Highlighting the top five Buckeyes in the NFL this season
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Spoiler alert: it was a very good year for the scarlet and gray in the pros.

99% of Ohio State players in the NFL are officially done for the season. The lone Buckeye remaining is running back Trey Sermon for the Philadelphia Eagles. Therefore, I wanted to reflect on which players had the best seasons this year.

1. Nick Bosa

Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

While one Bosa brother, Joey, was injured for the majority of the year, the other brother had the best season of his career. Nick has been named a finalist for Defensive Player of the Year, and it is highly likely that he will win the award. He finished this season with 18.5 sacks, the most in the league.

I gave him the top spot because I believe his play had the biggest impact on his team. The 49ers had one of the top, if not the top, defense in the NFL this past year, and that is largely because of Bosa. He was the leader of this defense, and quarterbacks all around the league feared going against him. He is going to be scary for the next few years if he continues to play at this level.

2. Joe Burrow

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Two things: yes, he is a Buckeye, and yes, he could also have taken the top spot. It is very possible that Burrow takes home MVP and Bosa takes home DPOY. So these two can tie for the top spot, just to appease everyone.

Anyway, I feel like I really don’t have to say too much about Joey B. Everyone knows how cool he is under pressure and how critical he is to the success of the Bengals. His 35 touchdowns are the second-most in the league, and his 4,475 passing yards are fifth.

The most remarkable stat, however, is how he led his team to 10-straight wins to finish out the season. While Cincy lost in the AFC Championship game, it is pretty safe to say it wouldn’t have made it there without Burrow.

3. Garrett Wilson

Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports

My personal favorite out of all, my guy GW on the Jets! As a Jets fan, I could not have been happier with how his rookie season panned out. Obviously I knew how talented he was at Ohio State, but I was very impressed with how seamlessly he transitioned to the pros. Even with the unfortunate QB carousel, Wilson did not miss a beat.

He quickly became WR1 on the team. He had 147 targets, 50 more than the next receiver. Additionally, his 1,100 yards were pretty much double from Tyler Conklin, who had 552. If he can get a solid, stable quarterback throwing to him next year, I cannot wait to see how he does. Also, he is a finalist for Offensive Rookie of the Year, and he better win.

4. Chris Olave

Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

The only other acceptable OROY winner would be Chris Olave, although unfortunately, he is not a finalist. I think this is rude because he also put up a 1,000 yard rookie season! Olave and Wilson had almost identical seasons, as Olave also became WR1 on his team. He had the most targets by far, and also about double the amount of receiving yards as the next receiver.

5. Terry McLaurin

Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

What a year for scary Terry! This is his third consecutive 1,000-yard season, finishing with 1,191 yards this year. The theme continues here as he was also WR1, but the next leading receiver is fellow Buckeye Curtis Samuel! That’s a threatening receiving duo. McLaurin has managed to shine the past couple of years even with the multiple quarterbacks he’s had throwing to him. He truly is an underrated player in this league.

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You’re Nuts: What is your one wish for this year’s Ohio State men’s lacrosse team?
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 Mitchell Layton/Getty Images

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

It is becoming more and more obvious that Ohio State’s men’s basketball team isn’t going to give us much of anything to cheer for in March. If you’re a fan of basketball, at least the women’s basketball team is still going to make the NCAA Tournament, but their recent three-game skid has brought expectations back down to earth a little bit. While Ohio State could still make a run in the tourney, it is looking like opponents have found a blueprint on how to slow the Buckeyes down.

So what’s a good way to get through the next few months sports-wise when it comes to Ohio State? A couple weeks ago Brett wrote about Ohio State’s new state-of-the-art lacrosse stadium. After two scrimmages, the men’s lacrosse team will play the first actual game at the stadium on Saturday when the Buckeyes host Air Force. The women’s lacrosse team will play their first game at the new stadium six days later.

Today we are going to focus on the men’s lacrosse team since there are a number of reasons to be excited about this year’s team. We want to know what you are most looking forward to seeing this year. Whether it be certain players you are looking forward to watch, opponents you are eagerly anticipating Ohio State playing, or how they fare in postseason tournaments.

Today’s question: What is your one wish for this year’s Ohio State men’s lacrosse team?​

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: A deep run in the NCAA Tournament​

Ohio State’s men’s lacrosse team have had sporadic success over the years. Even though the school has lots of resources, they won’t quite match the long-term dominance that schools like Syracuse, Johns Hopkins, and Maryland have been able to accomplish. Maybe that changes with the new stadium and the training areas it adds.

With being hit-or-miss when it comes to making the NCAA Tournament each year, it just adds to the excitement when Ohio State is able to win a few games in the postseason. That is exactly what made 2017 so special. I remember during the run that here at LGHL we were really excited — not only because it gave us something to write about during the “offseason”, but the team was fun to watch and root for.

Nick Myers was in his third season as Ohio State’s head coach, having already taken the Buckeyes to the quarterfinals in the 2015 NCAA Tournament in his first year in charge. Prior to the 2017 tournament, Ohio State had never even made it to the semifinals, let alone the championship game. Even though Maryland ended up winning the title, it was still a great ride to be a part of.

This year, the Buckeyes certainly have the talent to reach the Final Four. Ohio State returns eight of their top-10 scorers from last year. Jack Myers scored 38 goals and was credited with 45 assists last year, and should be even better this year. Even before the tournament, the Buckeyes will be tested, with games against Virginia, Maryland, and Johns Hopkins on the schedule.

As long as Ohio State can be competitive in those games, there will be a real reason to be excited for May.

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Meredith’s answer: A Big Ten Tournament title​

While I am personally cheering for my alma mater Air Force Falcons this weekend, I’m pulling for a Big Ten Tournament title for Ohio State this season.

The Buckeyes have been so close as of late, but they haven’t pulled off a tournament championship since 2013 before Big Ten lacrosse was even a thing (at that time, Ohio State was a member of the ECAC Lacrosse League). Even in 2017, when the Buckeyes finished the season as NCAA Tournament runners-up, they fell to Maryland in the finals of the Big Ten Tournament.

