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LGHL Life in Simulation: EA CFB 25 predicts Ohio State vs. Texas in the Cotton Bowl
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Life in Simulation: EA CFB 25 predicts Ohio State vs. Texas in the Cotton Bowl
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images
The virtual Buckeyes take on the virtual Longhorns in Arlington, Texas.
College football finally returned to the virtual world in 2024 with the release of EA Sports College Football 25, allowing fans of all 134 FBS schools to take control of their favorite team. For Buckeye Nation, that means getting to dominate with one of the best rosters in the game.
The new game also allows us to get a glimpse at what the season could look like, at least if the computers had their say. Each week, Land-Grant Holy Land will simulate Ohio State’s real-life matchup to see what our AI overlords think will happen.
Here are the results of our Cotton Bowl sim:
As has been the case throughout the College Football Playoff, Ohio State took the ball and scored first, with Quinshon Judkins breaking off a 22-yard touchdown run to put the Buckeyes on the board. That lead wouldn’t last long, however, as two drives later Texas’ Quintrevion Wisner punched it in from eight yards out to make it 7-7 midway through the first quarter. From there, things started to get a little crazy.
Ohio State was forced to punt on its next possession, but was able to down the ball at the Longhorns’ own 1-yard line. On 3rd-and-9, Wisner was brought down by Caden Curry in his own end zone for a safety. The Buckeyes got the ball back on the free kick and would go on to tack on a 28-yard field goal, with Ryan Day’s group taking a 12-7 lead at the end of the opening frame.
Ohio State’s offense began to find its groove to begin the second quarter, opening things up a bit with a 52-yard catch-and-run touchdown by Emeka Egbuka. Following a Texas punt, the Buckeyes found the end zone yet again on an 18-yard touchdown grab by Jeremiah Smith, and all the sudden OSU was looking at a 26-7 lead. Texas, like Tennessee, was able to put together one long, methodical touchdown drive to end the half, cutting the deficit to 26-14 at the break.
Momentum started to turn in the third quarter, as the Longhorns chipped away even further on a 7-yard touchdown run by Jaydon Blue on their first possession of the second half. The two sides were held scoreless for most of the rest of the quarter, but with 1:45 remaining in the period, Wisner again found pay-dirt, this time from a yard out, to put Texas on top, 27-26 after a failed two-point conversion.
The Buckeyes responded quickly, as Will Howard hit Carnell Tate for a 31-yard touchdown to begin the fourth quarter. Ohio State would convert its two-point conversion to make it 34-27, but Texas was not done yet. With 5:38 left in the game, Blue scored his second touchdown of the night on another short scamper to knot things up at 34-34. Playing in its first close game of the postseason, Ohio State would need to find a way to finish strong.
With only 17 seconds remaining, Jayden Fielding knocked through a 31-yard field goal to give the Buckeyes a thrilling 37-34 victory.
It was another huge game for Will Howard, completing 23-of-32 passes for 362 yards and three touchdowns with no turnovers. In a break from the norm, Tate was actually his favorite target with seven catches for 115 yards and a TD, while Egbuka finished with five catches for 87 yards and a TD and Smith with five catches for 72 yards and a score. Ohio State did not run the ball a ton, but the ground game was still effective with Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson combining for 118 yards on 6.5 yards per carry.
Cody Simon led the way defensively with a whopping 15 total tackles to add to half a sack and a forced fumble. The Buckeyes racked up four sacks total, led by 1.5 by Tyler Bourne (J.T. Tuimoloau), and had six tackles for loss, with Curry recording two — one of which was the safety. Sonny Styles racked up 10 tackles and a pass breakup, while Caleb Downs and Lathan Ransom each had seven tackles and one tackle for loss apiece.
The game was an offensive showcase, as both teams totaled over 500 yards. Texas actually had the slight upper-hand in yardage at 538 compared to 514 for Ohio State, and neither team turned the ball over. The two sides were each pretty efficient on third down, with the Buckeyes converting on 8-of-14 chances and the Longhorns on 5-of-10. There was only one penalty called in the entire game — a single false start against Texas.
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Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images
The virtual Buckeyes take on the virtual Longhorns in Arlington, Texas.
College football finally returned to the virtual world in 2024 with the release of EA Sports College Football 25, allowing fans of all 134 FBS schools to take control of their favorite team. For Buckeye Nation, that means getting to dominate with one of the best rosters in the game.
The new game also allows us to get a glimpse at what the season could look like, at least if the computers had their say. Each week, Land-Grant Holy Land will simulate Ohio State’s real-life matchup to see what our AI overlords think will happen.
Here are the results of our Cotton Bowl sim:
Ohio State 37 - Texas 34
As has been the case throughout the College Football Playoff, Ohio State took the ball and scored first, with Quinshon Judkins breaking off a 22-yard touchdown run to put the Buckeyes on the board. That lead wouldn’t last long, however, as two drives later Texas’ Quintrevion Wisner punched it in from eight yards out to make it 7-7 midway through the first quarter. From there, things started to get a little crazy.
Ohio State was forced to punt on its next possession, but was able to down the ball at the Longhorns’ own 1-yard line. On 3rd-and-9, Wisner was brought down by Caden Curry in his own end zone for a safety. The Buckeyes got the ball back on the free kick and would go on to tack on a 28-yard field goal, with Ryan Day’s group taking a 12-7 lead at the end of the opening frame.
Ohio State’s offense began to find its groove to begin the second quarter, opening things up a bit with a 52-yard catch-and-run touchdown by Emeka Egbuka. Following a Texas punt, the Buckeyes found the end zone yet again on an 18-yard touchdown grab by Jeremiah Smith, and all the sudden OSU was looking at a 26-7 lead. Texas, like Tennessee, was able to put together one long, methodical touchdown drive to end the half, cutting the deficit to 26-14 at the break.
Momentum started to turn in the third quarter, as the Longhorns chipped away even further on a 7-yard touchdown run by Jaydon Blue on their first possession of the second half. The two sides were held scoreless for most of the rest of the quarter, but with 1:45 remaining in the period, Wisner again found pay-dirt, this time from a yard out, to put Texas on top, 27-26 after a failed two-point conversion.
The Buckeyes responded quickly, as Will Howard hit Carnell Tate for a 31-yard touchdown to begin the fourth quarter. Ohio State would convert its two-point conversion to make it 34-27, but Texas was not done yet. With 5:38 left in the game, Blue scored his second touchdown of the night on another short scamper to knot things up at 34-34. Playing in its first close game of the postseason, Ohio State would need to find a way to finish strong.
With only 17 seconds remaining, Jayden Fielding knocked through a 31-yard field goal to give the Buckeyes a thrilling 37-34 victory.
It was another huge game for Will Howard, completing 23-of-32 passes for 362 yards and three touchdowns with no turnovers. In a break from the norm, Tate was actually his favorite target with seven catches for 115 yards and a TD, while Egbuka finished with five catches for 87 yards and a TD and Smith with five catches for 72 yards and a score. Ohio State did not run the ball a ton, but the ground game was still effective with Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson combining for 118 yards on 6.5 yards per carry.
Cody Simon led the way defensively with a whopping 15 total tackles to add to half a sack and a forced fumble. The Buckeyes racked up four sacks total, led by 1.5 by Tyler Bourne (J.T. Tuimoloau), and had six tackles for loss, with Curry recording two — one of which was the safety. Sonny Styles racked up 10 tackles and a pass breakup, while Caleb Downs and Lathan Ransom each had seven tackles and one tackle for loss apiece.
The game was an offensive showcase, as both teams totaled over 500 yards. Texas actually had the slight upper-hand in yardage at 538 compared to 514 for Ohio State, and neither team turned the ball over. The two sides were each pretty efficient on third down, with the Buckeyes converting on 8-of-14 chances and the Longhorns on 5-of-10. There was only one penalty called in the entire game — a single false start against Texas.
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LGHL Ohio State v. Texas: 2024 game preview and prediction
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Ohio State v. Texas: 2024 game preview and prediction
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Ohio State and Texas will meet on Friday night in the Cotton Bowl with a spot in the College Football Playoff Championship Game on the line.
Ohio State opened up 2025 with a dominant win over Oregon in the Rose Bowl, earning revenge for the 32-31 loss to the Ducks in Eugene back in October. By dispatching the top-ranked team in the country, the Buckeyes earned a spot in the CFP semifinals, where they will battle the Texas Longhorns in the Cotton Bowl at AT&T Stadium.
The winner of Friday night’s game will advance to the title game next Monday, matching up with the winner of Thursday night’s Orange Bowl between Notre Dame and Penn State.
Much like the Tennessee game, Ohio State came out of the gates firing against Oregon. The Buckeyes jumped out to a 14-0 lead at the end of the first quarter, and were up 34-0 before Dillon Gabriel and the Oregon offense were able to cross midfield. Ohio State was able to build such a big lead early on by scoring four touchdowns of at least 40 yards before halftime.
The win was the third of the season for the Buckeyes over a Top 5 team, and their fourth over a ranked team. Ohio State is now 6-10 all-time when taking on the number one ranked team in the country.
The Buckeyes and Longhorns will be meeting for the fourth time, with Texas winning two of the first three meetings between the prestigious programs. Back in 2005, Texas beat Ohio State 25-22 in Columbus, followed by the Buckeyes winning the return game in the home-and-home series 24-7 in Austin the following season. The third meeting came in the 2009 Fiesta Bowl, resulting in a 24-21 win for the Longhorns.
This will be the first of two matchups in 2025 between the schools, as Texas will come to Columbus at the end of August in the season opener for both teams.
For the second straight season the Buckeyes will be playing in the Cotton Bowl. The situations are vastly different though, since prior to last year’s game Ohio State quarterback Kyle McCord entered the transfer portal and star wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. opted out of playing in the game to prepare for the 2024 NFL Draft.
The 14-3 loss to Missouri was not only Ohio State’s first defeat in their third Cotton Bowl appearance, it was also their first loss in four games at AT&T Stadium. Previously the Buckeyes beat Oregon in the first College Football Playoff Championship Game, followed by victories over USC in the 2017 Cotton Bowl, and a 2018 regular season game against TCU at “Jerry World”.
The Buckeyes are in the College Football Playoff for the sixth time, posting a 5-4 record in the nine games they have played in the postseason event. Ohio State is the only team to make the CFP or play in a New Year’s Six bowl game in every season since the CFP and New Year’s Six replaced the BCS at the beginning of the 2014 season.
