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LGHL Ohio State continues to search the transfer portal, boasts the nation’s top center
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Ohio State continues to search the transfer portal, boasts the nation’s top center
Caleb Houser 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 via Imagn Images
The Buckeyes are leaving no stone unturned this offseason when it comes to the transfer portal.
Just over a week until the big game, Ohio State continues to take care of matters that not only concern the rest of this season, but looking ahead to 2025 as well. Taking measures to make the transfer portal a priority, this staff looks poised to bring in the talent and depth needed to reach their ultimate goals.
With this week bringing several bouts of news that the coaches are ready to host top portal targets, you hope the guys being pursued make the choice to make Ohio State their next home. Whether it’s a direct access to playing time, the potential to compete at the highest of levels, or even the NIL front, Ryan Day and the rest of his crew have to make these next few months a difference maker.
The list of names the Buckeyes are going after in the portal is already very interesting, and that doesn’t even count the guys who still could choose to enter. Day made it clear this program fully intends to bring in a sizable amount of players — and it’s needed. Fortunately, the interest from several players looks to be mutual.
Maybe not the biggest need on the team, Ohio State still is looking to add to their defensive backfield, and a new name on that front is LSU safety Sage Ryan, who has plans to find a new home for next season. The No. 144 player overall and the seventh best safety in the 247Sports transfer portal rankings, Ryan has made it clear that he has an interest in the Buckeyes as a potential landing spot, and very well could be a player Ohio State looks to host for a visit in the coming weeks.
Already in on Purdue transfer Dillon Thieneman, it’s not an expectation that the Buckeyes take two safeties in the portal, but keeping their attention on multiple guys is the plan as of now. For the immediate future, follow the visits for who the Buckeyes are targeting the hardest to help bolster the back end with Caleb Downs in 2025.
Sticking with the secondary theme, the Buckeyes have also reportedly reached out to Georgia transfer Julian Humphrey. A player that is sure to garner a ton of attention, 247Sports lists him as the 30th best player in the portal and the third best cornerback as well, which isn’t a surprise seeing the amount of programs who are also heavily in the mix interest wise.
A 6-foot-1, 195 pound cornerback, Humphrey has three years of experience under his belt and has shined in many of his chances. The Buckeyes do have plenty of talent already in the position room, but this staff has said they want to add valuable depth, and here’s another name worth watching moving forward with others likely to follow.
Proof to his development at Ohio State, this is not only an awesome feat for McLaughlin, but Justin Frye as well. Having left Alabama with some scrutiny on his play in 2023, McLaughlin was all Ohio State needed and then some as the anchor of their offensive line, and that is something this program can sell moving forward to recruits and portal targets as well.
A job well done, it’s evident how much this team has benefitted from McLaughlin’s play, and would obviously love for that to be the case once again next week if not for his injury.
A five-star recruitment this far in advance can sometimes lead to cause for concern and wonder if the player sticks to his commitment, but safe to say in this situation it’s all Ohio State for the Huber Heights Wayne Warrior.
Continue reading...
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The Buckeyes are leaving no stone unturned this offseason when it comes to the transfer portal.
Just over a week until the big game, Ohio State continues to take care of matters that not only concern the rest of this season, but looking ahead to 2025 as well. Taking measures to make the transfer portal a priority, this staff looks poised to bring in the talent and depth needed to reach their ultimate goals.
With this week bringing several bouts of news that the coaches are ready to host top portal targets, you hope the guys being pursued make the choice to make Ohio State their next home. Whether it’s a direct access to playing time, the potential to compete at the highest of levels, or even the NIL front, Ryan Day and the rest of his crew have to make these next few months a difference maker.
Portal additions continue to show interest in the Buckeyes
The list of names the Buckeyes are going after in the portal is already very interesting, and that doesn’t even count the guys who still could choose to enter. Day made it clear this program fully intends to bring in a sizable amount of players — and it’s needed. Fortunately, the interest from several players looks to be mutual.
Maybe not the biggest need on the team, Ohio State still is looking to add to their defensive backfield, and a new name on that front is LSU safety Sage Ryan, who has plans to find a new home for next season. The No. 144 player overall and the seventh best safety in the 247Sports transfer portal rankings, Ryan has made it clear that he has an interest in the Buckeyes as a potential landing spot, and very well could be a player Ohio State looks to host for a visit in the coming weeks.
Already in on Purdue transfer Dillon Thieneman, it’s not an expectation that the Buckeyes take two safeties in the portal, but keeping their attention on multiple guys is the plan as of now. For the immediate future, follow the visits for who the Buckeyes are targeting the hardest to help bolster the back end with Caleb Downs in 2025.
Sticking with the secondary theme, the Buckeyes have also reportedly reached out to Georgia transfer Julian Humphrey. A player that is sure to garner a ton of attention, 247Sports lists him as the 30th best player in the portal and the third best cornerback as well, which isn’t a surprise seeing the amount of programs who are also heavily in the mix interest wise.
A 6-foot-1, 195 pound cornerback, Humphrey has three years of experience under his belt and has shined in many of his chances. The Buckeyes do have plenty of talent already in the position room, but this staff has said they want to add valuable depth, and here’s another name worth watching moving forward with others likely to follow.
Georgia Transfer CB Julian Humphrey has heard from theseSchools since entering the Transfer Portal, he tells @on3sports
Where Should He Go? https://t.co/Zs56o1j4Vx pic.twitter.com/wVwKuXUvsj
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) December 12, 2024
Quick Hits
- One of the more impressive awards an offensive linemen and specifically a center can earn, Ohio State on Thursday night saw Seth McLaughlin take home the Rimington Trophy for the nation’s top center. The fourth Buckeye to bring home the award, it’s a terrific accomplishment to end Seth’s career considering how he left Alabama.
Proof to his development at Ohio State, this is not only an awesome feat for McLaughlin, but Justin Frye as well. Having left Alabama with some scrutiny on his play in 2023, McLaughlin was all Ohio State needed and then some as the anchor of their offensive line, and that is something this program can sell moving forward to recruits and portal targets as well.
A job well done, it’s evident how much this team has benefitted from McLaughlin’s play, and would obviously love for that to be the case once again next week if not for his injury.
- He might only be in the 2027 class, but five-star and latest commit Jamier Brown is already proving how proud he is to be a Buckeye. The No. 7 player nationally and the top ranked receiver per the 247Sports Composite for his cycle, Brown literally inked his way to showing his future home.
A five-star recruitment this far in advance can sometimes lead to cause for concern and wonder if the player sticks to his commitment, but safe to say in this situation it’s all Ohio State for the Huber Heights Wayne Warrior.
Continue reading...
LGHL Will Howard was the right choice for Ohio State at quarterback
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Will Howard was the right choice for Ohio State at quarterback
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Buckeyes wouldn’t have been better with a QB who put up insane stats playing glorified 7-on-7 ball this season.
First off, yes, I believe that Ohio State is far better off with Will Howard than it was or would have been with Kyle McCord. I will make my case momentarily. Secondly, I’m not hating on McCord here, the sub-headline is simply an accurate depiction of the games in which the former Buckeye participated this season.
McCord and Syracuse faced exactly one top-50 pass defense (PYPG allowed) while avoiding SMU and Clemson in the ACC. But because Fran Brown’s team was often involved in shootouts, and rarely in a position to rest or sit starters, McCord never came off the field and attempted more passes than any other quarterback in the country. The former Buckeye put up huge stats thanks in no small part to his 558 (!) passing attempts, but were those gaudy numbers really just empty calories?
Maybe, maybe not. I’m sure fans of the Orange didn’t and don’t care. Nor should they.
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Photo by Bryan Bennett/Getty Images
But let’s get back to OSU’s current signal caller and the question at hand. Was Howard a better option — for this team — than McCord would have been? How about Cam Ward or Riley Leonard? Well, despite what the trio of McCord/Ward/Riley was able to accomplish this season, I believe that Ryan Day and co. absolutely made the right choice when choosing this year’s QB. And this belief is derived from — or influenced by — far more than just Howard’s on-field performance. The former Kansas State Wildcat has provided incredible leadership and gives this team a substantial upgrade in the intangible department.
Of course that doesn’t mean that I don’t care about Howard’s play, by the way. Stats matter, just like stars matter. So let me make myself crystal clear: If teammates and coaches loved Howard but he stunk out loud, I would be first in line to buy him a bus or plane ticket out of Columbus.
Hell, I’m willing to sit here and say (write) that I believe his performance against TTUN was one of the primary reasons that Ohio State lost. But that is only one part of a very complicated equation.
There are so many other factors at play when assessing Howard’s status as OSU’s QB, especially when it comes to quarterback success and said QB influencing (or not influencing) his team’s success.
We know this because as fans of college football, we’ve all seen supremely talented QBs put up video game stats but fail in areas that matter most: Leading and lifting up those around them — which Howard seems very, very good at — and rising to the occasion when the game or season is on the line.
Until Saturday, Nov. 30, nothing that Howard had said or done had given me reason to doubt his ability to do the latter. Whereas last season... well, let’s just say things were different in that respect
Now, was I sold a false bill of goods? Should Buckeye Nation have seen Howard’s performance in The Game coming from a mile away? Again, maybe, maybe not. But one thing I’m damn sure of is the unequivocal fact that OSU coaches did not put their QB and team in the best position to win. Which is why I’m willing to give Howard some benefit of the doubt.
