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LGHL Streaming expert has the best ways to watch Ohio State vs. Nebraska for free without cable

Streaming expert has the best ways to watch Ohio State vs. Nebraska for free without cable
Matt Tamanini
via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


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Made with Google AI

You’ve got a number of free trials you can choose from of various lengths and breadths.

The No. 4 Ohio State Buckeyes are back in action after a post-Oregon loss bye week. On Saturday, Oct. 26, they will welcome the Nebraska Cornhuskers to Ohio Stadium in a game that has lost a lot of the luster it had in the preseason. The Bucks and Huskers will kick off at 12 noon ET in a game airing on Fox. This will be OSU’s second Big Noon Game of the week this fall, and with it comes the Big Noon Kickoff traveling road show. The pregame show will begin at 10 a.m. ET also on Fox.

This season, the Buckeyes will play on three different broadcast networks (CBS, Fox, and NBC), at least one cable channel (Big Ten Network), and exclusively on a streaming service (Peacock); it can be tough to keep up with where and how to watch your favorite team.

As cord-cutting has become far more the norm than the exception across the United States, it would not be a surprise if you gave up cable or a live-streaming service following last year’s season only to realize that it’s the day of the game and you have no way to watch it.

And I know it can be incredibly confusing to find the best way to watch a game in today’s entertainment landscape. Fortunately for you, I am something of a streaming expert... no really, I write about streaming services for a living. So, I am going to walk you through the best — and cheapest — ways for you to stream today’s game.


How can I watch the No. 4 Ohio State vs. Nebraska college football game?


Game Date/Time: Saturday, Oct. 26 at 12 noon ET
TV: Fox
Broadcasters: Gus Johnson, Joel Klatt, Jenny Taft
Betting Line: Ohio State -25.5 | 47.5 o/u


Best Streaming Option for All College Football Games:
Hulu + Live TV | 3-Day Free Trial


If you’re either looking for a streaming service just for this weekend of football or to watch as much college football as possible, then Hulu + Live TV very well might be the perfect option. Everyone who signs up gets a three-day free trial, so you can watch the entire college football Saturday, NFL Sunday, and “Monday Night Football” without having to pay a single penny.

But, if you are looking for something for the whole season, then Hulu is great because it comes with ESPN+ (more on that below), so in addition to all of the channels available on the live streaming service, you also get all of the streaming-exclusive games via the worldwide leader’s platform.

Hulu + Live TV has one of the few guaranteed multi-day free trials in the industry and provides nearly all of the major cable channels on the market. The basic package comes with all of the major broadcast network channels — all of which have college football — ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC. It also has ESPN, ESPN2, Big Ten Network, FS1, FS2, ESPNU, CBS Sports Network, SEC Network, ACC Network, and the NFL Network (yes, they have college games) without having to sign up for any sports add-on plans. However, if you do want more sports, you can add NFL RedZone, MLB StrikeZone, FanDuel TV, the Tennis Channel, and more.

What’s great about Hulu + Live TV is that in addition to all of the broadcast and cable channels that you could possibly want, it also comes with the Disney Bundle for free. So, you also get the full on-demand Hulu library, Disney+, and ESPN+, which also has hundreds of college football games every season.

Currently, a subscription to Hulu + Live TV costs $82.99 per month after your three-day free trial. It is a little more expensive than some of the other options, but if you are just looking to watch this game, Hulu + Live TV is your best option.


Other Streaming Options for the Ohio State and Nebraska Game:


DIRECTV STREAM: $87.99 per month five-day free trial
Sling TV: As low as $40 per month | First month 50% off
Fubo: $94.99 per month, at least a one-day free trial
YouTube TV: $72.99 per month


Join the conversation


Below is your Ohio State vs. Nebraska 2024 game thread. Be respectful, be kind and — as always — keep it classy, BuckeyeNation. If you like GIFs, lay ‘em on us. In all, be good fans, cheer for your teams, be cool to each other (even if somebody else isn’t) and everyone wins. Let’s finish the season strong!

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LGHL Life in Simulation: EA CFB 25 predicts Ohio State vs. Nebraska

Life in Simulation: EA CFB 25 predicts Ohio State vs. Nebraska
Gene Ross
via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Ohio State v Oregon

Photo by Brandon Sloter/Image Of Sport/Getty Images

The virtual Buckeyes take on the virtual Cornhuskers in Week 9.

College football finally returned to the virtual world in 2024 with the release of EA Sports College Football 25, allowing fans of all 134 FBS schools to take control of their favorite team. For Buckeye Nation, that means getting to dominate with one of the best rosters in the game,

The new game also allows us to get a glimpse at what the season could look like, at least if the computers had their say. Each week, Land-Grant Holy Land will simulate
Ohio State’s real-life matchup to see what our AI overlords think will happen.

Here are the results of our Week 9 sim:

Ohio State 31 - Nebraska 15


This was one of the stranger simulations we’ve had so far this season. While Ohio State never really seemed in danger of losing, the offense struggled a bit, failing to put up more than 10 points in any quarter while scoring exactly one touchdown in each of the final three quarters. The defense, however, remained strong throughout, keeping Nebraska out of the end zone until the final five minutes of action with the game already well in hand.

The Buckeyes mustered only a field goal on their opening possession, with Jayden Fielding knocking through the 38-yarder. After both teams traded punts, Ohio State found pay dirt for the first time on a 2-yard touchdown run by Quinshon Judkins. It wasn’t until the second quarter that either team would add any points, with the Cornhuskers hitting two field goals in a row to cut the deficit to 10-6.

Just before the half, the Buckeyes put together a long 78-yard drive resulting in 16-yard touchdown pass from Will Howard to Jeremiah Smith, taking a 17-6 lead into the break.

Ohio State would add on yet again early in the third quarter, as Judkins scored his second touchdown of the game, this time from only a yard out. Both teams would remain scoreless through the rest of the frame, with the home team taking a 24-6 lead into the fourth quarter.

Nebraska kicked its third field goal of the game for some reason to make it 24-9 on its first possession of the final period. On their ensuing drive, the Buckeyes found the end zone yet again on a 28-yard catch-and-run touchdown by Emeka Egbuka.

