Ohio State may need several of ‘The Other Guys’ to step up against an impressive (and undefeated) Penn State squad
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
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Yes, this headline is a reference — an homage, even — to the most underrated comedy of the 21st century. And if you don’t love it, then we simply can’t be friends... cue Little River Band!

Ohio State welcomes undefeated Penn State to The Shoe this weekend, and with both Big Ten and possible College Football Playoff implications on the line, the Buckeyes are (and have been) a bit banged up... To say the least. And it has not been ‘death’ by a thousand cuts for Ryan Day’s squad, but rather deep, cavernous, painful cuts — AKA losing and/or missing some of their biggest and brightest stars.


Wide receiver Emeka Egbuka and running backs TreVeyon Henderson and Miyan Williams have all missed at least one game, while cornerback Denzel Burke left this past weekend’s blowout of Purdue after having his legs swept out from under him by friendly fire. The latter did not return, and there is a strong argument to be made that his (Burke) potential injury is the most impactful of all, as the Nittany Lions look to stalk prey in Columbus.

But there is no need to take a turn to Negative Town just yet, as we do not know the extent of Burke’s injury. And there is certainly a possibility that one or all of the others mentioned above have recovered from theirs. Unfortunately, we are not likely to find out if any of these banged up Buckeyes are available until 10AM Saturday because Day hates us is rather cagey when it comes to details. Which is a bitter pill we must accept and swallow.


Ohio State players and coaches have been vocal about their ‘next man up’ mentality, and thus leaned into it – or were forced to do so – against the Boilermakers. To great success, really. Multiple pass catchers performed well in place of Egbuka, and when the OSU was down just about every RB on their roster, Dallan Hayden rose from the ashes like a bulldozing phoenix, to the tune of 76 yards and a touchdown.

But Purdue is not Penn State, and Penn State is not Purdue. There is an absurdly large chasm between the two teams, in terms of talent, experience, and probably even coaching. So if the Buckeyes are without a handful of starters on Saturday, then several ‘other guys’ – or less-heralded players – will need to step up in their absence(s). Like Hoitz and Gamble, baby. Below are a few names that come to mind:

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QB Devin Brown​

Barbara J. Perenic/The Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

If backup QB Devin Brown enters Saturday’s game due to injury, go ahead and sound the alarm(s). While obviously talented, this second-year signal caller just hasn’t much to inspire confidence... when it comes to throwing the ball. Running it, on the other hand, is or might be a different story.

After losing the QB battle and essentially being placed on ice for the better part of a month, Brown reemerged against Purdue as a goal line threat. He carried the ball eight times for 20 yards and a touchdown, and would have added a second rushing TD had he practiced better ball security.

Obviously, OSU can ill afford to be sloppy and turn the ball over against Penn State, but Brown does add an interesting wrinkle to the Buckeyes’ inconsistent ground game. His usage against Purdue may have been a one-off, but do not be surprised if we see him in the lineup (again) in a goal-to-go situation. Especially with PSU DEs Chop Robinson and Adisa Isaac potentially screaming in off the edge.

RB Dallan Hayden​

Dallan Hayden highlights vs Purdue pic.twitter.com/1N6y7uXIbO

— Colton Denning (@Dubsco) October 14, 2023

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If Brown’s presence in the game is cause for (slight) concern, Hayden’s might be cause for celebration. No offense to Brown or any of the other Ohio State RBs, but Hayden looked to be the best fit for running behind his team’s inconsistent offensive line. The redshirt candidate ran with authority against Purdue, identifying lanes quickly and running through them with bad intentions. Granted, one game in which Hayden did not even start is a small sample size, but the kid looked good.

Also, we should not just ignore the many talents of Henderson. I personally believe that he is the most naturally gifted Buckeye back, but his general usage is puzzling. Regardless, even if Henderson is back on Saturday, Hayden has earned additional opportunities. The redshirt idea is/was fun and all, to preserve the true sophomore for future seasons, but OSU needs their best players on the field Saturday. He is one of those players.

WR Julian Fleming​

Look, I’ve already purchased half of Fleming Island, and now I need to sell some condos. I’ll never give up all of my Fleming Inc. holdings, but the market is very, very, very soft right now. If Julian has a good game in place of or next to Egbuka – which he is absolutely capable of – then prices go up.

OL Josh ‘Jimmy’ Simmons and Josh ‘Just Josh’ Fryar​

I’m just asking for a good game, fellas. I need it, we need it, your team needs it. Penn State’s defensive line is a force to be reckoned with, but I believe, baby!

LB Cody Simon​

Barbara J. Perenic/The Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

We heard it from Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles on Tuesday: Simon is neck-and-neck with incumbent LB Steele Chambers. While the latter has seemingly regressed, the former has been taking advantage of opportunities earned. Simon actually led the Buckeyes in tackles last weekend, and this coming Saturday, he may be relied upon heavily to help slow down a prolific Nittany Lions rushing attack.

I have never been the biggest ‘Simon guy’, however, there is no denying that he has shown significant improvement in 2023. He is still an absolute liability in coverage, that will likely never change. But in the right spots, hopefully he can be used as a blunt object to deliver hits to PSU’s Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen.

CB Jermaine Mathews Jr.​

Freshman Jermaine Mathews Jr. with the pick-six! Ohio State up 63-10 pic.twitter.com/bg3J4f3EGJ

— The Buckeye Nut (@TheBuckeyeNut) September 16, 2023

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Mathews Jr. playing a major role in this weekend’s game would be concerning to me personally, only because I believe that Denzel Burke has played at or near an All-American level this season. He (Burke) has been that good, essentially shutting down half the field each week. If the junior is unable to go, and it is Mathews Jr. who starts in his place – or rotates in when Jordan Hancock moves to the slot – then I think my concerns are or would be justified.

But then again, who says that a true freshman corner can’t come in and (also) play at an All-American level? Certainly no one in Columbus. Because Burke and Davison Igbinosun, the Buckeyes’ other starting CB, both did it!

Knowles was pretty effusive in his praise of Mathews Jr. on Tuesday, and the latter has already played meaningful snaps for OSU, so perhaps the Cincinnati product is ready to step in and step up. And if he plays well in place of Burke, great! I would still rather have the known commodity. But the young fella has earned his coaches’ trust, and those same (secondary) coaches have earned mine. So godspeed, Jermaine Mathews Jr. I hope that you ball out if called upon.

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Guessing the starting five for 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


Barbara J. Perenic/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

There are only a couple weeks until the Buckeyes take on the USC Trojans, so it's time to think about who’s going to start on Nov. 6

The start of the 23-24 season is fast approaching. On Monday, Nov. 6, the No. 7 Ohio State women’s basketball team faces the No. 21 USC Trojans at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Playing in the Naismith Hall of Fame Series, the Buckeyes get their first taste of a soon-to-be Big Ten side. The top-25 game tips off a season that, on the surface, features one of the more difficult schedules for the scarlet and gray in recent history.

So, who should be in the starting lineup for the Buckeyes in Vegas?

Land-Grant Holy Land takes a stab at that question, with a predicted starting five to go up against the Trojans, and beyond. While four of the spots seem easy to pinpoint, there’s a position that should grab a lot of attention.

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Guard - Jacy Sheldon​

Guard Jacy Sheldon is as easy of a pick for point guard as is reading an Ohio State sports site that doesn’t charge you for content.

Sheldon became the Buckeyes de facto point guard in January 2022, when then Ohio State guard Kateri Poole sustained an injury. Head coach Kevin McGuff put Sheldon in the role and, despite Poole’s return a couple games later, kept Sheldon running the offense indefinitely.

That decision was twofold. First, expected 21-22 starter Madison Greene suffered a knee injury that took her out for the entirety of the season. Second, Sheldon pushed the Buckeyes to a new level. With the Ohioan at point, Ohio State earned wins against a Maryland Terrapins team featuring guard Ashley Owusu and forward Angel Reese plus a road win against guard Caitlin Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes.

Ohio State’s win in Iowa City eventually earned the team a share of the conference regular season title.

Sheldon kept the position for the start of 22-23 and led the Buckeyes in wins over the Tennessee Volunteers and Louisville Cardinals. The guard missed most games until the postseason following the Louisville win due to a foot injury and took on point guard duties again, due to another knee injury sustained by Greene.

With Greene still recovering, and Ohio State not trying to rush the point guard back until later in the calendar year, Sheldon’s running the show. Playing in her final season, it doesn’t seem like Sheldon will lose that point guard position either, as long as she stays healthy.

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Guard - Celeste Taylor​

The next all but guaranteed Ohio State starter is shooting guard Celeste Taylor. When a team transfers in an AP All-American Honorable Mention, First Team All-ACC, ACC Defensive Player of the Year who led her team in points too isn’t going to start on the bench.

Taylor isn’t just getting the spot because of past accolades but listen to how McGuff and her teammates talk about Taylor and she’s already a leader on this team. The guard had a 72.7 defensive rating, allowing only 72.7 points for every 100 opponent possessions, fitting perfectly into McGuff’s 23/24 focus of improving the halfcourt defense.

As much as people talk about Ohio State’s press, it’s not the only defensive set they play. Luckily for Taylor, she can do both. The Long Island native played three different systems with three previous coaches in four years. Each time it ended with the Texas Longhorns and Duke Blue Devils excelling.

William Howard-USA TODAY Sports

When the press does enter the conversation, Taylor is like Sheldon in that she has an endless motor and never appears to be tired on the court.

The Sheldon/Taylor guard partnership has all the potential to be one of the best guard duos in the country, and that’s not hyperbole. Both are already recognized for their play with additions to their respective position’s awards, Taylor on the Ann-Meyers Drysdale Award watch list and the same for Sheldon and the Nancy Lieberman Award

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Guard - Taylor Thierry​

In a similar article last season, forward Taylor Thierry made the starting five, but it was not an easy decision by any means. Coach McGuff, likely without reading the article, started Thierry every game last season. What was odd about the decision is that Thierry didn’t start as a forward, but as a guard.

Thierry’s athleticism and court vision makes it difficult to tag her with one position. For instance, Thierry was third in the Big Ten last year in overall steals (74). A fitting stat line for a guard. She also was third in the conference in offensive rebounds (104), which is more aligned with someone playing in the paint.

The hybrid forward/guard plays everywhere.

With Thierry’s wingspan, leaping ability and speed, it's hard to get past Thierry on offense. She’s blocking shooters on the perimeter, sometimes from beyond the arc and gets quick passes up to teammates on the fastbreak.

Offensively, Thierry became a major outlet for teammates. Thierry made a name for herself in scoring inside the paint. When now-Ohio State graduate Taylor Mikesell earned extra attention on defense, it meant Thierry could move towards the basket. The same for forward Cotie McMahon, who over the year attracted attention herself as runs to hoop became frequent. McMahon used Thierry as an outlet when defenders closed in.

In response, Thierry hit 181 two-point shots, good for sixth in the conference. Thierry’s .651 field goal percentage on two-point attempts was ninth best in the country.

The only way Thierry’s name isn’t in the starting five is if there’s an injury. Someone who can slide from the perimeter to the paint with ease, with the ability and work ethic of Thierry, isn’t finding much time on the bench.

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Forward - Cotie McMahon​

Last season, coach McGuff used the Kentucky Derby as inspiration for forward Cotie McMahon. Labeled “the most exciting five seconds in college basketball,” McMahon was posterchild of the big play. Those moments came in almost every game.

McMahon was a surprise name on the starting roster last year, starting every game like Thierry. After a few games, it was much less of a surprise. McMahon entered NCAA basketball at full speed.

The forward scored 10 in her first game of the season and despite having an inconsistent start to the season, the reason McGuff entrusted McMahon to start hit in December. That’s when the college game began slowing down for the Centerville, Ohio native.

For the remainder of the season, McMahon averaged 17.1 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game for the remaining 27 contests of her freshman year. After winning the Big Ten’s Freshman of the Year award, McMahon followed it up with an NCAA Tournament performance not expected of most freshman.

In four games, McMahon averaged 18.3 points and 6.0 rebounds. Against the UConn Huskies in the Sweet Sixteen, it wasn’t only a classic McMahon performance of spinning her way to the rim and earning trips to the foul line, but McMahon showed glimpses of the future.

Barbara J. Perenic/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

McMahon went 2-for-3 from beyond the arc, saying that she worked on long distance shooting throughout the season. Ohio State shocked the Huskies and head coach Geno Auriemma admitted that the Huskies weren’t ready for the night McMahon had against the storied program.

Now before the 23/24 season, the hype can’t get much higher for McMahon. If that trajectory continues in its current direction, with coach McGuff mentioning McMahon’s work on shooting this offseason, plus more Team USA experience at the U19 World Cup this summer, McMahon isn’t a future star for the program. She’s a star now.

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Forward - Rebeka Mikulášiková​

The position to watch is the No. 5 role. It could go in a few different directions. This prediction is going with the mainstay at forward over the last two seasons in Rebeka Mikulášiková.

McGuff has three players who can start in this role, and a wildcard choice. Competing against Mikulášiková are transfer forwards Eboni Walker and Taiyier Parks.

