• Follow us on Twitter @buckeyeplanet and @bp_recruiting, like us on Facebook! Enjoy a post or article, recommend it to others! BP is only as strong as its community, and we only promote by word of mouth, so share away!
  • Consider registering! Fewer and higher quality ads, no emails you don't want, access to all the forums, download game torrents, private messages, polls, Sportsbook, etc. Even if you just want to lurk, there are a lot of good reasons to register!

Hot

Forum list

Hot

 Threads Latest activity Posts Social Questions

LGHL Vegas now sees Ohio State as the most likely team to make the CFP

Vegas now sees Ohio State as the most likely team to make the CFP
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/Columbus Disp / USA TODAY NETWORK

However, they might be so likely to make the playoff that it might not be worth the wager.

No, Ohio State doesn’t play a football game this weekend, but that doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice your competitive instincts until they return to the field on Sept. 21 against the Marshall Thundering Herd. Instead, maybe put a little bit of money on the Buckeyes to do some special stuff this season.

Today, we are going to take a look at where OSU sits in some of the most entertaining futures bets with FanDuel Sportsbook, the largest online sportsbook in America.

College Football National Championship Odds​


Let’s start with the biggie, the national title! Last week when we looked at these odds from DraftKings, the Buckeyes were at +400, now FanDuel — clearly the more intelligent and plugged-in sportsbook — has the team at +350. That means that if you bet $100 on Ohio State to win the CFP and they do, you will get $350 in profit ($450 in total, including your original bet).

Perhaps the difference in line is just a different opinion between the sportsbooks, added confidence following OSU’s shutout of Western Michigan, or another chaotic week across college football, but the Buckeyes are not the only team to see better odds on FanDuel heading into Week 3.

The Georgia Bulldogs are currently at +270 as of the writing of this article, but last week, DraftKings had them at +280. Not as big of a jump as OSU’s, but a jump nonetheless. Perhaps the most relevant difference between the books and weeks for Big Ten fans is Oregon’s drop from +750 odds to +1100. The Ducks have struggled in their first two games, and Vegas has started to take notice. While they are still in the top five, that position seems tenuous at best. If they don’t look good against the rival Oregon State Beavers in the Civil War this weekend, they could plummet even further.


College Football Playoff Berth Odds​


Likely reflecting the underwhelming week that the Big Ten had last Saturday, OSU has shot up to the most likely team to make the College Football Playoff. At -850, in order to win $100 by betting on the Buckeyes to make the CFP field, you would have to wager $850. While I think the chances of Ohio State making the top 12, it might not be worth the risk.

Last week, DraftKings had OSU at -650, but FanDuel (again, the far wiser and more insightful of the big online sportsbooks) clearly understands how good the Buckeyes are. UGA remained steady at -750, meaning that Ohio State simply dumped them, going from second to first place.

You will notice some shifting in the rankings, with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish falling from third place last week to a tie for 16th following their loss to Northern Illinois. Then, the Texas Longhorns jumped from fifth (at -260) to third at -600.


Ohio State Regular Season Win Projection​


SMASH THIS ONE! You bet $162 to win $100 if Ohio State goes 12-0 or 11-1. I don’t see how the Buckeyes loses two games this regular season, so I would jump on this one immediately.


Big Ten Championship Odds​


First off, can we talk about one of my sports media pet peeves? The conference headquartered in Chicago, the one that Ohio State belongs to, the one that just added four West Coast schools is called the “Big Ten,” not “Big 10.” It is a proper noun, you don’t need to follow any style rules that say that a number 10 or higher should be written in numerals. Big Ten is the name of the conference, there is no excuse to ever reference the league’s name as “Big 10.”

That being said, the Buckeyes are the prohibitive favorite to win the Big TEN.


Heisman Trophy Odds​


You love it when you see an Ohio State legend at the top of the Heisman odds, and that’s what we’ve got here with Quinn Ewers leading at +500. When you add Will Howard into the mix at +2000, you have to love where the Buckeyes sit for the most prestigious prize in the sport.

But if you really want to get spicy, true freshman wide receiver Jeremiah Smith is currently coming in at +7500. All you have to do is bet $100 and if J.J. wins the Heisman, you profit $7,500. That’s a pretty darn good bet for a guy who has looked this good through his first two games of collegiate football.



Continue reading...
Click to expand...

LGHL MC&J: The Big Ten’s Wisconsin and Purdue look to upset non-conference opponents in Week 3

MC&J: The Big Ten’s Wisconsin and Purdue look to upset non-conference opponents in Week 3
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 07 South Dakota at Wisconsin


Plus, predictions for all the other games this week involving Big Ten teams.

