-
New here? Register here now for access to all the forums, download game torrents, private messages, polls, Sportsbook, etc. Plus, stay connected and follow BP on Instagram @buckeyeplanet and Facebook.
LGHL Bold Prediction: This season will feature zero existential dread for Ohio State fans
- News
- 0 Replies
Bold Prediction: This season will feature zero existential dread for Ohio State fans
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 of the questions that fans had about whether Ryan Day could get the team to the next level have been asked and answered.
As preseason camp begins this month, Land-Grant Holy Land is diving into its final theme every week of the off-season. This week is all about making predictions that may or may not be reasonable, in fact, some might say they are bold. You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content here and all of our ”Bold Predictions” articles here.
The Ohio State football team accomplished an unimaginable amount in December and January of last season. The Buckeyes went on arguably the greatest four-game run in the history of college football, they claimed the program’s ninth national title, and reestablished themselves at the top of the college football mountain. However, the thing that I think is most significant from the Buckeyes’ College Football Playoff run is the fact that head coach Ryan Day got the proverbial monkey off his back.
Despite tons of wins over the last three or four seasons, for many in Buckeye Nation, there has been an air of anxiety around the program because no matter what the team accomplished, there always seemed to be a feeling that the other shoe was going to eventually drop. Unfortunately, that footwear often fell in the regular season finale against Michigan.
These disappointments led many Buckeye fans — myself included — to wonder if Day was capable of getting over the hurdles that he seemingly placed in his own path. While a wizard in the schematic and motivational areas of coaching, an obsession to prove that his team was “tough”, and inability to trust his assistant coaches and players in the most inopportune times to becoming oddly overly conservative in big situations, Day’ mental blocks in the biggest games led to many fans living in a constant state of existential dread when it came to the Buckeye football team.
Now, this might say more about those fans than the team or head coach, but there is no denying that fans — including many outside of the #LunaticFringe — were increasingly concerned about whether or not Day could get the Buckeyes back to the upper echelon of college football.
Well, the easiest way to get people to stop worrying about whether or not you can do something is to just go out and do it, and that is exactly what Ryan Day did. Following the fourth-straight loss to Michigan, the head coach seemingly reexamined everything about his team, taking the restrictor plate off of the offense, letting the defense play with an aggression that had appeared to be lacking, and giving his coaches the right to take big swings.
It obviously all paid off last season, and that leads to a much different vibe coming into the 2025 campaign. While this year’s squad will not have the benefit of all of those insanely talented and experienced players that anchored the title run last year, there are plenty of guys waiting in the wings to step up and get their turn.
But even if the team doesn’t repeat, or it stumbles a couple of times throughout the season, I don’t think that there will be the constant storm cloud looming over the fandom, waiting to unleash a torrential downpour at the first sign of trouble. The issues that led to questions about Day’s capabilities have been asked and answered, so I feel like Buckeye fans (and bloggers) can approach this season more like Tigger or Pooh, rather than Eeyore.
Is this a rebuilding year? No, Ohio State doesn’t rebuild. Is it a season when going undefeated and winning each game by double-digits is reasonable? Probably not. However, with the expanded playoffs, teams like OSU have a little bit more margin for error than what was already afforded the best teams from the best conferences. So we (and by we, I am absolutely including myself) don’t need to react like the sky is falling anytime the team doesn’t look perfect.
While there are always going to be outsized expectations and emotions surrounding the Buckeye football team, I do feel like this season is going to be different. I certainly don’t expect the fans to be complacent because of last season’s national title, but I do think that the CFP win brought a certain peace of mind to the fandom. Not every coaching decision has to be observed and evaluated as if it is a referendum on the future of the program. There is an understanding, conscious or otherwise, that there will be peaks and valleys throughout the course of any season, especially one with 15 new starters and a pair of new coordinators.
Will there be moments when fans are frustrated with the team and coaches? Undoubtedly. But I don’t think that those moments of frustration will lead fans en masse to question whether the program is headed in the right direction. While there will assuredly be intense emotions around those moments — as there always will be with all things OSU — I get the sense that they will be met with the awareness that the thing that we most feared no longer carries the same weight. Ryan Day absolutely can get his team to the pinnacle of the sport; they are there, and he has proven that he can do anything asked of him.
Now, there is, of course, one caveat to all of this. If the Buckeyes lose The Game for the fifth straight year, then there will be a healthy helping of all kinds of dread: existential, impending, apocalyptic, nihilistic, ontological, the list goes on and on.
However, since I am predicting that Ohio State will beat That Team Up North in Ann Arbor 35-21 this season, I don’t think that we are going to have to worry about that, so I stand by my bold prediction: There will be no need for widespread existential dread from Ohio State fans this season.
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 of the questions that fans had about whether Ryan Day could get the team to the next level have been asked and answered.
As preseason camp begins this month, Land-Grant Holy Land is diving into its final theme every week of the off-season. This week is all about making predictions that may or may not be reasonable, in fact, some might say they are bold. You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content here and all of our ”Bold Predictions” articles here.
The Ohio State football team accomplished an unimaginable amount in December and January of last season. The Buckeyes went on arguably the greatest four-game run in the history of college football, they claimed the program’s ninth national title, and reestablished themselves at the top of the college football mountain. However, the thing that I think is most significant from the Buckeyes’ College Football Playoff run is the fact that head coach Ryan Day got the proverbial monkey off his back.
Despite tons of wins over the last three or four seasons, for many in Buckeye Nation, there has been an air of anxiety around the program because no matter what the team accomplished, there always seemed to be a feeling that the other shoe was going to eventually drop. Unfortunately, that footwear often fell in the regular season finale against Michigan.
