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LGHL Hangout in the Holy Land Podcast: Predicting exact outcomes of Ohio State’s remaining games
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Hangout in the Holy Land Podcast: Predicting exact outcomes of Ohio State’s remaining games
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports
Bet these futures now! Josh and Chuck are staring into their crystal balls, and making final score predictions for the rest of the Buckeyes’ season.
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 discuss this weekend’s epic slate of CFB games... Wait, nevermind. That was last week.
Instead of their usual Sunday recap, Joshtradamus and Chuck The Soothsayer preview Ohio State’s remaining schedule and make predictions for each and every game. Down to the exact final score.
Which games will Buckeye fans sweat out? And will all of them (hopefully) go the Scarlet and Gray’s way?
Gotta listen to find out!
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
Continue reading...
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports
Bet these futures now! Josh and Chuck are staring into their crystal balls, and making final score predictions for the rest of the Buckeyes’ season.
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:
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
On this episode of ‘Hangout in the Holy Land,’ Josh and Chuck discuss this weekend’s epic slate of CFB games... Wait, nevermind. That was last week.
Instead of their usual Sunday recap, Joshtradamus and Chuck The Soothsayer preview Ohio State’s remaining schedule and make predictions for each and every game. Down to the exact final score.
Which games will Buckeye fans sweat out? And will all of them (hopefully) go the Scarlet and Gray’s way?
Gotta listen to find out!
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
Continue reading...
LGHL Cover Six: Reviewing the Silver Bullets at the one-third mark, part one
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- 0 Replies
Cover Six: Reviewing the Silver Bullets at the one-third mark, part one
JordanW330 via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Robin Alam/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Buckeyes have played one-third of their schedule so entering a bye week Jordan gives his thoughts on the first four weeks of the 2023 season.
In football terms, Cover Six is a zone coverage that combines Cover Four and Cover Two. While on the field it is designed to negate the deep pass while offering extra support underneath to protect against the run, in this case, Cover Six is a weekly column focused on Ohio State’s defense under coordinator Jim Knowles. Every week, it will cover six aspects of the defense’s performance including big moments, key stats, film analysis, and areas in need of improvement. Join me as I follow the defense as it tries to bring back the Silver Bullets swagger that we know and love!
The short answer is yes, yes the Buckeyes are a top-five defense. The long answer is, yes but they were also a top-rated defense last season and we saw how that ended. This is not last season, after four games I believe that what we’ve seen from the Silver Bullets is sustainable. At this point in year two of the Knowles system the Buckeyes are number two in scoring defense allowing only 8.5 points per game. They only allow 149 passing yards per game and 255 yards total which ranks fifth and sixth nationally. They also rank fifth in stop rate forcing punts, turnovers, or turnovers on downs on 85.3% of drives. They also rank first in opponent-adjusted pressure rate at +89% if you believe in that statistic which tries to determine how much pressure is generated relative to the opponent’s average pressure rate allowed.
The most important thing about this defense is they are not allowing the big play. Last season, despite finishing tenth in stop rate getting stops on 74.3% of drives they were susceptible to the big play at almost any point in the game. In their final two games, they were kicking Michigan and Georgia in the teeth for a half and then the defense just gave up big play after big play ultimately losing both games.
This year’s defense is a lot more sound, it has more talented athletes and Knowles is just allowing his guys to play. This defense won the Notre Dame game, they played better than the Notre Dame offense besides two drives - albeit brutal drives. The difference is this team bowed up when they needed to and got a stop when most everyone assumed Notre Dame would just run the ball until the defense submitted. Some people may need to see more but they have passed the test, this is a top-five defense and this is a defense that can win a national championship. Hiring Jim Knowles is proving to be the best decision of the Ryan Day tenure so far.
Who is your MVP of the season so far? For me, it’s between two people, Tyleik Williams and Denzel Burke. Both players broke out in 2021 as freshmen but did not live up to the hype during their sophomore campaign in 2022. Tyleik Williams has been a stud on the inside, he is finally healthy and looks to be in the best shape of his career. While no one said it outright there have been some whispers about Tyleik’s work ethic and his not being in shape throughout his career.
Whether that was true or not, he has dispelled any of that this season. He has been Ohio State’s most productive defensive lineman and is playing at a level where you don’t want to take him off the field, and they didn’t against Notre Dame where he played 86% of the defense’s snaps. So far Tyliek has an 83.8 PFF grade which ranks 12th amongst all interior defensive linemen. He is third on the team with 21 tackles, first in tackles for loss with three, and tied for first with one sack. He has a great case for being the best player on the defense so far this season.
