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LGHL College Football Playoff expansion talk premature with 12-team model still to come
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College Football Playoff expansion talk premature with 12-team model still to come
Michael Citro 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
Why are the powers that be entertaining 14 or 16 teams before even seeing how it works with 12?
News broke days ago that the College Football Playoff meetings produced conversations about expanding the playoff field from 12 teams to 14 or more. The weird thing to me about this discussion is that 2024 will be the first season in which we see how it works with 12 teams — or, to go even further, with more than four.
No kidding.
Right now, we can look at several instances of a four-team playoff and see how things shook out. There were good arguments for inclusion by teams that were left out. Even though Ohio State won the first College Football Playoff, there was an argument to be made that a different team should have played Alabama. It seems that four teams was creating almost more controversy about who should get in than when there was one national title game and only two teams got in.
However, we have no data points for an expanded field. I thought it was overly ambitious to jump over eight teams and go straight to 12. Some years, but certainly not most, you can make a reasonable argument for including teams that finish the regular season as low as eighth in the playoff. I don’t think there are many years, however, in which the nation collectively thinks the No. 11 or 12 team should compete for the natty.
Expanding it even further, to 14 teams as was discussed recently, seems ludicrous. when Selection Day 2023 came, here were the CFP Committee’s teams ranked after No. 8:
9 Missouri
10 Penn State
11 Mississippi
12 Oklahoma
13 LSU
14 Arizona
15 Louisville
16 Notre Dame
There are a few exciting teams in that field, but not one team that deserved a shot at the title.
Among the things discussed in terms of a 14-team playoff was the idea of the SEC and Big Ten getting as many as four automatic bids. That means the team that finished fourth in the league would have a shot at a national championship.
The fourth-place team in both conference had two losses in conference play. It seems odd to give a team a clean slate and a path to a championship when they didn’t even finish on the podium in their own conference.
Despite being an older fan who grew up on the pageantry and traditions of the bowl games, and finishing the year with both AP and UPI champions (sometimes different teams), I’ve always favored a small playoff with the top teams battling it out. But there is such a thing as watering down the product.
If that is indeed what is happening, might it not be better to gather some data on the 12-team version before worrying about whether or not it should expand?
Continue reading...
Michael Citro 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
Why are the powers that be entertaining 14 or 16 teams before even seeing how it works with 12?
News broke days ago that the College Football Playoff meetings produced conversations about expanding the playoff field from 12 teams to 14 or more. The weird thing to me about this discussion is that 2024 will be the first season in which we see how it works with 12 teams — or, to go even further, with more than four.
No kidding.
Right now, we can look at several instances of a four-team playoff and see how things shook out. There were good arguments for inclusion by teams that were left out. Even though Ohio State won the first College Football Playoff, there was an argument to be made that a different team should have played Alabama. It seems that four teams was creating almost more controversy about who should get in than when there was one national title game and only two teams got in.
However, we have no data points for an expanded field. I thought it was overly ambitious to jump over eight teams and go straight to 12. Some years, but certainly not most, you can make a reasonable argument for including teams that finish the regular season as low as eighth in the playoff. I don’t think there are many years, however, in which the nation collectively thinks the No. 11 or 12 team should compete for the natty.
Expanding it even further, to 14 teams as was discussed recently, seems ludicrous. when Selection Day 2023 came, here were the CFP Committee’s teams ranked after No. 8:
9 Missouri
10 Penn State
11 Mississippi
12 Oklahoma
13 LSU
14 Arizona
15 Louisville
16 Notre Dame
There are a few exciting teams in that field, but not one team that deserved a shot at the title.
Among the things discussed in terms of a 14-team playoff was the idea of the SEC and Big Ten getting as many as four automatic bids. That means the team that finished fourth in the league would have a shot at a national championship.
The fourth-place team in both conference had two losses in conference play. It seems odd to give a team a clean slate and a path to a championship when they didn’t even finish on the podium in their own conference.
Despite being an older fan who grew up on the pageantry and traditions of the bowl games, and finishing the year with both AP and UPI champions (sometimes different teams), I’ve always favored a small playoff with the top teams battling it out. But there is such a thing as watering down the product.
If that is indeed what is happening, might it not be better to gather some data on the 12-team version before worrying about whether or not it should expand?