These disappointments led many Buckeye fans — myself included — to wonder if Day was capable of getting over the hurdles that he seemingly placed in his own path. While a wizard in the schematic and motivational areas of coaching, an obsession to prove that his team was “tough”, and inability to trust his assistant coaches and players in the most inopportune times to becoming oddly overly conservative in big situations, Day’ mental blocks in the biggest games led to many fans living in a constant state of existential dread when it came to the Buckeye football team.
Now, this might say more about those fans than the team or head coach, but there is no denying that fans — including many outside of the #LunaticFringe — were increasingly concerned about whether or not Day could get the Buckeyes back to the upper echelon of college football.
Well, the easiest way to get people to stop worrying about whether or not you can do something is to just go out and do it, and that is exactly what Ryan Day did. Following the fourth-straight loss to Michigan, the head coach seemingly reexamined everything about his team, taking the restrictor plate off of the offense, letting the defense play with an aggression that had appeared to be lacking, and giving his coaches the right to take big swings.
It obviously all paid off last season, and that leads to a much different vibe coming into the 2025 campaign. While this year’s squad will not have the benefit of all of those insanely talented and experienced players that anchored the title run last year, there are plenty of guys waiting in the wings to step up and get their turn.
But even if the team doesn’t repeat, or it stumbles a couple of times throughout the season, I don’t think that there will be the constant storm cloud looming over the fandom, waiting to unleash a torrential downpour at the first sign of trouble. The issues that led to questions about Day’s capabilities have been asked and answered, so I feel like Buckeye fans (and bloggers) can approach this season more like Tigger or Pooh, rather than Eeyore.
Is this a rebuilding year? No, Ohio State doesn’t rebuild. Is it a season when going undefeated and winning each game by double-digits is reasonable? Probably not. However, with the expanded playoffs, teams like OSU have a little bit more margin for error than what was already afforded the best teams from the best conferences. So we (and by we, I am absolutely including myself) don’t need to react like the sky is falling anytime the team doesn’t look perfect.
While there are always going to be outsized expectations and emotions surrounding the Buckeye football team, I do feel like this season is going to be different. I certainly don’t expect the fans to be complacent because of last season’s national title, but I do think that the CFP win brought a certain peace of mind to the fandom. Not every coaching decision has to be observed and evaluated as if it is a referendum on the future of the program. There is an understanding, conscious or otherwise, that there will be peaks and valleys throughout the course of any season, especially one with 15 new starters and a pair of new coordinators.
Will there be moments when fans are frustrated with the team and coaches? Undoubtedly. But I don’t think that those moments of frustration will lead fans en masse to question whether the program is headed in the right direction. While there will assuredly be intense emotions around those moments — as there always will be with all things OSU — I get the sense that they will be met with the awareness that the thing that we most feared no longer carries the same weight. Ryan Day absolutely can get his team to the pinnacle of the sport; they are there, and he has proven that he can do anything asked of him.
Now, there is, of course, one caveat to all of this. If the Buckeyes lose The Game for the fifth straight year, then there will be a healthy helping of all kinds of dread: existential, impending, apocalyptic, nihilistic, ontological, the list goes on and on.
However, since I am predicting that Ohio State will beat That Team Up North in Ann Arbor 35-21 this season, I don’t think that we are going to have to worry about that, so I stand by my bold prediction: There will be no need for widespread existential dread from Ohio State fans this season.
Continue reading...
LGHL Bold Predictions: The B1G will earn five College Football Playoff spots in 2025
- News
- 0 Replies
Bold Predictions: The B1G will earn five College Football Playoff spots in 2025
Jami Jurich via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Columbus Dispatch-Imagn Images
We’re placing a lot of trust in the CFP committee to put some respect on the B1G here.
As preseason camp begins this month, Land-Grant Holy Land is diving into its final theme every week of the off-season. This week is all about making predictions that may or may not be reasonable, in fact, some might say they are bold. You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content here and all of our ”Bold Predictions” articles here.
In 2024, the first season with a 12-team College Football Playoff, both the SEC and B1G managed to get four teams into the playoffs. The remaining four spots went to independent Notre Dame and one team each from the ACC, Big 12, and Mountain West conferences.
Though the years of watching seemingly the same four teams occupy the four available playoff spots each year are, thankfully, over, the B1G and SEC continue to be the most dominant conferences, so it’s likely that at least for the foreseeable future, we’ll continue to see similar playoff makeups to last season, with the majority of the teams coming from one of those two conferences.
Though there will be changes to how teams are seeded this season after pushback from last year’s bye weeks, we are still guaranteed to see at least five conferences represented, with one team automatically qualifying from each. The other seven spots? Up for grabs.
And while the SEC will continue to be a dominant conference this season, I’m boldly predicting we’ll see the same conference representation in the CFP, with one slight change: The B1G will take one of the SEC’s four spots to land five teams in the playoffs.
In looking at each of the teams I believe will make it and their schedules, there are two different ways I see this happening. Let’s break it down:
Given Oregon’s schedule this season, I anticipate them finishing the regular season either undefeated or with one loss. In this first scenario, they finish the season undefeated, defeating Penn State and Indiana back-to-back, both in close games. This gives Penn State and Indiana each one loss.
