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LGHL Race into the Rose Bowl with your Ohio State Snoopy flying ace bobblehead
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- 0 Replies
Race into the Rose Bowl with your Ohio State Snoopy flying ace bobblehead
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
As long as Lucy (a.k.a. Ryan Day) doesn’t pull the football out from underneath us, what more could you ask for?
Throughout the course of this season, I have made repeated references to a certain iconic cartoon scene that has felt appropriate for how Ohio State’s head coach was able to get me incredibly excited about the team and its potential, only to figuratively pull the rug out from under me.
Coincidentally (or maybe not), our friends at FOCO have been riding that theme this season, introducing a limited edition bobblehead of that very scene as well as others from the beloved history of “Peanuts.” Today, we are delighted to share one that I think symbolizes how full-speed-ahead I am about the Buckeyes’ national championship chances.
This limited edition bobblehead features Snoopy in full Red Baron regalia getting ready to take off from atop his dog house. There are only 150 of these 8-inch, handmade, and hand-painted figures available, so do not hesitate. They are available for $85 and you can pre-order yours now.
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As my office can confirm, FOCO is the absolute best when it comes to Ohio State bobbleheads! Last month, they released a must-have bobble scene that chronicles Ohio State football history and a super cute fuzzy head Brutus bobblehead. Last month to commemorate the start of the College Football Playoff, they introduced an awesome, limited edition Brutus Buckeye Mini Bighead Bobblehead decked out with all of the CFP pomp and circumstance.
This season, FOCO has also released an Archie Griffin bobblehead celebrating the 50th anniversary of his first Heisman Trophy and a Buckeye bobblehead version of the classic Lucy and Charlie Brown football scene. As the season started, they also released this awesome double-Brutus bobblehead, not to mention some of the coolest and most unique Ohio State gear imaginable.
Then, last season, they dropped a very cool Brutus bobblehead with a hidden version of The Horseshoe. In the fall they released 15 different sport-specific Brutus bobbleheads and introduced Snoopy and Charlie Brown Buckeye bobblehead. Just about a year ago, FOCO unveiled a Brutus training camp bobblehead, and for Memorial Day, the company released an “I Want You” Uncle Sam-inspired Brutus bobblehead.
In addition, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Ohio Stadium, FOCO released a pair of must-have bobbleheads; one featuring Brutus, while the other shows Woody Hayes strutting above The Horseshoe.
As someone with a borderline unhealthy Ohio State bobblehead/collectible addiction, I can think of no better way to celebrate the final unofficial season before college football than with one (or all) of these magnificent merchandising masterpieces.
And, if you actually care about teams other than Ohio State, FOCO has stuff for other teams that you might be interested in as well, but who likes teams other than the Buckeyes?
If, for some reason, you think you might need some sort of memorabilia from another school, I guess you can find those things here.
Continue reading...
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
As long as Lucy (a.k.a. Ryan Day) doesn’t pull the football out from underneath us, what more could you ask for?
Throughout the course of this season, I have made repeated references to a certain iconic cartoon scene that has felt appropriate for how Ohio State’s head coach was able to get me incredibly excited about the team and its potential, only to figuratively pull the rug out from under me.
Coincidentally (or maybe not), our friends at FOCO have been riding that theme this season, introducing a limited edition bobblehead of that very scene as well as others from the beloved history of “Peanuts.” Today, we are delighted to share one that I think symbolizes how full-speed-ahead I am about the Buckeyes’ national championship chances.
This limited edition bobblehead features Snoopy in full Red Baron regalia getting ready to take off from atop his dog house. There are only 150 of these 8-inch, handmade, and hand-painted figures available, so do not hesitate. They are available for $85 and you can pre-order yours now.
Get Your Snoopy Flying Ace Bobblehead Today!
As my office can confirm, FOCO is the absolute best when it comes to Ohio State bobbleheads! Last month, they released a must-have bobble scene that chronicles Ohio State football history and a super cute fuzzy head Brutus bobblehead. Last month to commemorate the start of the College Football Playoff, they introduced an awesome, limited edition Brutus Buckeye Mini Bighead Bobblehead decked out with all of the CFP pomp and circumstance.
This season, FOCO has also released an Archie Griffin bobblehead celebrating the 50th anniversary of his first Heisman Trophy and a Buckeye bobblehead version of the classic Lucy and Charlie Brown football scene. As the season started, they also released this awesome double-Brutus bobblehead, not to mention some of the coolest and most unique Ohio State gear imaginable.
Then, last season, they dropped a very cool Brutus bobblehead with a hidden version of The Horseshoe. In the fall they released 15 different sport-specific Brutus bobbleheads and introduced Snoopy and Charlie Brown Buckeye bobblehead. Just about a year ago, FOCO unveiled a Brutus training camp bobblehead, and for Memorial Day, the company released an “I Want You” Uncle Sam-inspired Brutus bobblehead.
In addition, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Ohio Stadium, FOCO released a pair of must-have bobbleheads; one featuring Brutus, while the other shows Woody Hayes strutting above The Horseshoe.
As someone with a borderline unhealthy Ohio State bobblehead/collectible addiction, I can think of no better way to celebrate the final unofficial season before college football than with one (or all) of these magnificent merchandising masterpieces.
And, if you actually care about teams other than Ohio State, FOCO has stuff for other teams that you might be interested in as well, but who likes teams other than the Buckeyes?
If, for some reason, you think you might need some sort of memorabilia from another school, I guess you can find those things here.
Continue reading...
LGHL You’re Nuts: Who needs to have a great game for Ohio State to beat Oregon?
- News
- 0 Replies
You’re Nuts: Who needs to have a great game for Ohio State to beat Oregon?
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images
Your (almost) daily dose of good-natured, Ohio State banter.
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.
When Ohio State takes the field at the Rose Bowl on Wednesday, it’s going to take a collective effort from them to get the job done in their rematch against Oregon. The stakes are higher. Both teams have worked out all the kinks (hopefully). And there will be no redemption afterward. This game is The Redemption Story.
If every Buckeye player needs to be firing on all cylinders in Pasadena, one player needs redemption slightly more than the others: OSU quarterback Will Howard.
Think back to the game in October at Autzen Stadium: It was a battle between two high-powered offenses, both of whom left points on the board in a game decided by a single point. Howard played magnificently for the most part—statistically speaking, it was one of the best games of his career—but a few costly errors put an asterisk next to his stats.
When people talk about his performance in that game, they’re not going to remember that he went 28-for-35 or that he threw for 326 yards and two touchdowns.
They’re going to remember the ball he dropped on third-and-3, forcing Ohio State to punt. And they’re going to remember the play Howard says still gives him nightmares: The slide. With just six seconds remaining, Howard tried to set his team up for a game-winning kick, but he accidentally ran all the time off the clock.
Whether or not there was in fact a second left (there was) is not the point— you, I, and Howard all know that if he’d pulled up a yard earlier, the clock would be indisputable, and unfortunately, we can nitpick the slo-mo videos all we want but it doesn’t change the official outcome. The official record is that Howard’s slide ran the clock down and cost the Buckeyes the shot at a game-winning field goal.
And while defensive players like Denzel Burke didn’t play their best games that Saturday night either, likely, this is going to be a neck-and-neck game that comes down to who has possession last (which equals clock management and capitalizing offensively), so Howard can’t afford to goof.
The good news? The Howard who will take the field on Wednesday isn’t the same one who played Oregon in October. This game is about redemption, but it’s also, simply, about finishing what this team set out to accomplish: A National Championship. Motivation? Hunger? Those are good, but they don’t negate the need for preparation.
Howard says he’s prepared. He’ll need to stay calm and collected, to maintain his accuracy in the face of pressure. This preparation is mission-critical for the Buckeyes, especially with the return of Oregon’s star defensive back Jordan Burch, who was out of the game in October. Burch has logged 8.5 sacks in just 9 games, and Howard will need to be able to make decisions with Burch breathing down his neck.
The rest of the offense needs to do their job too, but the receivers, for example, will have a much harder time doing theirs if Howard doesn’t maintain his composure. If he gets rattled, the game could be over. But if he can turn the hours of game film, extra reps, and minutia into tangibles, he could make the Buckeyes champions.
The Buckeyes have talked a lot this season about their desire to “leave no doubt.” Fortunately for Howard, he gets a shot to erase any shred of it that remains. He must do just that on Wednesday if the Buckeyes want their Championship dreams to continue.
Yes, obviously the Ohio State starting quarterback will need to have a good day in order for the Buckeyes to win. But that’s obvious and easy. While I am not coming completely out of left field here, at least I am thinking a bit out of the obvious box.
In the first meeting between Oregon and Ohio State this season, the Buckeye defense did precious little to try and disrupt Ducks quarterback Dillon Gabriel’s process. Defensive coordinator Jim Knowles opted to let the Buckeye down linemen to try and generate pressure on the quarterback on their own, doing little to help them in terms of bringing blitzes or calling more exotic rushes.
Instead, more often than not, this led to the four defensive linemen essentially trying to run straight ahead and beat Oregon’s five offensive linemen (not to mention any tight ends and running backs helping to block) straight up. That did not work and Gabriel torched the OSU secondary as Denzel Burke had his worst day as a Buckeye because he simply couldn’t keep up with the Duck wide receivers given how much time Gabriel had in the pocket.
Since then, the OSU defense has been “re-engineered” and the Silver Bullets have gotten more pressure (with and without blitzes) than they have in the past few seasons. Not coincidentally, this has coincided with Jack Sawyer’s second-straight, late-season emergence as an absolute menace to anyone lined up across from him.
In the last four games, the Pickerington native has 16 quarterback hurries, 10 tackles for loss, and 3 sacks. He has been the type of game-wrecker that many envisioned when he signed with his hometown Buckeyes.
While J.T. Tuimoloau, Tyleik Williams, and backups like Kenyatta Jackson have also stepped up late in the season, Captain Jack has led the way and will need to against the Ducks. A Heisman Trophy finalist, Gabriel is far too good to be given as much time as he was in Eugene on Oct. 12. If the Buckeyes want to prevent a repeat of the near-perfect passing performance that they saw last time these two teams took the field, Sawyer will need to continue to play like the wrecking ball that he has been recently.
Continue reading...
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images
Your (almost) daily dose of good-natured, Ohio State banter.
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.
Today’s Question: Who needs to have a great game for Ohio State to beat Oregon?
Jami’s Take: Will Howard
When Ohio State takes the field at the Rose Bowl on Wednesday, it’s going to take a collective effort from them to get the job done in their rematch against Oregon. The stakes are higher. Both teams have worked out all the kinks (hopefully). And there will be no redemption afterward. This game is The Redemption Story.
If every Buckeye player needs to be firing on all cylinders in Pasadena, one player needs redemption slightly more than the others: OSU quarterback Will Howard.
