls Thierry the most athletic person on the court in every game she plays, but what he applauds the most is the work Thierry puts into her craft. If that work continues, the awards that matter should come Thierry’s way at the end of the season.

Here’s the full list of selections, with unanimous selections in italics:

2023-24 Coaches Big Ten Preseason Rankings

  1. Iowa
  2. Ohio State
  3. Indiana
  4. Maryland
  5. Illinois

2023-24 Coaches Preseason All-Big Ten Team*

  • Makira Cook, Illinois
  • Mackenzie Holmes, Indiana
  • Caitlin Clark, Iowa
  • Shyanne Sellers, Maryland
  • Laila Phelia, Michigan
  • Mara Braun, Minnesota
  • Alexis Markowski, Nebraska
  • Jaz Shelley, Nebraska
  • Cotie McMahon, Ohio State
  • Jacy Sheldon, Ohio State
  • Makenna Marisa, Penn State

* Coaches team has an extra player due to a tie in voting

2023-24 Coaches Preseason Player of the Year

  • Caitlin Clark, Iowa

2023-24 Media Big Ten Preseason Rankings

  1. Iowa
  2. Indiana
  3. Ohio State
  4. Maryland
  5. Michigan

2023-24 Media Big Ten Preseason All-Big Ten Team

  • Makira Cook, Illinois
  • Mackenzie Holmes, Indiana
  • Caitlin Clark, Iowa
  • Shyanne Sellers, Maryland
  • Laila Phelia, Michigan
  • Alexis Markowski, Nebraska
  • Jaz Shelley, Nebraska
  • Cotie McMahon, Ohio State
  • Jacy Sheldon, Ohio State
  • Makenna Marisa, Penn State

2023-24 Media Big Ten Preseason Player of the Year

  • Caitlin Clark, Iowa

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2004 Ohio State Football Season Pack

This is the entire 2004 football season. Another user on this site was kind enough to share them with me and I want to share them with anyone who wants them. I intend to seed this indefinitely. If you find a problem or have a better version of one of the games, let me know and I'll improve the torrent.
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  • 2004 Ohio State Football Season.torrent
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LGHL Three Things To Watch from Maryland

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

NCAA Football: Duke’s Mayo Bowl-Maryland at North Carolina State

Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports

Ohio State is on upset alert against visiting Maryland.

Coming off a bye week, Ohio State ushers in its Homecoming weekend, welcoming the undefeated Maryland Terrapins to Ohio Stadium. Both teams are undefeated, and this game offers intrigue for the two schools.

The bye week came at an opportune time for Ohio State. The thrilling 17-14 win at Notre Dame resulted in a scary ankle injury sustained by star wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. Harrison used the off week to rehabilitate his ankle, but the junior conceded that he is not at 100% as the season resumes.

Marvin Harrison Jr. on his ankle injury:

"I would say it's worse than the one last year, but I'm good enough to play." pic.twitter.com/gkEov0ESSp

— Lantern Sports (@LanternSports) October 5, 2023
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Maryland joined The B1G in 2014, and have never beaten the Buckeyes in eight tries; the 2020 scheduled game at Maryland was canceled, due to COVID-19. Maryland has been able to take Ohio State to the brink of defeat when the game has been played in College Park, Maryland in 2018 (52-51) and in 2022 (43-30). The 2022 score result is somewhat misleading, as Ohio State’s Steele Chambers scored a touchdown on a fumble recovery in the last seconds of the game, but Ohio State was clinging to a 36-30 lead late into the fourth quarter.

The larger point is that Maryland has not played well whenever the game has been played at Ohio Stadium, as the Buckeyes have won there in 2015 (49-28), 2017 (62-14), 2019 (73-14), and 2021 (66-17). This game represents an opportunity for Maryland to assess where the Terrapins stand in comparison to one of the better teams within the B1G East.

Below are the Three Things To Watch from Maryland, as this game will kick off at 12:00 p.m. ET on FOX.