All three forwards bring different styles of play. For Parks, who joined this offseason from the Michigan State Spartans, its presence in the paint and a direct improvement on the boards. For the past two seasons, rebounding’s alluded Ohio State, especially going up against bigs of the conference like former Michigan Wolverine Naz Hillmon and current Indiana Hoosier All-American Mackenzie Holmes.

With Parks, the Buckeyes add a strong rebounder. In the last four seasons, Parks ended the year in the top 10 in the Big Ten for offensive rebounding. That’s for someone who isn’t a regular starter either, being in the game from tipoff only 13 times in 59 appearances over the past two seasons.

Another option is Walker. After joining the Buckeyes last offseason from Syracuse University, Walker took time to adjust and meet the conditioning needs of a fast-running side but did at the end of the regular season. From Feb. 13 through the Elite Eight, Walker’s name was in the starting five.

Photo by Tyler Schank/NCAA Photos via Getty Images
Walker and Mikulasikova celebrating during the NCAA tournament second round win over the North Carolina Tar Heels on March 20, 2023.

The mobile forward rebounded well, averaging 5.2 per game in the final 11 games of the season. Walker’s situational awareness also became a benefit to Ohio State’s offense. In the second round of the NCAA Tournament, at home against the North Carolina Tar Heels, the game-winning play was broken, but Walker fixed it. The forward moved with the ball and gave time for Sheldon to find an opening, hitting the game-winning shot.

So, why Mikulášiková? It’s about the offense.

For the first two months of the 22/23 season, Mikulášiková rivaled Mikesell offensively. The Slovakian graduate senior scored double digits in each of her first eight games of the calendar. Including a 31-point game against Rutgers, leading Ohio State in the victory. Versus the Oregon Ducks on Dec. 21, Mikulášiková hit five three-pointers.

When Mikulášiková is hitting shots, she makes defenses adjust, she shoots over smaller guards off screens and showed an increased ability to move and hit layups in the paint.

With Mikesell gone, Ohio State losses a historically good three-point shooter. With that means less offensive firepower and of the three options, Mikulášiková is the best in that department. However, when the forward’s shooting goes cold, it takes time to find it again.

It’s that needed offensive consistency that McGuff mentioned in media availability last week. When Mikulášiková, she’s starting caliber on most any NCAA team. If Ohio State gets that throughout the duration of the season, Walker and Parks turn into strong options off the bench and in particular matchups, in-game.

The wildcard in all this? Maybe none of the three start or play the role consistently with Thierry getting minutes in their place. McGuff could go small, putting guard Rikki Harris in as a fourth guard and Thierry as the presence in the paint.

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Ultimately, it's not Land-Grant’s decision to make but coach McGuff has the luxury or options. On Nov. 6, see who he picks when the game airs live on TruTV and the Max streaming service at 2:00 p.m. ET.

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Bucketheads Podcast: The crossover you’ve been waiting for; ‘Drive the Lane’ guys join the pod!
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Alex Martin/Journal and Courier / USA TODAY NETWORK

The guys from “Drive The Lane” joined us for the crossover event of the century.

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

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Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio

What is better than two podcast hosts? The answer is four.

For episode 87 of “Bucketheads,” Connor and Justin welcomed Joey Lane and Andrew Zoldan from the “Drive The Lane” Podcast to talk all things Big Ten Basketball and Ohio State Basketball.

We asked the Drive The Lane guys about their Big Ten predictions and Ohio State predictions and closed out with a quick therapy session for Joey.

Before the interview, Connor and Justin talked about the first AP poll and gave a quick Penn State-Ohio State prediction.

Be sure to like and subscribe to the podcast and leave a review of what you think of the show!

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Connect with the Podcast:
Twitter: @BucketheadsLGPN

Connect with Connor:
Twitter: @lemons_connor

Connect with Justin:
Twitter: @justin_golba

Connect with Joey:
Twitter: @JoeySmoke14

Connect with Andrew:
Twitter: @AndrewZoldan

Connect with Drive The Lane:
Twitter: @DriveTheLanePod

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Previewing the loaded guest list as Ohio State hosts Penn State in a top 10 tilt
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Buckeyes have one of premier matchups this weekend — with the guest list to match it’s importance.

Ohio State is hosting some elite company this weekend when they take on Penn State. With Fox’s Big Noon Kickoff and ESPN’s College Game Day on hand, the atmosphere in Columbus is going to be second to none, and having many pivotal recruits on campus to take it all in, the Buckeyes are looking to win both on and off the field.

Almost too many names to count, here’s just a short list of some of the bigger names that will be at Ohio State this weekend seeing all that the Buckeyes have to offer, whether it be the first time or a return trip.

Devin Sanchez​

Maybe the most important uncommitted target on site this weekend, Houston, Texas native Devin Sanchez is making the trek north for the big game. The No. 7 player nationally, Sanchez is the top cornerback in the country and the second best player from Texas per the 247Sports Composite for 2025. One of the higher-ranked guys to visit, the red carpet will be rolled out for Sanchez, and surely the better play from Ohio State’s defensive backs thus far has to speak volumes to any player at the position.

The staff will be all over this visit from the jump, and though they have a game to win as their first priority, taking time to recruit Sanchez is a given considering his talent.

I will be in ohio this weekend !! pic.twitter.com/QJxjbvXbFu

— Devin Sanchez (@Devin2416) October 18, 2023

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Dorian Brew​

Sticking with the 2025 class and defensive backs, another major target for the Buckeyes will be making the visit and returning home so to speak. Former Clayton, Ohio native Dorian Brew has since moved down to finish his high school career in Texas, but isn’t staying away for too long, as this weekend he will be back on campus after visiting numerous times already.

The No. 23 player nationally, Brew is the fourth-ranked cornerback in the class per the 247Sports Composite for 2025. For what used to be an in-state must get, the Buckeyes are still going after his commitment just as much even with him now being in Texas, and though it’s not as easy for him to get to Columbus from nearby Clayton, the staff isn’t worried that his move will have them any less in the mix. Either way, these last two names are massive targets for the secondary, and it’s a perfect scenario to have them visiting at the same time.

Sam Greer​

One of the younger players to make his way to campus, in-state Ohio native Sam Greer will make the trip down from Akron. A 6-foot-8, 290 pound offensive tackle, Greer is only a high school sophomore, but already has a college ready build that is only going to get better. Early offers from the likes of Florida, Michigan, Miami, and Ohio State prove the caliber of guy he is going to be, and being inside Buckeye borders tends to bode well.

The No. 69 player nationally, Greer is the 10th-best tackle in the 2026 class per the 247Sports Composite. As mentioned, these recruiting battles tend to go the way of Ohio State thanks to native ties, but it’s not a done deal by any means with how much time is left here. Still, getting him on campus early and often certainly helps the home school’s chances of reeling him in when the time comes.

I will be in Columbus this weekend @CoachJFrye @OhioStateFB pic.twitter.com/E1RmZH3KZz

— Sam Greer (@Samgreer70) October 19, 2023

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Commits coming back home this weekend​

While most of the attention can be paid towards the uncommitted prospects, this weekend is just as important for Ohio State’s committed guests, as they are not only going to have an opportunity to peer recruit, but it’s also another chance for them to see their future home in action. Surely it only helps further solidify why they picked Ohio State as their destination of the future.

Some of the current commits heading back to Columbus include the likes of Aaron Scott Jr., Chris Henry Jr., Air Noland, Jeremiah McClellan, Bryce West and Jeremiah Smith to name just a few. All critical pieces to their respective classes, the Buckeyes having each of these guys back allows for the staff to continue building the relationship with each, but also allowing each one of them to feel the love at Ohio State and why they’re wanted in the class.

Speaking specifically to a guy like Smith, it never hurts to get him back on campus. Yes, he’s been vocal that he fully intends on being a Buckeye as long as Day and Hartline are around, but his visits elsewhere still cause a bit of concern, and that’s simply because of the player he is. Additionally, McClellan has been committed since August, but it’s no secret Oregon and Missouri are still trying their best shot at his loyalty, so having him back to see why he chose the Buckeyes originally helps lessen the chances of any flip concerns.

The staff will have their hands full trying to sway their top targeted guys, but make no mistake about it. As happy as they are to host uncommitted players, they’re equally excited about getting their own guys back for a multitude of reasons.

Quick Hits​

• As if the names above weren’t enough, Ohio State has plenty of more guys worth mentioning visiting this weekend, and one is Florida linebacker Elijah Melendez. A 6-foot-2, 223 pound athlete, Melendez is currently the No. 181 player nationally and 21st best linebacker in the 2025 class per the 247Sports Composite.

Already at nearly 40 offers to his name from some of the biggest programs in the country, getting Melendez to Columbus is no minor headline. Taking time to talk about his visit with multiple outlets, it’s looking to be one of the more important guests for the defensive staff. With James Laurinaitis only able to recruit on campus, this will be totally in his wheelhouse.

"They tell me I can do really big things at Ohio State.”

2025 LB Elijah Melendez is heading up to Columbus this weekend and he has quickly become a top priority for the Buckeyes.

Some notes about the top 50 prospect for @LettermenRow.https://t.co/kc0htEYrEx pic.twitter.com/GoNZ36DYX5

— Matt Parker (@MattParkerLR) October 18, 2023

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Uncut Podcast: Ryan Day, Jim Knowles detail matchup against ‘great team’ in Penn State
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here



Day gives very vague updates on injuries of key Buckeyes.

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

Listen to the episode and subscribe:


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On today’s episode of “Land-Grant Uncut,” we are bringing you unedited audio from the Tuesday, Oct. 17 press conferences at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center where Ohio State football coach Ryan Day and defensive coordinator Jim Knowles met with the collected media. The coaches put a bow on last Saturday’s 41-7 victory over Purdue and previewed the upcoming top-10 matchup against the No. 7 Penn State Nittany Lions.

Day provided vague updates on injuries to TreVeyon Henderson, Chip Trayanum, Emeka Egbuka, and Denzel Burke. He also discussed the progress Kyle McCord has exhibited in recent weeks and the red zone package for Devin Brown that we saw against Purdue.

Knowles talked about the idea of a “bend but don’t break” defense and Jermaine Matthews ability to step up if Burke is unable to go on Saturday.

Watch the full press conference on the Ohio State Athletic Department’s Facebook: Login to view embedded media

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Contact Matt Tamanini
Twitter: @BWWMatt

Music by: www.bensound.com​

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Three Buckeyes women’s basketball stars earn spots on postseason award watch lists
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Clare Grant/The Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

Two graduate seniors and the reigning Big Ten Freshman of the Year earn preseason accolades

Wednesday, a third member of the Ohio State women’s basketball team earned a spot on postseason awards watch lists, the third in three days. The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame identified guards Jacy Sheldon, Celeste Taylor and forward Cotie McMahon for three illustrious awards.

While none of them won the award, which are announced before the NCAA National Championship game, the watch list spots let the country know that the potential is there.

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Jacy Sheldon - Nancy Lieberman Point Guard of the Year​

On Monday, it began with Sheldon. The college shooting guard turned point guard’s name is on the Nancy Lieberman Point Guard of the Year award list. It’s an outstanding accomplishment who didn’t start playing college point until three and a half years into her NCAA career.

The former Dublin Coffman High School point guard shifted to a shooting guard role when she joined head coach Kevin McGuff’s Buckeyes back in 2019. Sheldon slid into the spot in early 2022 when then point guard Kateri Poole went down with an injury. Although the injury didn’t put Poole out long, McGuff favored Sheldon’s style of point guard play and kept her in the role.

Sheldon kept the role until suffering an injury of her own at the start of last season. Fellow guard Madison Greene, who’s had two season-ending knee injuries in the past two seasons, went down after Sheldon. That meant when Sheldon returned for the 2023 postseason, she was back in the point guard role.

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Of the individual awards given by the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, the Lieberman Award dates back the furthest. UConn guard and basketball legend Sue Bird won the first three editions of the honor. No Buckeye has won the award in its history, but it's been in the Big Ten for the past two years, won by Iowa Hawkeyes superstar Caitlin Clark.

While the odds of Clark having a down year feel near impossible, the nomination alone shows the diversity of Sheldon. Two seasons ago, Sheldon was on another award list in the second half of the season, the Ann Meyers-Drysdale Shooting Guard of the Year award. An award list that features a different Buckeye in 2023.

Sheldon is one of five Big Ten players on the list. Including Clark, Illinois Fighting Illini’s Makira Cook, Penn State Nittany Lion Makenna Marisa and Maryland Terrapin Shyanne Sellers.

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Celeste Taylor - Ann Meyers-Drysdale Shooting Guard of the Year​

Tuesday it was Taylor’s turn. The Ann Meyers-Drysdale Award’s list featured a different Buckeyes transfer in past seasons in Taylor Mikesell. While Mikesell was on the award for dynamic offense, Taylor’s presence this year is all about the defensive side of the ball but the spot on the list is nothing new for the incoming Ohio State guard.

This year is the third season in a row with Taylor’s name on it, with Ohio State’s name now in place of Duke University. There’s warranted hype surrounding Taylor’s move to Columbus, coming off a 22-23 season that ended with an ACC Defensive Player of the Year award and one of three finalists for National Defensive Player of the Year.