Burke has been a lockdown corner so far in 2023, the evidence of that was in the Notre Dame game where he was only targeted one time. It’s easy to call a defense when you know you don’t have to worry about one of your corners. Burke has allowed six catches on eighteen targets for 72 yards. Burke has almost as many passes defended, five, as he does receptions allowed. Burke has also shown a willingness to tackle which is always a concern for corners but willing tacklers are a prerequisite at the position for Ohio State.
The Big Ten is not littered with stud receivers as it has been in previous years but I have faith that Denzel will win future battles with Keandre Lambert-Smith of Penn State and Roman Wilson of Michigan.
Regardless of who you think is the MVP, Burke and Williams are proving to be anchors for this Ohio State defense. They are also working their way up the NFL draft boards. With these two players playing at this level and the Buckeyes having the best linebacker duo in the country this defense is going to be a problem for a lot of teams for the rest of this season.
It’s time to talk about the defensive line. If you scour Buckeye’s Twitter for more than 30 seconds you will find someone talking negatively about the defensive line. In my opinion, the negativity is warranted but overrated. Football is a very detailed sport and many fans only care about the splash plays.
A majority of splash plays happen on offense so defense is overlooked. When talking about what makes a good defense, specifically a good defensive line everyone will point to sacks. If you’re judging this defensive line based solely on sack production then they’re awful. The problem is that sacks are not the only important job for a defensive line. At Ohio State the expectation is sacks, so I’m not here to tell you not to be critical but I am here to say the sky is not falling.
The biggest issue with the defensive line is simply that Larry Johnson is in an open feud with defensive coordinator Jim Knowles and his system. This makes the defensive line look disjointed at times.
On top of that, this isn’t the defensive line of old. Previously Ohio State’s defensive lines were consisting of quick twitch and bendy athletes on the edge and they largely ignored the interior defensive line. This is not to say there were not good players but much of the focus was on the edge rushers. In this defense, the best players on the line may be on the interior with Mike Hall and Tyliek Williams. Also, JT is an amazing athlete but he is not a quick twitch and bendy athlete like Chase Young.
JT and Jack are never going to be the dangerous pass rushers of old. This does not mean they are bad players or the defensive line is underperforming. Knowles has stated publicly that he is just letting players play and has toned down his aggressiveness. This defensive line has not gotten home but they have affected the quarterback by getting pressure and getting hits on the quarterback. They are also consistently resetting the line of scrimmage and freeing the linebackers to make plays on running backs.
It’s not the pretty splashy part of defensive football but they are doing what’s asked of them. This defense would not be in the place they are without the defensive line. Of course, it would be great if they got more sacks. I think Johnson needs to mix up his rotation and play some of the young guys more on passing downs to get more sacks. Despite that, this is a very good defensive line that consists of four players who could go in the top 50 picks of the 2024 NFL Draft.
Follow The I-80 Football Show on YouTube: @JordanW330 or @LandGrantPods
Subscribe to the podcast: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
Connect with me on Twitter: @JordanW330
Follow I-80 Football Show on Instagram: @I80FootballShow
Continue reading...
JordanW330 via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Robin Alam/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Buckeyes have played one-third of their schedule so entering a bye week Jordan gives his thoughts on the first four weeks of the 2023 season.
In football terms, Cover Six is a zone coverage that combines Cover Four and Cover Two. While on the field it is designed to negate the deep pass while offering extra support underneath to protect against the run, in this case, Cover Six is a weekly column focused on Ohio State’s defense under coordinator Jim Knowles. Every week, it will cover six aspects of the defense’s performance including big moments, key stats, film analysis, and areas in need of improvement. Join me as I follow the defense as it tries to bring back the Silver Bullets swagger that we know and love!
Cover 1: Are the Silver Bullets a top-five defense?
The short answer is yes, yes the Buckeyes are a top-five defense. The long answer is, yes but they were also a top-rated defense last season and we saw how that ended. This is not last season, after four games I believe that what we’ve seen from the Silver Bullets is sustainable. At this point in year two of the Knowles system the Buckeyes are number two in scoring defense allowing only 8.5 points per game. They only allow 149 passing yards per game and 255 yards total which ranks fifth and sixth nationally. They also rank fifth in stop rate forcing punts, turnovers, or turnovers on downs on 85.3% of drives. They also rank first in opponent-adjusted pressure rate at +89% if you believe in that statistic which tries to determine how much pressure is generated relative to the opponent’s average pressure rate allowed.
The most important thing about this defense is they are not allowing the big play. Last season, despite finishing tenth in stop rate getting stops on 74.3% of drives they were susceptible to the big play at almost any point in the game. In their final two games, they were kicking Michigan and Georgia in the teeth for a half and then the defense just gave up big play after big play ultimately losing both games.