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Photo by Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images
Because all Howard has done since he arrived in Columbus is prepare and go about things the right way. He has carried himself like a leader; something or someone that Ohio State maybe, kinda, sorta lacked last season. But I’ll even hedge there by saying that it was obvious to anyone with eyeballs that Day and McCord did not have the best of relationships. This is why I’m not assigning blame on the ‘Cuse QB, but rather just voicing what I have witnessed.
Nobody knows if OSU would be a 10-2 playoff team (or better) with McCord this season. But along the same lines, did you have supreme confidence that things were trending in the right direction after last season? I’m guessing not.
Nonetheless, Howard is now leading the Buckeyes into the College Football Playoff, and I’m not sure that I would have it any other way. When it comes down to it, the divorce between McCord and Ohio State — as well as the pursuit and acquisition of Howard — seems to have benefited all. The former put up video game numbers, while the latter is preparing to chase a national title. So maybe we just leave it at that. Maybe all parties made the right choices, including, but not limited t,o OSU.
Or maybe McCord played Mickey Mouse football this season, Howard couldn’t handle the moment in a serious conference, and the Buckeyes were doomed either way... I dunno. Losing to TTUN sucks and makes me question everything. Damnit.
Anyway, Go Bucks!
Continue reading...
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Buckeyes wouldn’t have been better with a QB who put up insane stats playing glorified 7-on-7 ball this season.
First off, yes, I believe that Ohio State is far better off with Will Howard than it was or would have been with Kyle McCord. I will make my case momentarily. Secondly, I’m not hating on McCord here, the sub-headline is simply an accurate depiction of the games in which the former Buckeye participated this season.
McCord and Syracuse faced exactly one top-50 pass defense (PYPG allowed) while avoiding SMU and Clemson in the ACC. But because Fran Brown’s team was often involved in shootouts, and rarely in a position to rest or sit starters, McCord never came off the field and attempted more passes than any other quarterback in the country. The former Buckeye put up huge stats thanks in no small part to his 558 (!) passing attempts, but were those gaudy numbers really just empty calories?
Maybe, maybe not. I’m sure fans of the Orange didn’t and don’t care. Nor should they.
But let’s get back to OSU’s current signal caller and the question at hand. Was Howard a better option — for this team — than McCord would have been? How about Cam Ward or Riley Leonard? Well, despite what the trio of McCord/Ward/Riley was able to accomplish this season, I believe that Ryan Day and co. absolutely made the right choice when choosing this year’s QB. And this belief is derived from — or influenced by — far more than just Howard’s on-field performance. The former Kansas State Wildcat has provided incredible leadership and gives this team a substantial upgrade in the intangible department.
Of course that doesn’t mean that I don’t care about Howard’s play, by the way. Stats matter, just like stars matter. So let me make myself crystal clear: If teammates and coaches loved Howard but he stunk out loud, I would be first in line to buy him a bus or plane ticket out of Columbus.
Hell, I’m willing to sit here and say (write) that I believe his performance against TTUN was one of the primary reasons that Ohio State lost. But that is only one part of a very complicated equation.
There are so many other factors at play when assessing Howard’s status as OSU’s QB, especially when it comes to quarterback success and said QB influencing (or not influencing) his team’s success.
We know this because as fans of college football, we’ve all seen supremely talented QBs put up video game stats but fail in areas that matter most: Leading and lifting up those around them — which Howard seems very, very good at — and rising to the occasion when the game or season is on the line.
Until Saturday, Nov. 30, nothing that Howard had said or done had given me reason to doubt his ability to do the latter. Whereas last season... well, let’s just say things were different in that respect
Now, was I sold a false bill of goods? Should Buckeye Nation have seen Howard’s performance in The Game coming from a mile away? Again, maybe, maybe not. But one thing I’m damn sure of is the unequivocal fact that OSU coaches did not put their QB and team in the best position to win. Which is why I’m willing to give Howard some benefit of the doubt.
Because all Howard has done since he arrived in Columbus is prepare and go about things the right way. He has carried himself like a leader; something or someone that Ohio State maybe, kinda, sorta lacked last season. But I’ll even hedge there by saying that it was obvious to anyone with eyeballs that Day and McCord did not have the best of relationships. This is why I’m not assigning blame on the ‘Cuse QB, but rather just voicing what I have witnessed.
Nobody knows if OSU would be a 10-2 playoff team (or better) with McCord this season. But along the same lines, did you have supreme confidence that things were trending in the right direction after last season? I’m guessing not.
Nonetheless, Howard is now leading the Buckeyes into the College Football Playoff, and I’m not sure that I would have it any other way. When it comes down to it, the divorce between McCord and Ohio State — as well as the pursuit and acquisition of Howard — seems to have benefited all. The former put up video game numbers, while the latter is preparing to chase a national title. So maybe we just leave it at that. Maybe all parties made the right choices, including, but not limited t,o OSU.
Or maybe McCord played Mickey Mouse football this season, Howard couldn’t handle the moment in a serious conference, and the Buckeyes were doomed either way... I dunno. Losing to TTUN sucks and makes me question everything. Damnit.
Anyway, Go Bucks!
Continue reading...
LGHL Taylor and Haley Thierry compete Saturday, celebrating a family legacy
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Taylor and Haley Thierry compete Saturday, celebrating a family legacy
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
John Kuntz - Cleveland.com
The Thierry Twins are on opposing teams for the first time this weekend, and it’s a game packed with meaning.
Children shake up everything. From the moment they’re born, they command constant attention through feeding, changing and trying to get them to sleep for at least an hour, maybe two.
Over the years they become more independent, but for the parents it’s a smokescreen. Sure there are great moments when they start doing the dishes for you, do their homework without being reminded or reaching the age where they can watch their siblings and the parents can get a much needed night away. Even with that little bit of freedom, they’re always on the minds of the ones who did the raising.
They’re also celebrated at every turn. From using an actual toilet for the first time to playing a solo in the band’s winter recital. Positive reinforcement is not only for the kids themselves, but it’s also for the parents. It lets you know that something is working.
For Elin Thierry, the mother of college basketball twins Taylor and Haley Thierry, hearing about Saturday’s game between the fraternal twins at Ohio State and Youngstown State was not one of those moments.
“My initial reaction was no,” said Elin. “Of course, I would rather them be playing on the same team. But yeah, I still have mixed feelings about it.”
After three seasons playing for their respective in-state schools, the twins from Cleveland face each other for the first time. Like many siblings, the Thierrys grew up playing together, culminating in their final formal game of basketball on the same team at the Laurel School.
To the twins, their reactions are different from their mom.
“I’ve been wanting to play my sister for the last like four years up until now. So that being the opportunity to play against my sister after, you know, three years is like really exciting for me,” said Haley. “My initial reaction was like, this can’t be real.”
That’s Haley, who is playing in her final season with the Youngstown Penguins, of the Horizon League.
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Robert Hayes - Youngstown State University
“Yeah, my sister is definitely excited about that more than I am,” said Taylor. “I never thought I’d be playing against my sister at the collegiate level, but here we are. So I’m excited to compete against them.”
The difference in excitement levels from the Thierry twins isn’t based solely upon Haley playing for the smaller school tucked in the corner of Northeast Ohio, playing against the in-state juggernaut that is Ohio State. A university whose fandom stretches to all state borders and beyond.
It is because the Thierry sisters are their own people. Taylor is a 6-foot-1 hybrid guard/forward whose vertical causes issues for opponents, and Haley is a 5-foot-9 defensive-minded guard who impacts games beyond what you see in a stat sheet — and that is only talking about basketball.
Off the court, both Thierry twins can be reserved, but Haley is the one more likely to join in at a party. For Taylor, she’s happy being around a gathering, taking it all in.
Watch Ohio State and that doesn’t come as a surprise. The Buckeye forward, who has started every game since the start of her sophomore season, makes big plays but is known for consistency. Thierry’s known for being the team’s foundation who picks up rebounds, is integral in the full court press at half court and scores baskets with high efficiency.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25786776/usa_today_24747382.jpg "Syndication: The Columbus Dispatch")
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Taylor isn’t likely to lead the team in scoring each night but her Ohio State teammates know what they’ll get game in and game out. The senior is involved in every play, reads game situations well and makes good decisions, but Taylor’s play is nowhere near her ceiling.
“I know my sister, like she can dunk,” said Haley. “I always tell her, I’m like, if you get the opportunity, do it. Like, no matter what, like, that would be so exciting for everyone. And knowing like how, like the amount of work she puts in and all that kind of stuff.”
There’s been no physical evidence showing a Taylor dunk, at least to those watching the team, but Haley knows. The Thierry sisters don’t always talk basketball but when they do it is helping each other’s game, telling them what they see and even videos of a Taylor dunk.
The Ohio State forward doesn’t have to dunk to impact a game but regardless, that’s not Taylor’s style. That’s unwanted attention. If dunking was Taylor’s game, or she saw Saturday as the perfect time debut it, it won’t be on her sister, if its up to Haley.
“My coaches were like, ‘what if she posts to you and dunks on you? What are you going to do,’” said Haley. “And I was like, ‘she’s not dunking on me.’”
Growing up, the Thierry twins lived in a home built on family, faith and hard work. After all, their parents Elin and John Thierry were both college athletes. Their mom played volleyball at the University of Oklahoma and their dad played football at Alcorn State University, followed up by a nine-year NFL career with the Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, Cleveland Browns and Atlanta Falcons.
Elin and John’s three daughters all excelled athletically, but like any good parents, they weren’t pushing their personal dreams or past athletic ambition onto their kids. Instead, an environment where if something was done, it was done right.
