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LGHL Three Things To Watch at Purdue
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Three Things To Watch at Purdue
Chip.Minnich via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Alex Martin/Journal and Courier / USA TODAY NETWORK
The hex on Ohio State at Ross-Ade Stadium is all too real for Buckeye fans
Ohio State has played Purdue 14 times since the 2000 season. While Ohio State has won the majority of those games (nine games for Ohio State), all five of the losses have taken place at Ross-Ade Stadium. This is not limited to only one coaching staff being unable to solve the mystery of why Purdue plays Ohio State tough at Ross-Ade Stadium, as previous coaches John Cooper, Jim Tressel, Luke Fickell and Urban Meyer all suffered losses at the hands of the “Spoilermakers.”
The point I am trying to make is that no matter the coach, no matter how talented the team, Ohio State has usually struggled at Ross-Ade Stadium. Throw in the fact that the weather forecast for West Lafayette on Saturday is looking to be a wet and rainy affair, so that should be taken into account. Fortunately for Ohio State, head coach Ryan Day was on the staff for the 2018 humiliation, and will be able to have his team properly focused when the game kicks off on Peacock (more on that later) at 12pm ET.
Below are Three Things To Watch At Purdue...
As written up above, the current weather forecast is a 45% chance of rain in the afternoon, with a high temperature of 59 degrees. In other words, typical B1G football weather for mid-October. With a rainy, possibly slick field, Ohio State may be inclined to lean on its struggling running game.
For an Ohio State team coming off a poor running game against Maryland (62 yards on 33 attempts, a 1.9 yards per carry average), this could be a shot at redemption, especially with a big nationally televised home game against Penn State on the horizon. Purdue is giving up an average of about 154 yards per game on the ground. I will be watching to see if Chip Trayanum is featured prominently, especially in short yardage situations.
2. Can Ohio State maintain its streak of interceptions?
Purdue quarterback Hudson Card is coming off a game at Iowa that saw Card throw two interceptions in a 20-14 loss. Card also threw two interceptions in a 38-17 home loss to Wisconsin on Sept. 22. The formerly-maligned Ohio State secondary has been playing better, and perhaps junior cornerback Denzel Burke will be able to come up big with an interception in this game.
3. Can Ohio State avoid the sluggish start?
This game will be at 11am CT, but for the Ohio State players, their respective body clocks will be treating it like a noon game. Ohio State sleepwalked through the first half last week versus Maryland, and were fortunate to be tied at the half with the Terrapins. It will be reassuring to see Ohio State come out and establish some dominance right from the onset. It will be important for Ohio State to come out and take control of this game from Purdue, especially considering their home field success against the Buckeyes over the years.
For all of the rending of garments and gnashing of teeth about this game being on Peacock, let me just say this: I understand the frustration. Nobody likes having to download another application.
The reality is this — The B1G signed a 7 year contract that stipulates that a certain number of games will be on Peacock, every season. For every Ohio State fan who is proclaiming that they are outraged and going to boycott this game, the sad reality is that the check has already been cashed by the B1G, and these types of games are going to be taking place from now until the conclusion of the new media contract, and that will not be taking place until 2029-2030.
It could be worse! This game marks the third-straight game that the Boilermakers have been on Peacock.
For those of you who do not wish to spend the $6 fee to download Peacock, you have some options...
I like Ohio State to come out of the gate better than a week ago, and I am guessing that the coaching staff wants to see how the offensive line and running game respond after what I am speculating was a renewed commitment to running the ball.
I have it Ohio State 38, Purdue 17.
Continue reading...
Chip.Minnich via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Alex Martin/Journal and Courier / USA TODAY NETWORK
The hex on Ohio State at Ross-Ade Stadium is all too real for Buckeye fans
Ohio State has played Purdue 14 times since the 2000 season. While Ohio State has won the majority of those games (nine games for Ohio State), all five of the losses have taken place at Ross-Ade Stadium. This is not limited to only one coaching staff being unable to solve the mystery of why Purdue plays Ohio State tough at Ross-Ade Stadium, as previous coaches John Cooper, Jim Tressel, Luke Fickell and Urban Meyer all suffered losses at the hands of the “Spoilermakers.”
- 2000, when Drew Brees hit a wide open Seth Morales to clinch the game for Purdue.
- 2004, when Troy Smith threw three interceptions in a 24-17 loss.
- 2009, when Terrelle Pryor threw two interceptions and had two fumbles in a 26-18 loss.
- 2011, when Purdue defeated Ohio State 26-23 in overtime. This was a pivotal loss in Luke Fickell’s tenure, as Ohio State fell to 6-4 on the season, and the whispers about Urban Meyer coming to Ohio State became even louder. Speaking of Urban Meyer...
- 2018, when Ohio State went on the road for a night game at Ross-Ade Stadium. At the time, I was a contributor to Athlon Sports, and I caught grief from some people for predicting an Ohio State loss, 49-42. How right my critics were, as Purdue defeated Ohio State 49-20. Oh well — at least I got the 49 points right for Purdue.
The point I am trying to make is that no matter the coach, no matter how talented the team, Ohio State has usually struggled at Ross-Ade Stadium. Throw in the fact that the weather forecast for West Lafayette on Saturday is looking to be a wet and rainy affair, so that should be taken into account. Fortunately for Ohio State, head coach Ryan Day was on the staff for the 2018 humiliation, and will be able to have his team properly focused when the game kicks off on Peacock (more on that later) at 12pm ET.
Below are Three Things To Watch At Purdue...
- Will the Ohio State offensive line allow the Buckeyes to run the ball consistently?
As written up above, the current weather forecast is a 45% chance of rain in the afternoon, with a high temperature of 59 degrees. In other words, typical B1G football weather for mid-October. With a rainy, possibly slick field, Ohio State may be inclined to lean on its struggling running game.
For an Ohio State team coming off a poor running game against Maryland (62 yards on 33 attempts, a 1.9 yards per carry average), this could be a shot at redemption, especially with a big nationally televised home game against Penn State on the horizon. Purdue is giving up an average of about 154 yards per game on the ground. I will be watching to see if Chip Trayanum is featured prominently, especially in short yardage situations.
2. Can Ohio State maintain its streak of interceptions?
Purdue quarterback Hudson Card is coming off a game at Iowa that saw Card throw two interceptions in a 20-14 loss. Card also threw two interceptions in a 38-17 home loss to Wisconsin on Sept. 22. The formerly-maligned Ohio State secondary has been playing better, and perhaps junior cornerback Denzel Burke will be able to come up big with an interception in this game.
3. Can Ohio State avoid the sluggish start?
This game will be at 11am CT, but for the Ohio State players, their respective body clocks will be treating it like a noon game. Ohio State sleepwalked through the first half last week versus Maryland, and were fortunate to be tied at the half with the Terrapins. It will be reassuring to see Ohio State come out and establish some dominance right from the onset. It will be important for Ohio State to come out and take control of this game from Purdue, especially considering their home field success against the Buckeyes over the years.
For all of the rending of garments and gnashing of teeth about this game being on Peacock, let me just say this: I understand the frustration. Nobody likes having to download another application.
The reality is this — The B1G signed a 7 year contract that stipulates that a certain number of games will be on Peacock, every season. For every Ohio State fan who is proclaiming that they are outraged and going to boycott this game, the sad reality is that the check has already been cashed by the B1G, and these types of games are going to be taking place from now until the conclusion of the new media contract, and that will not be taking place until 2029-2030.
It could be worse! This game marks the third-straight game that the Boilermakers have been on Peacock.
For those of you who do not wish to spend the $6 fee to download Peacock, you have some options...
- Listen to the game on 97.1 The Fan
- Find a sports bar that is televising the game, but I am guessing that you will spend more money than $6 at a bar
- Watch another game and check for updates periodically
I like Ohio State to come out of the gate better than a week ago, and I am guessing that the coaching staff wants to see how the offensive line and running game respond after what I am speculating was a renewed commitment to running the ball.
I have it Ohio State 38, Purdue 17.
Continue reading...
LGHL MC&J: Ohio State is favored by nearly three touchdowns in Week 7 Big Ten action
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MC&J: Ohio State is favored by nearly three touchdowns in Week 7 Big Ten action
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 Ben Jackson/Getty Images
The Buckeyes look to leave Ross-Ade Stadium with an easy win over the Boilermakers. Plus, picks for five other games in the conference.