Continue reading...
LGHL You’re Nuts: Who will be Ohio State’s highest-rated player in EA Sports College Football 25?
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You’re Nuts: Who will be Ohio State’s highest-rated player in EA Sports College Football 25?
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Nick Tre. Smith/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Who will be the Buckeyes’ highest-rated offensive and defensive player in the return of the college football video game?
Everybody knows that one of the best parts of being a sports fan is debating and dissecting the most (and least) important questions in the sporting world with your friends. So, we’re bringing that to the pages of LGHL with our favorite head-to-head column: You’re Nuts.
In You’re Nuts, two LGHL staff members will take differing sides of one question and argue their opinions passionately. Then, in the end, it’s up to you to determine who’s right and who’s nuts.
Thanks to several announcements, a teaser trailer, and Chris Fowler’s behind the scenes look, we now know that EA Sports’ College Football game is finally making its long-awaited comeback... But, like, for real this time. After more than a decade of rumors and false hope, the greatest video game franchise ever (yup, I said it) is here again. Or at least it will be this summer.
Now, EA Sports has not been very forthcoming with details; those seem to be coming in May. But we do know that players are able to opt in (to the game) for $600 and a copy of the game. There will also be additional earning opportunities for athlete ambassadors who work with EA to promote CFB25.
Having real players in the game is a total game-changer, as it means that we will no longer have to spend hours and hours naming rosters or creating players. And several players have already announced that they have indeed opted in, so I would anticipate a high level of participation by the time this thing is released.
We also know that Fowler and other CFB media personalities such as Kirk Herbstreit and Rece Davis have been at work on this thing for years... Years! So it seems like this new version of the game is going to be just as good, if not better, than the old(er) version we grew to love. Especially because technology is much, much better than it was in 2014, when this game was last released. With Denard Robinson on the cover... Gross.
But a new version also means that we won’t have a Michigan player go down as the last cover athlete to represent this magical franchise. Win, win, win(s) all over the place, baby.
As for who will grace the cover this time around, nobody knows. But covers and real players and all that jazz got Gene and I thinking: Could an Ohio State Buckeye be the face of the game? If not, which player will (video) gamers associate with OSU? Which Buckeye is going to be Tecmo Bowl Bo or Video Game Vick?
In reality, no Ohio State player is going to match the video game prowess of Bo Jackson or Michael Vick. However, the Scarlet and Gray should have several studs to choose from (that sounds weird), which is what my partner and I decided to tackle for today’s edition of You’re Nuts. We’re guessing which current OSU player will have the highest overall rating in this year’s version of EA Sports College Football.
To make it interesting and avoid crossover, Gene and I chose players from opposite sides of the ball. I drew offense, so I am going with TreVeyon Henderson as my highest rated Buckeye.
One could argue whether or not Henderson is the best, most skilled, or even most versatile player Ohio State has on offense, but frankly, that doesn’t matter when it comes to video game rating(s). Nor does injury history, which could be held against Henderson.
Instead, a skill player’s overall rating is primarily driven by a handful of general attributes: Size, speed, agility, and power, all of which Henderson has in abundance. Listed at 5-foot-10, 212, the Buckeyes’ leading rusher in two of his three seasons is known as a home run-hitter with tremendous speed. Henderson’s agility is seemingly off the charts – as evidenced by his ability to turn corners and dodge tacklers – and power has always been an underrated part of his game. He checks all the big, important boxes.
In 2014, Carlos Hyde was Ohio State’s top-rated running back, checking in at 89 overall. He achieved this rating despite a subpar 88 speed rating — four points lower than Ezekiel Elliott, a backup at the time of the game’s release. And while Hyde may have been remembered as a bruising runner, he only had about 15 pounds on Henderson. The former’s strength and break tackle ratings were well above average, but if Hyde was an 89 overall, I anticipate Henderson receiving a rating above 90.
I’m guessing that Henderson comes in somewhere around a 92 overall, carried by his 94 speed and acceleration rating(s), as well as a 91 in agility. Add in the fact that he should get bonus points for his ability to catch, and I just don’t see another Buckeye surpassing Henderson on offense. Quinshon Judkins and Emeka Egbuka should be close behind, but Henderson has the size/speed/agility/power combo one looks for when playing a (football) video game.