Older sister Jordan had the same work in athletics, and was as talented as her sisters, but focused instead on the arts. Haley and Taylor have both received commendations from their hometown mayor for their educational achievements throughout high school and college, including Haley’s spot on the YSU Honor Roll and Thierry’s place in back-to-back Academic All-Big Ten teams.
When the Thierry family has their mind set on something, it’s getting done the right way, even if it sometimes the kids took it to another level.
“We had to pull Taylor away from the court when she was in elementary school, middle school, high school,” said Elin. “Like Taylor, you have to go home and eat and go to bed. She’d be there for hours and just, she just thrived. She just loved that.”
Their dad helped them along the way, Haley and Taylor shared in a 2020 interview. Taking them to the gym, using some of the drills he used in professional football to help his daughters’ movement on the court and being both a dad and a coach to his twin girls.
“They have worked their little butts off and sacrificed a lot, you know, socially, especially in elementary and middle school, high school, they didn’t go do all the fun stuff kids were doing on the weekend,” said Elin. “They didn’t always go. It was, it was basketball and school, and school and basketball, and meeting with our congregation and community service.”
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Elin Thierry
A young Taylor and Haley Thierry
In-home competition was also part of that development. Sure, Saturday is the first time they’re playing against each other formally, but siblings are going to have some sort of rivalry. For the Thierrys, they channeled it.
“I think that’s helped us to get better as players and throughout our career,” said Taylor.
Look at the two sisters and it’s clear they have benefited. In Haley’s junior season, the guard led the team in steals and was second in rebounds and that was with 15 starts on the season. Taylor has been Ohio State’s most consistent player over the past three years, and was the highest rated offensive player in the country in the 23-24 season.
When the two Ohio sides play, it’ll feature two athletes who have excelled in every stage of their basketball upbringings.
There’s a real chance that the two could go up against each other, in-game. Haley plays a second or third guard position, while Thierry normally occupies the third guard/third forward role for Ohio State.
“I definitely have a size advantage on her,” said Taylor. “But maybe I will have to guard her. I don’t know.”
In high school, Haley was taller than Taylor until the Ohio State forward had a growth spurt, now standing a few inches taller than Haley. Regardless of the size difference, the two competitors will compete if called to face each other on Saturday.
For Elin, that competition doesn’t stretch into Ohio State’s game with the Youngstown Penguins. The Thierry family matriarch isn’t choosing one daughter over the other. Apply the same idea to the family, who’s not only traveling from the Cleveland area to see the Thierrys but even members of the family out of state, from as far as Louisiana.
The current count is up to 12 people, but that doesn’t include the friends who’ve reached out to both Haley and Taylor letting them know they would be there. For the ones who can’t make it, their eyes will be focused on the two sisters.
Even though competition runs through the most recent generations of the Thierry family, Saturday goes beyond a final scoreline.
“It’s just an opportunity for us to dote on Taylor and Haley and really praise them for the work they’ve put into what they’ve done,” said Elin.
Saturday’s game is a celebration. Sure, there will be a final score, the result will be analyzed and one team will win and one team will lose, but it’s the culmination of the love and sacrifice of a family. It starts the process of closing at least one of its chapters.
When the Thierry’s mom says she has mixed feelings about the game, it’s the competitive part that gets the negative connotations involved when people say they have “mixed feelings.”
There are a lot of feelings, and another piece of Saturday is pride. Being proud of a family legacy. The competition part will one day be forgotten. There will be bragging, and likely jokes about it for the foreseeable future, but what the weekend matchup represents is something that dives much deeper.
Back in 2017, six days before what would have been the twins first high school basketball game for the Laurel Gators, John passed away suddenly of a heart attack at the age of 46. Elin and the girls were ready to meet up with John and his family for Thanksgiving when Elin received the call.
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Photo by Tom Hauck/Getty Images
It’s a moment that never leaves you. A moment that sits with you for the rest of your life. You are reminded of it at all the crossroads of life. What would it be like if they were around for this or that?
“He probably would not sit in the arena,” said Elin. “He would just be outside of the arena, watching it on one of the TVs probably, but he would be, you know what, he would probably be a little emotional and he’s not an emotional person in that sense.”
Watch anyone you love succeed and it elicits emotion. Watch the Buckeyes’ family section on any given game and they’re cheering players on, giving referees constructive criticism and sometimes standing up to a chant.
“He can be very silly and just funny and but serious about work and doing, taking care of responsibilities,” said Elin. “But I think he would just kind of sit back and take it in and you know, reflect like I’m reflecting in all the work that’s been put in and to see us come to this moment and just the culmination of everything over the past 20 some years. It’s remarkable.”
Elin sees Taylor’s stoic on the outside work ethic and hilarious sense of humor when it's time with family, friends or her congregation.
“Like, I will gut laugh from her facial expressions, her quick wit, her snarkiness. She’s very funny,” said Elin.
There is a misconception that having kids takes away your own goals, but it doesn’t. Suddenly your own goals don’t live up to wanting the best for them.
“He said, ‘once we have these girls, it’s about them,’” said Elin. “ And he was very serious about that. And so his life was about these girls.”
The Thierry twins have those pieces of their dad and mom. Haley’s caring mentality and excitement to compete against her sister, Taylor’s hard work and focus in what she does but the hilarity behind the scenes.
On Saturday, all that will be on display and more. The “more” comes from the Thierry twins road to get to this point. Both are nearing the end of their college basketball journeys. By April, both sisters will move on to the next chapter.
It’s looking back at who these twins were leaving high school, going their separate ways (which one was more excited about than the other) and seeing who they now as they crossover from the final months of adolescence into full-blown adulthood.
“It makes me emotional because my husband and I really put in a lot of effort and thought into how we were going to raise them and who we surround them with and the environment with which they grew up in. So their schooling, their friends, our congregation, just the community with which they have grown in has helped develop them into these beautiful human beings,” said Elin. “And a lot of it has to do with what they put into it also. So not only are they these tremendous student athletes, they are loving and kind and funny and caring and sympathetic and nurturing, hardworking, like all the adjectives.”
Success is not measured the same for everybody. Athletics aren’t the only avenue in which someone can excel and be a source of pride for a parent.
Raising a child is about pouring all that you can into a person and hope that it works out in the end. It’s hard to know if what is being poured in is working. For Elin and John Thierry, they know.
Continue reading...
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
John Kuntz - Cleveland.com
The Thierry Twins are on opposing teams for the first time this weekend, and it’s a game packed with meaning.
Children shake up everything. From the moment they’re born, they command constant attention through feeding, changing and trying to get them to sleep for at least an hour, maybe two.
Over the years they become more independent, but for the parents it’s a smokescreen. Sure there are great moments when they start doing the dishes for you, do their homework without being reminded or reaching the age where they can watch their siblings and the parents can get a much needed night away. Even with that little bit of freedom, they’re always on the minds of the ones who did the raising.
They’re also celebrated at every turn. From using an actual toilet for the first time to playing a solo in the band’s winter recital. Positive reinforcement is not only for the kids themselves, but it’s also for the parents. It lets you know that something is working.
For Elin Thierry, the mother of college basketball twins Taylor and Haley Thierry, hearing about Saturday’s game between the fraternal twins at Ohio State and Youngstown State was not one of those moments.
“My initial reaction was no,” said Elin. “Of course, I would rather them be playing on the same team. But yeah, I still have mixed feelings about it.”
“She’s not dunking on me”
After three seasons playing for their respective in-state schools, the twins from Cleveland face each other for the first time. Like many siblings, the Thierrys grew up playing together, culminating in their final formal game of basketball on the same team at the Laurel School.
To the twins, their reactions are different from their mom.
“I’ve been wanting to play my sister for the last like four years up until now. So that being the opportunity to play against my sister after, you know, three years is like really exciting for me,” said Haley. “My initial reaction was like, this can’t be real.”
That’s Haley, who is playing in her final season with the Youngstown Penguins, of the Horizon League.
“Yeah, my sister is definitely excited about that more than I am,” said Taylor. “I never thought I’d be playing against my sister at the collegiate level, but here we are. So I’m excited to compete against them.”
The difference in excitement levels from the Thierry twins isn’t based solely upon Haley playing for the smaller school tucked in the corner of Northeast Ohio, playing against the in-state juggernaut that is Ohio State. A university whose fandom stretches to all state borders and beyond.
It is because the Thierry sisters are their own people. Taylor is a 6-foot-1 hybrid guard/forward whose vertical causes issues for opponents, and Haley is a 5-foot-9 defensive-minded guard who impacts games beyond what you see in a stat sheet — and that is only talking about basketball.
Off the court, both Thierry twins can be reserved, but Haley is the one more likely to join in at a party. For Taylor, she’s happy being around a gathering, taking it all in.
Watch Ohio State and that doesn’t come as a surprise. The Buckeye forward, who has started every game since the start of her sophomore season, makes big plays but is known for consistency. Thierry’s known for being the team’s foundation who picks up rebounds, is integral in the full court press at half court and scores baskets with high efficiency.
Taylor isn’t likely to lead the team in scoring each night but her Ohio State teammates know what they’ll get game in and game out. The senior is involved in every play, reads game situations well and makes good decisions, but Taylor’s play is nowhere near her ceiling.
“I know my sister, like she can dunk,” said Haley. “I always tell her, I’m like, if you get the opportunity, do it. Like, no matter what, like, that would be so exciting for everyone. And knowing like how, like the amount of work she puts in and all that kind of stuff.”