With Ohio State now leading 31-9 with under seven minutes remaining, Ryan Day decided to empty his bench. Now playing against the backup defenders, the Cornhuskers scored their only touchdown of the contest with four minutes to go, missing the 2-point try to make it 31-15 — which would end up the final score.

Howard put together a quiet but efficient afternoon passing the football, completing 15-of-20 attempts for 171 yards and two touchdowns and adding another 41 yards on the ground. Carnell Tate led the way among the receivers, hauling in five catches for 58 yards, while Egbuka finished with three receptions for 58 yards and Smith with three grabs for 31 yards. Both Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson ran the ball 13 times apiece — Judkins for 88 yards and two scores and Henderson for 72 yards.

Defensively, it was the Tyler Bourne (J.T. Tuimoloau) show, as the defensive end tallied six total tackles, four tackles for loss and a pass breakup. Lathan Ransom (who could potentially miss the Nebraska game with an injury) and Sonny Styles tied for the team lead with 11 total tackles, while Tyleik Williams recorded Ohio State’s only sack. Cody Simon was credited with three pass breakups, and Caleb Downs forced a fumble, but the Huskers recovered.

For Nebraska, Dylan Raiola put together a decent performance despite much in the way of points to show for it, completing 20-of-35 passes for 232 yards and a touchdown. The run game was stifled by the Buckeyes’ defense, with lead back Gabe Ervin Jr. (the team’s sixth-leading rusher in real life?) managing only 65 yards on 24 attempts — a 2.7 yards-per-carry average. Tight end Thomas Fidone II led the way through the air, recording a team-high six catches for 71 yards.

Nebraska actually gained more first downs than Ohio State, 18 to 17, but the Buckeyes outgained the Huskers 373-330. As a team Ohio State ran the ball for 191 yards on 39 attempts, compared to 89 yards on 43 attempts for Nebraska. Neither team performed all that well on third down, with the Buckeyes converting 7-of-13 and the Cornhuskers converting 8-of-21, but Nebraska did go 3-for-4 on fourth down. There was not a single turnover in the contest, and only three combined penalties.



While the real life Buckeyes are 5-1 with a chance to move to 6-1, the virtual Buckeyes move to a perfect 7-0 on the year. Check back next week to see how Ohio State actually performed on the field compared to the simulation, and see how they fare in our Week 10 simulation against Penn State.

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LGHL MC&J: Ohio State looks to get back on track in Week 9 in the Big Ten

MC&J: Ohio State looks to get back on track in Week 9 in the Big Ten
Brett Ludwiczak
via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Ohio State v Oregon

Photo by Brandon Sloter/Image Of Sport/Getty Images

Picks for Cornhuskers-Buckeyes, Penn State-Wisconsin, and the rest of this weekend’s action around the conference.

Last week ATS: 6-9 (3-5 National, 3-4 B1G)

Season ATS: 65-74 (24-30 National, 41-44 B1G)


My picks for this week’s entertaining games outside the Big Ten can be found here.


Big Ten games (All games Saturday unless noted)


Rutgers v. USC (-13.5) - Friday 11:00 p.m. ET- FOX

After both these squads started off the season hot, they have come back down to earth in a big way, with each entering tonight’s contest riding three-game losing streaks. USC has really got to be kicking themselves for their recent slide since all three of their losses have seen them leading in the fourth quarter.

Rutgers has to be wondering who they pissed off in the Big Ten scheduling office to be playing across the country on a Friday night at 11:00 p.m. eastern time. The Scarlet Knights will be looking to avoid being swept by the new Big Ten teams from Los Angeles after falling 35-32 to UCLA last week.

USC definitely has the edge on offense in this one, but they also did against Minnesota and Maryland and it didn’t do them any good. I do like the ability Rutgers has to control the clock with running back Kyle Monangai. Maybe Greg Schiano even asked for Minnesota quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis to call up former coach P.J. Fleck to see if he had any advice on taking down the Trojans.

Even though USC snaps their losing streak, I’m not convinced in their ability to win here by at least two touchdowns.

USC 31, Rutgers 21



Washington v. No. 13 Indiana (-6.5) - 12:00 p.m. ET - Big Ten Network

It would be easy to doubt Indiana here with Kurtis Rourke on the shelf for the near future after suffering a thumb injury last week against Nebraska. The Hoosiers still have a ground game that is averaging over 200 yards per game, so while they might not be as explosive as they were with Rourke under center, they will still be able to make plenty of positive games.

Last time we saw Washington the Huskies were getting rolled at Iowa two weeks ago. Washington can’t afford to fall behind early because they haven’t shown the ability to put points on the board, as they haven’t scored more than 27 points in a game since early September. Will Rogers is a veteran quarterback, he just doesn’t have explosive targets in the passing game like we saw last year from the Huskies.

Many probably think Indiana is on upset alert with Rourke sidelined. I’m not one of those people. If this happened under Tom Allen I’d definitely think so. Curt Cignetti brought a new culture from James Madison. The Hoosiers believe they are one of the best teams in the Big Ten and stay undefeated with a win over a Washington team that still seems to be finding their identity under new head coach Jeff Fisch.

Indiana 34, Washington 20



No. 20 Illinois v. No. 1 Oregon (-21.5) - 3:30 p.m. ET - CBS

If you asked me at the beginning of the year if I thought Oregon would be the top-ranked team in the country in late October, I would have said no since I thought Ohio State would have squeaked out a win at Autzen. Instead the Ducks were the ones to earn a tight victory in the showdown. Dan Lanning’s team didn’t even have a hangover at Purdue, shutting out the Boilermakers 35-0 last Friday.

Nothing Illinois does really jumps off the page at you. Luke Altmyer does a lot of things right at quarterback and the defense is solid. The Fighting Illini have had some close calls this year, winning two overtime games. Illinois can’t keep pace with Oregon offensively, so Bret Bielema will have to have some tricks up his sleeve.

Not saying I think Oregon isn’t for real, I just think Illinois is a tougher out than some are giving them credit for. Aside from last week against Purdue, Oregon has been sketchy covering big spreads this year. The Fighting Illini fight hard enough to keep this inside the number.