Last season, Taylor was a revelation at Duke. The guard led the team in points, steals and assists per game. Taylor’s 72.7 defensive rating was the best in the ACC and eighth best in the country and in the tournament, she made history.

In a loss to the Colorado Buffaloes, Taylor broke the NCAA Tournament record for steals in a game with 10. She’s also the only person in the history of the tournament to have at least eight points, rebounds, steals and assists in a game. Also, Taylor’s 10 steals and 10 rebounds in that second-round defeat is another achievement no one has hit in women’s March Madness history.

Photo by Peyton Williams/NCAA Photos via Getty Images

While defense is what surrounds Taylor’s reputation, the guard assured people in summer media availability that she can score too. With Mikesell’s absence, Taylor and her teammates will have to pick up the team-leading 17.2 points per game. While it's a number that isn’t up there with the highest in the country, it comes with defenses homing in on the guard because of how dangerous Mikesell was with the ball in her hands.

There are four Big Ten names on this year’s list, including a former winner of the award. Penn State’s Ashley Owusu, who won the honor as a Maryland Terrapin in 2021 joins the list with Michigan Wolverine Laila Phelia and Indiana Hoosier Sara Scalia.

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Cotie McMahon - Cheryl Miller Small Forward of the Year Award​

Joining the Naismith Award conversation is McMahon. Last season, the freshman started every game for the Buckeyes. After starting off slow, and learning to take her time on the court, McMahon exploded, resulting in a spot on the Miller Award watch list.

McMahon’s name was a surprise on the starting roster in Ohio State’s first game of the season last year. Going up against the Tennessee Volunteers, McMahon’s energy and speed grabbed two steals and she scored 10 points in the surprising Buckeyes second half dominance.

While the learning curve is high from high school to the NCAA, McMahon got over it relatively quickly. After getting benched after six minutes against the Louisville Cardinals, McMahon responded.

With an aggressively successful move to the basket and learning how to dump off passes to teammates, McMahon became a focal point of the Buckeyes’ offense. Following that rough going against Louisville, McMahon averaged 16.8 points and 6.3 rebounds per game through the rest of the year.

In those performances were three double doubles and a fourth game where McMahon grabbed at least 10 rebounds. On Dec. 20, just 21 days after the trip to Kentucky, McMahon hit a career-high of 30 points in one of many comeback victories for the Buckeyes, that time against USF. McMahon had the game-winning assist off a USF turnover to make up the 18-point first half deficit.

McMahon hit another stratosphere in the postseason. Through three games of the Big Ten tournament and four NCAA tournament matchups, McMahon almost averaged a double double. The forward scored 19.4 points and 8.4 rebounds per contest. McMahon also started hitting three-pointers, making five in seven games, which was a leap from making 10 in her first 29 games. Including going 2-for-3 against the UConn Huskies in the Sweet Sixteen.

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

That win especially took McMahon from a name standing out in the conference to someone to watch as a future NCAA superstar. Now, McMahon’s earning the individual national attention because of it.

This season is only the sixth time the Hall of Fame will bestow the Cheryl Miller award, with no Big Ten names coming in that list of winners. In the past two years, Iowa State forward Ashley Joens earned the award, who now plays for the Dallas Wings in the WNBA.

Within the Big Ten are four total candidates. Including Minnesota Golden Gophers sophomore Mara Braun, Jakia Brown-Turner from Maryland and Indiana’s Yarden Garzon.

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You’re Nuts: What is the most frustrating Ohio State-Penn State game you’ve seen?
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Set Number: X74380 TK1 R5 F0

Your (almost) daily dose of good-natured, Ohio State banter.

Now that we have entered Penn State week, it’s time to get ready to bite our fingers off on Saturday afternoon. While Michigan is the most hated rival for Ohio State, the Nittany Lions are the team that pushes the Buckeyes to the limit on a yearly basis. Since 2016, each of the seven contests between the two teams has been decided by 13 points or less. Between 2016 and 2018, the three games between Penn State and Ohio State were decided by a total of five points.

This year figures to be no different. Ohio State is dealing with a number of key injuries heading into Saturday’s game. Penn State has yet to play anyone close to the caliber of the Buckeyes so far this year. Not only do both teams have first-year starters at quarterback, but the setting in Columbus on Saturday will undoubtedly be the most hostile that Penn State’s Drew Allar has had to deal with after taking the reins from Sean Clifford, who exhausted his eligibility following last season.

Since this year’s contest is shaping up to be another nail-biter, today we figured we’d revisit the most frustrating Ohio State-Penn State we have seen. What makes this series so wild is even though the Buckeyes have had the upper hand in most of the games since 2000, it certainly doesn’t feel like they have dominated the series. Some of the most frustrating games against the Nittany Lions end up being contests that Ohio State has won!

Today’s question: What is the most frustrating Ohio State-Penn State game you’ve seen?​

We’d love to hear your choices. Either respond to us on Twitter at @Landgrant33 or leave your choice in the comments.​

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Brett’s answer: 2005’s 17-10 loss to Penn State​

Heading into the season, expectations were certainly higher for Ohio State than for Penn State. The Buckeyes started the season ranked sixth in the country, and rose to fourth before their showdown with Texas in the second week of the season. Obviously, we all know what happened when Vince Young and the Longhorns came to Columbus, but even with the loss, there was no doubt Ohio State was one of the most talented teams in the country.

On the other side, Penn State was coming off two straight losing seasons, and they started the season unranked. The Nittany Lions went from unranked to 16th in the AP poll after winning 44-14 at Minnesota the week prior to the showdown with the Buckeyes. The battle between Ohio State and Penn State generated so much heat, that “College GameDay” ended up heading to State College for the clash.

Ohio State actually scored the first points of the game when Josh Huston hit a 30-yard field goal after the teams traded punts on their first drives. The teams would each punt again before the game turned in favor of the Nittany Lions. Derrick Williams would cap off a nine-play drive early in the second quarter with a 13-yard run to give Penn State the lead.

The Buckeyes would give the football back to the Nittany Lions a couple of plays later when Calvin Lowry intercepted a Troy Smith pass, returning the turnover to the two-yard line, and three plays later Michael Robinson would plunge into the end zone from a yard out to extend Penn State’s lead to 14-3. Ohio State would put together a 14-play drive before the half, scoring on a 10-yard run by Troy Smith to cut the deficit to 14-10.

Aside from a field goal by Penn State on the first drive of the second half, there was no other scoring the rest of the game. The win for the Nittany Lions was secured when Troy Smith fumbled with less than two minutes in the game when he was sacked by Tamba Hali. The Ohio State quarterback completed just 13 of 25 passes for 139 yards in the game. Santonio Holmes and Ted Ginn Jr. combined to catch seven passes for just 81 yards.

What made this game so frustrating is talent-wise, the Buckeyes were definitely the better team. Ohio State went on to win their final seven games of the year, capping off the season with a comeback win over Michigan, and a 34-20 win over Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl. Penn State lost to Michigan the next week 27-25, but that would be their only loss of the year, as they would defeat Florida State 26-23 in three overtimes in the Orange Bowl.

I just remember watching the game on campus and not being able to believe Ohio State wasn’t able to do more offensively in the game. Penn State had players on defense that would go on to play in the NFL, I just wasn’t able to accept that the win over Ohio State was one that would bring decrepit Joe Paterno back from near extinction. Had it not been for the loss in 2005, the Buckeyes would have been riding a six-game winning streak against the Nittany Lions before Penn State would beat Ohio State in 2008.

Now Ohio State enters Saturday’s game against Penn State on a six-game winning streak in the series, which is the longest by either side. Hopefully, they can make it seven straight wins against the Nittany Lions, and put a little distance on Penn State, allowing us to breathe easy during the game.

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Matt’s answer: 1994’s 63-14 loss to Penn State​

There are many games that haunt me as a lifelong Ohio State fan who came of age during the John Cooper era. From the 1998 Michigan State game during my senior year of high school to the more recent 2019 Fiesta Bowl loss to Clemson. But no game will ever be as painful as the 1994 matchup between the Buckeyes and Nittany Lions.

I’ve written about this game before, as it is the thing that really fueled my early-onset Penn State sports hatred. Not only did the Nits obliterate the then-No. 21 Buckeyes 63-14, but they did so largely on the legs of Ki-Jana Carter, who grew up within a relative stone’s throw of Ohio Stadium in Westerville. The Penn State running back went for 137 yards on 19 carries and exited the game in the third quarter.

This was PSU’s first season in the Big Ten and it got off to a rather inauspicious start. The Nits went 12-0 on the season and claimed a bunch of random, unofficial national championship honors while the Buckeyes finished the season 9-4 and 6-2 in the Big Ten, finishing second behind Penn State. Ironically, OSU did pull off a win over Michigan that season, beating the No. 15 Wolverines 22-6 in the Horseshoe that season. It was one of only two wins that Cooper had over his team’s rivals in his 13 seasons leading the Buckeyes.

The 1994 Ohio State-Penn State game was embarrassing, aggravating, and frustrating and one that cemented the fact that I can’t stand anything Nittany Lion-related. So, when the Nits come to Columbus this weekend, I will be hoping that Pennsylvania native Marvin Harrison Jr. will pull a Ki-Jana Carter and obliterate their Big Ten and national championship chances before quietly exiting in the third quarter.

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Ohio State women’s basketball 2023-24 player preview: Diana Collins
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Clare Grant/The Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

Looking at the newest guard on the Buckeyes’ roster

So far in the Land-Grant Holy Land player preview series, it's focused on the elders of the Ohio State women’s basketball team. Now, it's time to look at someone on the opposite end of their NCAA basketball career. Freshman Diana Collins joins the Buckeyes at a time when all but one predicted starter is an upperclassman, with five players receiving regular minutes playing in their final season.

Where does Collins fit into the mix and is getting the guard minutes this season important for the 24-25 season and beyond?

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Name: Diana Collins
Position: Guard
Class: Freshman
High School: Brookwood High School (Snellville, Georgia)
2022-23 Stats: N/A

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Last Season​

Collins was in high school last season, leading the Brookwood Broncos to a Georgia 7A state title. The four-year guard not only lifted a trophy at the end of that level of her amateur career but picked up personal accolades along the way.

The freshman broke single-season scoring records in every year at Brookwood, culminating in earning a school record for career points that lasted for 40 years. It wasn’t only high school where Collins excelled but in international play.

Representing Sweden, Collins missed the Buckeyes trip to Brazil for a journey to Lithuania for the 2023 U20 Women’s European Championship. The guard played in all seven games, averaging 16.0 points, 2.7 steals and 2.4 rebounds. That was good enough to lead Sweden in scoring and third in rebounding.

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What to Expect​

Collins joins a team where getting regular minutes is going to be tough. With guards Jacy Sheldon, Celeste Taylor, and Rikki Harris the likely starters, with Madison Greene likely returning from injury later in 2023, Collins has the opportunity to learn from practicing with this great group of guards and watch from the bench.

Right now, the freshman is saying all the right things, letting the media know at the end of September that she’s with the Buckeyes to do whatever they need her to do.

On the court, Collins’ offensive prowess looks a lot like Sheldon's. The guard uses what feels like a magnetic pull to the basket with impressive runs into the paint that turn into impressive layups. That’s at the high school level, with the NCAA having heightened physicality.

Even so, Collins can also turn those runs into quick stops, mid-range shots, and running jumpers. A move that fans have seen often with former shooting guard Taylor Mikesell. Collins can also hit a three-pointer, a hole in Ohio State’s offense this year created by the departure of Mikesell.

Defensively, the Georgia native has that same pressing ability that head coach Kevin McGuff likes to see in his guard play. Collins’ 2.7 steals per game at the U20 European Championship was third best in the tournament, behind two stars playing professionally in Europe.

Over the past few seasons, McGuff isn’t known for playing many freshmen but having Collins, and sophomore Kaia Henderson, more involved in games will pay off next year and beyond. After this season, Sheldon and Taylor are gone. Harris and Greene are redshirt seniors following early-career injuries, giving them one more year if they choose to use it.

The more Collins sees the court this year, the lesser the blow for future Buckeye teams, and there’s precedence for receiving more minutes. Look no further than sophomore teammate Cotie McMahon.

McMahon, the outstanding forward who caught national attention with a Big Ten Freshman of the Year season and highlight performance against UConn in the Sweet Sixteen, started for McGuff from the jump in her freshman year. The reason? McMahon’s international play.

Collins has that extra international experience that not all freshmen bring into the NCAA. On a team with European professionals and NCAA athletes put the 2023 freshman ahead of the learning curve.

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Prediction​

Even with the future in mind, don’t expect to see Collins in close games against the USCs, UCLAs, and Iowas of the world. However, there are ample opportunities against non-conference opponents to give the point guard NCAA reps.

The more early season minutes for Collins, the more likely it is to see her in important moments later in the season. Similar to the trajectory of junior forward/guard Taylor Thierry who didn’t see much action at the start of her freshman season, but slowly earned minutes in crucial parts of games. Then, in Thierry’s sophomore season, she started every game for the Buckeyes.