Picks for the games outside the Big Ten this week on my radar can be found here.
Indiana v. No. 2 Michigan (-33.5) - 12:00 p.m. ET - FOX
Michigan has finally allowed double digits in a game this year. Team in crisis! Just kidding, the Wolverines are looking like the most dominant team in the country so far this season. I know they haven’t played anyone, but they are leaving no doubt in their victories. Michigan looks like they found another gear when head coach Jim Harbaugh returned to the sidelines after his suspension.
It’s going to be a long afternoon on both sides of the field for Indiana. The Hoosiers are still unsettled at quarterback, which isn’t something you want to be against the stingy defense of the Wolverines. Even though Indiana has a defense that does play hard, they’ll be up against it when they try and slow down J.J. McCarthy and Blake Corum.
There are a couple reasons I think this might be a few too many points for Michigan to be laying. Not only is Indiana coming off a bye that allowed them to work on some things, the Wolverines have a rivalry game against Michigan State next week. Michigan still wins easily, I just think it looks more like their 31-7 win over Rutgers a few weeks ago than the 52-10 win we saw from them last week against Minnesota.
Michigan 34, Indiana 7
Michigan State v. Rutgers (-4.5) - 12:00 p.m. ET - Big Ten Network
The bye week came at the perfect time for Michigan State. The Spartans have lost three games in a row, and they have had plenty to deal with after the firing of head coach Mel Tucker. Last time out Michigan State actually didn’t play that bad, leading Iowa into the fourth quarter before the Hawkeyes scored 13 points to win 26-16.
Rutgers always plays hard, they just aren’t all that good. Take last week for example. The Scarlet Knights weren’t really threatening Wisconsin, they just used a late touchdown to cover the point spread. I’m not sold on Rutgers being over a field goal favorite against a team coming off a bye that is starting to play a little better. This game feels like it could be decided by a field goal so I’ll take the points here.
Michigan State 20, Rutgers 17
Massachusetts v. No. 6 Penn State (-41.5) - 3:30 p.m. ET - Big Ten Network
UMass is one of the worst teams in college football, so it’s hard to imagine the Minutemen hanging around in this one. Penn State finds the end zone early and often before pulling their starters. Even when the second string is in, expect James Franklin to keep his foot on the gas since we have seen how much he loves covering the spread.
Penn State 54, UMass 10
Illinois v. Maryland (-13.5) - 3:30 p.m. ET - NBC
While Maryland did lose to Ohio State last week, it’s not like they looked bad in the loss. The Terrapins hung tough with the Buckeyes for most of the game. Taulia Tagovailoa is one of the best quarterbacks in the Big Ten, so it’ll be quite a contrast to see him against Luke Altmyer, who is one of the worst quarterbacks in the Big Ten.
I know there is usually a bit of a letdown from teams after a tough game against Ohio State. We’re not going to see that this week. Last year the Terrapins responded to their loss to the Buckeyes with a couple wins to close out the season. Illinois not only just lost to Nebraska, they were dominated by the Cornhuskers. If Illinois can’t get up for a game against the Cornhuskers at home, I don’t see how they do for one at Maryland.
Maryland 41, Illinois 24
Iowa v. Wisconsin (-9.5) - 4:00 p.m. ET - FOX
Last week Iowa had one of the ugliest wins you’ll ever see. The Hawkeyes beat Purdue 20-14, but new starting quarterback Deacon Hill was just 6 of 21 passing. Luckily Iowa got 134 yards rushing from Kaleb Johnson. I know the defense of the Hawkeyes is fantastic, but how long can they carry this anemic offense?
It’s not like Wisconsin is setting the world on fire. Tanner Mordecai continues to struggle throwing the football. At least Braelon Allen is seeing more touches, as last week he carried the football 21 times for 101 yards. Things still aren’t clicking for the Badgers on offense, though. At least Wisconsin has been able to pile some wins against lesser opponents before the meat of their schedule.
As much as I like the Iowa defense, I just can’t trust their offense. Deacon Hill is going to have a tough afternoon dealing with the hostile environment he’ll see in Madison. I could see the Badgers turning the Hawkeyes over a few times and setting Mordecai and the offense up in good position, allowing them to gain a little confidence. It won’t be pretty, but I think Wisconsin wins by at least 10.
Wisconsin 24, Iowa 13
No. 3 Ohio State (-19.5) v. Purdue - 12:00 p.m. ET - Peacock
For as much complaining as myself and Buckeye Nation have done so far this year about the team, Ohio State is still undefeated. Even though they haven’t looked great, all that matters is they still have a 0 in the loss column, which is something a lot of teams can’t say. Although it would be nice to see Ryan Day’s team put together a complete game on offense. Even the blowout over Western Kentucky had a bit of a slow start to it.
Purdue feels like they should be better than 2-4 with the pieces they have. Hudson Card is a solid quarterback, Devin Mockobee and Tyrone Tracy Jr. can run the football, and the defense has some players that can make some noise. Some of the struggles can probably be attributed to having a first-year head coach. Ryan Walters will likely find his way since he is a young coach, he has just had to deal with some growing pains halfway through his first season.
Then there is the recent history in West Lafayette, where Ohio State is just 3-5 since 2000. At least this year there is no Rondale Moore on the roster to give Buckeye fans nightmares. Ohio State will likely be without Emeka Egbuka for this game after he suffered a leg injury against Maryland, but at least the injury comes at a position where the Buckeyes have loads of talent. It sounds like TreVeyon Henderson is trending in the right direction after missing last week with an injury suffered against Notre Dame.
I really do think we see a more complete performance this week from Ohio State, since Day will want his team sharp heading into next week’s showdown with Penn State. If Purdue was playing better than they have this year, I’d be a little more fearful of Ross-Ade Stadium. The Buckeye defense continues to excel, forcing Card into some mistakes that allow Ohio State to build a lead and breathe a little easier in the second half.
Ohio State 38, Purdue 14
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Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Ben Jackson/Getty Images
The Buckeyes look to leave Ross-Ade Stadium with an easy win over the Boilermakers. Plus, picks for five other games in the conference.
Last week ATS: 5-9 (1-8 National, 4-1 B1G)
Season ATS: 52-58 (20-36 National, 32-22 B1G)
Picks for the games outside the Big Ten this week on my radar can be found here.
B1G games
Indiana v. No. 2 Michigan (-33.5) - 12:00 p.m. ET - FOX
Michigan has finally allowed double digits in a game this year. Team in crisis! Just kidding, the Wolverines are looking like the most dominant team in the country so far this season. I know they haven’t played anyone, but they are leaving no doubt in their victories. Michigan looks like they found another gear when head coach Jim Harbaugh returned to the sidelines after his suspension.
It’s going to be a long afternoon on both sides of the field for Indiana. The Hoosiers are still unsettled at quarterback, which isn’t something you want to be against the stingy defense of the Wolverines. Even though Indiana has a defense that does play hard, they’ll be up against it when they try and slow down J.J. McCarthy and Blake Corum.
There are a couple reasons I think this might be a few too many points for Michigan to be laying. Not only is Indiana coming off a bye that allowed them to work on some things, the Wolverines have a rivalry game against Michigan State next week. Michigan still wins easily, I just think it looks more like their 31-7 win over Rutgers a few weeks ago than the 52-10 win we saw from them last week against Minnesota.
Michigan 34, Indiana 7
Michigan State v. Rutgers (-4.5) - 12:00 p.m. ET - Big Ten Network
The bye week came at the perfect time for Michigan State. The Spartans have lost three games in a row, and they have had plenty to deal with after the firing of head coach Mel Tucker. Last time out Michigan State actually didn’t play that bad, leading Iowa into the fourth quarter before the Hawkeyes scored 13 points to win 26-16.
Rutgers always plays hard, they just aren’t all that good. Take last week for example. The Scarlet Knights weren’t really threatening Wisconsin, they just used a late touchdown to cover the point spread. I’m not sold on Rutgers being over a field goal favorite against a team coming off a bye that is starting to play a little better. This game feels like it could be decided by a field goal so I’ll take the points here.
Michigan State 20, Rutgers 17
Massachusetts v. No. 6 Penn State (-41.5) - 3:30 p.m. ET - Big Ten Network
UMass is one of the worst teams in college football, so it’s hard to imagine the Minutemen hanging around in this one. Penn State finds the end zone early and often before pulling their starters. Even when the second string is in, expect James Franklin to keep his foot on the gas since we have seen how much he loves covering the spread.