Oregon 41, Illinois 24



Northwestern v. Iowa (-13.5) - 3:30 p.m. ET - Big Ten Network

If Iowa gets Kaleb Johnson going early they’ll be fine. In losses to the Buckeyes and Spartans, Johnson failed to reach 100 yards on the ground, with the touchdowns he scored coming in the fourth quarter with the Hawkeyes trailing by sizable amounts. While Cade McNamara has the ability to make some plays, Johnson is the straw that stirs the drink for Tim Lester’s offense.

As tough as it is to watch Iowa at times, Northwestern is so much worse. The Wildcats have serious issues moving the football, which will become even more evident against the Iowa defense. If the Hawkeyes can roll Washington at Kinnick, just imagine what they’ll do against Northwestern.

This one could get ugly for the Wildcats.

Iowa 30, Northwestern 10



Maryland v. Minnesota (-4.5) - 3:30 p.m. ET- FS1

Somehow Maryland snapped a two-game losing streak with a fourth quarter comeback against USC last week in College Park. Now the Terrapins and Golden Gophers will both be looking to take another step towards bowl eligibility as they enter Saturdays game with matching 4-3 records.

I think Minnesota has the edge in this game since they have the pass defense to slow down Maryland quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. The Golden Gophers have only allowed three passing touchdowns this year, and we saw how they were able to hold Miller Moss and USC in check in Minneapolis earlier this month.

Minnesota is a little better all-around team than Maryland in this one.

Minnesota 27, Maryland 17



No. 3 Penn State (-6.5) v. Wisconsin -7:30 p.m. ET - NBC

Here I was thinking Wisconsin was dead after their loss to USC. Since then the Badgers have won three straight games, outscoring their opponents 117-16 during that stretch. I know those games were only against Purdue, Rutgers, and Northwestern but it would have been easy for Luke Fickell’s team to let the season spiral out of control after losing Tyler Van Dyke early in the season.

Even though Penn State is still undefeated I’m not all that impressed with the Nittany Lions. While they have Drew Allar, they haven’t been setting the world on fire through the air. Maybe that changes going forward after the breakout performance from tight end Tyler Warren against the Trojans. Then again, if Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen are gashing defense on the ground the Nittany Lions don’t need to throw all that much.

Despite saying nice things about the Badgers earlier, I’m banking on Penn State to stay undefeated heading into next week’s showdown with Ohio State. The Nittany Lions are miles better than Wisconsin’s last three opponents, so don’t expect Braedyn Locke to be as productive as he has lately.

Penn State 28, Wisconsin 14



Michigan State v. Michigan (-4.5) - 7:30 p.m. ET - Big Ten Network

This is the battle for Messigan (since both teams have been incredibly sloppy this year). Michigan State did find something against Iowa last week, holding outstanding running back Kaleb Johnson in check in the 32-20. The Spartans will have another tough task this week in trying to bottle up Kalel Mullings.

Somehow the offense of the Wolverines is getting worse. Now Michigan is on to quarterback Jack Tuttle, their third starter of the season. Mullings has been regressing over the last two games opponents know they don’t have to respect the Wolverines throwing the football.

This is head coach Jonathan Smith’s first experience in the battle for the Mitten State. Last week’s win over Iowa gives them some confidence Smith has things heading the right direction. The good feelings carry over with a win in a sloppy game in Ann Arbor.

Michigan State 23, Michigan 20



Nebraska v. No. 4 Ohio State (-25.5) - 12:00 p.m. ET - FOX

Ohio State takes the field on Saturday for the first time since their tough loss to Oregon in Eugene two weeks ago. The Buckeyes shouldn’t hang their head too low, since they did a lot of good things on the road against the team ranked No. 1 in the country right now.

Aside from sliding too late to stop the clock on the game’s last play, Will Howard was nearly flawless against Oregon, finding Jeremiah Smith and Emeka Egbuka a combined 19 times. The dynamic duo at wide receiver made up for limited production from TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins. Some of the issues running the football could be attributed to the Josh Simmons injury during the game.

Nebraska also enters this game coming off a road loss. The difference with their loss is they were thoroughly destroyed by Indiana, losing 56-7 to the Hoosiers. Quarterback Dylan Raiola has hit a bit of a wall, tossing three interceptions in last week’s blowout. The Cornhuskers have some pieces on offense, they just aren’t as dynamic as what the Buckeyes have.

There is the possibility of a sleepy start from Ohio State in a noon kickoff off a bye week. I don’t think it is anything that will hurt them too bad since they have shown the ability to turn things on in a blink. Plus, the defense will have a lot to prove after hearing two weeks of criticism following a bad game against the Oregon offense.

The Buckeyes restore their confidence before heading into next week’s game against Penn State.

Ohio State 41, Nebraska 14

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LGHL Ajae Petty joins Ohio State’s roster to improve the Big Ten’s worst rebounding team

Ajae Petty joins Ohio State’s roster to improve the Big Ten’s worst rebounding team
ThomasCostello
via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


NCAA Womens Basketball: Kentucky at South Carolina

Jeff Blake-USA TODAY Sports

The Kentucky transfer gets one year to make her mark in Columbus.

College basketball season is fast approaching and Land-Grant Holy Land is here to get you ready. Before the season starts this fall, check back regularly for player previews, schedule news, features, and more heading into the 2024-25 Ohio State women’s basketball season.



Take a look back at the top 10 rebounders in the Big Ten for the 2023-24 season and there’s a concerning similarity between the athletes. Of the 10, nine have a top 10 career high conference rebounding game against Ohio State women’s basketball. Only Wisconsin’s Serah Williams hasn’t had a top game in the paint against the Buckeyes, but even then the star forward still has a matchup with 11 boards against the Scarlet and Gray.

Ohio State ended last season in dead last for rebounds per game (33.5). So, it’s no surprise that anytime head coach Kevin McGuff talks about what plagues the Buckeyes, it’s rebounding. It’s a major problem, but now there’s some hope with the transfer of Ajae Petty.