There’s been no physical evidence showing a Taylor dunk, at least to those watching the team, but Haley knows. The Thierry sisters don’t always talk basketball but when they do it is helping each other’s game, telling them what they see and even videos of a Taylor dunk.
The Ohio State forward doesn’t have to dunk to impact a game but regardless, that’s not Taylor’s style. That’s unwanted attention. If dunking was Taylor’s game, or she saw Saturday as the perfect time debut it, it won’t be on her sister, if its up to Haley.
“My coaches were like, ‘what if she posts to you and dunks on you? What are you going to do,’” said Haley. “And I was like, ‘she’s not dunking on me.’”
“Taylor, you have to go home and eat and go to bed”
Growing up, the Thierry twins lived in a home built on family, faith and hard work. After all, their parents Elin and John Thierry were both college athletes. Their mom played volleyball at the University of Oklahoma and their dad played football at Alcorn State University, followed up by a nine-year NFL career with the Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, Cleveland Browns and Atlanta Falcons.
Elin and John’s three daughters all excelled athletically, but like any good parents, they weren’t pushing their personal dreams or past athletic ambition onto their kids. Instead, an environment where if something was done, it was done right.
Older sister Jordan had the same work in athletics, and was as talented as her sisters, but focused instead on the arts. Haley and Taylor have both received commendations from their hometown mayor for their educational achievements throughout high school and college, including Haley’s spot on the YSU Honor Roll and Thierry’s place in back-to-back Academic All-Big Ten teams.
When the Thierry family has their mind set on something, it’s getting done the right way, even if it sometimes the kids took it to another level.
“We had to pull Taylor away from the court when she was in elementary school, middle school, high school,” said Elin. “Like Taylor, you have to go home and eat and go to bed. She’d be there for hours and just, she just thrived. She just loved that.”
Their dad helped them along the way, Haley and Taylor shared in a 2020 interview. Taking them to the gym, using some of the drills he used in professional football to help his daughters’ movement on the court and being both a dad and a coach to his twin girls.
“They have worked their little butts off and sacrificed a lot, you know, socially, especially in elementary and middle school, high school, they didn’t go do all the fun stuff kids were doing on the weekend,” said Elin. “They didn’t always go. It was, it was basketball and school, and school and basketball, and meeting with our congregation and community service.”
A young Taylor and Haley Thierry
In-home competition was also part of that development. Sure, Saturday is the first time they’re playing against each other formally, but siblings are going to have some sort of rivalry. For the Thierrys, they channeled it.
“I think that’s helped us to get better as players and throughout our career,” said Taylor.
Look at the two sisters and it’s clear they have benefited. In Haley’s junior season, the guard led the team in steals and was second in rebounds and that was with 15 starts on the season. Taylor has been Ohio State’s most consistent player over the past three years, and was the highest rated offensive player in the country in the 23-24 season.
When the two Ohio sides play, it’ll feature two athletes who have excelled in every stage of their basketball upbringings.
There’s a real chance that the two could go up against each other, in-game. Haley plays a second or third guard position, while Thierry normally occupies the third guard/third forward role for Ohio State.
“I definitely have a size advantage on her,” said Taylor. “But maybe I will have to guard her. I don’t know.”
In high school, Haley was taller than Taylor until the Ohio State forward had a growth spurt, now standing a few inches taller than Haley. Regardless of the size difference, the two competitors will compete if called to face each other on Saturday.
For Elin, that competition doesn’t stretch into Ohio State’s game with the Youngstown Penguins. The Thierry family matriarch isn’t choosing one daughter over the other. Apply the same idea to the family, who’s not only traveling from the Cleveland area to see the Thierrys but even members of the family out of state, from as far as Louisiana.
The current count is up to 12 people, but that doesn’t include the friends who’ve reached out to both Haley and Taylor letting them know they would be there. For the ones who can’t make it, their eyes will be focused on the two sisters.
Even though competition runs through the most recent generations of the Thierry family, Saturday goes beyond a final scoreline.
“It’s just an opportunity for us to dote on Taylor and Haley and really praise them for the work they’ve put into what they’ve done,” said Elin.
“Once we have these girls, it’s about them”
Saturday’s game is a celebration. Sure, there will be a final score, the result will be analyzed and one team will win and one team will lose, but it’s the culmination of the love and sacrifice of a family. It starts the process of closing at least one of its chapters.
When the Thierry’s mom says she has mixed feelings about the game, it’s the competitive part that gets the negative connotations involved when people say they have “mixed feelings.”
There are a lot of feelings, and another piece of Saturday is pride. Being proud of a family legacy. The competition part will one day be forgotten. There will be bragging, and likely jokes about it for the foreseeable future, but what the weekend matchup represents is something that dives much deeper.
Back in 2017, six days before what would have been the twins first high school basketball game for the Laurel Gators, John passed away suddenly of a heart attack at the age of 46. Elin and the girls were ready to meet up with John and his family for Thanksgiving when Elin received the call.
It’s a moment that never leaves you. A moment that sits with you for the rest of your life. You are reminded of it at all the crossroads of life. What would it be like if they were around for this or that?
“He probably would not sit in the arena,” said Elin. “He would just be outside of the arena, watching it on one of the TVs probably, but he would be, you know what, he would probably be a little emotional and he’s not an emotional person in that sense.”
Watch anyone you love succeed and it elicits emotion. Watch the Buckeyes’ family section on any given game and they’re cheering players on, giving referees constructive criticism and sometimes standing up to a chant.
“He can be very silly and just funny and but serious about work and doing, taking care of responsibilities,” said Elin. “But I think he would just kind of sit back and take it in and you know, reflect like I’m reflecting in all the work that’s been put in and to see us come to this moment and just the culmination of everything over the past 20 some years. It’s remarkable.”
Elin sees Taylor’s stoic on the outside work ethic and hilarious sense of humor when it's time with family, friends or her congregation.
“Like, I will gut laugh from her facial expressions, her quick wit, her snarkiness. She’s very funny,” said Elin.
There is a misconception that having kids takes away your own goals, but it doesn’t. Suddenly your own goals don’t live up to wanting the best for them.
“He said, ‘once we have these girls, it’s about them,’” said Elin. “ And he was very serious about that. And so his life was about these girls.”
The Thierry twins have those pieces of their dad and mom. Haley’s caring mentality and excitement to compete against her sister, Taylor’s hard work and focus in what she does but the hilarity behind the scenes.
“All the adjectives”
On Saturday, all that will be on display and more. The “more” comes from the Thierry twins road to get to this point. Both are nearing the end of their college basketball journeys. By April, both sisters will move on to the next chapter.
It’s looking back at who these twins were leaving high school, going their separate ways (which one was more excited about than the other) and seeing who they now as they crossover from the final months of adolescence into full-blown adulthood.
“It makes me emotional because my husband and I really put in a lot of effort and thought into how we were going to raise them and who we surround them with and the environment with which they grew up in. So their schooling, their friends, our congregation, just the community with which they have grown in has helped develop them into these beautiful human beings,” said Elin. “And a lot of it has to do with what they put into it also. So not only are they these tremendous student athletes, they are loving and kind and funny and caring and sympathetic and nurturing, hardworking, like all the adjectives.”
Success is not measured the same for everybody. Athletics aren’t the only avenue in which someone can excel and be a source of pride for a parent.
Raising a child is about pouring all that you can into a person and hope that it works out in the end. It’s hard to know if what is being poured in is working. For Elin and John Thierry, they know.
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LGHL Bucketheads Podcast: Joe Jackson of Feed the Post joins the show
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Bucketheads Podcast: Joe Jackson of Feed the Post joins the show
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
We discuss all things Big Ten basketball and Ohio State men’s hoops with Jackson.
“Bucketheads” is LGHL’s men’s basketball podcast, hosted by Connor Lemons and Justin Golba. In every episode, they give you the latest scoop on the Ohio State Buckeyes and everything else happening in college hoops.
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
On Episode 140 of Bucketheads, we welcome back Joe Jackson of Feed the Post. Joe is one of the top Big Ten Basketball analysts, posting videos on Twitter and his YouTube page daily.
We discuss the state of Big Ten basketball and see if Joe has any early favorites to win the conference. Who has stood out so far, and who has been the biggest disappointment?
Then, we talk about Ohio State specifically. What should Ohio State expect moving forward from Meechie Johnson and Devin Royal, and is Ohio State a tournament team right now? What will Aaron Bradshaw bring to the team when he returns?
Make sure to like, subscribe, comment, and leave a review on the show!
Connect with the Podcast:
Twitter: @BucketheadsLGPN
Connect with Connor:
Twitter: @lemons_connor
Connect with Justin:
Twitter: @justin_golba
Connect with Joe:
Twitter: @joejacksonCBB
Continue reading...
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
We discuss all things Big Ten basketball and Ohio State men’s hoops with Jackson.
“Bucketheads” is LGHL’s men’s basketball podcast, hosted by Connor Lemons and Justin Golba. In every episode, they give you the latest scoop on the Ohio State Buckeyes and everything else happening in college hoops.
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
On Episode 140 of Bucketheads, we welcome back Joe Jackson of Feed the Post. Joe is one of the top Big Ten Basketball analysts, posting videos on Twitter and his YouTube page daily.
We discuss the state of Big Ten basketball and see if Joe has any early favorites to win the conference. Who has stood out so far, and who has been the biggest disappointment?