I should know, I’m a bit of a connoisseur.
Shout out to my partner for laying out all the details in the first half of his section, so I can spare you all the recap of the latest news and notes of EA Sports College Football 25. As Josh said, all we know is that the game is coming out this Summer (likely July), we will have more info a few months ahead of time, and that players across the country are opting in to be a part of the first college football video game to be released since July 9, 2013.
As funny as it was to fire up NCAA Football 14 and run wild with Ohio State QB #5, actually getting the players names and likenesses in the game is going to take things to the next level. Of course, what myself and many others are looking forward to the most is the Dynasty mode, wherein you can take control of any program in the country and work your way up from the offensive coordinator of a middling MAC program to a Nick Saban-esq coaching legend at the top of the P5.
That being said, there will probably still be times where you’d like to escape the grind of attempting to get Bowling Green to the College Football Playoff and would instead like to dominate a few opponents as Ohio State. As such, who will be the Buckeyes’ highest rated players when the game is released?
As Josh already explained, we looked to split this piece into two sections, with my counterpart taking offense and myself on defense. I do agree that TreVeyon Henderson is likely going to be the highest-rated player on Ohio State’s offense, especially since speed is generally weighted pretty heavily in football video games. I do think Quinshon Judkins and Emeka Egbuka won’t be too far behind, but at least to begin the season I would give Henderson a slight edge as a likely 92-94 overall with Judkins and Egbuka both also in the low-90s/high-80s range.
Defensively, I think there is a clear and obvious candidate for the highest-rated player, and I think this player will also have the highest overall rating of any Buckeye on either side of the football. I expect Ohio State to have the highest rated defense of any team in the game on release, and that unit will be led at the top by none other than Alabama transfer Caleb Downs.
As one of the best defensive players in all of college football as just a freshman this past season, Downs should be the highest-rated safety in the game, and I expect his overall to be somewhere in the 95-97 range. A true do-it-all defensive back, Downs has pretty much all the traits you’d want from a defensive back if you were to create your own player in the game. He has the size, speed, athleticism and football IQ to make plays at all three levels, and he will be the anchor of a talented and experienced defense in Columbus.
I think Ohio State will likely have at least three 90-plus overalls on its defense, with Downs at the top followed by Denzel Burke and J.T. Tuimoloau. Guys like Jordan Hancock, Lathan Ransom and Jack Sawyer also have a case to be somewhere in the high-80s, and could play themselves up into the 90s with strong seasons, as I would imagine players will see their ratings in the game increase with strong play in real life just as they do for Madden in the NFL.
As the preseason rankings will reflect, expect the Buckeyes to be one of the top two or three highest-rated teams in the game, with Georgia and Oregon also in the mix. Ohio State should be a lot of fun to play with, especially with a dual-threat QB, two elite running backs, a treasure trove of wide receivers and a stacked defense. Personally, I am looking forward to previewing the team’s real life opponent each week by dominating the virtual version of each program in the video game.
Continue reading...
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Nick Tre. Smith/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Who will be the Buckeyes’ highest-rated offensive and defensive player in the return of the college football video game?
Everybody knows that one of the best parts of being a sports fan is debating and dissecting the most (and least) important questions in the sporting world with your friends. So, we’re bringing that to the pages of LGHL with our favorite head-to-head column: You’re Nuts.
In You’re Nuts, two LGHL staff members will take differing sides of one question and argue their opinions passionately. Then, in the end, it’s up to you to determine who’s right and who’s nuts.
This week’s topic: Who will be Ohio State’s highest-rated player in EA Sports College Football 25?
Josh’s Take (Offense)
Thanks to several announcements, a teaser trailer, and Chris Fowler’s behind the scenes look, we now know that EA Sports’ College Football game is finally making its long-awaited comeback... But, like, for real this time. After more than a decade of rumors and false hope, the greatest video game franchise ever (yup, I said it) is here again. Or at least it will be this summer.
Now, EA Sports has not been very forthcoming with details; those seem to be coming in May. But we do know that players are able to opt in (to the game) for $600 and a copy of the game. There will also be additional earning opportunities for athlete ambassadors who work with EA to promote CFB25.