Name: Ajae Petty
Position: Forward
Class: Graduate Senior
High School: Baltimore Polytechnic Institute (Baltimore, Maryland)
2023-24 Stats: 14.2 ppg, 10.6 rpg, 1.0 apg, .507 FG%, .495 FT%


Last Season


Petty transferred in after four years in the SEC. However, it wasn’t until last season that the forward out of Maryland saw substantial minutes on the court.

After appearing 31 times in two years with the LSU Tigers, averaging only 5.3 minutes per appearance, Petty left for bluer pastures with the Kentucky Wildcats. In the forward’s first season in Kentucky, the minutes increased but she still couldn’t crack the starting five.

Once she did for the 2023-24 season, she made up for lost time.

Petty started every game for Kentucky in head coach Kyra Elzy’s final season in Lexington. Despite a 12-and-20 record, Petty thrived. In 32 games, averaged a double-double with 14.2 points and 10.6 rebounds, one of only four to accomplish the feat in the competitive SEC. It put Petty in a class alongside the likes of LSU’s Angel Reese and Aneesah Morrow.

The new Buckeye also had 18 double-doubles, compared to nine total double-doubles with points and rebounds for the entire Ohio State roster.

Petty’s boards aren’t stat padding either, where a player thrives against non-conference opponents and then shrinks in conference play. Petty averaged 11 rebounds per game against SEC competition and 14 of those 18 double-doubles came against Power Five Conference schools.

On Jan. 11, 2024, Petty had a career-best 21 rebounds, along with 23 points, against Vanderbilt. Of those rebounds, 11 came on the offensive boards.

When it comes to transferring, Petty did know former Kentucky teammate Kennedy Cambridge, but pursuing the forward went further. McGuff knew Petty through a relationship with the forward’s high school coach.

Petty considered other strong programs, but opted to go with the Scarlet and Gray.

“I think she’ll be really impactful. I do,” said McGuff. “I think just our presence around the basket will be certainly way better than it has been. And I think she’ll be a big part of that.”


What to Expect


Take a guess at what you can expect from Petty. Yes, it’s rebounding.

The 6-foot-3 forward is physical, quick, and will grab more boards than the Buckeyes, but there are pros and cons within the post-game. On one hand, Petty hasn’t fouled out of a game, despite the manner in which she grabs boards. That shows discipline to not foul in the act.

On the other hand, free throw efficiency doesn’t jump off the stat sheet. Petty is a 50.7% shooter from the line, meaning when the game is on the line, the old “Hack-a-Shaq” game plan could come into play.

Also, Petty doesn’t provide an outside shooting game. In four seasons, Petty hasn’t attempted a three-point shot. If McGuff had years with Petty, that might be something to improve over time but there’s one season before Petty’s eligibility runs out. That means the five-out offensive game plan will adjust slightly, with defenders not going to run out and cover Petty on the perimeter.

That doesn’t likely mean an all-out shift in offensive strategy but expect tweaks.

Off the court, Petty’s already saying what needs to be said and is a team-first kind of player.

“My mindset currently is just to come in, you know, do whatever the team needs me to do,” said Petty. “Whether it’s stepping into a leadership role, whether it’s following TT [Taylor Thierry] and all the other older people who’ve already been here. It’s whatever the team needs me to be.”


Prediction


There’s a close to 100% chance Petty starts from day one and doesn’t lose it, barring injury. Petty will not only grab boards but be an outlet to a group of four surrounding the big who all have the ability to attack the basket. The speed and skill of the four perimeter players could make life difficult for defenders, and give Petty open baskets in the paint as a by-product.

Petty of course won’t be able to play 40 minutes each night. Supporting the forward is a pair with varying levels of experience. Forward Eboni Walker has the most, but McGuff is high on new freshman center Elsa Lemmilä. The 6-foot-6 Finnish big is the likely next player in behind Petty.


Highlights


Watch Petty in an exhibition game before last season. Outside of rebounding, Petty shows presence and timing to pick up blocks and see her work on the offensive end of the floor.


For an added bonus, take a listen to Petty during a recent Buckeye practice.


Petty in Practice: Mic’d up edition ️@AjaePetty15 | #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/9WYdraD2t9

— Ohio State Women’s Basketball (@OhioStateWBB) October 22, 2024

Other Player Previews


Miss a player preview? Click the links below to learn more about the 2024-25 Buckeyes roster:

Madison Greene
Eboni Walker
Ava Watson
Chance Gray
Elsa Lemmilä
Kennedy Cambridge
Taylor Thierry
Seini Henry

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LGHL Ohio State v. Nebraska: 2024 game preview and prediction

Ohio State v. Nebraska: 2024 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


Nebraska v Purdue

Photo by Brandon Sloter/Image Of Sport/Getty Images

After having a bye week to digest the loss to Oregon, Ohio State gets back on the field, hosting the Nebraska Cornhuskers.

Following their nail-biting 32-31 loss at Oregon, Ohio State had a bye last week to recover from the tough loss to the Ducks. Now the Buckeyes kickoff the second half of their regular season by hosting the Nebraska Cornhuskers. The two programs have not only each won over 800 games, they have combined to win 13 national championships and 10 Heisman Trophies.

Saturday’s meeting will be the 11th between the schools, with Ohio State holding a 9-1 edge in the series. The Buckeyes have won the last seven games against the Cornhuskers after Nebraska beat Ohio State 34-27 in 2011 in the first meeting between the schools as Big Ten foes. The last matchup in the series came in 2021, with Ohio State winning 26-17.


Last time out for Ohio State


In their last game, Ohio State fell just short of winning the showdown with Oregon in Eugene. The game was tight throughout, with the biggest lead being when Quinshon Judkins’ one-yard touchdown run early in the second quarter pushed the score to 14-6. The Ducks took the lead for good on a 19-yard Atticus Sappington field goal with less than two minutes left in the game.

Ohio State drove down the field and had a chance to win the game but an illegal substitution penalty on the Ducks took just enough time off the clock to not leave enough time for Will Howard to take a timeout after a 12-yard run to Oregon’s 26. With their victory, Oregon now has handed Ryan Day the only two losses before Thanksgiving during his time as head coach of the Buckeyes.