Then, we talk about Ohio State specifically. What should Ohio State expect moving forward from Meechie Johnson and Devin Royal, and is Ohio State a tournament team right now? What will Aaron Bradshaw bring to the team when he returns?
Make sure to like, subscribe, comment, and leave a review on the show!
Connect with the Podcast:
Twitter: @BucketheadsLGPN
Connect with Connor:
Twitter: @lemons_connor
Connect with Justin:
Twitter: @justin_golba
Connect with Joe:
Twitter: @joejacksonCBB
Continue reading...
LGHL Ohio State prioritizing transfer portal recruiting with the 2025 class wrapped up
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Ohio State prioritizing transfer portal recruiting with the 2025 class wrapped up
Caleb Houser 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 via Imagn Images
The Buckeyes are focusing on the portal now that their 2025 class is signed and completed.
It’s only been about two weeks since Ohio State has played their regular season finale, and already so much has gone on as the team prepares for their College Football Playoff matchup with Tennessee. Whether it be signing their 2025 class, focusing recruiting efforts towards the transfer portal or having staffers reportedly interview elsewhere, there’s been zero down time for the Buckeyes.
With plenty more to come and go over the next couple of weeks, Ohio State's first priority will be doing their best to beat Tennessee at home, but if this program wants any chance of being better in 2025, that transfer portal needs to have their full attention. At least right now that fortunately seems to be the case.
Last offseason Ohio State landed the commitment of Caleb Downs when he decided to leave Alabama after Nick Saban’s departure. Far and away the best player on Ohio State’s defense this past season, Downs gave the Buckeyes an elite safety to not only secure the back end, but really lead the unit entirely with Lathan Ransom as his counterpart.
Looking to 2025, the Buckeyes know they’ll need to replace the production of Ransom. While there’s certainly suitors on the current roster, you’d be foolish in today’s landscape not to look at the portal for what could provide potentially a better player to fit the system, and right now that’s exactly what Ohio State is doing.
Purdue transfer target Dillon Thieneman looks to be next in line for Ohio State’s plan of adding elite safeties from the portal, and the staff seems to be in a good position. The Big Ten Freshman of the Year during the 2023 season, Thieneman is arguably the best safety in the portal and would be an incredible addition to the back end of this defense. Pairing him with Downs, the secondary would have a hole filled immediately and would without much debate be the best safety tandem in the country if this works out.
Planning a future visit to Columbus in the coming days, the Buckeyes will have other programs to beat out such as Notre Dame and Oregon, but the best pitch is knowing they too are close enough to Dillon’s home state of Indiana and they have every ability to compete for championships as well as selling the fact they have the current best safety in the country.
Work to be done, but this is a recruitment from the portal the staff needs to win. For now, the momentum seems to be growing.
In sticking with the transfer portal theme, it takes no real thought to realize Ohio State’s biggest area of need is along their offensive line. A unit that plain and simple needs to be overhauled with depth, Justin Frye and the Buckeyes have to be as successful in the portal this winter if they want to have any shot of reaching their ultimate goals in 2025. Needing to secure at least one and likely two offensive tackles, this position group should be turning over every stone.
Plenty of big names already entering the portal, Ohio State should be going after a bunch of them with resources that help their cause, and Nevada’s Isaiah World may be the first in line to not only hear from Ohio State, but also have a strong interest in becoming a Buckeye for his next home.
Arguably the best offensive tackle in the portal currently, World is an impressive 6-foot-8, 310 pounds and has plenty of stock behind why he’s being so highly sought after. Allowing just 13 sacks in three years with over 1,200 hundred pass-blocking snaps, World did not allow a single sack in 2024, and would be the absolute home run for this staff that needs to land two guys to help anchor the tackle positions in 2025.
Right now, there’s growing belief that World is keeping Ohio State atop of his list and may even be the leader in his recruitment thus far. Reports coming from Bill Kurelic of Bucknuts stating that Ohio State is in good position to win this battle needs to be the consensus moving forward, but if Frye is able to land this one sooner rather than later, you have to like the chances the Buckeyes have of getting more done to get this unit to where it needs to be.
Immediately a connection because of the family relation, you’d have to think Ohio State has a real shot here at landing 247Sport’s 55th ranked corner in his 2022 class at the time. For now, play close attention to where he visits, and if Columbus is on the list, the Buckeyes may be the frontrunner here.
Continue reading...
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The Buckeyes are focusing on the portal now that their 2025 class is signed and completed.
It’s only been about two weeks since Ohio State has played their regular season finale, and already so much has gone on as the team prepares for their College Football Playoff matchup with Tennessee. Whether it be signing their 2025 class, focusing recruiting efforts towards the transfer portal or having staffers reportedly interview elsewhere, there’s been zero down time for the Buckeyes.
With plenty more to come and go over the next couple of weeks, Ohio State's first priority will be doing their best to beat Tennessee at home, but if this program wants any chance of being better in 2025, that transfer portal needs to have their full attention. At least right now that fortunately seems to be the case.
Securing the back end of the defense
Last offseason Ohio State landed the commitment of Caleb Downs when he decided to leave Alabama after Nick Saban’s departure. Far and away the best player on Ohio State’s defense this past season, Downs gave the Buckeyes an elite safety to not only secure the back end, but really lead the unit entirely with Lathan Ransom as his counterpart.
Looking to 2025, the Buckeyes know they’ll need to replace the production of Ransom. While there’s certainly suitors on the current roster, you’d be foolish in today’s landscape not to look at the portal for what could provide potentially a better player to fit the system, and right now that’s exactly what Ohio State is doing.
Purdue transfer target Dillon Thieneman looks to be next in line for Ohio State’s plan of adding elite safeties from the portal, and the staff seems to be in a good position. The Big Ten Freshman of the Year during the 2023 season, Thieneman is arguably the best safety in the portal and would be an incredible addition to the back end of this defense. Pairing him with Downs, the secondary would have a hole filled immediately and would without much debate be the best safety tandem in the country if this works out.
Planning a future visit to Columbus in the coming days, the Buckeyes will have other programs to beat out such as Notre Dame and Oregon, but the best pitch is knowing they too are close enough to Dillon’s home state of Indiana and they have every ability to compete for championships as well as selling the fact they have the current best safety in the country.
Work to be done, but this is a recruitment from the portal the staff needs to win. For now, the momentum seems to be growing.
Do whatever it takes to win!
In sticking with the transfer portal theme, it takes no real thought to realize Ohio State’s biggest area of need is along their offensive line. A unit that plain and simple needs to be overhauled with depth, Justin Frye and the Buckeyes have to be as successful in the portal this winter if they want to have any shot of reaching their ultimate goals in 2025. Needing to secure at least one and likely two offensive tackles, this position group should be turning over every stone.
Plenty of big names already entering the portal, Ohio State should be going after a bunch of them with resources that help their cause, and Nevada’s Isaiah World may be the first in line to not only hear from Ohio State, but also have a strong interest in becoming a Buckeye for his next home.
Arguably the best offensive tackle in the portal currently, World is an impressive 6-foot-8, 310 pounds and has plenty of stock behind why he’s being so highly sought after. Allowing just 13 sacks in three years with over 1,200 hundred pass-blocking snaps, World did not allow a single sack in 2024, and would be the absolute home run for this staff that needs to land two guys to help anchor the tackle positions in 2025.
Right now, there’s growing belief that World is keeping Ohio State atop of his list and may even be the leader in his recruitment thus far. Reports coming from Bill Kurelic of Bucknuts stating that Ohio State is in good position to win this battle needs to be the consensus moving forward, but if Frye is able to land this one sooner rather than later, you have to like the chances the Buckeyes have of getting more done to get this unit to where it needs to be.
The #Buckeyes move into a good spot for a huge transfer portal offensive tackle.
@Bill_Kurelic https://t.co/X2CIX1EVK2 pic.twitter.com/FRnEKlHFTl
— Bucknuts (@Bucknuts247) December 12, 2024
Quick Hits
- No shortage of younger guys ready to step up, Ohio State is still looking at the transfer portal for depth to help the secondary and specifically at the cornerback position. A name that has surfaced quickly as a potential match is Virginia Tech’s Mansoor Delane, who of course is the older brother to recent 2025 signee, Faheem Delane.
Immediately a connection because of the family relation, you’d have to think Ohio State has a real shot here at landing 247Sport’s 55th ranked corner in his 2022 class at the time. For now, play close attention to where he visits, and if Columbus is on the list, the Buckeyes may be the frontrunner here.
Continue reading...
LGHL MC&J: The 2024-25 college football bowl season kicks off on Saturday night
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MC&J: The 2024-25 college football bowl season kicks off on Saturday night
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Rich Barnes-Imagn Images
Including College Football Playoff games, there are 46 bowls on this year’s schedule.
Last week ATS: 4-5 (3-5 National, 1-0 B1G)
Season ATS: 124-115 (52-54 National, 72-61 B1G)
With bowl season upon us, the picks are going to come fast and furious. As if bowl season wasn’t crazy enough recently with players entering the transfer portal and opting out of bowl games to focus on preparing for the NFL Draft, this year is going to be unlike any season we have seen before because of the expansion of the College Football Playoff to 12 teams.
Over the next month I’ll have picks against the spread for all 46 bowl games. To make the predictions a little easier to digest, I’ll put out a number of picks articles in the coming weeks. The first will contain my picks for the first seven bowl games. Next week I’ll predict the first four CFP games, as well as have another article with another grouping of non-CFP bowl games.