This year’s defense is a lot more sound, it has more talented athletes and Knowles is just allowing his guys to play. This defense won the Notre Dame game, they played better than the Notre Dame offense besides two drives - albeit brutal drives. The difference is this team bowed up when they needed to and got a stop when most everyone assumed Notre Dame would just run the ball until the defense submitted. Some people may need to see more but they have passed the test, this is a top-five defense and this is a defense that can win a national championship. Hiring Jim Knowles is proving to be the best decision of the Ryan Day tenure so far.
Cover 2: Who has been the MVP of the defense so far?
Who is your MVP of the season so far? For me, it’s between two people, Tyleik Williams and Denzel Burke. Both players broke out in 2021 as freshmen but did not live up to the hype during their sophomore campaign in 2022. Tyleik Williams has been a stud on the inside, he is finally healthy and looks to be in the best shape of his career. While no one said it outright there have been some whispers about Tyleik’s work ethic and his not being in shape throughout his career.
Whether that was true or not, he has dispelled any of that this season. He has been Ohio State’s most productive defensive lineman and is playing at a level where you don’t want to take him off the field, and they didn’t against Notre Dame where he played 86% of the defense’s snaps. So far Tyliek has an 83.8 PFF grade which ranks 12th amongst all interior defensive linemen. He is third on the team with 21 tackles, first in tackles for loss with three, and tied for first with one sack. He has a great case for being the best player on the defense so far this season.
Burke has been a lockdown corner so far in 2023, the evidence of that was in the Notre Dame game where he was only targeted one time. It’s easy to call a defense when you know you don’t have to worry about one of your corners. Burke has allowed six catches on eighteen targets for 72 yards. Burke has almost as many passes defended, five, as he does receptions allowed. Burke has also shown a willingness to tackle which is always a concern for corners but willing tacklers are a prerequisite at the position for Ohio State.
The Big Ten is not littered with stud receivers as it has been in previous years but I have faith that Denzel will win future battles with Keandre Lambert-Smith of Penn State and Roman Wilson of Michigan.
Regardless of who you think is the MVP, Burke and Williams are proving to be anchors for this Ohio State defense. They are also working their way up the NFL draft boards. With these two players playing at this level and the Buckeyes having the best linebacker duo in the country this defense is going to be a problem for a lot of teams for the rest of this season.
Cover 3: You can’t handle the truth!
It’s time to talk about the defensive line. If you scour Buckeye’s Twitter for more than 30 seconds you will find someone talking negatively about the defensive line. In my opinion, the negativity is warranted but overrated. Football is a very detailed sport and many fans only care about the splash plays.
A majority of splash plays happen on offense so defense is overlooked. When talking about what makes a good defense, specifically a good defensive line everyone will point to sacks. If you’re judging this defensive line based solely on sack production then they’re awful. The problem is that sacks are not the only important job for a defensive line. At Ohio State the expectation is sacks, so I’m not here to tell you not to be critical but I am here to say the sky is not falling.
The biggest issue with the defensive line is simply that Larry Johnson is in an open feud with defensive coordinator Jim Knowles and his system. This makes the defensive line look disjointed at times.
On top of that, this isn’t the defensive line of old. Previously Ohio State’s defensive lines were consisting of quick twitch and bendy athletes on the edge and they largely ignored the interior defensive line. This is not to say there were not good players but much of the focus was on the edge rushers. In this defense, the best players on the line may be on the interior with Mike Hall and Tyliek Williams. Also, JT is an amazing athlete but he is not a quick twitch and bendy athlete like Chase Young.
JT and Jack are never going to be the dangerous pass rushers of old. This does not mean they are bad players or the defensive line is underperforming. Knowles has stated publicly that he is just letting players play and has toned down his aggressiveness. This defensive line has not gotten home but they have affected the quarterback by getting pressure and getting hits on the quarterback. They are also consistently resetting the line of scrimmage and freeing the linebackers to make plays on running backs.
It’s not the pretty splashy part of defensive football but they are doing what’s asked of them. This defense would not be in the place they are without the defensive line. Of course, it would be great if they got more sacks. I think Johnson needs to mix up his rotation and play some of the young guys more on passing downs to get more sacks. Despite that, this is a very good defensive line that consists of four players who could go in the top 50 picks of the 2024 NFL Draft.
Follow The I-80 Football Show on YouTube: @JordanW330 or @LandGrantPods
Subscribe to the podcast: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
Connect with me on Twitter: @JordanW330
Follow I-80 Football Show on Instagram: @I80FootballShow
Continue reading...
LGHL Get the Brutus bobblehead that reveals a secret version of The Horseshoe
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Get the Brutus bobblehead that reveals a secret version of The Horseshoe
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Every Buckeye fan needs one of these limited-edition two-in-one figures!
Bobbleheads are great. They are fun, colorful reminders of the teams, athletes, characters, artists, historical figures, etc. that you love. They can be quirky, semi-retro additions to your decor that bring a certain element of whimsy and child-like joy to any room they are in. But do you know what has been lacking from bobbleheads for far too long?