With 12 straight seasons of at least 11 wins, Ohio State holds the longest active streak in the country. Sitting behind the Buckeyes is Georgia, who have won at least 11 games in seven straight seasons.
The star of the Rose Bowl was wide receiver Jeremiah Smith. The sensational freshman was named Offensive MVP in the game after catching seven passes for 187 yards, finding the end zone twice. Both of Smith’s receiving touchdowns were over 40 yards. The 187 receiving yards by Smith broke Cris Carter’s school record for receiving yards in a game by a freshman.
Smith joined elite company by becoming the fifth player to record at least 175 receiving yards in a CFP game.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25823225/2191501227.jpg "Rose Bowl Game Presented by Prudential - Ohio State V Oregon")
Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images
Emeka Egbuka was also on the receiving end of a 40-yard touchdown pass in the first half, scoring from 42 yards out to extend Ohio State’s lead to 14-0 in the first quarter. The senior finished with five catches for 72 yards. Egbuka now is second in school history with 194 catches, passing David Boston. If Egbuka is able to haul in eight more passes before the end of the season, he will move past K.J. Hill for most in school history.
The 2,735 receiving yards Egbuka has amassed during his Buckeye career ranks fourth in school history, 58 yards from moving ahead of Gary Williams.
The best quarterback so far in the playoff has been Will Howard. The Kansas State transfer is averaging 315 yards per game passing and five passing touchdowns through the first two games. Howard now has 39 total touchdowns this season, with 32 scores coming through the air. The senior has plenty of experience playing the Longhorns from his time at Kansas State, throwing for 566 yards, six touchdowns, and three interceptions in three games against Texas. This season Howard has been incredibly efficient, only missing on 101 of his 369 pass attempts.
While the passing attack received most of the headlines in the win over Oregon, the ground game was effective against the Ducks, highlighted by TreVeyon Henderson’s 66-yard touchdown run late in the first half. Henderson finished with 94 yards rushing and two touchdowns, pushing Ohio State’s record to 14-1 when he rushes for at least two touchdowns in a game.
Henderson’s 3,670 career rushing yards puts him 99 away from passing Eddie George for fourth-most in school history. Quinshon Judkins added 85 yards rushing in the Rose Bowl victory.
After failing to record a sack in the first meeting with Oregon, the Ohio State defense put together their best performance of the season, recording eight sacks against the Ducks in the Rose Bowl. J.T. Tuimoloau and Jack Sawyer continued to make life miserable for opposing quarterbacks, each recording two sacks.
Tuimoloau now has a team-high 10 sacks and 17 tackles for loss this season, while Sawyer has eight sacks. Because of the yardage lost because of the sacks, the Ducks finished with -23 yards rushing. So far this season the defense has recorded 47 sacks, ranking third in the country, as well as tying for second with the 1998 and 2000 Ohio State teams for most sacks in a season.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25823229/2191974842.jpg "Rose Bowl Game Presented by Prudential - Ohio State V Oregon")
Photo by Ric Tapia/Getty Images
The other Buckeye with two sacks in the Rose Bowl was linebacker Cody Simon, the Defensive MVP in the game. Simon finished with 11 tackles, giving him 23 stops through Ohio State’s two CFP games. Simon enters the Cotton Bowl with 97 tackles on the season, 11.5 TFLs, and seven sacks. The tackle total from Simon is 12 more than that of fellow linebacker Sonny Styles.
The defensive line and linebackers of the Buckeyes are a major reason why Ohio State ranks First in the country in total defense, allowing just 244.6 yards per game, as well as fifth in the country defending the run, ranking fifth in the country with an average of 92.2 rush yards per game allowed.
Aside from all of the sacks in the game, Ohio State was able to hold the Oregon offense in check because they were able to break up nine passes in the game, matching their total from the victory over Tennessee in the first round. All-American safety Caleb Downs was credited with three pass breakups, doubling his season total. Lathan Ransom was Ohio State’s second-leading tackler in the game, finishing with seven tackles, as well as a sack. Between Downs and Ransom, the Buckeye safeties have combined to make 141 tackles so far this season.
With as much pressure as Dillon Gabriel was under throughout the game, Oregon wasn’t really able to complete anything of consequence through the air. The victory was redemption for cornerback Denzel Burke, who was targeted numerous times in the first game between the teams this season.
The pass defense of the Buckeyes is the best in the country, allowing just 152.4 yards per game. The Ducks did record the first passing touchdown against the Ohio State defense since the first meeting in October, but the Traeshon Holden touchdown reception came as time expired in the first half when Ohio State already had built a sizable lead.
Texas made the semifinals by beating Clemson 38-24 in the first round, followed by a thrilling 39-31 win in double overtime over Arizona State in the Peach Bowl. The Longhorns jumped out to a 17-3 lead in the first half, and were up 24-8 with 10:17 left in the game before the Sun Devils mounted their comeback.
Texas would have won in regulation had it not been for kicker Bert Auburn missing two field goals late in the fourth quarter. After Matthew Golden’s 28-yard touchdown catch on fourth down in the first overtime, Gunnar Helm’s 25-yard touchdown catch on the first play of double overtime ended up being the game-winner.
With their win over Arizona State, Texas secured their first 13-win season since 2009. Head coach Steve Sarkisian is in his fourth season as head coach of the Longhorns, posting a 38-16 record since taking over in Austin. This marks the second straight season Texas has made the CFP. Last year the Longhorns won the Big 12 in their final season in the conference, finishing with a 12-2 record after losing 37-31 to Washington in the Sugar Bowl.
Texas will be making their 23rd appearance in the Cotton Bowl, which is the most of any program. Despite their storied history with the game, this will be the first time the Longhorns have played in the Cotton Bowl since 2003, when they beat LSU 35-20, pushing their record in the bowl to 11-10-1.
The win in the Peach Bowl was the first bowl win for Texas under Sarkisian. Before losing in last year’s Sugar Bowl, the Longhorns also lost to Washington to close out their 2022 season in the Alamo Bowl. Overall, Texas is 32-26-2 in the 62 bowl appearances they have made.
An interesting storyline in this game will be Quinn Ewers going up against Ohio State. After reclassifying in high school, Ewers came to Columbus in August 2021, but only saw two snaps after C.J. Stroud earned the starting quarterback job. Ewers transferred to Texas, where he originally verbally committed while in high school, following the 2021 season. The quarterback has thrown at least one touchdown in 26 straight games, which is tied with Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders for the longest active streak in the country.
Despite Ewers being one of the most hyped quarterback prospects coming out of high school, the last two years have seen Longhorn fans eager to see Arch Manning on the field. Manning started a few games this year while Ewers was injured. With Ewers now healthy, Sarkisian has used Manning in rushing packages at times recently.
Over the last three games Manning has appeared in he has seven carries. The redshirt freshman wasn’t used in the Peach Bowl. Four of the 13 touchdowns Manning has accounted for have come on the ground, with his last rushing touchdown coming in the 17-7 win over Texas A&M.
After rolling up 292 yards on the ground against Clemson, Texas had a hard time finding holes against Arizona State, only rushing for 53 yards against the Sun Devils. Quintrevion Wisner accounted for the majority of those yards, finishing with 45 yards on 18 carries. The running back position took a hit prior to the season when CJ Baxter suffered a torn ACL.
Wisner and Jaydon Blue have picked up the slack, combining to rush for 1,437 yards and nine touchdowns this season. The two have also been threats to catch the ball out of the backfield, as both have hauled in over 30 passes this season.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25823231/2191581097.jpg "COLLEGE FOOTBALL: JAN 01 CFP Quarterfinal Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl - Texas vs Arizona State")
Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Even though Texas doesn’t have a dominant receiver like a Jeremiah Smith, they have a number of players that can do damage in the passing game. Matthew Golden caught seven passes for 149 yards and a score against Arizona State. Golden leads Longhorn receivers with 738 yards and eight touchdowns this year. The 47 receptions by the junior wide receiver are two shy of tight end Gunnar Helm’s team-high 49 grabs.
Golden, Helm, Isaiah Bond, and DeAndre Moore Jr. all have at least 30 catches and five touchdowns this year, while Ryan Wingo and Silas Bolden each have caught over 20 passes so far this season.
What has helped Ewers and the running backs is familiarity on the offensive line. Along with having future first round pick Kelvin Banks Jr., who won the Outland and Lombardi Awards this year, Texas was one of three FBS teams to have the same five starters in all 12 regular season games. There have been two changes over the last three games. Banks missed the SEC Championship Game due to injury, while right tackle Cameron Williams didn’t play against Arizona State. Center Jake Majors has started a program record 56 games.
Much like Ohio State, Texas has one of the best defenses in the country. The Longhorns are third in the country in total defense, allowing just 277.7 yards per game, and the 14.5 points per game they are giving up is fourth in the FBS. Texas has forced at least one turnover in 23 straight games, which is the longest active streak in the country.
Recently defensive end Colin Simmons was named the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year, which a lot of Ohio State fans found laughable considering what Jeremiah Smith has done this season. The Buckeyes can’t overlook Simmons, who has nine sacks and 14 tackles for loss this season. Joining Simmons on the defensive line are Barryn Sorrell, Vernon Broughton, and Trey Moore, who all have at least three sacks this season. Defensive tackle Alfred Collins has made. a habit out of getting his arms in passing lanes, breaking up seven passes this season.
The leader of the Texas defense is undoubtedly Anthony Hill Jr. The linebacker leads the team with 90 tackles, 16 TFLs, and four forced fumbles. The 7.5 sacks Hill has this season ranks second on the team behind Simmons. Other linebackers who will see plenty of playing time on Friday night for the Longhorns are David Gbenda and Liona Lefau. Gbenda has 55 tackles this season, while Lefau has 46 stops.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25823239/2190989494.jpg "Clemson v Texas - Playoff First Round")
Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images
Colin Simmons wasn’t the only Texas defender to earn some hardware this season. Defensive back Jahdae Barron won the Jim Thorpe Award, which is awarded annually to the best defensive back in the country. Barron intercepted five passes and broke up nine passes this season. In the win over Arizona State, Barron led the Longhorns with 11 tackles.
Right behind Barron in the interception department is Andrew Mukuba. The Clemson transfer safety picked off a Sam Leavitt pass last week, which was his fourth interception on the season. Rounding out the secondary are cornerbacks Jaylon Guilbeau, Malik Muhammad, Jelani McDonald, and safety Michael Taaffee.