Last week ATS: 10-8 (3-3 National, 7-5 B1G)

Season ATS: 23-18 (6-5 National, 17-13 B1G)

Like our first week of the season, it’s hard to be upset with a winning week. Of course it would have been great if Arkansas covered in overtime against Oklahoma State after that game was close. Other than that bad beat, there was a lot to be happy with when it comes to our picks last week.

Hopefully even more winners are on tap this week.

B1G games​


No. 4 Alabama (-15.5) v. Wisconsin - 12:00 p.m. ET - FOX

You have to wonder if Luke Fickell wishes he was still at Cincinnati. Even though the Badgers are 2-0 so far this season, they have looked very mediocre, beating Western Michigan and South Dakota by 14 points each.

The problem is Fickell and offensive coordinator Phil Longo seem hellbent on throwing the football, and that’s not who Wisconsin is. Miami transfer Tyler Van Dyke has thrown for just 406 yards and a touchdowns in his first two starts in Madison.

Imagine the murmurs we would be hearing from Tuscaloosa if the Crimson Tide didn’t score 28 points in the fourth quarter of their 42-16 win against South Florida last week. Obviously Alabama is loaded with talent, they just aren’t going to be quite the same buzzsaw this year as we saw while Nick Saban was in charge. Not saying Kalen DeBoer won’t be successful as Saban’s successor, it is just going to take some time to put his stamp on the team.

I wonder if Fickell was holding a lot back in the first two games since he knew his team could beat their first two opponents without revealing much to the Crimson Tide. While I’m not bold enough to predict the Badgers pulling the upset, they’ll at least provide some resistance in this game. Camp Randall Stadium will be rocking, providing the home team with a little extra juice to keep this contest within two touchdowns.

Alabama 31, Wisconsin 21


Arkansas State v. No. 17 Michigan (-23.5) - 12:00 p.m. ET - Big Ten Network

Michigan lost a lot from last year’s title team, most notably their cheating coordinator Connor Stalions, and it is showing. After the Wolverines were curb-stomped by Texas in their own building last week, it is looking like Michigan is heading towards three or four losses this season.

This won’t be one of those games they lose, though. Sherrone Moore’s team takes out some of their frustrations on Arkansas State on Saturday.

Michigan 44, Arkansas State 13


Central Michigan v. Illinois (-19.5) - 12:00 p.m. ET - Peacock

Central Michigan just lost to Florida International 52-16 in a game where quarterback Joe Labas threw five interceptions. Now imagine what the Fighting Illini are going to do to Labas and the Chippewas.

In last week’s impressive win over Kansas, Illinois forced the Jayhawks into four turnovers. The offense of the Fighting Illini still has some work to do but quarterback Luke Altmyer is starting to form a connection with former UTSA and Ole Miss wide receiver Zakhari Franklin, who had nine catches for 99 yards last week in the win.

Illinois shouldn’t have a problem winning this one by at least three touchdowns.

Illinois 38, Central Michigan 10


No. 9 Oregon (-16.5) v. Oregon State - 3:30 p.m. ET - FOX

This game not being a conference matchup and being played in the middle of September and not the end of November is going to be really weird to me. Even though Oregon hasn’t looked great to start the season, the only thing that matters is they are 2-0.

Last week the Ducks edged a Boise State team that has the potential to make the College Football Playoff as the top Group of Five team. Dillon Gabriel has only missed on 11 of his 70 pass attempts this year, so he has been extremely accurate even though the majority of his throws are shorter passes.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL: SEP 07 Boise State at Oregon
Photo by Brian Murphy/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

This is definitely a season of change for Oregon State. Gone are most of their conference mates, their head coach, quarterback, and much more. Even with all the losses, the Beavers have handled their business in their first two games of the season. Last week Oregon State went on the road and shutout San Diego State 21-0.

Will Oregon State win this game? No. What the Beavers will do is add to some of the frustrations of the Ducks by keeping Oregon from running away with this game. The added motivation of Oregon State at playing their in-state rival who moved on to greener pastures will help the Beavers at least cover here.

Oregon 38, Oregon State 28


No. 18 Notre Dame (-9.5) v. Purdue - 3:30 p.m. ET - CBS

Purdue must be excited to start their 2024 season. I’m not counting their season opener against Indiana State since the Boilermakers weren’t challenged at all in the 49-0 win. Then last week Purdue had a bye week since I guess the schedule makers thought they needed to mentally refocus after the clash with the Sycamores. Hudson Card was outstanding in the opener, completing 24 of 25 passes for 273 yards and four touchdowns.

I bet Notre Dame wishes they had a bye last week. Instead, the Fighting Irish were beaten in South Bend by Northern Illinois. After defeating Texas A&M, Notre Dame probably felt like they were a lock for the playoff. Now the Fighting Irish can’t afford to lose another game, while Marcus Freeman is feeling his seat getting hotter by the second.