The Big Ten Tournament began in 2015, the first year the conference officially sponsored men’s lacrosse. Ohio State finished that season as runner-up to Johns Hopkins in the Big Ten Tournament that season. Since then, just three teams have won the tourney:

• Maryland (four championships)
• Johns Hopkins (two championships)
• Penn State (one championship)

The fact that Big Ten lacrosse has been so dominated by newcomers should not be a surprise. Maryland and Johns Hopkins were powers in the space well before they joined the conference. Considering there are just six men’s lacrosse teams in the Big Ten, even with these big names it’s a little alarming that half of the programs have won titles, and Ohio State is not among them — especially since the Buckeyes have had such solid teams in recent years.

But with so much excitement surrounding the program this year, the Buckeyes are well-positioned to change that narrative and take home a title.

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There is blame to go around for Ohio State's struggles as Buckeyes are running out of time on 2022-23 - 247Sports
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There is blame to go around for Ohio State's struggles as Buckeyes are running out of time on 2022-23 247Sports

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Brugler mock draft: Stroud third QB off the board? - 247Sports
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Brugler mock draft: Stroud third QB off the board? 247Sports

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Column: Ohio State women’s basketball’s return to Earth is a good thing
1ThomasCostello 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

How the Buckeyes recent adversity represents reality, and might be the best thing to happen this season.

This season, the Ohio State women’s basketball team has been breaking program records. Whether it’s steals in a game or best start in the University’s women’s basketball history books, if there’s a metric to calculate, the Buckeyes have either broken it or gotten close.

After three straight losses though, an unbelievable season looks much more believable, and its not only not a surprise but its also one of the best things to happen this season. Well, it could be one of the best things. Only the Scarlet & Gray are in control of what happens next.

All season, to the Buckeyes’ credit, Ohio State’s responded to wins and losses the same way. Outside of excitement on the court following big wins like the No. 5 Tennessee Volunteers, once the locker room talk is over its all business.

As the number on their AP Poll placement got lower and lower, the response remained the same to the media.

“We just play,” said guard Rikki Harris, after the Buckeyes moved up to No. 3 in December. “If we don’t win, we can’t be No. 3, so we just focus on playing and winning games.”

On the surface, it looked true. Just check out their results. A 19-point win over the then No. 18 Louisville Cardinals who allowed Ohio State to move up to No. 3. Throwing close to 100 on multiple smaller conference opponents. Beating heated rivals the Michigan Wolverines on New Year’s Eve. The Buckeyes amassed a 19-0 record, but that doesn’t mean Ohio State was focused for 40 minutes of all 19 games.

Throughout the year, all the highlight wins, except a big win against the Oregon Ducks, featured comebacks for the Buckeyes. Land-Grant Holy Land ranked the best five, and those were only the double-digit comebacks.

Starting the season, Ohio State stuck with the Volunteers, ultimately down nine in the first half. Then, a huge third quarter propelled the Buckeyes to a win. Exactly the opposite of what happened Thursday in Bloomington when the Indiana Hoosiers held the Buckeyes to six points in the third quarter.

Against Louisville the Buckeyes were down 14 points and needed a huge second half comeback, and would wind up playing up to their then-No. 4 ranked expectations.

In conference play, the Wolverines held Ohio State to nine points in the first quarter, and almost hit the Buckeyes with a comeback of their own in the second half. Against the Illinois Fightling Illini it was a 17-point comeback in the third quarter.

By this point, you probably get it: It wasn’t a road paved in gold for the now-No. 10 ranked Buckeyes, dropping eight spots on Monday, but there’s one last example.

It might seem like small potatoes, but look at a home game on Dec. 8 versus the University of New Hampshire Wildcats. The Buckeyes won 92-36, but at halftime Ohio State was up 39-29. To paraphrase a line from a fellow member of the media, the Scarlet & Gray were on the hunt but playing with their food.

So even though coach and players say the right thing, it might not be the truth. That’s not accusing anyone of lying, but it’s human nature to subconsciously go into a game with more focus and preparation against the Iowa Hawkeyes than the North Alabama Lions.

Through every scare, Ohio State battled through. The only difference between the first 19 games and the last three are the Scarlet & Gray looking like the side in deficits but without the magic at the end to comeback.

Last season, the Buckeyes struggled defensively against the Iowa Hawkeyes but scored 92 points to come away with the win. On Jan. 23, Ohio State scored 72 points. A hard total to beat the Hawkeyes by when guard Caitlin Clark is hitting a triple-double.

In two games against the Hoosiers, Ohio State lost by 20 points in the regular season and by eight in the Big Ten Tournament semi final against a recovering forward Mackenzie Holmes.

Thursday, Ohio State brought their best fight to the Hoosiers in two years, minus a difficult third quarter. A 10-minute span where adjustments weren’t made quick enough on the court and maybe the Monday loss crept in on the mindset of the Buckeyes.

Sunday, the play of coach McGuff’s side looked like they were mentally fatigued, and on the wrong day against a surging Purdue Boilermakers — which is the actually the good news.

“We still have a lot of league play left and you don’t want to be playing your best basketball right now so it’s good to take a little bit of adversity,” said guard Taylor Mikesell.

If this were March, the Buckeyes’ season would be over after the loss to Iowa. Instead it’s January and there are seven regular season games remaining. That means nine games For Ohio State to get starting guard Jacy Sheldon back into the lineup. Despite one of their best players not playing since Nov. 30, the Scarlet & Gray kept winning.

With Sheldon’s return, and potentially many of those nine games remaining, Ohio State can get into a rhythm with a healthy starting lineup that mirrors the group that started the season opener against Tennessee.

Also, hope for a regular season conference title is still alive with teams above them still playing big games ahead. Indiana plays Purdue and Iowa twice to end their season, plus a game against the Michigan Wolverines. Iowa has two games against Maryland on top of that pair of games against the Hoosiers.

Plus, coach McGuff’s side has the chance to beat Indiana in the home edition of their two regular season games of the year. Beat them and a pair of games against the Maryland Terrapins and the Buckeyes are still in the Big Ten trophy conversation at the end of the regular season.

Overall, Ohio State is a team deserving to be in the top-10. On their best night, they can compete with just about every team in the country. They’re still working towards their best, even if their ranking is no longer No. 2.