No disrespect to Texas since they have put together a fine season, but Ohio State is on a different level right now. The Buckeyes just ran right through the top ranked team in the country, barely breaking a sweat in the 41-21 win over Oregon. When the defensive line of the Buckeyes is playing like they did last week, Ohio State is unbeatable.
Just look at the differences in their first meeting with the Ducks as opposed to the Rose Bowl. In the first meeting, the Buckeyes weren’t able to generate any pressure, which allowed Dillon Gabriel to pick apart the secondary. On Wednesday, Gabriel barely had any time to breathe in the pocket, resulting in Ohio State cruising to victory.
The Buckeyes are going to have their work cut out for them trying to get by Banks and the rest of the Texas offensive line to get to Ewers. If Ohio State is able to do so, the Longhorns are in big trouble since Ewers isn’t all that mobile. Even if Ewers can stay upright, pressure could force him into making some mistakes. While Ewers does throw some beautiful passes, at times his decision making is inconsistent, which could allow the Buckeyes to pick off a couple passes.
This game feels like it is Ohio State’s to lose. There has been a lot of criticism about the schedule of the Longhorns during the regular season. Texas lost both games they played against Georgia, and their most impressive win came over an overrated Texas A&M squad.
Despite Texas being able to beat Michigan while Ohio State couldn’t, the loss by the Buckeyes to the Wolverines has to be attributed to Michigan being inside head coach Ryan Day’s head, especially after seeing how Ohio State has responded in the two games since. Even last week’s victory over Arizona State was a play away from being a loss had the Sun Devils come up with a stop on fourth down in overtime.
If the Buckeyes are able to start off the game by putting points on the scoreboard early like they did against Tennessee and Oregon, Texas doesn’t have much of a chance. An issue for most of the season for Ohio State was slow starts to games, which resulted in some games being closer than they should have been.
When the Buckeyes put their opponents in a hole early and make them one dimensional, it plays right into the hands of defensive coordinator Jim Knowles, who will dial up the pressure. Ohio State evens up the series with Texas as they earn a spot in the College Football Playoff Championship Game next Monday.
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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
Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Ohio State and Texas will meet on Friday night in the Cotton Bowl with a spot in the College Football Playoff Championship Game on the line.
Ohio State opened up 2025 with a dominant win over Oregon in the Rose Bowl, earning revenge for the 32-31 loss to the Ducks in Eugene back in October. By dispatching the top-ranked team in the country, the Buckeyes earned a spot in the CFP semifinals, where they will battle the Texas Longhorns in the Cotton Bowl at AT&T Stadium.
The winner of Friday night’s game will advance to the title game next Monday, matching up with the winner of Thursday night’s Orange Bowl between Notre Dame and Penn State.
Sweet revenge
Much like the Tennessee game, Ohio State came out of the gates firing against Oregon. The Buckeyes jumped out to a 14-0 lead at the end of the first quarter, and were up 34-0 before Dillon Gabriel and the Oregon offense were able to cross midfield. Ohio State was able to build such a big lead early on by scoring four touchdowns of at least 40 yards before halftime.
The win was the third of the season for the Buckeyes over a Top 5 team, and their fourth over a ranked team. Ohio State is now 6-10 all-time when taking on the number one ranked team in the country.
Ohio State’s history against Texas and in the Cotton Bowl
The Buckeyes and Longhorns will be meeting for the fourth time, with Texas winning two of the first three meetings between the prestigious programs. Back in 2005, Texas beat Ohio State 25-22 in Columbus, followed by the Buckeyes winning the return game in the home-and-home series 24-7 in Austin the following season. The third meeting came in the 2009 Fiesta Bowl, resulting in a 24-21 win for the Longhorns.
This will be the first of two matchups in 2025 between the schools, as Texas will come to Columbus at the end of August in the season opener for both teams.
For the second straight season the Buckeyes will be playing in the Cotton Bowl. The situations are vastly different though, since prior to last year’s game Ohio State quarterback Kyle McCord entered the transfer portal and star wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. opted out of playing in the game to prepare for the 2024 NFL Draft.
The 14-3 loss to Missouri was not only Ohio State’s first defeat in their third Cotton Bowl appearance, it was also their first loss in four games at AT&T Stadium. Previously the Buckeyes beat Oregon in the first College Football Playoff Championship Game, followed by victories over USC in the 2017 Cotton Bowl, and a 2018 regular season game against TCU at “Jerry World”.
The Buckeyes are in the College Football Playoff for the sixth time, posting a 5-4 record in the nine games they have played in the postseason event. Ohio State is the only team to make the CFP or play in a New Year’s Six bowl game in every season since the CFP and New Year’s Six replaced the BCS at the beginning of the 2014 season.
With 12 straight seasons of at least 11 wins, Ohio State holds the longest active streak in the country. Sitting behind the Buckeyes is Georgia, who have won at least 11 games in seven straight seasons.
Jeremiah Smith and the Ohio State offense put the country on notice
The star of the Rose Bowl was wide receiver Jeremiah Smith. The sensational freshman was named Offensive MVP in the game after catching seven passes for 187 yards, finding the end zone twice. Both of Smith’s receiving touchdowns were over 40 yards. The 187 receiving yards by Smith broke Cris Carter’s school record for receiving yards in a game by a freshman.
Smith joined elite company by becoming the fifth player to record at least 175 receiving yards in a CFP game.
Emeka Egbuka was also on the receiving end of a 40-yard touchdown pass in the first half, scoring from 42 yards out to extend Ohio State’s lead to 14-0 in the first quarter. The senior finished with five catches for 72 yards. Egbuka now is second in school history with 194 catches, passing David Boston. If Egbuka is able to haul in eight more passes before the end of the season, he will move past K.J. Hill for most in school history.
The 2,735 receiving yards Egbuka has amassed during his Buckeye career ranks fourth in school history, 58 yards from moving ahead of Gary Williams.
The best quarterback so far in the playoff has been Will Howard. The Kansas State transfer is averaging 315 yards per game passing and five passing touchdowns through the first two games. Howard now has 39 total touchdowns this season, with 32 scores coming through the air. The senior has plenty of experience playing the Longhorns from his time at Kansas State, throwing for 566 yards, six touchdowns, and three interceptions in three games against Texas. This season Howard has been incredibly efficient, only missing on 101 of his 369 pass attempts.
While the passing attack received most of the headlines in the win over Oregon, the ground game was effective against the Ducks, highlighted by TreVeyon Henderson’s 66-yard touchdown run late in the first half. Henderson finished with 94 yards rushing and two touchdowns, pushing Ohio State’s record to 14-1 when he rushes for at least two touchdowns in a game.
Henderson’s 3,670 career rushing yards puts him 99 away from passing Eddie George for fourth-most in school history. Quinshon Judkins added 85 yards rushing in the Rose Bowl victory.
Buckeye defense cooks the Ducks in Pasadena
After failing to record a sack in the first meeting with Oregon, the Ohio State defense put together their best performance of the season, recording eight sacks against the Ducks in the Rose Bowl. J.T. Tuimoloau and Jack Sawyer continued to make life miserable for opposing quarterbacks, each recording two sacks.
Tuimoloau now has a team-high 10 sacks and 17 tackles for loss this season, while Sawyer has eight sacks. Because of the yardage lost because of the sacks, the Ducks finished with -23 yards rushing. So far this season the defense has recorded 47 sacks, ranking third in the country, as well as tying for second with the 1998 and 2000 Ohio State teams for most sacks in a season.
The other Buckeye with two sacks in the Rose Bowl was linebacker Cody Simon, the Defensive MVP in the game. Simon finished with 11 tackles, giving him 23 stops through Ohio State’s two CFP games. Simon enters the Cotton Bowl with 97 tackles on the season, 11.5 TFLs, and seven sacks. The tackle total from Simon is 12 more than that of fellow linebacker Sonny Styles.
The defensive line and linebackers of the Buckeyes are a major reason why Ohio State ranks First in the country in total defense, allowing just 244.6 yards per game, as well as fifth in the country defending the run, ranking fifth in the country with an average of 92.2 rush yards per game allowed.
Aside from all of the sacks in the game, Ohio State was able to hold the Oregon offense in check because they were able to break up nine passes in the game, matching their total from the victory over Tennessee in the first round. All-American safety Caleb Downs was credited with three pass breakups, doubling his season total. Lathan Ransom was Ohio State’s second-leading tackler in the game, finishing with seven tackles, as well as a sack. Between Downs and Ransom, the Buckeye safeties have combined to make 141 tackles so far this season.
With as much pressure as Dillon Gabriel was under throughout the game, Oregon wasn’t really able to complete anything of consequence through the air. The victory was redemption for cornerback Denzel Burke, who was targeted numerous times in the first game between the teams this season.
The pass defense of the Buckeyes is the best in the country, allowing just 152.4 yards per game. The Ducks did record the first passing touchdown against the Ohio State defense since the first meeting in October, but the Traeshon Holden touchdown reception came as time expired in the first half when Ohio State already had built a sizable lead.
Texas squeaks by in Peach Bowl, setting up return to the Cotton Bowl
Texas made the semifinals by beating Clemson 38-24 in the first round, followed by a thrilling 39-31 win in double overtime over Arizona State in the Peach Bowl. The Longhorns jumped out to a 17-3 lead in the first half, and were up 24-8 with 10:17 left in the game before the Sun Devils mounted their comeback.
Texas would have won in regulation had it not been for kicker Bert Auburn missing two field goals late in the fourth quarter. After Matthew Golden’s 28-yard touchdown catch on fourth down in the first overtime, Gunnar Helm’s 25-yard touchdown catch on the first play of double overtime ended up being the game-winner.
With their win over Arizona State, Texas secured their first 13-win season since 2009. Head coach Steve Sarkisian is in his fourth season as head coach of the Longhorns, posting a 38-16 record since taking over in Austin. This marks the second straight season Texas has made the CFP. Last year the Longhorns won the Big 12 in their final season in the conference, finishing with a 12-2 record after losing 37-31 to Washington in the Sugar Bowl.
Texas will be making their 23rd appearance in the Cotton Bowl, which is the most of any program. Despite their storied history with the game, this will be the first time the Longhorns have played in the Cotton Bowl since 2003, when they beat LSU 35-20, pushing their record in the bowl to 11-10-1.
The win in the Peach Bowl was the first bowl win for Texas under Sarkisian. Before losing in last year’s Sugar Bowl, the Longhorns also lost to Washington to close out their 2022 season in the Alamo Bowl. Overall, Texas is 32-26-2 in the 62 bowl appearances they have made.