Hopefully I’ll spend the next couple weeks filling your stockings with plenty of winning bowl game picks. And if you’re wondering where my Navy-Army pick is, you’re not going to find it since I have no interest in the game. I understand how people get emotional over the pageantry and patriotism involved with the game, but let’s at least be honest about how dreadful the actual football is. I guess take the points and the under since the Midshipmen and Black Knights routinely struggle to combine to score 30 points.
Salute to Veterans Bowl: South Alabama (-7.5) v. Western Michigan - 12/14 9:00 p.m. ET - ESPN
The first FBS bowl game of the season features a team that Ohio State shutout in the non-conference portion of their schedule. The Buckeyes defeated Western Michigan 56-0 in Columbus back in September.
While the Broncos did put together a four-game winning streak in the middle of the season, Lance Taylor’s team fell apart at the end, losing three of their last four games. Western Michigan will try to run the football on Saturday night, as they have three running backs who have rushed for at least 500 yards this season.
South Alabama took a hit when running back Fluff Bothwell entered the transfer portal this week, but at least the Jaguars have a capable replacement in Kentrel Bullock, who ran for 700 yards and six scores this season. Quarterback Gio Lopez was dinged up in the loss to Texas State in the final game of the regular season, leaving Bishop Davenport to close out the loss. Lopez announced on Wednesday he would be returning to South Alabama for the 2025 season.
First-year head coach Major Applewhite will look to replicate the success Kane Wommack had in a bowl game last year in Alabama, when South Alabama beat Eastern Michigan 59-10 in a bowl game. The Broncos don’t have enough punch to keep up with the Jaguars, who will definitely have a bit of a home-field advantage since they only have to travel a little over two hours to Montgomery for the game.
South Alabama 37, Western Michigan 20
Frisco Bowl: No. 25 Memphis (-3.5) v. West Virginia - 12/17 9:00 p.m. ET - ESPN
I’m sure Memphis is disappointed they weren’t able to contend for the CFP’s Group of Five automatic bid after earning a win over Florida State that felt like a bigger deal back in September before we found out the Seminoles were a dumpster fire. The Tigers closed out the regular season with an impressive win over Tulane.
Taking the snaps for Memphis is Seth Henigan, who will close out his career with the Tigers with a game not too far from his hometown of Denton.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25786219/2181832301.jpg "COLLEGE FOOTBALL: NOV 02 Memphis at UTSA")
Photo by John Rivera/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
It’d be easy to understand if West Virginia isn’t focused on this bowl game. The Mountaineers fired head coach Neal Brown after they lost 52-15 at Texas Tech to close out the regular season. Offensive coordinator Chad Scott will be the interim head coach for this game. While the next head coach of the Mountaineers has yet to be named, there are rumblings Rich Rodriguez could return to Morgantown for a second stint as head coach.
There have been a couple games where I had some faith in West Virginia this year and the Mountaineers have let me down. I’m not going down that road again. Quarterback Garrett Greene is pretty average and the defense is a mess. I find it hard to see how West Virginia not only slows down Henigan and the Memphis offense, but also keeps pace with the points the Tigers put up.
Memphis 34, West Virginia 23
Boca Raton Bowl: Western Kentucky v. James Madison (-8.5) - 12/18 5:30 p.m. ET - ESPN
Last time we saw Western Kentucky they were getting plastered by Jacksonville State 52-12 in the Conference USA Championship Game. The Hilltoppers weren’t able to shut down the rushing attack of the Gamecocks, who rolled up 386 yards on the ground. Western Kentucky had a rough close to the regular season, losing three of four games. Quarterback Caden Veltkamp needs to be on with his throws for the offense of the Hilltoppers to have success since they have trouble running the football.
Curt Cignetti and a number of key players from last year’s squad have moved on to Indiana, but James Madison is still a fun watch. Just look at the game against North Carolina earlier this season where the Dukes shocked the Tar Heels 70-50 in Chapel Hill. Not only did quarterback Alonza Barrett III throw 26 touchdowns and just four interceptions, he also added seven scores on the ground. The defense is still pretty good too, with Eric O’Neill leading the charge with 11.5 sacks in 2024.
The Dukes feel like the better all-around team in this one. Western Kentucky relies too much on throwing the football, which could get them into trouble against a defense like James Madison has. After losing their bowl debut last year against Air Force, this year the Dukes earn their first bowl victory.
James Madison 38, Western Kentucky 24
LA Bowl: Cal (-1.5) v. No. 24 UNLV - 12/18 9:00 p.m. ET - ESPN
Both these teams will enter this game with a key member missing. UNLV head coach Barry Odom has taken the Purdue job, leaving wide receivers coach Del Alexander to act as interim head coach against the Golden Bears. It is still unknown if wide receiver Ricky White III will play in this game or will opt to sit out ahead of the NFL Draft. White was one of the top receivers in the country this year, catching 79 passes for 1,041 yards and 11 touchdowns.
Cal starting quarterback Fernando Mendoza announced on Wednesday that he is entering the transfer portal after throwing for 3,004 yards and 16 touchdowns this season. Mendoza didn’t play in Cal’s final regular season game against SMU, leaving Chandler Rogers to start. CJ Harris also took snaps after Rogers was banged up against the Mustangs. The loss of Mendoza might be a little easier for Cal to stomach if running back Jaydn Ott didn’t have such a disappointing season. After rushing for 1,305 yards in 2023, Ott has run for just 301 yards this season, averaging 2.9 yards per carry.
I’m not really sure why Cal is favored here since I think UNLV is the better team. The offense of the Rebels is more explosive and the defense is tough to crack. Had it not been for two losses to Boise State, UNLV might have had a case to be the Group of Five representative in the playoff. The Rebels win this game outright.
UNLV 31, Cal 21
New Orleans Bowl: Georgia Southern (-6.5) v. Sam Houston - 12/19 7:00 p.m. ET - ESPN2
In just their second season as an FBS school, Sam Houston posted a 9-3 record and their first trip to a bowl game. Success doesn’t come without consequences, though. After 10 years as head coach at Sam Houston, K.C. Keeler recently accepted the head coaching job at Temple. Along with Keeler leaving, a number of Bearkats have entered the transfer portal. The Sam Houston defense has allowed more than 21 points in just three games this year, but they’ll be without safety Caleb Weaver, who is one of those players who entered the transfer portal.
Georgia Southern played an ambitious non-conference schedule, taking on Boise State and Ole Miss. After stepping into Sun Belt play, the Eagles won six of their final eight games of the regular season. Running back Jalen White ran for 12 touchdowns this season, while linebacker Marques Watson-Trent registered 110 tackles. Despite Sam Houston’s stout defense, the Georgia Southern program feels more stable right now, which will lead to the Eagles winning by more than a touchdown.
Georgia Southern 27, Sam Houston 17
Cure Bowl: Ohio (-2.5) v. Jacksonville State - 12/20 12:00 p.m. ET - ESPN
Could we possibly have two interim head coaches in this bowl game? As of now we know Ohio will have offensive coordinator Brian White as their interim head coach after Tim Albin left for Charlotte following the 38-3 win by the Bobcats over Miami (OH) in the MAC Championship Game. It is possible Jacksonville State head coach Rich Rodriguez will have finalized a return to West Virginia before this game, as there are rumblings both sides are interested in reuniting.
Jacksonville State has one of the best rushing attacks in the country. Running back Tre Stewart and quarterback Tyler Huff have combined to rush for nearly 3,000 yards and 37 touchdowns this season. The issue for the Gamecocks is when their running game gets bottled up, since Huff is spotty throwing the football. No matter the result of this game, Jacksonville State still can hang their hat on being Conference USA champs.
If there is a defense that can slow down Jacksonville State on the ground, it is Ohio. The Bobcats have given up less than 17 points in five of their last six games. In a way, Ohio is similar to Jacksonville State on offense, preferring to run the football with running back Anthony Tyus III and quarterback Parker Navarro. The difference is, Navarro can chuck it with confidence when needed. Wide receiver Coleman Owen is Navarro’s favorite target, as Owen has 67 catches for 1,105 yards and eight touchdowns this year.
The Bobcats make it six-straight bowl game victories.
Ohio 30, Jacksonville State 17
Gasparilla Bowl: Tulane v. Florida (-12.5) - 12/20 3:30 p.m. ET - ESPN
Picking against Florida in bowl games has been profitable over the last few years, as the Gators have lost their last three bowl games. The Gators should be able to end their losing streak this year.
Florida finished the season strong, winning their last three games, beating LSU, Ole Miss, and Florida State. Quarterback DJ Lagway is getting more comfortable running the offense after he was thrust into the starting role earlier in the season when Graham Mertz was injured.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25786221/2170392228.jpg "COLLEGE FOOTBALL: SEP 07 Samford at Florida")
Photo by Chris Leduc/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
While Florida looks to have found their quarterback of the future, Tulane will be without their starter. Following the loss to Army in the American Conference Championship Game, Darian Mensah entered the transfer portal. The most logical option for the Green Wave against the Gators is former Oregon quarterback Ty Thompson, who was used during the season in some running sets. Without Mensah, Florida can focus on stuffing running back Makhi Hughes, who ran for 1,372 yards and 15 touchdowns this year.
Even though they are laying nearly two touchdowns, I still like Florida in this game. The Gators are trending up, while Tulane is trending downward after losing their last two games. Add in breaking in a new quarterback against an athletic Florida defense and it could be a long afternoon for Jon Sumrall’s team in Tampa.