Magnets and secret compartments.
Fortunately, our friends at FOCO are here to right this unthinkable wrong with their new Mascot Magnetic Stadium Base Bobblehead series. While there are versions for other football programs, obviously the only one that we care about is the Ohio State one. In this limited-edition figure, our beloved Brutus Buckeye is standing atop a scarlet dome vaguely reminiscent of a football.
However, that dome can be removed to uncover a magnificent miniature replica of the cathedral of college football Ohio Stadium. So, this 7-inch-tall item serves as both a mascot bobblehead and a scaled-down stadium collectible.
Every single one of the 123 hand-painted units that have been manufactured is individually numbered and retails for $80. Order your two-in-one Brutus/Ohio Stadium bobblehead today before they are all gone and you have to go and find a dome of your own to hide underneath.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24963632/Ohio_State_Brutus_Magnetic_Stadium_Base_Bobblehead.jpg)
FOCO has been killing it with Ohio State bobbleheads over the past year. Just last week, they released 15 different sport-specific Brutus bobbleheads. Earlier this month, they introduced Snoopy and Charlie Brown Buckeye bobblehead, and in August, they introduced a Brutus training camp bobblehead and for Memorial Day, the company released an “I Want You” Uncle Sam-inspired Brutus bobblehead. Those followed the NFL Draft, when FOCO released figures to celebrate the selections of C.J. Stroud, Paris Johnson Jr., and Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Then, last fall, they released an absolute must-have Brutus “Then and Now” bobblehead featuring the current and original versions of everybody’s favorite poisonous nut!
And in October 2022, to celebrate Halloween, the company released a “Phantom of the Opera-themed bobblehead featuring our boy Brutus in a picture-perfect Spooky Season costume. The company also released a Thanksgiving Day Parade-inspired Brutus bobblehead and a Brutus in Christmas pajamas in front of the fireplace bobblehead. Also, last summer, FOCO released a very snazzy Brutus Buckeye Bighead.
In addition, FOCO just released a pair of bobbleheads to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Ohio Stadium. One features Brutus, while the other shows Woody Hayes strutting above The Horseshoe.
As someone with a borderline unhealthy Ohio State bobblehead/collectible addiction, I can think of no better way to celebrate the final unofficial season before college football than with one (or all) of these magnificent merchandising masterpieces.
And, if actually care about teams other than Ohio State, FOCO has some other college team Peanut options that you might be interested in as well.
If for some reason you think you might need one of these for another school, I guess you can find the right one here.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24963636/NCAA_Magnetic_Stadium_Base_Bobbleheads.jpg)
Continue reading...
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Every Buckeye fan needs one of these limited-edition two-in-one figures!
Bobbleheads are great. They are fun, colorful reminders of the teams, athletes, characters, artists, historical figures, etc. that you love. They can be quirky, semi-retro additions to your decor that bring a certain element of whimsy and child-like joy to any room they are in. But do you know what has been lacking from bobbleheads for far too long?
Magnets and secret compartments.
Fortunately, our friends at FOCO are here to right this unthinkable wrong with their new Mascot Magnetic Stadium Base Bobblehead series. While there are versions for other football programs, obviously the only one that we care about is the Ohio State one. In this limited-edition figure, our beloved Brutus Buckeye is standing atop a scarlet dome vaguely reminiscent of a football.
However, that dome can be removed to uncover a magnificent miniature replica of the cathedral of college football Ohio Stadium. So, this 7-inch-tall item serves as both a mascot bobblehead and a scaled-down stadium collectible.
Every single one of the 123 hand-painted units that have been manufactured is individually numbered and retails for $80. Order your two-in-one Brutus/Ohio Stadium bobblehead today before they are all gone and you have to go and find a dome of your own to hide underneath.
Get Your Brutus Bobblehead with Secret Horseshoe Base Now!
FOCO has been killing it with Ohio State bobbleheads over the past year. Just last week, they released 15 different sport-specific Brutus bobbleheads. Earlier this month, they introduced Snoopy and Charlie Brown Buckeye bobblehead, and in August, they introduced a Brutus training camp bobblehead and for Memorial Day, the company released an “I Want You” Uncle Sam-inspired Brutus bobblehead. Those followed the NFL Draft, when FOCO released figures to celebrate the selections of C.J. Stroud, Paris Johnson Jr., and Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Then, last fall, they released an absolute must-have Brutus “Then and Now” bobblehead featuring the current and original versions of everybody’s favorite poisonous nut!
And in October 2022, to celebrate Halloween, the company released a “Phantom of the Opera-themed bobblehead featuring our boy Brutus in a picture-perfect Spooky Season costume. The company also released a Thanksgiving Day Parade-inspired Brutus bobblehead and a Brutus in Christmas pajamas in front of the fireplace bobblehead. Also, last summer, FOCO released a very snazzy Brutus Buckeye Bighead.