Now, Collins and Thierry are different players, but what Collins has shown is the same level of ability and talent, just focused on different competencies.

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Highlights​

Watch Collins play a lot like Sheldon on the offensive side of the ball. The freshman attacks the basket and hits shots from midrange and beyond. Below is from the 2023 Georgia 7A title game where Collins helped Brookwood win the state championship.

Ohio State signee Diana Collins with 21 points, six rebounds, and two assists on 7-10 FG to help win the Georgia 7A title for Brookwood.

The Buckeyes will have such a fun guard/wing core with Cotie McMahon, Taylor Thierry, Madison Greene, and Collins. pic.twitter.com/NRuwhyh6a3

— Hunter Cruse (@HunterCruse14) March 12, 2023​

Click to expand...

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Miss a player preview? Here’s who you can read about so far:

Jacy Sheldon

Rebeka Mikulášiková

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What recent issue does Ohio State need to remedy to beat Penn State?
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 Randy Litzinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

You ask, we answer. Sometimes we ask, others answer. And then other times, we ask, we answer.

Throughout the Ohio State football season, we will be asking and answering questions about the team, college football, and anything else on our collective minds of varying degrees of importance. If you have a question that you would like to ask, you can tweet us @LandGrant33 or if you need more than 280 characters, send an email HERE.

The Week 4 top-10 matchup with Notre Dame was unquestionably big, but Saturday’s contest between the No. 3 Ohio State Buckeyes and No. 7 Penn State Nittany Lions is looking like an absolute slobber-knocker as both teams look to assert themselves as the main contender for Michigan’s Big Ten East crown — and subsequently the conference title and College Football Playoff berth.

So, as we head towards this titanic showdown in the Horseshoe on Saturday at 12 noon ET on Fox, we wanted to check in with Buckeye Nation to see what you were thinking about the contest. We have two questions about the game in our weekly OSU fan survey. Make sure to answer the questions and if you have more thoughts, let us know in the comments at the bottom of the page.

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Question 1: What has to happen most for Ohio State to beat Penn State on Saturday?​

The Buckeyes come into Saturday’s matchup 6-0, but their season thus far hasn’t been perfect. As with any team, there are a number of items that OSU players and coaches are looking to perfect as the campaign progresses in an effort to reach all of their stated goals. Some of the issues are major and some more minor, but in the team’s quest to win the Big Ten and national titles, nothing can be overlooked.

In recent weeks, both the Buckeye offense and defense have seemingly gotten better on third-down conversions. But, is that a product of improved play or weaker competition? Undoubtedly those high-leverage situations will be important on both sides of the ball in determining which team ends up winning on Saturday.

Last season, J.T. Tuimoloau nearly single-handedly obliterated Penn State’s offense. While the defensive line has not been wracking up a ton of sacks this year, it has been increasingly getting pressure on opposing quarterbacks, something that should help OSU get to first-year starter Drew Allar.

On offense, the Ohio State running game just hasn’t looked right all season. Whether that is because of substandard offensive line play or a growing M*A*S*H unit in the running back room, offensive balance is always important to Ryan Day and not being one-dimensional will likely be of import on Saturday against Penn State.

Will one of these things — or perhaps the growing annoyances with penalties and on special teams — be the deciding factor on Saturday? We shall see, but you can weigh in with the survey below.

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Question 2: What do you think will happen in the Ohio State and Penn State game?​

The Buckeyes are currently favored by 3.5 points according to DraftKings SportsBook — down one full point from where the line opened — and the advanced analytical models are a little all over the place in terms of predictions.

Ohio State is outscoring opponents 36 to 9.7 this season and Penn State is doing so 44.3 to 8, so both squads have been commanding fairly impressive margins of victory so far this fall. Will that mean that one team will significantly outperform the other, or that the two teams will play each other close?

Only time will tell, but you can make your prediction in the survey below.

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Share your thoughts here:​

Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Ohio State fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

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Hangout in the Holy Land Podcast: Sweating through Penn State week and hoping for a bunch of healthy Buckeyes
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

Josh and Chuck preview this weekend’s blockbuster matchup between No. 3 Ohio State and No. 7 Penn State.

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​

Holy sh... it’s Penn State week! On this episode of ‘Hangout in the Holy Land,’ Josh and Chuck preview Ohio State’s upcoming game against the impressive and thus far undefeated Nittany Lions.

While the Buckeyes have dominated this ‘rivalry’ in recent years, Penn State is inarguably one of CFB’s top teams in 2023. Led by a stout defense, a potent ground game, and Ohio native Drew Allar at QB, James Franklin’s squad should come rolling into Columbus with plenty of confidence.

On the other side — the good side — OSU should be equally as confident. The similarly undefeated Scarlet and Gray have enjoyed a run of great success against PSU, winning 16 of the last 20 matchups. However, the Buckeyes could be missing key pieces on both offense and defense, putting them at a potential disadvantage — even at home.

The Hangout boys are somehow nervous and confident at the same time, as they break down key matchups and matters of the utmost importance for both teams. They expect a banger of a game and attempt to give you a banger of an episode this time around.

Please make sure to like, rate, review, and subscribe to the podcast! And as always, Go Bucks!

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Connect with the pod
Twitter: @HolyLandPod

Connect with Josh Dooley
Twitter: @jdooleybuckeye

Connect with Chuck Holmes
Twitter: @ctholmes3

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Silver Bullets Podcast: Purdue rewind and Penn State preview
Michael Citro via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images

Matt de Bear from Roar Lions Roar joins us to help us preview the Nittany Lions.

Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio​

Ohio State avoided a “Purdue Harbor” situation by running the football, throwing the ball to Marvin Harrison Jr. and Cade Stover, and playing sound defense. The Buckeyes were hardly bothered on the road in a 41-7 victory at Ross-Ade Stadium, a house that held no horrors for Ohio State on this particular October visit.

We started this week’s show with a breakdown of the Buckeyes’ lopsided away win, including some of the key drives, plays, players, and moments. We checked back on our picks to click and score predictions to see who had the more accurate crystal ball aimed at West Lafayette.

Following our Purdue rewind, we welcomed Matt de Bear from the Roar Lions Roar podcast back to the show to tap into his Penn State expertise once again. Matt always has a good handle on where the Nittany Lions are stronger and weaker, and we thank him for giving us his honest answers about where his team stands at the season’s midway point.

No midseason episode of this podcast would be complete without a look around at the rest of the Big Ten scores from the weekend. It was disastrous for Maryland and Wisconsin, but Illinois may have gotten itself going, although perhaps a bit too late. Rutgers staged a massive comeback to keep the Scarlet Knights on track for a bowl game in 2023. Everything else went about as expected.

Finally, we looked ahead to Saturday’s showdown with Penn State. We made our predictions on what the final score will look like and selected our “picks to click” — the players we think will make a difference on both sides of the ball for Ohio State.

We’ll be here with you every week from now until the end of the 2023 Ohio State football season. We’d love to hear from you, so please reach out with your feedback and questions below in the comments section or send us an email.

Be sure to subscribe, rate, review, share, and follow the show over on Twitter at @SilvrBulletsPod.

As always, thanks for listening!

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Updated conference title odds heading into Week 8
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images

Who are the current favorites to win their respective leagues?

With most teams either at or past the halfway point of their seasons, now is a good time to revisit the current odds for this year’s prospective conference title winners. There is a lot of football left to be played, but a handful of programs have played well enough to earn the right to sit atop the heap as the betting favorite to win their respective leagues. Here is where everyone stands heading into Week 8, with the top four best odds listed for each P5 conference, as well as some leaders in the Group of Five.

All lines courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.

Big Ten​

• Michigan (+105)
• Ohio State (+250)
• Penn State (+300)
• Iowa (+1500)

SEC​

• Georgia (-140)
• Alabama (+210)
• LSU (+800)
• Tennessee (+1400)

Pac-12​

• Washington (+140)
• Oregon (+240)
• USC (+360)
• Oregon State (+800)

ACC​

• Florida State (-180)
• North Carolina (+300)
• Louisville (+1200)
• Duke (+1200)

Group of Five​

• American: Tulane (+130)
• Conference USA: Liberty (+105)
• Mountain West: Air Force (+105)
• Sun Belt: Troy (+340)

Is there anything here that stands out to you? Does Ohio State’s position in the Big Ten feel about right? Is there a team among the Power Five leaders that surprises you, or one that sticks out as a potential money-maker based on their odds? Let us know in the comments!

Odds/lines subject to change. T&Cs apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for details.

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Ohio State women’s basketball No. 7 in preseason AP poll
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Clare Grant/The Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Buckeyes start the season in the top 10 for the first time in six years

There are moments that let you know the basketball season is close. On Tuesday, the Associated Press put the 23-24 campaign even closer in the windshield, releasing its first preseason poll. The Ohio State women’s basketball team, after starting last season at No. 14, doubled its place with a No. 7 initial ranking.

The last time the Buckeyes had this much hype entering a season, at least from the AP standpoint, was back in the Kelsey Mitchell days. At the beginning of the 17-18 season, the new Buckeyes Athletic Hall of Fame guard Mitchell and forward Stephanie Mavunga led Ohio State following a loss to Notre Dame in the 2017 Sweet Sixteen round of the NCAA Tournament.

Head Coach Kevin McGuff’s side entered that year at No. 5, the best starting ranking in his tenure. However, Ohio State’s squad this year comes in off the best season for the Buckeyes in that 10-year McGuff leadership, making it all the way to the Elite Eight.

That run last season, plus a top-10 spot this year adds more expectation on a side that’s coming to the end of a current window of key talent in the squad.

Graduate seniors include five-year Buckeyes in guard Jacy Sheldon and forward Rebeka Mikulasikova. Plus, three names all expecting to make an impact from the transfer portal, like forward Eboni Walker who joined last season from Syracuse University. This year, guard Celeste Taylor, ACC Defensive Player of the Year, and forward Taiyier Parks joined from Michigan State.

Last season, Ohio State’s place in the AP poll started at No. 14 but a program-shifting win against the Tennessee Volunteers to start the season shot the Buckeyes up to No. 8. A week later the scarlet and gray sat No. 4, in a run of 10 weeks in the top five.

It was a 19-0 start to the season with wins against the aforementioned Tennessee, a ranked Louisville Cardinals and the Oregon Ducks in that stretch that grabbed voters' attention. However, a three-game losing streak in January to the Iowa Hawkeyes, Indiana Hoosiers and surprise defeat to the Purdue Boilermakers sent the Buckeyes’ polling back down to preseason level.

Ohio State never beat the Hawkeyes in three games, conference tournament included, along with two defeats to the Maryland Terrapins and two losses to Indiana in the regular season. Despite a landmark victory over the UConn Huskies in the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament, voters had Ohio State end the season at No. 12.

While it's only Tuesday, the Buckeyes No. 7 ranking isn’t the only teams news of the week. On Monday, the Nancy Lieberman Award for best point guard in the nation released its preseason watch list, including Buckeyes’ guard Jacy Sheldon. The first of many expected watch list names for Ohio State this season.

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Big Ten Men’s Basketball Team Previews: Penn State Nittany Lions
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports

What will the retooled Nittany Lions look like in year one of Mike Rhoades?

As we enter the fall season and college football gets underway, college basketball is right around the corner. As always, to prepare you for the season, Land-Grant Holy Land will be publishing Big Ten Team Previews and Ohio State Basketball Player Previews, starting now with the Team Previews.

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Team: Penn State Nittany Lions
Head coach: Mike Rhoades, First Season
2022-23 record: 23-14
All-time record against Ohio State: 21-43

Returners: Kanye Clary, Demetrius Lilley, Jameel Brown

Departures: Jalen Pickett, Seth Lundy, Andrew Funk, Myles Dread, Camren Wynter, Michael Henn, Caleb Dorsey, Dallion Johnson, Evan Mahaffey, Kebba Njie

Newcomers: Ace Baldwin Jr., Nick Kern Jr, Zach Hicks, Puff Johnson, Qudus Wahab, Leo O’Boyle, RayQuawndis Mitchell, Favour Aire, D’Marco Dunn, Bragi Guomundsson

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Outlook​

Penn State lost its head coach Micah Shrewsberry to Notre Dame, and what followed was a complete retooling of its roster. They were going to lose a lot of players anyway, since they were one of the oldest teams in the country last season. Jalen Pickett, Seth Lundy, Andrew Funk, Myles Dread, and Camren Wynter have all moved on from last year’s NCAA Tournament team, and it is up to new head Mike Rhoades to get the program back to where it was last season.

Pickett was one of the best players in the country last season, averaging 17.7 points, 7.4 rebounds and 6.6 assists per game. He did everything for the Nittany Lions, and replacing the production he gave them will be nearly impossible.

Pickett, Lundy, Funk, Dread and Wynter were the five leading scorers for Penn State last season, averaging 58.8 points per and 21.6 rebounds per game — all of them are now gone.