Still a top-tier offense


Despite the loss, Ohio State still has one of the most explosive offenses in the country. The Buckeyes are averaging 503 yards per game and 43.5 points per game, ranking sixth in the country in both categories. Chip Kelly’s offense is still perfect in the red zone, scoring points on all 26 drives inside the 20-yard-line of their opponents. 24 of those red zone possessions ended with touchdowns.

Aside from the infamous slide with not enough time left to call timeout, Will Howard has been playing great football through his first six games as Ohio State quarterback. The Kansas State transfer is the first Buckeyes quarterback since C.J. Stroud in 2021 to complete at least 80 percent of pass attempts in back-to-back games. If Howard is able to hit that mark against Nebraska he will be the first Ohio State quarterback since Justin Fields in 2020 to record an 80 percent completion percentage in three consecutive games.

Along with his pinpoint accuracy, Howard is also a threat to pull the football down and run, scoring a rushing touchdown in five straight games. The five touchdowns Howard has rushed for this season leave him four away from tying his career-high, which he set last year with the Wildcats. For his college career, Howard has 105 total touchdowns, with 24 of those scores coming on the ground.

Even though Ohio State lost to Oregon, Jeremiah Smith and Emeka Egbuka deserve praise for their play in Eugene. Smith finished with nine catches for 100 yards and a score, while Egbuka caught a career-high 10 balls for 93 yards. Egbuka also found the end zone, marking his fourth straight game with a receiving touchdown. Smith’s 100 yard outing was his second of the season.

Ohio State v Oregon
Photo by Tom Hauck/Getty Images
Ohio State v Oregon
Photo by Tom Hauck/Getty Images

The freshman is now 96 yards from passing Cris Carter’s freshman school record of 648 receiving yards. Following his 10 catches against the Ducks, Egbuka is two receptions away from moving past Michael Jenkins for fifth-most in school history, and six catches away from moving past Cris Carter for sole possession of fourth place in Ohio State history.

The passing game needed to be productive against the Ducks since the Buckeyes didn’t get much on the ground. TreVeyon Henderson led the team with 87 yards rushing, with 53 of those yards coming on one run. Quinshon Judkins really struggled in the loss, totaling just 23 yards on 11 carries.

Henderson is now 30 yards from passing Carlos Snow’s 3,198 career rushing yards for 10th-most in school history, and 33 yards will see him move past Keith Byars. Both Henderson and Judkins have rushed for over 400 yards this year, with the duo combining to score 10 rushing touchdowns.

It’ll be interesting to see how the Ohio State offense is able to operate after the loss of tackle Josh Simmons, who was injured against Oregon. Head coach Ryan Day announced earlier this week that Simmons will miss the remainder of the season. After transferring from San Diego State prior to last season, Simmons was having a great season and was drawing attention from NFL scouts. Zen Michalski replaced Simmons after the injury in Eugene, and is expected to be the starter this week against Nebraska.


Looking to bounce back


The Ohio State defense wasn’t able to continue their dominance against Oregon that they displayed in the first five games of the season. Despite giving up nearly 500 yards of offense and 32 points to the Ducks, the Buckeyes still have one of the top-ranked defenses in the country. Through six games, Ohio State ranks second in the country in total defense, allowing 251.3 yards per game. The 11 points per game the Buckeyes are giving up this year is also one of the lowest marks in the country, ranking third.

For all of their dominance of lesser competition, there is a worrying trend of the defenses of Jim Knowles failing to meet the moment in big games. Knowles shoulders a lot of the blame, but defensive line coach Larry Johnson isn’t immune from criticism since the defensive line of the Buckeyes isn’t playing up to their potential. J.T. Tuimoloau and Jack Sawyer have shown moments of brilliance over the last few years, which makes their inconsistent play even more frustrating.

Tuimoloau currently leads the team with three sacks, while Sawyer has 2.5 sacks so far this year. The failure of the defensive line to make life uncomfortable for opposing quarterbacks has put more stress on the linebackers and defensive backs when they take on tougher teams on their schedule.

Stars like Chase Young and the Bosa brothers set the bar high for the defensive line, and while it’s unfair to ask the ends to replicate what those talented players did, those currently in the scarlet and gray at that position should be better than what they are showing now.

Two players whose efforts against Oregon can’t be questioned are linebackers Cody Simon and Sonny Styles. Simon notched a career-high 10 tackles in the loss, while Styles was right behind him with nine stops. Entering Saturday’s game, Styles leads the team with 39 tackles through six games this season, and Simon has made 25 tackles after missing the season opener against Akron.

One player who is hoping to forget the Oregon game is cornerback Denzel Burke, who had his hands full with wide receiver Tez Johnson. Not only did Burke look like he was frequently lost while trying to keep pace with Johnson, he also missed a number of tackles during the game.

In Burke’s defense, Johnson is one of the most elusive receivers in the country. At the other cornerback spot, Davison Igbinosun was the victim of wide receiver Traeshon Holden spitting on him during the game, leading to Holden immediately being ejected for the rest of the game.

Ohio State v Oregon
Photo by Brandon Sloter/Image Of Sport/Getty Images

Alabama transfer Caleb Downs continued to ramp up his production, registering eight tackles in the loss to the Ducks, including a stop behind the line of scrimmage, giving him a tackle for loss in three straight games. More might be needed from Downs this week since head coach Ryan Day said safety Lathan Ransom is “day-to-day” with an injury. If Ransom is limited or sidelined, the Buckeyes will be without their second-leading tackler this season. Along with his 29 tackles, Ransom has 4.5 TFLs and two forced fumbles this year.


How Nebraska has fared this season


Nebraska enters Saturday’s game at a low point after losing 56-7 at Indiana last week. With the loss, the Cornhuskers enter the game with a 5-2 record, marking just the second season in the last decade where Nebraska has at least five wins through their first seven games. The other loss for the Cornhuskers was an overtime setback to Illinois.

Matt Rhule is in his second season as head coach at Nebraska, posting an 11-10 record so far in Lincoln. Rhule previously was the head coach at Temple and Baylor before moving to the NFL for a failed stint as head coach of the Carolina Panthers. Prior to becoming the head coach at Temple, Rhule was a defensive line coach for the team in 2006, which was the same year when Ryan Day was Temple’s wide receivers coach.