Penn State 54, UMass 10
Illinois v. Maryland (-13.5) - 3:30 p.m. ET - NBC
While Maryland did lose to Ohio State last week, it’s not like they looked bad in the loss. The Terrapins hung tough with the Buckeyes for most of the game. Taulia Tagovailoa is one of the best quarterbacks in the Big Ten, so it’ll be quite a contrast to see him against Luke Altmyer, who is one of the worst quarterbacks in the Big Ten.
I know there is usually a bit of a letdown from teams after a tough game against Ohio State. We’re not going to see that this week. Last year the Terrapins responded to their loss to the Buckeyes with a couple wins to close out the season. Illinois not only just lost to Nebraska, they were dominated by the Cornhuskers. If Illinois can’t get up for a game against the Cornhuskers at home, I don’t see how they do for one at Maryland.
Maryland 41, Illinois 24
Iowa v. Wisconsin (-9.5) - 4:00 p.m. ET - FOX
Last week Iowa had one of the ugliest wins you’ll ever see. The Hawkeyes beat Purdue 20-14, but new starting quarterback Deacon Hill was just 6 of 21 passing. Luckily Iowa got 134 yards rushing from Kaleb Johnson. I know the defense of the Hawkeyes is fantastic, but how long can they carry this anemic offense?
It’s not like Wisconsin is setting the world on fire. Tanner Mordecai continues to struggle throwing the football. At least Braelon Allen is seeing more touches, as last week he carried the football 21 times for 101 yards. Things still aren’t clicking for the Badgers on offense, though. At least Wisconsin has been able to pile some wins against lesser opponents before the meat of their schedule.
As much as I like the Iowa defense, I just can’t trust their offense. Deacon Hill is going to have a tough afternoon dealing with the hostile environment he’ll see in Madison. I could see the Badgers turning the Hawkeyes over a few times and setting Mordecai and the offense up in good position, allowing them to gain a little confidence. It won’t be pretty, but I think Wisconsin wins by at least 10.
Wisconsin 24, Iowa 13
No. 3 Ohio State (-19.5) v. Purdue - 12:00 p.m. ET - Peacock
For as much complaining as myself and Buckeye Nation have done so far this year about the team, Ohio State is still undefeated. Even though they haven’t looked great, all that matters is they still have a 0 in the loss column, which is something a lot of teams can’t say. Although it would be nice to see Ryan Day’s team put together a complete game on offense. Even the blowout over Western Kentucky had a bit of a slow start to it.
Purdue feels like they should be better than 2-4 with the pieces they have. Hudson Card is a solid quarterback, Devin Mockobee and Tyrone Tracy Jr. can run the football, and the defense has some players that can make some noise. Some of the struggles can probably be attributed to having a first-year head coach. Ryan Walters will likely find his way since he is a young coach, he has just had to deal with some growing pains halfway through his first season.
Then there is the recent history in West Lafayette, where Ohio State is just 3-5 since 2000. At least this year there is no Rondale Moore on the roster to give Buckeye fans nightmares. Ohio State will likely be without Emeka Egbuka for this game after he suffered a leg injury against Maryland, but at least the injury comes at a position where the Buckeyes have loads of talent. It sounds like TreVeyon Henderson is trending in the right direction after missing last week with an injury suffered against Notre Dame.
I really do think we see a more complete performance this week from Ohio State, since Day will want his team sharp heading into next week’s showdown with Penn State. If Purdue was playing better than they have this year, I’d be a little more fearful of Ross-Ade Stadium. The Buckeye defense continues to excel, forcing Card into some mistakes that allow Ohio State to build a lead and breathe a little easier in the second half.
Ohio State 38, Purdue 14
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LGHL You’re Nuts: What is the sneakiest trap game for Ohio State men’s basketball?
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You’re Nuts: What is the sneakiest trap game for Ohio State men’s basketball?
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports
Which not-hard game on the schdule do our writers think will actually turn into a very-hard game?
On Oct. 3, the Big Ten conference released tip times and TV assignments for men’s basketball. That means we now know which games are going to be nationally televised, which games will be streaming-only, and which games will be in prime time, allowing the home crowd to “prepare” for the game on campus all day long. With that in mind, we’re going to discuss some potential pitfalls on the Buckeyes’ schedule.
Last week, Connor and Justin each made a prediction for Big Ten Coach of the Year. Justin chose Kevin Willard, whose Maryland Terrapins were picked to finish third in the Big Ten in this year’s media poll. Connor went with Greg Gard, whose Wisconsin Badgers were picked to finish fifth in the same poll.
50% of the people who read last week’s piece chose “other,” which means that neither Connor nor Justin won this week. 50% went with the other, while 38% voted with Justin, and the remaining 12% voted with Connor.
Connor- 55
This week, we’re debating the trappiest trap game on the Buckeyes’ schedule. For reference, a “trap game” is a game that, at first glance, doesn’t look too challenging, but for various reasons, could wind up being much harder than you’d think.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24993813/usa_today_20232136.jpg "NCAA Basketball: NIT Tournament First Round - Bradley vs Wisconsin")
Mark Hoffman - USA Today Sports
But Connor, how can a road game against Wisconsin — a team picked to finish higher than Ohio State — be considered a trap game? How could any game at the Kohl Center — where they’ve been rumored to turn down the temperature drastically and where they use “The Rock” brand basketball just to be difficult — be a trap game?
Well, take a look at the few games around this one, and I think you’d agree that the road game at Wisconsin might get overlooked just a bit. The week prior, Ohio State will face Indiana at home on Tuesday night and Maryland at home on Saturday afternoon. Those are two home games against upper-echelon Big Ten teams, the second of which is a weekend home game. Attendance should be great for both games and if Ohio State is able to win both, everyone’s eyes will begin to look down the road to another big matchup... Purdue, that is.
If the Buckeyes are flying high come February and knock off Indiana and Maryland that week, Purdue will be looming just eight days later. The Boilermakers beat the Buckeyes three times last season, have the National Player of the Year on their team, and won the Big Ten outright. People will be very excited about that game, especially if Ohio State is playing well.
However, Ohio State will have to travel to Madison, Wisconsin, that Tuesday night and play the Badgers at the Kohl Center, where they’ve won just one of their last five games at. With Purdue looming, it could be easy to undercut the importance of winning this game. Beating a talented Wisconsin team on the road will do wonders for Ohio State’s NCAA Tournament resume.
I’m just wondering if, after winning two big home games and with Purdue in the distance, could this Wisconsin game turn into a bad, bad time for the Buckeyes? I could see Ohio State winning a few games in a row, but then walking into a buzzsaw in Madison — just to remind OSU who’s won the Big Ten more recently.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24999261/usa_today_20230506.jpg "Syndication: Detroit Free Press")
Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK
It is funny that we are talking about a trap game for a team that went 5-15 last season in the conference. But that’s the past! This year, we can expect some more wins. I hope.
The trap game I am penciling in is at the Crisler Center in Ann Arbor when the Buckeyes play at Michigan on Jan. 15. The reason: it is early in the conference play season, and it is important to get off to a great start in conference play
This can be a trap game as Ohio State will likely be the favorite since Michigan is projected to finish in the bottom part of the Big Ten. The five games the Buckeyes have after this one are at home against Penn State, at Nebraska, at Northwestern, at home against Illinois, and at Iowa. All of those games are winnable, with the Illinois game being at Value City Arena. If they can beat Michigan on the road, it can jump-start a huge winning streak to end January.
Plus, it can erase some demons. This was around the same time last season that the losing streak started. The Buckeyes can get some solid momentum going by starting a winning streak instead of a losing streak in the middle of January. But if they lose this one, all of the other games get a little tougher ahead of them.
And besides, it is always fun to beat Michigan.
Continue reading...
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports
Which not-hard game on the schdule do our writers think will actually turn into a very-hard game?
On Oct. 3, the Big Ten conference released tip times and TV assignments for men’s basketball. That means we now know which games are going to be nationally televised, which games will be streaming-only, and which games will be in prime time, allowing the home crowd to “prepare” for the game on campus all day long. With that in mind, we’re going to discuss some potential pitfalls on the Buckeyes’ schedule.
Last week, Connor and Justin each made a prediction for Big Ten Coach of the Year. Justin chose Kevin Willard, whose Maryland Terrapins were picked to finish third in the Big Ten in this year’s media poll. Connor went with Greg Gard, whose Wisconsin Badgers were picked to finish fifth in the same poll.