Think back to the game in October at Autzen Stadium: It was a battle between two high-powered offenses, both of whom left points on the board in a game decided by a single point. Howard played magnificently for the most part—statistically speaking, it was one of the best games of his career—but a few costly errors put an asterisk next to his stats.
When people talk about his performance in that game, they’re not going to remember that he went 28-for-35 or that he threw for 326 yards and two touchdowns.
They’re going to remember the ball he dropped on third-and-3, forcing Ohio State to punt. And they’re going to remember the play Howard says still gives him nightmares: The slide. With just six seconds remaining, Howard tried to set his team up for a game-winning kick, but he accidentally ran all the time off the clock.
Whether or not there was in fact a second left (there was) is not the point— you, I, and Howard all know that if he’d pulled up a yard earlier, the clock would be indisputable, and unfortunately, we can nitpick the slo-mo videos all we want but it doesn’t change the official outcome. The official record is that Howard’s slide ran the clock down and cost the Buckeyes the shot at a game-winning field goal.
And while defensive players like Denzel Burke didn’t play their best games that Saturday night either, likely, this is going to be a neck-and-neck game that comes down to who has possession last (which equals clock management and capitalizing offensively), so Howard can’t afford to goof.
The good news? The Howard who will take the field on Wednesday isn’t the same one who played Oregon in October. This game is about redemption, but it’s also, simply, about finishing what this team set out to accomplish: A National Championship. Motivation? Hunger? Those are good, but they don’t negate the need for preparation.
Howard says he’s prepared. He’ll need to stay calm and collected, to maintain his accuracy in the face of pressure. This preparation is mission-critical for the Buckeyes, especially with the return of Oregon’s star defensive back Jordan Burch, who was out of the game in October. Burch has logged 8.5 sacks in just 9 games, and Howard will need to be able to make decisions with Burch breathing down his neck.
The rest of the offense needs to do their job too, but the receivers, for example, will have a much harder time doing theirs if Howard doesn’t maintain his composure. If he gets rattled, the game could be over. But if he can turn the hours of game film, extra reps, and minutia into tangibles, he could make the Buckeyes champions.
The Buckeyes have talked a lot this season about their desire to “leave no doubt.” Fortunately for Howard, he gets a shot to erase any shred of it that remains. He must do just that on Wednesday if the Buckeyes want their Championship dreams to continue.
Matt’s Take: Jack Sawyer
Yes, obviously the Ohio State starting quarterback will need to have a good day in order for the Buckeyes to win. But that’s obvious and easy. While I am not coming completely out of left field here, at least I am thinking a bit out of the obvious box.
In the first meeting between Oregon and Ohio State this season, the Buckeye defense did precious little to try and disrupt Ducks quarterback Dillon Gabriel’s process. Defensive coordinator Jim Knowles opted to let the Buckeye down linemen to try and generate pressure on the quarterback on their own, doing little to help them in terms of bringing blitzes or calling more exotic rushes.
Instead, more often than not, this led to the four defensive linemen essentially trying to run straight ahead and beat Oregon’s five offensive linemen (not to mention any tight ends and running backs helping to block) straight up. That did not work and Gabriel torched the OSU secondary as Denzel Burke had his worst day as a Buckeye because he simply couldn’t keep up with the Duck wide receivers given how much time Gabriel had in the pocket.
Since then, the OSU defense has been “re-engineered” and the Silver Bullets have gotten more pressure (with and without blitzes) than they have in the past few seasons. Not coincidentally, this has coincided with Jack Sawyer’s second-straight, late-season emergence as an absolute menace to anyone lined up across from him.
In the last four games, the Pickerington native has 16 quarterback hurries, 10 tackles for loss, and 3 sacks. He has been the type of game-wrecker that many envisioned when he signed with his hometown Buckeyes.
While J.T. Tuimoloau, Tyleik Williams, and backups like Kenyatta Jackson have also stepped up late in the season, Captain Jack has led the way and will need to against the Ducks. A Heisman Trophy finalist, Gabriel is far too good to be given as much time as he was in Eugene on Oct. 12. If the Buckeyes want to prevent a repeat of the near-perfect passing performance that they saw last time these two teams took the field, Sawyer will need to continue to play like the wrecking ball that he has been recently.
Let us know who you are agreeing with:
Continue reading...
LGHL Ohio State vs. Oregon: Land-Grant’s experts make their picks
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Ohio State vs. Oregon: Land-Grant’s experts make their picks
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images
Every week, we will be picking the score, MVP, and major storyline for each Buckeye game.
Being the Buckeye beat’s black sheep blog, we here at Land-Grant Holy Land like to pat ourselves on the back. So, throughout the season, members of our staff will be making predictions about that day’s game. They will go on the record with what they think the final score will be, who the game’s MVP will be, and what the major storyline will be coming out of the day.
The Ohio State Buckeyes will square off with the Oregon Ducks in the Grandaddy of Them All with a spot in the College Football Playoff semifinals on the line. The Rose Bowl is scheduled to kick off around 5 p.m. ET and will be aired in various forms on ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPNEWS, SEC Network, and ESPN Deportes.
As of this article’s writing, the Bucks are 2.5-point favorites according to FanDuel Sportsbook. College football’s gold-standard advanced analytics model SP+ is predicting a score of 26-25 in favor of Ohio State.
Check out what our staff members think and then let us know your thoughts on the game in the comments below. As we move forward with the season, you will be able to keep up with just how well our prognosticators do on a weekly basis HERE.
Score Prediction: Ohio State 31, Oregon 28
Game MVP: Emeka Egbuka
Major Storyline: Jayden Fielding will make a 36-yard field goal to win the game and move Ohio State onto the semifinals of the playoff.
Score Prediction: Ohio State 34, Oregon 30
Game MVP: Jeremiah Smith
Major Storyline: Ryan Day and Ohio State get the much-needed win over a top-tier team and Jeremiah Smith continues to prove he is the best wide receiver in college football.
Score Prediction: Ohio State 38, Oregon 35
Game MVP: Will Howard
Major Storyline: Will Howard is going to throw for two touchdowns and run for two more. The Ohio State defense will get a late stop, giving the ball back to the Buckeye offense to get in victory formation. See you in the semis.
Score Prediction: Ohio State 35, Oregon 33
Game MVP: Will Howard
Major Storyline: Redemption for Will Howard. After the heartbreaking slide potentially cost the Buckeyes the first matchup between the teams in October, he gets the job done this time, and has the potential to lead his team to a national championship.
Score Prediction: Ohio State 35, Oregon 24
Game MVP: Cody Simon
Major Storyline: It took a few years, but Jim Knowles’ defense is finally cooking. Ohio State’s offense has always been what grabs headlines, but the Buckeyes’ defense — especially the secondary — has been stellar during the second half of the season and could be the reason they win it all.
Score Prediction: Ohio State 31, Oregon 27
Game MVP: Jeremiah Smith
Major Storyline: In another thrilling battle between these two schools, Ohio State exacts some revenge for the loss in Eugene in October. Unlike the first meeting, the Buckeyes are able to get to Dillon Gabriel and make the quarterback uncomfortable in the pocket. Will Howard finds Jeremiah Smith for the game-winning touchdown in the fourth quarter to send the Buckeyes to the Cotton Bowl.
Score Prediction: Oregon 31, Ohio State 28
Game MVP: Dillon Gabriel
Major Storyline: Ohio State plays well, but ultimately Oregon’s defensive line overpowers the Buckeyes’ offensive line and causes a late turnover to win the game. Jeremiah Smith goes off, but Ohio State comes up just short. Ducks quarterback Dillon Gabriel runs for 80 yards and a touchdown.
Score Prediction: Ohio State 38, Oregon 24
Game MVP: Jack Sawyer
Major Storyline: In the first meeting between the two teams, Ohio State’s offense wasn’t the problem (although it was far from perfect). The reason Ohio State lost that game was because the defensive scheme put no effort into trying to disrupt Dillon Gabriel in the pocket. Following that mid-October loss, OSU defensive coordinator Jim Knowles reengineered the defense and the Silver Bullets have gotten home via increased blitzes and from creative play design across the defensive line.
In this rematch, Will Howard, Jeremiah Smith, Emeka Egbuka, TreVeyon Henderson, et. al will continue to move the ball against the Ducks’ defense, but it will be the Buckeye defenders who will be the talk of Pasadena.
For the second straight season, Jack Sawyer has played his best football at the end of the year, and that continues this afternoon as the senior defensive end records three sacks on Gabriel and breaks up a pass.
Score Prediction: Ohio State 31, Oregon 24
Game MVP: Caleb Downs
Major Storyline: The Ohio State defensive game plan will be the major storyline. Whether from the pass rush or blitzing, the defense will cause Oregon to make a mistake or two that determine the game. Will Howard redeems himself and Jeremiah Smith goes off for two touchdowns.
Continue reading...
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images
Every week, we will be picking the score, MVP, and major storyline for each Buckeye game.
Being the Buckeye beat’s black sheep blog, we here at Land-Grant Holy Land like to pat ourselves on the back. So, throughout the season, members of our staff will be making predictions about that day’s game. They will go on the record with what they think the final score will be, who the game’s MVP will be, and what the major storyline will be coming out of the day.
The Ohio State Buckeyes will square off with the Oregon Ducks in the Grandaddy of Them All with a spot in the College Football Playoff semifinals on the line. The Rose Bowl is scheduled to kick off around 5 p.m. ET and will be aired in various forms on ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPNEWS, SEC Network, and ESPN Deportes.
As of this article’s writing, the Bucks are 2.5-point favorites according to FanDuel Sportsbook. College football’s gold-standard advanced analytics model SP+ is predicting a score of 26-25 in favor of Ohio State.
Check out what our staff members think and then let us know your thoughts on the game in the comments below. As we move forward with the season, you will be able to keep up with just how well our prognosticators do on a weekly basis HERE.
Justin Golba
Score Prediction: Ohio State 31, Oregon 28
Game MVP: Emeka Egbuka
Major Storyline: Jayden Fielding will make a 36-yard field goal to win the game and move Ohio State onto the semifinals of the playoff.
Dan Hessler
Score Prediction: Ohio State 34, Oregon 30
Game MVP: Jeremiah Smith
Major Storyline: Ryan Day and Ohio State get the much-needed win over a top-tier team and Jeremiah Smith continues to prove he is the best wide receiver in college football.
Caleb Houser
Score Prediction: Ohio State 38, Oregon 35
Game MVP: Will Howard
Major Storyline: Will Howard is going to throw for two touchdowns and run for two more. The Ohio State defense will get a late stop, giving the ball back to the Buckeye offense to get in victory formation. See you in the semis.