The Cornhuskers on offense


Quarterbacking the Cornhuskers is true freshman Dylan Raiola, who at one time was an Ohio State commit. Raiola is the first true freshman quarterback since Marcus Mariota to post a completion percentage of at least 70 percent over the first three games of their college career.

After tossing eight touchdowns and just two interceptions over his first four games, Raiola has struggled of late, recording just one touchdown and four interceptions, with three of those picks coming last week against Indiana. For the season, Raiola has thrown for 1,592 yards, putting him about a thousand yards shy of breaking Adrian Martinez’s school record for passing yards in a season by a freshman.

Raiola will be working with five targets that have caught at least 19 passes so far this season. Jahmal Banks leads the team in receiving yardage with 316 yards, as well as two receiving touchdowns. Jacory Barney Jr. has a team-high 27 catches, but most of those have been short passes as evidenced by those grabs only totaling 181 yards. Barney’s big threat is when they find a way to get the ball into his hands via handoff, as he has eight carries for 111 yards and three touchdowns.

Tight end Thomas Fidone II was the lone bright spot for the Nebraska offense against the Hoosiers. Fidone finished the game with a career-high six catches for 91 yards. For the season, Fidone has caught 20 passes for 218 yards. Sitting just behind Fidone in receptions are Rahmir Johnson and Isaiah Neyor, who each have 19 grabs. Neyor has found the end zone most out of any Nebraska receiver this year, entering Saturday’s game with four receiving touchdowns.

Heading up the rushing attack for the Cornhuskers is Dante Dowdell. The running back has 350 yards on 81 carries, scoring five touchdowns. Dowdell is new to the program after transferring from Oregon after the 2023 season. Emmett Johnson should also see some work in this game in the backfield, as he has at least eight carries in four games this year, including the last three contests.


Building the Blackshirts back up


Prior to last week’s massacre in Bloomington, the Nebraska defense had been stout through the first six games of the year, allowing 10 points or less in five of their first six games of the season. Even after allowing 56 points to Indiana, Nebraska is allowing just 17.7 points per game, ranking 19th nationally. The Cornhuskers rank around the same when it comes to yardage allowed, with their 304.3 yards allowed per game sitting 18th in the country.

North Dakota v Nebraska
Photo by Steven Branscombe/Getty Images

The secondary of Nebraska will have their hands full with Jeremiah Smith, Emeka Egbuka, and the rest of the Ohio State receivers on Saturday. Leading the charge in the defensive backfield is rover Isaac Gifford, who has 207 career tackles, making him the 10th defensive back in school history with at least 200 tackles.

The senior from Lincoln enters this game as the leading tackler on the team, registering 40 stops. Will Howard will also have to be aware of where Malcolm Hartzog Jr. is since the cornerback already has three interceptions this year. Tommi Hill, DeShon Singleton, and Marques Buford Jr. round out the secondary of the Cornhuskers.

Starring on the defensive line for Nebraska is Ty Robinson. The sixth-year senior defensive end has played in 54 games, starting 40 of those contests. With two more appearances, Robinson will tie the school record for games played. So far this season, Robinson has recorded four sacks, tying him with fellow defensive lineman James Williams for the team lead this season. In the middle of the three-man line is Nash Hutmacher, who has two sacks.

The linebackers of the Cornhuskers are not only sure tacklers, they have done a great job at finding their way into opposing backfields to make stops. Mikai Gbayor and John Bullock have combined to make 70 tackles, 9.5 of which are counted as TFLs. After Georgia transfer MJ Sherman started the first six games of the season at linebacker, freshman Vincent Shavers Jr. started against the Hoosiers. Sherman did play in the game, and was called for roughing the passer on the player where Indiana quarterback suffered a thumb injury.


Prediction


This is a really bad spot for Nebraska since the Cornhuskers will be coming off a beatdown in Bloomington and playing their second straight road game. As if that wasn’t going to be challenging enough, they’ll be taking on an Ohio State team that had last week off to collect themselves after a one-point loss at Oregon in one of the marquee games of the college football regular season.

With a trip to Penn State on deck next week, the Buckeyes know they’ll need a sharp performance to give them some momentum ahead of the showdown with the Nittany Lions. Saturday’s game is going to be massive for Zen Michalski and the offensive line since they’ll be playing their first full game together following the season-ending injury suffered by Josh Simmons against Oregon. The unit will need to gel quickly since they’ll facing a hostile environment in State College next Saturday.

This could be a get-right game for the Ohio State defense after an underwhelming performance against Oregon. There’s no question Dylan Raiola is talented, but opponents have been able to throw some different looks at him as there has been more tape on him to watch. With his recent struggles, if the defensive line of the Buckeyes can get after Raiola, it could allow the secondary to make some plays and restore some of the confidence that they might have lost against the Ducks.

Obviously there could be some rust for the Buckeyes with the noon start after a bye week. Ohio State has been able to shake off some sleepy starts this season and put their opponents away with ease. While Nebraska’s defense could provide some resistance, Indiana showed the Blackshirts aren’t impenetrable. There’s no reason the Buckeyes shouldn’t get back on track and win this game by at least three touchdowns

LGHL score prediction: Ohio State 41, Nebraska 14


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LGHL Buckeyes receive both good and bad news ahead of a major recruiting weekend

Buckeyes receive both good and bad news ahead of a major recruiting weekend
Caleb Houser
via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


12527821.0.jpg

Jahkeem Stewart | 247Sports

Two recruits highlight the latest rumblings surrounding this weekend’s guest list.

Ohio State getting back on the gridiron is exactly what the program and fanbase needs. All of the talk for the past two weeks has been about the 32-31 loss on the road to Oregon; and by now, everybody is essentially beating a dead horse. While there are certainly things to be concerned about and no loss is ever ideal, in this new world of an expanded playoff, if the Buckeye take care of what they need to for the next six weeks, they still have all of their goals ahead of them.

Not only is Saturday’s matchup against Nebraska a chance to improve on the Buckeyes’ shortcomings, but it is also the first home game in three weeks, which affords Ohio State with a major recruiting opportunity.