The climb towards the Buckeyes’ peak is underway, and it all starts Wednesday in Madison, Wisconsin.

“I told them that’s going to ultimately be what this week will show us in terms of our leadership,” said coach McGuff on Sunday. “How we practice and whether we win or lose on Wednesday, how we show up and compete.”

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B1G Thoughts: Five offseason questions for Ohio State
JordanW330 via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Barbara Perenic/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

Ohio State enters 2023 with a lot of questions to answer if they want to take back the Big Ten crown and win a national championship.

The 2022 season has come to an end. It was a great season that leaves many questions to be answered as we enter the 2023 offseason. Michigan won the Big Ten for the second year in a row, taking the crown from Ohio State.

Ohio State enters the new year a field goal away from a national championship appearance, but now has to replace C.J. Stroud. Will this be the first time in almost a decade that the best quarterback in the conference doesn’t wear scarlet and grey?

Nebraska, Purdue, and Wisconsin enter 2023 with new coaches while Northwestern’s Pat Fitzgerald and Indiana’s Tom Allen enter on the hot seat. Penn State has high expectations, Illinois will try to rebound from a late-season collapse, and Minnesota is trying to replace four of the best players in program history.

This is the final offseason before USC and UCLA enter the conference and the new TV deal starts. Teams must build a foundation that will last in the ever-changing landscape of college football. The 2023 offseason is essential for every team, so let’s dive in and see which five questions each team must answer before the 2023 season begins.

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Who will be Ohio State’s quarterback for the 2023 season?

For the past two years, Ohio State has been led by star quarterback C.J. Stroud. The two years before that, Justin Fields. Fields was a first-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, and is currently making a name for himself in the league, solidifying himself as a quality starting quarterback this season.

Stroud is entering the 2023 NFL Draft as a projected top-five pick with all the traits to succeed in the league. Stroud finished his Ohio State career with 8,123 yards, 85 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions with a 69.3% completion rate. Replacing Stroud will be a tall task for head coach Ryan Day and quarterbacks coach Corey Dennis.

The quarterback competition is already underway, with former five-star Kyle McCord battling former four-star Devin Brown through winter workouts. The competition will speed up in the spring with spring ball.

The previous two quarterback competitions were handled differently. In 2019, Justin Fields battled Joe Burrow, and Day called the competition in the spring so the other could find a new program to play for. In 2021, Day let the competition play on all the way through fall camp.

McCord is in his third year of the program and should get the chance to transfer after spring ball if he loses, but we don’t know how Day will handle the competition.

McCord has advantages, as he is in his third year of the program, and was Stroud’s backup throughout 2021 and 2022. He also has the most — albeit limited — playing experience, having played a whole game against Akron during the 2021 season. Plus, he was the high school teammate of Marvin Harrison Jr., the best wide receiver in the country, which can’t hurt.

Don’t count out Devin Brown though, who is a great athlete with the requisite arm strength to make every throw. Under Day’s guidance, Ohio State has put three first-round quarterbacks into the league. The next quarterback has big shoes to fill, but under the guidance of Day and Dennis, they may be able to limit the drop-off and continue competing for Big Ten and National championships.

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What improvements can defensive coordinator Jim Knowles make for year two?

After a dismal 2021 season where Ohio State’s defense couldn’t stop a nosebleed, Ryan Day fired basically the entire defensive staff and hired Broyles award winner Jim Knowles to fix the defense. For most of 2022, the defense was pretty stout with a few cracks, but by season end those cracks busted open, with the Buckeyes giving up 20, 45, and 42 points to Maryland, Michigan, and Georgia in their last three games.

Ultimately the defense improved, finishing the season 14th in total defense and 10th in stop rate, according to The Athletic. In 2021, Ohio State finished 53rd in total defense, so there was a marked improvement in Knowles’s first season.

Historically, Knowles’s defense gets better in years two and three, and they will be buoyed by the returns of linebackers Tommy Eichenberg and Steele Chambers as well as safety Lathan Ransom. The Silver Bullets also have multi-year starters entering their third season, so expectations will be high.

For the past two years, this team was carried by the offense, but with a first-time starter and questions on the offensive line, the defense may have to step up to allow the offense to work through their issues early in the season. The true questions will come at the end of the season, and Knowles will be tasked with making sure his defense doesn’t falter against Michigan or in the College Football Playoff, should they make it.

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What changes will Brian Hartline bring to the offense as offensive coordinator?

Ohio State enters the offseason with a new offensive coordinator, as former coordinator Kevin Wilson accepted the head coaching position at Tulsa. Former NFL wide receiver and current wide receivers coach Brian Hartline has been named Wilson’s replacement.

When asked about the promotion, Day said, “Brian has also developed his wide receivers at an unprecedented level and he has recruited as well or better than anyone in the country. Now he’ll be recruiting for our entire offense, and I think that is something that will be positive for our program.”

While he mentioned Hartline’s recruiting acumen, there was no mention of play-calling, — despite reports that Day may be considering giving up play-calling duties. We do not know who will call plays, but Hartline enters as a younger coach with NFL experience. He will be tasked with firstly maintaining the level of play from the past few seasons, while finding ways to improve and tweak an already excellent offense.

Day is still the de facto coordinator, and until otherwise stated will be calling plays, which is good for continuity. Hartline will have to find a way to make it his own while maintaining the best wide receiver corps in the country.

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Who steps up in the secondary?

Ohio State’s biggest concern entering the 2023 offseason is the secondary — specifically the cornerback position. The lack of depth and overall talent in the cornerback room was on display as Michigan and Georgia attacked the corners, leading to big plays and long touchdowns which eventually cost the Buckeyes both games.

Denzel Burke had a rough start to the 2022 season before settling down in the back half of the year. He is joined by Jordan Hankcock, Ryan Turner, Jyaire Brown, and incoming freshmen Jermaine Matthews and Calvin Simpson-Hunt, barring any additional transfers.

The room is young and not very deep, but they must improve this offseason if Ohio State wants to be competitive next year. Knowles and cornerback coach Tim Walton have missed on multiple corners in the transfer portal, but just received a Crystal Ball for Ole Miss transfer Davison Igbinosun, which would be a big get.