Ace Baldwin follows his coach to Happy Valley from VCU after averaging 12.7 points and 5.8 assists per game last season. The only other players on the roster to average double digits a year ago are RayQuawndis Mitchell from Kansas City, who averaged 17.3 points per game, and Leo O’Boyle, a transfer from Lafayette who averaged 11.3 points per game in 2022-23.

Puff Johnson, Qudus Wahab and D’Marco Dunn all have Power Five experience, and will look to elevate their previous roles at Penn State with Rhoades. Nick Kern Jr. will join Baldwin as a former player at VCU to follow coach Rhoades to Happy Valley.

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Prediction​

Mike Rhoades is a great coach, and to go to him from Shrewsberry is a solid one-two punch. However, the Nittany Lions were already going to have a large rebuild ahead of them as one of the most experienced and veteran teams in the country last season, and changing a coach depleted the roster even more. It will be up to Rhoades over the next few seasons to get back to a high level of recruiting and hitting the transfer portal for guys like Pickett, Funk and Wynter.

Baldwin is one of the top transfers in the conference, and the duo from North Carolina should be able to step into large roles immediately. However, the depth is a large question mark, and the team will be relying on a lot of guys who have talent but have not proven themselves at this high of a level before.

It could be a long season in Happy Valley, but Rhoades is a great recruiter and will bring in a lot of talent and develop players. He just might need 2-3 years to get things going.

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Here are the games for week 8.

Tuesday, Oct. 17

Middle Tennessee at Liberty | 7 p.m. | CBSSN
Western Kentucky at Jacksonville State | 7:30 p.m. | ESPNU
Southern Miss at South Alabama | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN2

Wednesday, Oct. 18

Florida International at Sam Houston | 7 p.m. | CBSSN
New Mexico State at UTEP | 9 p.m. | ESPN2

Thursday, Oct. 19

Rice at Tulsa | 7 p.m. | ESPN2
James Madison at Marshall | 7 p.m. | ESPN
North Carolina Central at Morgan State | 7:30 p.m. | ESPNU

Friday, Oct. 20

SMU at Temple | 7 p.m. | ESPN2

Saturday, Oct. 21

No. 7 Penn State at No. 3 Ohio State | 12 p.m. | FOX

UCF at No. 6 Oklahoma | 12 p.m. | ABC
Mississippi State at Arkansas | 12 p.m. | ESPN
Rutgers at Indiana | 12 p.m. | BTN
Boston College at Georgia Tech | 12 p.m. | ACC Network
Baylor at Cincinnati | 12 p.m. | ESPN+
Memphis at UAB | 12 p.m. | ESPN2
No. 22 Air Force at Navy | 12 p.m. | CBS
Western Michigan at Ohio | 12 p.m. | CBS Sports
Norfolk State at Howard | 12 p.m. | ESPNU
South Carolina State at Delaware State | 12 p.m. | ESPN+
Penn at Yale | 12 p.m. | ESPN+

Lehigh at Bucknell | 1 p.m. | ESPN+
Lafayette at Holy Cross | 1 p.m. | ESPN+
Brown at Cornell | 1 p.m. | ESPN+
South Dakota at Indiana State | 1 p.m. | ESPN+
Harvard at Princeton | 1 p.m. | ESPN+
Marist at Presbyterian | 1 p.m. | ESPN+
St. Thomas (Minn.) at Stetson | 1 p.m. | ESPN+
Samford at VMI | 1 p.m. | ESPN+
Columbia at Dartmouth | 1:30 p.m. | ESPN+
East Tennessee State at Chattanooga | 1:30 p.m. | ESPN+

Charlotte at East Carolina | 2 p.m. | ESPN+
UL Monroe at Georgia Southern | 2 p.m. | ESPN+
Akron at Bowling Green | 2 p.m. | ESPN+
Illinois State at Youngstown State | 2 p.m. | ESPN+
Southeast Missouri State at Tennessee Tech | 2:30 p.m. | ESPN+
Furman at Western Carolina | 2:30 p.m. | ESPN+

Colgate at Georgetown | 3 p.m. | ESPN+
Murray State at Missouri State | 3 p.m. | ESPN+
Bryant at Eastern Illinois | 3 p.m. | ESPN+
SE Louisiana at Northwestern State | 3 p.m. | ESPN+
South Dakota State at Southern Illinois | 3 p.m. | ESPN+
Charleston Southern at UT Martin | 3 p.m. | ESPN+
Lincoln (CA) at Tennessee State | 3 p.m. | ESPN+

No. 17 Tennessee at No. 11 Alabama | 3:30 p.m. | CBS
Washington State at No. 9 Oregon | 3:30 p.m. | ABC
South Carolina at No. 20 Missouri | 3:30 p.m. | SEC Network
Minnesota at No. 24 Iowa | 3:30 p.m. | NBC
Northwestern at Nebraska | 3:30 p.m. | FS1
Wisconsin at Illinois | 3:30 p.m. | FS1
South Florida at UConn | 3:30 p.m. | CBSSN
Pitt at Wake Forest | 3:30 p.m. | ACC Network
Oklahoma State at West Virginia | 3:30 p.m. | ESPN
North Texas at Tulane | 3:30 p.m. | ESPN2
Central Michigan at Ball State | 3:30 p.m. | ESPN+
Eastern Michigan at Northern Illinois | 3:30 p.m. | ESPN+
Buffalo at Kent State | 3:30 p.m. | ESPN+
Western Illinois at North Dakota State | 3:30 p.m. | ESPN+

No. 9 Texas at Houston | 4 p.m. | FOX
Toledo at Miami (Ohio) | 4 p.m. | ESPNU
Idaho State at Portland State | 4 p.m. | ESPN+
Wofford at Mercer | 4 p.m. | ESPN+
Jackson State at Mississippi Valley State | 5 p.m. | ESPN+
North Dakota at UNI | 5 p.m. | ESPN+
Nicholls at Texas A&M-Commerce | 5 p.m. | ESPN+
Drake at San Diego | 5 p.m. | ESPN+
Abilene Christian at Stephen F. Austin | 5 p.m. | ESPN+

UTSA at Florida Atlantic | 6 p.m. | ESPN+
Eastern Kentucky at Gardner-Webb | 6 p.m. | ESPN+
Virginia at No. 10 North Carolina | 6:30 p.m. | CW Network

No. 13 Ole Miss at Auburn | 7 p.m. | ESPN
Texas Tech at BYU | 7 p.m. | FS1
TCU at Kansas State | 7 p.m. | ESPN2
Coastal Carolina at Arkansas State | 7 p.m. | ESPN+
Colorado State at UNLV | 7 p.m. | Mountain West Network
Utah State at San Jose State | 7 p.m. | CBSSN
Appalachian State at Old Dominion | 7 p.m. | NFL Network
Utah Tech at North Alabama | 7 p.m. | ESPN+
Morehead State at Tarleton State | 7 p.m. | ESPN+
Weber State at Eastern Washington | 7 p.m. | ESPN+

No. 2 Michigan at Michigan State | 7:30 p.m. | NBC
No. 16 Duke at No. 4 Florida State | 7:30 p.m. | ABC
Army at No. 19 LSU | 7:30 p.m. | SEC Network
No. 14 Utah at No. 18 USC | 8 p.m. | FOX
Clemson at Miami (Fla.) | 8 p.m. | ACC Network
Georgia State at Louisiana | 8 p.m. | ESPNU
Florida A&M at Texas Southern | 8 p.m. | ESPN+
Austin Peay at Southern Utah | 8 p.m. | ESPN+
Northern Colorado at Cal Poly | 8 p.m. | ESPN+
UIW at McNeese | 8 p.m. | ESPN+

Nevada at San Diego State | 9 p.m. | FS2
No. 25 UCLA at Stanford | 10:30 p.m. | ESPN
Montana State at Sacramento State | 10:30 p.m. | ESPN2
Arizona State at No. 5 Washington | 10:30 p.m. | FS1

What do the advanced analytics models say about Saturday’s Ohio State vs. Penn State game?
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Adam Cairns / USA TODAY NETWORK

The biggest game of the college football season thus far will take place in Ohio Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 21 at 12 noon ET as the No. 7 Penn State Nittany Lions will come to Columbus to take on the No. 3 Ohio State Buckeyes. This game has been circled on the calendar for months for many fans of the Bucks and the Nits and with both teams undefeated and in the top 10, opinions are split as to who will come out on top.

So, as we dive into a very exciting game week, we wanted to take a look and see what some of the advanced analytic models had to say about the matchup. Generally when looking at these analytical models they all tend to be fairly close together, but the three models that I look at every week are giving three pretty different views of the game, so I thought it would be worthwhile putting them together so we have them together, in one location, so that we can easily compare them to what happens on Saturday.

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What Do Las Vegas SportsBooks Predict Will Happen in the Ohio State and Penn State Game?​

When DraftKings SportsBook released its initials odds for the game, it had the Buckeyes set as 4.5-point favorites and currently the total points line is at 47 points. That means that the DK oddsmakers have the score projected at roughly 26-21 in favor of the Buckeyes.


While bookies aren’t purely using analytical analysis to come up with their lines, that is where the start. From there, they attempt to factor in what might encourage the public to put some money down and, conversely, what will get the expert gamblers to pony up some cash as well. And obviously, these lines can — and likely will — move throughout the course of the week.

So, while including the Vegas lines is a bit of an apples-to-oranges comparison with the rest of the traditional analytical models, I do think that it is a good place to start.

Odds/lines subject to change. T&Cs apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for details.​

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What Does SP+ Predict Will Happen in the Ohio State and Penn State Game?​

The gold standard in college football analytics, SP+ from ESPN’s Bill Connelly has Ohio State as the No. 2 team in the country, behind only Michigan. The Buckeyes have the No. 10 rated offense and the No. 4 overall defense. Penn State comes in at No. 8 in the team rankings with the 24th and second-rated units respectively.

SP+ predicts that Ohio State will win the game 27 to 22 and gives the Buckeyes a 63% win probability.

The thing with all of these models is that they theoretically get more accurate the more data that they have to factor in. So, the further into a season, the closer to the actual result they should get. You can see that in SP+’s predictions the last few weeks. It was pretty close in the Maryland game, and at least in the general vicinity against Purdue. But, before that, it felt like the model was still based off of data from last year’s offense and defense, and anyone who has watched the team this year knows that those units are markedly different than their 2022 counterparts.

On the other hand, SP+ seems to have had Penn State pretty much pegged for most of the season. It did underestimate the Nits’ offense against severely overmatched competition in Delaware and UMass, but otherwise, it’s been pretty accurate.


So, what does this mean for Saturday’s game? Who knows? Probably nothing, but SP+ has been pretty spot-on for both teams in recent weeks, so while it might be nice rest on the idea that the Buckeyes are favored, it’s a relatively slim margin, so I wouldn’t put too much stock into it.

If you want to dive deeper into SP+’s predictions for all levels of college football, you can do that here.

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What Does the College Football Nerds Model Predict Will Happen in the Ohio State and Penn State Game?​

While Vegas and SP+ both have Ohio State favored by roughly five points, the College Football Nerds’model is picking Penn State by two scores. The model has the Nits favored by a score of 26.9 to 17.4.

Interestingly, the model projects the Buckeyes to gain nearly a full yard more per play than PSU a yard and a half more per passing play, and to only trail on the ground by 0.19 yards per carry. And while the CFB Nerds think that the Nits will do a better job of stymying the Buckeyes’ running game than average, the passing game is projected to proceed as normal, and both the OSU rushing and passing defense will far exceed what Penn State has seen this season.

So, to be honest, I’m not exactly sure what their model is using to account for a 9.5-point differential. There is no doubt that these teams have two of the best defenses in the country so far this season, but according to this model, it looks like the Buckeye offense will have a better go at it.

The only thing that I can come up with is that Ohio State is in the top three in relative performance in points allowed per game, yards allowed per game, and passing yards allowed per game, but is only 45th in rushing yards allowed per game. However, Penn State is leading the Big Ten with 203.33 rushing yards per game — even if the CFB Nerds’ rankings don’t have them as being all that efficient on the ground.

If you want to dive deeper into the CFB Nerds’ projection, including player stat predictions, you can do that here.

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What Does the NCAA Game Simulator Predict Will Happen in the Ohio State and Penn State Game?​

My favorite predictions model is the NCAA Game Simulator. As of the time of this writing, the model has run 2,670 sims, and Ohio State has won by an average score of 27.0 to 14.8. The simulator has shown OSU winning 79.9% of the time and winning by more than 20 points in 30.6% of the sims.

Penn State has only won by 20 or more points in 1.6% of the sims and the game has gone to overtime in just 3.7% of the sims.

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What Does the Football Power Index Predict Will Happen in the Ohio State and Penn State Game?​

I’m going to include ESPN’s Football Power Index in our roundup, even though it doesn’t provide head-to-head matchups. However, it does give a little bit of insight into the contest. Currently, FPI has Ohio State as the No. 1 team in the country with the second-best shot to win the College Football Playoff at 18.8%, behind only Oklahoma’s 22% chance.

It gives the Buckeyes a 43.3% chance to win the Big Ten East and a 25.3% to win out through the regular season. Conversely, FPI gives Penn State a 30.8% chance to win the division and a 14.4% shot to win out. For reference, it shows Michigan with a 25.9% chance to with the B1G East and a 13.9% chance to win out.

