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LGHL Hangout in the Holy Land: Ohio State men’s hoops win season opener and a Purdue preview
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Hangout in the Holy Land: Ohio State men’s hoops win season opener and a Purdue preview
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images
We also previewed the College Football Playoff rankings and gave our final thoughts on the Penn State win.
The latest episode of Land-Grant Holy Land’s flagship podcast is here! Join LGHL’s Josh Dooley and Justin Golba as they discuss Ohio State football, basketball, recruiting, and much more! Come for the hot takes. Stay for the warm ones.
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
We are back for another mid-week episode of Hangout in the Holy Land, and we have a lot to discuss.
To open the episode, we recapped the Ohio State men’s basketball team’s win over No. 19 Texas to open the season and the Jake Diebler era, which started off with a statement in Las Vegas. What can we take away from one game, and what should we expect moving forward?
Also, we have College Football Playoff rankings! However, we did record this before they were released, so we only predicted what they would look like and some hypothetical situations, as well as previewed the national slate this week.
After that, we gave our final thoughts on the Penn State game before turning our attention to Purdue and discussing the Boilermakers' struggles over the last couple of years.
Make sure to like and subscribe to the podcast. As always, Go Bucks!
Connect with the pod:
Twitter: @HolyLandPod
Connect with Josh Dooley:
Twitter: @jdooleybuckeye
Connect with Justin Golba:
Twitter: @justin_golba
Continue reading...
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images
We also previewed the College Football Playoff rankings and gave our final thoughts on the Penn State win.
The latest episode of Land-Grant Holy Land’s flagship podcast is here! Join LGHL’s Josh Dooley and Justin Golba as they discuss Ohio State football, basketball, recruiting, and much more! Come for the hot takes. Stay for the warm ones.
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
We are back for another mid-week episode of Hangout in the Holy Land, and we have a lot to discuss.
To open the episode, we recapped the Ohio State men’s basketball team’s win over No. 19 Texas to open the season and the Jake Diebler era, which started off with a statement in Las Vegas. What can we take away from one game, and what should we expect moving forward?
Also, we have College Football Playoff rankings! However, we did record this before they were released, so we only predicted what they would look like and some hypothetical situations, as well as previewed the national slate this week.
After that, we gave our final thoughts on the Penn State game before turning our attention to Purdue and discussing the Boilermakers' struggles over the last couple of years.
Make sure to like and subscribe to the podcast. As always, Go Bucks!
Connect with the pod:
Twitter: @HolyLandPod
Connect with Josh Dooley:
Twitter: @jdooleybuckeye
Connect with Justin Golba:
Twitter: @justin_golba
Continue reading...
LGHL Uncut: Cambridge talks breakout night in win over Cleveland State
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Uncut: Cambridge talks breakout night in win over Cleveland State
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 Kirk Irwin/Getty Images
After Ohio State’s win to start the 2024-25 season, the Buckeyes spoke with the media
Throughout the year, Land-Grant Holy Land will be bringing you uncut audio primarily from Ohio State press conferences, but also from individual interview sessions.
Listen to the episode and subscribe:
Ohio State women’s basketball started their 24-25 campaign with a 104-69 rout of Cleveland State, the reigning Horizon League regular season champions. Following the win, guard Jaloni Cambridge, forward Cotie McMahon, and head coach Kevin McGuff spoke with the media.
On this episode of “Uncut,” hear what Cambridge said was going through her mind before the start of her first NCAA game and McMahon discusses her strong three-point shooting night against the Vikings and what people don’t realize about the speed of this Ohio State side.
Then, McGuff talks about the hype around Cambridge, what she did well in her standout performance, potential redshirt players on the roster, and more.
Connect with Thomas:
Twitter: @1ThomasCostello
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 Kirk Irwin/Getty Images
After Ohio State’s win to start the 2024-25 season, the Buckeyes spoke with the media
Throughout the year, Land-Grant Holy Land will be bringing you uncut audio primarily from Ohio State press conferences, but also from individual interview sessions.