50% of the people who read last week’s piece chose “other,” which means that neither Connor nor Justin won this week. 50% went with the other, while 38% voted with Justin, and the remaining 12% voted with Connor.
After 121 weeks:
Connor- 55
Justin- 48
Other- 14
(There have been four ties)
This week, we’re debating the trappiest trap game on the Buckeyes’ schedule. For reference, a “trap game” is a game that, at first glance, doesn’t look too challenging, but for various reasons, could wind up being much harder than you’d think.
Today’s Question: What is the sneakiest trap game for Ohio State men’s basketball?
Connor: At Wisconsin (Feb. 13)
But Connor, how can a road game against Wisconsin — a team picked to finish higher than Ohio State — be considered a trap game? How could any game at the Kohl Center — where they’ve been rumored to turn down the temperature drastically and where they use “The Rock” brand basketball just to be difficult — be a trap game?
Well, take a look at the few games around this one, and I think you’d agree that the road game at Wisconsin might get overlooked just a bit. The week prior, Ohio State will face Indiana at home on Tuesday night and Maryland at home on Saturday afternoon. Those are two home games against upper-echelon Big Ten teams, the second of which is a weekend home game. Attendance should be great for both games and if Ohio State is able to win both, everyone’s eyes will begin to look down the road to another big matchup... Purdue, that is.
If the Buckeyes are flying high come February and knock off Indiana and Maryland that week, Purdue will be looming just eight days later. The Boilermakers beat the Buckeyes three times last season, have the National Player of the Year on their team, and won the Big Ten outright. People will be very excited about that game, especially if Ohio State is playing well.
However, Ohio State will have to travel to Madison, Wisconsin, that Tuesday night and play the Badgers at the Kohl Center, where they’ve won just one of their last five games at. With Purdue looming, it could be easy to undercut the importance of winning this game. Beating a talented Wisconsin team on the road will do wonders for Ohio State’s NCAA Tournament resume.
I’m just wondering if, after winning two big home games and with Purdue in the distance, could this Wisconsin game turn into a bad, bad time for the Buckeyes? I could see Ohio State winning a few games in a row, but then walking into a buzzsaw in Madison — just to remind OSU who’s won the Big Ten more recently.
Justin: At Michigan (Jan. 15)
It is funny that we are talking about a trap game for a team that went 5-15 last season in the conference. But that’s the past! This year, we can expect some more wins. I hope.
The trap game I am penciling in is at the Crisler Center in Ann Arbor when the Buckeyes play at Michigan on Jan. 15. The reason: it is early in the conference play season, and it is important to get off to a great start in conference play
This can be a trap game as Ohio State will likely be the favorite since Michigan is projected to finish in the bottom part of the Big Ten. The five games the Buckeyes have after this one are at home against Penn State, at Nebraska, at Northwestern, at home against Illinois, and at Iowa. All of those games are winnable, with the Illinois game being at Value City Arena. If they can beat Michigan on the road, it can jump-start a huge winning streak to end January.
Plus, it can erase some demons. This was around the same time last season that the losing streak started. The Buckeyes can get some solid momentum going by starting a winning streak instead of a losing streak in the middle of January. But if they lose this one, all of the other games get a little tougher ahead of them.
And besides, it is always fun to beat Michigan.
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LGHL Ohio State vs. Purdue: 2023 game preview and prediction
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Ohio State vs. Purdue: 2023 game preview and prediction
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Buckeyes will try and handle business against the Boilermakers ahead of next week’s showdown with Penn State.
Following their bye week, Ohio State got back on the field last week, shaking off a sluggish start to beat Maryland 37-17 in Columbus, Now the Buckeyes hit the road to try and exercise some recent demons at Ross-Ade Stadium when they take on Purdue in West Lafayette on Saturday. Since 2000, Ohio State is just 3-5 at Ross-Ade Stadium, with their most recent trip to Purdue coming in 2018 when they were blitzed by the Boilermakers 49-20. The last time these two teams met was in 2021 in Columbus, with the Buckeyes winning 59-31.
With their win over the Terrapins, Ohio State continued to handle their business against teams they should beat. The Buckeyes are 33-0 against unranked opponents under Ryan Day, and are now 71-6 in the Big Ten since 2014, which is the best conference record in the country during that span.
Last week Ohio State had a tough time getting their offense going early, recording just 28 yards in the first quarter. While the group looked better in the second half, the Buckeyes still fell short of 400 yards of offense, marking the first time under Day they have failed to record 400 yards of offense in two consecutive games. One reason for some of the offensive struggles was because TreVeyon Henderson wasn’t available to play, as he was still recovering from an injury he suffered against Notre Dame.
Another injury concern the Buckeyes have is with Emeka Egbuka, who left the game last week with a leg injury. Even though Egbuka hasn’t officially been ruled out, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Egbuka on the sidelines this week with a matchup with Penn State looming. With Egbuka hobbled, Marvin Harrison Jr. stepped up last week and showed why he is the best receiver in the country. Harrison earned Big Ten Player of the Week honors after catching eight passes for 163 yards and a score.
The junior is now 99 yards away from 2,000 career receiving yards. So far this season, Harrison has reached 100 yards in three of five games the Buckeyes have played. For his career, Harrison has 10 games of at least 100 receiving yards, tying him with Garrett Wilson and Michael Jenkins for third all-time. David Boston’s 14 100-yard games are the most by a Buckeye receiver, while Chris Olave has 11 career games of at least 100 yards.
Another receiver that stepped up in the second half last week was Cade Stover. The tight end finished with two catches for 66 yards and a touchdown. Stover’s 44-yard touchdown reception early in the fourth quarter gave the Buckeyes a little breathing room, extending their lead to 27-17. The senior now has 60 career receptions for 786 yards, with both totals ranking seventh all-time amongst Ohio State tight ends. With six catches, Stover will move into a tie with Bruce Jankowski for fifth all-time by tight end in school history.
While at times early in games it has been tough for Kyle McCord to get into a rhythm, what the quarterback has done well is avoid mistakes. McCord has thrown 142 passes so far this year, and the only interception he has thrown came in the season opener against Indiana. Last week against Maryland, McCord threw for 320 yards, and the 275 passing yards per game he is averaging ranks second in the Big Ten.
Last week Chip Trayanum was the feature back for Ohio State since TreVeyon Henderson was sidelined due to injury. Trayanum finished with 61 yards on 20 carries, finding the end zone once. While Trayanum gives the Buckeyes some tough yards, there’s no doubt Henderson is Ohio State’s most dynamic running back. So far this season, Henderson has one less carry than Trayanum, but 88 more yards and two more rushing touchdowns than the Arizona State transfer.
The Ohio State defense has been what has steadied the team during some of the inconsistent performances from the offense. Last week the Buckeyes were able to cut Maryland’s lead to 10-7 in the second quarter when Josh Proctor picked off a Taulia Tagovailoa pass and returned it for a touchdown. Proctor recorded a career-high seven tackles and was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week. The safety is a key part of a pass defense that is sixth in the country, allowing just 158.4 yards per game.
While the last few seasons the pass coverage for Ohio State was a concern, this yar it is one of the strengths of the defense. Last week Denzel Burke had two pass breakups, raising his total on the season to seven PBUs, and his career total is now 24 breakups. On the other corner, Davison Igbinosun has been solid in his first season at Ohio State after transferring from Ole Miss. Lathan Ransom and Sonny Styles have been laying the lumber and making key plays throughout the year at safety alongside Proctor.
Following a disappointing start to the season, it feels like the defensive line is starting to come around for the Buckeyes. Last week J.T. Tuimoloau recorded his first full sack of the season. On the interior, Tyleik Williams and Michael Hall Jr. have been disruptive forces, they just haven’t gotten a ton of help from the rushers on the outside. There still is work to do for the defensive line to realize their full potential, but it looks like they are headed in the right direction.
Rounding out the defense are the two reliable rocks at linebacker in the center of the defense. Tommy Eichenberg and Steele Chambers are thee top-two leading tacklers on the team, notching 38 tackles and 32 stops, respectively. The veterans are playmakers that are capable of forcing turnovers to go along with their sure tackling. The Buckeyes have now won 42 consecutive games when they have forced at least two turnovers.