In addition, FOCO just released a pair of bobbleheads to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Ohio Stadium. One features Brutus, while the other shows Woody Hayes strutting above The Horseshoe.
As someone with a borderline unhealthy Ohio State bobblehead/collectible addiction, I can think of no better way to celebrate the final unofficial season before college football than with one (or all) of these magnificent merchandising masterpieces.
And, if actually care about teams other than Ohio State, FOCO has some other college team Peanut options that you might be interested in as well.
If for some reason you think you might need one of these for another school, I guess you can find the right one here.
Continue reading...
LGHL Ohio State fans really loved Ryan Day going after Lou Holtz
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Ohio State fans really loved Ryan Day going after Lou Holtz
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images
The win over Notre Dame made fans feel better about the team as well.
Take a deep breath, Buckeye fans. Ohio State has made it through the first quarter of its regular season and we can sit and enjoy all of the games this college football Saturday. But earlier this week, as we were able to take a step back and process everything we witnessed last Saturday in South Bend, we wanted to check in with the fandom and see how Buckeye Nation felt about the marquee victory.
In our weekly fan survey, we asked three questions to see where your head and your heart were at in relation to everything that we saw transpire in South Bend last weekend. See the responses to our questions below, and if you have other thoughts, feel free to share them in the comments at the bottom of the page.
Check out DraftKings Sportsbook, the official sportsbook partner of SB Nation.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24963454/OhioState_1_092723.png)
To me, this is by far the right answer. Like I wrote earlier in the week, the Buckeyes’ performance was far from perfect, but it felt like the type of win that is the beginning of something special; like it might have unlocked something for the team, its quarterback, and its coach.
Perhaps after eight games, we will look back and think of the gutsy, prime time, road win as a flash in the pan, but I think we are far more likely to look back at the 17-14 win against the Irish as the springboard that took Ohio State to the next level this season.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24963457/OhioState_2_092723.png)
Moderation is almost always a prudent thing to have in life, be it in your carbohydrate consumption, your personal spending practices, or your reaction to a single game of college football. However, I have been known to be a bit of a prisoner of the moment. So, coming out of the Notre Dame game, I admit that I am feeling much better about the Buckeyes than I did going in. No, they are not a finished product at this point in the season, but they passed their first major test.
They have two more coming up at the end of this month (Penn State on Oct. 21 and Wisconsin on Oct. 28) and seeing how they were able to grind out the win while still fighting to figure out some things is impressive to me. The last two Buckeye championship teams have had to work through some growing pains, and this team will too, but I think the mentality — and dare I say, toughness — that they played with Saturday is incredibly encouraging for me.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24963458/OhioState_3_092723.png)
Did I love Ryan Day calling out Lou Holtz when it happened? Absolutely.
Does it look a bit unhinged to people outside of the Ohio State bubble? Definitely.
In a vacuum, is it a bit unbecoming of the head coach for a program like OSU? Probably.
Does any of that matter? Not in the least.
I don’t know if Day had some major strategic purpose in saying what he said on Saturday night or not, but the only people whose opinion on the matter that counts, is the players in the Ohio State locker room, and they uniformly loved it. They’ve heard all of the questions about toughness from inside and outside Columbus, so for Day to actively, publicly, and emotionally plant a flag in favor of his team was all that the players needed to hear.
Kyle McCord and Emeka Egbuka were both asked by the media about it last week (and you can hear their comments in the podcast below). But, like with the win in general, I think that this can be a rallying cry that becomes a bit of a turning point for everyone in scarlet and gray.
Continue reading...
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images
The win over Notre Dame made fans feel better about the team as well.
Take a deep breath, Buckeye fans. Ohio State has made it through the first quarter of its regular season and we can sit and enjoy all of the games this college football Saturday. But earlier this week, as we were able to take a step back and process everything we witnessed last Saturday in South Bend, we wanted to check in with the fandom and see how Buckeye Nation felt about the marquee victory.
In our weekly fan survey, we asked three questions to see where your head and your heart were at in relation to everything that we saw transpire in South Bend last weekend. See the responses to our questions below, and if you have other thoughts, feel free to share them in the comments at the bottom of the page.
Check out DraftKings Sportsbook, the official sportsbook partner of SB Nation.
Question 1: What is your biggest takeaway from Ohio State’s win over Notre Dame?
To me, this is by far the right answer. Like I wrote earlier in the week, the Buckeyes’ performance was far from perfect, but it felt like the type of win that is the beginning of something special; like it might have unlocked something for the team, its quarterback, and its coach.
Perhaps after eight games, we will look back and think of the gutsy, prime time, road win as a flash in the pan, but I think we are far more likely to look back at the 17-14 win against the Irish as the springboard that took Ohio State to the next level this season.