Jami Jurich
Score Prediction: Ohio State 35, Oregon 33
Game MVP: Will Howard
Major Storyline: Redemption for Will Howard. After the heartbreaking slide potentially cost the Buckeyes the first matchup between the teams in October, he gets the job done this time, and has the potential to lead his team to a national championship.
Connor Lemons
Score Prediction: Ohio State 35, Oregon 24
Game MVP: Cody Simon
Major Storyline: It took a few years, but Jim Knowles’ defense is finally cooking. Ohio State’s offense has always been what grabs headlines, but the Buckeyes’ defense — especially the secondary — has been stellar during the second half of the season and could be the reason they win it all.
Brett Ludwiczak
Score Prediction: Ohio State 31, Oregon 27
Game MVP: Jeremiah Smith
Major Storyline: In another thrilling battle between these two schools, Ohio State exacts some revenge for the loss in Eugene in October. Unlike the first meeting, the Buckeyes are able to get to Dillon Gabriel and make the quarterback uncomfortable in the pocket. Will Howard finds Jeremiah Smith for the game-winning touchdown in the fourth quarter to send the Buckeyes to the Cotton Bowl.
Gene Ross
Score Prediction: Oregon 31, Ohio State 28
Game MVP: Dillon Gabriel
Major Storyline: Ohio State plays well, but ultimately Oregon’s defensive line overpowers the Buckeyes’ offensive line and causes a late turnover to win the game. Jeremiah Smith goes off, but Ohio State comes up just short. Ducks quarterback Dillon Gabriel runs for 80 yards and a touchdown.
Matt Tamanini
Score Prediction: Ohio State 38, Oregon 24
Game MVP: Jack Sawyer
Major Storyline: In the first meeting between the two teams, Ohio State’s offense wasn’t the problem (although it was far from perfect). The reason Ohio State lost that game was because the defensive scheme put no effort into trying to disrupt Dillon Gabriel in the pocket. Following that mid-October loss, OSU defensive coordinator Jim Knowles reengineered the defense and the Silver Bullets have gotten home via increased blitzes and from creative play design across the defensive line.
In this rematch, Will Howard, Jeremiah Smith, Emeka Egbuka, TreVeyon Henderson, et. al will continue to move the ball against the Ducks’ defense, but it will be the Buckeye defenders who will be the talk of Pasadena.
For the second straight season, Jack Sawyer has played his best football at the end of the year, and that continues this afternoon as the senior defensive end records three sacks on Gabriel and breaks up a pass.
Jordan Williams
Score Prediction: Ohio State 31, Oregon 24
Game MVP: Caleb Downs
Major Storyline: The Ohio State defensive game plan will be the major storyline. Whether from the pass rush or blitzing, the defense will cause Oregon to make a mistake or two that determine the game. Will Howard redeems himself and Jeremiah Smith goes off for two touchdowns.
Continue reading...
LGHL OHIO STATE GAMEDAY: It’s a bad day to be an Oregon Duck
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- 0 Replies
OHIO STATE GAMEDAY: It’s a bad day to be an Oregon Duck
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 Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Buckeyes look to get revenge against the Ducks in the Rose Bowl.
Wake up, everyone. It’s Ohio State game day!
The Buckeyes return to action 11 days after their 42-17 beatdown of Tennessee for a rematch against Oregon in the Rose Bowl. Ohio State lost by one point back on Oct. 12 in a 32-31 game against the Ducks at Autzen Stadium, and the two Big Ten powerhouses meet again with much more on the line this time around. Can Ryan Day lead his team into the College Football Playoff semifinals, or will the Buckeyes come up short once again?
Over the past week, our talented group of writers and podcasters have put together preview pieces, analytical breakdowns, and everything in-between.
If you missed out on any of the coverage, we have you... well, covered. Below, each type of story is categorized. If you’re looking for podcasts and previews we’ve done, you can find them; if you’re looking for the betting lines and non-football topics, they are there, too.
Enjoy the day everyone. As always, Go Bucks!
Continue reading...
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 Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Buckeyes look to get revenge against the Ducks in the Rose Bowl.
Wake up, everyone. It’s Ohio State game day!
The Buckeyes return to action 11 days after their 42-17 beatdown of Tennessee for a rematch against Oregon in the Rose Bowl. Ohio State lost by one point back on Oct. 12 in a 32-31 game against the Ducks at Autzen Stadium, and the two Big Ten powerhouses meet again with much more on the line this time around. Can Ryan Day lead his team into the College Football Playoff semifinals, or will the Buckeyes come up short once again?
Over the past week, our talented group of writers and podcasters have put together preview pieces, analytical breakdowns, and everything in-between.
If you missed out on any of the coverage, we have you... well, covered. Below, each type of story is categorized. If you’re looking for podcasts and previews we’ve done, you can find them; if you’re looking for the betting lines and non-football topics, they are there, too.
Enjoy the day everyone. As always, Go Bucks!
Podcasts
- Hangout in the Holy Land: The long-awaited Oregon rematch is upon us
- Silver Bullets Podcast: Ohio State news, B1G bowl results, and Oregon preview
- Power Two Podcast: Georgia doesn’t stand a chance
- I-80 Football Show: Will the real Ohio State please stand up?
Previews
- Ohio State v. Oregon: 2025 game preview and prediction
- Can Jeremiah Smith be the determining factor in the Rose Bowl?
- Ohio State vs. Oregon: Key matchups to watch
- Life in Simulation: EA CFB 25 predicts Ohio State vs. Oregon in the Rose Bowl
- Five key factors for Ohio State to beat Oregon in the Rose Bowl
Sports Betting
- Ohio State opens as 1.5-point favorites over Oregon; Buckeyes have second-best title odds
- MC&J: Predictions for the final set of bowl games outside the College Football Playoff
- MC&J: The rematch between Ohio State and Oregon headlines the CFP quarterfinals
Mens Basketball
- Bucketheads Podcast: Has Ohio State turned a corner after upset win over Kentucky?
- How confident are we that Ohio State will make the NCAA Tournament?
- Ohio State hangs 100 on Indiana State as Thornton sets career-high in 103-83 win
- Uncut: Ques Glover, Jake Diebler on Indiana State win, Glover’s growing role
Women’s Basketball
- Visiting Locker Room: Guarden State talks Rutgers women’s basketball
- No. 10 Ohio State women’s basketball outlasts Rutgers comeback attempts, win 77-63
Recruiting
- Ohio State makes top schools for elite 2026 safety
- BOOOMs!!! Ohio State adds multiple commitments via the transfer portal
- OL continues to be an area of priority in the portal; Jeremiah Smith gets snubbed
- Ohio State named a top school for a pair of 2026 five-star RBs
Other Columns
- Buckeyes return to Death Star mode as they are once again national title favorites
- Revisiting Julian Fleming’s transfer decision a year later
- What is your most memorable Ohio State Rose Bowl game?
- Why Ohio State will beat Oregon in the Rose Bowl (and why they won’t)
Continue reading...
LGHL Streaming expert on best ways to watch Ohio State vs. Oregon playoff game for free
- News
- 0 Replies
Streaming expert on best ways to watch Ohio State vs. Oregon playoff game for free
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Made with Google AI
You’ve got a number of free trials you can choose from of various lengths and breadths.
It’s time for the Granddaddy of Them All! On New Year’s Day at 5 p.m. ET, the No. 6 Ohio State Buckeyes will look to avenge their first loss of the season as they take on the No. 1 Oregon Ducks in the Rose Bowlx airing on ESPN.
With the College Football Playoff underway, the remainder of Ohio State’s season will be played on ESPN. With so many different streamer services carry the most popular cable network on the market, it can be tough to keep up with what the best ways are to stream the action.
As cord-cutting has become far more the norm than the exception across the United States, it would not be a surprise if you gave up cable or a live-streaming service following last year’s season only to realize that it’s the day of the game and you have no way to watch it.
And I know it can be incredibly confusing to find the best way to watch a game in today’s entertainment landscape. Fortunately for you, I am something of a streaming expert—no, really. I write about streaming services for a living. So, I am going to walk you through the best—and cheapest—ways for you to stream today’s game.
If you are looking for the best way to stream the entirety of the CFP, I would recommend Sling TV, but if you are just hoping to stream tonight’s game, I’d go with Hulu + Live TV.
Game Date/Time: Wednesday, Jan. 1 at 5 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN
Broadcasters: Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit, Holly Rowe, Stormy Buonantony
Betting Line: Ohio State -2.5 | 55.5 o/u
Best Streaming Option for Ohio State vs. Oregon:
If you’re either looking for a streaming service just for this weekend of football, then Hulu + Live TV very well might be the perfect option. Everyone who signs up gets a three-day free trial, so you can watch the entire college football Saturday, NFL Sunday, and “Monday Night Football” without having to pay a single penny.
But, if you are looking for something for the whole season, then Hulu is great because it comes with ESPN+ (more on that below), so in addition to all of the channels available on the live streaming service, you also get all of the streaming-exclusive games via the worldwide leader’s platform.
Hulu + Live TV has one of the few guaranteed multi-day free trials in the industry and provides nearly all of the major cable channels on the market. The basic package comes with all of the major broadcast network channels — all of which have college football — ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC. It also has ESPN, ESPN2, Big Ten Network, FS1, FS2, ESPNU, CBS Sports Network, SEC Network, ACC Network, and the NFL Network (yes, they have college games) without having to sign up for any sports add-on plans. However, if you do want more sports, you can add NFL RedZone, MLB StrikeZone, FanDuel TV, the Tennis Channel, and more.
What’s great about Hulu + Live TV is that in addition to all of the broadcast and cable channels that you could possibly want, it also comes with the Disney Bundle for free. So, you also get the full on-demand Hulu library, Disney+, and ESPN+, which also has hundreds of college football games every season.
Currently, a subscription to Hulu + Live TV costs $82.99 per month after your three-day free trial. It is a little more expensive than some of the other options, but if you are just looking to watch this game, Hulu + Live TV is your best option.
Over the next month and a half, there will be tons of college football and NFL postseason games coming to you and sports fans will not want to miss a single second of the action. If you fall into that category, then Sling is the way to go for you. It is the cheapest way to get national broadcast channels and the biggest cable networks as well, which will be especially important as the College Football Playoff will air a significant portion of its games on cable.
Normally, Sling costs $46 per month, but you can currently get 50% off your first month of service, meaning that you can watch a month of the college postseason and the stretch run of the NFL for as little as $23. Sling has two different base packages, Orange and Blue. You can subscribe to one or both. If you do opt to combine Orange and Blue it will run you $61 monthly — still substantially cheaper than the comparable [live TV streaming] services — but with the first-month deal, you can stream everything on both packages for just $30.50.