Purdue enters this week’s game coming off a 20-14 loss at Iowa last Saturday. It has been a rough first season in West Lafayette for first-year head coach Ryan Walters, as the Boilermakers are just 2-4. Walters replaces Jeff Brohm, who left Purdue to take the head coaching job at Louisville. Prior to coming to Purdue, Walters was the defensive coordinator at Illinois on Bret Bielema’s staff.
The struggles of the Boilermakers are a little puzzling since there are things they do well on both sides of the football, and they have and experienced quarterback. Hudson Card started his career at Texas but was the odd man out after the Longhorns brought in Quinn Ewers and Arch Manning. Card leads a Purdue offense that has recorded 140 first downs so far this year, which leads the conference. The former Longhorn has also been good at finding his receivers, as he is averaging 22.7 completions per game.
Purdue continues to churn out quality wide receivers. Currently the Boilermakers have three receivers in the top-10 in the Big Ten in receptions. Abdur Rahmaan Yaseen is third in the conference with 25 grabs, while Deion Burks and TJ Sheffield are tied for sixth with 24 receptions. Tight end Max Klare isn’t far behind the trio, snatching 22 passes so far this season.
The Boilers can also run the football. Purdue is just one of two Big Ten teams to average 240 yards passing per game, and 140 yards rushing game, joining Maryland as the only other team in the conference to reach those marks so far this season. Devin Mockobee leads the team with 372 yards and four touchdowns on 87 carries, while Tyrone Tracy Jr. has rushed for 296 yards and five scores on 50 carries.
On the other side of the football, Purdue has some players that Ohio State will have to keep tabs on. Most notable is reigining Big Ten Freshman of the Week Dillon Thieneman. The safety is the only freshman in the country with three interceptions, and is second in the nation with 6.8 solo tackles per game. The 53 tackles Thieneman has been credited with is the most amongst freshman. The youth of Thieneman is the perfect compliment for senior Sanoussi Kane at safety, who has 42 tackles and five stops for loss so far this year.
Even though Iowa’s passing attack isn’t anywhere close to being as potent as what Purdue will see from Ohio State, the Boilermakers did a great job at giving up very little through the air in last week’s loss. The Hawkeyes were just 6-21 throwing the football, with the 28.6% completion percentage Purdue allowed being their lowest since 2006. Along with what Thieneman and Kane give them at safety, cornerbacks Marquis Wilson has six pass breakups, Cam Allen has picked off two passes, and Markevious Brown is a transfer from Ole Miss.
As a team, the Boilermakers do a great job at putting pressure on opposing quarterbacks, ranking second in the Big Ten and 19th nationally with 3.0 sacks per game. Leading the charge is linebacker Kydran Jenkins. The senior linebacker leads the Big Ten with four sacks so far this season, and he has six tackles for loss. A familiar name lining up with Jenkins at linebacker for Purdue is Yanni Karlaftis, who is the brother of former Boilermaker menace George Karlaftis.
Up front, Purdue has tried to fill out there defensive line with transfers. Graduate transfer Malik Langham played at both Vanderbilt and Florida before arriving in West Lafayette. At nose tackle, Cole Brevard was a former Penn State player. Defensive end Isaiah Nichols started his career at Arkansas, while Jeffrey M’Ba is another former SEC product, coming to Purdue from Auburn.
Strange things always seem to happen for Ohio State when they play in West Lafayette. This week’s trip could be a little tricky since the Buckeyes have a showdown with Penn State on tap for next week. As if trying not to look past the Boilermakers wasn’t challenge enough, Ohio State could be without Emeka Egbuka after the wide receiver was injured last week. If there was ever a position to have an injury at, luckily for the Buckeyes it is at the position where they have amassed a ton of talent.
What is working in Ohio State’s favor for this trip for Purdue is the Boilermakers aren’t nearly as feared as some of the recent teams the Buckeyes have lined up against in West Lafayette. Purdue is still finding their identity under new head coach Ryan Walters. Hudson Card is a quality quarterback that can make some plays, but it just hasn’t all come together for the offense as they have struggled to replace Aidan O’Connell. Not that the Boilermakers can’t make some noise, they just don’t have guys like Rondale Moore or David Bell that can change the game.
The Buckeyes can’t continue to get off to slow starts. While a slow start on Saturday might not be the death of them, they have to break the habit because slow starts aren’t something that will fly against Penn State or Michigan. What might help Ohio State get going quicker is to simplify things a little more. Sometimes it feels like Ryan Day is trying to get too cute with his play-calling. By this time you know what your team can do well, since we have seen success later in games. Just lean into the strengths of your offense a little earlier and there’s a better chance Ohio State can build a lead early and let some of their starters rest ahead of next week’s game against the Nittany Lions.
This week we see more of a complete performance from Ohio State. The Boilermakers haven’t proved they can hang with the better teams on their schedule, as their two wins have come against a bad Virginia Tech squad and a lost Illinois team. There won’t be any bye week hangover to shake off this week, and there’s no doubt the team has been educated on how things can get weird in West Lafayette.
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Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Buckeyes will try and handle business against the Boilermakers ahead of next week’s showdown with Penn State.
Following their bye week, Ohio State got back on the field last week, shaking off a sluggish start to beat Maryland 37-17 in Columbus, Now the Buckeyes hit the road to try and exercise some recent demons at Ross-Ade Stadium when they take on Purdue in West Lafayette on Saturday. Since 2000, Ohio State is just 3-5 at Ross-Ade Stadium, with their most recent trip to Purdue coming in 2018 when they were blitzed by the Boilermakers 49-20. The last time these two teams met was in 2021 in Columbus, with the Buckeyes winning 59-31.
With their win over the Terrapins, Ohio State continued to handle their business against teams they should beat. The Buckeyes are 33-0 against unranked opponents under Ryan Day, and are now 71-6 in the Big Ten since 2014, which is the best conference record in the country during that span.
Where the Ohio State offense stands
Last week Ohio State had a tough time getting their offense going early, recording just 28 yards in the first quarter. While the group looked better in the second half, the Buckeyes still fell short of 400 yards of offense, marking the first time under Day they have failed to record 400 yards of offense in two consecutive games. One reason for some of the offensive struggles was because TreVeyon Henderson wasn’t available to play, as he was still recovering from an injury he suffered against Notre Dame.
Another injury concern the Buckeyes have is with Emeka Egbuka, who left the game last week with a leg injury. Even though Egbuka hasn’t officially been ruled out, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Egbuka on the sidelines this week with a matchup with Penn State looming. With Egbuka hobbled, Marvin Harrison Jr. stepped up last week and showed why he is the best receiver in the country. Harrison earned Big Ten Player of the Week honors after catching eight passes for 163 yards and a score.
The junior is now 99 yards away from 2,000 career receiving yards. So far this season, Harrison has reached 100 yards in three of five games the Buckeyes have played. For his career, Harrison has 10 games of at least 100 receiving yards, tying him with Garrett Wilson and Michael Jenkins for third all-time. David Boston’s 14 100-yard games are the most by a Buckeye receiver, while Chris Olave has 11 career games of at least 100 yards.
Another receiver that stepped up in the second half last week was Cade Stover. The tight end finished with two catches for 66 yards and a touchdown. Stover’s 44-yard touchdown reception early in the fourth quarter gave the Buckeyes a little breathing room, extending their lead to 27-17. The senior now has 60 career receptions for 786 yards, with both totals ranking seventh all-time amongst Ohio State tight ends. With six catches, Stover will move into a tie with Bruce Jankowski for fifth all-time by tight end in school history.
While at times early in games it has been tough for Kyle McCord to get into a rhythm, what the quarterback has done well is avoid mistakes. McCord has thrown 142 passes so far this year, and the only interception he has thrown came in the season opener against Indiana. Last week against Maryland, McCord threw for 320 yards, and the 275 passing yards per game he is averaging ranks second in the Big Ten.
Last week Chip Trayanum was the feature back for Ohio State since TreVeyon Henderson was sidelined due to injury. Trayanum finished with 61 yards on 20 carries, finding the end zone once. While Trayanum gives the Buckeyes some tough yards, there’s no doubt Henderson is Ohio State’s most dynamic running back. So far this season, Henderson has one less carry than Trayanum, but 88 more yards and two more rushing touchdowns than the Arizona State transfer.
The Buckeyes on defense
The Ohio State defense has been what has steadied the team during some of the inconsistent performances from the offense. Last week the Buckeyes were able to cut Maryland’s lead to 10-7 in the second quarter when Josh Proctor picked off a Taulia Tagovailoa pass and returned it for a touchdown. Proctor recorded a career-high seven tackles and was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week. The safety is a key part of a pass defense that is sixth in the country, allowing just 158.4 yards per game.