A former Buckeye leads the Longhorn offense
An interesting storyline in this game will be Quinn Ewers going up against Ohio State. After reclassifying in high school, Ewers came to Columbus in August 2021, but only saw two snaps after C.J. Stroud earned the starting quarterback job. Ewers transferred to Texas, where he originally verbally committed while in high school, following the 2021 season. The quarterback has thrown at least one touchdown in 26 straight games, which is tied with Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders for the longest active streak in the country.
Despite Ewers being one of the most hyped quarterback prospects coming out of high school, the last two years have seen Longhorn fans eager to see Arch Manning on the field. Manning started a few games this year while Ewers was injured. With Ewers now healthy, Sarkisian has used Manning in rushing packages at times recently.
Over the last three games Manning has appeared in he has seven carries. The redshirt freshman wasn’t used in the Peach Bowl. Four of the 13 touchdowns Manning has accounted for have come on the ground, with his last rushing touchdown coming in the 17-7 win over Texas A&M.
After rolling up 292 yards on the ground against Clemson, Texas had a hard time finding holes against Arizona State, only rushing for 53 yards against the Sun Devils. Quintrevion Wisner accounted for the majority of those yards, finishing with 45 yards on 18 carries. The running back position took a hit prior to the season when CJ Baxter suffered a torn ACL.
Wisner and Jaydon Blue have picked up the slack, combining to rush for 1,437 yards and nine touchdowns this season. The two have also been threats to catch the ball out of the backfield, as both have hauled in over 30 passes this season.
Even though Texas doesn’t have a dominant receiver like a Jeremiah Smith, they have a number of players that can do damage in the passing game. Matthew Golden caught seven passes for 149 yards and a score against Arizona State. Golden leads Longhorn receivers with 738 yards and eight touchdowns this year. The 47 receptions by the junior wide receiver are two shy of tight end Gunnar Helm’s team-high 49 grabs.
Golden, Helm, Isaiah Bond, and DeAndre Moore Jr. all have at least 30 catches and five touchdowns this year, while Ryan Wingo and Silas Bolden each have caught over 20 passes so far this season.
What has helped Ewers and the running backs is familiarity on the offensive line. Along with having future first round pick Kelvin Banks Jr., who won the Outland and Lombardi Awards this year, Texas was one of three FBS teams to have the same five starters in all 12 regular season games. There have been two changes over the last three games. Banks missed the SEC Championship Game due to injury, while right tackle Cameron Williams didn’t play against Arizona State. Center Jake Majors has started a program record 56 games.
Texas two-step on defense
Much like Ohio State, Texas has one of the best defenses in the country. The Longhorns are third in the country in total defense, allowing just 277.7 yards per game, and the 14.5 points per game they are giving up is fourth in the FBS. Texas has forced at least one turnover in 23 straight games, which is the longest active streak in the country.
Recently defensive end Colin Simmons was named the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year, which a lot of Ohio State fans found laughable considering what Jeremiah Smith has done this season. The Buckeyes can’t overlook Simmons, who has nine sacks and 14 tackles for loss this season. Joining Simmons on the defensive line are Barryn Sorrell, Vernon Broughton, and Trey Moore, who all have at least three sacks this season. Defensive tackle Alfred Collins has made. a habit out of getting his arms in passing lanes, breaking up seven passes this season.
The leader of the Texas defense is undoubtedly Anthony Hill Jr. The linebacker leads the team with 90 tackles, 16 TFLs, and four forced fumbles. The 7.5 sacks Hill has this season ranks second on the team behind Simmons. Other linebackers who will see plenty of playing time on Friday night for the Longhorns are David Gbenda and Liona Lefau. Gbenda has 55 tackles this season, while Lefau has 46 stops.
Colin Simmons wasn’t the only Texas defender to earn some hardware this season. Defensive back Jahdae Barron won the Jim Thorpe Award, which is awarded annually to the best defensive back in the country. Barron intercepted five passes and broke up nine passes this season. In the win over Arizona State, Barron led the Longhorns with 11 tackles.
Right behind Barron in the interception department is Andrew Mukuba. The Clemson transfer safety picked off a Sam Leavitt pass last week, which was his fourth interception on the season. Rounding out the secondary are cornerbacks Jaylon Guilbeau, Malik Muhammad, Jelani McDonald, and safety Michael Taaffee.
Prediction
No disrespect to Texas since they have put together a fine season, but Ohio State is on a different level right now. The Buckeyes just ran right through the top ranked team in the country, barely breaking a sweat in the 41-21 win over Oregon. When the defensive line of the Buckeyes is playing like they did last week, Ohio State is unbeatable.
Just look at the differences in their first meeting with the Ducks as opposed to the Rose Bowl. In the first meeting, the Buckeyes weren’t able to generate any pressure, which allowed Dillon Gabriel to pick apart the secondary. On Wednesday, Gabriel barely had any time to breathe in the pocket, resulting in Ohio State cruising to victory.
The Buckeyes are going to have their work cut out for them trying to get by Banks and the rest of the Texas offensive line to get to Ewers. If Ohio State is able to do so, the Longhorns are in big trouble since Ewers isn’t all that mobile. Even if Ewers can stay upright, pressure could force him into making some mistakes. While Ewers does throw some beautiful passes, at times his decision making is inconsistent, which could allow the Buckeyes to pick off a couple passes.
This game feels like it is Ohio State’s to lose. There has been a lot of criticism about the schedule of the Longhorns during the regular season. Texas lost both games they played against Georgia, and their most impressive win came over an overrated Texas A&M squad.
Despite Texas being able to beat Michigan while Ohio State couldn’t, the loss by the Buckeyes to the Wolverines has to be attributed to Michigan being inside head coach Ryan Day’s head, especially after seeing how Ohio State has responded in the two games since. Even last week’s victory over Arizona State was a play away from being a loss had the Sun Devils come up with a stop on fourth down in overtime.
If the Buckeyes are able to start off the game by putting points on the scoreboard early like they did against Tennessee and Oregon, Texas doesn’t have much of a chance. An issue for most of the season for Ohio State was slow starts to games, which resulted in some games being closer than they should have been.
When the Buckeyes put their opponents in a hole early and make them one dimensional, it plays right into the hands of defensive coordinator Jim Knowles, who will dial up the pressure. Ohio State evens up the series with Texas as they earn a spot in the College Football Playoff Championship Game next Monday.
LGHL score prediction: Ohio State 37, Texas 21
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LGHL Ohio State men’s basketball vs Oregon: Game preview and prediction
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Ohio State men’s basketball vs Oregon: Game preview and prediction
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
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The Buckeyes will host No. 15 Oregon and look to move above .500 in conference play
After a double-overtime 89-88 thrilling win over the Minnesota Golden Gophers (8-7, 0-4), the Ohio State Buckeyes (10-5, 2-2) will host the Oregon Ducks (13-2, 2-2) tonight at the Schottenstein Center in Columbus, Ohio at 6:00 p.m. E.T.
The Buckeyes have a fast turnaround, with guys like Bruce Thornton playing 47 minutes against Minnesota, Devin Royal playing 41 minutes, Micah Parrish playing 40 minutes, and Ques Glover playing 32 minutes at “The Barn.”
Oregon comes into this one as one of the top teams in the conference, with non-conference wins over Texas A&M, Stanford, and Alabama. However, the Ducks’ introduction to the Big Ten conference hasn’t gone as smoothly as their non-conference play did, as they lost to UCLA and Illinois while beating USC and Maryland.
In their last two games, Oregon lost to Illinois 109-77 at home and narrowly squeaked past Maryland 83-79 at home.
If the Buckeyes win this one, they’ll improve to 3-5 in Quad-1 games — a crucial measurement that factors into the NET rankings, which helps determine NCAA Tournament seeding. As of Wednesday night, the Buckeyes were No. 30 in the NET.
Ohio State has played the last five games without senior guard Meechie Johnson, who left the team for personal reasons. His timetable to return is unknown at this time, but he is enrolled in classes at Ohio State for the spring semester.
The Buckeyes and Ducks are similar in terms of scoring, with Ohio State averaging 81.8 points per game and Oregon averaging 79.6 points per game. These marks are good for seventh and ninth place in the conference, respectively.
According to KenPom, Ohio State is ranked No. 31 overall, No. 31 In offensive efficiency, and No. 41 in defensive efficiency. Oregon is ranked No. 27 overall and No. 21 in offensive efficiency, while ranking No. 46 in defensive efficiency.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25823373/usa_today_25123111.jpg "NCAA Basketball: Maryland at Oregon")
Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images
Senior big man Nate Bittle leads Oregon with 13.4 points and 8.1 rebounds per game. He also leads the team with 1.8 blocks per game. Bittle is 7’0 and 220 pounds as the center down low for Oregon and is shooting 54 percent from the field and 80 percent from the free-throw line. He also attempts 2.5 three-point attempts per game, and is shooting 26.3% from downtown.
Sophomore Jackson Shelstad is averaging 11.5 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game. However, he has struggled with efficiency, shooting just 41 percent from the field and 32 percent from three-point range this season.
Senior guard Keeshawn Barthelemy averages 10.0 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game. TJ Bamba, a transfer from Villanova, averages 9.9 points and 3.4 rebounds per game.
Brandon Angel and Jadrian Tracey average 9.5 and 8.9 points per game, respectively. Angel transferred in from former PAC-12 foe Stanford after four season with the Cardinal.
The Ducks have solid depth, with talented players like Supreme Cook, former five-star recruit Kwame Evans Jr., and Ra’Heim Moss all playing more than 12 minutes a game toward the end of the bench.
For Ohio State, junior point guard Bruce Thornton leads the team in points and assists, with 16.9 points and 4.5 assists per game. He has been very efficient, shooting 53.4 percent from the field, 82.4 percent from the free-throw line, and 44.1 percent from three-point range.
Sophomore forward Devin Royal is averaging 14.6 points and 7.3 rebounds per game. He also shoots 56.5 percent from the field and 73.8 percent from the free-throw line. Royal went 9-for-11 at the free throw line against Minnesota — a season-high in made free throws for the sophomore. However, he did miss the potential go-ahead free throw with four seconds left against the Gophers, leading to overtime in Minneapolis.
Freshman guard John Mobley Jr. averages 11.9 points per game and is a standout shooter, shooting 44.3 percent from three-point range. San Diego State transfer senior Micah Parrish averages 10.1 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game.