The College Football will air all of its games on either ESPN or TNT, so every single snap of the entire 11-game bracket will be available on Sling. That means that there is no cheaper option in streaming to watch all of the CFP action over the next month.
DIRECTV STREAM: $87.99 per month five-day free trial
Fubo: $79.99 per month, at least a one-day free trial | $30 off first month
YouTube TV: $82.99 per month
Below is your Ohio State vs. Oregon 2024 game thread. Be respectful, be kind and — as always — keep it classy, BuckeyeNation. If you like GIFs, lay ‘em on us. In all, be good fans, cheer for your teams, be cool to each other (even if somebody else isn’t) and everyone wins. Let’s finish the season strong!
Continue reading...
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Made with Google AI
You’ve got a number of free trials you can choose from of various lengths and breadths.
It’s time for the Granddaddy of Them All! On New Year’s Day at 5 p.m. ET, the No. 6 Ohio State Buckeyes will look to avenge their first loss of the season as they take on the No. 1 Oregon Ducks in the Rose Bowlx airing on ESPN.
With the College Football Playoff underway, the remainder of Ohio State’s season will be played on ESPN. With so many different streamer services carry the most popular cable network on the market, it can be tough to keep up with what the best ways are to stream the action.
As cord-cutting has become far more the norm than the exception across the United States, it would not be a surprise if you gave up cable or a live-streaming service following last year’s season only to realize that it’s the day of the game and you have no way to watch it.
And I know it can be incredibly confusing to find the best way to watch a game in today’s entertainment landscape. Fortunately for you, I am something of a streaming expert—no, really. I write about streaming services for a living. So, I am going to walk you through the best—and cheapest—ways for you to stream today’s game.
If you are looking for the best way to stream the entirety of the CFP, I would recommend Sling TV, but if you are just hoping to stream tonight’s game, I’d go with Hulu + Live TV.
How can I watch the No. 6 Ohio State vs. No. 1 Oregon College Football Playoff game?
Game Date/Time: Wednesday, Jan. 1 at 5 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN
Broadcasters: Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit, Holly Rowe, Stormy Buonantony
Betting Line: Ohio State -2.5 | 55.5 o/u
Best Streaming Option for Ohio State vs. Oregon:
Hulu + Live TV | 3-Day Free Trial
If you’re either looking for a streaming service just for this weekend of football, then Hulu + Live TV very well might be the perfect option. Everyone who signs up gets a three-day free trial, so you can watch the entire college football Saturday, NFL Sunday, and “Monday Night Football” without having to pay a single penny.
But, if you are looking for something for the whole season, then Hulu is great because it comes with ESPN+ (more on that below), so in addition to all of the channels available on the live streaming service, you also get all of the streaming-exclusive games via the worldwide leader’s platform.
Hulu + Live TV has one of the few guaranteed multi-day free trials in the industry and provides nearly all of the major cable channels on the market. The basic package comes with all of the major broadcast network channels — all of which have college football — ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC. It also has ESPN, ESPN2, Big Ten Network, FS1, FS2, ESPNU, CBS Sports Network, SEC Network, ACC Network, and the NFL Network (yes, they have college games) without having to sign up for any sports add-on plans. However, if you do want more sports, you can add NFL RedZone, MLB StrikeZone, FanDuel TV, the Tennis Channel, and more.
What’s great about Hulu + Live TV is that in addition to all of the broadcast and cable channels that you could possibly want, it also comes with the Disney Bundle for free. So, you also get the full on-demand Hulu library, Disney+, and ESPN+, which also has hundreds of college football games every season.
Currently, a subscription to Hulu + Live TV costs $82.99 per month after your three-day free trial. It is a little more expensive than some of the other options, but if you are just looking to watch this game, Hulu + Live TV is your best option.
Best Streaming Option for All of College Football Playoff: Sling TV | $23 for one month
Over the next month and a half, there will be tons of college football and NFL postseason games coming to you and sports fans will not want to miss a single second of the action. If you fall into that category, then Sling is the way to go for you. It is the cheapest way to get national broadcast channels and the biggest cable networks as well, which will be especially important as the College Football Playoff will air a significant portion of its games on cable.
Normally, Sling costs $46 per month, but you can currently get 50% off your first month of service, meaning that you can watch a month of the college postseason and the stretch run of the NFL for as little as $23. Sling has two different base packages, Orange and Blue. You can subscribe to one or both. If you do opt to combine Orange and Blue it will run you $61 monthly — still substantially cheaper than the comparable [live TV streaming] services — but with the first-month deal, you can stream everything on both packages for just $30.50.
The College Football will air all of its games on either ESPN or TNT, so every single snap of the entire 11-game bracket will be available on Sling. That means that there is no cheaper option in streaming to watch all of the CFP action over the next month.
Other Streaming Options for the Ohio State and Oregon Game:
DIRECTV STREAM: $87.99 per month five-day free trial
Fubo: $79.99 per month, at least a one-day free trial | $30 off first month
YouTube TV: $82.99 per month
Join the conversation
Below is your Ohio State vs. Oregon 2024 game thread. Be respectful, be kind and — as always — keep it classy, BuckeyeNation. If you like GIFs, lay ‘em on us. In all, be good fans, cheer for your teams, be cool to each other (even if somebody else isn’t) and everyone wins. Let’s finish the season strong!
Continue reading...
LGHL Buckeyes touch down in SoCal ahead of Wednesday’s Rose Bowl
- News
- 0 Replies
Buckeyes touch down in SoCal ahead of Wednesday’s Rose Bowl
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
All the Buckeye news thats fit to re-print.
Look, we get it. Your days are busy and you don’t have time to read all of the stories and tweets from the three dozen websites dedicated to covering Ohio State athletics, or the 237 Buckeye beat writers churning out hot takes and #content on a daily basis. But that’s ok, that’s what your friends at Land-Grant Holy Land are here for.
Monday through Friday, we’ll be collecting all of the articles, tweets, features, interviews, videos, podcasts, memes, photos, and whatever else we stumble across on the interwebz and putting them in our daily “Why is this News?” article. That way, you’ll have a one-stop shop for all of the most important Buckeye news, jokes, and analysis.
You’re welcome!
Subscribe to the Land-Grant Podcast Network for all of your Ohio State needs
Matt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | iHeart Radio
Quinshon Judkins unsure of 2025 return to Ohio State as Buckeyes prep for CFP quarterfinal against Oregon
Grant Hughes, 247Sports
12 Players from Ohio State and Oregon That Could Decide the Rose Bowl
Garrick Hodge, Eleven Warriors
Will OSU wear Rose Bowl stripe on helmets against Oregon?
Joey Kaufman, The Columbus Dispatch
Can Jeremiah Smith be the determining factor in the Rose Bowl?
Gene Ross, Land-Grant Holy Land
Before CFP, WR Smith issued a challenge and delivered
Bill Rabinowitz, The Columbus Dispatch
Jeremiah Smith blasts Big Ten officials for ‘crazy call’ in first Ohio State vs. Oregon matchup
Carter Bahns, 247Sports
Jim Knowles takeaways as Buckeyes prepare for second shot at Oregon
Bill Landis, Dotting The Eyes
Three lessons learned as Chip Kelly, Ohio State offense prep for Rose Bowl
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row
Ohio State’s defense ready for second test against Oregon: ‘We have to go out there and do it’
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts
Buckeyes seeing late-season push from Kenyatta Jackson Jr.
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row
Can Ohio State’s pass rush get home in a rematch with Oregon?
Joey Kaufman, The Columbus Dispatch
Ohio State Aims to Carry Ground Game, Gap Scheme Success Over From Tennessee Win Against Oregon
Andy Anders, Eleven Warriors
Why tight ends could be Buckeyes X-factor group in Rose Bowl
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row
MC&J: Saturday’s college football bowl slate features two matchups between ranked teams
Brett Ludwiczak, Land-Grant Holy Land
Ohio State hangs 100 on Indiana State as Thornton sets career-high in 103-83 win
Connor Lemons, Land-Grant Holy Land
No. 10 Ohio State women’s basketball outlasts Rutgers comeback attempts, win 77-63
Thomas Costello, Land-Grant Holy Land
You’re Nuts: How confident are we that Ohio State will make the NCAA Tournament?
Connor Lemons and Justin Golba, Land-Grant Holy Land
Wrestling: Davino Advances to Midlands Semifinals
Ohio State Athletics
Men’s Soccer: Buckeyes Earn Several Top Drawer Soccer Postseason Honors
Ohio State Athletics
Wrestling: Mendez Earns Big Ten Wrestler of the Week
Ohio State Athletics
R.I.P. to a legend:
Continue reading...
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
All the Buckeye news thats fit to re-print.
Look, we get it. Your days are busy and you don’t have time to read all of the stories and tweets from the three dozen websites dedicated to covering Ohio State athletics, or the 237 Buckeye beat writers churning out hot takes and #content on a daily basis. But that’s ok, that’s what your friends at Land-Grant Holy Land are here for.
Monday through Friday, we’ll be collecting all of the articles, tweets, features, interviews, videos, podcasts, memes, photos, and whatever else we stumble across on the interwebz and putting them in our daily “Why is this News?” article. That way, you’ll have a one-stop shop for all of the most important Buckeye news, jokes, and analysis.
You’re welcome!
For your Earholes...
Subscribe to the Land-Grant Podcast Network for all of your Ohio State needs
Matt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | iHeart Radio
On the Gridiron
Quinshon Judkins unsure of 2025 return to Ohio State as Buckeyes prep for CFP quarterfinal against Oregon
Grant Hughes, 247Sports
12 Players from Ohio State and Oregon That Could Decide the Rose Bowl
Garrick Hodge, Eleven Warriors
Will OSU wear Rose Bowl stripe on helmets against Oregon?
Joey Kaufman, The Columbus Dispatch
Can Jeremiah Smith be the determining factor in the Rose Bowl?
Gene Ross, Land-Grant Holy Land
Before CFP, WR Smith issued a challenge and delivered
Bill Rabinowitz, The Columbus Dispatch
Jeremiah Smith blasts Big Ten officials for ‘crazy call’ in first Ohio State vs. Oregon matchup
Carter Bahns, 247Sports
Jim Knowles takeaways as Buckeyes prepare for second shot at Oregon
Bill Landis, Dotting The Eyes
Three lessons learned as Chip Kelly, Ohio State offense prep for Rose Bowl
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row
Ohio State’s defense ready for second test against Oregon: ‘We have to go out there and do it’
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts
Buckeyes seeing late-season push from Kenyatta Jackson Jr.
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row
Can Ohio State’s pass rush get home in a rematch with Oregon?