This room needs a major improvement and an infusion of talent. Burke is the only corner with experience, so every player will have a chance to secure a spot. I’s up to Walton to develop the young players into Big Ten caliber corners and fix what was a glaring weak spot in 2022.

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Who plays offensive tackle and where do they find offensive line depth?

Ohio State is losing three starting offensive linemen to the 2023 NFL Draft as left tackle Paris Johnson Jr., right tackle Dawand Jones, and center Luke Wypler all entered their names in the draft. Offensive line coach Justin Frye is going to earn his money this year fixing the mistakes of former coach Greg Studrawa, who left his room with minimal depth and a lack of blue-chip talent.

Frye was aggressive in the transfer portal, but missed out on all of his tackle prospects before finally landing Louisiana-Monroe transfer Victor Cutler, who will compete for the starting center spot.

Frye and his unit were helped out by Matt Jones choosing to put off the draft to maintain his right guard spot, while former five-star Donovan Jackson will maintain the left guard spot. Assuming Cutler wins the job, the middle of the line is secure, but tackle is still a question.

Josh Fryar may be the favorite to land the left tackle spot after serving as the backup tackle for much of 2022, but it is unknown if he will be able to man the left side of the line, which is arguably the most important position as it is tasked with protecting the quarterback’s blindside.

Right tackle will be a battle between Zen Michalski, Tegro Tshabola, George Fitzpatrick, and incoming freshman Luke Montgomery, again, barring any transfers. With a first-time quarterback, it’ll be integral for Frye to put a solid unit on the field and develop depth or else it will be a long season.

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Filling out the Ohio State football coaching staff with former Buckeyes - Land Grant Holy Land
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Filling out the Ohio State football coaching staff with former Buckeyes Land Grant Holy Land

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Ohio State trending for four-star transfer portal CB
Dan Hessler via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Former Ole Miss CB Davison Igbinosun via 247Sports

Ohio State earned a Crystal Ball prediction on Monday for one of the nation’s top transfer portal CB’s, and a 2024 Ohio State five-star WR commit continues to shine.

Ohio State’s football program is in the middle of the offseason, which means recruiting is at the forefront of the minds of both the coaching staff and Buckeye Nation. National Signing Day is tomorrow, and just a few years ago, Wednesday would be one of the busiest days of the year for recruiting.

However, with the introduction of the Early Signing Period, Ohio State’s 2023 recruiting class is already finished, and the members have signed their official letter’s of intent.

On the other hand, the college football landscape saw a major evolution of the game occur this year as NIL and new transfer rules have allowed the transfer portal to become a massive monster in the game. Because of this, the Ohio State coaching staff is busy recruiting both the 2024 and 2025 classes, as well as recruit transfer candidates.

This is a lot of work, but Ohio State isn’t where it is because of luck. Ryan Day and the Ohio State coaching staff are some of the best in the game and their hard work may soon lead to the Buckeyes landing a commitment from one of the nation’s top transfer targets and it is at a major position of need.

Ohio State trending for four-star transfer CB​

This past weekend, Ohio State played host to four-star transfer cornerback Davison Igbinosun from Ole Miss. The former Rebel announced his decision to transfer on Jan. 14, and immediately become one of the top available prospects at the position. Igbinosun was the No. 10 transfer CB, according to 247Sports, and he is also the top overall remaining transfer target.

The weekend visit seemed to go as well as possible, and Igbinosun shared his excitement on Twitter.

the fit goin off ‍ https://t.co/JSGQvpoVW3

— Davison Igbinosun (@DaveIgbinosun) January 29, 2023

Click to expand...

There was an even more positive update on his transfer recruitment, as the Buckeyes received a Crystal Ball Prediction Monday. The prediction on top of the recent visit immediately elevated Ohio State to the runaway favorites to land the blue-chip prospect.

Igbinosun played in all 13 games as a true freshman for Ole Miss in 2022. He finished the year with 37 total tackles and five pass deflections, showing true potential at a position Ohio State desperately needs depth at going into next season.

He has not yet commented on a commitment date, but if he chooses to commit sooner than later, the Buckeyes have to like where they sit. They do have some competition for him in Michigan, UCLA and Tennessee.

Quick Hits​

• Ohio State 2024 five-star WR commit Jeremiah Smith is already regarded as the No. 1 WR and the No. 2 overall prospect in his class. This ranking is already incredibly impressive, but it may soon be tough to argue he shouldn’t hold claim to the top overall prospect in next year’s class. Smith was named by 247Sports as the “Alpha Dog” after dominating last week’s Battle Miami tournament.

This past weekend he partook in the 7-on-7 circuit’s Sunshine State swing and continued to impress. Below is just a glimpse at what Smith has been displaying heading into his senior season of football.

Is five-star Jeremiah Smith the best PLAYER in the COUNTRY??@RWrightRivals looks at five prospects that boosted their stock over the weekend at the Pylon tournament in Orlando: https://t.co/nQOrrhoZVN pic.twitter.com/IuOL3h27vS

— Rivals (@Rivals) January 30, 2023

Click to expand...

• Ohio State saw a big 2025 offensive line target commit elsewhere Monday, when four-star OT Jaelyne Matthews committed to Penn State over the Buckeyes and others.

107% commited pic.twitter.com/VjQxLJOmfU

— Jaelyne Matthews (@JaelyneMatthew3) January 30, 2023

Click to expand...

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LGHL Uncut: Coach McGuff and guards Taylor Mikesell, Taylor Thierry on Ohio State’s loss to Purdue
1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
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Kyle Robertson/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

After a tough day on both sides of the ball, the Buckeyes discuss what went wrong and moving forward

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


The Ohio State women’s basketball team played three tough opponents last week and came out winless. The now-No. 10 Buckeyes spoke to the media following the 73-65 defeat to the Purdue Boilermakers and what went wrong.

Head coach Kevin McGuff discussed how the Scarlet & Gray weren’t ready compared to their opponents, a tough day guarding three-point shots and a team that lost its identity. He also answers questions about the return of injured guard Jacy Sheldon, and if maybe the Buckeyes are tired and hitting a wall.

Following the coach are guards Taylor Mikesell and Tayor Thierry. Mikesell discusses shots not falling, the impact of Sheldon’s absence resonating for weeks and not just Sunday and how the adversity is coming at the right time for Ohio State.