Listen to the episode and subscribe:
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | iHeart Radio
Ohio State women’s basketball started their 24-25 campaign with a 104-69 rout of Cleveland State, the reigning Horizon League regular season champions. Following the win, guard Jaloni Cambridge, forward Cotie McMahon, and head coach Kevin McGuff spoke with the media.
On this episode of “Uncut,” hear what Cambridge said was going through her mind before the start of her first NCAA game and McMahon discusses her strong three-point shooting night against the Vikings and what people don’t realize about the speed of this Ohio State side.
Then, McGuff talks about the hype around Cambridge, what she did well in her standout performance, potential redshirt players on the roster, and more.
Connect with Thomas:
Twitter: @1ThomasCostello
Theme music provided by www.bensound.com
Continue reading...
LGHL Jaloni Cambridge leads No. 14 Ohio State women’s basketball over Cleveland State 104-69
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Jaloni Cambridge leads No. 14 Ohio State women’s basketball over Cleveland State 104-69
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 Kirk Irwin/Getty Images
The freshman led the Buckeyes with 31 points to open her NCAA career
The basketball season returned to the Schottenstein Center Tuesday night. Ohio State women’s basketball opened the arena back up and those skipping election coverage saw a show from freshman Jaloni Cambridge. The guard scored 31 points in her NCAA debut as the Buckeyes defeated the Cleveland State Vikings 104-69.
If freshmen are supposed to be nervous in their first college games, the Buckeyes’ new batch of first-year players weren’t told. After Ohio State went down early, allowing a three-pointer from Cleveland State’s prolific deep shooter Mickayala Perdue, it was all the Scarlet and Gray, with point guard Jaloni Cambridge leading the charge.
The No. 2 overall 2024 prospect Cambridge went 4-for-4 in the first quarter, leading the Buckeyes with eight points and four steals. The Ohio State press looked right at home with the freshman at the helm, forcing 10 turnovers and scoring 10 points off those changes in possession.
Scoring runs of nine and 11 points put the Buckeyes up 17 points quickly, allowing head coach Kevin McGuff to be more flexible with using his roster depth.
Coming in from the bench first was Finnish freshman center Elsa Lemmilä. Within the first minute on the court, Lemmilä had two blocks, showing what she can do defensively with a 6-foot-6 frame.
The freshmen weren’t the only newcomers making an impact, starting for the Buckeyes were a pair of upperclassmen transfers in forward Ajae Petty and guard Chance Gray. Starting at shooting guard, Gray didn’t score in the first half but had four assists and two steals.
However, Petty was used early by McGuff, opting to go into the paint and letting the forward try to establish a presence in the paint, scoring five points and adding four rebounds.
Cleveland matched the pressure at the rim, making things difficult for Petty who went 2-for-6 in the post. The Vikings had six blocked shots in the paint, not giving Ohio State much room to work, so they moved to the outside.
Cambridge followed up her perfect first quarter by making her first two attempts from deep in the second. Cotie McMahon joined the freshman, showing off an improved deep game, making two in the first half and only going up for one layup attempt.
Forward Taylor Thierry added seven first-half points herself, and the Buckeyes went into the halftime locker room up 42-24.
To start the second half, Cleveland State tried to increase the intensity. It worked but Cambridge and McMahon kept up the pressure. Showing her range of offensive ability, Cambridge attacked the basket after spending a quarter shooting midrange and another from deep. The freshman made it to the line three times, going 4-for-4.
McMahon continued to spread the Vikings' defense three-point shots. The junior was perfect on both attempts in the third quarter and the two offensive threats for Ohio State scored 20 of the Buckeyes’ 24 points in the quarter.
For the fourth quarter, Vikings’ guard Perdue continued as the CSU athlete keeping the deficit within 30 points. Perdue wasn’t too far behind Cambridge in scoring, with 24 of her 31 points in the second half.