  1. Will Emeka Egbuka continue to shine?

Egbuka came up big for the Buckeyes in the win at Notre Dame, catching seven passes for 96 yards. No reception was bigger than the play Egbuka made on a crucial 3rd-and-19 play in the final seconds of the game that not only kept Ohio State’s drive alive, but positioned the Buckeyes near the Notre Dame goal line.

With Marvin Harrison Jr. openly stating that his ankle is not fully healed, it will not be surprising if Egbuka is the primary target for the Ohio State passing game. Quarterback Kyle McCord seems to be developing a rapport with Egbuka, similar in the manner that McCord has with Harrison. It bears watching to see how Maryland decides to defend Egbuka in the passing game and how much attention is still paid to MHJ.

2. Will the Ohio State pass rush be a factor?

Neither Jack Sawyer and J.T. Tuimoloau have registered a sack yet this season on an opposing quarterback, and that has Ohio State fans grumbling. Throw in a talented passer in Maryland’s Taulia Tagovailoa, who has thrown 13 touchdown passes and has completed about 67% of his passes, and it is understandable why there is an elevated level of concern for this game.

While the defensive ends have not been getting sacks, the Ohio State defensive line has been able to force quarterbacks into hurrying throws. With that rationale, considering Tagovailoa is listed at 5-foot-11, it may be possible to “box in” Tagovailoa from the outside, and get a strong pass rush from the interior defensive line. Ohio State defensive tackle Tyleik Williams, who does have a sack this season and is coming off a strong game at Notre Dame, may be able to register pressure on Tagovailoa from the middle, even batting passes down at the line of scrimmage.

3. Has Ohio State solved its short yardage woes?

The football program that used to revel in the phrase “Three Yards And A Cloud Of Dust,” during the Woody Hayes glory years are simply unable to pick up a yard running the ball on 3rd-and-1 or 4th-and-1. The Notre Dame game was an exercise in frustration, with Ohio State missing opportunities in short yardage situations.

As I wrote up above, Ohio State is coming off a bye week. Perhaps the coaching staff have identified the issues around their short yardage problems, and will use running back Chip Trayanum to move the pile if the situation presents itself. Trayanum has demonstrated the strength and speed at the running back position to be a “pile mover”, as he showed in the decisive goal line touchdown run against the Fighting Irish.


Maryland has demonstrated a strong offensive team in their 4-0 start, and should present a legitimate test for an improved Ohio State defense. While the Buckeyes have had their way with Maryland in recent years at Ohio Stadium, look for the Terrapins to battle the Buckeyes deep into the fourth quarter, when I anticipate Ohio State being able to put Maryland away. It will be key for Ohio State to harass Taulia Tagovailoa.

I have it Ohio State 35, Maryland 21.

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LGHL MC&J: The Red River Rivalry dominates the Week 6 college football slate

MC&J: The Red River Rivalry dominates the Week 6 college football slate
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

COLLEGE FOOTBALL: SEP 30 Kansas at Texas

Photo by David Buono/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

The two future SEC teams square off as Big 12 foes for the last time.

Last week ATS: 7-8 (2-7 National, 5-1 B1G)​

Season ATS: 47-49 (19-28 National, 28-21 B1G)​


The Big Ten schedule may have been ugly last week, but at least I was able to pick the majority of the games right. The 5-1 record in Big Ten games saved my bacon since my national picks were ugly. There is still a lot of games left to pick this year, so being two games under .500 right now isn’t the worst spot to be in.

National games​


No. 12 Oklahoma v. No. 3 Texas (-6.5) - 12:00 p.m. ET - ABC

This will always be the Red River Shootout to me. This is the final year these two teams will meet as Big 12 teams, as next year they’ll embark on their first season in the SEC. After a mediocre season in Brent Venables first year as head coach, the Sooners have started off this season hot. Not only can Dillon Gabriel spin it at quarterback, Oklahoma has a defense that has allowed just 54 points through their first five games.

As good as the Sooners have been this year, Texas has been even better. I thought last week the Longhorns might be looking ahead last week to Red River, but Steve Sarkisian’s team handled their business against Kansas in Austin. Running back Jonathon Brooks was a beast against the Jayhawks, rushing for 218 yards and two scores in the 39-14 win.