Question 2: How much (if any) did the game change your opinion of the Ohio State team?
Moderation is almost always a prudent thing to have in life, be it in your carbohydrate consumption, your personal spending practices, or your reaction to a single game of college football. However, I have been known to be a bit of a prisoner of the moment. So, coming out of the Notre Dame game, I admit that I am feeling much better about the Buckeyes than I did going in. No, they are not a finished product at this point in the season, but they passed their first major test.
They have two more coming up at the end of this month (Penn State on Oct. 21 and Wisconsin on Oct. 28) and seeing how they were able to grind out the win while still fighting to figure out some things is impressive to me. The last two Buckeye championship teams have had to work through some growing pains, and this team will too, but I think the mentality — and dare I say, toughness — that they played with Saturday is incredibly encouraging for me.
Question 3: What did you think of Ryan Day going after Lou Holtz?
Did I love Ryan Day calling out Lou Holtz when it happened? Absolutely.
Does it look a bit unhinged to people outside of the Ohio State bubble? Definitely.
In a vacuum, is it a bit unbecoming of the head coach for a program like OSU? Probably.
Does any of that matter? Not in the least.
I don’t know if Day had some major strategic purpose in saying what he said on Saturday night or not, but the only people whose opinion on the matter that counts, is the players in the Ohio State locker room, and they uniformly loved it. They’ve heard all of the questions about toughness from inside and outside Columbus, so for Day to actively, publicly, and emotionally plant a flag in favor of his team was all that the players needed to hear.
Kyle McCord and Emeka Egbuka were both asked by the media about it last week (and you can hear their comments in the podcast below). But, like with the win in general, I think that this can be a rallying cry that becomes a bit of a turning point for everyone in scarlet and gray.
Continue reading...
LGHL MC&J: Week 5’s schedule in the Big Ten is downright terrible
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MC&J: Week 5’s schedule in the Big Ten is downright terrible
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
There honestly isn’t one game on Saturday’s slate involving a Big Ten team that is remotely interesting.
This week’s national action is a lot more easier on the eyes than what the Big Ten has to offer. You can find my picks for this week’s important games outside the conference here.
No. 6 Penn State (-27.5) v. Northwestern - 12:00 p.m. ET - Big Ten Network
We actually saw some signs of life out of Northwestern last week! After trailing Minnesota 31-10 early in the fourth quarter, the Wildcats scored 21 unanswered points, tying the game with two seconds left in regulation when A.J. Henning caught an 11-yard touchdown pass from Ben Bryant. Bryce Kirtz was a monster in the game, as the wide receiver hauled in 10 passes for 215 yards and two scores.
Penn State absolutely dominated Iowa last week. The Nittany Lions only gave up four first downs and 76 yards to the anemic offense of the Hawkeyes. There are times when a trip to Evanston can be worrisome, but this doesn’t feel like one of those occasions since the weather sounds like it is going to be good for Saturday afternoon’s contest. Penn State is no Minnesota, so when the Nittany Lions jump out on Northwestern, they won’t fold up late in the game like the Golden Gophers did. Drew Allar and the offense cruise, while the Penn State defense puts up another strong performance.
Penn State 41, Northwestern 10
Louisiana v. Minnesota (-11.5) - 12:00 p.m. ET - Big Ten Network
You have to wonder after last week’s collapse against Northwestern if P.J. Fleck is calling the Michigan State athletic department hourly to let the Spartans know he is interested in their head coaching job. Aside from Darius Taylor, who has rushed for 190 yards in two of the last three games, there isn’t much about Minnesota to write home about. The Golden Gophers aren’t the worst team in the Big Ten West, but they also aren’t the best. They are just there.
In this game, it feels like if the Ragin’ Cajuns score a couple touchdowns, Minnesota could be in trouble since they have a tough time putting points on the board. Even though Louisiana hasn’t played anyone up to the caliber of Minnesota, the Ragin’ Cajuns are cooking on offense, averaging nearly 480 yards per game. This feels like a few too many points for a Minnesota team to be laying when they are struggling to find their identity.
Minnesota 28, Louisiana 24
No. 2 Michigan (-17.5) v. Nebraska - 3:30 p.m. ET - FOX
Has Michigan looked like the best team in the country so far this year? No. The Wolverines has handled their business easily, though. Through four games this season Michigan is outscoring their opponents 127-23. It feels like the offense of the Wolverines hasn’t quite reached their full potential yet. Blake Corum has rushed for at least 70 yards in each game this season, picking up some of the slack for Donovan Edwards, who is only averaging 3.3 yards per carry.
Heinrich Haarberg looks to have taken over at quarterback after Georgia Tech transfer Jeff Sims failed to impress in the first couple games of the season. While Haarberg has given Nebraska more of a running threat that worked against Northern Illinois and Louisiana Tech, it is hard to see it going as well against a tough Michigan defense. Even though this will be the first road game of the year for the Wolverines, I think we see the most complete performance of the year from Jim Harbaugh’s team.