While the last few seasons the pass coverage for Ohio State was a concern, this yar it is one of the strengths of the defense. Last week Denzel Burke had two pass breakups, raising his total on the season to seven PBUs, and his career total is now 24 breakups. On the other corner, Davison Igbinosun has been solid in his first season at Ohio State after transferring from Ole Miss. Lathan Ransom and Sonny Styles have been laying the lumber and making key plays throughout the year at safety alongside Proctor.
Following a disappointing start to the season, it feels like the defensive line is starting to come around for the Buckeyes. Last week J.T. Tuimoloau recorded his first full sack of the season. On the interior, Tyleik Williams and Michael Hall Jr. have been disruptive forces, they just haven’t gotten a ton of help from the rushers on the outside. There still is work to do for the defensive line to realize their full potential, but it looks like they are headed in the right direction.
Rounding out the defense are the two reliable rocks at linebacker in the center of the defense. Tommy Eichenberg and Steele Chambers are thee top-two leading tacklers on the team, notching 38 tackles and 32 stops, respectively. The veterans are playmakers that are capable of forcing turnovers to go along with their sure tackling. The Buckeyes have now won 42 consecutive games when they have forced at least two turnovers.
Purdue this season
Purdue enters this week’s game coming off a 20-14 loss at Iowa last Saturday. It has been a rough first season in West Lafayette for first-year head coach Ryan Walters, as the Boilermakers are just 2-4. Walters replaces Jeff Brohm, who left Purdue to take the head coaching job at Louisville. Prior to coming to Purdue, Walters was the defensive coordinator at Illinois on Bret Bielema’s staff.
The struggles of the Boilermakers are a little puzzling since there are things they do well on both sides of the football, and they have and experienced quarterback. Hudson Card started his career at Texas but was the odd man out after the Longhorns brought in Quinn Ewers and Arch Manning. Card leads a Purdue offense that has recorded 140 first downs so far this year, which leads the conference. The former Longhorn has also been good at finding his receivers, as he is averaging 22.7 completions per game.
Purdue continues to churn out quality wide receivers. Currently the Boilermakers have three receivers in the top-10 in the Big Ten in receptions. Abdur Rahmaan Yaseen is third in the conference with 25 grabs, while Deion Burks and TJ Sheffield are tied for sixth with 24 receptions. Tight end Max Klare isn’t far behind the trio, snatching 22 passes so far this season.
The Boilers can also run the football. Purdue is just one of two Big Ten teams to average 240 yards passing per game, and 140 yards rushing game, joining Maryland as the only other team in the conference to reach those marks so far this season. Devin Mockobee leads the team with 372 yards and four touchdowns on 87 carries, while Tyrone Tracy Jr. has rushed for 296 yards and five scores on 50 carries.
On the other side of the football, Purdue has some players that Ohio State will have to keep tabs on. Most notable is reigining Big Ten Freshman of the Week Dillon Thieneman. The safety is the only freshman in the country with three interceptions, and is second in the nation with 6.8 solo tackles per game. The 53 tackles Thieneman has been credited with is the most amongst freshman. The youth of Thieneman is the perfect compliment for senior Sanoussi Kane at safety, who has 42 tackles and five stops for loss so far this year.
Even though Iowa’s passing attack isn’t anywhere close to being as potent as what Purdue will see from Ohio State, the Boilermakers did a great job at giving up very little through the air in last week’s loss. The Hawkeyes were just 6-21 throwing the football, with the 28.6% completion percentage Purdue allowed being their lowest since 2006. Along with what Thieneman and Kane give them at safety, cornerbacks Marquis Wilson has six pass breakups, Cam Allen has picked off two passes, and Markevious Brown is a transfer from Ole Miss.
As a team, the Boilermakers do a great job at putting pressure on opposing quarterbacks, ranking second in the Big Ten and 19th nationally with 3.0 sacks per game. Leading the charge is linebacker Kydran Jenkins. The senior linebacker leads the Big Ten with four sacks so far this season, and he has six tackles for loss. A familiar name lining up with Jenkins at linebacker for Purdue is Yanni Karlaftis, who is the brother of former Boilermaker menace George Karlaftis.
Up front, Purdue has tried to fill out there defensive line with transfers. Graduate transfer Malik Langham played at both Vanderbilt and Florida before arriving in West Lafayette. At nose tackle, Cole Brevard was a former Penn State player. Defensive end Isaiah Nichols started his career at Arkansas, while Jeffrey M’Ba is another former SEC product, coming to Purdue from Auburn.
Summary
Strange things always seem to happen for Ohio State when they play in West Lafayette. This week’s trip could be a little tricky since the Buckeyes have a showdown with Penn State on tap for next week. As if trying not to look past the Boilermakers wasn’t challenge enough, Ohio State could be without Emeka Egbuka after the wide receiver was injured last week. If there was ever a position to have an injury at, luckily for the Buckeyes it is at the position where they have amassed a ton of talent.
What is working in Ohio State’s favor for this trip for Purdue is the Boilermakers aren’t nearly as feared as some of the recent teams the Buckeyes have lined up against in West Lafayette. Purdue is still finding their identity under new head coach Ryan Walters. Hudson Card is a quality quarterback that can make some plays, but it just hasn’t all come together for the offense as they have struggled to replace Aidan O’Connell. Not that the Boilermakers can’t make some noise, they just don’t have guys like Rondale Moore or David Bell that can change the game.
The Buckeyes can’t continue to get off to slow starts. While a slow start on Saturday might not be the death of them, they have to break the habit because slow starts aren’t something that will fly against Penn State or Michigan. What might help Ohio State get going quicker is to simplify things a little more. Sometimes it feels like Ryan Day is trying to get too cute with his play-calling. By this time you know what your team can do well, since we have seen success later in games. Just lean into the strengths of your offense a little earlier and there’s a better chance Ohio State can build a lead early and let some of their starters rest ahead of next week’s game against the Nittany Lions.
This week we see more of a complete performance from Ohio State. The Boilermakers haven’t proved they can hang with the better teams on their schedule, as their two wins have come against a bad Virginia Tech squad and a lost Illinois team. There won’t be any bye week hangover to shake off this week, and there’s no doubt the team has been educated on how things can get weird in West Lafayette.
LGHL prediction: Ohio State 38, Purdue 14
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LGHL Jeremiah Smith named the top player in the country, Buckeyes make the short list for a top hoops target
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Jeremiah Smith named the top player in the country, Buckeyes make the short list for a top hoops target
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Smith tops the charts as the nation’s new No. 1 player in the 2024 class.
The crown jewel of Ohio State’s 2024 class, receiver commit Jeremiah Smith commands as much attention as possible, but it’s deserving. The top receiver in the country for this current cycle, Smith has been turning heads his entire high school career, and this senior season has fallen in line with the rankings as he continues to prove why he’s a notch above the rest not only at his specific position, but as an overall athlete.
Brian Hartline has landed top overall receivers before during his tenure with the Buckeyes, but this addition of Smith feels a bit different. Considering the potential he shows of course, but also the idea that he’s college ready right now and ahead of where most prep targets are at isn’t wrong. Not a ton of players can step on a college campus and contribute immediately, but that is basically expected for Smith as soon as he enrolls.
Another accolade for Smith, on Thursday in the latest 247Sports rankings update Jeremiah was listed not only as the top overall receiver —which he’s been for some time — but now he’s also the No. 1 player in the country overall per the 247Sports Composite. An incredible feat, this puts Smith in the top five all time for highest ranked commits the Buckeyes have been able to land.
Some Ohio State fans haven’t loved Smith’s recruiting process, as he still entertains other schools like the in-state Florida programs, but Smith has been consistent in saying that as long as Hartline and Day are in Columbus, he too will be. So far so good and that shouldn’t change.
A 6-foot-9, 180 pound power forward, Maluk is currently the No. 41 player nationally and the fifth best at his position per the 247Sports Composite in the 2025 class. With double-digit offers to his name and from some bigger programs, Maluk is weighing his options and narrowing it down, as yesterday saw him cut it to just five remaining schools he is deciding between.
Making the cut includes Pitt, Florida State, LSU, Oregon, and Ohio State. The Buckeyes have yet to land a commit for their 2025 class, and certainly Alier would be a top addition for Holtmann and crew as they look to land an elite guy in the middle.
