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LGHL Ohio State gets college football’s equivalent of the “Group of Death” in the playoff

Ohio State gets college football’s equivalent of the “Group of Death” in the playoff
Michael Citro
via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Syndication: The Columbus Dispatch

Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Buckeyes could hardly have a tougher path to the semifinals than the one they’ve been given, but that’s what losing to Michigan gets them.

Now that we know who is in, which teams will play in the first round, and who will host on-campus games in the first-ever 12-team College Football Playoff, it’s worth taking a look at each team’s path to the semifinals.

But first, a reminder of where everyone is seeded.


THE BRACKET IS SET ✍️

Who are you taking to win the #CFBPlayoff? pic.twitter.com/9BDWwesEVL

— ESPN (@espn) December 8, 2024

The top four rated conference champions get a first-round bye. This theoretically makes for an easier path to a national championship, as it’s one fewer win needed to get there and less wear and tear on the players during the playoff run. The drawback is not getting a game on campus, and perhaps losing momentum with a week off while other teams might gain momentum with a first-round win.

In this first season with 12 teams in the playoff, those four slots went to:

  • Top-seeded Oregon, the Big Ten champion
  • Second-seeded Georgia, the SEC winner that lost a couple of games and escaped in overtime in each of the last two weeks
  • Third-seeded Boise State, which won the Mountain West champion, went 12-1 and finished ninth in the final CFP standings
  • Arizona State, which won the Big XII Saturday by beating Iowa State.

They’ll each have this weekend off while they wait for their next opponents.

Texas fell to No. 5 by losing in overtime to Georgia after the Longhorns largely approached their matchup with Georgia the way Ohio State decided to play against Michigan — which is to say they played into their opponents’ strengths and away from their own.

The No. 6 seed is Penn State. It’s understandable if Ohio State fans aren’t happy with that decision, because the Nittany Lions lost at home to the Buckeyes and lost by more against common opponent Oregon on a neutral field than OSU did in a true road contest.

Semi-independent and part-time ACC moonlighters Notre Dame got the No. 7 seed, with the Buckeyes getting the last home game at No. 8.

The first-round matchups then were set by figuring out which teams got to be the ninth through 12th seeds. Tennessee was placed ninth after finishing behind Georgia in the SEC at 10-2 by suffering a two-touchdown loss to the Bulldogs. Indiana was placed 10th, with ACC runners-up SMU getting the No. 11 seed and ACC champions Clemson getting in at No. 12.

Because Clemson won the ACC Championship Game, it got in over Alabama, Miami, Ole Miss, and South Carolina, which all finished higher in the final CFP rankings.

The Path to Glory


Looking at the first-round matchups, the final seeding appears to give Ohio State or Tennessee the toughest road to the semifinals, while Penn State may have the easiest.

The Buckeyes have to play a physical and athletic Tennessee team, although they get to be at home for the game. Ryan Day’s track record in big games isn’t going to make OSU fans anything other than nervous going into Saturday, but it is a winnable game if the Buckeyes can play defense they way they have all season and get the offense back on track. The Vols may claim the toughest road to the semis because they are literally on the road, but there is no lack of swagger in Knoxville and the Vols will be ready for the challenge.

The winner gets Oregon in the Rose Bowl, so it’s a longer trip for the winner of the first-round game, although the Buckeyes have had success against the Ducks in Rose Bowls before. Still, having to play the best team in college football throughout the season is a difficult second step on the journey.

On the other end of the spectrum is Penn State, which gets to host SMU at Beaver Stadium Saturday at noon. The Nittany Lions are tough to beat at home, and may be feeling confident after playing Oregon fairly close in the Big Ten Championship Game. Should they get past SMU, they’ll face Boise State, which has had some scares this season. I would expect Penn State to be favored in a Fiesta Bowl matchup against the Mountain West winners.

If Ohio State and Tennessee aren’t the teams with the most difficult path through, it might be Indiana. The Hoosiers get to stay in state, but they’ll travel to South Bend to face Notre Dame Friday night. Indiana can win that game, but this is unfamiliar territory for the Hoosiers. If they do get past the Irish, their reward will be a Sugar Bowl meeting with Georgia.

Texas fans will like their path to the semifinals. First up is a home game Saturday afternoon against a three-loss Clemson team that got destroyed by Georgia to open the season, lost at home to Louisville, and lost a close rivalry matchup against South Carolina. The Tigers were fortunate to get a long kickoff return after SMU tied the game with seconds left on Saturday, allowing them to get into long field-goal range to make the last-second winning kick rather than facing a momentum-laden Mustangs team in overtime.