Even though Oklahoma has improved from what we saw from the team last year, some of how good the Sooners have looked can be attributed to a really weak schedule. If Texas can get through this game, it feels like the Longhorns can pretty much coast to a spot in the College Football Playoff. While the Sooners will give Texas a game, the Longhorns create a little separation in the second half and go on to win by double digits.

Texas 34, Oklahoma 24


No. 23 LSU (-6.5) v. No. 21 Missouri - 12:00 p.m. ET - ESPN

Imagine how scary LSU would be if they had a defense. The Tigers have already given up 30 or more points in three of their five games this season, and are coming off a dreadful performance where they allowed 55 points last week in the loss to Ole Miss. You’d have to think that Jayden Daniels would be in the Heisman conversation if LSU hadn’t already lost two games this year, as the quarterback has already thrown for 1,710 yards and 16 touchdowns while adding another three scores on the ground.

I’m not sure which coach is more detestable in this game. On one side you have Brian Kelly, who loves to blame everyone but himself when his team fails. Going up against Kelly is Eli Drinkwitz, who whines so much it makes you want to stuff him in a locker. Aside from Drinkwitz, Missouri is a fun team, led by quarterback Brady Cook and wide receiver Luther Burden III.

LSU just hasn’t impressed me much this year. Cook, Burden, and the rest of the Missouri offense should do a lot of damage against a terrible defense. I know Daniels will put up some numbers, I just think Missouri gets enough stops to not only keep this game close, they could even pull the “upset” here.

Missouri 38, LSU 35


No. 13 Washington State v. UCLA (-3.5) - 3:00 p.m. ET - Pac-12 Network

The Cougars and Bruins each enter this game coming off a bye after two very different results in their last games. Washington State jumped out on Oregon State in Pullman two weeks ago, withstanding a late comeback by the Beavers to stay undefeated this season. Cam Ward continues to dazzle, throwing four touchdowns for the second consecutive game, running his total to 13 passing touchdowns this year. So far in 2023, Ward has attempted 142 passes and has yet to throw an interception.

Last time out UCLA lost to Utah 14-7 in Salt Lake City. Freshman quarterback Dante Moore wasn’t terrible against the tough defense of the Utes, but he also wasn’t all that good either, hitting on just 15 of his 35 pass attempts in the game. I’m still not sold on the Bruins, since aside from Utah they haven’t really played anyone of note. Even though the battle between Ward and Moore will be fun to watch, the wrong team is favored here.

Washington State 31, UCLA 27


No. 11 Alabama (-2.5) v. Texas A&M - 3:30 p.m. ET - CBS

Texas A&M took a big hit when they lost starting quarterback Connor Weigman to injury during the Auburn game, but at least the Aggies had an experienced backup ready to go. Former LSU quarterback Max Johnson threw 27 touchdowns for the Tigers before transferring to Texas A&M last season, and has thrown four touchdowns over the last two games. Johnson actually played in 2020 and 2021 against the Crimson Tide while he was with the Tigers.

Honestly, I’m still not exactly sure what Alabama is this year, or is trying to be. Nick Saban’s team has a stout defense, and then I guess it’s just Jalen Milroe trying to ad-lib on offense? It’s just weird to see an Alabama team that struggles so much to move the football. Things aren’t going to get any easier against a Texas A&M defense that has come together after Miami put up 48 points on them last month. In a game where scoring is going to be tough for both sides, I’ll take the unranked home underdog to hand the Crimson Tide their second loss of the season.

Texas A&M 23, Alabama 20


Syracuse v. No. 14 North Carolina (-8.5) - 3:30 p.m. ET - ESPN

Last week Syracuse was dominated at home by Clemson. The Orange couldn’t stop shooting themselves in the foot, turning the football over three times. I don’t see them being as careless with the football again against a North Carolina defense that isn’t quite at the same level as the Clemson defense. Plus, Drake Maye hasn’t been that sharp this year, and it feels like North Carolina is the college football version of the Los Angeles Chargers, since they love to make things a lot tougher than they need to be.