Having real players in the game is a total game-changer, as it means that we will no longer have to spend hours and hours naming rosters or creating players. And several players have already announced that they have indeed opted in, so I would anticipate a high level of participation by the time this thing is released.
We also know that Fowler and other CFB media personalities such as Kirk Herbstreit and Rece Davis have been at work on this thing for years... Years! So it seems like this new version of the game is going to be just as good, if not better, than the old(er) version we grew to love. Especially because technology is much, much better than it was in 2014, when this game was last released. With Denard Robinson on the cover... Gross.
But a new version also means that we won’t have a Michigan player go down as the last cover athlete to represent this magical franchise. Win, win, win(s) all over the place, baby.
As for who will grace the cover this time around, nobody knows. But covers and real players and all that jazz got Gene and I thinking: Could an Ohio State Buckeye be the face of the game? If not, which player will (video) gamers associate with OSU? Which Buckeye is going to be Tecmo Bowl Bo or Video Game Vick?
In reality, no Ohio State player is going to match the video game prowess of Bo Jackson or Michael Vick. However, the Scarlet and Gray should have several studs to choose from (that sounds weird), which is what my partner and I decided to tackle for today’s edition of You’re Nuts. We’re guessing which current OSU player will have the highest overall rating in this year’s version of EA Sports College Football.
To make it interesting and avoid crossover, Gene and I chose players from opposite sides of the ball. I drew offense, so I am going with TreVeyon Henderson as my highest rated Buckeye.
One could argue whether or not Henderson is the best, most skilled, or even most versatile player Ohio State has on offense, but frankly, that doesn’t matter when it comes to video game rating(s). Nor does injury history, which could be held against Henderson.
Instead, a skill player’s overall rating is primarily driven by a handful of general attributes: Size, speed, agility, and power, all of which Henderson has in abundance. Listed at 5-foot-10, 212, the Buckeyes’ leading rusher in two of his three seasons is known as a home run-hitter with tremendous speed. Henderson’s agility is seemingly off the charts – as evidenced by his ability to turn corners and dodge tacklers – and power has always been an underrated part of his game. He checks all the big, important boxes.
In 2014, Carlos Hyde was Ohio State’s top-rated running back, checking in at 89 overall. He achieved this rating despite a subpar 88 speed rating — four points lower than Ezekiel Elliott, a backup at the time of the game’s release. And while Hyde may have been remembered as a bruising runner, he only had about 15 pounds on Henderson. The former’s strength and break tackle ratings were well above average, but if Hyde was an 89 overall, I anticipate Henderson receiving a rating above 90.
I’m guessing that Henderson comes in somewhere around a 92 overall, carried by his 94 speed and acceleration rating(s), as well as a 91 in agility. Add in the fact that he should get bonus points for his ability to catch, and I just don’t see another Buckeye surpassing Henderson on offense. Quinshon Judkins and Emeka Egbuka should be close behind, but Henderson has the size/speed/agility/power combo one looks for when playing a (football) video game.
I should know, I’m a bit of a connoisseur.
Gene’s Take (Defense)
Shout out to my partner for laying out all the details in the first half of his section, so I can spare you all the recap of the latest news and notes of EA Sports College Football 25. As Josh said, all we know is that the game is coming out this Summer (likely July), we will have more info a few months ahead of time, and that players across the country are opting in to be a part of the first college football video game to be released since July 9, 2013.
As funny as it was to fire up NCAA Football 14 and run wild with Ohio State QB #5, actually getting the players names and likenesses in the game is going to take things to the next level. Of course, what myself and many others are looking forward to the most is the Dynasty mode, wherein you can take control of any program in the country and work your way up from the offensive coordinator of a middling MAC program to a Nick Saban-esq coaching legend at the top of the P5.
That being said, there will probably still be times where you’d like to escape the grind of attempting to get Bowling Green to the College Football Playoff and would instead like to dominate a few opponents as Ohio State. As such, who will be the Buckeyes’ highest rated players when the game is released?
As Josh already explained, we looked to split this piece into two sections, with my counterpart taking offense and myself on defense. I do agree that TreVeyon Henderson is likely going to be the highest-rated player on Ohio State’s offense, especially since speed is generally weighted pretty heavily in football video games. I do think Quinshon Judkins and Emeka Egbuka won’t be too far behind, but at least to begin the season I would give Henderson a slight edge as a likely 92-94 overall with Judkins and Egbuka both also in the low-90s/high-80s range.