The Texas-Clemson winner will face Arizona State in the Peach Bowl. It’s hard to know exactly how good the 11-2 Big XII champs are. They lost to Texas Tech and Cincinnati, which weren’t exactly juggernauts, and had narrow wins against the likes of North Texas, Mississippi State, Kansas, UCF, and BYU before blowing out Arizona and Iowa State.

If I had to handicap the path to the semifinals for the eight teams that have to play the extra game in this College Football Playoff from hardest to easiest, I’d go:

  1. Ohio State
  2. Tennessee
  3. Indiana
  4. Notre Dame
  5. SMU
  6. Clemson
  7. Texas
  8. Penn State

Beyond the first weekend, Oregon was given no favors by earning the No. 1 seed, as the Ducks would have to play the Tennessee-Ohio State winner, while Georgia would seem to have the easiest bowl opponent. Arizona State and Boise State will have a tough matchup whoever wins in the first round, but I like the Broncos over SMU much more than their chances against Penn State.

Arizona State is a complete wild card to me, but I like Texas to get past them, and if somehow Clemson dumps the Longhorns, I think the Sun Devils would take that result happily.

But enough about what I think. What do you think the easiest and toughest paths through the postseason are? Let me know in the comments section.

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LGHL Uncut: Ryan Day breaks down what he’s seen from Tennessee on film

Uncut: Ryan Day breaks down what he’s seen from Tennessee on film
Matt Tamanini
via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Screenshot_2024_12_09_at_8.27.38_AM.0.png


He also discusses what changes we could see from the Buckeyes in the CFP.

Throughout the year, the Land-Grant Podcast Network will be bringing you uncut audio primarily from Ohio State press conferences, but also from individual interview sessions.

Listen to the episode and subscribe:



Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | iHeart Radio



On today’s episode of “Land-Grant Uncut,” we are bringing you unedited audio from the Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024 press conference with Ohio State football coach Ryan Day following the announcement of the 2024-25 College Football Playoff bracket. We now know that the No. 8-seeded Ohio State Buckeyes will host the No. 9-seeded Tennessee Volunteers on Saturday, Dec. 21 at 8 p.m. ET in Ohio Stadium.

During the media availability, Day talked about what he has seen on tape from the Vols thus far, what changes — both in scheme and personnel — could happen for his team heading into the playoff, and much more.

Watch the full press conferences on Ohio State’s official Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/buckeyes/live_videos



Contact Matt Tamanini
Online Profile:
https://authory.com/MattTamanini

Music by: www.bensound.com


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LGHL Ohio State gets hosed by the committee and will play Tennessee in night home game

Ohio State gets hosed by the committee and will play Tennessee in night home game
Matt Tamanini
via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Syndication: The Columbus Dispatch

Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via 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


Ohio State to play home game against Tennessee in CFP first round
Brian White, Lori Schmidt, and Bill Rabinowitz; The Columbus Dispatch

December? Prime Time in Ohio Stadium? Ohio State Hosts Tennessee in an Unprecedented Game at the Shoe
11W Staff, Eleven Warriors


Presser Bullets: Luke Montgomery and Josh Padilla to Compete For Roles On Offensive Line, Ryan Day Excited For “Once-In-A-Lifetime” Playoff Opportunity
Andy Anders, Eleven Warriors

Ryan Day Press Conference: Ohio State coach discusses CFP match-up with Tennessee
Steve Helwagen, Bucknuts

Key Takeaways as Ryan Day, Buckeyes get playoff path confirmed
Austin Ward, Dotting The Eyes

With Tennessee matchup set, Buckeyes turn focus to ‘electric’ first-round home game
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row


ESPN analyst and former Ohio State quarterback Kirk Herbstreit said Ohio State might have a better chance playing on the road than at home due to fans booing the Buckeyes if they get off to a slow start.

This was Ryan Day’s response. pic.twitter.com/IsQjZ7OqrM

— Lantern Sports (@LanternSports) December 8, 2024

Ryan Day delivers initial take on Tennessee, touts ‘complementary’ Vols team ahead of Ohio State’s CFP clash
Carter Bahns, 247Sports

What Tennessee coach Josh Heupel said about Buckeyes, first-round CFP matchup
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row

Ohio State Quarterback Devin Brown Entering Transfer Portal After Three Years With the Buckeyes
11W Staff, Eleven Warriors


Ryan Day on players entering the transfer portal.