Joey Kaufman, The Columbus Dispatch
Ohio State Aims to Carry Ground Game, Gap Scheme Success Over From Tennessee Win Against Oregon
Andy Anders, Eleven Warriors
Why tight ends could be Buckeyes X-factor group in Rose Bowl
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row
MC&J: Saturday’s college football bowl slate features two matchups between ranked teams
Brett Ludwiczak, Land-Grant Holy Land
On the Hardwood
Ohio State hangs 100 on Indiana State as Thornton sets career-high in 103-83 win
Connor Lemons, Land-Grant Holy Land
No. 10 Ohio State women’s basketball outlasts Rutgers comeback attempts, win 77-63
Thomas Costello, Land-Grant Holy Land
You’re Nuts: How confident are we that Ohio State will make the NCAA Tournament?
Connor Lemons and Justin Golba, Land-Grant Holy Land
Outside the Shoe and Schott
Wrestling: Davino Advances to Midlands Semifinals
Ohio State Athletics
Men’s Soccer: Buckeyes Earn Several Top Drawer Soccer Postseason Honors
Ohio State Athletics
Wrestling: Mendez Earns Big Ten Wrestler of the Week
Ohio State Athletics
And now for something completely different...
R.I.P. to a legend:
Continue reading...
LGHL MC&J: The rematch between Ohio State and Oregon headlines the CFP quarterfinals
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- 0 Replies
MC&J: The rematch between Ohio State and Oregon headlines the CFP quarterfinals
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 Jason Miller/Getty Images
The Buckeyes and Ducks meet for the second time in the CFP and the third time in the Rose Bowl. Plus, picks for the other three CFP quarterfinals.
Bowl record ATS: 18-13 (16-9 National, 2-4 B1G)
Season record ATS: 142-128 (68-63 National, 74-65 B1G)
Fiesta Bowl: No. 6 Penn State (-10.5) v. No. 3 Boise State - Tuesday Dec. 31, 7:30 p.m. ET - ESPN
The Nittany Lions barely had to break a sweat in their first-round game against SMU, taking a 28-0 lead into halftime in the 38-10 win over the Mustangs. Penn State picked off three Kevin Jennings passes, returning two of them for touchdowns. With building such a big lead early they kept the offense pretty vanilla. Drew Allar finished with just 127 yards passing. Running backs Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen combined for 160 yards on the ground.
While it’s not a surprise Boise State made the CFP as the Group of Five qualifier, it was a surprise they earned a bye as the third-highest-ranked conference champion. The extra time off has given running back Ashton Jeanty time to recharge his batteries. The Heisman Trophy runner-up has had an outstanding season, rushing for nearly 2,500 yards and 29 touchdowns. Jeanty has cracked 200 yards on the ground in six games this season.
Boise State won’t be scared in this game. The Broncos went into Eugene early in the season and nearly beat Oregon. One thing we have to remember is that was before the Ducks really hit their stride. The defense of the Nittany Lions is a whole different animal. They’ll make Jeanty earn every inch on Tuesday night. Boise State quarterback Maddux Madsen gets overlooked but he hasn’t had a defensive end like Abdul Carter breathing down his neck.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25811857/2191507361.jpg "SMU v Penn State - Playoff First Round")
Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images
The Broncos hang around for the first half but the Nittany Lions pull away a bit after halftime. Mackey Award winner Tyler Warren has a big game after he didn’t have to do a whole lot against SMU. This feels like a game Penn State wins by two touchdowns in the final college football game of 2024.
Penn State 34, Boise State 20
Peach Bowl: No. 5 Texas (-13.5) v. No. 4 Arizona State - Wednesday, Jan. 1, 1 p.m. ET - ESPN
The Cinderella story of the College Football Playoff feels like Arizona State. The Sun Devils were 3-9 in 2023 in Kenny Dillingham’s first season in Tempe and were picked to finish last in the Big 12 before the season. After suffering their second loss of the season in October at Cincinnati, Arizona State reeled off six straight wins on their way to winning the conference. Running back Cam Skattebo was a huge reason for the improvement of the Sun Devils, totaling over 2,000 yards and 22 touchdowns.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25811859/2188839098.jpg "COLLEGE FOOTBALL: DEC 07 Big 12 Championship Game - Iowa State vs Arizona State")
Photo by Matthew Visinsky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The opener for Texas in the playoff was a bit of a weird game. The Longhorns jumped out to a 28-10 lead before letting Clemson back in the game. Despite winning 38-24, I wasn’t all that impressed with what I saw from Texas. It probably doesn’t help that Quinn Ewers is dealing with a gimpy ankle.
There’s no question the Longhorns have the edge in the trenches in this game. What has me hesitant to back Texas here is some of the decisions Ewers makes. Arizona State is a very opportunistic team and could force some turnovers. Even though everyone will be focused on Skattebo, I feel like the dynamic running back can still make some plays to keep the Sun Devils in the game. Dillingham’s team will be playing with nothing to lose as the heavy underdog, which helps them keep the final score inside two touchdowns.
Texas 37, Arizona State 27
No. 7 Notre Dame v. No. 2 Georgia (-1.5) - Wednesday, Jan. 1, 8:45 p.m. ET - ESPN
Notre Dame and Georgia will square off in a game that feels like it won’t end until 1 am on the East Coast since apparently the Sugar Bowl always wants to make sure people fall asleep during it. The Fighting Irish had little trouble with Indiana in South Bend, beating the Hoosiers 27-17 in a game that wasn’t nearly as close as the final score. The only thing that went wrong for Marcus Freeman’s team is defensive lineman Rylie Mills was injured during the game and won’t play the rest of the season. Jeremiyah Love set the tone early in the first quarter with a 98-yard touchdown run to open the scoring.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25811860/2190203866.jpg "COLLEGE FOOTBALL: DEC 20 CFP First-Round - Indiana at Notre Dame")
Photo by Jeffrey Brown/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Georgia has been barely getting by opponents recently. After the Bulldogs survived an eight overtime thriller against Georgia Tech, they needed overtime in the SEC Championship Game to beat Texas and secure a bye. Georgia desperately needed the extra time off since quarterback Carson Beck was injured against the Longhorns, leaving Gunner Stockton to take the snaps for the rest of the season. Stockton played a little bit against Massachusetts and Tennessee Tech early in the season before being thrust into action in Atlanta.
This clash in New Orleans is going to come down to experience at quarterback. Notre Dame has it with Riley Leonard, while Georgia doesn’t now that Beck has been ruled out. Against a Fighting Irish defense that is one of the top units in the country, Stockton will likely struggle on Wednesday night. The Bulldogs haven’t looked like the same team we have become used to over the last few years, and that is understandable with all the turnover they have had with players going to the NFL. Notre Dame safety Xavier Watts picks off a pass as the Fighting Irish secure a spot in the semifinal.
Notre Dame 28, Georgia 17
No. 8 Ohio State (-2.5) v. No. 1 Oregon - Wednesday, Jan. 1, 5 p.m. ET - ESPN
If you thought there was a lot of hype surrounding the first meeting between these two college football powerhouses, you ain’t seen nothing yet. The Bucks and Ducks meet for the third time in the Rose Bowl, but this time there is so much more on the line in Pasadena. The winner will move on to the Cotton Bowl next week to take on the winner of the battle between Texas and Arizona State in the Peach Bowl earlier on Wednesday.
Oregon enters this game as the only undefeated FBS team left, as well as the owner of a 14-game winning streak, which is the longest active streak in the country. Quarterback Dillon Gabriel carved up the Ohio State secondary in the first meeting, throwing for 341 yards and two touchdowns in the 32-31 win in Eugene. Gabriel went on to finish third in the Heisman Trophy voting behind Colorado’s Travis Hunter and Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty. The Buckeyes can’t just key on Gabriel since Oregon has running back Jordan James, who ran for 1,253 yards and 15 touchdowns this year.
While there was plenty of criticism of Ohio State’s offensive game plan against Michigan, not much fault can be found with the defense since the first meeting with the Ducks. Over the last six games, Ohio State has allowed just seven touchdowns, with none of those scores coming through the air. Defensive coordinator Jim Knowles’ has dialed up the pressure, allowing defensive ends J.T. Tuimoloau and Jack Sawyer to do what they do best. Get after the quarterback. The Buckeye defense will have to be aggressive but disciplined since Gabriel can make plays with his legs to escape pressure. If Ohio State can keep Gabriel in the pocket and get in his sight lanes, they should be in good shape.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25811863/2191073398.jpg "Tennessee v Ohio State - Playoff First Round")
Photo by Steve Limentani/ISI Photos/Getty Images
One thing that’s hard to do when teams are so closely matched like Ohio State and Oregon is beat the same team twice in the season. This game is going to come down to which coach makes the better adjustments headed into the game and adds some wrinkles to their game plan. It sounds like Ryan Day got the message about trusting in his players after the Michigan game since the Buckeyes looked like a completely different team against Tennessee. Step one for the offense is going to be to feed wide receiver, Jeremiah Smith, since there is no question he is the best player on the field. Step two is to repeat step one. Even if Oregon tries to take away Smith, Will Howard has Emeka Egbuka and Carnell Tate at his disposal, and tight end Gee Scott Jr. even made a couple of big catches against the Volunteers.
Not only is the setting for this game going to be beautiful, we are going to be in for another entertaining tilt between two of the best teams in the country. Ohio State gets some revenge for the loss in Eugene, which might have not even been a loss had Oregon head coach Dan Lanning not found a loophole in the rules by intentionally taking a penalty to waste some clock late in the game. Day snaps a two-game losing streak against the Ducks and Ohio State moves on to the Cotton Bowl next week.
Ohio State 31, Oregon 27
Continue reading...
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images
The Buckeyes and Ducks meet for the second time in the CFP and the third time in the Rose Bowl. Plus, picks for the other three CFP quarterfinals.
Bowl record ATS: 18-13 (16-9 National, 2-4 B1G)
Season record ATS: 142-128 (68-63 National, 74-65 B1G)
College Football Playoff quarterfinal games:
Fiesta Bowl: No. 6 Penn State (-10.5) v. No. 3 Boise State - Tuesday Dec. 31, 7:30 p.m. ET - ESPN
The Nittany Lions barely had to break a sweat in their first-round game against SMU, taking a 28-0 lead into halftime in the 38-10 win over the Mustangs. Penn State picked off three Kevin Jennings passes, returning two of them for touchdowns. With building such a big lead early they kept the offense pretty vanilla. Drew Allar finished with just 127 yards passing. Running backs Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen combined for 160 yards on the ground.
While it’s not a surprise Boise State made the CFP as the Group of Five qualifier, it was a surprise they earned a bye as the third-highest-ranked conference champion. The extra time off has given running back Ashton Jeanty time to recharge his batteries. The Heisman Trophy runner-up has had an outstanding season, rushing for nearly 2,500 yards and 29 touchdowns. Jeanty has cracked 200 yards on the ground in six games this season.