I wouldn’t be surprised to see Syracuse pull the upset here, as I think the Tar Heels are overrated.

Syracuse 38, North Carolina 31


No. 20 Kentucky v. No. 1 Georgia (-14.5) - 7:00 p.m. ET - ESPN

Georgia would be in a lot of trouble if it wasn’t for Brock Bowers. If we’re being honest, the Bulldogs shouldn’t be ranked in the top-five right now, since what have they actually done this season? Luckily for Georgia they don’t have much on the schedule that can actually challenge them, so as long as they don’t drop a game, they should be able to cruise into the CFP as two-time defending champions.

When you play Kentucky, you better bring your lunch. Just ask Florida, who just got rolled by the Wildcats in Lexington. Even though I imagine the Bulldogs are going to fare better than the Gators did, Mark Stoops’ team is a handful. Running back Ray Davis is coming off a 280-yard performance last week, while the Wildcats have an experienced quarterback in NC State transfer Devin Leary. 14.5 feels like a lot to be laying with a Georgia team that hasn’t put together a full game in the two games they have played in conference so far.

Georgia 24, Kentucky 17


No. 10 Notre Dame (-6.5) v. No. 25 Louisville - 7:30 p.m. ET - ABC

I would like to thank those in charge of the rankings for slipping Louisville into the top-25 so that might improve Notre Dame’s strength of schedule, in turn making Ohio State’s win over the Fighting Irish look better. Also, kudos to Marcus Freeman for making sure Notre Dame had 11 players on the field during important points in last week’s nail-biting win over Duke.

Playing at Louisville at night isn’t going to be easy. Then again, it’s not the toughest environment Sam Hartman and Notre Dame have seen. After losing to the Buckeyes last month, Freeman knows his team will have to beat USC if they want to have any shot at the playoff. Last week the Fighting Irish were taken to the limit by Duke. I think they have an easier time this week against a Louisville squad that is undefeated, but has been inconsistent at times in Jeff Brohm’s first season as head coach.

Notre Dame 31, Louisville 20


Arkansas v. No. 16 Ole Miss (-11.5) - 7:30 p.m. ET - SEC Network

You have to feel for KJ Jefferson. He has been playing quarterback at Arkansas since 2004 and the Razorbacks just can’t get over the hump. Sam Pittman’s team looks lost, as they have dropped their last three games by a combined 22 points. As fun as Arkansas was to watch over the last few years with Jefferson running the show, the Razorbacks have struggled to get much going on offense, averaging just 342 yards per game so far this year.

If Ole Miss could ever get their defense to match up with their offense under Lane Kiffin, the rest of the SEC would definitely be on notice. Last week the Rebels were able to grab the victory in the track meet with LSU, rolling up 706 yards of offense in the 55-49 win. The scary thing is Ole Miss is only going to get better as the season goes on, as Quinshon Judkins is hitting his stride after notching his first 100-yard rushing game of the season. These two teams are heading in opposite directions, so I’ll side with the home team that has pop on offense.

Ole Miss 41, Arkansas 23


No. 15 Oregon State (-9.5) v. Cal - 10:00 p.m. ET - Pac-12 Network

Not that I didn’t think Oregon State wasn’t a tough team, I just thought heading into last week’s game that Utah was tougher. I certainly was wrong there. The Beavers just bullied the Utes in Corvallis. I’m still not big on D.J. Uiagalelei, but he is the perfect quarterback if you have designs on going like 9-3 or 10-2 in the regular season. That feels right about where Oregon State will be since they can use their strong running game to take some of the pressure off the former Clemson quarterback.

Shut down running back Jaydn Ott and it shouldn’t be all that tough to beat Cal. Whether Sam Jackson V or Ben Finley starts at quarterback for the Golden Bears on Saturday, I don’t think it’s going to matter. Oregon State is nasty on defense and should make it a long night for whoever is taking the snaps. The Beavers should win this one by at least two touchdowns.

Oregon State 30, Cal 14

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