Penn State is likely to field its best team in years, with Drew Allar returning as the starting quarterback, a top-tier offensive arsenal of weapons that includes returning running backs Kaytron Allen and Nicholas Singleton, and the acquisition of former Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles to run their defense. So, as much as this Buckeye fan hates to say it, in both of my two scenarios, Penn State won’t lose again, defeating Ohio State for the first time since 2016.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/26055038/2193184284.jpg "Capital One Orange Bowl - Penn State v Notre Dame")
Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images
This leaves Oregon undefeated, Penn State with one loss, and Ohio State with one loss, with Penn State winning the tie-break over OSU to make it to the B1G Championship game, given the head-to-head record. Penn State wins the B1G Championship narrowly over Oregon, handing them each one loss, to each other, heading into the playoffs.
Ohio State has the opportunity to further boost its rankings even without a conference title game berth in its season opener against Texas and its regular season finale on the road against Michigan, both games I expect the Buckeyes to win.
But what if that’s Michigan’s only loss on the season? That leaves the Wolverines with one loss. If they’re a one-loss team, however, it means they won road games against Oklahoma and USC, so if they keep it close with the Buckeyes, one loss becomes easy to overlook.
So, how does a fifth team get in there? In this scenario, Indiana comes in as a two-loss team, with close losses to Oregon and Penn State but dominant marquee wins against Indiana and Iowa, both of whom should be good enough to be ranked this season. While two losses might seem like a lot, seven two-loss teams earned bids in 2024, including Georgia, whose two losses included an 18-point loss to then-No.16 Ole Miss, a team that didn’t make the playoffs, and Tennessee, whose two losses included a loss to unranked Arkansas. Indiana, then, can make a strong case for itself with blowout wins over presumably ranked Iowa and Illinois and keeping it close with the top two teams in the conference.
This brings us to our second scenario, bolder in some ways, tamer in others.
In this instance, all five teams finish the regular season with one loss.
Oregon beats Penn State but loses the following week to Indiana. Penn State loses to Oregon but beats Ohio State and Indiana. Ohio State loses to Penn State but beats Michigan. Michigan only loses the OSU game. Indiana only loses the Penn State game.
Suffice it to say, this throws the B1G Championship down a rabbit hole of tiebreakers, but ultimately, leaves us with four one-loss teams and one two-loss team whose second loss is the conference championship.
The most likely scenario here is that the Committee would weigh strength of schedule and head-to-head results heavily in determining which teams would advance to the playoffs, but if all five teams have better records than the teams from the SEC and other conferences that are on the cusp, it’s hard not to argue for all five to make it.
Certainly, there are a lot of hypotheticals involved that would need to play out perfectly to set this scenario up, and the prediction feels even bolder when you consider how much of an edge the CFP seems to give the SEC for its perceived strength of schedule. Is it improbable that five B1G teams will make the playoffs? Sure. Is it impossible? Not this year.
Continue reading...
Jami Jurich via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Columbus Dispatch-Imagn Images
We’re placing a lot of trust in the CFP committee to put some respect on the B1G here.
As preseason camp begins this month, Land-Grant Holy Land is diving into its final theme every week of the off-season. This week is all about making predictions that may or may not be reasonable, in fact, some might say they are bold. You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content here and all of our ”Bold Predictions” articles here.
In 2024, the first season with a 12-team College Football Playoff, both the SEC and B1G managed to get four teams into the playoffs. The remaining four spots went to independent Notre Dame and one team each from the ACC, Big 12, and Mountain West conferences.
Though the years of watching seemingly the same four teams occupy the four available playoff spots each year are, thankfully, over, the B1G and SEC continue to be the most dominant conferences, so it’s likely that at least for the foreseeable future, we’ll continue to see similar playoff makeups to last season, with the majority of the teams coming from one of those two conferences.
Though there will be changes to how teams are seeded this season after pushback from last year’s bye weeks, we are still guaranteed to see at least five conferences represented, with one team automatically qualifying from each. The other seven spots? Up for grabs.
And while the SEC will continue to be a dominant conference this season, I’m boldly predicting we’ll see the same conference representation in the CFP, with one slight change: The B1G will take one of the SEC’s four spots to land five teams in the playoffs.
In looking at each of the teams I believe will make it and their schedules, there are two different ways I see this happening. Let’s break it down:
Scenario No. 1:
Given Oregon’s schedule this season, I anticipate them finishing the regular season either undefeated or with one loss. In this first scenario, they finish the season undefeated, defeating Penn State and Indiana back-to-back, both in close games. This gives Penn State and Indiana each one loss.
Penn State is likely to field its best team in years, with Drew Allar returning as the starting quarterback, a top-tier offensive arsenal of weapons that includes returning running backs Kaytron Allen and Nicholas Singleton, and the acquisition of former Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles to run their defense. So, as much as this Buckeye fan hates to say it, in both of my two scenarios, Penn State won’t lose again, defeating Ohio State for the first time since 2016.
This leaves Oregon undefeated, Penn State with one loss, and Ohio State with one loss, with Penn State winning the tie-break over OSU to make it to the B1G Championship game, given the head-to-head record. Penn State wins the B1G Championship narrowly over Oregon, handing them each one loss, to each other, heading into the playoffs.
Ohio State has the opportunity to further boost its rankings even without a conference title game berth in its season opener against Texas and its regular season finale on the road against Michigan, both games I expect the Buckeyes to win.
But what if that’s Michigan’s only loss on the season? That leaves the Wolverines with one loss. If they’re a one-loss team, however, it means they won road games against Oklahoma and USC, so if they keep it close with the Buckeyes, one loss becomes easy to overlook.