Even so, McGuff kept his starters in to start the fourth. Joining the offensive attack was Gray, who was kept off the scoreboard until the final 10 minutes. That’s when the Oregon transfer led Ohio State with eight points, going 3-for-3 from the floor and making both attempts from beyond the arc.
With 4:45 remaining though, McGuff brought in his depth and gave the starting five a break to end the game. With an Ava Watson jumper late in the fourth quarter, all 10 available Buckeyes made a shot on the opening night of the season.
This summer, coach McGuff warned about not hyping up the dynamic freshman too much. After Cambridge’s debut performance, it’s going to be even more difficult to achieve that goal.
Cambridge led Ohio State in scoring on the night but also did it with high efficiency. The freshman went 12-for-14 from the floor and added 6 rebounds, 6 assists, 5 steals and 2 blocks.
Before the game started, Ohio State had four players listed out for the game. Forwards Faith Carson, Ella Hobbs, and Seini Henry, along with guard Kaia Henderson didn’t suit up. Of the group, only Hobbs didn’t fully practice last week, still returning from injury.
The remaining three names not available could mean potential redshirt situations. Henderson, entering her third year as a Buckeye, and Carson, in her second, haven’t made their way into the Ohio State rotation in their time at Columbus. For Henry, she’s entering into a crowded forward group.
The Buckeyes are off for a week, returning back to the court on Tuesday, Nov. 12 against the Charlotte 49ers. It’s only the second time the two sides met in program history, with Ohio State defeating Charlotte in Dec. 19, 2011.
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 Kirk Irwin/Getty Images
The freshman led the Buckeyes with 31 points to open her NCAA career
The basketball season returned to the Schottenstein Center Tuesday night. Ohio State women’s basketball opened the arena back up and those skipping election coverage saw a show from freshman Jaloni Cambridge. The guard scored 31 points in her NCAA debut as the Buckeyes defeated the Cleveland State Vikings 104-69.
If freshmen are supposed to be nervous in their first college games, the Buckeyes’ new batch of first-year players weren’t told. After Ohio State went down early, allowing a three-pointer from Cleveland State’s prolific deep shooter Mickayala Perdue, it was all the Scarlet and Gray, with point guard Jaloni Cambridge leading the charge.
The No. 2 overall 2024 prospect Cambridge went 4-for-4 in the first quarter, leading the Buckeyes with eight points and four steals. The Ohio State press looked right at home with the freshman at the helm, forcing 10 turnovers and scoring 10 points off those changes in possession.
Scoring runs of nine and 11 points put the Buckeyes up 17 points quickly, allowing head coach Kevin McGuff to be more flexible with using his roster depth.
Coming in from the bench first was Finnish freshman center Elsa Lemmilä. Within the first minute on the court, Lemmilä had two blocks, showing what she can do defensively with a 6-foot-6 frame.
The freshmen weren’t the only newcomers making an impact, starting for the Buckeyes were a pair of upperclassmen transfers in forward Ajae Petty and guard Chance Gray. Starting at shooting guard, Gray didn’t score in the first half but had four assists and two steals.
However, Petty was used early by McGuff, opting to go into the paint and letting the forward try to establish a presence in the paint, scoring five points and adding four rebounds.
Cleveland matched the pressure at the rim, making things difficult for Petty who went 2-for-6 in the post. The Vikings had six blocked shots in the paint, not giving Ohio State much room to work, so they moved to the outside.
Cambridge followed up her perfect first quarter by making her first two attempts from deep in the second. Cotie McMahon joined the freshman, showing off an improved deep game, making two in the first half and only going up for one layup attempt.
Forward Taylor Thierry added seven first-half points herself, and the Buckeyes went into the halftime locker room up 42-24.