One thing about Notre Dame, they at least are familiar with dealing with comical losses under Freeman. I actually think the Fighting Irish rebound a bit this week. The defense gets after Card since they know they don’t have to worry too much about Purdue running the football. Notre Dame should end up winning this one by at least 10 points.

Notre Dame 31, Purdue 17


Washington State v. Washington (-4.5) - 3:30 p.m. ET - Peacock

We are going to get a real good idea of how good Washington is this week. After feasting on cupcakes Weber State and Eastern Michigan to start the season, the Huskies will see the competition ramp up when they square off with their rival in Seattle at Lumen Field. I do like what Jedd Fisch has cooking on offense with quarterback Will Rogers and running back Jonah Coleman. Add in a stout defense and the Huskies could make some noise in their first Big Ten season.

After Cam Ward transferred to Miami, Washington State has turned to John Mateer at quarterback. So far this season Mateer has thrown for six touchdowns and added two more on the ground. As excited as the Cougars are after last week’s win over Texas Tech bumped their record to 2-0, I think the Huskies are a little more complete team than the boys from Pullman.

Washington heads into their first Big Ten game next week with a 3-0 record.

Washington 28, Washington State 20


Nevada v. Minnesota (-16.5) - 3:30 p.m. ET - Big Ten Network

Nevada actually hasn’t been too bad to start the season, pushing SMU and Georgia Southern to the limit with a win over Troy sandwiched in between those loses. Minnesota was able to boost quarterback Max Brosmer’s confidence with an easy 48-0 win over Rhode Island last week.

The Golden Gophers are still having some problems running the football, so I’m not comfortable laying this many points against a Nevada team that has been playing tight games to start the season.

Minnesota 27, Nevada 14


Prairie View A&M v. Michigan State (-40.5) - 3:30 p.m. ET - Big Ten Network

Since I saw a line for this game I have to pick it. Michigan State found something with the connection between Aidan Chiles and Nick Marsh in last week’s win over Maryland. The Spartans continue their early season improvement under new head coach Jonathan Smith with an easy win over Prairie View A&M.

Michigan State 56, Prairie View A&M 7


Troy v. Iowa (-22.5) - 4:00 p.m. ET - FS1

Maybe Iowa should put Kirk Ferentz back on suspension since things went so well with Ferentz at home in the season opener. Last week the Hawkeyes were in control of El Assico before Iowa State mounted a second half comeback. Running back Kaleb Johnson has been a beast for Iowa in the first two games, cracking 100 yards in both contests, including 187 yards against the Cyclones last week.

Troy has struggled to find their footing in their first two games, losing to Nevada and Memphis following Jon Sumrall moving on to Tulane after last season. I know Iowa has had their problems offensively, but I think the Hawkeyes will wear down the Trojans in this one. Much like in their opener, Iowa pulls away in the second half and puts last week’s loss behind them.

Iowa 37, Troy 10


Indiana (-3.5) v. UCLA - 7:30 p.m. ET - NBC

Would you have thought two weeks ago that Indiana would be a favorite in this game? The Hoosiers are loving life under new head coach Curt Cignetti, winning their first two games by a combined score of 108-10. Running the offense is Ohio transfer quarterback Kurtis Rourke, while Justice Ellison is doing work on the ground, rushing for 185 yards and two scores in the first two games.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL: SEP 06 Western Illinois at Indiana
Photo by James Black/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

UCLA was underwhelming in their season opener at Hawai’i. New head coach DeShaun Foster and the Bruins had last week off following the 16-13 win over the Rainbow Warriors. If UCLA wants to have any shot of winning this game, they’ll need to run the football better this week. After running for over 800 yards last season, T.J. Harden only was able to gain nine yards on nine carries in the opener.

Despite their struggles against Hawai’i, I still like UCLA in this game. Indiana’s wins came against two really weak opponents, and they’ll be having to make the trip out west to take on a team that’ll want to impress in their first Big Ten game. I really think this is a game that isn’t decided until late in the fourth quarter. In the end, UCLA wins by a field goal.

UCLA 27, Indiana 24


Northern Iowa v. Nebraska (-28.5) - 7:30 p.m. ET - Big Ten Network

Much like Michigan State’s game earlier this week, I’m only picking this one because I saw a line for it. Normally, I wouldn’t look too hard at FCS v. FBS matchups. Nebraska has handled their business so far this season, and Kurt Warner ain’t walking through that door for Northern Iowa.

Huskers roll in this one.

Nebraska 51, Northern Iowa 10


Eastern Illinois v. Northwestern (-24.5) - 7:30 p.m. ET - Big Ten Network

Can Northwestern even score 24 points? The Wildcats are also making a change at quarterback, so their already awful offense could somehow get even worse. Eastern Illinois has a little better time this week than they did in their opener against Illinois when they lost 45-0.