Florida 31, Tulane 14
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Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Rich Barnes-Imagn Images
Including College Football Playoff games, there are 46 bowls on this year’s schedule.
Last week ATS: 4-5 (3-5 National, 1-0 B1G)
Season ATS: 124-115 (52-54 National, 72-61 B1G)
With bowl season upon us, the picks are going to come fast and furious. As if bowl season wasn’t crazy enough recently with players entering the transfer portal and opting out of bowl games to focus on preparing for the NFL Draft, this year is going to be unlike any season we have seen before because of the expansion of the College Football Playoff to 12 teams.
Over the next month I’ll have picks against the spread for all 46 bowl games. To make the predictions a little easier to digest, I’ll put out a number of picks articles in the coming weeks. The first will contain my picks for the first seven bowl games. Next week I’ll predict the first four CFP games, as well as have another article with another grouping of non-CFP bowl games.
Hopefully I’ll spend the next couple weeks filling your stockings with plenty of winning bowl game picks. And if you’re wondering where my Navy-Army pick is, you’re not going to find it since I have no interest in the game. I understand how people get emotional over the pageantry and patriotism involved with the game, but let’s at least be honest about how dreadful the actual football is. I guess take the points and the under since the Midshipmen and Black Knights routinely struggle to combine to score 30 points.
12/14 - 12/20 non-CFP bowl games
Salute to Veterans Bowl: South Alabama (-7.5) v. Western Michigan - 12/14 9:00 p.m. ET - ESPN
The first FBS bowl game of the season features a team that Ohio State shutout in the non-conference portion of their schedule. The Buckeyes defeated Western Michigan 56-0 in Columbus back in September.
While the Broncos did put together a four-game winning streak in the middle of the season, Lance Taylor’s team fell apart at the end, losing three of their last four games. Western Michigan will try to run the football on Saturday night, as they have three running backs who have rushed for at least 500 yards this season.
South Alabama took a hit when running back Fluff Bothwell entered the transfer portal this week, but at least the Jaguars have a capable replacement in Kentrel Bullock, who ran for 700 yards and six scores this season. Quarterback Gio Lopez was dinged up in the loss to Texas State in the final game of the regular season, leaving Bishop Davenport to close out the loss. Lopez announced on Wednesday he would be returning to South Alabama for the 2025 season.
First-year head coach Major Applewhite will look to replicate the success Kane Wommack had in a bowl game last year in Alabama, when South Alabama beat Eastern Michigan 59-10 in a bowl game. The Broncos don’t have enough punch to keep up with the Jaguars, who will definitely have a bit of a home-field advantage since they only have to travel a little over two hours to Montgomery for the game.
South Alabama 37, Western Michigan 20
Frisco Bowl: No. 25 Memphis (-3.5) v. West Virginia - 12/17 9:00 p.m. ET - ESPN
I’m sure Memphis is disappointed they weren’t able to contend for the CFP’s Group of Five automatic bid after earning a win over Florida State that felt like a bigger deal back in September before we found out the Seminoles were a dumpster fire. The Tigers closed out the regular season with an impressive win over Tulane.
Taking the snaps for Memphis is Seth Henigan, who will close out his career with the Tigers with a game not too far from his hometown of Denton.
It’d be easy to understand if West Virginia isn’t focused on this bowl game. The Mountaineers fired head coach Neal Brown after they lost 52-15 at Texas Tech to close out the regular season. Offensive coordinator Chad Scott will be the interim head coach for this game. While the next head coach of the Mountaineers has yet to be named, there are rumblings Rich Rodriguez could return to Morgantown for a second stint as head coach.
There have been a couple games where I had some faith in West Virginia this year and the Mountaineers have let me down. I’m not going down that road again. Quarterback Garrett Greene is pretty average and the defense is a mess. I find it hard to see how West Virginia not only slows down Henigan and the Memphis offense, but also keeps pace with the points the Tigers put up.
Memphis 34, West Virginia 23
Boca Raton Bowl: Western Kentucky v. James Madison (-8.5) - 12/18 5:30 p.m. ET - ESPN
Last time we saw Western Kentucky they were getting plastered by Jacksonville State 52-12 in the Conference USA Championship Game. The Hilltoppers weren’t able to shut down the rushing attack of the Gamecocks, who rolled up 386 yards on the ground. Western Kentucky had a rough close to the regular season, losing three of four games. Quarterback Caden Veltkamp needs to be on with his throws for the offense of the Hilltoppers to have success since they have trouble running the football.
Curt Cignetti and a number of key players from last year’s squad have moved on to Indiana, but James Madison is still a fun watch. Just look at the game against North Carolina earlier this season where the Dukes shocked the Tar Heels 70-50 in Chapel Hill. Not only did quarterback Alonza Barrett III throw 26 touchdowns and just four interceptions, he also added seven scores on the ground. The defense is still pretty good too, with Eric O’Neill leading the charge with 11.5 sacks in 2024.
The Dukes feel like the better all-around team in this one. Western Kentucky relies too much on throwing the football, which could get them into trouble against a defense like James Madison has. After losing their bowl debut last year against Air Force, this year the Dukes earn their first bowl victory.
James Madison 38, Western Kentucky 24
LA Bowl: Cal (-1.5) v. No. 24 UNLV - 12/18 9:00 p.m. ET - ESPN
Both these teams will enter this game with a key member missing. UNLV head coach Barry Odom has taken the Purdue job, leaving wide receivers coach Del Alexander to act as interim head coach against the Golden Bears. It is still unknown if wide receiver Ricky White III will play in this game or will opt to sit out ahead of the NFL Draft. White was one of the top receivers in the country this year, catching 79 passes for 1,041 yards and 11 touchdowns.
Cal starting quarterback Fernando Mendoza announced on Wednesday that he is entering the transfer portal after throwing for 3,004 yards and 16 touchdowns this season. Mendoza didn’t play in Cal’s final regular season game against SMU, leaving Chandler Rogers to start. CJ Harris also took snaps after Rogers was banged up against the Mustangs. The loss of Mendoza might be a little easier for Cal to stomach if running back Jaydn Ott didn’t have such a disappointing season. After rushing for 1,305 yards in 2023, Ott has run for just 301 yards this season, averaging 2.9 yards per carry.
I’m not really sure why Cal is favored here since I think UNLV is the better team. The offense of the Rebels is more explosive and the defense is tough to crack. Had it not been for two losses to Boise State, UNLV might have had a case to be the Group of Five representative in the playoff. The Rebels win this game outright.
UNLV 31, Cal 21
New Orleans Bowl: Georgia Southern (-6.5) v. Sam Houston - 12/19 7:00 p.m. ET - ESPN2
In just their second season as an FBS school, Sam Houston posted a 9-3 record and their first trip to a bowl game. Success doesn’t come without consequences, though. After 10 years as head coach at Sam Houston, K.C. Keeler recently accepted the head coaching job at Temple. Along with Keeler leaving, a number of Bearkats have entered the transfer portal. The Sam Houston defense has allowed more than 21 points in just three games this year, but they’ll be without safety Caleb Weaver, who is one of those players who entered the transfer portal.
Georgia Southern played an ambitious non-conference schedule, taking on Boise State and Ole Miss. After stepping into Sun Belt play, the Eagles won six of their final eight games of the regular season. Running back Jalen White ran for 12 touchdowns this season, while linebacker Marques Watson-Trent registered 110 tackles. Despite Sam Houston’s stout defense, the Georgia Southern program feels more stable right now, which will lead to the Eagles winning by more than a touchdown.
Georgia Southern 27, Sam Houston 17
Cure Bowl: Ohio (-2.5) v. Jacksonville State - 12/20 12:00 p.m. ET - ESPN
Could we possibly have two interim head coaches in this bowl game? As of now we know Ohio will have offensive coordinator Brian White as their interim head coach after Tim Albin left for Charlotte following the 38-3 win by the Bobcats over Miami (OH) in the MAC Championship Game. It is possible Jacksonville State head coach Rich Rodriguez will have finalized a return to West Virginia before this game, as there are rumblings both sides are interested in reuniting.
Jacksonville State has one of the best rushing attacks in the country. Running back Tre Stewart and quarterback Tyler Huff have combined to rush for nearly 3,000 yards and 37 touchdowns this season. The issue for the Gamecocks is when their running game gets bottled up, since Huff is spotty throwing the football. No matter the result of this game, Jacksonville State still can hang their hat on being Conference USA champs.
If there is a defense that can slow down Jacksonville State on the ground, it is Ohio. The Bobcats have given up less than 17 points in five of their last six games. In a way, Ohio is similar to Jacksonville State on offense, preferring to run the football with running back Anthony Tyus III and quarterback Parker Navarro. The difference is, Navarro can chuck it with confidence when needed. Wide receiver Coleman Owen is Navarro’s favorite target, as Owen has 67 catches for 1,105 yards and eight touchdowns this year.
The Bobcats make it six-straight bowl game victories.
Ohio 30, Jacksonville State 17
Gasparilla Bowl: Tulane v. Florida (-12.5) - 12/20 3:30 p.m. ET - ESPN
Picking against Florida in bowl games has been profitable over the last few years, as the Gators have lost their last three bowl games. The Gators should be able to end their losing streak this year.
Florida finished the season strong, winning their last three games, beating LSU, Ole Miss, and Florida State. Quarterback DJ Lagway is getting more comfortable running the offense after he was thrust into the starting role earlier in the season when Graham Mertz was injured.