Defensively, I think there is a clear and obvious candidate for the highest-rated player, and I think this player will also have the highest overall rating of any Buckeye on either side of the football. I expect Ohio State to have the highest rated defense of any team in the game on release, and that unit will be led at the top by none other than Alabama transfer Caleb Downs.
As one of the best defensive players in all of college football as just a freshman this past season, Downs should be the highest-rated safety in the game, and I expect his overall to be somewhere in the 95-97 range. A true do-it-all defensive back, Downs has pretty much all the traits you’d want from a defensive back if you were to create your own player in the game. He has the size, speed, athleticism and football IQ to make plays at all three levels, and he will be the anchor of a talented and experienced defense in Columbus.
I think Ohio State will likely have at least three 90-plus overalls on its defense, with Downs at the top followed by Denzel Burke and J.T. Tuimoloau. Guys like Jordan Hancock, Lathan Ransom and Jack Sawyer also have a case to be somewhere in the high-80s, and could play themselves up into the 90s with strong seasons, as I would imagine players will see their ratings in the game increase with strong play in real life just as they do for Madden in the NFL.
As the preseason rankings will reflect, expect the Buckeyes to be one of the top two or three highest-rated teams in the game, with Georgia and Oregon also in the mix. Ohio State should be a lot of fun to play with, especially with a dual-threat QB, two elite running backs, a treasure trove of wide receivers and a stacked defense. Personally, I am looking forward to previewing the team’s real life opponent each week by dominating the virtual version of each program in the video game.
Continue reading...
LGHL Uncut Podcast: McGuff, Taylor, Sheldon discuss B1G title on Senior Day
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- 0 Replies
Uncut Podcast: McGuff, Taylor, Sheldon discuss B1G title on Senior Day
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Barbara J Perenic / USA TODAY NETWORK
That and the reaction to locking up the No. 1 seed and a share of the Big Ten title
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.
Ohio State women’s basketball had the opportunity to lock up the No. 1 Big Ten Tournament seed and a share of the Big Ten regular season title on Sunday. However, it was against a Maryland Terrapins side that has mostly had its way with the Buckeyes since joining the conference eight years ago. The moment wasn’t too big for the Scarlet and Gray, who pulled out the 79-66 victory over the Terps.
After the game, guards Celeste Taylor, Jacy Sheldon, and head coach Kevin McGuff shared their thoughts about the result, seeding, a conference title, and more.
Coach McGuff discussed a “mature” forward Cotie McMahon, talking about the two technical fouls assessed to McMahon over the past two weeks and focusing on facing Michigan.
Taylor and Sheldon, who each took part in Senior Day festivities, talked about the emotions of the moment, switching them off to play a game of basketball and facing Michigan again, the lone team that Ohio State has lost to in conference play.
That and more on the latest Land-Grant Uncut.
Connect with Thomas:
Twitter: @1ThomasCostello
Threads: @1ThomasCostello
Bluesky: @thomascostello.bsky.social
Theme music provided by www.bensound.com
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
Barbara J Perenic / USA TODAY NETWORK
That and the reaction to locking up the No. 1 seed and a share of the Big Ten title
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.
Ohio State women’s basketball had the opportunity to lock up the No. 1 Big Ten Tournament seed and a share of the Big Ten regular season title on Sunday. However, it was against a Maryland Terrapins side that has mostly had its way with the Buckeyes since joining the conference eight years ago. The moment wasn’t too big for the Scarlet and Gray, who pulled out the 79-66 victory over the Terps.
After the game, guards Celeste Taylor, Jacy Sheldon, and head coach Kevin McGuff shared their thoughts about the result, seeding, a conference title, and more.
Coach McGuff discussed a “mature” forward Cotie McMahon, talking about the two technical fouls assessed to McMahon over the past two weeks and focusing on facing Michigan.
Taylor and Sheldon, who each took part in Senior Day festivities, talked about the emotions of the moment, switching them off to play a game of basketball and facing Michigan again, the lone team that Ohio State has lost to in conference play.
That and more on the latest Land-Grant Uncut.