Kentucky transfer center Aaron Bradshaw has missed seven games this season but has been getting back into the flow, averaging 8.8 points per game and 3.8 rebounds per game. In four games since returning, Bradshaw has averaged 9.8 points per game and is shooting 57.7%.
Ques Glover has provided a scoring spark off the bench, recording 8.1 points per game in 19.3 minutes per game. Duke transfer Sean Stewart averages 5.8 points and 5.9 rebounds per game. Evan Mahaffey averages 4.7 points per game in 21.7 minutes and is one of the top defenders on the team.
The Buckeyes have not been a great free-throw shooting team, but they did make 29-of-33 against Minnesota and were perfect down the stretch in double overtime. Minnesota was 12-for-27.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25823374/usa_today_25130792.jpg "NCAA Basketball: Ohio State at Minnesota")
Nick Wosika-Imagn Images
This is an interesting matchup because Oregon has, at times, looked like the best team in the conference, but they have been inconsistent. However, wins over Texas A&M and Alabama proved Oregon’s talent.
This game will be a tall task for the Buckeyes. They played in Minnesota on Monday night in a game that went to double overtime and was not finished until after midnight. Oregon last played on Sunday.
However, the Buckeyes are coming off an incredibly hard-fought win in that game at Minnesota, and wins like that in conference play can help propel a team forward into a winning streak.
I think the Buckeyes match up well with Oregon, and as long as Bruce Thornton is healthy and back to his normal self, he is the best player on the floor. Aaron Bradshaw matches up well with Bittle — who himself is not the strongest or heaviest center at 220 pounds — so as long as he and Stewart stay out of foul trouble, they can make life hard on the Oregon big man.
Ohio State hasn’t shot the ball well recently, so as long as water finds its level, they are due for a great shooting night. A game at home makes the most sense.
ESPN BPI: Ohio State 62.5%
Time: 6:00 p.m. ET
TV: Big Ten Network
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The Buckeyes will host No. 15 Oregon and look to move above .500 in conference play
After a double-overtime 89-88 thrilling win over the Minnesota Golden Gophers (8-7, 0-4), the Ohio State Buckeyes (10-5, 2-2) will host the Oregon Ducks (13-2, 2-2) tonight at the Schottenstein Center in Columbus, Ohio at 6:00 p.m. E.T.
The Buckeyes have a fast turnaround, with guys like Bruce Thornton playing 47 minutes against Minnesota, Devin Royal playing 41 minutes, Micah Parrish playing 40 minutes, and Ques Glover playing 32 minutes at “The Barn.”
Oregon comes into this one as one of the top teams in the conference, with non-conference wins over Texas A&M, Stanford, and Alabama. However, the Ducks’ introduction to the Big Ten conference hasn’t gone as smoothly as their non-conference play did, as they lost to UCLA and Illinois while beating USC and Maryland.
In their last two games, Oregon lost to Illinois 109-77 at home and narrowly squeaked past Maryland 83-79 at home.
If the Buckeyes win this one, they’ll improve to 3-5 in Quad-1 games — a crucial measurement that factors into the NET rankings, which helps determine NCAA Tournament seeding. As of Wednesday night, the Buckeyes were No. 30 in the NET.
Ohio State has played the last five games without senior guard Meechie Johnson, who left the team for personal reasons. His timetable to return is unknown at this time, but he is enrolled in classes at Ohio State for the spring semester.
The Buckeyes and Ducks are similar in terms of scoring, with Ohio State averaging 81.8 points per game and Oregon averaging 79.6 points per game. These marks are good for seventh and ninth place in the conference, respectively.
According to KenPom, Ohio State is ranked No. 31 overall, No. 31 In offensive efficiency, and No. 41 in defensive efficiency. Oregon is ranked No. 27 overall and No. 21 in offensive efficiency, while ranking No. 46 in defensive efficiency.
Preview
Senior big man Nate Bittle leads Oregon with 13.4 points and 8.1 rebounds per game. He also leads the team with 1.8 blocks per game. Bittle is 7’0 and 220 pounds as the center down low for Oregon and is shooting 54 percent from the field and 80 percent from the free-throw line. He also attempts 2.5 three-point attempts per game, and is shooting 26.3% from downtown.
Sophomore Jackson Shelstad is averaging 11.5 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game. However, he has struggled with efficiency, shooting just 41 percent from the field and 32 percent from three-point range this season.
Senior guard Keeshawn Barthelemy averages 10.0 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game. TJ Bamba, a transfer from Villanova, averages 9.9 points and 3.4 rebounds per game.
Brandon Angel and Jadrian Tracey average 9.5 and 8.9 points per game, respectively. Angel transferred in from former PAC-12 foe Stanford after four season with the Cardinal.
The Ducks have solid depth, with talented players like Supreme Cook, former five-star recruit Kwame Evans Jr., and Ra’Heim Moss all playing more than 12 minutes a game toward the end of the bench.
For Ohio State, junior point guard Bruce Thornton leads the team in points and assists, with 16.9 points and 4.5 assists per game. He has been very efficient, shooting 53.4 percent from the field, 82.4 percent from the free-throw line, and 44.1 percent from three-point range.
Sophomore forward Devin Royal is averaging 14.6 points and 7.3 rebounds per game. He also shoots 56.5 percent from the field and 73.8 percent from the free-throw line. Royal went 9-for-11 at the free throw line against Minnesota — a season-high in made free throws for the sophomore. However, he did miss the potential go-ahead free throw with four seconds left against the Gophers, leading to overtime in Minneapolis.
Freshman guard John Mobley Jr. averages 11.9 points per game and is a standout shooter, shooting 44.3 percent from three-point range. San Diego State transfer senior Micah Parrish averages 10.1 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game.
Kentucky transfer center Aaron Bradshaw has missed seven games this season but has been getting back into the flow, averaging 8.8 points per game and 3.8 rebounds per game. In four games since returning, Bradshaw has averaged 9.8 points per game and is shooting 57.7%.
Ques Glover has provided a scoring spark off the bench, recording 8.1 points per game in 19.3 minutes per game. Duke transfer Sean Stewart averages 5.8 points and 5.9 rebounds per game. Evan Mahaffey averages 4.7 points per game in 21.7 minutes and is one of the top defenders on the team.
The Buckeyes have not been a great free-throw shooting team, but they did make 29-of-33 against Minnesota and were perfect down the stretch in double overtime. Minnesota was 12-for-27.
Prediction
This is an interesting matchup because Oregon has, at times, looked like the best team in the conference, but they have been inconsistent. However, wins over Texas A&M and Alabama proved Oregon’s talent.
This game will be a tall task for the Buckeyes. They played in Minnesota on Monday night in a game that went to double overtime and was not finished until after midnight. Oregon last played on Sunday.
However, the Buckeyes are coming off an incredibly hard-fought win in that game at Minnesota, and wins like that in conference play can help propel a team forward into a winning streak.
I think the Buckeyes match up well with Oregon, and as long as Bruce Thornton is healthy and back to his normal self, he is the best player on the floor. Aaron Bradshaw matches up well with Bittle — who himself is not the strongest or heaviest center at 220 pounds — so as long as he and Stewart stay out of foul trouble, they can make life hard on the Oregon big man.
Ohio State hasn’t shot the ball well recently, so as long as water finds its level, they are due for a great shooting night. A game at home makes the most sense.
ESPN BPI: Ohio State 62.5%
Time: 6:00 p.m. ET
TV: Big Ten Network
LGHL score prediction: Ohio State 76, Oregon 70
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LGHL Ohio State hits recruiting trail in North Carolina, makes top schools for big in-state target
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Ohio State hits recruiting trail in North Carolina, makes top schools for big in-state target
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 continue to stay busy on the recruiting trail with a jam-packed Wednesday.
On the eve of the College Football Playoff semifinals for Ohio State, the Cotton Bowl is the first priority for this program as it looks to keep the season alive. While the coaches are focusing their efforts towards the on-field results, the rest of the staff has been on all over the recruiting trail this week, and Wednesday was no different.
Dishing out new offers aplenty, the Buckeye brand is everywhere currently, and that’s exactly what you want to see to keep the machine going.
Ohio State showed no signs of slowing down on the recruiting trail on Wednesday with another offer fest going down. Multiple players in the upcoming cycles hearing from the Buckeye staff, these latest offers show the desire to get in early on these prospects as they tend to do in every recruiting year.
Making a strong and heavy presence known in North Carolina, one of the few to earn an Ohio State offer includes edge rusher Elijah Littlejohn. A 6-foot-2, 205 pound athlete out of Charlotte, North Carolina, Littlejohn is currently the No. 366 player nationally and the 28th best at his position for the 2026 class per the 247Sports Composite.
Holding offers from the likes of Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, Michigan, Tennessee, Texas A&M, and others, it’s not hard to see why Ohio State too wanted to join the mix. Having faired well in the Tar Heel state over the last few cycles, the Buckeyes are keeping their lines in the water hoping to continue their pipeline of success.
Ohio State stayed right in Charlotte for another defensive side of the all target by offering class of 2027 safety, Davion Jones. A 6-foot, 175 pound athlete, Jones is just a high school sophomore, but has early interest from NC State, Troy, Virginia Tech, and now of course the Buckeyes.
Jones’ patience likely won’t be tested too long, as other programs get in the mix sooner rather than later, but this latest offer from Ohio State can be a big help to increase the attention towards his recruitment. Being in the 2027 class, the staff offering this early and being the biggest program to do so has to stand out to Jones — though there’s plenty of time to go before he’s serious about any future destination.
The timing of the offer and the on-field product Ohio State is showing with their safeties has to speak volumes to young players at the position. From here, the Buckeyes just need to continue their success and keep preaching the safety driven defense to the guys they want not only to fill the spots of the future, but keep the standard of play.
Third times the charm apparently, as the Queen City of Charlotte, North Carolina produced a third offer on Wednesday by Ohio State’s staff. Coming by way of another defensive line prospect, the Buckeyes really got in early when they offered class of 2028 athlete, Cory Cunningham.
Only a high school freshman, Cunningham is already an impressive 6-foot-4, 265 pounds with a ton of potential to be seen the next three years of his prep career. Not wanting to waste anytime, it’s easy to see why Ohio State felt the need to offer this early on in his recruitment considering how highly touted he could be in the coming future.
Just three offers to his name including the Buckeyes, Ohio State joins East Carolina and South Carolina as the early entrees to his sweepstakes. More sure to follow and soon, what the staff can brag on is when they offered and how well they have done recruiting his home state the last few years with real playmakers currently contributing at the same position group thanks to the examples of guys such as Tyliek Williams.