The portal will open on Dec. 9 and close on Dec. 28. pic.twitter.com/tphTxIhJfY

— Lantern Sports (@LanternSports) December 8, 2024

Ohio State fans need to see two playoff wins to feel good about Ryan Day
Matt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land

Michigan lands commitment from 2025 QB Chase Herbstreit
Allen Trieu, 247Sports


Wanted to look at the SP+ title projections with the current system versus title odds if they just had normal 1-12 seeding (no byes for conf champs). Basically the current system adds a total of ~3% title prob for champs. The teams it hurts the worst: 8 and 9 (Ohio St and Tenn). pic.twitter.com/94ED9eiT82

— Bill Connelly (@ESPN_BillC) December 9, 2024

On the Hardwood


Cotie McMahon returns, leads No. 12 Ohio State women over No. 21 Illinois 83-74
Thomas Costello, Land-Grant Holy Land

Devin Royal puts Buckeyes on his back, carries Ohio State past Rutgers 80-66
Connor Lemons, Land-Grant Holy Land


No. 12 Ohio State opens Big Ten play with win over No. 21 Illinois
Brianna Mac Kay, The Columbus Dispatch

Ohio State bounces back with decisive win against Rutgers: 7 takeaways
Adam Jardy, The Columbus Dispatch


Outside the Shoe and Schott


Men’s Soccer: No. 1 Ohio State Advances to 2024 College Cup!
Ohio State Athletics

Magical midfielder leads Buckeyes to NCAA soccer Final Four
Michael Arace, The Columbus Dispatch


Check out goals No. 2 and 3 from field level to put the Buckeyes up 3-0. #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/omYoMr4kWf

— Ohio State Men’s Soccer (@OhioStateMSOC) December 7, 2024

Ohio State Club Football Wins Third National Championship
Dan Hope, Eleven Warriors

Wrestling: Mendez, Welsh, Cannon Earn Titles Saturday
Ohio State Athletics

Men’s Ice Hockey: No. 17/16 Buckeyes Down Penn State, 3-2, to Complete Sweep
Ohio State Athletics


And now for something completely different...


Unbelievable:


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LGHL Power Two Podcast: The 2024 College Football Playoff is set!

Power Two Podcast: The 2024 College Football Playoff is set!
JordanW330
via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


2024 ACC Football Championship - Clemson v SMU

Photo by David Jensen/Getty Images

The 2024 College Football Playoff selections have been made. SMU is in and Bama is out, plus coaching carousel updates.

Welcome to a new episode of Land-Grant Podcast Network’s Power Two Podcast. On this show, we talk about Big Ten and SEC football…and everyone else. This show is for the die-hard fans and the casual college football fans.

After every week of action, we will catch you up on all the major matchups of the previous weekend and look ahead at the games, storylines, and players you should be paying attention to for the next week.

My name is Jordan Williams, and I am joined by my co-host DaNaysia Jones. Lock in as we run a power sweep through the college football landscape.



On this week’s episode, Jordan and DJ share their thoughts about the college football regular season since it is officially over. It’s unreal how quickly the 2024 season came and went. In the news, Jordan shares all the coaches’ hirings and movements, including three coaches who accepted new jobs after winning their respective conference championships.

They review the conference championship games and champions in the two-minute drill. There was extensive discussion about the overwhelming disingenuous conversation surrounding Alabama and whether they should be given a playoff spot over SMU. DJ is especially happy that they made the right choice in that matter. She is frustrated with how politic-y the College Football Playoff selections seem to feel.

Jordan and DJ discuss the bowl game selections and which games they will be tuning into. Plus we share some thoughts about which schools deserved to go to certain locations over others. It should be a rule that only cold-weather teams get to go to Hawaii and the Bahamas.

Jordan reviews the 2024 College Football Playoff teams, and they discuss who has the “easiest” path to the championship. There will be a dedicated episode where Jordan and DJ will share their official predictions for the games so they shared a sneak peek this week.

In the two-minute warning, Jordan lays out his case for Ashton Jeanty to win the Heisman. DJ shares her thoughts about the WNBA Expansion draft for the Golden State Valkyries.



If you like the show, please share it with friends and family and leave a five-star review. If you want to keep up with the show, subscribe to the Land-Grant Podcast Network Feed where new episodes drop every Monday.

You can also find Jordan’s article ‘B1G Thoughts’ on Land-Grant Holy Land.

Follow the show on YouTube: @GetDefensiveSportsNetwork

Follow the podcast on Instagram: @PowerTwoPodcast

Connect with us on Twitter: Jordan: @JordanW330 and DJ:@dj_danaysia

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