Northwestern 27, Eastern Illinois 7


Maryland (-2.5) v. Virginia - 8:00 p.m. ET - ACC Network

This battle between former ACC foes could end up being a wild one. Maryland looked like they were heading towards 2-0 before Michigan State mounted a comeback last week to beat the Terrapins 27-24. A little later on Saturday, Virginia erased a second half deficit against Wake Forest to beat the Demon Deacons 31-30 to run their record to 2-0 this season.

One of the best receivers in the country this year has been Maryland’s Tai Felton, who has caught 18 passes for 330 yards and three touchdowns through the first two games. The Terps have needed Felton to be huge since they haven’t been able to run the football with Roman Hemby, but at some point Hemby is going to start breaking some runs.

Not that I watch a ton of Virginia football, it’s just whenever I check in on the Cavaliers it seems like quarterback Anthony Colandrea is an adventure. Sometimes Colandrea is doing some big things, while others he is making some dumb mistakes. Despite their loss to Michigan State last week, I just feel like Maryland is the smarter and safer team in this one.

Maryland 38, Virginia 31

Continue reading...
Click to expand...

LGHL Ohio State men’s basketball player preview: John ‘Juni’ Mobley Jr.

Ohio State men’s basketball player preview: John ‘Juni’ Mobley Jr.
justingolba 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

Mobley brings in immediate minutes and lethal three-point shooting to Columbus as a impact freshman.

Even though it is September and fans are locked into college football, the fall also means that college basketball is right around the corner.

From now until the start of the hoops season in early November, we will be doing player previews and team previews for all the players on the men’s basketball team and the new-look Big Ten Conference.


The John Mobley Jr. File

Name: John (Juni) Mobley Jr.
Position: Guard
Class: Freshman
High School: Bishop Gorman / Wasatch Academy High School
Hometown: Reynoldsburg, Ohio
Weight: 175
Height: 6-foot-1

Breakdown​


Mobley is one of the more interesting players on the 2024-25 team. He is entering the program along with fellow incoming freshman Colin White, and Mobley is the higher-ranked recruit of the two.

Mobley was a four-star recruit, ranked No. 43 in the class by the 247Sports Composite and was named “The Sniper” in the 2024 Class Superlatives by 247Sports. He transferred to Wasatch Academy prior to his senior season and averaged 21.5 points, 5.4 assists, 2.4 rebounds and 2.0 steals per game, leading the Tigers to a No. 8 national ranking.

He excelled against elite competition as the second-leading scorer in the Nike EYBL Scholastic league in 2024 after averaging 19.9 points per contest and was named Utah’s Max Preps High School Basketball Player of the Year. Following that trend, he played for Vegas Elite over the summer of 2024 and was one of the stars at the Peach Jam. In 15 games in the Nike EYBL, he averaged 13.5 points, 2.1 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and shot 47 percent from the floor, including 39 percent from three-point range.

Prior to Wasatch Academy, he averaged 20.1 points, 4.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and 2.0 steals per game as a junior at Bishop Gorman. As a sophomore, he also led them to a 30-1 record and a 5-A state runner-up appearance after averaging 15.5 points, 2.0 assists, and 2.0 steals.

Expected Role​


As mentioned above, the injury to Taison Chatman makes Mobley’s role more elevated immediately, as Mobley is likely the main backup guard heading into the season.

Bruce Thornton and Meechie Johnson are the two starting guards for Ohio State entering next season, and they will both play heavy minutes as veterans on the team. They will both likely play 30-34 minutes per game, but the Buckeyes will still need someone to step in and play the minutes that Thornton and Johnson are on the bench.

Ohio State also brought in Ques Glover to help the guard depth, but he is coming off a knee injury that saw him miss the entire 2023-24 season. He has not played competitive basketball in almost two years, so it is hard to tell what he will bring to the team.

Mobley is an incredible shooter and scorer, and will benefit from playing early in his career. The Buckeyes lost Jamison Battle, Scotty Middleton, and Bowen Hardman to the draft and transfer portal, and Juni Mobley will help pick up the slack.

Continue reading...
Click to expand...

LGHL I-80 Football Show: We’re not saying Oregon is losing, but we’re not saying they’ll win either!

I-80 Football Show: We’re not saying Oregon is losing, but we’re not saying they’ll win either!
JordanW330 via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Boise State v Oregon

Photo by Tom Hauck/Getty Images

Dante and Jordan are back, but this time it’s much harder to find a game to root for in Week 3.

Welcome to a new episode of Land-Grant Podcast Network’s I-80 Football Show. On this show, we travel down I-80 to talk all things Big Ten Football. After every week of action, we will catch you up on all the conference’s games and look ahead at the matchups, storylines, and players you should be paying attention to for the next week. My name is Jordan Williams, and I am joined by my co-host Dante Morgan.


In this week’s episode, we do a quick recap of Week 2.