Unranked right now solely because of his class, it’s just a matter of time before his Cunningham’s stock really increases. Ohio State will look to stay in the mix for the long haul now.
Ohio’s 2026 class has a ton of in-state talent the Buckeyes have to land. Much like the 2024 class, the defensive backs right inside the state lines might be all this staff needs to look at, and that’s a major plus considering how good of position this program is in for those players already.
Of the multiple top targets, on Wednesday Toledo, Ohio native Victor Singleton released his latest recruiting update by trimming his considerations down to just five final schools. The No. 65 player nationally and the sixth best cornerback in the 2026 class per the 247Sports Composite, Singleton included Illinois, Michigan, Oregon, Texas A&M, and Ohio State in his mind, with the Buckeyes likely the favorite right now.
A player Tim Walton will look to get on campus often over the next year, the Buckeyes have been in the mix for Singleton for sometime now and have hosted him several times already, but keeping him close to home has to remain a top priority. The other finalists have a chance, but this is one you would like to think Ohio State has locked up, and hopefully they can do just that sooner than expected.
Seen earlier this week, Montana State offensive tackle Conner Moore entered the portal. An Ohio native, Moore visited Cincinnati on Wednesday and has near future trips to both Michigan State and Ohio State in the works.
One of the top players in now in the portal, the Buckeyes would love to bring Moore home for two more years of eligibility, and a visit definitely helps. Keep a close eye on this one as the Buckeyes continue looking for help to reload their trenches.
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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 continue to stay busy on the recruiting trail with a jam-packed Wednesday.
On the eve of the College Football Playoff semifinals for Ohio State, the Cotton Bowl is the first priority for this program as it looks to keep the season alive. While the coaches are focusing their efforts towards the on-field results, the rest of the staff has been on all over the recruiting trail this week, and Wednesday was no different.
Dishing out new offers aplenty, the Buckeye brand is everywhere currently, and that’s exactly what you want to see to keep the machine going.
Buckeyes dish out new offers in the 2026 & 2027 classes
Ohio State showed no signs of slowing down on the recruiting trail on Wednesday with another offer fest going down. Multiple players in the upcoming cycles hearing from the Buckeye staff, these latest offers show the desire to get in early on these prospects as they tend to do in every recruiting year.
Making a strong and heavy presence known in North Carolina, one of the few to earn an Ohio State offer includes edge rusher Elijah Littlejohn. A 6-foot-2, 205 pound athlete out of Charlotte, North Carolina, Littlejohn is currently the No. 366 player nationally and the 28th best at his position for the 2026 class per the 247Sports Composite.
Holding offers from the likes of Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, Michigan, Tennessee, Texas A&M, and others, it’s not hard to see why Ohio State too wanted to join the mix. Having faired well in the Tar Heel state over the last few cycles, the Buckeyes are keeping their lines in the water hoping to continue their pipeline of success.
Ohio State stayed right in Charlotte for another defensive side of the all target by offering class of 2027 safety, Davion Jones. A 6-foot, 175 pound athlete, Jones is just a high school sophomore, but has early interest from NC State, Troy, Virginia Tech, and now of course the Buckeyes.
Jones’ patience likely won’t be tested too long, as other programs get in the mix sooner rather than later, but this latest offer from Ohio State can be a big help to increase the attention towards his recruitment. Being in the 2027 class, the staff offering this early and being the biggest program to do so has to stand out to Jones — though there’s plenty of time to go before he’s serious about any future destination.
The timing of the offer and the on-field product Ohio State is showing with their safeties has to speak volumes to young players at the position. From here, the Buckeyes just need to continue their success and keep preaching the safety driven defense to the guys they want not only to fill the spots of the future, but keep the standard of play.
Third times the charm apparently, as the Queen City of Charlotte, North Carolina produced a third offer on Wednesday by Ohio State’s staff. Coming by way of another defensive line prospect, the Buckeyes really got in early when they offered class of 2028 athlete, Cory Cunningham.
Only a high school freshman, Cunningham is already an impressive 6-foot-4, 265 pounds with a ton of potential to be seen the next three years of his prep career. Not wanting to waste anytime, it’s easy to see why Ohio State felt the need to offer this early on in his recruitment considering how highly touted he could be in the coming future.
Just three offers to his name including the Buckeyes, Ohio State joins East Carolina and South Carolina as the early entrees to his sweepstakes. More sure to follow and soon, what the staff can brag on is when they offered and how well they have done recruiting his home state the last few years with real playmakers currently contributing at the same position group thanks to the examples of guys such as Tyliek Williams.
Unranked right now solely because of his class, it’s just a matter of time before his Cunningham’s stock really increases. Ohio State will look to stay in the mix for the long haul now.
BLESSED to receive my 3rd️ffer from The Ohio State University #AGTG @CoachOsbey @Coachward1 @cmacc16 @CoachAdrian_ @RivalsFriedman @RivalsBmoss pic.twitter.com/ksmrdEp0t1
— Cory Cunningham (@CoryCunningham_) January 8, 2025
In-state 2026 target drops top five
Ohio’s 2026 class has a ton of in-state talent the Buckeyes have to land. Much like the 2024 class, the defensive backs right inside the state lines might be all this staff needs to look at, and that’s a major plus considering how good of position this program is in for those players already.
Of the multiple top targets, on Wednesday Toledo, Ohio native Victor Singleton released his latest recruiting update by trimming his considerations down to just five final schools. The No. 65 player nationally and the sixth best cornerback in the 2026 class per the 247Sports Composite, Singleton included Illinois, Michigan, Oregon, Texas A&M, and Ohio State in his mind, with the Buckeyes likely the favorite right now.
A player Tim Walton will look to get on campus often over the next year, the Buckeyes have been in the mix for Singleton for sometime now and have hosted him several times already, but keeping him close to home has to remain a top priority. The other finalists have a chance, but this is one you would like to think Ohio State has locked up, and hopefully they can do just that sooner than expected.
Quick Hits
- Ohio State has already landed multiple offensive linemen via the transfer portal for the 2025 campaign, and with how many guys they’ve lost too, Justin Frye needs to continue scouring the portal for additional guys to provide immediate depth.
Seen earlier this week, Montana State offensive tackle Conner Moore entered the portal. An Ohio native, Moore visited Cincinnati on Wednesday and has near future trips to both Michigan State and Ohio State in the works.
One of the top players in now in the portal, the Buckeyes would love to bring Moore home for two more years of eligibility, and a visit definitely helps. Keep a close eye on this one as the Buckeyes continue looking for help to reload their trenches.
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LGHL No. 9 Ohio State women overcome 16-point deficit to beat No. 25 Michigan 84-77
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No. 9 Ohio State women overcome 16-point deficit to beat No. 25 Michigan 84-77
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Ohio State women’s basketball on Twitter | @OhioStateWBB
The Wolverines were up by as many as 16 in the second quarter, but the Buckeyes shot lights out after halftime.
The No. 9 Ohio State women’s basketball returned to the court for only their second ranked game of the season. This time, against their rivals from the north, the No. 25 Michigan Wolverines. After going down 16 points in the second quarter, the Buckeyes erased the deficit and defeated the Wolverines 84-77 to stay undefeated on the season behind 29 points from Jaloni Cambridge and two huge plays by Taylor Thierry.
From the jump, Michigan had nearly everything going their way. The Wolverines hit 3-of-5 to start the game. Ohio State responded and tied the game at six, but then Michigan went on a 6:15 run to finish the quarter without another miss. The made shots were due in part to loose Scarlet and Gray defense on the perimeter.
Michigan guard Greta Kampschroeder hit her first two, already eclipsing her 1.3 made threes per game entering Wednesday with her attempts. It was nearly 10 minutes before Michigan would miss a shot, 7:57 into the second quarter.
In the home side’s run, the shooting for Ohio State lacked high-percentage chances, opting to take on defenders in the paint and see what happened. Most of the time, it was a missed layup and possession for the Wolverines.
Freshman point guard Jaloni Cambridge started 0-of-3 but recovered, along with stellar play from her older sister Kennedy Cambridge. Jaloni Cambridge hit a three-point shot and then assisted her sister on the next offensive drive. Off the inbound, Kennedy Cambridge stole the ball and hit a layup to bring the game to within two points for the Buckeyes.
Ohio State’s struggles continued, and Michigan showed no signs of cooling down. The Buckeyes offensively weren’t successful at running plays, and if an open player was found, the shot didn’t land.
At halftime, Ohio State was outshot 69.2% to 38.2%, entering the locker room down 44-31. That’s despite the Buckeyes having a +6 turnover margin, forcing 10 from the home side. Michigan’s half court defense made the first half a forgetful one for the Scarlet and Gray.
Outside of those turnovers, there wasn’t many positives for head coach Kevin McGuff’s side to build off for the second half. Michigan shot 7-of-11 from beyond the arc in the first 20 minutes, already eclipsing their total in six of the Wolverines’ previous 14 games.
Whether it was a halftime talk or the outside cold finally hitting the arms of the Wolverines, but out of halftime, the Buckeyes began to chip away at the Michigan lead. The moves inside the paint from the first half were working better in the second, with junior Cotie McMahon and Jaloni Cambridge each getting their chances and landing them.
Defensively, Ohio State made shooting more difficult for the Wolverines and the Buckeyes scored 14 of the first 17 points of the quarter. It brought the game to a single possession for the visitors, and put a rowdy first half crowd in a little quieter of a mood.
What helped was the Buckeyes laying off the full court press. Michigan head coach Kim Barnes Arico had her side ready for the pressure, and the Maize and Blue used quick passing and perimeter shooting to neutralize it. Working in the half court, those open looks were fewer and further between.
With 1:50 remaining in the third quarter, the Buckeyes erased the 13-point halftime deficit completely. Guard Chance Gray and Jaloni Cambridge led the comeback, scoring a combined 18 points in the third quarter, with Gray going 3-of-3 from beyond the arc, including the shot that tied the game at 53-53, requiring a timeout from Barnes Arico.
Out of the timeout, Michigan were aggressive and pulled ahead by four points. McMahon had the final shot of the quarter, a layup attempt under pressure, but missed the shot and heard no whistle.
In the fourth, Ohio State had more answers on offense, but Michigan answered them all. For the first four minutes of the quarter, the UM lead floated around five points until Gray took the game in her hands. After getting the game to within two points, the junior was fouled on a layup and tied the game from the free throw line.