Stewart heading to Columbus this weekend


There may not be a player more talented in the country than defensive lineman, Jahkeem Stewart. A 6-foot-6, 270-pound athlete, Stewart is certainly not a new name on the recruiting scene, but knowing that he should be just a high school junior makes his resume that much more impressive as he is currently the No. 16 player nationally and third-best player at his position per the 247Sports Composite grades in the 2025 class following his reclassification.

Moving from the 2026 cycle to the current 2025 class just a few short weeks ago, Stewart’s recruitment immediately got that much more intense, and Ohio State is a major part of that with a real shot of being the five-star recruit’s final destination.

Yesterday, Stewart’s visit plans for this weekend went public and he will be in Columbus this weekend to see Ohio State host Nebraska. This a huge development for the chances of landing his eventual decision and the Buckeyes know how important this visit is, so they will be pulling out the stops to ensure that he leaves Columbus with a vision of how he fits into the program in the long run.

With six current commits along the defensive line for this 2025 haul, Stewart is a player you take regardless of how many people are already committed. A game-changer and potential Day 1 starter, you do everything it takes to get him to Columbus. Knowing that multiple Ohio State defensive line commits have had visits elsewhere, this staff knows that there’s a possibility that some current commits might end up elsewhere.

At any rate, Jahkeem will be on site Saturday and that’s a big win for the Buckeyes. Family included, Stewart will have the scarlet carpet treatment all weekend long and, hopefully, this is a major step in the direction of landing his pledge when all is said and done.


Five-star DL Jahkeem Stewart will visit Ohio State this weekend. In addition to his future official visits, also has a return trip to Oregon set. The latest here: https://t.co/7LczAN5KK9 pic.twitter.com/oV4xGNaYQT

— Steve Wiltfong (@SWiltfong_) October 23, 2024

Buckeyes no longer hosting one of their own


There’s arguably not been an Ohio State commit this cycle that has been talked about as much as five-star defensive back Na’eem Offord. The Alabama native is the No. 10 player nationally and third-best cornerback in the 2025 class per the 247Sports Composite grades as well as the third highest-ranked player in Ohio State’s class. Simply put, he means a ton to this haul and is a player that the staff wants to hold onto badly, especially as he is being recruited hard by several other programs.

Multiple trips to Auburn have sparked a bit of worry from Ohio State’s fans, and then seeing him on the Oregon sideline two weeks ago certainly didn’t help the sting of the loss. Shortly after his trip to Eugene, he went on his social media vocalizing that he’s not going to flip and, while he’s said and done all of the right things, the trips to other schools do raise a bit of concern. However, if he was to get back to Ohio State it would go a long way to easing the concerns that he may be looking elsewhere.

If he does make it back to Columbus this season, it won’t be for the Nebraska game. A visit was planned for this weekend since Offord’s prep team plays tonight which would allow plenty of travel time for him to get to Columbus for a 12 noon kickoff. However, those plans have changed as yesterday it was reported that Offord will no longer be making the trek from Alabama. Instead, he will be staying home to see family play.

An unfortunate development to say the least, and doesn’t help to ease the worry about a potential flip. Seeing Penn State going hard after Oregon commit, Brandon Finney and looking more and more likely that they will flip his commitment doesn’t help knowing that the Ducks would in turn go extra hard for Offord to replace him.

What Buckeye fans need to see now is if Na’eem makes the trip to Columbus for the regular season finale against Michigan. If he is there, the hand-wringing should decrease significantly. If he isn’t, the writing may be on the wall that he is likely to commit elsewhere. Offord is a major part of this class and the staff will undoubtedly keep fighting to have him in the fold up until he signs his national letter of intent. Buckle up. This is recruiting in 2024.

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LGHL Jaloni Cambridge feels “right at home” with Ohio State women’s basketball

Jaloni Cambridge feels “right at home” with Ohio State women’s basketball
ThomasCostello
via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


_22_Cambridge_Jaloni_StudioSet_045.0.jpeg

The Ohio State University Athletic Department

The No. 2 overall 2024 recruit joining the Buckeyes stretches far beyond a familial bond

College basketball season is fast approaching and Land-Grant Holy Land is here to get you ready. Before the season starts this fall, check back regularly for player previews, schedule news, features, and more heading into the 2024-25 Ohio State women’s basketball season.



There’s a hard truth when it comes to college sports. The student athletes competing on national television, streaming on ESPN and popping up in daily social media scrolling are 18-years-old.

A small percentage of people directly out of high school compete at the NCAA level. Should you be over 18, especially those where it’s been a while since the teens were part of the conversation, it’s hard to remember what it's like to be 18 years old.

Now, imagine you’re one of those rare 18-year-olds who make it to college sports. Narrowing that figure down even more, imagine you’re the only person in the nation listed as the best of a single basketball position in the entire recruiting class.

That’s Ohio State women’s basketball freshman point guard Jaloni Cambridge.

Part of a college basketball coach’s responsibility is taking care of their players. Especially considering how much brighter the lights are in the college game over even then top level of elite high school basketball.

For the Buckeyes, that means that freshman aren’t frequently used in the media. Normally, their initiation to a pool of reporters comes after the young player has a breakout game and there’s no choice but to put them in front of the press to hear what they have to say.

“I don’t want to over overhype it because we haven’t played a game yet,” said head coach Kevin McGuff about Cambridge. “And I don’t want to put undue pressure on her, but I do see a bright, bright future ahead for her.”

Even for a tenured coach like McGuff, it’s still hard to hold back on adding to the hype. In the same conversation, the 12-year Ohio State coach said Cambridge has been “as good as advertised.”

Cambridge is quick, decisive and, in high school, showed a unique ability to completely take over a game. The list of suitors was long for the services of second youngest in a family devoted to the sport of basketball.

The Cambridges feature a dad whose exploits at the college level are in NCAA lore, notching 160 steals in a season which is still a record today. All five of Cambridge’s older siblings play or played Division I college basketball.

Buckeye fans know one of them, redshirt sophomore transfer Kennedy Cambridge. The former Kentucky Wildcat joined Ohio State in the summer of 2023, but hasn’t stepped on the court. It’s a transfer built off attention given to the incoming freshman, after Kennedy grabbed the phone from Jaloni when Buckeyes assistant coach Jalen Powell was checking in on the program-shifting recruit, as profiled in a feature on Powell last year on LGHL.