Michigan 34, Nebraska 13
Indiana v. Maryland (-14.5) - 3:30 p.m. ET - Big Ten Network
It’s fitting that after I said some nice things about the Hoosiers and thought they would be able to easily handle Akron, Indiana ends up needing four overtimes to beat the Zips. Tayven Jackson had some growing pains in the win, completing just 11-of-26 passes. Jaylin Lucas was pretty much invisible in the contest, rushing 13 times for just 43 yards. If the Hoosiers have any hope of sniffing .500 this year, they’ll need more from both players.
On the other side, I had some doubts about Maryland against Michigan State. The Terrapins made me eat my words, easily defeating the Spartans in East Lansing. Maryland didn’t even play all that well offensively against Michigan State, and they still had no problem winning. It feels like the Terrapins have just too much firepower on offense for Indiana to keep pace with. Unlike Louisville, who let the Hoosiers hang around a few weeks ago, Maryland will put nails in the coffin when it comes time.
Maryland 37, Indiana 17
Illinois v. Purdue (-1.5) - 3:30 p.m. ET - Peacock
Both these teams had to figure they’d be better this season than what they have showed. Illinois somehow fell behind Florida Atlantic 10-0 in the first quarter before rallying to win 23-17. Despite only scoring 23 points, the Fighting Illini offense showed some signs of life, rolling up 510 yards of offense. A couple fumbles kept Illinois from winning by more than six points.
Purdue looked pretty lethargic in a 38-17 loss to Wisconsin last week. The Boilermakers fell behind 21-3 in the second quarter and were able to cut the deficit to 27-17 before the Badgers put the game away for good. Oddly enough, Purdue out-gained Wisconsin but were done in by three turnovers.
These two teams are pretty similar statistically, I just feel like Illinois is closer to finding themselves than Purdue is right now. Last week we saw the running game of the Fighting Illini get going a bit, which takes some pressure off quarterback Luke Altmyer. Give me the team showing some signs of life over a Purdue squad that is lost right now.
Illinois 27, Purdue 20
Michigan State v. Iowa (-12.5) - 7:30 p.m. ET - NBC
This game is going to be the most brutal thing NBC has aired since The Paul Reiser Show. We don’t even have an idea of who will be playing for Michigan State since players have 30 days to enter the transfer portal after the firing of Mel Tucker. Then again, there might not be many players other teams are interested in, especially after seeing the Spartans get smashed the last two weeks by Washington and Maryland in East Lansing.
Saturday night’s offensive performance in State College was bad even for Iowa’s standards. If Kirk Ferentz had any guts, he would have told Brian Ferentz to walk back to Iowa City. Some teams can get four first downs on a drive. Iowa had four first downs THE WHOLE GAME. Now Cade McNamara is blaming everyone but himself for how bad the Iowa offense has been.
As bad as Michigan State has been this year, it is so tough to trust Iowa laying almost two touchdowns. Maybe the Spartans will play a little better away from home now that the Tucker situation has been finalized. I just have to take the points in a game that has the potential to set football back a few decades.
Iowa 23, Michigan State 14
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Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
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Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
There honestly isn’t one game on Saturday’s slate involving a Big Ten team that is remotely interesting.
Last week ATS: 8-9 (5-3 National, 3-6 B1G)
Season ATS: 40-41 (17-21 National, 23-20 B1G)
This week’s national action is a lot more easier on the eyes than what the Big Ten has to offer. You can find my picks for this week’s important games outside the conference here.
B1G games
No. 6 Penn State (-27.5) v. Northwestern - 12:00 p.m. ET - Big Ten Network
We actually saw some signs of life out of Northwestern last week! After trailing Minnesota 31-10 early in the fourth quarter, the Wildcats scored 21 unanswered points, tying the game with two seconds left in regulation when A.J. Henning caught an 11-yard touchdown pass from Ben Bryant. Bryce Kirtz was a monster in the game, as the wide receiver hauled in 10 passes for 215 yards and two scores.
Penn State absolutely dominated Iowa last week. The Nittany Lions only gave up four first downs and 76 yards to the anemic offense of the Hawkeyes. There are times when a trip to Evanston can be worrisome, but this doesn’t feel like one of those occasions since the weather sounds like it is going to be good for Saturday afternoon’s contest. Penn State is no Minnesota, so when the Nittany Lions jump out on Northwestern, they won’t fold up late in the game like the Golden Gophers did. Drew Allar and the offense cruise, while the Penn State defense puts up another strong performance.