Jaloni Cambridge followed it up with a layup of her own after Michigan went ahead two. Then, Taylor Thierry gave Ohio State their first lead of the game. The Wolverines made a pass on the perimeter and the senior anticipated it for a fast break layup.
The Buckeyes increased that lead to four points but an open three in the corner by Olivia Olson put the game to within one point. After a blowout first half, the game had an ending deserving of the ranked matchup and rivalry.
Thierry continued the heroics with a huge block, up two points. Olson went up for a midrange attempt and Thierry blocked the shot from behind. On the subsequent possession, Cambridge hit a midrange jumper off the backboard to put the game to a four-point Ohio State advantage.
Out of halftime, McGuff put the game in his starter’s hands, not substituting any of the five players in the final two quarters. They rewarded their coach with 63.3 percent shooting from the floor in the second half. Cambridge leading all scorers with 29 points. Gray was behind the freshman with 16 points and McMahon added 11.
Olson led Michigan scorers with 20 points but fouled out in the closing minutes.
The Buckeyes return home Sunday when they welcome new Big Ten side Oregon. The Ducks are 11-4 at the time of publishing and preparing to face the Penn State Nittany Lions in State College, Pennsylvania on Thursday.
Ohio State and Oregon have only ever played two games against each other, but the latest came in recent memory. On Dec. 21, 2022, the Buckeyes defeated the Ducks 84-67 behind 25 points from former-Duck and eventual-Buckeye Taylor Mikesell. In that game, then-Oregon freshman Chance Gray scored four points, but now calls Columbus home with the Buckeyes.
Sunday is the first game for Gray to play against her former school since transferring in the offseason.
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
Ohio State women’s basketball on Twitter | @OhioStateWBB
The Wolverines were up by as many as 16 in the second quarter, but the Buckeyes shot lights out after halftime.
The No. 9 Ohio State women’s basketball returned to the court for only their second ranked game of the season. This time, against their rivals from the north, the No. 25 Michigan Wolverines. After going down 16 points in the second quarter, the Buckeyes erased the deficit and defeated the Wolverines 84-77 to stay undefeated on the season behind 29 points from Jaloni Cambridge and two huge plays by Taylor Thierry.
From the jump, Michigan had nearly everything going their way. The Wolverines hit 3-of-5 to start the game. Ohio State responded and tied the game at six, but then Michigan went on a 6:15 run to finish the quarter without another miss. The made shots were due in part to loose Scarlet and Gray defense on the perimeter.
Michigan guard Greta Kampschroeder hit her first two, already eclipsing her 1.3 made threes per game entering Wednesday with her attempts. It was nearly 10 minutes before Michigan would miss a shot, 7:57 into the second quarter.
In the home side’s run, the shooting for Ohio State lacked high-percentage chances, opting to take on defenders in the paint and see what happened. Most of the time, it was a missed layup and possession for the Wolverines.
Freshman point guard Jaloni Cambridge started 0-of-3 but recovered, along with stellar play from her older sister Kennedy Cambridge. Jaloni Cambridge hit a three-point shot and then assisted her sister on the next offensive drive. Off the inbound, Kennedy Cambridge stole the ball and hit a layup to bring the game to within two points for the Buckeyes.
Ohio State’s struggles continued, and Michigan showed no signs of cooling down. The Buckeyes offensively weren’t successful at running plays, and if an open player was found, the shot didn’t land.
At halftime, Ohio State was outshot 69.2% to 38.2%, entering the locker room down 44-31. That’s despite the Buckeyes having a +6 turnover margin, forcing 10 from the home side. Michigan’s half court defense made the first half a forgetful one for the Scarlet and Gray.
Outside of those turnovers, there wasn’t many positives for head coach Kevin McGuff’s side to build off for the second half. Michigan shot 7-of-11 from beyond the arc in the first 20 minutes, already eclipsing their total in six of the Wolverines’ previous 14 games.
Whether it was a halftime talk or the outside cold finally hitting the arms of the Wolverines, but out of halftime, the Buckeyes began to chip away at the Michigan lead. The moves inside the paint from the first half were working better in the second, with junior Cotie McMahon and Jaloni Cambridge each getting their chances and landing them.
Defensively, Ohio State made shooting more difficult for the Wolverines and the Buckeyes scored 14 of the first 17 points of the quarter. It brought the game to a single possession for the visitors, and put a rowdy first half crowd in a little quieter of a mood.
What helped was the Buckeyes laying off the full court press. Michigan head coach Kim Barnes Arico had her side ready for the pressure, and the Maize and Blue used quick passing and perimeter shooting to neutralize it. Working in the half court, those open looks were fewer and further between.
With 1:50 remaining in the third quarter, the Buckeyes erased the 13-point halftime deficit completely. Guard Chance Gray and Jaloni Cambridge led the comeback, scoring a combined 18 points in the third quarter, with Gray going 3-of-3 from beyond the arc, including the shot that tied the game at 53-53, requiring a timeout from Barnes Arico.
Out of the timeout, Michigan were aggressive and pulled ahead by four points. McMahon had the final shot of the quarter, a layup attempt under pressure, but missed the shot and heard no whistle.
In the fourth, Ohio State had more answers on offense, but Michigan answered them all. For the first four minutes of the quarter, the UM lead floated around five points until Gray took the game in her hands. After getting the game to within two points, the junior was fouled on a layup and tied the game from the free throw line.
Jaloni Cambridge followed it up with a layup of her own after Michigan went ahead two. Then, Taylor Thierry gave Ohio State their first lead of the game. The Wolverines made a pass on the perimeter and the senior anticipated it for a fast break layup.
The Buckeyes increased that lead to four points but an open three in the corner by Olivia Olson put the game to within one point. After a blowout first half, the game had an ending deserving of the ranked matchup and rivalry.
Thierry continued the heroics with a huge block, up two points. Olson went up for a midrange attempt and Thierry blocked the shot from behind. On the subsequent possession, Cambridge hit a midrange jumper off the backboard to put the game to a four-point Ohio State advantage.
Out of halftime, McGuff put the game in his starter’s hands, not substituting any of the five players in the final two quarters. They rewarded their coach with 63.3 percent shooting from the floor in the second half. Cambridge leading all scorers with 29 points. Gray was behind the freshman with 16 points and McMahon added 11.
Olson led Michigan scorers with 20 points but fouled out in the closing minutes.
What’s Next
The Buckeyes return home Sunday when they welcome new Big Ten side Oregon. The Ducks are 11-4 at the time of publishing and preparing to face the Penn State Nittany Lions in State College, Pennsylvania on Thursday.
Ohio State and Oregon have only ever played two games against each other, but the latest came in recent memory. On Dec. 21, 2022, the Buckeyes defeated the Ducks 84-67 behind 25 points from former-Duck and eventual-Buckeye Taylor Mikesell. In that game, then-Oregon freshman Chance Gray scored four points, but now calls Columbus home with the Buckeyes.
Sunday is the first game for Gray to play against her former school since transferring in the offseason.
Continue reading...
LGHL Game Preview: No. 9 Ohio State women’s basketball at No. 25 Michigan
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Game Preview: No. 9 Ohio State women’s basketball at No. 25 Michigan
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Scott W. Grau/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Rivalry renews on the court when the Buckeyes travel to Ann Arbor.
With the expansion of the Big Ten, there were sacrifices. On top of adding a few thousand miles to every team’s travel itinerary and three teams destined to miss the Big Ten Tournament for the first time, certain matchups went by the wayside. No. 9 Ohio State women’s basketball and No. 25 Michigan knows this well, playing in their first season without two regular season matchups in five years.
That means the hardcourt edition of The Rivalry has one chance for either side to snatch up bragging rights, barring any postseason play. Included this season are six new starters among the two programs who play in their first edition of the bitter fan rivalry of neighboring states.
On top of it all, it’s the first time the two sides play each other as ranked sides since March of 2023.
Look at the AP Top 25, and the Wolverines have a unique distinction as the only team with four losses. While it’s not something a program will hang their hat on, or brag about on Instagram, the reason Michigan still has a place in the weekly rankings is because the four teams they’ve lost to are all outstanding.
When four of Michigan’s top five scorers either left due to eligibility or the transfer portal, most notably the Wolverines’ leading scorer Laila Phelia leaving for Texas and the new SEC territory, head coach Kim Barnes Arico didn’t play it safe with the schedule. Not at all.
Michigan’s four losses came against teams all in the top-10, including both programs that have secured a No. 1 ranking this season. It began with the South Carolina Gamecocks on the first game of the season.
Looking at the matchup, it was easy to pick the Gamecocks to win the matchup, but it was nothing close to easy for head coach Dawn Staley’s South Carolina side. Michigan lost 62-68 and 34 of those points for the Maize and Blue came from freshmen starters.
Leading the way that day, and almost every game after that, was No. 4 overall 2024 prospect Syla Swords. The Canadian freshman scored 27 points and grabbed 12 rebounds against South Carolina and in each game against top opponents, Swords doesn’t hide from the moment, she rises to it.
In three games against then No. 1 South Carolina, No. 9 Oklahoma and No. 1 UCLA, Swords averaged 22.7 points per game. Swords’ game is enough to give anyone fits, and it’ll be a challenge for Ohio State. The guard is 6-foot and can score from all three levels. Against Virginia Tech, Swords went 6-of-10 from beyond the arc, the best deep shooting performance of the season in the 76-65 Michigan win.
Swords can also go to the basket with size, and grab rebounds consistently, leading the Wolverines with 6.5 per game.
With Michigan playing with five starting guards, the defensive assignment that works best for the Buckeyes is either guard Chance Gray or guard/forward Taylor Thierry. Whoever lands on the freshman can’t give her time to shoot, because Swords doesn’t need much of it to throw up a three-point attempt.
Thierry can match Swords for size but Michigan will try to switch off with screens to get forwards Ajae Petty or Cotie McMahon in on defending someone who’s in the running for Big Ten Freshman of the Year and a spot on First Team All-Big Ten.
Swords is not the only freshman to watch. Guard Olivia Olson is a 6-foot-1 guard who matches Swords in the scoring department, sitting only a point behind her fellow freshman’s team-leading average. The two play alongside senior leaders Jordan Hobbs and Greta Kampshroeder, bringing stability to a young starting lineup.
Freshman Mila Holloway brings it all together, playing point guard in her first season as a starter who’s excelling in college even without being a top-100 prospect. It’ll be an all-freshman point guard battle when Holloway goes up against Cambridge.