Connect with Thomas:
Twitter: @1ThomasCostello
Threads: @1ThomasCostello
Bluesky: @thomascostello.bsky.social
Theme music provided by www.bensound.com
Continue reading...
LGHL How the turns have tabled: Bonner’s big shot finally put Ohio State on the other side of heartbreak
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- 0 Replies
How the turns have tabled: Bonner’s big shot finally put Ohio State on the other side of heartbreak
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Dale Young-USA TODAY Sports
For once, it was Ohio State that got the big shot from an unexpected hero, instead of it being the other way around.
Five minutes after Dale Bonner’s three-pointer with 0.2 seconds left on the clock silenced the Breslin Center and its crowd of nearly 15,000 green and white-clad fans, the majority Michigan State media contingent sat in the post-game media room, stunned at what they just witnessed. Not because Michigan State had lost — they watched the Spartans fall at home to Iowa not even a week earlier, too — but because of who did it.
“4.4?” one person asked, hoping someone would confirm Bonner’s points per game before officially adding it to their game story or presumably tweeting it out.
“Yup. And 31% shooting overall. Unbelievable.”
“He started for them too, right?”
“No.”
“27.7% from three before that, and that’s on volume — he’s taking 2.5 of ‘em per game.”
As they updated their gamers with Bonner’s season stats to paint the picture of just how unlikely the ending was to Ohio State’s 60-57 win, the few media members who made the drive from Columbus to East Lansing had to have been holding in a chuckle. If Ohio State fans could’ve heard, they would’ve laughed, too. Because this Ohio State team has been getting killed all season long by the Dale Bonners of the Big Ten.
On Sunday, rent came due.
Does the name Leo O’Boyle ring a bell? When Penn State roared back on Dec. 8 and beat Ohio State 83-80 despite trailing by 18 in the second half, O’Boyle was the unexpected hero. The graduate transfer from Lafayette came into that game having scored 21 points over the first 9 games — an average of 2.3 points per game. But on that night, he went 4-of-5 from three and scored 15 points to give Penn State the win. In the 18 games since, O’Boyle has scored exactly 15 points — 0.8 points per game.
How about CJ Gunn? Indiana’s sophomore guard was averaging 3.1 points per game when the Hoosiers and Buckeyes met in Assembly Hall on Jan. 6. Against Ohio State, he played a season-high 24 minutes, scored a then season-high 10 points, and even knocked down his fifth three-pointer of the year in the 15th game of the season. Since then, Gunn has turned it up a bit, and has averaged 4.1 points per game in the 11 games since beating the Buckeyes.
Sticking with the Hoosiers, how can we forget Anthony Leal? Not even three weeks ago, Indiana walked into the Schottenstein Center having lost four of its last five games and with its season in a spiral. Mike Woodson’s team fell behind by 18 in Columbus but stormed back and won the game on a three-pointer from Leal with 22 seconds remaining in the game. Coming into that game, Leal had taken 14 shots in the 10 games he’d played in. He’d knocked down five of his nine three-point tries on the season, but was averaging 2.7 points per game. But on that day, he hit the biggest shot of the season for Indiana — it was the only shot he took that game.
Leal has appeared in four games for the Hoosiers since then and has scored four points. He has missed all five of his three-point attempts.
Ohio State was able to fend off Maryland in double overtime on February 10, but it wasn’t without a battle from sophomore big man Mady Traore. Maryland’s 6-foot-11 French center made his first start of the season against Ohio State after appearing in seven of Maryland’s first 23 games and scoring four points. He quadrupled his season high against the Buckeyes with eight points and doubled his season rebound total. His eight points weren’t a game-changer, but it certainly helped and came from a source nobody expected. Since then, Traore has appeared in two of Maryland’s four games and has scored two points.
So when Ohio State found itself in a position to win the game Sunday afternoon in a venue that they have not emerged victorious from in 12 years, having Dale Bonner be the one to hit the shot wasn’t just cathartic, it was correct. It was a balancing of the scales that had, to this point in the season, been disproportionately hurting Ohio State. It was water finding its level after watching so many players play above and beyond their normal lines and hit shots against the Buckeyes that they otherwise have not been hitting this season.