So, while this doesn’t specifically indicate that FPI is predicting an Ohio State win over PSU, it does strongly suggest it.

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Ohio State’s expecting big recruiting visitor list for Saturday’s tilt vs. Penn State
Dan Hessler via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


2025 four-star LB Elijah Melendez via 247Sports

The top-10 showdown will have multiple recruits on-hand, including a top 2025 LB target.

Ohio State did not fall short in West Lafayette last weekend in a road game at Purdue that had given the Buckeyes struggles in recent history. The Buckeyes are now 6-0, and remain undefeated leading into a top-10 showdown in Columbus this weekend when Ohio State takes on Penn State. The majority of Ohio State headlines this week will understandably predominantly focus on the marquee game, but Ryan Day and the Buckeyes’ staff will continue to make recruiting a focus.

Four-star LB to visit Ohio State​

With perhaps the biggest home game of the season coming up, ‘The Shoe’ will be packed Saturday with not only fans, but also recruits. Columbus should be electric this weekend, and the atmosphere surrounding the game could not be better from a recruiting aspect — and Ohio State knows this.

The Buckeyes will likely play host to more recruits Saturday than normal, and the visitor list continues to grow. On Monday, one of Ohio State’s top linebacker targets in the 2025 class, Elijah Melendez (Kissimmee, FL / Osceola), announced he would be making the trip to Columbus this weekend.

I will be at THE Ohio State this weekend !! @JLaurinaitis55 @CoachJimKnowles @ryandaytime @markpantoni @N_Murph @CoachMcGrath22 @CoachDuHart @Birm @MikeM1127 #BUCKEYES #ohiostate pic.twitter.com/lq4IgeIYoA

— Elijah melendez (@Babyman3J) October 16, 2023​

Click to expand...

Melendez was offered by Ohio State in August, and the Buckeyes have been viewed as legitimate contenders in his recruitment since. The four-star LB had planned to originally visit Ohio State for the Western Kentucky game, but was unable to attend. Fortunately, he has been able to reschedule his visit for this weekend’s game.

The visit Saturday could be crucial for Ohio State in Melendez’s recruitment. He has not yet visited with the Buckeyes for an in-game atmosphere, but he included the team in his top schools last month alongside Georgia, Alabama, Michigan, Arkansas, Kentucky and Miami.

Melendez is the No. 28 LB in the 247Sports Composite Rankings and is the No. 249 overall prospect. He is also the No. 38 recruit out of the talent-rich state of Florida.

Quick Hits​

• As mentioned above, Ohio Stadium will be full of recruits Saturday as the Buckeyes take on Penn State. Another recruit who announced he will be in attendance for the game is 2025 three-star Ohio State wide receiver commit Jayvan Boggs (Cocoa, FL / Cocoa). Boggs committed to the Buckeyes on Oct. 9, and Saturday’s visit will be his first in-game experience at Ohio State.

I’ll be back home this weekend!! pic.twitter.com/VyfiF1AHlo

— Jayvan Boggs (@Jayvan_Boggs) October 16, 2023​

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• Ohio State 2023 four-star running back commit Jordan Lyle (Fort Lauderdale, FL / St. Thomas Aquinas) is having a solid senior season of high school. On Friday, the top-150 recruit had a highlight-reel touchdown run. Watch below to see a glimpse of what the Buckeyes will be getting in Lyle.

Jordan Lyle takes it the distance touchdown Raiders.
7-0
5:25 1st Q pic.twitter.com/X3p6VFj3zV

— Aquinas Football (@STA_Football) October 13, 2023​

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You’re Nuts: If you were setting the spread for Ohio State vs. Penn State, what would it be?
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images

Gene and Josh put their Vegas oddsmakers hats on this week.

Everybody knows that one of the best parts of being a sports fan is debating and dissecting the most (and least) important questions in the sporting world with your friends. So, we’re bringing that to the pages of LGHL with our favorite head-to-head column: You’re Nuts.

In You’re Nuts, two LGHL staff members will take differing sides of one question and argue their opinions passionately. Then, in the end, it’s up to you to determine who’s right and who’s nuts.

This week’s topic: If you were setting the spread for Ohio State vs. Penn State, what would it be?

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Josh’ Take​

Ohio State welcomes Penn State to The Shoe this weekend, and whoooo boy, is Saturday’s unfortunate nooner (should be a nighttime kickoff) shaping up to be a big one. No. 3 vs. No. 7 in the AP poll. Two undefeated powerhouses. Big Ten and College Football Playoff implications on the line... Gene, I already have pit sweat and a burning ulcer. That’s how important this game feels.

The stakes are obviously high, as was the case last year when OSU traveled to Happy Valley. That 2022 version pitted No. 4 vs. No. 8, although the Nittany Lions were not undefeated at the time. So this is nothing new for fans of both teams. However, as entertaining and competitive as this game is and/or tends to be, the result has often been the same... At least it has been for the past few decades.

The Buckeyes have won the last six in this ‘rivalry’ and 16 of 20 dating back to 2003. Yet I never feel fully confident as one of these games approaches. Call it pessimism or poor fandom. Or maybe, just maybe, it’s the fact that Penn State is usually ranked and has a bunch of good football players. I don’t know, the latter seems fairly relevant.

Anyway, this is where Gene and I should start to debate the most important player matchup(s) or which quarterback needs to have the better game for their team, right? Top-notch football/sports talk is the reason we’re all here, is it not?

But here’s the thing: My You’re Nuts writing partner and I also have other interests pertaining to this game. They are of the dollars and cents variety. I’m talking about laying down a few responsible wagers and/or building a few longshot parlays. So we decided to look at this weekend’s big game from a gambler’s point of view.

And the debate/question we talked about and came up with was: What should the spread be for Ohio State vs. Penn State? Did the sportsbooks nail this one? Or do these two schmucks know more than the industry?

Well, the saying goes that “Vegas knows” (masterful wordplay). And depending on where you look, Vegas – and/or the gaming industry at large – has this game right in what Bill Simmons calls the ‘Vegas zone’. Which is 4.5 to 5.5 points, indicating that OSU is perceived to be markedly better than PSU, but not so much better that the Buckeyes should be laying a touchdown... Basically, the industry is stuck between a field goal and a touchdown, causing them to split the difference.

So do I agree with most of the books, at roughly five points? No, I certainly do not. Here’s why:

Saturday’s game, on paper, seems like an evenly matched one. Like, super-duper evenly matched! And when that is the case, you go pick ‘em... If said game is being played at a neutral site. However, since this one is being played in Columbus, Ohio State should automatically be getting a three-point bump or three points ‘in their favor’. Three points at home is a quasi-rule of thumb unless the home team and/or venue stinks. But such is not the case for OSU and Ohio Stadium.

Add in the fact that Penn State has won 11-straight since their loss to the Buckeyes last season – and is beating teams by 1,000 in 2023 – and I don’t understand why PSU would or should be anything more than a three-point dog. So that is more or less what I am going with, Gene. I think Vegas missed on this one.

I have Ohio State -2.5, if you want to come and place a bet at my sportsbook. Which may or may not be a couch, a nice TV, and a mini fridge in my basement. Not to get weird.

But I will gladly take a real result of OSU just winning the damn game. I don’t care if it by 1 or 1,000, please just give me a win. Go Bucks!

Gene’s Take​

When looking to set the betting line for this game, I’m going to be taking the position by position approach, comparing the two teams and seeing who has the advantage in different parts of the game.

On the Ohio State side of things, the Buckeyes have a clear advantage at wide receiver. It helps when you have the country’s top wideout in Marvin Harrison Jr. on your team, but add to the mix a — hopefully — healthy Emeka Egbuka, Julian Fleming, Cade Stover as well as a handful of young guys itching to make an impact among the likes of Carnell Tate and Brandon Inniss, and Penn State can’t nearly match that sort of firepower. Keandre Lambert-Smith is a good receiver, but he is the only Nittany Lion with over 200 yards on the season.

At the quarterback position, I think it's somewhat of a toss-up. Both Drew Allar and Kyle McCord came to their expected schools as highly-touted five-star recruits, with McCord being the No. 6 QB and No. 28 overall player in 2021 and Allar the No. 4 QB and No. 32 overall player in 2022. Allar had the added bonus this season of not starting the year in a position battle, but the two QBs have very similar numbers. McCord has thrown for 1,651 yards with 11 TDs and 1 INT, completing 64.1 percent of his passes, while Allar has thrown for 1,254 yards with 12 TDs and 0 INTs, completing 65.2 percent of his throws. Allar probably has a bit higher upside, but this one is largely a coin flip.

Penn State likely has the upper hand at running back, but if Ohio State is healthy they can give that group a run for its money. Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen are one of the best RB tandems in the country, combining for 737 yards (4.4 YPC) and nine TDs. The Buckeyes’ top two guys in TreVeyon Henderson and Chip Trayanum have combined for 530 yards (5.6 YPC) and eight TDs, despite Henderson missing two games. Henderson has the best average yards per carry of the four at 6.7. While the Nittany Lions on paper have a better duo, I’m making this a coin flip again, especially if you loop in Dallan Hayden for Ohio State.

Where Ohio State runs into trouble is in the trenches. The old adage says that games are won and lost in the trenches, and the Buckeyes have had issues on both sides of the line this season. Penn State’s offensive line isn’t elite by any means, but they have managed to keep Allar clean, leading the Big Ten allowing just four sacks this season. Ohio State’s offensive line, meanwhile, has allowed 10 sacks thus far — middle of the pack in the B1G — and has had its fair share of struggles in the run blocking department. Offensive line goes to Penn State.

Defensively, both teams have two talented defensive ends, but Penn State’s have been able to get to the quarterback more frequently. Adisa Isaac and Chop Robinson have combined for eight sacks on the year, while J.T. Tuimoloau and Jack Sawyer have combined for 4.5. Overall, Penn State’s defense leads the Big Ten with a whopping 27 sacks on the season, while Ohio State has mustered only 10, which ties for last in the B1G. While the Buckeyes are likely stronger on the interior, where Tyleik Williams and Mike Hall Jr. have excelled, its hard not to give this position group to the Nittany Lions as well.

I’m going to group the back seven together here just as to no go super long on my half of You’re Nuts this week.

Penn State’s defense has been dominant. The Nits rank No. 1 in the Big Ten in rushing defense, allowing only 72.5 yards per game on the ground, and No. 1 in passing defense, allowing 121.2 yards per game through the air. Now, a caveat here is that Penn State hasn’t exactly played any real dynamic offenses thus far, with wins over West Virgina, Delaware, Illinois, Iowa, Northwestern and UMass. The numbers are still impressive, but Ohio State is far and away the best offense this team has seen this season by a rather wide margin.

Ohio State’s defense has been no slouch, either. The Buckeyes haven’t exactly played some world beaters either, but they did have a big matchup against Notre Dame on the road — whom they held to 14 points — and held a Maryland offense that ranks second in the B1G in passing offense to under 200 yards through the air. Overall, Ohio State ranks No. 3 in the conference in passing defense, allowing 154.3 yards per game, and fourth in rushing defense, allowing 109.2 yards per game.

Taking a look at the big picture, Penn State does appear to have more positional advantages than Ohio State, but whereas the Nittany Lions have a slim leg up in areas like running back and offensive line, I think the Buckeyes’ advantage at wide receiver and their potential upside at both running back and on the defensive line could even things out. These are two really good defenses on paper, but Ohio State has passed some big tests against quality opponents, where the Nittany Lions have not yet really been tested by anyone.

At the end of the day, I think this is going to be a close, low-scoring battle. If this game was played at Beaver Stadium, I would probably give the advantage to the Nittany Lions. However, with Ohio State getting this game at home, I still think they deserve to be a small favorite here. This is likely James Franklin’s best team in his time at the helm in State College, but I’d put the line at OSU -1.5.

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What if the Buckeyes aren’t at full strength against Penn State?
Megan.Husslein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Barbara J. Perenic/The Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

There have been an uncomfortable amount of injuries to key players, which could definitely impact Saturday’s game.

The Buckeyes are 6-0! And they have done so without some of their best players, and with a lot of guys not playing fully healthy. Yes, they beat Purdue without their top three running backs and their second-best receiver, but can they repeat that, if needed, against Penn State?

Let’s start with the running backs. Before the game, TreVeyon Henderson was listed as questionable with a rib injury. However, he ended up not dressing for the game. So, it sounds like he could have played if he needed to, but Ryan Day decided to let him heal up for another week before Penn State. Hopefully, he will be back on Saturday, but it is still up in the air.

As for Miyan Williams, there has been no disclosure on why he didn’t play or what injury he has. Chip Trayanum could possibly be in concussion protocol, so that is certainly a tricky situation to deal with, as the Buckeyes definitely don’t want to rush him back too soon.

Barbara J. Perenic/The Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

So, good thing Dallan Hayden is a BEAST, right? He rushed for 76 yards on 11 carries and scored one touchdown against Purdue. Therefore, even if the top three backs are out, Hayden is a running back you certainly have a ton of confidence in. But, it would be nice to have Henderson back as well so there can be a two-man rotation.