Oregon and Penn State are making the top of the Big Ten look weaker as they struggle with inferior opponents. Meanwhile, Michigan is bad. We expected this, but it looks much worse than even Jordan could hope for. Nebraska and Illinois, on the other hand, are on a high after beating rival Colorado and fan favorite Kansas.

In our picks update, Dante holds a small lead, going 30-3 in two weeks while Jordan is 29-4.

It was a tough week for Mapquest, as there were very few good games this week with a lot of the top teams were on an early bye week. With no Friday or after-dark game, there are only four games on our list.

In the noon slate, we have Alabama at Wisconsin. Without Nick Saban, the game may be closer than expected, but Wisconsin hasn’t given many reasons for us to be confident early in the season.

The mid-day game is led by two former PAC-12 rivalries, as Washington and Oregon play their in-state counterparts Washington State and Oregon State. There was a lot of animosity leading into the game, but Oregon has struggled for the past two weeks so they’re officially on upset watch.

In the night slot — I can not call this game a primetime game — we get Indiana traveling to UCLA for the Bruins’s first Big Ten conference game.

In this week’s pitstops, Jordan talks about the up-and-down nature of watching Anthony Richardson. He may never be a great quarterback, but he is an exciting player who makes throws less than five people on this planet can make. Dante is tired of the gaming industry as PlayStation is charging $700 for the PS5 Pro but barely making any upgrades and only selling it as a digital console.


If you like the show, please share it with friends and family and leave a five-star review. If you want to keep up with the show you can subscribe to the Land-Grant Podcast Network Feed where new episodes drop every Thursday.

You can also find Jordan’s article ‘B1G Thoughts’ on Land-Grant Holy Land.

Follow the show on YouTube: @JordanW330

Follow the podcast on Instagram: @I80FootballShow

Connect with us on Twitter: Jordan: @JordanW330 and Dante: @DanteM10216

Continue reading...
Click to expand...

LGHL Things you need to know about Week 3 of the college football season

Things you need to know about Week 3 of the college football season
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

844256268.0.jpg


Ohio State has a bye, and the slate of games is... uh, less than stellar. But if you still plan on watching all weekend because you’re a CFB sicko (like me), then here are some things you need to know.

Ohio State has a bye, which means that this weekend is ideal for bachelor/bachelorette parties, weddings, traveling, chores, errands, ayahuasca retreats, and/or quality time with people or groups of your choosing. Whatever you’re into, really. Because a fall(ish) weekend without OSU football is a bitter and tough pill to swallow. So get out there and enjoy life.

Or stay in. Read a book, play video games, maybe even host an Eyes Wide Shut party. It’s all on the table this weekend. And no one is going to judge you for filling the scarlet and gray void in your life with whatever (else) makes you happy.

www.imdb.com

However, if you still plan to watch college football until your pretty little eyes bleed, then here are some things you need to know and watch for:


No. 20 Arizona will visit Manhattan, KS for the first time ever, to take on No. 14 Kansas State in a battle of Wildcats.

**Random and somewhat unrelated, I can’t think of a mascot-team relationship that makes less sense (to me, a simpleton) than the Wildcats and Kansas State. Apparently these majestic creatures can be found in Kansas, but how often are we really talkin’ about here?

When I think about animals roaming the Sunflower State, I think about livestock, prairie dogs, and Shockers, the latter found primarily in Wichita. Are wildcats really that prevalent? Anyway...

Arizona and Kansas State have played seven times before, always/only in Tucson, AZ. The away team for this game rarely traveled east of Colorado while in the Pac-12 but must endure three long-distance road trips as a new member of the Big 12, the first of which is Friday night.

Lastly, the away Wildcats (UA) are 2-0 but struggled with lowly Northern Arizona in Week 2. K-State, on the other hand, notched a solid dub at Tulane. That being said, I’m still taking the team led by Noah Fifita and Tetairoa McMillan.

Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images

Saturday’s slate is far from great... Although, the same could have been said prior to Week 2 as well. No. 24 Boston College @ No. 6 Missouri is Saturday’s “marquee” matchup, which is, uh, less than ideal. However, there are several other games of interest, including Alabama vs. Wisconsin and Texas A&M vs. Florida — the latter of which could and should be the first collegiate start for DJ Lagway (247Sports’ No. 1 QB, 2024).

A game of lesser note is Central Michigan @ Illinois, a game with tickets currently listed as low/cheap as $4. Whereas the get-in(!) price for Colorado @ Colorado State is currently $174 on vividseats.com. For a game featuring two teams that have combined to win 22 games since 2020. Speaking of Prime Time...

South Carolina’s phenomenal freshman Dylan Stewart is getting “primetime” treatment on Saturday, as ABC/ESPN will prioritize his Gamecocks hosting LSU at 12 p.m. ET. Stewart might be the next Lawrence Taylor, and I am beyond upset that Ohio State did not land him as part of the Buckeyes’ 2024 recruiting class.