So, how does a fifth team get in there? In this scenario, Indiana comes in as a two-loss team, with close losses to Oregon and Penn State but dominant marquee wins against Indiana and Iowa, both of whom should be good enough to be ranked this season. While two losses might seem like a lot, seven two-loss teams earned bids in 2024, including Georgia, whose two losses included an 18-point loss to then-No.16 Ole Miss, a team that didn’t make the playoffs, and Tennessee, whose two losses included a loss to unranked Arkansas. Indiana, then, can make a strong case for itself with blowout wins over presumably ranked Iowa and Illinois and keeping it close with the top two teams in the conference.
This brings us to our second scenario, bolder in some ways, tamer in others.
Scenario No. 2:
In this instance, all five teams finish the regular season with one loss.
Oregon beats Penn State but loses the following week to Indiana. Penn State loses to Oregon but beats Ohio State and Indiana. Ohio State loses to Penn State but beats Michigan. Michigan only loses the OSU game. Indiana only loses the Penn State game.
Suffice it to say, this throws the B1G Championship down a rabbit hole of tiebreakers, but ultimately, leaves us with four one-loss teams and one two-loss team whose second loss is the conference championship.
The most likely scenario here is that the Committee would weigh strength of schedule and head-to-head results heavily in determining which teams would advance to the playoffs, but if all five teams have better records than the teams from the SEC and other conferences that are on the cusp, it’s hard not to argue for all five to make it.
Certainly, there are a lot of hypotheticals involved that would need to play out perfectly to set this scenario up, and the prediction feels even bolder when you consider how much of an edge the CFP seems to give the SEC for its perceived strength of schedule. Is it improbable that five B1G teams will make the playoffs? Sure. Is it impossible? Not this year.
Continue reading...
LGHL Ohio State fans boldly predict a Jeremiah Smith Heisman Trophy
- News
- 0 Replies
Ohio State fans boldly predict a Jeremiah Smith Heisman Trophy
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images
You ask, we answer. Sometimes we ask, others answer. And then other times, we ask, we answer.
As preseason camp begins this week, Land-Grant Holy Land is diving into its final theme every week of the off-season. This week is all about making predictions that may or may not be reasonable, in fact, some might say they are bold. You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content here and all of our ”Bold Predictions” articles here.
Today is the last day of Bold Predictions Week here at Land-Grant Holy Land, so we are going to take a look at just how bold Buckeye Nation believes this season could get for the Ohio State football team. Earlier this week, we asked OSU fans two questions in our weekly fan survey, and now we’ve got the results.
Take a look at the results for each question below, and if you have strong feelings one way or the other about what your fellow fans had to say, head to the comments at the bottom of the page and let us know.
If you are feeling especially confident in your bold predicting, head over to the FanDuel SportsBook to put your money where your prognosticating is, as they generously sponsored this article.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/26054819/OhioState_1_71025.png)
The options that we included in this one were all pretty bold, so it is fun to see that fans were fairly equally dispersed in terms of which one they thought was most possible. However, the option that pulled slightly ahead was Jeremiah Smith winning the Heisman Trophy.
That one is bold for a lot of reasons. First, I am not quite sure if non-quarterbacks are still legally allowed to win the award. Obviously, I’m kidding, but for a sophomore wide receiver to win the most prestigious individual award in all of sports, that would be surprising. However, it is certainly not out of the realm of possibilities. Smith is one of, if not the, most dynamic player in the game, and he already has the buzz and name recognition that are required to mount a serious Heisman campaign.
So, when it comes to bold, but possible, this certainly qualifies.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/26054821/OhioState_2_71025.png)
Now this one is really fun, because I, for one, am not really sure what to expect from the Buckeye defensive line this season. Having to replace all four starters from last year’s championship team is daunting enough, but when you throw in the defensive coordinator shift and some exciting, but unproven guys waiting for their turn, you’ve got a whole lot of potential, but not a lot of certainty.
So, the fact that we got a tie featuring two players who (presumably) are going to be backup defensive ends is interesting. Caden Curry has undoubtedly had moments where he has looked like he could assume a starting role for the squad over the years, but with the transfer addition of Beau Atkinson, it appears, at least for now, that he is the third man in the rotation.
Then, you’ve got C.J. Hicks, a former five-star linebacker prospect who just hasn’t ever found his footing on the field. It’s believed that he has made the move to edge rusher, and the fans and coaching staff are hoping that his impressive athleticism will finally be able to be utilized.
Both guys are excellent candidates in this category, so hopefully Buckeye Nation nails it on them both.
Throughout the year, we ask questions of the most plugged-in Ohio State fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys. This survey was brought to you by FanDuel.
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
Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images
You ask, we answer. Sometimes we ask, others answer. And then other times, we ask, we answer.
As preseason camp begins this week, Land-Grant Holy Land is diving into its final theme every week of the off-season. This week is all about making predictions that may or may not be reasonable, in fact, some might say they are bold. You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content here and all of our ”Bold Predictions” articles here.
Today is the last day of Bold Predictions Week here at Land-Grant Holy Land, so we are going to take a look at just how bold Buckeye Nation believes this season could get for the Ohio State football team. Earlier this week, we asked OSU fans two questions in our weekly fan survey, and now we’ve got the results.
Take a look at the results for each question below, and if you have strong feelings one way or the other about what your fellow fans had to say, head to the comments at the bottom of the page and let us know.
If you are feeling especially confident in your bold predicting, head over to the FanDuel SportsBook to put your money where your prognosticating is, as they generously sponsored this article.
Question 1: Which bold prediction do you think is most likely to happen?