Boise State won’t be scared in this game. The Broncos went into Eugene early in the season and nearly beat Oregon. One thing we have to remember is that was before the Ducks really hit their stride. The defense of the Nittany Lions is a whole different animal. They’ll make Jeanty earn every inch on Tuesday night. Boise State quarterback Maddux Madsen gets overlooked but he hasn’t had a defensive end like Abdul Carter breathing down his neck.
The Broncos hang around for the first half but the Nittany Lions pull away a bit after halftime. Mackey Award winner Tyler Warren has a big game after he didn’t have to do a whole lot against SMU. This feels like a game Penn State wins by two touchdowns in the final college football game of 2024.
Penn State 34, Boise State 20
Peach Bowl: No. 5 Texas (-13.5) v. No. 4 Arizona State - Wednesday, Jan. 1, 1 p.m. ET - ESPN
The Cinderella story of the College Football Playoff feels like Arizona State. The Sun Devils were 3-9 in 2023 in Kenny Dillingham’s first season in Tempe and were picked to finish last in the Big 12 before the season. After suffering their second loss of the season in October at Cincinnati, Arizona State reeled off six straight wins on their way to winning the conference. Running back Cam Skattebo was a huge reason for the improvement of the Sun Devils, totaling over 2,000 yards and 22 touchdowns.
The opener for Texas in the playoff was a bit of a weird game. The Longhorns jumped out to a 28-10 lead before letting Clemson back in the game. Despite winning 38-24, I wasn’t all that impressed with what I saw from Texas. It probably doesn’t help that Quinn Ewers is dealing with a gimpy ankle.
There’s no question the Longhorns have the edge in the trenches in this game. What has me hesitant to back Texas here is some of the decisions Ewers makes. Arizona State is a very opportunistic team and could force some turnovers. Even though everyone will be focused on Skattebo, I feel like the dynamic running back can still make some plays to keep the Sun Devils in the game. Dillingham’s team will be playing with nothing to lose as the heavy underdog, which helps them keep the final score inside two touchdowns.
Texas 37, Arizona State 27
No. 7 Notre Dame v. No. 2 Georgia (-1.5) - Wednesday, Jan. 1, 8:45 p.m. ET - ESPN
Notre Dame and Georgia will square off in a game that feels like it won’t end until 1 am on the East Coast since apparently the Sugar Bowl always wants to make sure people fall asleep during it. The Fighting Irish had little trouble with Indiana in South Bend, beating the Hoosiers 27-17 in a game that wasn’t nearly as close as the final score. The only thing that went wrong for Marcus Freeman’s team is defensive lineman Rylie Mills was injured during the game and won’t play the rest of the season. Jeremiyah Love set the tone early in the first quarter with a 98-yard touchdown run to open the scoring.
Georgia has been barely getting by opponents recently. After the Bulldogs survived an eight overtime thriller against Georgia Tech, they needed overtime in the SEC Championship Game to beat Texas and secure a bye. Georgia desperately needed the extra time off since quarterback Carson Beck was injured against the Longhorns, leaving Gunner Stockton to take the snaps for the rest of the season. Stockton played a little bit against Massachusetts and Tennessee Tech early in the season before being thrust into action in Atlanta.
This clash in New Orleans is going to come down to experience at quarterback. Notre Dame has it with Riley Leonard, while Georgia doesn’t now that Beck has been ruled out. Against a Fighting Irish defense that is one of the top units in the country, Stockton will likely struggle on Wednesday night. The Bulldogs haven’t looked like the same team we have become used to over the last few years, and that is understandable with all the turnover they have had with players going to the NFL. Notre Dame safety Xavier Watts picks off a pass as the Fighting Irish secure a spot in the semifinal.
Notre Dame 28, Georgia 17
No. 8 Ohio State (-2.5) v. No. 1 Oregon - Wednesday, Jan. 1, 5 p.m. ET - ESPN
If you thought there was a lot of hype surrounding the first meeting between these two college football powerhouses, you ain’t seen nothing yet. The Bucks and Ducks meet for the third time in the Rose Bowl, but this time there is so much more on the line in Pasadena. The winner will move on to the Cotton Bowl next week to take on the winner of the battle between Texas and Arizona State in the Peach Bowl earlier on Wednesday.
Oregon enters this game as the only undefeated FBS team left, as well as the owner of a 14-game winning streak, which is the longest active streak in the country. Quarterback Dillon Gabriel carved up the Ohio State secondary in the first meeting, throwing for 341 yards and two touchdowns in the 32-31 win in Eugene. Gabriel went on to finish third in the Heisman Trophy voting behind Colorado’s Travis Hunter and Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty. The Buckeyes can’t just key on Gabriel since Oregon has running back Jordan James, who ran for 1,253 yards and 15 touchdowns this year.
While there was plenty of criticism of Ohio State’s offensive game plan against Michigan, not much fault can be found with the defense since the first meeting with the Ducks. Over the last six games, Ohio State has allowed just seven touchdowns, with none of those scores coming through the air. Defensive coordinator Jim Knowles’ has dialed up the pressure, allowing defensive ends J.T. Tuimoloau and Jack Sawyer to do what they do best. Get after the quarterback. The Buckeye defense will have to be aggressive but disciplined since Gabriel can make plays with his legs to escape pressure. If Ohio State can keep Gabriel in the pocket and get in his sight lanes, they should be in good shape.
One thing that’s hard to do when teams are so closely matched like Ohio State and Oregon is beat the same team twice in the season. This game is going to come down to which coach makes the better adjustments headed into the game and adds some wrinkles to their game plan. It sounds like Ryan Day got the message about trusting in his players after the Michigan game since the Buckeyes looked like a completely different team against Tennessee. Step one for the offense is going to be to feed wide receiver, Jeremiah Smith, since there is no question he is the best player on the field. Step two is to repeat step one. Even if Oregon tries to take away Smith, Will Howard has Emeka Egbuka and Carnell Tate at his disposal, and tight end Gee Scott Jr. even made a couple of big catches against the Volunteers.
Not only is the setting for this game going to be beautiful, we are going to be in for another entertaining tilt between two of the best teams in the country. Ohio State gets some revenge for the loss in Eugene, which might have not even been a loss had Oregon head coach Dan Lanning not found a loophole in the rules by intentionally taking a penalty to waste some clock late in the game. Day snaps a two-game losing streak against the Ducks and Ohio State moves on to the Cotton Bowl next week.
Ohio State 31, Oregon 27
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LGHL Revisiting Julian Fleming’s transfer decision a year later
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Revisiting Julian Fleming’s transfer decision a year later
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
Did the former Ohio State wideout make a good decision in leaving Columbus for his final season of eligibility?
Just over a year ago, on Dec. 3, 2023, wide receiver Julian Fleming announced he was leaving Ohio State after four years to enter the transfer portal.
The move was a little surprising, as Fleming had been able to get playing time as a Buckeye since his freshman year. He was coming off a season in which he finished third among OSU wideouts in both catches (26) and yardage (270) behind Marvin Harrison, Jr. and Emeka Egbuka.
Harrison Jr. was a virtual lock to enter the NFL Draft after the season, and many assumed Egbuka would turn pro as well, not announcing his return for another year until Jan. 11. Fleming figured to become a key part of the Buckeye offense entering 2024, but he chose to finish out his college career elsewhere.
A month later, on Jan. 3, Fleming committed to Penn State. Even if the choice to transfer was a bit of a surprise, his destination was not. Fleming had played high school football not far from Happy Valley at Southern Columbia High. The receiver was highly coveted by the Nittany Lions and other schools coming out of high school, opting to commit to Ohio State May 31, 2019.
He seemed an excellent fit for Ohio State’s talented wide receiver group at the time, going on to finish out his high school year by claiming 2019 PennLive Pennsylvania Player of the Year and 2019 Gatorade Pennsylvania Player of the Year honors. He was the top wide receiver and overall player in ESPN’s recruiting rankings was ranked the No. 2 overall player by 247Sports.
Fleming’s college career started strong during his freshman season, as he played in seven games and caught seven passes for 74 yards in the pandemic-shortened year. He posted more yards and more yards per game than another OSU freshman named Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
But Fleming’s time at Ohio State was hampered by injuries, limiting his playing time. He appeared in eight games as a sophomore in 2021, catching 12 passes for 86 yards and a touchdown. His first career score came in a win against Michigan State on Nov. 20, 2021.
In 2022, Fleming managed to get into 11 games for Ohio State while still fighting through some knocks, finishing third on the OSU receiving chart behind Harrison and Egbuka, establishing new career highs in receptions (34), yards (533), and touchdowns (6). Fleming’s time seemed to be arriving at last.
But his 2023 numbers dipped despite him playing in a career-high 12 games. His 26 catches and 270 yards were both lower than the year before, and he also didn’t get into the end zone at all. Nevertheless, it seemed as though Fleming would make a bigger impact in his final season.
However, he opted for a fresh start at Penn State. Who could blame him? After all, he’d seen teammate Jameson Williams leave the program and find great success at Alabama. Why not Fleming?
Upon his commitment to Penn State, Fleming cited a desire to be closer to home, but he also said he wanted to win a Big Ten championship. He didn’t do the latter, although Penn State did reach the conference title game. Fleming did not catch a pass against Oregon in the Big Ten Championship Game.
Taking Fleming’s season as a whole (so far, as there are still games to be played), there is no real price to put on being closer to home or being more comfortable with your situation. And his team is still alive in the College Football Playoff, so his move to Penn State may yet prove to be a wise decision.
However, at this point in the season, it’s difficult not to see his transfer as a lateral move, at best, or a step backward in terms of his development as a player and an attempt to improve his draft stock for the NFL.
Fleming has appeared in 14 games for the Nittany Lions in 2024. He has 14 receptions this season for 176 yards and one touchdown. Aside from his touchdown total and games played, all of his numbers have dropped from his last year in Columbus.
His rankings among al Nittany Lions pass catchers are as follows:
Cutting out the Penn State tight ends and running backs and comparing Fleming only to other Penn State wide receivers, he is currently fourth in all of those categories except touchdowns, in which he is currently tied for third with Liam Clifford.
It’s hard to imagine Fleming not having improved upon every one of those numbers had he stayed at Ohio State for his final season of eligibility. In one fewer game, Ohio State’s No. 4 wide receiver in terms of production so far is Brandon Inniss, who has played in one fewer game than Fleming — owing to not playing in the B1G championship — and has 13 receptions for 157 yards and one touchdown.
That is similar production by the sophomore to what Fleming has done at Penn State, but there’s almost no scenario in which a healthy Fleming doesn’t play ahead of Inniss at Ohio State and probably takes some of Carnell Tate’s snaps as well, as Fleming has shown proficiency (and has experience) in his perimeter blocking.