Another example of his national status, on Thursday Pierce committed to play in the All-America game later this January. One of the premier events for the top prep players each year, Pierce’s invitation to this game is certainly deserving, and makes him the next in line of many Buckeyes before him to play their last high school contest among the best players in the country.
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Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Smith tops the charts as the nation’s new No. 1 player in the 2024 class.
There’s a new No. 1 player and he’s a Buckeye
The crown jewel of Ohio State’s 2024 class, receiver commit Jeremiah Smith commands as much attention as possible, but it’s deserving. The top receiver in the country for this current cycle, Smith has been turning heads his entire high school career, and this senior season has fallen in line with the rankings as he continues to prove why he’s a notch above the rest not only at his specific position, but as an overall athlete.
Brian Hartline has landed top overall receivers before during his tenure with the Buckeyes, but this addition of Smith feels a bit different. Considering the potential he shows of course, but also the idea that he’s college ready right now and ahead of where most prep targets are at isn’t wrong. Not a ton of players can step on a college campus and contribute immediately, but that is basically expected for Smith as soon as he enrolls.
Another accolade for Smith, on Thursday in the latest 247Sports rankings update Jeremiah was listed not only as the top overall receiver —which he’s been for some time — but now he’s also the No. 1 player in the country overall per the 247Sports Composite. An incredible feat, this puts Smith in the top five all time for highest ranked commits the Buckeyes have been able to land.
Some Ohio State fans haven’t loved Smith’s recruiting process, as he still entertains other schools like the in-state Florida programs, but Smith has been consistent in saying that as long as Hartline and Day are in Columbus, he too will be. So far so good and that shouldn’t change.
Quick Hits
- This time of the year much of the recruiting attention surrounds football, but Ohio State basketball is putting in their own work to build up another impressive class. Staying in the mix for multiple top players, on Thursday Ohio State found its name still in it for 2025 four-star, Alier Maluk.
A 6-foot-9, 180 pound power forward, Maluk is currently the No. 41 player nationally and the fifth best at his position per the 247Sports Composite in the 2025 class. With double-digit offers to his name and from some bigger programs, Maluk is weighing his options and narrowing it down, as yesterday saw him cut it to just five remaining schools he is deciding between.
Making the cut includes Pitt, Florida State, LSU, Oregon, and Ohio State. The Buckeyes have yet to land a commit for their 2025 class, and certainly Alier would be a top addition for Holtmann and crew as they look to land an elite guy in the middle.
- Ohio State’s linebacker class in 2024 isn’t a big one, but boasts one of the better players in the country at the position thanks to Texas native, Payton Pierce. The No. 201 player nationally and the 17th best linebacker in the class per the 247Sports Composite, Pierce has been committed to the Buckeyes since April and is one of the key additions of this current defensive haul.
Another example of his national status, on Thursday Pierce committed to play in the All-America game later this January. One of the premier events for the top prep players each year, Pierce’s invitation to this game is certainly deserving, and makes him the next in line of many Buckeyes before him to play their last high school contest among the best players in the country.
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'25 NY C Alier Maluk (Florida St. Verbal)
- By brodybuck21
- 2011 & Beyond Basketball Recruiting
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247
Rivals
Class: 2025 (high school)
Position: Center
School: Glen Head (NY) Long Island Lutheran
Height: 6-foot-10
Weight: 180 lbs
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Rivals
Class: 2025 (high school)
Position: Center
School: Glen Head (NY) Long Island Lutheran
Height: 6-foot-10
Weight: 180 lbs
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LGHL Hangout in the Holy Land Podcast: Ohio State football is heading to West Lafayette, AKA the scariest place on Earth
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Hangout in the Holy Land Podcast: Ohio State football is heading to West Lafayette, AKA the scariest place on Earth
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Archive Photos/Getty Images
Josh and Chuck preview the Buckeyes’ upcoming road game at Purdue’s Ross-Ade Stadium; a venue that has haunted OSU for decades.
The latest episode of Land-Grant Holy Land’s flagship podcast is here! Join LGHL’s Josh Dooley and Chuck Holmes as they discuss Ohio State football, recruiting, and much, much more! Come for the hot takes, stay for the warm ones.
Listen to the episode and subscribe:
On this episode of ‘Hangout in the Holy Land,’ Josh and Chuck reluctantly preview Ohio State’s upcoming road trip to West Lafayette (IN) and Purdue’s Ross-Ade Stadium. Reluctantly, because it seems like just whispering “Ross-Ade” has a spooky, Beetlejuice-like effect.
The Boilermakers’ home venue has long been a house of horrors for the Buckeyes, with the latter dropping five games in West Lafayette since 2000 — including three of their last four! While Ross-Ade was also the site of ‘Holy Buckeye’, there is no doubt that Purdue’s stadium has been more worrisome than welcoming to the Scarlet and Gray.
So will OSU continue to struggle at Ross-Ade, and deal with the Ghost of Upsets Past? Or is the talent gap between Ryan Day’s and Ryan Walters’ teams just too big this season?
Against their better judgement, the hosts feel pretty good about their Buckeyes this weekend. The look-ahead possibilities are very real for Ohio State, but Day’s squad can ill afford to go into Penn State week with anything less than 100% confidence. So the guys are hoping that OSU will exercise some Ross-Ade demons in dominant fashion.
Please make sure to like, rate, review, and subscribe to the podcast! And as always, Go Bucks!
Connect with the pod
Twitter: @HolyLandPod
Connect with Josh Dooley
Twitter: @jdooleybuckeye
Connect with Chuck Holmes
Twitter: @ctholmes3
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Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Archive Photos/Getty Images
Josh and Chuck preview the Buckeyes’ upcoming road game at Purdue’s Ross-Ade Stadium; a venue that has haunted OSU for decades.
The latest episode of Land-Grant Holy Land’s flagship podcast is here! Join LGHL’s Josh Dooley and Chuck Holmes as they discuss Ohio State football, recruiting, and much, much more! Come for the hot takes, stay for the warm ones.
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On this episode of ‘Hangout in the Holy Land,’ Josh and Chuck reluctantly preview Ohio State’s upcoming road trip to West Lafayette (IN) and Purdue’s Ross-Ade Stadium. Reluctantly, because it seems like just whispering “Ross-Ade” has a spooky, Beetlejuice-like effect.
The Boilermakers’ home venue has long been a house of horrors for the Buckeyes, with the latter dropping five games in West Lafayette since 2000 — including three of their last four! While Ross-Ade was also the site of ‘Holy Buckeye’, there is no doubt that Purdue’s stadium has been more worrisome than welcoming to the Scarlet and Gray.
So will OSU continue to struggle at Ross-Ade, and deal with the Ghost of Upsets Past? Or is the talent gap between Ryan Day’s and Ryan Walters’ teams just too big this season?
Against their better judgement, the hosts feel pretty good about their Buckeyes this weekend. The look-ahead possibilities are very real for Ohio State, but Day’s squad can ill afford to go into Penn State week with anything less than 100% confidence. So the guys are hoping that OSU will exercise some Ross-Ade demons in dominant fashion.
Please make sure to like, rate, review, and subscribe to the podcast! And as always, Go Bucks!
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Twitter: @jdooleybuckeye
Connect with Chuck Holmes
Twitter: @ctholmes3
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LGHL Ohio State women’s basketball 2023-24 player preview: Jacy Sheldon
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Ohio State women’s basketball 2023-24 player preview: Jacy Sheldon
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Kyle Robertson/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
The fifth-year Buckeye has one more season to make an even bigger impact.
The regular season for Ohio State women’s basketball is less than a month away. On Nov. 6, the Buckeyes face a soon-to-be Big Ten foe: The USC Trojans.
Before the ball tips, Land-Grant Holy Land has player previews for all 15 on the scarlet and gray roster. Up first is a career Buckeye entering her fifth and final season in Columbus who’s gone through a tough year of injuries. Guard Jacy Sheldon is a key piece of the 2023 Elite Eight team, and the way she goes could be the way the Buckeyes go in 23-24.
Name: Jacy Sheldon
Position: Guard
Class: Graduate Senior
High School: Dublin Coffman (Dublin, Ohio)
2020-21 Stats: 13.2 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 3.5 apg, 3.5 spg .432 FG%, .237 3FG%, .878FT%
The best word to describe Sheldon for the uninitiated is relentless. Head coach Kevin McGuff likes to run a fast, in your face, defensive press and Sheldon makes it frightening for opponents.