Seriously, check him out.


Dylan Stewart is the FREAKIEST freshman of all-time

Doing this at 18 years old is CRAZY. pic.twitter.com/LBBVBWJTA1

— NFL Rookie Watch (@NFLRookieWatxh) September 6, 2024​
Click to expand...

Florida State hosts Memphis, and there’s a non-zero chance that the Seminoles start 0-3. I attribute their struggles to a curse brought on by Mike Norvell’s haircut from 20 years ago.

Notre Dame’s season could also be (essentially) over by mid-September. The Fighting Irish visit the house of horrors known as Ross-Ade Stadium this weekend, a place where many of the mighty have fallen to Purdue. Playing the Boilermakers on their home field is scary enough, but after ND’s loss (at home!) to Northern Illinois, this road trip to West Lafayette is now something that should keep Marcus Freeman up at night.

If Notre Dame loses to Purdue, Freeman and his QB Riley Leonard might both look to enter the Witness Protection Program.

And finally, Oregon heads to Corvallis, OR to take on Oregon State in what I will never stop referring to as CFB’s “ Civil War”. First played in 1894, the Oregon-Oregon State rivalry is, was, and has been one of the best in college football for 130 years, and it’s a damn shame that it now seems destined to wither away and die — or at least cease to be what it once was.

The Ducks are overwhelming favorites in this one, for good reason. They are inarguably the better, more talented team, while the Beavers are currently in a sort of no man’s land/rebuilding phase thanks to the collapse of their former conference, as well as the loss(es) of Jonathan Smith, Aidan Chiles, and Damien Martinez, among others. That being said...

Oregon has not looked like a world-beater thus far, and they are coming off a defensive performance in which they surrendered 221 rushing yards to Boise State. Oregon State is averaging a robust 300 rushing yards per game and just pitched a shutout on the road against San Diego State (admittedly not a good team).

I am not predicting an upset just yet, but you never really know what’s going to happen on the battlefield of college football’s Civil War.

Continue reading...
Click to expand...

LGHL Maintaining intensity and playing cleaner are Ryan Day’s goals for Improvement Week

Maintaining intensity and playing cleaner are Ryan Day’s goals for Improvement Week
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Screenshot_2024_09_12_at_7.30.25_AM.0.png


All the Buckeye news thats fit to re-print.

Look, we get it. Your days are busy and you don’t have time to read all of the stories and tweets from the three dozen websites dedicated to covering Ohio State athletics, or the 237 Buckeye beat writers churning out hot takes and #content on a daily basis. But that’s ok, that’s what your friends at Land-Grant Holy Land are here for.

Monday through Friday, we’ll be collecting all of the articles, tweets, features, interviews, videos, podcasts, memes, photos, and whatever else we stumble across on the interwebz and putting them in our daily “Why is this News?” article. That way, you’ll have a one-stop shop for all of the most important Buckeye news, jokes, and analysis.

You’re welcome!

For your Earholes...​


Subscribe to the Land-Grant Podcast Network for all of your Ohio State needs
Matt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land


Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | iHeart Radio

On the Gridiron​


Big Ten Top 10: Ohio State closes the gap on No. 1 Georgia
Matt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land


"They are an elite team and a scary team." This new Chip Kelly offense is a force for @OhioStateFB @joelklatt checks in on the Buckeyes 2 weeks in and he likes what he's seeing ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/CKE7mfBmnj

— The Joel Klatt Show: A CFB Pod (@JoelKlattShow) September 11, 2024​
Click to expand...

‘We have to keep bringing it every single day.’ Takeaways from Ryan Day’s off week press conference
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts

Day takeaways: Ohio State offensive line looking ‘cleaner’
Bill Rabinowitz, The Columbus Dispatch

Ryan Day Says Fundamentals, Depth and Maintaining Momentum Important During “Improvement Week”
Andy Anders, Eleven Warriors

Ryan Day commends ex-Ohio State QBs Kyle McCord, Quinn Ewers for post-transfer success
Carter Bahns, 247Sports


Fact: No DC wants to face option football @CoachUrbanMeyer and @gerrydinardo highlight No. 3 @OhioStateFB's double and triple options in the latest .#B1GFootball pic.twitter.com/0AOGrUjAtV

— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) September 11, 2024​
Click to expand...