It’s uncertain if Fleming made his decision already knowing that Egbuka would return for 2024, and Jeremiah Smith may not have ultimately wavered in his decision to come to Ohio State, but few veteran players would have factored that into their decision. If Egbuka had gone pro and Smith had flipped, Fleming stood a good chance to be the primary receiver in the 2024 OSU offense, although to be fair, those two hypothetical decisions may have prompted a move by Ryan Day to the transfer portal for some help.
It’s true that Fleming’s decision to transfer came after quarterback Kyle McCord announced he was entering the portal, so there was some uncertainty about who would run the offense at the time, but Drew Allar hadn’t proven much by Dec. 3 of last year either.
Whether Fleming’s choice turned out to be in his best interest remains to be seen, as the rest of the College Football Playoff has yet to play out and his draft stock is unknown. Regardless, the two sides will hope to meet again, as it would mean both Ohio State and Penn State have made the national title game.
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
Did the former Ohio State wideout make a good decision in leaving Columbus for his final season of eligibility?
Just over a year ago, on Dec. 3, 2023, wide receiver Julian Fleming announced he was leaving Ohio State after four years to enter the transfer portal.
The move was a little surprising, as Fleming had been able to get playing time as a Buckeye since his freshman year. He was coming off a season in which he finished third among OSU wideouts in both catches (26) and yardage (270) behind Marvin Harrison, Jr. and Emeka Egbuka.
Harrison Jr. was a virtual lock to enter the NFL Draft after the season, and many assumed Egbuka would turn pro as well, not announcing his return for another year until Jan. 11. Fleming figured to become a key part of the Buckeye offense entering 2024, but he chose to finish out his college career elsewhere.
A month later, on Jan. 3, Fleming committed to Penn State. Even if the choice to transfer was a bit of a surprise, his destination was not. Fleming had played high school football not far from Happy Valley at Southern Columbia High. The receiver was highly coveted by the Nittany Lions and other schools coming out of high school, opting to commit to Ohio State May 31, 2019.
He seemed an excellent fit for Ohio State’s talented wide receiver group at the time, going on to finish out his high school year by claiming 2019 PennLive Pennsylvania Player of the Year and 2019 Gatorade Pennsylvania Player of the Year honors. He was the top wide receiver and overall player in ESPN’s recruiting rankings was ranked the No. 2 overall player by 247Sports.
Fleming’s college career started strong during his freshman season, as he played in seven games and caught seven passes for 74 yards in the pandemic-shortened year. He posted more yards and more yards per game than another OSU freshman named Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
But Fleming’s time at Ohio State was hampered by injuries, limiting his playing time. He appeared in eight games as a sophomore in 2021, catching 12 passes for 86 yards and a touchdown. His first career score came in a win against Michigan State on Nov. 20, 2021.
In 2022, Fleming managed to get into 11 games for Ohio State while still fighting through some knocks, finishing third on the OSU receiving chart behind Harrison and Egbuka, establishing new career highs in receptions (34), yards (533), and touchdowns (6). Fleming’s time seemed to be arriving at last.
But his 2023 numbers dipped despite him playing in a career-high 12 games. His 26 catches and 270 yards were both lower than the year before, and he also didn’t get into the end zone at all. Nevertheless, it seemed as though Fleming would make a bigger impact in his final season.
However, he opted for a fresh start at Penn State. Who could blame him? After all, he’d seen teammate Jameson Williams leave the program and find great success at Alabama. Why not Fleming?
Upon his commitment to Penn State, Fleming cited a desire to be closer to home, but he also said he wanted to win a Big Ten championship. He didn’t do the latter, although Penn State did reach the conference title game. Fleming did not catch a pass against Oregon in the Big Ten Championship Game.
Taking Fleming’s season as a whole (so far, as there are still games to be played), there is no real price to put on being closer to home or being more comfortable with your situation. And his team is still alive in the College Football Playoff, so his move to Penn State may yet prove to be a wise decision.
However, at this point in the season, it’s difficult not to see his transfer as a lateral move, at best, or a step backward in terms of his development as a player and an attempt to improve his draft stock for the NFL.
Fleming has appeared in 14 games for the Nittany Lions in 2024. He has 14 receptions this season for 176 yards and one touchdown. Aside from his touchdown total and games played, all of his numbers have dropped from his last year in Columbus.
His rankings among al Nittany Lions pass catchers are as follows:
- Receptions: sixth (14)
- Yards: sixth (176)
- Touchdowns: tied for seventh (1)
- Yards per game: seventh (12.57)
- Receptions per game: seventh (1.0)
- Yards per game: sixth (12.6)
Cutting out the Penn State tight ends and running backs and comparing Fleming only to other Penn State wide receivers, he is currently fourth in all of those categories except touchdowns, in which he is currently tied for third with Liam Clifford.
It’s hard to imagine Fleming not having improved upon every one of those numbers had he stayed at Ohio State for his final season of eligibility. In one fewer game, Ohio State’s No. 4 wide receiver in terms of production so far is Brandon Inniss, who has played in one fewer game than Fleming — owing to not playing in the B1G championship — and has 13 receptions for 157 yards and one touchdown.
That is similar production by the sophomore to what Fleming has done at Penn State, but there’s almost no scenario in which a healthy Fleming doesn’t play ahead of Inniss at Ohio State and probably takes some of Carnell Tate’s snaps as well, as Fleming has shown proficiency (and has experience) in his perimeter blocking.
It’s uncertain if Fleming made his decision already knowing that Egbuka would return for 2024, and Jeremiah Smith may not have ultimately wavered in his decision to come to Ohio State, but few veteran players would have factored that into their decision. If Egbuka had gone pro and Smith had flipped, Fleming stood a good chance to be the primary receiver in the 2024 OSU offense, although to be fair, those two hypothetical decisions may have prompted a move by Ryan Day to the transfer portal for some help.
It’s true that Fleming’s decision to transfer came after quarterback Kyle McCord announced he was entering the portal, so there was some uncertainty about who would run the offense at the time, but Drew Allar hadn’t proven much by Dec. 3 of last year either.
Whether Fleming’s choice turned out to be in his best interest remains to be seen, as the rest of the College Football Playoff has yet to play out and his draft stock is unknown. Regardless, the two sides will hope to meet again, as it would mean both Ohio State and Penn State have made the national title game.
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LGHL Why Ohio State will beat Oregon in the Rose Bowl (and why they won’t)
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Why Ohio State will beat Oregon in the Rose Bowl (and why they won’t)
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Brandon Sloter/Image Of Sport/Getty Images
Even though it’s a quarterfinal matchup, this might as well be the National Championship Game.
I admit that I might be a prisoner of the moment and an unabashed homer when making statements like these, but to me, I think it is pretty clear that the Rose Bowl between the Ohio State Buckeyes and Oregon Ducks is actually the national championship game.
Of course, anything can happen in a 60 minute-college football game, so I recognize that the team that leaves Padadena victorious isn’t guaranteed to hoist the trophy in Atlanta on Jan. 20, 2025, but to me, it’s obvious that the two best teams in college football this season will be squaring off in a quarterfinal matchup in the shadow of the gorgeous San Gabriel Mountains on Wednesday.
As I have been thinking about this matchup through my scarlet and gray-colored glasses, I’ve identified one major reason why I think Ohio State will emerge victorious and advance to play the Peach Bowl winner between the Texas Longhorns and Arizona State Sun Devils... and then one reason why they won’t.
There are a lot of obvious things that could make or break the Buckeyes’ chances, and I will get to those, but I think items that I’ve identified are a bit under the radar, but nonetheless vitally important to whether or not Ryan Day’s squad is able to avenge the loss in Eugene on Oct. 12.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25811570/2178155094.jpg "Ohio State v Oregon")
Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images
With all of the discussion around Jeremiah Smith and Ohio State’s wide receivers, it is easy to forget that the Buckeyes also have two incredible running backs in their stable of offensive weapons. Though TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins have each had moments of brilliance this year, it is Henderson who seems to be the one playing his best football at the most critical time of year.
Admittedly, neither Buckeye back (or anyone on OSU’s offense) had a very good day against Michigan, but other than the regular season finale, Henderson has not averaged fewer than 5.4 yards per carry since before Halloween. In fact, over the past five games (including the rivalry loss), he has averaged 7.72 ypc and against Tennessee in the first round of the College Football Playoff, Henderson went for 80 yards on 10 rushes including two touchdowns.
While no one is going to mistake the Buckeyes for a run-first team (as long as OSU’s head coach doesn’t lose his mind again), having a running back who can bust big plays any time he touches the ball will undoubtedly have multiple positive effects for the Ohio State offense. First, Henderson's consistency in the run game will force Oregon defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi to devote some of the Ducks’ resources up closer to the line, meaning that Smith, Emeka Egbuka, Carnell Tate, et. al will have less to deal with in the secondary.
Having an explosive and reliable running game will also help slow down the Oregon pass rush. According to Pro Football Focus, the Ducks have the fifth-highest defensive pressure grades in college football. The first time that these two teams met, Oregon was without all-conference defensive end Jordan Burch, and fellow All-Big Ten selection Matayo Uiagalelei had not yet emerged as the dominant force that he has been during the back half of the season.
Given all of the offensive line concerns that have plagued the Buckeyes this season, everything in the offensive game plan needs to be working in concert to give them the best chance to score against the Ducks. Therefore, you need a running back who can create for himself even when things aren’t perfectly blocked up in order to give OSU quarterback Will Howard more time in the backfield.
By virtue of Henderson being able to break big plays, the Oregon defensive will have to respect that threat, slowing down the Duck pass rush, which is a huge boon for the Buckeyes. When Howard is kept clean in the pocket, he is about as close to perfect as you can hope for from a quarterback. In those situations, the Kansas State transfer is completing 78.6% of his passes, averaging 9.8 yards per attempt (12.5 per completion), and has 24 touchdowns vs. 6 interceptions.
In Eugene in October, Henderson’s stats looked pretty good. On 10 carries, he had 87 — one of six games this season that he averaged at least 8 yards per carry. But those numbers are a bit deceiving as 53 of them came on the final play of the first quarter. So, for the bulk of the game, Henderson was averaging 2.7 yards per rushing attempt. While you can’t discount a massive gain from the stats or the scoreboard (OSU went up 14-6 two plays later), the inconsistency from the running game likely led to the Buckeyes only putting up 10 points after halftime.
So, while it might not be the most obvious part of the Buckeyes’ game, I believe that TreyVeon Henderson’s consistent ability to gain chunks of yardage on the ground will push the game in Ohio State’s favor.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25811617/2184517358.jpg "COLLEGE FOOTBALL: NOV 16 Oregon at Wisconsin")
Photo by Dan Sanger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
One of the most difficult things to defend in football is a quarterback with the ability to run. Buckeye fans have seen it time and again over the years, if a QB is able to escape the pocket, he immediately becomes a threat to do two things: first, extend plays so his wide receivers can get open, and second, pick up substantial yards on the ground.