On the Penn State side of things, their total defense is the best in the nation. Focusing on their rush defense, they rank third in the nation, allowing 72.5 yards per game. Ohio State has already been struggling to get the run game going, and now with some injuries, it may make it even harder to do so, combined with the fact the Nittany Lions have such a great defense.

Focusing on their pass defense, it’s really freaking good. The best. According to The Athletic, they lead the nation in total defense (193.7 yards per game), yards per play allowed (3.4), passing yards allowed (121.2 per game) and yards allowed per pass attempt (4.6), and they rank third in rushing defense (72.5 per game).

Matthew O’Haren-USA TODAY Sports

This is going to be a tough matchup. Emeka Egbuka’s status is unclear for Saturday, but even if he plays, who knows how well he will be able to play. Marvin Harrison Jr. will most likely be double-teamed, so that opens the doors for other receivers. Cade Stover will probably continue receiving a ton of targets, and Julian Fleming and Carnell Tate should see some more time too.

The main thing that depends on the Buckeyes’ offensive success is the offensive line. There were some signs of improvement against Purdue, so it will be interesting to see if they play up to their opponent, or if they falter under the pressure. This is the key to the game, in my opinion. Even with some injuries, I think the Buckeyes will still be able to get it done IF the offensive line holds up.

It’s going to be a battle, that is for sure. Ohio State will be the toughest team Penn State has faced this year, and vice versa. It will be unfortunate if the Bucks aren’t at full strength, but the “next man up” mentality has been on display all season long, and they haven’t slowed down. They have so much depth offensively, but will it be enough to overcome the Nittany Lions’ defense? Stay tuned.

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Two great seats in 25A row 16 near 23A for $900 cash or Venmo.

Grumpy Old Buckeye: Ohio State at Purdue
Michael Citro via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images

Don’t let winning by 34 fool you into thinking there’s nothing to complain about.

Ohio State went to West Lafayette, Indiana to take on the Purdue Boilermakers in a matchup that can best be described as a just-don’t-screw-this-up game for the Buckeyes. While I didn’t expect any trouble out of Purdue, that has also been the case in past years, when Purdue very much caused a lot of trouble. Things can get dicey in the Twilight Zone-esque, joy-dampening environs of Ross-Ade Stadium.

Ohio State won big, but I’ve never met a sporting event in which I couldn’t find something to complain about — especially when that’s my whole thing with this column. Here’s what had me screaming into a pillow on Saturday to avoid my wife having me committed.

Setting the Tone​

The two teams began the day on vastly different notes offensively. Purdue went on offense first and picked up 19 yards on a simple toss play on the team’s first snap. Ohio State went with a quick out to Julian Fleming, who dropped an easy pass right in his hands. While those first plays turned out not to be a microcosm of the game, it was a reminder that things sometimes go very oddly at Ross-Ade Stadium. No Ohio State fan ever wants to be reminded of that...

Get It Together, Peacock!​

While it would be convenient and awesome to only have to worry about one location to see Ohio State play and (if necessary) subscribe to just that one service, that’s simply not the reality these days. Like many others, I had to add Peacock to my growing list of subscriptions prior to the game.

Some streaming services still have a long way to go in producing quality sports programming. For example, the play clock function on Peacock’s score bug wasn’t working early in this game. I think it started working early in the second quarter, but before then, it often just stuck at 40 seconds, refusing to tell me how much time was left for each team to snap the ball.

And the broadcast team sometimes left quite a bit to be desired. I couldn’t be bothered to remember his name, but the play-by-play announcer once said, “I’m told this is the world’s largest drum,” as the on-screen subject was Purdue’s giant drum that literally says “World’s Largest Drum” on it. Where else are you going to get that kind of hard-hitting, tell-it-like-it-is announcing?

Not Exactly Automatic​

Ohio State scored early, moving down the field mostly through passes to Marvin Harrison Jr., which is honestly a great way to move the ball. Harrison scored on a 14-yard reception to give the Buckeyes the early lead. However, Jayden Fielding missed the point-after-touchdown.

If there is a complete unit that has lagged behind and consistently doesn’t execute to an acceptable (and easily sustainable) level, it has to be Parker Fleming’s special teams. There was also a kickoff out of bounds later in the game, just to throw things back to the Urban Meyer era.

Personally, I’d rather have a full time linebackers coach working under Jim Knowles than a full-time coach dedicated to special teams, especially if the special teams aren’t going to be special.

Dial It In​

Ohio State’s second drive covered 51 yards and extended the Buckeye lead to 13-0 on a Devin Brown run. However, that drive could have been disastrous early, as the first two snaps were awful. Center Carson Hinzman was not dialed in to start the drive. His first snap of the drive was off to Kyle McCord’s right, where it was fielded in the air by Xavier Johnson, who went for five yards. McCord then made a nice grab to corral a second straight snap off to his right before giving it to Chip Trayanum, who ran for 10 more yards.

Those 15 yards moved the ball into Purdue territory, but either of those snaps could have been a turnover instead, had Johnson and McCord not been alert. Even if the first one was supposed to be a direct snap, which I don’t think it was, based on McCord trying to catch it, the second was still quite ugly. A turnover there could have given Purdue some momentum.

OK, We Get It: You Have a New Toy​

The red zone package featuring Brown was an interesting wrinkle I didn’t hate, but that doesn’t mean I want to see it every time. I understand wanting to show more variations and forcing future opponents to spend time on defending it, but it was costly on Ohio State’s third drive.

Brown threw a dangerous pass into traffic on first-and-goal in the direction of Gee Scott. That could have been disastrous. Instead, it was the next play that turned into a dumpster fire when Brown was met at the goal line and fumbled while going into the end zone. Purdue recovered, thwarting the Buckeyes’ drive. That would have been more costly against a better opponent, but throwing away points is never ideal.

I’d rather have kept a couple of those Brown plays hidden in case they’re needed next week.

Marv’s “Average” Day​

Harrison is such an amazing player that it seems weird when he only has a great day and not an insane one. The wide receiver caught six passes for 105 yards and a touchdown, which is a big day for most receivers. But it was a curiously normal day for such a standout player. In 13 targets, Harrison had multiple bobbles and drops. Some of that can be a product of the weather and getting his gloves wet, but not all of it. One of his bobbles took a touchdown off the board, although Cade Stover picked him up on the next play.

Holding and Other Calamities​

Josh Simmons made yet another critical mistake this week when a holding penalty by the left tackle nullified a big pass play to Fleming. This mistake by Simmons was compounded two plays later by a delay of game penalty, which was the first of three such infractions by Ohio State on Saturday — a maddening clock management trend that doesn’t ever seem to go away. That drive ended up going nowhere, and Ryan Day, who (last I checked) has the ability to call a timeout (but didn’t) was obviously livid, screaming at Tony Alford, McCord, and then Simmons in rapid succession.

That was the first drive for the offense that didn’t produce points, aside from the one that would have produce points if Brown had hung onto the football.

The offense had two delay penalties on the afternoon and the punt team had one as well. Other lapses in discipline on the offensive side included an illegal snap by long snapper John Ferlmann just prior to the delay of game on the punt team, and a false start by Luke Montgomery. These types of pre-snap penalties and fouls by the offensive line have been ongoing throughout the season, and may prove much more costly later if not corrected.

Opening the Second Half​

Ohio State seemed a bit late (mentally) getting into the second half on defense. Purdue drove right down the field on the Buckeyes and got a lot of help along the way. There were multiple missed tackles on a pass to Mershawn Rice that helped the Boilermakers gain 35 yards on a play that should have been stopped much sooner. That allowed Purdue to get some confidence.

Later in the drive, Lathan Ransom conceded a free first down on a pass interference penalty on 4th-and-9. Purdue ultimately missed a field goal at the end of the drive. Better teams will make Ohio State pay for those kinds of free yards.

A More Costly Line Issue​

Josh Fryar got absolutely roasted by Nic Scourton, who knocked the ball out of McCord’s hands. Purdue’s Yanni Karlaftis fell on it at the Ohio State 20-yard line to set up the Boilermakers in scoring position. Turnovers are never ideal, but deep in your own territory they can be lethal in a tight game. Thankfully, this wasn’t a tight game. The offensive line has been a constant source of angst for Ohio State fans (as well as the team’s running game in 2023), and with half the season behind us, it does not seem like things will get much better.

Losing the Shutout​

That fumble by McCord ultimately led to Purdue getting on the board, but it was helped by one of the problem areas the defense has shown in 2023. The Buckeyes seem incapable of making opposing quarterbacks throw more difficult passes. Everything successful for OSU opponents through the air seems to come in the middle of the field. Yes, the Buckeyes play safeties deep, looking to avoid giving up the big play. Giving up a dozen medium plays seems just as bad to me as giving up two big ones. And why Ohio State’s corners can’t play inside and force things wide, where it’s more difficult to thread balls in, is a mystery to me.

Purdue utilized slants on its only scoring drive to find the only success it had. Hudson Card threw incomplete to his left three times on the drive, but complete twice in the middle, including on a 4th-and-7 play to extend the drive and then again on the Boilermakers’ only touchdown. Had Ohio State correctly defended on the fourth down, it wouldn’t have mattered anyway, as Jack Sawyer was called for roughing the passer on that same play.

I didn’t see a replay from the Peacock broadcast with a good view, but from the downfield camera, it simply appeared that Sawyer hit Card just after he released the ball. I couldn’t tell from that angle if he’d gotten him up too high, but either way, a little more caution by Sawyer and some inside leverage on the coverage could have preserved the shutout. Slants have been an issue all season, and at some point, some team is just going to call it on every play until Ohio State shows it can stop them.

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Those are the things that burned my bacon on Saturday (and I didn’t even point out the injuries to Trayanum and Denzel Burke). What stood out to you? Obviously, in a 41-7 win, the good is going to vastly outweigh the bad. Stover had a nice day, the Buckeyes ran the ball much better (with a nice game from Dallan Hayden), McCord was efficient, and the defense played solidly. Carnell Tate is getting even better, Brandon Inniss gave us a taste of his future to come, and we saw a little more creativity out of the play calling at times.

The first of Ohio State’s two biggest conference games looms next, with Penn State visiting the Horseshoe on Saturday at noon.

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Stock Market Report: The Buckeyes play their most complete game of the season thus far
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Barbara J. Perenic/The Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

And now all eyes turn to Penn State and the No. 6 team in the country.

After another win from the Ohio State Buckeyes to get to 6-0 and what was seemingly the best all-around effort and performance of the season, the game of the year to this point is now looming.

Let’s take a look at who helped and who hurt their stock in the Buckeyes 41-7 win over Purdue.

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Blue Chip​

Big games: It is about that time again. The Buckeyes are heading into another monster of a game, and all eyes will be on Columbus next Saturday at noon. The No. 3 Buckeyes will host the No. 6 Penn State Nittany Lions in Columbus as both teams are now 6-0 and truly are two of the top teams in the country.

Matthew O’Haren-USA TODAY Sports

And let’s be honest. This is what it is all about. This is why the players play, and this is what the fans look forward to as well. Penn State has had this game circled for a while with their recent struggles against Ohio State, while the Buckeyes know the Nittany Lions stand in their way to get back to the College Football Playoff. Here we go.

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Solid Investments​

Barbara J. Perenic/The Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

Carnell Tate: Tate has been quietly getting more comfortable every game in the offense, and with Emeka Egbuka not traveling to Purdue, he was a popular pick to step up and have a big game.

Although he did not have the big game in terms of quantity and only had three catches, he had 79 yards, and all three catches came at big moments for the Buckeyes to keep the momentum moving forward. With Egbuka still dealing with an injury, Tate will have more opportunities moving forward to stay involved in the offense.

Conquering the demons: There was a lot of talk this week heading into the game at Purdue about the Buckeye’s previous struggles in West Lafayette. Since 2000, the Buckeyes were 3-5 at Ross-Ade Stadium, and some of the best quarterbacks, coaches, and teams in recent school history have lost there. The most recent one was a 49-20 drubbing of an Ohio State team that was the No. 3 team in the country and 7-0 before that game, ruining a possible national title campaign.

However, this team did not care about previous failures. It is a new team with new players, and they walked in and handled their business from the first snap to leave no doubt in this one. Even though a team of this talent should handle Purdue easily, home or away, it was nice to see the demons of teams past had no impact on this one.

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Junk Bonds​

Special teams: This goes for both teams. Ohio State struggled with kicking, Purdue missed three field goals, and the Buckeyes had some penalties on that side of the ball. Obviously, the weather played a factor in that, and kicking is not easy, but it was not a banner day for either team on that end. Hopefully, Ohio State bounces back against Penn State when the special teams will matter more in a close game.

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Buy/Sell​

Buy: Pass rush. Every game, it seems the pass rush gets better and better. This time, the defense got a couple of sacks and made Hudson Card very uncomfortable. With Drew Allar of Penn State walking into the most hostile environment he has faced in his young career on Saturday, it will be key for the pass rush to get home early and make him uncomfortable from the jump. Sacks are great, but pressure is what matters most.