The options that we included in this one were all pretty bold, so it is fun to see that fans were fairly equally dispersed in terms of which one they thought was most possible. However, the option that pulled slightly ahead was Jeremiah Smith winning the Heisman Trophy.
That one is bold for a lot of reasons. First, I am not quite sure if non-quarterbacks are still legally allowed to win the award. Obviously, I’m kidding, but for a sophomore wide receiver to win the most prestigious individual award in all of sports, that would be surprising. However, it is certainly not out of the realm of possibilities. Smith is one of, if not the, most dynamic player in the game, and he already has the buzz and name recognition that are required to mount a serious Heisman campaign.
So, when it comes to bold, but possible, this certainly qualifies.
Question 2: Which under-the-radar Buckeye do you boldly predict will have a huge season?
Now this one is really fun, because I, for one, am not really sure what to expect from the Buckeye defensive line this season. Having to replace all four starters from last year’s championship team is daunting enough, but when you throw in the defensive coordinator shift and some exciting, but unproven guys waiting for their turn, you’ve got a whole lot of potential, but not a lot of certainty.
So, the fact that we got a tie featuring two players who (presumably) are going to be backup defensive ends is interesting. Caden Curry has undoubtedly had moments where he has looked like he could assume a starting role for the squad over the years, but with the transfer addition of Beau Atkinson, it appears, at least for now, that he is the third man in the rotation.
Then, you’ve got C.J. Hicks, a former five-star linebacker prospect who just hasn’t ever found his footing on the field. It’s believed that he has made the move to edge rusher, and the fans and coaching staff are hoping that his impressive athleticism will finally be able to be utilized.
Both guys are excellent candidates in this category, so hopefully Buckeye Nation nails it on them both.
Throughout the year, we ask questions of the most plugged-in Ohio State fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys. This survey was brought to you by FanDuel.
Continue reading...
LGHL You’re Nuts: Will Christoph Tilly or Brandon Noel score more points per game this season?
- News
- 0 Replies
You’re Nuts: Will Christoph Tilly or Brandon Noel score more points per game this season?
Connor Lemons 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
Ohio State is expecting big things out of its new power forward and center.
Friends and colleagues, we are past the halfway mark of the college basketball off-season, which means we’re four months away from games being played and about three months away from secret scrimmages and open practices. The transfer portal window has come and gone, and while the Buckeyes technically may add one more player to the team, the odds of that diminish a little bit every day as we grind through July and approach August.
Last week, Connor and Justin debated which “classic” Ohio State team would be fun to play as in a new college basketball video game. Since the last NCAA Basketball game came out in 2009, the options were limited to teams that existed since that last game came out.
Connor went with the 2011-2012 team that made it to the Final Four, while Justin picked the 2014-2015 team that had D’Angelo Russell, Jae’Sean Tate, and Keita Bates-Diop. 56% of the readers sided with Connor, 6% of the readers agreed with Justin, and the final 38% actually picked a different team than either of those two options.
Connor- 96
This week, our basketball writers are pitting two incoming transfers – Christoph Tilly and Brandon Noel – against each other. Both came from the mid-major ranks – Tilly from Santa Clara and Noel from Wright State – and both are expected to start this year at Ohio State. Neither has played in the NCAA Tournament before, and both are banking on this team to get them there for the first time ever.
Jake Diebler’s second Ohio State team will return three double-digit scorers in Bruce Thornton, John Mobley, and Devin Royal, and all three are expected to improve with another year of experience under their belt. But the Buckeyes will also need production from their two new big men, and will likely need one of them to be more than just productive – they need one of them to be impressive.
With that said, which guy do you think will average more points per game this season?
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/26053284/usa_today_26485177.jpg "Syndication: The Columbus Dispatch")
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
I’m more confident in Tilly adjusting to the Big Ten than I am in Noel. While both guys weigh in at a hefty 240 pounds, Tilly is four inches taller than Noel and to the naked eye looks a bit more athletic. I’m not convinced that either of these two guys are going to be stud defenders for Ohio State, so in my opinion that side of the ball is a draw.
However, if both players struggle to adjust to the higher level of play, I like that Tilly will have plenty of looks right beneath the basket. Those high-percentage looks fill the stat sheet, and even more importantly they are confidence boosters. Noel will likely rely on hitting jumpers more than Tilly will, and if his 36% three-point shot from last season doesn’t carry over, he’s going to need to be creative to get the ball through the basket on some nights.
Something else to consider: from day one, A’mare Bynum will be pushing Noel for minutes. I’m sure the freshman will get plenty of opportunities off the bench, but when he starts to figure things out, it will be Noel’s minutes — not Tilly’s — that start to get bitten into.
Since Josh Ojianwuna is a big question mark, Tilly’s biggest threat for minutes at center right now is Ivan Njegovan. The former Santa Clara Bronco has never played more than 23 minutes per game in a collegiate season, so he’ll likely play somewhere between 20 and 25 this season. But if we’re picking between these two guys of “who is more likely to wind up in a bench role at some point” it is Noel, not Tilly.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/26053035/usa_today_24677143.jpg "NCAA Basketball: Wright State at Kentucky")
Jordan Prather-Imagn Images
At Wright State, Brandon Noel was an elite three-level scorer that had some of his best games against top competition.
For his career, he has averaged 15.5 points, 8.1 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game in 97 games. He has shot 56.3 percent from the field, 37.3 percent from three-point range and 77.2 percent from the free-throw line.
Last season, he averaged 19 points, 7.7 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game, while shooting 55.2 percent from the field, 35.8 percent from three-point range and 75.3 percent from the free-throw line.