Lessons Learned from Jim Knowles as dominant Buckeyes defense looks to improve during idle week (paywall)
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row

Dominant Ohio State defense wants to improve with bigger challenges ahead
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts

Evaluating grades beyond box score as Buckeyes blanked Western Michigan (paywall)
Austin Ward, Dotting the Eyes

On the Hardwood​


National top-five prospect Darryn Peterson recounts recent Ohio State official visit
Steve Helwagen, Buckuts

Isaiah Denis enjoys Ohio State official visit amid busy fall schedule
Adam Jardy, The Columbus Dispatch

Outside the Shoe and Schott​


Ohio State AD Ross Bjork on Buckeyes fans: ‘They want clubs’
Lori Schmidt, The Columbus Dispatch

Students-only ticket website SeatStock to launch at Ohio State late September
Reid Murray, The Lantern

Women’s Golf: Buckeyes Finish Third at Folds of Honor Collegiate
Ohio State Athletics

Men’s Golf: Buckeyes Finish FOH Collegiate with Best Round of the Week
Ohio State Athletics

And now for something completely different...​


Did not see that coming...


The Pac-12 is mobilizing a long-discussed plan to rebuild the league with additions from the Mountain West, sources tell @YahooSports.

Oregon State & Washington State are targeting Boise, SD State, Fresno & CSU. The schools are applying for membership.https://t.co/0RUzTMlz1V

— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) September 12, 2024​
Click to expand...

Continue reading...
Click to expand...

LGHL Does the No. 3 player in the 2026 class sitting out junior season indicate he could be a Buckeye in 2025?

Does the No. 3 player in the 2026 class sitting out junior season indicate he could be a Buckeye in 2025?
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

jahkeem_stewart_larry_johnson_ohio_state.0.jpg

Jahkeem Stewart at Ohio State camp | Bill Kurelic | Bucknuts, 247Sports

Probably not, but recruiting is quiet, so we’re going to cosplay as conspiracy theorists anyway.

Since this is an off week for the Buckeyes, Ohio State coaches will be on the road recruiting this weekend, undoubtedly checking out some games under the iconic Friday night lights. However, one target that Ryan Day, Jim Knowles, and Larry Johnson won’t be able to see play this weekend is the No. 3 player in the 2026 recruiting class Jahkeem Stewart. That is because the top-ranked defensive lineman in the junior class, as well as the No. 1 player in the football-rich state of Louisiana, has opted not to play football this season, leading to a lot of speculation.

Stewart has transferred from St. Augustine High School in New Orleans to college prep charter school Edna Karr High School 15 minutes away. Reports indicate that due to Lousiana transfer rules, Stewart will not be able to play this season. However, that might not really matter to the 6-foot-6, 270-pound prospect. Rumors have been swirling for a while that Stewart could reclassify into the 2025, essentially resting on his sophomore season performance — in which he had 85 tackles, 20 sacks, and 33 tackles for loss — and what he was able to show at recruiting camps.

Obviously, the in-state LSU Tigers are the logical choice to secure Stewart’s commitment, but I think — if you really want to — you could convince yourself that by his transfering Stewart has tipped his hand that he will be committing to Ohio State in exactly 12 weeks.

As you read this, I want you to imagine that I am explaining all of this in a dimly lit basement with no windows, and I am standing in front of a bulletin board willed with campus maps, high school class schedules, pages torn out of the NCAA Rule Book, and miles and miles of red yarn.

Now that we’ve got the picture painted for you, let’s start at the very beginning — I hear it’s a very good place to start. The Buckeyes offered Stewart on Nov. 27, 2023, the Monday after OSU’s third-straight loss to Michigan. I bring that up not to open up old wounds but as one push pin in my tangled web of scarlet string; we will return to The Game.

Since then, Stewart has visited Columbus twice, once for the Spring Game in April and once for camp in June. At the time, he was preparing for his junior season at St. Augustine, but, obviously, that has changed.

It seems highly improbable that Stewart would willingly transfer schools, knowing that he would have to sit out his junior season, if there wasn’t a significant reason for him to do so. Perhaps that reason is the fact that St. Augustine does not allow students to graduate early — which he would need to do in order to reclassify — but Edna Karr does.

Perhaps the transfer is completely about academics, and Stewart was willing to sacrifice his junior season in order to get the education that he wants, and he will get back on the field for his senior campaign. But I’m willing to bet that this is the first necessary step to go from the 2026 to 2025 recruiting class.

That all seems pretty logical, and the increasingly popular consensus. So where does this begin to veer off the road of sanity into potentially unhinged fanfic? If Stewart does reclassify, it is extremely likely that he will sign his National Letter of Intent during December’s Early Signing Period, as 90+% of the blue-chip prospects do every season these days.

This year, the Early Signing Period opens on Wednesday, Dec. 4, guess where Stewart plans to be on the Saturday before Signing Day. Did you say Columbus, Ohio? If you did, then you would be correct.

He told Bucknuts’ Bill Kurelic over the summer, “I’ll be there for the Michigan game.”

Of course, plans can change — as evidenced by his transfer — or he could commit elsewhere and still take his official visits (I know I would if people wanted to pay to fly me to the biggest college football games in the country), or he doesn’t have any real interest in OSU at all, and he just wants to witness the greatest rivalry in all of sports. No matter what is going on in Stewart’s timeline planning, there is a reason that schools always want to get the last visit.