This time, it was Ohio State’s turn to get a big shot from someone who had no business hitting that shot, in an arena where that shot hasn’t fallen in over a decade.
Unless you ask Devin Royal, of course.
“He does this in practice,” Royal said of Bonner after the game. “He hits these all the time.”
Continue reading...
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Dale Young-USA TODAY Sports
For once, it was Ohio State that got the big shot from an unexpected hero, instead of it being the other way around.
Five minutes after Dale Bonner’s three-pointer with 0.2 seconds left on the clock silenced the Breslin Center and its crowd of nearly 15,000 green and white-clad fans, the majority Michigan State media contingent sat in the post-game media room, stunned at what they just witnessed. Not because Michigan State had lost — they watched the Spartans fall at home to Iowa not even a week earlier, too — but because of who did it.
“4.4?” one person asked, hoping someone would confirm Bonner’s points per game before officially adding it to their game story or presumably tweeting it out.
“Yup. And 31% shooting overall. Unbelievable.”
“He started for them too, right?”
“No.”
“27.7% from three before that, and that’s on volume — he’s taking 2.5 of ‘em per game.”
As they updated their gamers with Bonner’s season stats to paint the picture of just how unlikely the ending was to Ohio State’s 60-57 win, the few media members who made the drive from Columbus to East Lansing had to have been holding in a chuckle. If Ohio State fans could’ve heard, they would’ve laughed, too. Because this Ohio State team has been getting killed all season long by the Dale Bonners of the Big Ten.
On Sunday, rent came due.
Does the name Leo O’Boyle ring a bell? When Penn State roared back on Dec. 8 and beat Ohio State 83-80 despite trailing by 18 in the second half, O’Boyle was the unexpected hero. The graduate transfer from Lafayette came into that game having scored 21 points over the first 9 games — an average of 2.3 points per game. But on that night, he went 4-of-5 from three and scored 15 points to give Penn State the win. In the 18 games since, O’Boyle has scored exactly 15 points — 0.8 points per game.
How about CJ Gunn? Indiana’s sophomore guard was averaging 3.1 points per game when the Hoosiers and Buckeyes met in Assembly Hall on Jan. 6. Against Ohio State, he played a season-high 24 minutes, scored a then season-high 10 points, and even knocked down his fifth three-pointer of the year in the 15th game of the season. Since then, Gunn has turned it up a bit, and has averaged 4.1 points per game in the 11 games since beating the Buckeyes.
Sticking with the Hoosiers, how can we forget Anthony Leal? Not even three weeks ago, Indiana walked into the Schottenstein Center having lost four of its last five games and with its season in a spiral. Mike Woodson’s team fell behind by 18 in Columbus but stormed back and won the game on a three-pointer from Leal with 22 seconds remaining in the game. Coming into that game, Leal had taken 14 shots in the 10 games he’d played in. He’d knocked down five of his nine three-point tries on the season, but was averaging 2.7 points per game. But on that day, he hit the biggest shot of the season for Indiana — it was the only shot he took that game.
Leal has appeared in four games for the Hoosiers since then and has scored four points. He has missed all five of his three-point attempts.
Ohio State was able to fend off Maryland in double overtime on February 10, but it wasn’t without a battle from sophomore big man Mady Traore. Maryland’s 6-foot-11 French center made his first start of the season against Ohio State after appearing in seven of Maryland’s first 23 games and scoring four points. He quadrupled his season high against the Buckeyes with eight points and doubled his season rebound total. His eight points weren’t a game-changer, but it certainly helped and came from a source nobody expected. Since then, Traore has appeared in two of Maryland’s four games and has scored two points.
So when Ohio State found itself in a position to win the game Sunday afternoon in a venue that they have not emerged victorious from in 12 years, having Dale Bonner be the one to hit the shot wasn’t just cathartic, it was correct. It was a balancing of the scales that had, to this point in the season, been disproportionately hurting Ohio State. It was water finding its level after watching so many players play above and beyond their normal lines and hit shots against the Buckeyes that they otherwise have not been hitting this season.
This time, it was Ohio State’s turn to get a big shot from someone who had no business hitting that shot, in an arena where that shot hasn’t fallen in over a decade.
Unless you ask Devin Royal, of course.
“He does this in practice,” Royal said of Bonner after the game. “He hits these all the time.”
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