Thierry also added comments about a tough Big Ten conference and fouling out of the game. Plus thoughts on the officiating against her as a whole in the game while still taking accountability for fouling out.

That and more in the latest Uncut podcast.

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Connect with Thomas:

Twitter: @1ThomasCostello

Theme music provided by www.bensound.com

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No. 12 Buckeyes Down No. 22 Tennessee 4-2 to Advance to ITA ... - Ohio State University
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No. 12 Buckeyes Down No. 22 Tennessee 4-2 to Advance to ITA ... Ohio State University

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Ohio State Fires a 4651 at Nebraska – Ohio State Buckeyes - Ohio State University
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Ohio State Fires a 4651 at Nebraska – Ohio State Buckeyes Ohio State University

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Buckeyes' Comeback Falls Short Against Purdue – Ohio State ... - Ohio State University
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Buckeyes' Comeback Falls Short Against Purdue – Ohio State ... Ohio State University

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Ohio State Women Post A Pair of Top 2 Relay Times; Buckeyes Sweep Tim Welsh Classic - SwimSwam
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Ohio State Women Post A Pair of Top 2 Relay Times; Buckeyes Sweep Tim Welsh Classic SwimSwam

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Buckeyes lose third straight pressenterpriseonline.com

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Across The Shield: Trey Sermon is Last Buckeye Standing As Bengals, 49ers Fall in Conference Championship Game - Eleven Warriors
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Across The Shield: Trey Sermon is Last Buckeye Standing As Bengals, 49ers Fall in Conference Championship Game Eleven Warriors

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Ohio State Buckeyes Live: Gebbia to OSU; NFL decisions; Early ... - 247Sports
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Ohio State Buckeyes Live: Gebbia to OSU; NFL decisions; Early ... 247Sports

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James Laurinaitis joins the Ohio State coaching staff: Locked On ... - WKYC.com
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James Laurinaitis joins the Ohio State coaching staff: Locked On ... WKYC.com

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James Laurinaitis, 3-time All-American, joins Ohio State staff - ESPN
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1. James Laurinaitis, 3-time All-American, joins Ohio State staff ESPN
2. James Laurinaitis returns to Ohio State coaching staff as graduate assistant 247Sports
3. BM5: Laurinaitis is coming home | Buckeyes stuck with Holtmann? 247Sports

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College: Ole Miss
High School: Union NJ Union
Eligibility: Three years
Position: Cornerback
Height: 6-foot-2
Weight: 185 lbs

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We’ll talk about this later: Christian McCaffrey, The Replacements and when ‘next man up’ takes on a new meeting
Meredith Hein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images

Your dose of lighthearted takes from this week’s happenings.

Each week, we’ll break down something that happened during the Ohio State game (and occasionally other games and events) that we’ll be talking about for a while—you know, the silly sideline interactions, the awful announcing and the weird storylines that stick with us for years to come. We’ll also compare each of these happenings to memorable moments in pop culture, because who doesn’t love a good Office reference?

Sunday’s NFC Championship Game between the Philadelphia Eagles and San Francisco 49ers was out of hand by the second half when the Eagles held a two-score lead. While the 49ers’ defense kept Philadelphia in check through most of the first half, we all knew the game was over when Brock Purdy, the Mr. Irrelevant-turned-rookie-phenom from Iowa State, got hurt during San Francisco’s first offensive drive.

For those counting, Purdy was the 49ers third-string quarterback at the start of the season. He only began his phenomenal run after injuries to both Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo. The last eight games have been wild as we celebrated that the last pick of the draft, as a rookie, had led his team to an NFC Championship game.

Last pick of the draft
7-1 as a starter
Came back in NFC Championship game after injury

Brock Purdy is Mr. Irrelevant no more pic.twitter.com/8KM5cnGwde

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) January 29, 2023

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But it was not to be. And the fourth-string quarterback, Josh Johnson — the 36-year old quarterback on his 14th team in his 15th NFL season — was called into action for the first time this season.

Then, the unthinkable happened, and Johnson himself took a big hit, went into concussion protocol and was ruled out for the remainder of the game. With Purdy still questionable, a hurried scramble ensued on the San Francisco sidelines — because the fifth-string quarterback was none other than star running back Christian McCaffrey, and the staff had to change McCaffrey’s helmet as the on-field signal caller.

2022-2023 49ers...

QB1: Trey Lance
QB2: Jimmy Garoppolo
QB3: Brock Purdy
QB4: Josh Johnson
QB5: Christian McCaffrey

— David Lombardi (@LombardiHimself) January 29, 2023

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I myself was keen to see McCaffrey line up at quarterback. He’s already a running back who can line up at receiver. As one of the most dynamic athletes in the league, it would have been exciting to see him lineup at quarterback for his team which was down a lot just to see what he could do.

Greg Olsen (who is excellent btw) is absolutely right. They should go to Wildcat. Because if I know Brock Purdy can’t throw, the defense does too. #Niners #Eagles #NFCChampionship

— Mike Greenberg (@Espngreeny) January 29, 2023

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Alas, it was not to be, because Purdy ended up coming back in for what ended up being a brutal, sloppy, penalty-filled second half for the 49ers.

However, the possibility of a fifth-string McCaffrey coming in for a real life version of The Replacements recalled some of the other times unlikely heroes stepped up for their teams:

• When 36-year old accountant Scott Foster played a single game as an emergency goalie for the Chicago Blackhawks in 2018 after all the Blackhawks’ starting and reserve goalies were injured.
• D’Ernest Johnson’s performance for the Cleveland Browns in 2021. Johnson went undrafted in 2018 and was working on a fishing boat in Key West before finding his way to Cleveland. He got his first start after Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt were ruled out, and capitalized with a 146-yard, one-touchdown performance in a 17-14 Cleveland victory over the Denver Broncos on Thursday Night Football.
• Linsanity, when undrafted Harvard grad Jeremy Lin came out of nowhere in 2012 to lead the New York Knicks to a playoff appearance.
• Eric Weddle, who came out of retirement from a 13-year NFL career to play with the L.A. Rams during their 2021 Super Bowl run. Weddle, a safety, signed with the Rams’ practice squad in January 2021 after injury issues mounted in the the defensive secondary. He promptly retired after the Super Bowl.
• The actual origin story of the replacements, the 1987 NFL strike when Washington’s players were on strike and replacement players won three early-season games. Washington would go on to win the Super Bowl that year.
• The replacement refs who, after a 2012 labor dispute kept the normal NFL refs off the field for the first three weeks of the regular season, made us appreciate the refs we had.