Buy: Jermaine Matthews. The special teams have not been great, but the young cornerback Jermaine Matthews has been a bright spot so far. The top-150 recruit from Winton Woods has a lot of potential on defense, and as a young player, the best way to show that is on special teams, like Sonny Styles last season. If Matthews’s effort and skill translate to defense like it has to special teams, he will have a great career in Columbus.

Sell: Peacock. I am not going to pile onto Peacock because everyone else has said what needs to be said, so all I will say is I am glad there is only one game on Peacock this season.

Unfortunately, there are five men’s basketball games and seven women’s basketball games on that platform this season.

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BOOOOM! 2025 four-star CB Blake Woodby commits to Ohio State during Purdue game
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


2025 CB Blake Woodby | Andrew Ivins, 247Sports

While the Buckeyes were earning a win on the field, the coaching staff was earning a win on the recruiting trail

The 41-7 drudging of Purdue wasn’t the only win for Ohio State on Saturday, as the Buckeyes also earned a big victory on the recruiting trail. While Ryan Day’s squad was beating up on the Boilermakers, the program was earning a big commitment in the 2025 class in four-star cornerback Blake Woodby.

BREAKING: Four-Star CB Blake Woodby has Committed to Ohio State!

The Top 100 Recruit in the ‘25 Class chose the Buckeyes over Oregon, Tennessee, Clemson, & Alabama

“Ohio State has a great reputation for their back end. I wanna be the next great Ohio State corner!”… pic.twitter.com/GgYSmt1FD9

— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) October 14, 2023​

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A Baltimore native, Woodby is currently listed as the No. 9 CB and the No. 79 overall player in the cycle. The St. Frances Academy product is ranked as the No. 3 player out of his home state of Maryland, where Ohio State has done well recruiting historically. The 5-foot-11 defensive back chose the Buckeyes out of his two dozen offers, with a top 5 schools list from back in September that also included the likes of Alabama, Clemson, Oregon and Tennessee.

A day after the decision was announced, Woodby released his own commitment video via his personal Twitter account:

I was born two-months early, but I was right on time. Born ready Now I’m ready to share my commitment to THE Ohio State. Go Bucks! @OhioStateFB #BIA ️ pic.twitter.com/NHtJQzSe5A

— Blake “Bobble” Woodby (@blake_woodby) October 15, 2023​

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“I was a big Miami fan when I was younger, but as I started to understand football and the position I wanted to play, I realized Ohio State is DBU,” Woodby told Eleven Warriors after receiving his offer this past December.. “I want to play at the next level, and I want to watch the next level. I wanted to watch the best and they produce the best.

“Coach told me he watched my film, saw how I played and loved it,” Woodby said, talking about Ohio State assistant Perry Eliano. “We hopped on the phone and got to talking. His first question for me was do I love football? I told him, ‘I’d die for football.’ We connected on the point to where he told me he coached Sauce Gardner and told me what type of player he was on and off the field. Not only did he point out Sauce was good on the field, he pointed out Sauce had a 3.4 GPA and that you have to take care of your business off the field as well.”

Woodby has visited Ohio State a handful of times already, including once over the summer and most recently making the trek to campus for the Buckeyes’ win over Maryland. Woodby will be back in town this upcoming Saturday for Ohio State’s massive game against Penn State, but this time as a commit.

I will be back home next weekend !!! ️ #BIA

— Blake “Bobble” Woodby (@blake_woodby) October 15, 2023​

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Coming from a prep football powerhouse in St. Frances Academy, Woodby is used to going up against some of the top competition. He is lauded as a physical corner who welcomes contact, and also features great closing speed and coverage skills. When comparing himself to former Ohio State corners, he says he sees a lot of himself in the New Orleans Saints’ Marshon Lattimore — a type of player Buckeye Nation would surely love to have on the roster.

Ohio State’s recruiting in the secondary under Eliano and Tim Walton has been on quite the tear, landing a trio of high four-star prospects in the 2024 class in Miles Lockhart, Aaron Scott and Bryce West, and now starting off the 2025 cycle by adding Woodby, another top-100 national player. Overall, Woodby is the third member of the next cycle early on for the Buckeyes, joining quarterback Tavien St. Clair and wide receiver Jayvan Boggs, who also just joined the class this past week.

For a more in-depth look at Woodby’s game, check out the highlight tape from his sophomore season:

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Ohio State women’s basketball 2023-24 player preview: Rebeka Mikulášiková
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images

The Slovakian forward is part of a group of interesting picks at the No. 5 role. Can Mikulášiková get back to the starting role lost at the end of the 2023 season?

After the 2020-21 season, the Ohio State women’s basketball team was in a tough situation. The Buckeyes lost its two starting forwards to the transfer portal, setting up a potential predicament in the paint.

Forward Rebeka Mikulášiková stepped in to start every game for the 21-22 Buckeyes, on its way to a share of the Big Ten regular season title. Last season, Mikulášiková continued to play and had some of the best success she’s had in scarlet and gray.

That changed as the season continued, and now the lone starting forward for Ohio State is part of a group of three who all have the potential to start for head coach Kevin McGuff this season. Mikulášiková has the experience with the program. Will that and offensive prowess put the Slovakian back in the starting five in her final NCAA season?

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Name: Rebeka Mikulášiková

Position: Forward

Class: Graduate Senior

High School: Piaristické Gymnasium (Slovakia)

2020-21 Stats: 10.1 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 1.0 apg, .610 FG%, .313 3FG%, .745 FT%

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Last Season​

Entering the 22-23 season, Mikulášiková was in the best conditioning of her basketball career, and the start of season saw it pay dividends.

In the first eight games of the season, Mikulášiková averaged 19.8 points and 6.0 rebounds per game, far above career averages. In those games, the forward stood out against Boston College, scoring a then career high 23 points, plus 10 rebounds for a double-double.

Against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights, Mikulášiková was huge when the team needed her the most. In a game where six players combined for 21 points, Mikulášiková led the team with 31 points, alongside 30 from now graduated guard Taylor Mikesell, in one of the Buckeyes’ 19 straight wins to begin the season.

From there though, the big performances were sporadic. Following those eight games scoring at least double figure points, Mikulášiková went a handful of games in single digits, then exploding for five three-pointers against Oregon in a 27-point performance. Then the scoring dipped for another handful of games before leading Ohio State with 25 points against Nebraska on Jan. 14.

The offense continued to dip through the rest of the season. Mikulášiková, who started the year hitting multiple threes in a game 10 times in the first 19 games, only hit more than one a game once through the remainder of the year. Then, against Minnesota on Feb. 8, Mikulášiková suffered a sprained ankle after four minutes and never saw the starting lineup again.

In the forward’s place was transfer forward Eboni Walker. Mikulášiková, once she returned from the injury, became a player off the bench for McGuff. The forward entered the game but if early shots were missed, often went back to the bench. It appeared that McGuff opted for the more mobile, and defensive-minded, Walker over the offensive big who showed the potential to be prolific in and outside of the paint.

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What to Expect​

Mikulášiková is a forward in the prototype of other European bigs. Not only can she move around the paint and find open layup opportunities, but has the ability to hit shots from midrange and from deep.

McGuff’s 5-out offensive scheme thrives when someone like Mikulášiková is hitting shots from deep. It draws out bigs to give opportunities to players like forward Cotie McMahon to attack the basket. If bigs don’t bite, the 6-foot-4 Slovakian can hit shots over smaller guards on the perimeter.

Last season, Mikulášiková showed great improvement inside the paint. The extra conditioning both her and McGuff credited for her strong start allowed Mikulášiková to be more agile around forwards and centers, plus allowed Mikulášiková to log more minutes.

This season, expectations may fall in where Mikulášiková comes into the game. Will she regain her starting position and be an offensive catalyst or will McGuff use her as an offensive spark off the bench?

Ohio State’s paint presence now features three different looks. There’s Mikulášiková’s diverse scoring, Walker’s mobility and speed against bigger and slower forwards and Michigan State transfer forward Taiyier Parks. The former Spartan is McGuff’s most physical option in the paint; someone who can make opposing offensive playmakers think twice about trying to make moves to the basket.

Will McGuff go with a regular starting No. 5 position or rotate depending on the opponent? It’s a good problem to have for the Buckeyes this season.

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Prediction​

Being a graduate senior, and McGuff’s forward of choice more often than not over the past two seasons, lends to the idea of Mikulášiková starting again. With another year of conditioning in McGuff’s system, Mikulášiková could show that same offensive power that fans saw glimpses of last year.

Also, with Mikesell now in the professional ranks, offensive might is a question mark. Should Mikulášiková have that shooting stroke, starting her could be a necessity to make up for all the points lost from last year’s squad.

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Highlights​

When Mikulášiková is on, she is a First Team All-B1G player. Here’s video to prove it, from Mikulášiková’s career day against Rutgers, in New Jersey, last season.

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Miss a player preview? Here’s who you can read about so far:

Jacy Sheldon

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If This Were A Movie: Ohio State gives us something good to ‘Scream’ about at Purdue
JamiJurich via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Barbara J. Perenic/The Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

Ohio State brought its Final Girl energy to West Lafayette.

Each week, we’ll analyze the Ohio State game (and occasionally other games as well) through the lens of a sports movie. If this game were the next “Remember the Titans,” “Space Jam” or “The Sandlot,” what storylines would keep us talking? What would make us laugh, reach for the box of tissues, or have us on the edge of our seats? Grab your popcorn and get ready for pop culture references, a hint of snark, and a trip back in time to the Blockbuster Video days.

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We’re in the heart of spooky season (perhaps it’s spookier for Purdue fans than for Buckeye fans given the outcome of yesterday’s game), and luckily for us, sophomore running back Dallan Hayden decided to keep us on theme. Coming out of yesterday’s game, he really gave us something to “Scream” about (complimentary) with his Sidney Prescott final girl energy.

Ohio State went into Saturday’s matchup against the Boilermakers down two of their top three running backs, with TreVeyon Henderson and Miyan Williams sidelined with injuries. By the end of the first quarter, a big hit took Chip Trayanum out with them.

No one wants to see their friends go down one by one, but when it happens, it’s best to be prepared.

That’s exactly how Dallan Hayden responded — in a big way.

While “Scream” is 27 years old and I personally believe the statute of limitations has run out on spoilers, I also believe “Scream” is one of the most perfect films ever made and everyone deserves to see it spoiler-free for the first time, so I will attempt to make this comparison without spoiling the greatest horror franchise ever made.

High schooler Sidney Prescott lives in a town called Woodsboro, California, and when the movie opens, we are closing in on the first anniversary of the murder of Sidney’s mom. A masked character named Ghostface begins attacking the residents of Woodsboro, putting everyone on high alert.

Sidney, for her part, is attacked while home alone one night, though Ghostface disappears right as her boyfriend arrives.

Soon, recent Woodsboro graduate Randy Meeks—a horror aficionado and film student—points out that the residents of Woodsboro seem to be living in a horror film. But all hope is not lost — being in a horror film means there are rules and guidelines to follow to help them avoid being caught off guard and keep them alive.

Yet, as the movie goes on, Sidney’s friends and neighbors go down one by one, breaking the rules and paying the price. She has no choice but to remain prepared, getting scrappy and fighting back. Much like Hayden on Saturday.

While Sidney’s end goal was to not get murdered by a stabby masked man in a glittery robe, Hayden’s was to help lead his team to victory. In his season debut, he went 76 yards on 11 carries, averaging 6.9 yards per carry.

The cherry on top was a 19-yard touchdown run to open the second half.

Hayden had been preparing for this. With no guarantees that his number would be called this season given where he fell in the depth chart, he knew his team was still counting on him to be ready if the moment came.

Sidney knew the same—when Ghostface came for her, she needed to be ready to outsmart him and ultimately put an end to his plot.

The Buckeyes’ run game has struggled this season, and they were coming off a dismal rushing performance against Maryland. For Hayden to step up and run the ball the way he did without the three guys ahead of him on the depth chart showed the exact level of preparation, grit, and determination the Buckeyes needed.

He could have outrun Ghostface himself.

Ryan Day agreed. “To be able to run the way we did without having three of our guys was a good sign,” Day said after the Buckeyes’ definitive 41-7 victory.

Now, if you’ve seen “Scream 2,” you know the rules in a horror sequel are different—the body count is higher, the kills are more elaborate and gory, and you can never ever assume the killer is dead.

Ohio State might have its own horror sequel on its hands next weekend. The killer they’ll face (Penn State) will be faster and smarter than the Boilermakers (who have a bottom-four rush defense in the Big Ten), and there are new rules they’ll have to factor in.

Penn State, for its part, has the No. 1 rush defense in the conference (ranked sixth nationally), so if they’re relying on Hayden to do the heavy lifting, he’s going to have to get scrappy.

But that’s another film for another Saturday.

This weekend, he did exactly what was asked of him when thrown into a situation no one expected us to be in. So at least for this weekend, he’s our local Sidney Prescott.

Let’s just hope the Buckeyes can continue to share her success, and that of the Scream franchise, even as new villains pop up and get harder and harder to defeat.

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