In the first five games of the 22-23 season, Sheldon averaged six steals per game, coming up big against the Tennessee Volunteers to start the campaign. Sheldon had eight steals against the SEC side, on top of 14 points and seven assists. The 87-75 Ohio State win foreshadowed a historic season for the Buckeyes, starting with 19 straight wins.
When the Buckeyes followed up that win with a victory over Boston College, Sheldon had a double-double with 14 points and a program record-tying 11 steals. It looked like the Central Ohio guard was on her way to a National Defensive Player of the Year type of season, but after Sheldon’s fifth appearance on Nov. 30, the guard didn’t see the court again until February.
A foot injury sidelined the star. While the Buckeyes kept their run of wins going, when it came to the biggest conference games of the season against the Indiana Hoosiers, Iowa Hawkeyes and Maryland Terrapins, her absence was noticeable.
Sheldon’s return was short lived, playing 25 minutes in a blowout 90-54 defeat to Maryland on Feb. 5, sitting again until the Big Ten Tournament.
In the tournament, Sheldon came off the bench for all three games in Minneapolis, Minnesota. After grabbing six steals in three games, four against the Hoosiers where the Buckeyes came back from down 24 points late in the second quarter, Sheldon returned to the lineup for the NCAA Tournament.
While Sheldon wasn’t at the same defensive intensity level as the beginning of the season, still looking impacted by the injury, offensively the guard surged. Sheldon averaged 17.3 points and 5.0 assists per game, including a game-winning shot against the North Carolina Tar Heels in the second round.
After four seasons in Columbus, Sheldon’s work doesn’t need much introduction. The guard is two seasons removed from being Ohio State’s top scorer, even passing two-year Buckeye Taylor Mikesell in the process.
Sheldon drives to the hoop, hits midrange jumpers and finds outlets better than almost everyone on the roster. Although three-point shooting isn’t the guard’s forte, her movement off the ball garners more attention from teammates and the issues it causes defenses will give others more opportunities to make an impact.
Defensively, Sheldon’s relentlessness combined with Duke transfer guard, and fellow graduate senior, Celeste Taylor will create the defensive edition of the Mikesell/Sheldon “splash sisters” moniker. Enter the “steal sisters” era of Ohio State basketball.
Position-wise, Sheldon’s the expected point guard, a role she took on in Jan. 2022 when injuries moved her there. Sheldon excelled at it and held it still at the beginning of the 22/23 season, while point guard Madison Greene returned from a preseason knee injury in 2021.
At preseason media availability, Greene’s 2022 knee injury has her on a timeline to return sometime in November. No one on the Buckeyes are rushing her back. When Greene does return, it’ll be interesting how Ohio State moves players around. That could put Sheldon back at shooting guard, the role held for most of her first three seasons of NCAA basketball.
Regardless of position, expect a player with a seemingly endless motor to be on the court a lot. The rare times Sheldon isn’t on the court, she’s in coach McGuff’s ear to get back onto it. So long as the foot injury doesn’t return, it could be a career season.
The 21/22 All-Defensive and First Team Big Ten selection entered 22/23 with warranted hype, and last year’s injury quieted the talk slightly, giving Sheldon the opportunity to remind the basketball world about her impact.
Ohio State and Sheldon can do that, granted they make up for the big offensive gap created by Mikesell’s eligibility running out and her entering the professional ranks. Sheldon will be an important piece of filling that hole.
Let’s run back that game-winning shot against the North Carolina Tar Heels. It shows Sheldon’s ability to dribbling through defenders, getting low to the ground, and stopping in her tracks to hit the shot that sent Ohio State to Seattle and the Sweet Sixteen.
Continue reading...
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Kyle Robertson/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
The fifth-year Buckeye has one more season to make an even bigger impact.
The regular season for Ohio State women’s basketball is less than a month away. On Nov. 6, the Buckeyes face a soon-to-be Big Ten foe: The USC Trojans.
Before the ball tips, Land-Grant Holy Land has player previews for all 15 on the scarlet and gray roster. Up first is a career Buckeye entering her fifth and final season in Columbus who’s gone through a tough year of injuries. Guard Jacy Sheldon is a key piece of the 2023 Elite Eight team, and the way she goes could be the way the Buckeyes go in 23-24.
Name: Jacy Sheldon
Position: Guard
Class: Graduate Senior
High School: Dublin Coffman (Dublin, Ohio)
2020-21 Stats: 13.2 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 3.5 apg, 3.5 spg .432 FG%, .237 3FG%, .878FT%
Last Season
The best word to describe Sheldon for the uninitiated is relentless. Head coach Kevin McGuff likes to run a fast, in your face, defensive press and Sheldon makes it frightening for opponents.
In the first five games of the 22-23 season, Sheldon averaged six steals per game, coming up big against the Tennessee Volunteers to start the campaign. Sheldon had eight steals against the SEC side, on top of 14 points and seven assists. The 87-75 Ohio State win foreshadowed a historic season for the Buckeyes, starting with 19 straight wins.
When the Buckeyes followed up that win with a victory over Boston College, Sheldon had a double-double with 14 points and a program record-tying 11 steals. It looked like the Central Ohio guard was on her way to a National Defensive Player of the Year type of season, but after Sheldon’s fifth appearance on Nov. 30, the guard didn’t see the court again until February.
A foot injury sidelined the star. While the Buckeyes kept their run of wins going, when it came to the biggest conference games of the season against the Indiana Hoosiers, Iowa Hawkeyes and Maryland Terrapins, her absence was noticeable.
Sheldon’s return was short lived, playing 25 minutes in a blowout 90-54 defeat to Maryland on Feb. 5, sitting again until the Big Ten Tournament.
In the tournament, Sheldon came off the bench for all three games in Minneapolis, Minnesota. After grabbing six steals in three games, four against the Hoosiers where the Buckeyes came back from down 24 points late in the second quarter, Sheldon returned to the lineup for the NCAA Tournament.
While Sheldon wasn’t at the same defensive intensity level as the beginning of the season, still looking impacted by the injury, offensively the guard surged. Sheldon averaged 17.3 points and 5.0 assists per game, including a game-winning shot against the North Carolina Tar Heels in the second round.
What to Expect
After four seasons in Columbus, Sheldon’s work doesn’t need much introduction. The guard is two seasons removed from being Ohio State’s top scorer, even passing two-year Buckeye Taylor Mikesell in the process.
Sheldon drives to the hoop, hits midrange jumpers and finds outlets better than almost everyone on the roster. Although three-point shooting isn’t the guard’s forte, her movement off the ball garners more attention from teammates and the issues it causes defenses will give others more opportunities to make an impact.
Defensively, Sheldon’s relentlessness combined with Duke transfer guard, and fellow graduate senior, Celeste Taylor will create the defensive edition of the Mikesell/Sheldon “splash sisters” moniker. Enter the “steal sisters” era of Ohio State basketball.
Position-wise, Sheldon’s the expected point guard, a role she took on in Jan. 2022 when injuries moved her there. Sheldon excelled at it and held it still at the beginning of the 22/23 season, while point guard Madison Greene returned from a preseason knee injury in 2021.
At preseason media availability, Greene’s 2022 knee injury has her on a timeline to return sometime in November. No one on the Buckeyes are rushing her back. When Greene does return, it’ll be interesting how Ohio State moves players around. That could put Sheldon back at shooting guard, the role held for most of her first three seasons of NCAA basketball.
Regardless of position, expect a player with a seemingly endless motor to be on the court a lot. The rare times Sheldon isn’t on the court, she’s in coach McGuff’s ear to get back onto it. So long as the foot injury doesn’t return, it could be a career season.
Prediction
The 21/22 All-Defensive and First Team Big Ten selection entered 22/23 with warranted hype, and last year’s injury quieted the talk slightly, giving Sheldon the opportunity to remind the basketball world about her impact.
Ohio State and Sheldon can do that, granted they make up for the big offensive gap created by Mikesell’s eligibility running out and her entering the professional ranks. Sheldon will be an important piece of filling that hole.
Highlights
Let’s run back that game-winning shot against the North Carolina Tar Heels. It shows Sheldon’s ability to dribbling through defenders, getting low to the ground, and stopping in her tracks to hit the shot that sent Ohio State to Seattle and the Sweet Sixteen.
Continue reading...