Yeah, you risk the player committing elsewhere before they even get to campus, so you never even get your shot, but if you’re reasonably comfortable that the player and his family will hold off on making a decision until their OV, then having the last word can be incredibly powerful.

So, as you can see in a very rudimentary table version of my red-string murder commitment board, if Stewart follows through on his plan to be in Columbus for The Game on Nov. 30, and then does what practically every other player of his caliber will do and signs on Dec. 4, there’s not a lot of time for other schools to sway him if his trip to OSU goes as well as his spring and summer visits reportedly have.


So, I know that it is exceptionally difficult to lure a player of Stewart’s abilities out of the South, and my entire tin-foil hate theory is little more than wishful thinking by a lifelong Ohio State fan, but the dates match up. If Ohio State is able to deliver the home run recruiting experience that the program is known for (especially on campus), I think that there is a pretty decent show that the Buckeyes land what could be their fourth top-10 player in the 2025 cycle.

Continue reading...
Click to expand...

Google Mic Check: Ohio State's Run Game Finds Footing Against Western Michigan But Tougher Tests Loom | Eleven Warrio - Eleven Warriors

Mic Check: Ohio State's Run Game Finds Footing Against Western Michigan But Tougher Tests Loom | Eleven Warrio - Eleven Warriors
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".

Mic Check: Ohio State's Run Game Finds Footing Against Western Michigan But Tougher Tests Loom | Eleven Warrio Eleven Warriors

Continue reading...
Click to expand...

Northern Illinois Huskies (official thread)

ScriptOhio
northern_illinois_huskies_1988-2001.png

www.espn.com

How Northern Illinois pulled off an incredible upset and added Notre Dame to its 'Boneyard'

NIU keeps a list of the bigger, better-funded programs that it beats. On Saturday it added the most notable win in school history.
www.espn.com www.espn.com

Against Notre Dame, Northern Illinois finally had its moment​

Thomas Hammock had every emotion rush through him Saturday, except for one.

Hammock, the Northern Illinois coach, had watched his team, representing his alma mater, take down No. 5 Notre Dame in the state where he grew up. His parents were there. So were his wrestling coach and 15-20 teammates from Bishop Luers High in Fort Wayne, Indiana, located about 95 miles from Notre Dame Stadium.

"I couldn't find them after the game, but they sent pictures," Hammock told ESPN on Saturday night, as NIU's team buses neared the Indiana-Illinois state line. "All of my buddies, they're Notre Dame fans. But for this one day, they supported the Huskies."

What a day it was as Northern Illinois shocked Notre Dame 16-14, recording its first-ever win against an AP top-five opponent and the first such victory by a Mid-American Conference team. The upset earned the Huskies the No. 25 ranking in the AP poll -- before this week, they hadn't been ranked since 2013.

Since 1983, NIU has kept a log of "Boneyard Victories," wins against major-conference opponents and other notable foes with bigger brands and budgets. As an NIU running back in 2002, Hammock helped secure one by rushing for 172 yards in a 42-41 overtime win against Wake Forest. He would never play again after experiencing symptoms from what would be diagnosed as a career-ending heart condition.

OK, who knew NIU has a "Boneryard Victories Log"? Well, I "googled" it:

Northern Illinois's 'Boneyard' Is One of the Coolest Traditions in College Football​

Fresh off an upset of Notre Dame on the road, the college football world learned that the Huskies take their "boneyard wins" quite literally.

The Northern Illinois Huskies stole the spotlight in Week 2 of the college football season by upsetting No. 5 Notre Dame 16–14 on Saturday for their first win over a top-10 opponent in program history.

Huskies coach Thomas Hammock called it a "boneyard win" in an emotional interview on the NBC broadcast after the game, which is the term NIU uses for any victory over a Power Four program. On Tuesday, the college football world learned that Northern Illinois takes that "boneyard win" description quite literally.

WGN TV's Josh Frydman posted a picture to social media Tuesday of the Huskies' "boneyard" where each of those big wins are celebrated on a wall covered with bones. Each bone is hung in front of the logo of their opponent and is engraved with the date and score.

Login to view embedded media
Among those "boneyard wins" in program history include victories over Nebraska in 2017, Iowa in '13 and Alabama in '03.

The program has kept a log of "boneyard wins" since 1983. Hammock, who played for the Huskies from 1999 to 2002, helped Northern Illinois to a boneyard victory by rushing for 172 yards in a win over Wake Forest in '02.
.
.
.
continued

Just sayin': At NIU, they call those “Boneyard'” wins — victories over power-conference schools or, in the case of Notre Dame, prominent independents. The first was 41 years ago against Kansas. The Huskies will now add a 19th bone to the wall for Saturday’s monumental win in South Bend.
Click to expand...
Load more

Filter

Latest winning wagers

Back
Top