While Ohio State’s defense more or less had its way against Tennessee in the first round of the playoffs, as the game went on, Vols quarterback Nico Iamaleava did start to have some success with his legs. So much so that defensive coordinator Jim Knowles eventually used J.T. Tuimoloau to (unsuccessfully) spy him.
In the first game between Ohio State and Oregon, Ducks quarterback Dillon Gabriel only ran the ball four times for 32 yards, but one of those runs was a 27-yard scamper in the fourth quarter that proved to be the final touchdown of the game. It was a designed option that the QB correctly kept before weaving his way through the OSU defense to pay dirt.
Gabriel, a Heisman finalist, finished with just 192 yards rushing on the season when you factor in sacks to the equation, but he has seven rushing touchdowns. However, his ability to break game-changing runs isn’t the thing that most scares me from his ability to use his legs.
In the first game between these two teams, Ohio State’s defensive philosophy was to focus on their four down defensive lineman to generate pressure and let the other seven defenders sit back in coverage. That didn’t work. With all of the time he could possibly need in the pocket, Gabriel picked apart the OSU secondary going 23-for-34 for 341 yards and 2 touchdowns. But not attempting to bring added pressure on Gabriel, the Buckeye secondary was forced to remain in coverage for extended periods of time, and no matter how good you believe your cornerbacks are, they are chasing the receivers, so eventually the offensive players will have the advantage.
Since then, Knowles and company have reshaped Ohio State’s defensive approach to be far more aggressive, multiple, and creative, especially up front. At times, we have seen the Bucks bringfar more blitzes to get to the quarterback, but in recent games, they haven’t had to because Tuimoloau, Jack Sawyer, Tyleik Williams, and other OSU lineman have been able to generate pressure on their own.
That is all incredibly positive for a Buckeye defense that hasn’t allowed more than 17 points in a game this season other than the 32 that the Ducks put up in October. So, if the Silver Bullets are able to generate pressure — with or without blitzes — that should make things far easier for the OSU secondary than it was the first time around. But the only fly in that ointment is if Gabriel’s legs allow him to improvise and extend plays, putting the pressure back on the Buckeye secondary.
OSU corner Denzel Burke had an absolutely horrific game in Eugene. Gabriel threw to receivers he was guarding seven times and every single one of those led to a completion, totaling 162 yards and two touchdowns. Between that and fellow starting cornerback Davison Igbinosun’s 13 defensive penalties this season, the Ohio State corners need to have a big game against the best non-Buckeye offense left in the playoffs.
Anyone who has watched Dillon Gabriel play during his 17 years of college football knows that he is an electric talent. While the Ohio State defense has made dramatic strides since the last time it faced Gabriel’s Ducks, the quarterback still possesses more than enough weapons to make things difficult for the Buckeyes in Pasadena on Wednesday.
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Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Brandon Sloter/Image Of Sport/Getty Images
Even though it’s a quarterfinal matchup, this might as well be the National Championship Game.
I admit that I might be a prisoner of the moment and an unabashed homer when making statements like these, but to me, I think it is pretty clear that the Rose Bowl between the Ohio State Buckeyes and Oregon Ducks is actually the national championship game.
Of course, anything can happen in a 60 minute-college football game, so I recognize that the team that leaves Padadena victorious isn’t guaranteed to hoist the trophy in Atlanta on Jan. 20, 2025, but to me, it’s obvious that the two best teams in college football this season will be squaring off in a quarterfinal matchup in the shadow of the gorgeous San Gabriel Mountains on Wednesday.
As I have been thinking about this matchup through my scarlet and gray-colored glasses, I’ve identified one major reason why I think Ohio State will emerge victorious and advance to play the Peach Bowl winner between the Texas Longhorns and Arizona State Sun Devils... and then one reason why they won’t.
There are a lot of obvious things that could make or break the Buckeyes’ chances, and I will get to those, but I think items that I’ve identified are a bit under the radar, but nonetheless vitally important to whether or not Ryan Day’s squad is able to avenge the loss in Eugene on Oct. 12.
Why Ohio State will win: TreVeyon Henderson is playing his best football at the most important time
With all of the discussion around Jeremiah Smith and Ohio State’s wide receivers, it is easy to forget that the Buckeyes also have two incredible running backs in their stable of offensive weapons. Though TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins have each had moments of brilliance this year, it is Henderson who seems to be the one playing his best football at the most critical time of year.
Admittedly, neither Buckeye back (or anyone on OSU’s offense) had a very good day against Michigan, but other than the regular season finale, Henderson has not averaged fewer than 5.4 yards per carry since before Halloween. In fact, over the past five games (including the rivalry loss), he has averaged 7.72 ypc and against Tennessee in the first round of the College Football Playoff, Henderson went for 80 yards on 10 rushes including two touchdowns.
While no one is going to mistake the Buckeyes for a run-first team (as long as OSU’s head coach doesn’t lose his mind again), having a running back who can bust big plays any time he touches the ball will undoubtedly have multiple positive effects for the Ohio State offense. First, Henderson's consistency in the run game will force Oregon defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi to devote some of the Ducks’ resources up closer to the line, meaning that Smith, Emeka Egbuka, Carnell Tate, et. al will have less to deal with in the secondary.
Having an explosive and reliable running game will also help slow down the Oregon pass rush. According to Pro Football Focus, the Ducks have the fifth-highest defensive pressure grades in college football. The first time that these two teams met, Oregon was without all-conference defensive end Jordan Burch, and fellow All-Big Ten selection Matayo Uiagalelei had not yet emerged as the dominant force that he has been during the back half of the season.
Given all of the offensive line concerns that have plagued the Buckeyes this season, everything in the offensive game plan needs to be working in concert to give them the best chance to score against the Ducks. Therefore, you need a running back who can create for himself even when things aren’t perfectly blocked up in order to give OSU quarterback Will Howard more time in the backfield.
By virtue of Henderson being able to break big plays, the Oregon defensive will have to respect that threat, slowing down the Duck pass rush, which is a huge boon for the Buckeyes. When Howard is kept clean in the pocket, he is about as close to perfect as you can hope for from a quarterback. In those situations, the Kansas State transfer is completing 78.6% of his passes, averaging 9.8 yards per attempt (12.5 per completion), and has 24 touchdowns vs. 6 interceptions.
In Eugene in October, Henderson’s stats looked pretty good. On 10 carries, he had 87 — one of six games this season that he averaged at least 8 yards per carry. But those numbers are a bit deceiving as 53 of them came on the final play of the first quarter. So, for the bulk of the game, Henderson was averaging 2.7 yards per rushing attempt. While you can’t discount a massive gain from the stats or the scoreboard (OSU went up 14-6 two plays later), the inconsistency from the running game likely led to the Buckeyes only putting up 10 points after halftime.
So, while it might not be the most obvious part of the Buckeyes’ game, I believe that TreyVeon Henderson’s consistent ability to gain chunks of yardage on the ground will push the game in Ohio State’s favor.
Other reasons Ohio State will win:
- The Buckeyes have the best roster in the country
- Jim Knowles’ increased defensive creativity and aggression following the first meeting
- Will Howard’s elite-level accuracy
- The massive chip on the entire team and coaching staff’s shoulder
Why Ohio State will not win: Dillon Gabriel’s ability to scramble
One of the most difficult things to defend in football is a quarterback with the ability to run. Buckeye fans have seen it time and again over the years, if a QB is able to escape the pocket, he immediately becomes a threat to do two things: first, extend plays so his wide receivers can get open, and second, pick up substantial yards on the ground.
While Ohio State’s defense more or less had its way against Tennessee in the first round of the playoffs, as the game went on, Vols quarterback Nico Iamaleava did start to have some success with his legs. So much so that defensive coordinator Jim Knowles eventually used J.T. Tuimoloau to (unsuccessfully) spy him.
In the first game between Ohio State and Oregon, Ducks quarterback Dillon Gabriel only ran the ball four times for 32 yards, but one of those runs was a 27-yard scamper in the fourth quarter that proved to be the final touchdown of the game. It was a designed option that the QB correctly kept before weaving his way through the OSU defense to pay dirt.
Gabriel, a Heisman finalist, finished with just 192 yards rushing on the season when you factor in sacks to the equation, but he has seven rushing touchdowns. However, his ability to break game-changing runs isn’t the thing that most scares me from his ability to use his legs.
In the first game between these two teams, Ohio State’s defensive philosophy was to focus on their four down defensive lineman to generate pressure and let the other seven defenders sit back in coverage. That didn’t work. With all of the time he could possibly need in the pocket, Gabriel picked apart the OSU secondary going 23-for-34 for 341 yards and 2 touchdowns. But not attempting to bring added pressure on Gabriel, the Buckeye secondary was forced to remain in coverage for extended periods of time, and no matter how good you believe your cornerbacks are, they are chasing the receivers, so eventually the offensive players will have the advantage.
Since then, Knowles and company have reshaped Ohio State’s defensive approach to be far more aggressive, multiple, and creative, especially up front. At times, we have seen the Bucks bringfar more blitzes to get to the quarterback, but in recent games, they haven’t had to because Tuimoloau, Jack Sawyer, Tyleik Williams, and other OSU lineman have been able to generate pressure on their own.
That is all incredibly positive for a Buckeye defense that hasn’t allowed more than 17 points in a game this season other than the 32 that the Ducks put up in October. So, if the Silver Bullets are able to generate pressure — with or without blitzes — that should make things far easier for the OSU secondary than it was the first time around. But the only fly in that ointment is if Gabriel’s legs allow him to improvise and extend plays, putting the pressure back on the Buckeye secondary.
OSU corner Denzel Burke had an absolutely horrific game in Eugene. Gabriel threw to receivers he was guarding seven times and every single one of those led to a completion, totaling 162 yards and two touchdowns. Between that and fellow starting cornerback Davison Igbinosun’s 13 defensive penalties this season, the Ohio State corners need to have a big game against the best non-Buckeye offense left in the playoffs.
Anyone who has watched Dillon Gabriel play during his 17 years of college football knows that he is an electric talent. While the Ohio State defense has made dramatic strides since the last time it faced Gabriel’s Ducks, the quarterback still possesses more than enough weapons to make things difficult for the Buckeyes in Pasadena on Wednesday.
Other reasons Ohio State could lose:
- There is always a chance that Ryan Day regresses back to unnecessarily conservative turtle mode
- If the offensive line can’t hold up against Oregon’s elite defensive line
- Cornerbacks can’t give up big plays via completions or penalties
- If OSU doesn’t get a pass rush again, it will be a long day
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