Penn State 41, Northwestern 10
Louisiana v. Minnesota (-11.5) - 12:00 p.m. ET - Big Ten Network
You have to wonder after last week’s collapse against Northwestern if P.J. Fleck is calling the Michigan State athletic department hourly to let the Spartans know he is interested in their head coaching job. Aside from Darius Taylor, who has rushed for 190 yards in two of the last three games, there isn’t much about Minnesota to write home about. The Golden Gophers aren’t the worst team in the Big Ten West, but they also aren’t the best. They are just there.
In this game, it feels like if the Ragin’ Cajuns score a couple touchdowns, Minnesota could be in trouble since they have a tough time putting points on the board. Even though Louisiana hasn’t played anyone up to the caliber of Minnesota, the Ragin’ Cajuns are cooking on offense, averaging nearly 480 yards per game. This feels like a few too many points for a Minnesota team to be laying when they are struggling to find their identity.
Minnesota 28, Louisiana 24
No. 2 Michigan (-17.5) v. Nebraska - 3:30 p.m. ET - FOX
Has Michigan looked like the best team in the country so far this year? No. The Wolverines has handled their business easily, though. Through four games this season Michigan is outscoring their opponents 127-23. It feels like the offense of the Wolverines hasn’t quite reached their full potential yet. Blake Corum has rushed for at least 70 yards in each game this season, picking up some of the slack for Donovan Edwards, who is only averaging 3.3 yards per carry.
Heinrich Haarberg looks to have taken over at quarterback after Georgia Tech transfer Jeff Sims failed to impress in the first couple games of the season. While Haarberg has given Nebraska more of a running threat that worked against Northern Illinois and Louisiana Tech, it is hard to see it going as well against a tough Michigan defense. Even though this will be the first road game of the year for the Wolverines, I think we see the most complete performance of the year from Jim Harbaugh’s team.
Michigan 34, Nebraska 13
Indiana v. Maryland (-14.5) - 3:30 p.m. ET - Big Ten Network
It’s fitting that after I said some nice things about the Hoosiers and thought they would be able to easily handle Akron, Indiana ends up needing four overtimes to beat the Zips. Tayven Jackson had some growing pains in the win, completing just 11-of-26 passes. Jaylin Lucas was pretty much invisible in the contest, rushing 13 times for just 43 yards. If the Hoosiers have any hope of sniffing .500 this year, they’ll need more from both players.
On the other side, I had some doubts about Maryland against Michigan State. The Terrapins made me eat my words, easily defeating the Spartans in East Lansing. Maryland didn’t even play all that well offensively against Michigan State, and they still had no problem winning. It feels like the Terrapins have just too much firepower on offense for Indiana to keep pace with. Unlike Louisville, who let the Hoosiers hang around a few weeks ago, Maryland will put nails in the coffin when it comes time.
Maryland 37, Indiana 17
Illinois v. Purdue (-1.5) - 3:30 p.m. ET - Peacock
Both these teams had to figure they’d be better this season than what they have showed. Illinois somehow fell behind Florida Atlantic 10-0 in the first quarter before rallying to win 23-17. Despite only scoring 23 points, the Fighting Illini offense showed some signs of life, rolling up 510 yards of offense. A couple fumbles kept Illinois from winning by more than six points.
Purdue looked pretty lethargic in a 38-17 loss to Wisconsin last week. The Boilermakers fell behind 21-3 in the second quarter and were able to cut the deficit to 27-17 before the Badgers put the game away for good. Oddly enough, Purdue out-gained Wisconsin but were done in by three turnovers.
These two teams are pretty similar statistically, I just feel like Illinois is closer to finding themselves than Purdue is right now. Last week we saw the running game of the Fighting Illini get going a bit, which takes some pressure off quarterback Luke Altmyer. Give me the team showing some signs of life over a Purdue squad that is lost right now.
Illinois 27, Purdue 20
Michigan State v. Iowa (-12.5) - 7:30 p.m. ET - NBC
This game is going to be the most brutal thing NBC has aired since The Paul Reiser Show. We don’t even have an idea of who will be playing for Michigan State since players have 30 days to enter the transfer portal after the firing of Mel Tucker. Then again, there might not be many players other teams are interested in, especially after seeing the Spartans get smashed the last two weeks by Washington and Maryland in East Lansing.
Saturday night’s offensive performance in State College was bad even for Iowa’s standards. If Kirk Ferentz had any guts, he would have told Brian Ferentz to walk back to Iowa City. Some teams can get four first downs on a drive. Iowa had four first downs THE WHOLE GAME. Now Cade McNamara is blaming everyone but himself for how bad the Iowa offense has been.
As bad as Michigan State has been this year, it is so tough to trust Iowa laying almost two touchdowns. Maybe the Spartans will play a little better away from home now that the Tucker situation has been finalized. I just have to take the points in a game that has the potential to set football back a few decades.
Iowa 23, Michigan State 14
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