At Wright State, the 6-foot-8 forward was a two time All-Horizon League member, made the Horizon League All-Freshman team and was the 2022-23 Horizon League Rookie of the Year.
Noel had some big performances in a handful of marquee matchups in 2024-25, scoring 20 points against Kentucky, 27 points against Miami (OH) — who made the MAC Championship Game — 24 points against Toledo, and 26 points against Bradley.
In the annual Kingdom Summer League, Noel was a part of Team Committed to My Craft, and showed out. He recorded 26 points, had three rebounds and recorded one assist. He also made a couple of three-pointers to show off his range.
Christoph Tilly might be a better overall player and contributor for the Buckeyes as the main big man next season, but Noel will average more points. My prediction is around 11 points per game, while Tilly is around nine or 10.
Continue reading...
Connor Lemons 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
Ohio State is expecting big things out of its new power forward and center.
Friends and colleagues, we are past the halfway mark of the college basketball off-season, which means we’re four months away from games being played and about three months away from secret scrimmages and open practices. The transfer portal window has come and gone, and while the Buckeyes technically may add one more player to the team, the odds of that diminish a little bit every day as we grind through July and approach August.
Last week, Connor and Justin debated which “classic” Ohio State team would be fun to play as in a new college basketball video game. Since the last NCAA Basketball game came out in 2009, the options were limited to teams that existed since that last game came out.
Connor went with the 2011-2012 team that made it to the Final Four, while Justin picked the 2014-2015 team that had D’Angelo Russell, Jae’Sean Tate, and Keita Bates-Diop. 56% of the readers sided with Connor, 6% of the readers agreed with Justin, and the final 38% actually picked a different team than either of those two options.
After 212 weeks:
Connor- 96
Justin- 90
Other- 20
(There have been six ties)
This week, our basketball writers are pitting two incoming transfers – Christoph Tilly and Brandon Noel – against each other. Both came from the mid-major ranks – Tilly from Santa Clara and Noel from Wright State – and both are expected to start this year at Ohio State. Neither has played in the NCAA Tournament before, and both are banking on this team to get them there for the first time ever.
Jake Diebler’s second Ohio State team will return three double-digit scorers in Bruce Thornton, John Mobley, and Devin Royal, and all three are expected to improve with another year of experience under their belt. But the Buckeyes will also need production from their two new big men, and will likely need one of them to be more than just productive – they need one of them to be impressive.
With that said, which guy do you think will average more points per game this season?
This week’s question: Will Brandon Noel or Christoph Tilly score more points per game this season?
Connor: Tilly
I’m more confident in Tilly adjusting to the Big Ten than I am in Noel. While both guys weigh in at a hefty 240 pounds, Tilly is four inches taller than Noel and to the naked eye looks a bit more athletic. I’m not convinced that either of these two guys are going to be stud defenders for Ohio State, so in my opinion that side of the ball is a draw.
However, if both players struggle to adjust to the higher level of play, I like that Tilly will have plenty of looks right beneath the basket. Those high-percentage looks fill the stat sheet, and even more importantly they are confidence boosters. Noel will likely rely on hitting jumpers more than Tilly will, and if his 36% three-point shot from last season doesn’t carry over, he’s going to need to be creative to get the ball through the basket on some nights.
Something else to consider: from day one, A’mare Bynum will be pushing Noel for minutes. I’m sure the freshman will get plenty of opportunities off the bench, but when he starts to figure things out, it will be Noel’s minutes — not Tilly’s — that start to get bitten into.
Since Josh Ojianwuna is a big question mark, Tilly’s biggest threat for minutes at center right now is Ivan Njegovan. The former Santa Clara Bronco has never played more than 23 minutes per game in a collegiate season, so he’ll likely play somewhere between 20 and 25 this season. But if we’re picking between these two guys of “who is more likely to wind up in a bench role at some point” it is Noel, not Tilly.
Justin: Noel
At Wright State, Brandon Noel was an elite three-level scorer that had some of his best games against top competition.
For his career, he has averaged 15.5 points, 8.1 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game in 97 games. He has shot 56.3 percent from the field, 37.3 percent from three-point range and 77.2 percent from the free-throw line.
Last season, he averaged 19 points, 7.7 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game, while shooting 55.2 percent from the field, 35.8 percent from three-point range and 75.3 percent from the free-throw line.
At Wright State, the 6-foot-8 forward was a two time All-Horizon League member, made the Horizon League All-Freshman team and was the 2022-23 Horizon League Rookie of the Year.
Noel had some big performances in a handful of marquee matchups in 2024-25, scoring 20 points against Kentucky, 27 points against Miami (OH) — who made the MAC Championship Game — 24 points against Toledo, and 26 points against Bradley.
In the annual Kingdom Summer League, Noel was a part of Team Committed to My Craft, and showed out. He recorded 26 points, had three rebounds and recorded one assist. He also made a couple of three-pointers to show off his range.
Christoph Tilly might be a better overall player and contributor for the Buckeyes as the main big man next season, but Noel will average more points. My prediction is around 11 points per game, while Tilly is around nine or 10.
Continue reading...
LGHL You’re Nuts: What is your boldest prediction for an Ohio State position group?
- News
- 0 Replies
You’re Nuts: What is your boldest prediction for an Ohio State position group?
Brett Ludwiczak 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
Your (almost) daily dose of good-natured, Ohio State banter.
As preseason camp begins this week, Land-Grant Holy Land is diving into its final theme every week of the off-season. This week is all about making predictions that may or may not be reasonable, in fact, some might say they are bold. You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content here and all of our ”Bold Predictions” articles here.