McCaffrey, sadly, didn’t make this list, but we can still talk about these other replacements after all this time, which is the whole point, right?

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Game Notes: Ohio State women’s basketball vs. Purdue
1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Kyle Robertson/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

A tough week got worse Sunday for the Buckeyes

If the idea of “no losses, just lessons” is true, then the Ohio State women’s basketball team is learning its fair share of lessons. Last week, the Buckeyes dropped three games in a row, and Sunday’s was the toughest one to take for the Scarlet & Gray.

After dropping games to two top-10 ranked teams, the Buckeyes lost to the unranked Purdue Boilermakers 73-65. Here’s what to take away from that game, including comments from head coach Kevin McGuff and guards Taylor Mikesell and Taylor Thierry.

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Lacking Focus​

Coach McGuff was straightforward and to the point in the first things he said to the media following Sunday's defeat.

“They came in, they were focused. They were ready and we were not,” said McGuff.

Purdue began the game with a firestorm of three-point shots. The Boilermakers shot 77.8% from deep, hitting 7-for-9. On most of those attempts, the Buckeyes did have hands up to try and stop the shot; which on the surface, looks like good defense, but Ohio State needed to rush on those attempts because they couldn’t disrupt Purdue enough to not find those shooters.

Both Abbey Ellis and Cassidy Hardin went 3-for-3 against the Buckeyes, with a couple of those coming from wide-open looks. It put Ohio State in a 27-13 hole after only the first quarter.

There’s also an argument to be made that the offense didn’t help either. The Buckeyes are 14-for-68 from deep since Monday’s loss to the then No. 10 Iowa Hawkeyes. While offensively, Ohio State hasn’t been great, the main culprit on the day was clear to Mikesell.

“A lot of it was our defense,” said Mikesell. “We weren’t really getting out there to contest. You could see in the second half when we came out with energy they weren’t getting as many easy looks so we’ve just got to come out more locked in and more focused on knowing our personnel.”

Ohio State had another comeback in the second half, tying the game at 58 apiece with 4:28 left in the game. Then, the Buckeyes lost focus again, allowing Purdue to outscore them 15 to seven in the final minutes of the game. Part of that was an important exit by Ohio State.

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Taylor Thierry’s Departure​

The Buckeyes couldn’t afford to lose Thierry on Sunday, but they did. After hitting the game-tying layup, the next offensive possession saw Thierry get her fifth foul, on an offensive charging call.

“I agree with that call but a couple of the other fouls I had, I don’t know if I agree with that too much,” said Thierry. “But I’ve just got to be more careful about that and just be more mindful.”

Without Thierry, the Boilermakers went on a seven-point run that locked in the victory.

Sunday was the third time Thierry has fouled out in a game, with the first two coming against the Tennessee Volunteers and Louisville Cardinals. In both of those games though, the Buckeyes were in the lead and charging ahead of their opponents.

The idea that Thierry is fouling out more supports two things. Thierry said the first, being more mindful of positioning. While there were some tough calls on Sunday, being in better positioning will help the young forward avoid bad calls. The second is how important Thierry is to the team.

On Thursday, in Indiana, Thierry had four fouls early in the second half but McGuff needed to keep playing her. Sunday, the stretch of Purdue scoring that immediately followed Thierry’s departure wasn’t a coincidence.

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Scoring Slump​

The last three games have been difficult for Ohio State but what’s pushed the Buckeyes through some games has been their ability to turn on their scoring at pivotal points of the game.

Outside of Thierry and forward Cotie McMahon, it hasn’t been happening. McMahon’s led the team in the past three days scoring 17.6 points. For Mikesell and forward Rebeka Mikulášiková, they’re both averaging under their season totals per game, averaging 12.6 and 7.3 respectively over the past seven days.

Sunday, all three scored 11 points, with Thierry leading all Buckeyes with 18. In the second quarter, Thierry scored nine of Ohio State’s 16 points with the rest of the team going 3-for-11 before halftime.

Q2 | Taylor Thierry with the offensive rebound and put-back gets her into double figures!#GoBucks pic.twitter.com/ZhAKu98S5V

— Ohio State WBB (@OhioStateWBB) January 29, 2023

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When asked about shot selection or the quality of shots, McGuff has thoughts.

“It’s a little bit of both,” said McGuff. “At times we’re standing a little bit too much in our zone offense and not moving ourselves and the ball. That’s one thing and the other thing is we’re getting opportunities, basically HORSE shots, and we’ve got to step up and make them if we want to win.”

Against Purdue, and in the previous two games, the Buckeyes are in positions to hit their deep attempts and the defense opts to not rush the shooter or even defend. That’s because the deep threat isn’t there for Ohio State outside of Mikesell and Mikulášiková.

Guard Rikki Harris hit two on Sunday, out of nine attempts. For most of those, the defense was fine with the choice to shoot. For Mikesell, the defense is giving her added attention from deep too.

That means the deep threat for Ohio State is mainly getting quick shots from three-point range off screens, sometimes with two defenders standing in front of her. There are no excuses from the Oregon transfer though.

“Just not going in is what it is,” said Mikesell. “Just have to keep shooting.”

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Improving Rebounding​

There are shreds of light in the darkness of the recent Scarlet & Gray losing streak. Ohio State won the rebounding margin on Sunday, showing better energy and positioning under the basket to get second chances.

Against Purdue, Ohio State had two more than Purdue overall but hit them on the offensive rebounds. The Buckeyes outrebounded 12 to seven on the offensive boards and had 14 second-chance points.

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Ineffective Press​

The Buckeyes gave the ball away more than the Boilermakers on Sunday too, something out of character for Ohio State. Purdue only lost the ball 13 times, far below their 22.2 turnover average this season.