The winner of Wednesday’s game will focus around that battle. Cambridge is third in the Big Ten in steals per game (2.5) while Holloway is second in turnovers (52). Ohio State’s offense can’t take the youth of the Wolverines for granted, because without baskets going in, the press won’t set up for Ohio State. Also, Michigan comes in with more motivation than usual, even in a rivalry game.
Michigan is back home after coming back a little battered from their trip to California. Of the four losses this season, two came in Los Angeles with the Wolverines falling by 30 points to the No. 4 USC Trojans, without Swords, and the freshman’s return against No. 1 UCLA ending in an 86-70 Bruins victory.
G- Jaloni Cambridge
G- Chance Gray
G- Taylor Thierry
F- Cotie McMahon
F- Ajae Petty
Michigan
G- Mila Holloway
G- Greta Kampschroeder
G- Syla Swords
G- Olivia Olson
G- Jordan Hobbs
Ohio State started their 92-62 win over Northwestern on Sunday with four turnovers in the first minute and a half. Michigan is going to expect that kind of pressure early on but will be prepared for it early on. The Wolverines will take an early lead over Ohio State, but it won’t take the Buckeyes out of the game.
Michigan will play with more intensity than the Buckeyes in the first half but after half time Ohio State will adjust. Jaloni Cambridge will take center stage in the game, but not always with scoring. The freshman will go to the basket but the quickness of Michigan leveraging five starting guards will have her find outlets, mainly Taylor Thierry.
The Scarlet and Gray senior’s had a quiet few games for the Buckeyes but won’t against the Wolverines. Thierry will allow Gray and McMahon opportunities to shoot from deep with high efficiency inside the paint.
It will be a tightly fought game, with the winner pulling away in the final minutes of the game. Cambridge will lead scorers for the second game in a row and have a double-double with assists.
Date: Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
Where: Crisler Center, Ann Arbor, Michigan
Stream: B1G+
Wednesday’s game between two ranked Big Ten sides, in a rivalry matchup, is behind the B1G+ paywall. On the Big Ten Network is a doubleheader of men’s basketball games, but choosing one sport or gender over the other isn’t the problem.
The Big Ten has an issue with accessible channels for its now 18-team conference. For women’s basketball, 17 of the 18 teams have at least one conference game on the Big Ten streaming app, and most of the 18 teams are playing more games on B1G+ this season than last.
A bigger issue is what’s on the other channels of the FOX Sports family. On FS2, there’s repeats of flat track racing instead of a live ranked matchup.
While people dislike ESPN for their own reasons, their streaming platform is relatively inexpensive compared to B1G+, and one subscription gets you access to hundreds of ACC and SEC WBB games throughout the year, plus many more conferences.
The Big Ten needs to get rid of the B1G+ app and integrate all the events with the FOX Sports app. There’s no reason why a ranked matchup between two top-25 Big Ten teams should be relegated to an expensive paywall app like B1G+.
Maybe its time to flex away the racing repeats?
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
Photo by Scott W. Grau/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Rivalry renews on the court when the Buckeyes travel to Ann Arbor.
With the expansion of the Big Ten, there were sacrifices. On top of adding a few thousand miles to every team’s travel itinerary and three teams destined to miss the Big Ten Tournament for the first time, certain matchups went by the wayside. No. 9 Ohio State women’s basketball and No. 25 Michigan knows this well, playing in their first season without two regular season matchups in five years.
That means the hardcourt edition of The Rivalry has one chance for either side to snatch up bragging rights, barring any postseason play. Included this season are six new starters among the two programs who play in their first edition of the bitter fan rivalry of neighboring states.
On top of it all, it’s the first time the two sides play each other as ranked sides since March of 2023.
Preview
Look at the AP Top 25, and the Wolverines have a unique distinction as the only team with four losses. While it’s not something a program will hang their hat on, or brag about on Instagram, the reason Michigan still has a place in the weekly rankings is because the four teams they’ve lost to are all outstanding.
When four of Michigan’s top five scorers either left due to eligibility or the transfer portal, most notably the Wolverines’ leading scorer Laila Phelia leaving for Texas and the new SEC territory, head coach Kim Barnes Arico didn’t play it safe with the schedule. Not at all.
Michigan’s four losses came against teams all in the top-10, including both programs that have secured a No. 1 ranking this season. It began with the South Carolina Gamecocks on the first game of the season.
Looking at the matchup, it was easy to pick the Gamecocks to win the matchup, but it was nothing close to easy for head coach Dawn Staley’s South Carolina side. Michigan lost 62-68 and 34 of those points for the Maize and Blue came from freshmen starters.
Leading the way that day, and almost every game after that, was No. 4 overall 2024 prospect Syla Swords. The Canadian freshman scored 27 points and grabbed 12 rebounds against South Carolina and in each game against top opponents, Swords doesn’t hide from the moment, she rises to it.
In three games against then No. 1 South Carolina, No. 9 Oklahoma and No. 1 UCLA, Swords averaged 22.7 points per game. Swords’ game is enough to give anyone fits, and it’ll be a challenge for Ohio State. The guard is 6-foot and can score from all three levels. Against Virginia Tech, Swords went 6-of-10 from beyond the arc, the best deep shooting performance of the season in the 76-65 Michigan win.
Swords can also go to the basket with size, and grab rebounds consistently, leading the Wolverines with 6.5 per game.
With Michigan playing with five starting guards, the defensive assignment that works best for the Buckeyes is either guard Chance Gray or guard/forward Taylor Thierry. Whoever lands on the freshman can’t give her time to shoot, because Swords doesn’t need much of it to throw up a three-point attempt.
Thierry can match Swords for size but Michigan will try to switch off with screens to get forwards Ajae Petty or Cotie McMahon in on defending someone who’s in the running for Big Ten Freshman of the Year and a spot on First Team All-Big Ten.
Swords is not the only freshman to watch. Guard Olivia Olson is a 6-foot-1 guard who matches Swords in the scoring department, sitting only a point behind her fellow freshman’s team-leading average. The two play alongside senior leaders Jordan Hobbs and Greta Kampshroeder, bringing stability to a young starting lineup.
Freshman Mila Holloway brings it all together, playing point guard in her first season as a starter who’s excelling in college even without being a top-100 prospect. It’ll be an all-freshman point guard battle when Holloway goes up against Cambridge.
The winner of Wednesday’s game will focus around that battle. Cambridge is third in the Big Ten in steals per game (2.5) while Holloway is second in turnovers (52). Ohio State’s offense can’t take the youth of the Wolverines for granted, because without baskets going in, the press won’t set up for Ohio State. Also, Michigan comes in with more motivation than usual, even in a rivalry game.
Michigan is back home after coming back a little battered from their trip to California. Of the four losses this season, two came in Los Angeles with the Wolverines falling by 30 points to the No. 4 USC Trojans, without Swords, and the freshman’s return against No. 1 UCLA ending in an 86-70 Bruins victory.
Projected Starters
Ohio State
G- Jaloni Cambridge
G- Chance Gray
G- Taylor Thierry
F- Cotie McMahon
F- Ajae Petty
Lineup Notes
- Ohio State is one of two teams in the Big Ten where all five starters average at least 10 ppg, alongside Illinois.
- The Buckeyes have four straight games where at least four players scored double figures. In each win, one of those double-digit performances came from someone on the bench.
- In five previous matchups against the Wolverines, Cotie McMahon averages 14 points per game.
Michigan
G- Mila Holloway
G- Greta Kampschroeder
G- Syla Swords
G- Olivia Olson
G- Jordan Hobbs
Lineup Notes
- Jordan Hobbs is the only starter for the Wolverines who’s started against the Buckeyes. In six games, Hobbs averages 6.7 points.
- The freshmen trio of Michigan accounts for 52% of the overall scoring for the Wolverines.
- Only four players return for the Wolverines from the 23-24 season, accounting for a return of only 20 percent of last year’s scoring.
Prediction
Ohio State started their 92-62 win over Northwestern on Sunday with four turnovers in the first minute and a half. Michigan is going to expect that kind of pressure early on but will be prepared for it early on. The Wolverines will take an early lead over Ohio State, but it won’t take the Buckeyes out of the game.
Michigan will play with more intensity than the Buckeyes in the first half but after half time Ohio State will adjust. Jaloni Cambridge will take center stage in the game, but not always with scoring. The freshman will go to the basket but the quickness of Michigan leveraging five starting guards will have her find outlets, mainly Taylor Thierry.
The Scarlet and Gray senior’s had a quiet few games for the Buckeyes but won’t against the Wolverines. Thierry will allow Gray and McMahon opportunities to shoot from deep with high efficiency inside the paint.
It will be a tightly fought game, with the winner pulling away in the final minutes of the game. Cambridge will lead scorers for the second game in a row and have a double-double with assists.
How to Watch
Date: Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
Where: Crisler Center, Ann Arbor, Michigan
Stream: B1G+
LGHL Score Prediction: 82-78, Ohio State Buckeyes
Big Ten’s Coverage Problem
Wednesday’s game between two ranked Big Ten sides, in a rivalry matchup, is behind the B1G+ paywall. On the Big Ten Network is a doubleheader of men’s basketball games, but choosing one sport or gender over the other isn’t the problem.
The Big Ten has an issue with accessible channels for its now 18-team conference. For women’s basketball, 17 of the 18 teams have at least one conference game on the Big Ten streaming app, and most of the 18 teams are playing more games on B1G+ this season than last.
A bigger issue is what’s on the other channels of the FOX Sports family. On FS2, there’s repeats of flat track racing instead of a live ranked matchup.
While people dislike ESPN for their own reasons, their streaming platform is relatively inexpensive compared to B1G+, and one subscription gets you access to hundreds of ACC and SEC WBB games throughout the year, plus many more conferences.
The Big Ten needs to get rid of the B1G+ app and integrate all the events with the FOX Sports app. There’s no reason why a ranked matchup between two top-25 Big Ten teams should be relegated to an expensive paywall app like B1G+.
Maybe its time to flex away the racing repeats?
Continue reading...
2026 NC DL Elijah Littlejohn (Penn St. Verbal)
- By pnuts34
- Football Recruiting
- 4 Replies
247
Rivals
Twitter
HudL
Class: 2026
Position: DE
School: Charlotte (NC) West Mecklenberg
Height: 6-foot-3
Weight: 215lbs
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Rivals
HudL
Class: 2026
Position: DE
School: Charlotte (NC) West Mecklenberg
Height: 6-foot-3
Weight: 215lbs
Login to view embedded media