To start the second half, Cleveland State tried to increase the intensity. It worked but Cambridge and McMahon kept up the pressure. Showing her range of offensive ability, Cambridge attacked the basket after spending a quarter shooting midrange and another from deep. The freshman made it to the line three times, going 4-for-4.
McMahon continued to spread the Vikings' defense three-point shots. The junior was perfect on both attempts in the third quarter and the two offensive threats for Ohio State scored 20 of the Buckeyes’ 24 points in the quarter.
For the fourth quarter, Vikings’ guard Perdue continued as the CSU athlete keeping the deficit within 30 points. Perdue wasn’t too far behind Cambridge in scoring, with 24 of her 31 points in the second half.
Even so, McGuff kept his starters in to start the fourth. Joining the offensive attack was Gray, who was kept off the scoreboard until the final 10 minutes. That’s when the Oregon transfer led Ohio State with eight points, going 3-for-3 from the floor and making both attempts from beyond the arc.
With 4:45 remaining though, McGuff brought in his depth and gave the starting five a break to end the game. With an Ava Watson jumper late in the fourth quarter, all 10 available Buckeyes made a shot on the opening night of the season.
The Hype is Real
This summer, coach McGuff warned about not hyping up the dynamic freshman too much. After Cambridge’s debut performance, it’s going to be even more difficult to achieve that goal.
Cambridge led Ohio State in scoring on the night but also did it with high efficiency. The freshman went 12-for-14 from the floor and added 6 rebounds, 6 assists, 5 steals and 2 blocks.
Unavailable
Before the game started, Ohio State had four players listed out for the game. Forwards Faith Carson, Ella Hobbs, and Seini Henry, along with guard Kaia Henderson didn’t suit up. Of the group, only Hobbs didn’t fully practice last week, still returning from injury.
The remaining three names not available could mean potential redshirt situations. Henderson, entering her third year as a Buckeye, and Carson, in her second, haven’t made their way into the Ohio State rotation in their time at Columbus. For Henry, she’s entering into a crowded forward group.
What’s Next
The Buckeyes are off for a week, returning back to the court on Tuesday, Nov. 12 against the Charlotte 49ers. It’s only the second time the two sides met in program history, with Ohio State defeating Charlotte in Dec. 19, 2011.
Continue reading...
LGHL B1G Thoughts: Does Penn State have a ceiling, or does James Franklin?
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B1G Thoughts: Does Penn State have a ceiling, or does James Franklin?
JordanW330 via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images
After his eighth-straight loss to Ohio State, Penn State may have a James Franklin problem.
Every week after the Big Ten games, I will bring you some B1G thoughts on everything that happened! This will include analysis, stats, key players, moments, and more. With the Big Ten expanding from 14 teams to 18 teams in 2024 we will have a bunch of storylines to follow.
Ryan Day and Ohio State are all in for the 2024 season. Is Oregon a national championship contender or will they stumble in their first Big Ten season? How do the former members of the Big Ten West fair in the new divisionless format? This article tracks all these storylines and more as the Big Ten hopes to win back-to-back national championships.
Check out the I-80 Football Show for more in-depth analysis and to preview the next week of B1G games.
After losing its eighth-straight game against Ohio State and James Franklin’s 10th in 11 tries, Penn State has a clear ceiling. The question is whose ceiling is it: Penn State’s or Franklin’s?
Penn State is too good to fire Franklin. They’re almost guaranteed to go 11-1 and make the College Football Playoff this season. We all understand that they are the biggest beneficiaries of the 12-team playoff and not playing Ohio State and Michigan every year. If Franklin goes 11-1 this season, he will have won 11 games for the second time in three seasons.
The problem lies in the rest. Franklin has been at Penn State for 11 years. Here’s a brief look at this resume:
Under Franklin and before the Big Ten expanded, Penn State was very clearly the third-best team in the conference. They were also pretty clearly not a real national championship contender.