While one player can definitely have an impact on a game of football, there is power in numbers. As the old saying goes, a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. This will be especially true for Ohio State football this year since they’ll be introducing a bunch of new starters on both sides of the football. Even though some of the new starters saw action last year for the Buckeyes, this will be the first time they have been at the top of the depth chart at the college level.
Since today we are talking about the group over individuals, our question of the day is going to focus on position groups for the Buckeyes. Some are at the top of the college football world, such as the wide receivers who have the nation’s best receiver to go along with tremendous depth. There are other areas that have a lot of questions to answer this season. Two of those units that will have to prove themselves are the quarterbacks and the running backs, since Ohio State will essentially be starting from scratch at both positions after Will Howard, TreVeyon Henderson, and Quinshon Judkins were all selected in April’s NFL Draft.
Since we are making “Bold Predictions” this week at LGHL, today we are going to show which position group we have the most faith in heading into the 2025 season. What we want to know is what is your boldest prediction for an Ohio State position group? Maybe it’s a number of sacks for the defensive line, interception total for the defensive backs, or maybe you have faith in how many receptions the Buckeye tight ends will haul in this year. All we ask is that you don’t be boring with your prognostications.
Some are probably thinking this is an easy mark to hit, especially since J.K. Dobbins was able to do this by himself in a season. Think again. Last year, Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson barely cracked this number in 16 games, with the pair recording 2,076 yards in Ohio State’s championship season. James Peoples did add a little to the total, as he finished with 197 yards in limited mop-up action. The 2024 season total for the running backs was actually an improvement on what we saw from the Buckeye running backs in 2023, as the team as a whole ran for just over 1,800 yards in 13 games.
So why am I expecting the running backs to excel when Ohio State is going to have to replace Henderson and Judkins? There are a number of reasons I think we are in for a big season for the running backs. While Peoples will be in a starting role for the first time in his college career, he’ll be able to share carries with West Virginia transfer CJ Donaldson, who has rushed for at least 526 yards in his first three college seasons, totaling over 700 yards as both a sophomore and a junior.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/26049855/2210248210.jpg "Ohio State Spring Showcase")
Photo by Ben Jackson/Getty Images
Despite the Buckeyes losing Josh Simmons, Seth McLaughlin, Donovan Jackson, and Josh Fryar from last year’s offensive line, they have an experienced group coming back. Carson Hinzman started at center in 2023 and replaced McLaughlin after he suffered an Achilles injury late in the regular season. Tegra Tshabola was a starter at guard last year, while Austin Siereveld saw playing time throughout the season. Then there is the mountain that is Ethan Onianwa, who Ohio State plucked from the transfer portal after Onianwa started his college career at Rice.
Even though the Buckeyes have established receiving targets in Jeremiah Smith, Carnell Tate, and Max Klare, they will be breaking in a new starting quarterback. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see Brian Hartline and Ryan Day go a little more run-heavy to try and take some of the pressure off of Julian Sayin. Plus, if the Buckeyes are able to hurt teams on the ground, it will open the passing attack for Smith, Tate, and the others. If this works out the way I envision it, the rest of the college football world is in big trouble this season.
Now, I realize that Brett and I might be suggesting two incredibly sympatico predictions, therefore making neither of them particularly bold. However, given all of the agita over the Buckeye offensive line over the past few seasons, coming into a year with a new o-line coach, and a projected starting five featuring a transfer at left tackle, and four upperclassmen still trying to prove themselves to varying degrees, I am surprisingly confident about this unit.
Over the years, I have sounded the alarm about how underwhelming the OSU offensive line unit has been, not that it takes a football genius to have picked up on that. However, as the Buckeyes marched toward a national championship last season, the offensive line, under then-position coach Justin Frye, overcame devastating injuries to end up being an integral part in winning the national title.
While some of the bigger names from last year’s line are gone — Josh Simmons, Seth McLaughlin, Donovan Jackson, Josh Fryar — because two of those four had season-ending injuries last year, other guys were able to be thrown straight into the fire far sooner than they would have been otherwise.
That’s why guys like Luke Montgomery, Carson Hinzman, and Austin Siereveld are riding some significant momentum into the fall. While Tegra Tshabola was essentially a starter for the vast majority of last season, his productivity and reliability faded as the season went on, but coming into Year 4 in the program and Year 2 as a starter, he has the opportunity to be a much-needed leader on the line.
Then you throw in Rice-transfer Ethan Onianwa, who was the No. 102 overall prospect in the transfer portal this season and No. 13 tackle. Onianwa is slotted into playing left tackle, tasked with protecting the new starting quarterback’s blindside, whether that is Julian Sayin or Lincoln Kienholz. While he will be taking a step up in competition, going from the AAC to the B1G, he has experience and a ton of talent.
So, between Onianwa and the surprisingly battle-tested returning Buckeyes, we are going into a fall with an almost unheard of level of certainty amongst the starting o-line. Then, you have to factor in new position coach Tyler Bowen, who has years of NFL and Power Five coaching experience, and hit the ground running on the recruiting trail.
I know quantifiably judging offensive lines is nearly impossible with traditional counting stats, but when the Buckeyes make another run to a national championship, I think many people around the country will be surprised by how impactful this year’s hogmollies will be in that quest.
Continue reading...
Brett Ludwiczak 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
Your (almost) daily dose of good-natured, Ohio State banter.
As preseason camp begins this week, Land-Grant Holy Land is diving into its final theme every week of the off-season. This week is all about making predictions that may or may not be reasonable, in fact, some might say they are bold. You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content here and all of our ”Bold Predictions” articles here.