That’s because the Buckeyes didn’t press as often with shots being missed, forcing only four in the first half. In the second half though, it improved with nine turnovers by Purdue. That’s also when Ohio State tied the game and had the chance to pull out another comeback victory. Instead, it faltered.

“I think we’ve gotten a little bit away from our identity,” said McGuff.

With less of a press, there are fewer chances to push transition offense into another gear. The slower transition means more half-court basketball, where the Buckeyes struggle. Fortunately for Mikesell and her teammates, it’s January and not March.

“We still have a lot of league play left and you don’t want to be playing your best basketball right now so it's good to take a little bit of adversity,” said Mikesell. “You take it on the chin and get better.”

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Crediting Purdue​

The other reason Ohio State lost was that there was another team on the court. It wasn’t all Buckeye mistakes but also a Purdue team who’s hitting their stride and playing good basketball in 2023.

“We talked about that as a team like ‘hey this is not a team you can overlook. They’re playing really good basketball right now and if we’re not on point they can come in here and win,’ said McGuff. “And that’s what happened.”

It was a B1G win for @PurdueWBB today. pic.twitter.com/JnPeyN06ch

— Purdue On BTN (@PurdueOnBTN) January 29, 2023

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Sunday was the second road win in a row for the Boilermakers, after defeating the No. 22 Illinois Fighting Illini on Thursday, when the Buckeyes were in Bloomington, Indiana. Outside of Ellis and Hardin’s 26 and 15 points, guard Jeanae Terry played another quietly impressive game.

Terry scored eight points, and had seven rebounds and eight assists on the day. Continuing her trend as one of only three players in NCAA women’s basketball to average at least six in each category per game.

Outside of the Buckeyes getting things even in the fourth quarter, the Boilermakers played a game that stifled Ohio State. They stopped runs when all season was littered with teams who couldn’t do the same.

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Jacy Sheldon Working in the Gym​

An important note following the game was an update on guard Jacy Sheldon. The guard missed her 14th game in a row on Sunday, not having played since Nov. 30 against the Louisville Cardinals.

Sheldon’s foot injury is back to day-to-day and coach McGuff shared that Sheldon is now working in the gym. No further details on a return date but McGuff said it’s coming soon. Her return, and staying healthy through the season and beyond, is no longer a “nice to have” but a necessity if the Buckeyes want to continue to compete at a high level.

“Their (Sheldon and Madison Greene) impact was never not felt,” said Mikesell. “They’re hard shoes to fill.”

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Stretch Run: Buckeyes will need big finish to keep NCAA string alive - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".

Stretch Run: Buckeyes will need big finish to keep NCAA string alive 247Sports

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Column: Where have all the sacks gone?
Chris Renne via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Ohio State used to be one of the most dominant pass rushing teams in the country, but recent years show this is not the case anymore.

Ohio State built their success under Urban Meyer on the backs of dominant play in the trenches. College football has changed as quarterbacks get the ball out faster, but the Buckeyes’ pass rush statistics falling off has now become a trend.

In 2022, the Buckeyes ranked 38th in total sacks with 34 on the year, which is good for 2.6 per game. To add to those numbers on all downs, Ohio State ranked 67th converting sacks on 8.1 percent of opportunities. Looking at how the game of football comes together, the lack of pass rush can attribute itself to some of the issues on the back end, and vice versa.

With better coverage, there would probably be more sacks, and with more sacks the coverage would probably feel better than it has been in recent years. That is why there needs to be better execution up front when it comes to getting to the passer.

Jim Knowles’ tenure relies on pressure from the second level, not the same level of individual effort that a Chase Young or Joey Bosa brought to the table. The difference in the numbers between the years with those rushers and now show there has been a drop off.


Looking at each season on the list, the numbers aren’t always flashy, with two outliers being very obvious in Chase Young’s 16.5 sacks in 2019 as well as Joey Bosa’s 13.5 in 2014. In 2014, Bosa was followed by two players in Michael Bennett and Darron Lee who had 7.5 and 6.5 sacks, respectively. Those players would have led the 2022 team in sacks.

Diving into Young’s Heisman finalist year – obviously not a fair expectation to hold players to – but Davon Hamilton and Baron Browning had 6.0 and 5.0 sacks. Even in a year where a player was a one man wrecking crew, the Buckeyes still had two players produce more sacks than this season’s leader in each of the past three seasons.

This is a trend. The Buckeyes can’t just point to a strong year of individual players because there isn’t always going to be a “best player in school history” level player to anchor the defensive line.


Even in the years without a double-digit sack leader, the Buckeyes have taken a step back since the peak in 2019. Playing only seven games, the Buckeyes averaged a higher per-game sack total in 2021 than the following two seasons, meaning the defense has been on a downward trajectory from a pass rush standpoint.

Using both tables, we can see that there isn’t necessarily a direct impact on the total with a dominant individual rusher. That being said, there needs to be a better success rate in the pass rushing area for the defense to improve in the passing game.

For Ohio State, this lack of pass rushing can be attributed to the changing scheme in three of the last four seasons. There is also the questions surrounding player skillset. The top-end recruits on the defensive line in recent years have not come in with the pass rushing traits.

Zach Harrison was the player who was supposed to follow in the footsteps as a five-star recruit. His best season total was 3.5, which he had as a freshman and a senior. While Harrison turned out to be more than just a pure pass-rusher, that raises questions about development in the room, and the Buckeyes now have two more five-stars who are expected to have big years in 2023.

Looking at J.T. Tuimoloau as the first five-star, he’s had 3.5 sacks in his first two seasons. He has five pass deflections to go with those sacks, and is similar to Harrison in the way he is able to impact games in a variety of ways. For the Buckeyes defense to a take a leap, this might be an area where an individual improvement in one aspect of his game can take the defense to another level.

On the other side of the line, Jack Sawyer has moved into a new role which provided its own sets of challenges. As the year went on, his comfort grew as well as his sack total, which tells me that Sawyer is the player to watch in this department. Sawyer has the athleticism and bend to become a 10-sack player. If the other players can provide a similar output, there is a real optimism that the pass rush can have a huge impact on how opponents game plan.

The importance of this all lies in the passing defense as a holistic unit, and that is why this trend of lower sack numbers stands out.