It’s easy to chalk up the youngest Cambridge sister’s choice of Ohio State to wanting to again play with big sister.

“I mean she wasn’t the main reason I came here,” said Cambridge with a smirk. Almost to not let it get to Kennedy’s head, who in a short time at Ohio State is already known for her sense of humor.

The Ohio State University athletic department
Jaloni (left) and Kennedy Cambridge (right)

No, the youngest Cambridge daughter has been the focus of Ohio State recruiting for a couple years now. In November of 2022, Cambridge visited the program. The Buckeyes became one of seven finalists in her search, including the biggest names in the sport like Dawn Staley and the South Carolina Gamecocks and Kim Mulkey and the LSU Tigers.

It wasn’t a sister that pushed Cambridge to join Ohio State, at least not fully. But, there was a bond that convinced the No. 1 ranked point guard to pick scarlet and gray. The team itself was a family to Cambridge before the program won the recruit lottery when she committed on Dec. 29, 2023.

“It just makes me feel welcome and just so happy to be here,” said Cambridge. “Since I’ve gotten here, since I’ve committed, just everything I’ve just felt so at home even though I’m far away from home.”

After becoming Ohio State’s first McDonald’s All-American since Kierstan Ball in 2019, the bonds within the team have grown stronger. Take for instance the relationship with graduate senior Madison Greene, a player on the opposite side of her college career to Cambridge.

At Media Day, when questions focused on the departure of beloved program star Jacy Sheldon, Greene gave a glowing review of Cambridge.

“This past week she’s been doing a lot of really good defense. Like she’s been like running through balls. You know how Jacy does, stealing the ball and doing a lot of great things like that,” said Greene. “And she’s quick off the dribble, has a quick first step, just like Jacy does. So nothing’s changed in practice.”

Hard to hold back the hype with comments like that, but from the outside looking in, it’s not something that’s gotten to Cambridge’s head. The relationship with Greene goes both ways.

Wednesday, sitting next to Greene in her first press conference at Ohio State, sitting in a room with six Big Ten championship trophies lining the conference room table, Cambridge points back to how Greene’s been there for the freshman.

“I mean she has experience. It’s nothing really more from that just experience just to be able to see the type of leader that she is on and off the court,” said Cambridge. “It’s just amazing to you know look up to someone with that type of capability.”

Helping to grow that family is the mindset in practice. Despite the program losing three starting graduate seniors, and two more graduating or transferring who played important roles off the bench, the small upperclassmen group doesn’t get favored by the coaching staff.

Watch a Buckeyes practice and there’s equal attention given to all players, for both praise and punishment. Playing against the practice team, anyone who doesn’t get a rebound or lets their assignment score on transition defense has to run laps.

Then, as the players form a circle and they start playing a box out game against the practice team guys and assistant coaches, the team cheers on their teammates as they have three seconds to stop their opponent from touching the basketball. Three seconds that feels like 10. If the person gets the ball, you guessed it, laps.

The transition for Cambridge has been easier with a sister on the roster, but she’s also played alongside fellow freshman Ava Watson. Both Cambridge and Watson played together in AAU basketball, meaning that bonds were a little easier to create.

Watson and Cambridge represent a potentially lethal backcourt duo in the coming years, with Watson entering Ohio State from a team that loved to press and with her knack for hitting long shots.

The Ohio State University athletic department
Jaloni Cambridge (left) and Ava Watson (right)

After multiple trips to Columbus on visits, knowing her teammates and glowing when she talks about her love of the sport, it truly does feel like family.

“Family is a huge thing to me,” said Cambridge. “I really got here because of my family and you know what I want to be as I keep playing I have to do that with a family environment.”

Within each family there’s always that one. Someone who will keep you humble. That’s junior forward Cotie McMahon.

In 2023, Cambridge made another visit a couple weeks before committing to Ohio State. On Instagram, coach Powell shared a photo of Cambridge standing alongside the whiteboard where she marked her visits.

Jalen Powell on Instagram | @jalenxpowell
Jaloni Cambridge visiting Ohio State

Scrawled between two of those “Jaloni was here” entries was one by McMahon that points to Cambridge’s marks and adds “No one cares.”

There’s always one.

Cambridge was asked who McMahon is in the Buckeyes family.

“Anything you want her to be honestly. She could play all roles, but that’s just love at the end of the day,” said Cambridge. “She’s just such a great person just to have around family or not. She’s just so amazing. That’s her way of acceptance.”

On Nov. 5, when Ohio State plays its first game of the season, against Cleveland State, that acceptance starts to grow out to what the players fondly call Buckeye Nation.

It’ll be difficult to slow down the hype train once it starts going.

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LGHL Bucketheads Podcast: Adam Jardy joins to discuss the Cincinnati exhibition game, A’mare Bynum

Bucketheads Podcast: Adam Jardy joins to discuss the Cincinnati exhibition game, A’mare Bynum
justingolba
via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Syndication: The Enquirer

Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

We preview the season, answer all the burning questions from the exhibition, and discuss the anticipated Oasis Tour.

“Bucketheads” is LGHL’s men’s basketball podcast, hosted by Connor Lemons and Justin Golba. In every episode, they give you the latest scoop on the Ohio State Buckeyes and everything else happening in college hoops.



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For episode 133 of Bucketheads, we are joined by Ohio State men’s basketball beat writer and Oasis super fan Adam Jardy to talk all things Buckeyes men's hoops.

First of all, since we have 33 percent of the Ohio State media that attended the Cincinnati exhibition on this podcast, Justin played moderator for Connor and Adam as they answered all the questions that the public had coming away from the game since it was unable to be watched.

We also previewed the season as a whole, took stock of where the current team is in terms of development, and you won’t believe where Adam is going to see Oasis.

Make sure to like, subscribe, comment, and leave a review on the show!



Connect with the Podcast:
Twitter:
@BucketheadsLGPN

Connect with Connor:
Twitter:
@lemons_connor

Connect with Justin:
Twitter:
@justin_golba

Connect with Adam:
Twitter:
@AdamJardy

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