While one player can definitely have an impact on a game of football, there is power in numbers. As the old saying goes, a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. This will be especially true for Ohio State football this year since they’ll be introducing a bunch of new starters on both sides of the football. Even though some of the new starters saw action last year for the Buckeyes, this will be the first time they have been at the top of the depth chart at the college level.
Since today we are talking about the group over individuals, our question of the day is going to focus on position groups for the Buckeyes. Some are at the top of the college football world, such as the wide receivers who have the nation’s best receiver to go along with tremendous depth. There are other areas that have a lot of questions to answer this season. Two of those units that will have to prove themselves are the quarterbacks and the running backs, since Ohio State will essentially be starting from scratch at both positions after Will Howard, TreVeyon Henderson, and Quinshon Judkins were all selected in April’s NFL Draft.
Since we are making “Bold Predictions” this week at LGHL, today we are going to show which position group we have the most faith in heading into the 2025 season. What we want to know is what is your boldest prediction for an Ohio State position group? Maybe it’s a number of sacks for the defensive line, interception total for the defensive backs, or maybe you have faith in how many receptions the Buckeye tight ends will haul in this year. All we ask is that you don’t be boring with your prognostications.
Today’s question: What is your boldest prediction for an Ohio State position group?
We’d love to hear your choices. Either respond to us on Twitter at @Landgrant33 or leave your choice in the comments.
Brett’s answer: The Ohio State running backs will total over 2,000 yards rushing this season
Some are probably thinking this is an easy mark to hit, especially since J.K. Dobbins was able to do this by himself in a season. Think again. Last year, Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson barely cracked this number in 16 games, with the pair recording 2,076 yards in Ohio State’s championship season. James Peoples did add a little to the total, as he finished with 197 yards in limited mop-up action. The 2024 season total for the running backs was actually an improvement on what we saw from the Buckeye running backs in 2023, as the team as a whole ran for just over 1,800 yards in 13 games.
So why am I expecting the running backs to excel when Ohio State is going to have to replace Henderson and Judkins? There are a number of reasons I think we are in for a big season for the running backs. While Peoples will be in a starting role for the first time in his college career, he’ll be able to share carries with West Virginia transfer CJ Donaldson, who has rushed for at least 526 yards in his first three college seasons, totaling over 700 yards as both a sophomore and a junior.
Despite the Buckeyes losing Josh Simmons, Seth McLaughlin, Donovan Jackson, and Josh Fryar from last year’s offensive line, they have an experienced group coming back. Carson Hinzman started at center in 2023 and replaced McLaughlin after he suffered an Achilles injury late in the regular season. Tegra Tshabola was a starter at guard last year, while Austin Siereveld saw playing time throughout the season. Then there is the mountain that is Ethan Onianwa, who Ohio State plucked from the transfer portal after Onianwa started his college career at Rice.
Even though the Buckeyes have established receiving targets in Jeremiah Smith, Carnell Tate, and Max Klare, they will be breaking in a new starting quarterback. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see Brian Hartline and Ryan Day go a little more run-heavy to try and take some of the pressure off of Julian Sayin. Plus, if the Buckeyes are able to hurt teams on the ground, it will open the passing attack for Smith, Tate, and the others. If this works out the way I envision it, the rest of the college football world is in big trouble this season.
Matt’s answer: The Ohio State offensive line will be a top-10 unit in the country
Now, I realize that Brett and I might be suggesting two incredibly sympatico predictions, therefore making neither of them particularly bold. However, given all of the agita over the Buckeye offensive line over the past few seasons, coming into a year with a new o-line coach, and a projected starting five featuring a transfer at left tackle, and four upperclassmen still trying to prove themselves to varying degrees, I am surprisingly confident about this unit.
Over the years, I have sounded the alarm about how underwhelming the OSU offensive line unit has been, not that it takes a football genius to have picked up on that. However, as the Buckeyes marched toward a national championship last season, the offensive line, under then-position coach Justin Frye, overcame devastating injuries to end up being an integral part in winning the national title.
While some of the bigger names from last year’s line are gone — Josh Simmons, Seth McLaughlin, Donovan Jackson, Josh Fryar — because two of those four had season-ending injuries last year, other guys were able to be thrown straight into the fire far sooner than they would have been otherwise.
That’s why guys like Luke Montgomery, Carson Hinzman, and Austin Siereveld are riding some significant momentum into the fall. While Tegra Tshabola was essentially a starter for the vast majority of last season, his productivity and reliability faded as the season went on, but coming into Year 4 in the program and Year 2 as a starter, he has the opportunity to be a much-needed leader on the line.
Then you throw in Rice-transfer Ethan Onianwa, who was the No. 102 overall prospect in the transfer portal this season and No. 13 tackle. Onianwa is slotted into playing left tackle, tasked with protecting the new starting quarterback’s blindside, whether that is Julian Sayin or Lincoln Kienholz. While he will be taking a step up in competition, going from the AAC to the B1G, he has experience and a ton of talent.
So, between Onianwa and the surprisingly battle-tested returning Buckeyes, we are going into a fall with an almost unheard of level of certainty amongst the starting o-line. Then, you have to factor in new position coach Tyler Bowen, who has years of NFL and Power Five coaching experience, and hit the ground running on the recruiting trail.
I know quantifiably judging offensive lines is nearly impossible with traditional counting stats, but when the Buckeyes make another run to a national championship, I think many people around the country will be surprised by how impactful this year’s hogmollies will be in that quest.
Continue reading...