Franklin wins more times than not, with a 95-40 record at Penn State, but he also loses essentially every big game he plays. He struggles to hire and empower good offensive coordinators, and there are always clear holes on his roster. For years it was along the offensive line, and now it’s wide receiver.
I don’t know if Penn State should move on from Franklin — I’m pretty sure they can’t afford it. But in his own words his program is great but not elite, and I’m pretty sure he’s reached his ceiling. It may be time for a Brian Kelly-type separation where Franklin leaves for another job, allowing both sides to try to win without each other.
Until then, Penn State fans need to determine if they can accept their place in life.
I will start this section by saying that my opinion on Ryan Day has not changed, but I fully believe in giving credit when credit is due and this was one of Day’s biggest wins in his tenure.
After many fans called for Ryan Day’s job due in large part to his inability to win big games, there continues to be a conversation that beating Penn State isn’t a big game. Let’s be clear here: beating Penn State is a big win, and saying anything else is moving the goalpost. You can struggle to believe in Day’s ability to win a national championship — I do — but let’s not pretend this was not a big win for the resume.
Going into this game the vibes were at an all-time low in Columbus. The Buckeyes entered this past weekend with questions on the offensive line, with Abdul Carter looking to improve his draft stock with scouts in the building. Ohio State started this game in a 10-0 hole and found a way to dominate the game.
They got a key interception and sacks when needed, plus a goal-line stand to win the game. Their makeshift offensive line ran the ball 10-straight times to run off the final five minutes of game time. From the vibes to the roster concerns to going down 10 points in the first quarter, Ohio State had every reason to give up. Instead, they played one of their most inspired performances.
The season is far from over. For now, you can allow yourself to appreciate this win.
Before the season I was questioning if it was time for Minnesota to go the route of Wisconsin and move on from their generally successful coach who has a clear ceiling in the new Big Ten.
While it is still true that Minnesota has a clear ceiling, they are now 6-3 after nine games and eight wins are not off the table with games against Rutgers and Wisconsin left on the schedule. Minnesota is probably not going to make the 12-team playoff often, but P.J. Fleck has already won 10 and 11 games before, and those seasons would get into the playoffs in a lot of years.
After a 3-point loss to Michigan and two ranked wins over USC and Illinois, Minnesota has shown that it can still compete. Maybe patience will pay off. Regardless of the future, Fleck continues to prove that he can win at Minnesota. There may be more 6-7 years like the 2023 season, but there will also be eight and nine-win seasons and some years the Golden Gophers might strike gold!
With everyone in the Big Ten having played eight or nine games, now is a good time to review who is or could become bowl eligible in the last month of the season.
Playoff Bound: Indiana (9-0), Ohio State (7-1), Oregon (9-0), Penn State (7-1)
Bowl Eligible: Illinois (6-3), Iowa (6-3), Minnesota (6-3)
Lurking: Michigan (5-4), Nebraska (5-4), Rutgers (4-4), Washington (5-4), Wisconsin (5-4)
Unlikely, but Possible: Michigan State (4-4), USC (4-5), Northwestern (4-5)
Curtains Closed: Maryland (4-4), Purdue (1-7), UCLA (3-5)
Nebraska finds itself in a familiar place. Once again they won five games early and are struggling to get their sixth win. While they have winnable games left, UCLA was their best chance to gain bowl eligibility — and they lost.
USC really needed to beat Washington, as they finish the year with Nebraska, UCLA, and Notre Dame. USC could win two of their last three, but it’s just as likely they lose all three. They’re not having a good time in Southern California.
Lastly, Washington beating USC was huge. They finish the year with two sure losses in Penn State and Oregon, but they gave themselves a one-game season against UCLA for a chance to go bowling in their first season under Jedd Fisch.
This article drops on Tuesday, and has the honor of sharing the day with the College Football Playoff rankings. The first-ever ranking for the first edition of the 12-team playoff drops tomorrow, and there is going to be a lot to learn about how the committee views the country and which teams it’s most impressed by.