Knowles wants to play man-coverage, and he wants to do this to be able to play with how offenses are able to prepare for playing Ohio State. We saw late in the year how the Buckeyes pass rush and blitzers failing to get to the quarterback can lead to opposing quarterbacks making big throws.


This final table above shows us that there is a weak correlation between sack totals and pass yards per game. There are tons of other variables that go into this, including opponents passing offense rankings, level of secondary play, and how often teams are playing from behind against the Buckeyes. But with that context, there is definitely some evidence that the higher a sack number is, the lower the passing yard number is.

The Buckeyes definitely need to take some steps forward in the secondary this year, and in a second season under a coach that should be an expectation. Notice the lack of improvement in year two of Coombs is a significant reason the Buckeyes now employ Knowles. That raises the expectations in year two for all three levels, and there is a pathway forward in 2023.

Knowles is known for his gambling nature, this is boom-or-bust when it comes to his coverages and blitzes. If the back end can’t cover there are easy throws for opposing quarterbacks because the blitz won’t be able to get home in time. In situations where defenders are asked to cover for a long time, this can result in the unfortunate big plays that occurred late in the year.

Now neither group was perfect. Improved play is needed in both areas. That being said, there is a drop off in performance in line with Ohio State’s peak in sack totals. This year was a major improvement in the pass yards per game category. One issue that came about in research was Ohio State played the 38th best passing yards per game offense in the regular season in Maryland.

Ohio State played Penn State (45th), Michigan (79th), and Maryland (38th), allowing 322.3 yards per game against the three. These were not necessarily great passing units, but once the talent was closer to equal, the Buckeyes were exposed in both fronts. They only got regular pressure against Maryland, this exposed the secondary to some struggles. Against Penn State, the Buckeyes had five sacks, but Parker Washington had a day. In the biggest jump in yards of the three, Michigan allowed just one sack.

One of the back breaking plays that swung the momentum against Michigan was the max-pressure which left Cam Brown on an island. He missed a tackle, and a touchdown was given up turning the whole game on its head. For the Buckeyes, the synergy of the defensive backs and defensive line will be challenged again.

Teams will be looking for ways to attack Ohio State’s secondary in blitzing situations, and Knowles has a tendency to gamble in third-and-long situations. If teams can time these plays up, there are direct opportunities for opponents to make big plays.

Ohio State improved in many areas last season, but the Buckeyes will need to improve in the pass rushing next season for the defense to take another step. We saw that the drop off has had a direct impact on how the passing defense has looked statistically.

Without taking a shot at Larry Johnson due to his legacy, the development has fallen short on the defensive line, and with the recruiting struggles on the back end, the results from both showed on the field. Both will be challenged this year with the returning five-stars on the defensive line. The defensive backfield will also have a raised recruiting profile compared to past seasons.

Combining those things with the return of the linebackers, and there is a recipe for immense improvement in every defensive category. For Knowles, the defense needs to take another step forward in 2023 and this is the area to start.

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Abein, Buckeyes Shine in Meet at Army - Ohio State University
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Abein, Buckeyes Shine in Meet at Army Ohio State University

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Ohio State women drop to No. 10 in AP Poll
1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Kyle Robertson/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Buckeyes fall after their three-game losing streak last week

The Ohio State women’s basketball team tied their program high No. 2 ranking on Jan. 16. Life was good for the Buckeyes until one week after receiving the honor. Since then, it’s been tough for head coach Kevin McGuff’s side and on Monday the Associate Press voters dropped the Buckeyes to No. 10.

Ohio State’s new ranking is warranted after a week where the Scarlet & Gray ended it black and blue following three straight losses. It began with the Iowa Hawkeyes on Jan. 23, continued with the Indiana Hoosiers on Jan. 26 and the icing on the cake Sunday, when Ohio State fell to the unranked Purdue Boilermakers.

Before Sunday, there was an argument to be made that the Buckeyes would still hold a top-10 ranking because of the quality of teams who handed them defeats. The then No. 10 Iowa Hawkeyes out rebounded the Buckeyes 51-31 on their way to a triple-double by Iowa guard Caitlin Clark. In front of a home sellout crowd, the Buckeyes fell to the Hawkeyes 83-72.

Just three days later, it was the then No. 6 Indiana Hoosiers. This time at Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Indiana, the Buckeyes took a four-point half time lead into their second worst quarter of the season. In the third, Indiana held Ohio State to only six points of offense and the Buckeyes needed to come back from 17 points in the final 10 minutes.

The Buckeyes weren't able to accomplish the feat and lost 78-65. In the defeat, Ohio State’s rebounding improved but the Scarlet & Gray couldn’t stop forward Mackenzie Holmes. The forward had 26 points, exposing the Buckeyes defense in the paint. Then, guard Yarden Garzon hit a double-double with 20 points and 10 rebounds.

With those two defeats in their heads, Ohio State couldn’t stop the Boilermakers Sunday. Purdue got off to a 14-point first quarter lead on 7-for-9 shooting from three-point range. Even though the Buckeyes eventually tied the game at 58-58, the Boilermakers took advantage of guard/forward Taylor Thierry, the Buckeyes most consistent player this season, fouling out to surge ahead for the 73-65 win.

All season, the Buckeyes have assured people that the ranking doesn’t matter. Ohio State is focused on the long game or competing again in March at the Big Ten tournament and NCAA tournament, but the play that’s gotten Ohio State further down the AP Poll is concerning.

Coach McGuff links it to the team losing its identity. Part of that lost identity is not having guard Jacy Sheldon. Until last week, the Buckeyes continued winning without her but the lack of energy in Ohio State’s press can only improve with her return.

This week, with or without Sheldon, the Buckeyes have two chances to get back on the right track, first in Madison, Wisconsin against the Wisconsin Badgers. After that Wednesday night away trip, Ohio State heads east to the Maryland Terrapins in another ranked matchup.

Also, No. 10 is still higher than where Ohio State began the season, at No. 14. With the Buckeyes’ three losses, Indiana, Iowa and Maryland each moved up in the polls to No. 4, No. 6 and No. 8. With Purdue’s win over the Buckeyes, and Thursday over Illinois, they received enough votes to sit five spots outside of the top-25.

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