While Florida looks to have found their quarterback of the future, Tulane will be without their starter. Following the loss to Army in the American Conference Championship Game, Darian Mensah entered the transfer portal. The most logical option for the Green Wave against the Gators is former Oregon quarterback Ty Thompson, who was used during the season in some running sets. Without Mensah, Florida can focus on stuffing running back Makhi Hughes, who ran for 1,372 yards and 15 touchdowns this year.
Even though they are laying nearly two touchdowns, I still like Florida in this game. The Gators are trending up, while Tulane is trending downward after losing their last two games. Add in breaking in a new quarterback against an athletic Florida defense and it could be a long afternoon for Jon Sumrall’s team in Tampa.
Florida 31, Tulane 14
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LGHL I-80 Football Show: Oregon wins the Big Ten in their first year
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I-80 Football Show: Oregon wins the Big Ten in their first year
JordanW330 via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by James Black/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Oregon and Penn State battled for the Big Ten Championship in a shootout, plus coaching carousel updates.
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.
Oregon is officially the Big Ten Champs after beating Penn State 45-37 in a surprising shootout in Indianapolis. Oregon, the only West Coast team who seemed prepared for the Big Ten, entered the conference with a loaded roster and National Championship expectations. They finish their first season as champs with a 13-0 record and the No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoff.
With a few weeks off before a date with the winner of the Ohio State-Tennessee game, the Ducks are in prime position to compete for a national title despite having the hardest path to the championship game. It was a banner season for Oregon, and the only question now is can they finish the season a perfect 16-0 and win the first national championship in the history of their program?
The coaching carousel, while muted due to the lack of big-time jobs, is in full swing as Purdue has found their new head coach by hiring Barry Odom away from UNLV. Nebraska reloaded at defensive coordinator by promoting John Butler, while Michigan and Wisconsin also filled their vacant offensive coordinator positions by hiring Chip Lindsey from UNC and Jeff Grimes from Kansas, respectively.
There are still a few vacant coordinator roles, but the Big Ten officially has all 18 head coaches, unless Ohio State decides to move on from Ryan Day with a poor showing in the postseason.
In other news, the Big Ten released its 2025 football schedule. There are a couple of key games we’re looking forward to, starting with Ohio State-Texas in Week 1. Ohio State welcomes Penn State into the Shoe and will be hoping to end their losing streak in the Big House.
Oregon plays Penn State in a championship game rematch, while USC-UCLA is being moved back to its rightful place: Rivalry Week. Overall the conference looks to have fewer marque matchups than this season, but it will be hoping to recreate the magic with upstarts like Indiana and end the season with at least four teams in the 12-team playoff field once again.
In their weekly pitstop, Jordan is on the fence about the Yankees losing Juan Soto. On one hand, a 15-year contract for any player doesn’t make sense and it is so much money when you don’t know how a player will age. On the other hand, Soto is one of the best younger players in the game and a truly generational talent. Losing him to the Mets makes it even worse. The Yankees must find a way to rebound after losing Soto to their crosstown rival.
If you like the show, please share it with friends and family and leave a five-star review. 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: @GetDefensiveSportsNetwork
Follow the podcast on Instagram: @GetDefensiveSportsNetwork
Connect with us on Twitter: Jordan: @JordanW330 and Dante: @DanteM10216
Continue reading...
JordanW330 via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by James Black/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Oregon and Penn State battled for the Big Ten Championship in a shootout, plus coaching carousel updates.
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.
Oregon is officially the Big Ten Champs after beating Penn State 45-37 in a surprising shootout in Indianapolis. Oregon, the only West Coast team who seemed prepared for the Big Ten, entered the conference with a loaded roster and National Championship expectations. They finish their first season as champs with a 13-0 record and the No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoff.
With a few weeks off before a date with the winner of the Ohio State-Tennessee game, the Ducks are in prime position to compete for a national title despite having the hardest path to the championship game. It was a banner season for Oregon, and the only question now is can they finish the season a perfect 16-0 and win the first national championship in the history of their program?
The coaching carousel, while muted due to the lack of big-time jobs, is in full swing as Purdue has found their new head coach by hiring Barry Odom away from UNLV. Nebraska reloaded at defensive coordinator by promoting John Butler, while Michigan and Wisconsin also filled their vacant offensive coordinator positions by hiring Chip Lindsey from UNC and Jeff Grimes from Kansas, respectively.
There are still a few vacant coordinator roles, but the Big Ten officially has all 18 head coaches, unless Ohio State decides to move on from Ryan Day with a poor showing in the postseason.
In other news, the Big Ten released its 2025 football schedule. There are a couple of key games we’re looking forward to, starting with Ohio State-Texas in Week 1. Ohio State welcomes Penn State into the Shoe and will be hoping to end their losing streak in the Big House.
Oregon plays Penn State in a championship game rematch, while USC-UCLA is being moved back to its rightful place: Rivalry Week. Overall the conference looks to have fewer marque matchups than this season, but it will be hoping to recreate the magic with upstarts like Indiana and end the season with at least four teams in the 12-team playoff field once again.
In their weekly pitstop, Jordan is on the fence about the Yankees losing Juan Soto. On one hand, a 15-year contract for any player doesn’t make sense and it is so much money when you don’t know how a player will age. On the other hand, Soto is one of the best younger players in the game and a truly generational talent. Losing him to the Mets makes it even worse. The Yankees must find a way to rebound after losing Soto to their crosstown rival.
If you like the show, please share it with friends and family and leave a five-star review. 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: @GetDefensiveSportsNetwork
Follow the podcast on Instagram: @GetDefensiveSportsNetwork
Connect with us on Twitter: Jordan: @JordanW330 and Dante: @DanteM10216
Continue reading...
LGHL Check out Ohio State’s 2025 football schedule; Texas, Penn State, UCLA coming to The Shoe
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Check out Ohio State’s 2025 football schedule; Texas, Penn State, UCLA coming to The Shoe
Matt Tamanini 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 via Imagn Images
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!
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
2025 Ohio State Football Schedule is Set
Ohio State Athletics
Three Thoughts as Buckeyes get 2025 schedule breakdown
Austin Ward, Dotting The Eyes
Three big takeaways from 2025 Ohio State football schedule reveal
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row
Analyzing Ohio State’s 2025 schedule
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts
Wouldn’t it be such a shame if the Ohio State crowd booed Kirk Herbstreit when “GameDay” is on campus?
West Virginia Reportedly Interviews Ohio State Wide Receivers Coach Brian Hartline for Head Coaching Vacancy, But Expected to Hire Rich Rodriguez
Dan Hope, Eleven Warriors
Ohio State Safety Caleb Downs, Center Seth McLaughlin Named First-Team All-Americans By CBS Sports, The Athletic
Andy Anders, Eleven Warriors
Will Howard was the right choice for Ohio State at quarterback
Josh Dooley, Land-Grant Holy Land
Is Ohio Stadium prepared for Buckeyes’ playoff game vs. Tennessee?
Sheridan Hendrix, The Columbus Dispatch
You’re Nuts: Which non-CFP bowl game are you most looking forward to?
Brett Ludwiczak and Matt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land
This is just engagement farm BS, but it’s working on me:
Everything you need to know about Ohio State’s campus before the College Football Playoffs
Matt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land
Men’s Soccer: Adedokun, Magnusson Semifinalists for MAC Hermann Trophy
Ohio State Athletics
Men’s Soccer: No. 1 Ohio State, No. 13 Marshall Set for College Cup Semifinals Friday
Ohio State Athletics
Honestly, what the fuck are we doing here?
Ohio lawmaker wants to make it a felony to plant a flag at OSU stadium
Anthony Shoemaker and Erin Glynn, The Columbus Dispatch
Continue reading...
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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
2025 Ohio State Football Schedule is Set
Ohio State Athletics
Three Thoughts as Buckeyes get 2025 schedule breakdown
Austin Ward, Dotting The Eyes
Three big takeaways from 2025 Ohio State football schedule reveal
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row
Analyzing Ohio State’s 2025 schedule
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts
Wouldn’t it be such a shame if the Ohio State crowd booed Kirk Herbstreit when “GameDay” is on campus?
West Virginia Reportedly Interviews Ohio State Wide Receivers Coach Brian Hartline for Head Coaching Vacancy, But Expected to Hire Rich Rodriguez
Dan Hope, Eleven Warriors
Ohio State Safety Caleb Downs, Center Seth McLaughlin Named First-Team All-Americans By CBS Sports, The Athletic
Andy Anders, Eleven Warriors
Will Howard was the right choice for Ohio State at quarterback
Josh Dooley, Land-Grant Holy Land
Is Ohio Stadium prepared for Buckeyes’ playoff game vs. Tennessee?
Sheridan Hendrix, The Columbus Dispatch
You’re Nuts: Which non-CFP bowl game are you most looking forward to?
Brett Ludwiczak and Matt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land
This is just engagement farm BS, but it’s working on me:
Outside the Shoe and Schott
Everything you need to know about Ohio State’s campus before the College Football Playoffs
Matt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land
Men’s Soccer: Adedokun, Magnusson Semifinalists for MAC Hermann Trophy
Ohio State Athletics
Men’s Soccer: No. 1 Ohio State, No. 13 Marshall Set for College Cup Semifinals Friday
Ohio State Athletics
And now for something completely different...
Honestly, what the fuck are we doing here?
Ohio lawmaker wants to make it a felony to plant a flag at OSU stadium
Anthony Shoemaker and Erin Glynn, The Columbus Dispatch
Continue reading...