Some things to watch for the Big Ten:
Football is a beautiful sport, but there are not many things better than watching a goal line stand! 22 people lined up across from each other with four plays to fight for five yards. More times than not the offense wins out, so we must celebrate when a defense comes out on top!
This time, it’s No. 4 Ohio State stuffing No. 3 Penn State to secure one of the biggest wins in the Ryan Day era.
Follow The I-80 Football Show on YouTube: @JordanW330.
Subscribe to the podcast: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
Connect with me on Twitter: @JordanW330
Follow I-80 Football Show on Instagram: @I80FootballShow
Continue reading...
JordanW330 via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images
After his eighth-straight loss to Ohio State, Penn State may have a James Franklin problem.
Every week after the Big Ten games, I will bring you some B1G thoughts on everything that happened! This will include analysis, stats, key players, moments, and more. With the Big Ten expanding from 14 teams to 18 teams in 2024 we will have a bunch of storylines to follow.
Ryan Day and Ohio State are all in for the 2024 season. Is Oregon a national championship contender or will they stumble in their first Big Ten season? How do the former members of the Big Ten West fair in the new divisionless format? This article tracks all these storylines and more as the Big Ten hopes to win back-to-back national championships.
Check out the I-80 Football Show for more in-depth analysis and to preview the next week of B1G games.
Whose ceiling is it anyway?
After losing its eighth-straight game against Ohio State and James Franklin’s 10th in 11 tries, Penn State has a clear ceiling. The question is whose ceiling is it: Penn State’s or Franklin’s?
Penn State is too good to fire Franklin. They’re almost guaranteed to go 11-1 and make the College Football Playoff this season. We all understand that they are the biggest beneficiaries of the 12-team playoff and not playing Ohio State and Michigan every year. If Franklin goes 11-1 this season, he will have won 11 games for the second time in three seasons.
The problem lies in the rest. Franklin has been at Penn State for 11 years. Here’s a brief look at this resume:
- One Big Ten Championship
- Five 11-win seasons
- 1-10 record against Ohio State
- 3-7 record against Michigan
- 1-13 record against top-five teams
- 3-18 record against top-10 teams
- 13-27 record against top-25 teams
Under Franklin and before the Big Ten expanded, Penn State was very clearly the third-best team in the conference. They were also pretty clearly not a real national championship contender.
Franklin wins more times than not, with a 95-40 record at Penn State, but he also loses essentially every big game he plays. He struggles to hire and empower good offensive coordinators, and there are always clear holes on his roster. For years it was along the offensive line, and now it’s wide receiver.
I don’t know if Penn State should move on from Franklin — I’m pretty sure they can’t afford it. But in his own words his program is great but not elite, and I’m pretty sure he’s reached his ceiling. It may be time for a Brian Kelly-type separation where Franklin leaves for another job, allowing both sides to try to win without each other.
Until then, Penn State fans need to determine if they can accept their place in life.
Are Ohio State fans moving the goalpost?
I will start this section by saying that my opinion on Ryan Day has not changed, but I fully believe in giving credit when credit is due and this was one of Day’s biggest wins in his tenure.
After many fans called for Ryan Day’s job due in large part to his inability to win big games, there continues to be a conversation that beating Penn State isn’t a big game. Let’s be clear here: beating Penn State is a big win, and saying anything else is moving the goalpost. You can struggle to believe in Day’s ability to win a national championship — I do — but let’s not pretend this was not a big win for the resume.
Going into this game the vibes were at an all-time low in Columbus. The Buckeyes entered this past weekend with questions on the offensive line, with Abdul Carter looking to improve his draft stock with scouts in the building. Ohio State started this game in a 10-0 hole and found a way to dominate the game.
They got a key interception and sacks when needed, plus a goal-line stand to win the game. Their makeshift offensive line ran the ball 10-straight times to run off the final five minutes of game time. From the vibes to the roster concerns to going down 10 points in the first quarter, Ohio State had every reason to give up. Instead, they played one of their most inspired performances.
The season is far from over. For now, you can allow yourself to appreciate this win.
Minnesota is having a sneaky good year.
Before the season I was questioning if it was time for Minnesota to go the route of Wisconsin and move on from their generally successful coach who has a clear ceiling in the new Big Ten.
While it is still true that Minnesota has a clear ceiling, they are now 6-3 after nine games and eight wins are not off the table with games against Rutgers and Wisconsin left on the schedule. Minnesota is probably not going to make the 12-team playoff often, but P.J. Fleck has already won 10 and 11 games before, and those seasons would get into the playoffs in a lot of years.
After a 3-point loss to Michigan and two ranked wins over USC and Illinois, Minnesota has shown that it can still compete. Maybe patience will pay off. Regardless of the future, Fleck continues to prove that he can win at Minnesota. There may be more 6-7 years like the 2023 season, but there will also be eight and nine-win seasons and some years the Golden Gophers might strike gold!
To bowl or not to bowl? That is the question...
With everyone in the Big Ten having played eight or nine games, now is a good time to review who is or could become bowl eligible in the last month of the season.
Playoff Bound: Indiana (9-0), Ohio State (7-1), Oregon (9-0), Penn State (7-1)
Bowl Eligible: Illinois (6-3), Iowa (6-3), Minnesota (6-3)
Lurking: Michigan (5-4), Nebraska (5-4), Rutgers (4-4), Washington (5-4), Wisconsin (5-4)
Unlikely, but Possible: Michigan State (4-4), USC (4-5), Northwestern (4-5)
Curtains Closed: Maryland (4-4), Purdue (1-7), UCLA (3-5)
Nebraska finds itself in a familiar place. Once again they won five games early and are struggling to get their sixth win. While they have winnable games left, UCLA was their best chance to gain bowl eligibility — and they lost.
USC really needed to beat Washington, as they finish the year with Nebraska, UCLA, and Notre Dame. USC could win two of their last three, but it’s just as likely they lose all three. They’re not having a good time in Southern California.
Lastly, Washington beating USC was huge. They finish the year with two sure losses in Penn State and Oregon, but they gave themselves a one-game season against UCLA for a chance to go bowling in their first season under Jedd Fisch.
Get ready for the playoffs!
This article drops on Tuesday, and has the honor of sharing the day with the College Football Playoff rankings. The first-ever ranking for the first edition of the 12-team playoff drops tomorrow, and there is going to be a lot to learn about how the committee views the country and which teams it’s most impressed by.
Some things to watch for the Big Ten:
- Between Ohio State, Penn State, Georgia, Texas, and Tennessee, how does the committee rank the one loss Big Ten and SEC teams? Whose resume do they value more after eight games?
- Indiana, 9-0, is one of five undefeated teams in FBS, including Oregon, Miami, BYU and Army. So far Indiana has not been well respected in the AP Poll, finally cracking the top-10 after nine wins and some chaos in the Top 25. Where does the committee rank Indiana, and do they respect their resume?
- Is there any indication of whether they will avoid conference rematches or early-round conference games? Would it allow Indiana and Penn State to be ranked eight and nine and play in the first round, or will they adjust similar resumes to create the best matchups?
Play(s) of the Week - Goal Line Stand Edition!
Football is a beautiful sport, but there are not many things better than watching a goal line stand! 22 people lined up across from each other with four plays to fight for five yards. More times than not the offense wins out, so we must celebrate when a defense comes out on top!
This time, it’s No. 4 Ohio State stuffing No. 3 Penn State to secure one of the biggest wins in the Ryan Day era.
Follow The I-80 Football Show on YouTube: @JordanW330.
Subscribe to the podcast: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
Connect with me on Twitter: @JordanW330
Follow I-80 Football Show on Instagram: @I80FootballShow
Continue reading...
