-
New here? Register here now for access to all the forums, download game torrents, private messages, polls, Sportsbook, etc. Plus, stay connected and follow BP on Instagram @buckeyeplanet and Facebook.
LGHL Our streaming expert has the best ways to watch The Game for free without cable
- News
- 0 Replies
Our streaming expert has the best ways to watch The Game for free without cable
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
You’ve got a number of free trials you can choose from of various lengths and breadths.
Today’s the day. The culmination of an entire season of preparation for the coaches and players and an entire year of angst for fans. Today is The Game. At 12 noon ET — kickoff is actually scheduled for 12:14 p.m. — the No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes (11-0, 8-0) will visit their third-ranked rivals (11-0, 8-0) on Fox for the Big Noon Game of the Week.
Due to the historically comical cheating scandal that The Team Up North has perpetrated over the past two-plus seasons, the anticipation for this game is through the roof. The amount of hate between the most vocal members of these two fanbases has always been uncomfortably high, but over the past month, the intensity between the camps seems to have only intensified. With tin-foil hat conspiracy theories on both sides of the proverbial aisle, the animosity feels like it has grown from the typical levels of quasi-performative “sports-hate” to IRL venom. In just a few hours' time, we will see if either side is able to emerge unscathed.
Of course, far more important than fans’ bragging rights is what this game means for the teams on the field. The winner of the matchup will be the final Big Ten East champion and will represent the division in the Big Ten Championship Game. Whoever that is will be heavily favored to win the conference title over the Iowa Hawkeyes and would then be no worse than No. 2 in the College Football Playoff when the seeds are announced a week from tomorrow.
Obviously, no self-respecting sports fan can afford to miss this game. But, I know it can be incredibly confusing to find the best way to watch a game in today’s entertainment landscape. Fortunately for you, I am something of a streaming expert... no really, I write about streaming services for a living. So, I am going to walk you through the best — and cheapest — ways for you to stream today’s game.
Also, if you want to put a little money on the game over at DraftKings Sportsbook, not only would it make what could be a blowout even more exciting, but you could make enough cash to pay for a full month of cable or streaming!
Game Date/Time: Saturday, Nov. 25 at 12:14 p.m. ET
TV: Fox
Broadcasters: Gus Johnson, Joel Klatt, Jenny Taft
Betting Line: TTUN +3.5 | 46.5 o/u
Odds/lines subject to change. T&Cs apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for details.
It is getting a little unusual for Ohio State games to not have a native streaming home. When their games air on CBS, they are also on Paramount+. If OSU plays on NBC, the games are also available to stream on Peacock — not to mention that last week’s Purdue game was a Peacock exclusive.
However, Fox does not have a subscription streaming service that broadcasts its live programming. So, if you are looking to stream the game, DIRECTV STREAM is your best option. The live TV streaming service has the only guaranteed multi-day free trial in the industry and provides the most top cable channels of all of its competitors. The basic, Entertainment package comes with all of the major network channels — all of which have college football — ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC. It also has ESPN, ESPN2, and FS1. Then, if you want to upgrade, other packages include the ACC Network, Big Ten Network, ESPNU, SEC Network, CBS Sports Network, Longhorn Network, and more.
What’s great about DIRECTV STREAM’s free trial is that you are able to sign up for whatever package you want for free. You don’t have to worry about being charged for upgraded plans. So, you can simply sign up for the top-tier Premier package — which normally costs $154.99 per month — enjoy all 140 channels for five days and then cancel.
Fubo: $84.99 per month, at least a one-day free trial
Sling TV: $40 per month, 50% off first month (Fox is only available in select media markets)
Hulu + Live TV: $69.99 per month, comes with Hulu, Disney+, ESPN+ included
YouTube TV: $72.99 per month
Below is your Ohio State vs. M*ch*g*n 2023 game thread. Be respectful, be kind and — as always — keep it classy, BuckeyeNation. If you like GIFs, lay ‘em on us. In all, be good fans, cheer for your teams, be cool to each other (even if somebody else isn’t) and everyone wins. Let’s finish the season strong!
Continue reading...
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
You’ve got a number of free trials you can choose from of various lengths and breadths.
Today’s the day. The culmination of an entire season of preparation for the coaches and players and an entire year of angst for fans. Today is The Game. At 12 noon ET — kickoff is actually scheduled for 12:14 p.m. — the No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes (11-0, 8-0) will visit their third-ranked rivals (11-0, 8-0) on Fox for the Big Noon Game of the Week.
Due to the historically comical cheating scandal that The Team Up North has perpetrated over the past two-plus seasons, the anticipation for this game is through the roof. The amount of hate between the most vocal members of these two fanbases has always been uncomfortably high, but over the past month, the intensity between the camps seems to have only intensified. With tin-foil hat conspiracy theories on both sides of the proverbial aisle, the animosity feels like it has grown from the typical levels of quasi-performative “sports-hate” to IRL venom. In just a few hours' time, we will see if either side is able to emerge unscathed.
Of course, far more important than fans’ bragging rights is what this game means for the teams on the field. The winner of the matchup will be the final Big Ten East champion and will represent the division in the Big Ten Championship Game. Whoever that is will be heavily favored to win the conference title over the Iowa Hawkeyes and would then be no worse than No. 2 in the College Football Playoff when the seeds are announced a week from tomorrow.
Obviously, no self-respecting sports fan can afford to miss this game. But, I know it can be incredibly confusing to find the best way to watch a game in today’s entertainment landscape. Fortunately for you, I am something of a streaming expert... no really, I write about streaming services for a living. So, I am going to walk you through the best — and cheapest — ways for you to stream today’s game.
Also, if you want to put a little money on the game over at DraftKings Sportsbook, not only would it make what could be a blowout even more exciting, but you could make enough cash to pay for a full month of cable or streaming!
How can I watch the Ohio State vs. M*ch*g*n college football game?
Game Date/Time: Saturday, Nov. 25 at 12:14 p.m. ET
TV: Fox
Broadcasters: Gus Johnson, Joel Klatt, Jenny Taft
Betting Line: TTUN +3.5 | 46.5 o/u
Odds/lines subject to change. T&Cs apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for details.
Best Streaming Option to Watch Ohio State vs. TTUN: DIRECTV STREAM | 5-Day Free Trial
It is getting a little unusual for Ohio State games to not have a native streaming home. When their games air on CBS, they are also on Paramount+. If OSU plays on NBC, the games are also available to stream on Peacock — not to mention that last week’s Purdue game was a Peacock exclusive.
However, Fox does not have a subscription streaming service that broadcasts its live programming. So, if you are looking to stream the game, DIRECTV STREAM is your best option. The live TV streaming service has the only guaranteed multi-day free trial in the industry and provides the most top cable channels of all of its competitors. The basic, Entertainment package comes with all of the major network channels — all of which have college football — ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC. It also has ESPN, ESPN2, and FS1. Then, if you want to upgrade, other packages include the ACC Network, Big Ten Network, ESPNU, SEC Network, CBS Sports Network, Longhorn Network, and more.
What’s great about DIRECTV STREAM’s free trial is that you are able to sign up for whatever package you want for free. You don’t have to worry about being charged for upgraded plans. So, you can simply sign up for the top-tier Premier package — which normally costs $154.99 per month — enjoy all 140 channels for five days and then cancel.
Other Streaming Options for the Ohio State and Harboys Game:
Fubo: $84.99 per month, at least a one-day free trial
Sling TV: $40 per month, 50% off first month (Fox is only available in select media markets)
Hulu + Live TV: $69.99 per month, comes with Hulu, Disney+, ESPN+ included
YouTube TV: $72.99 per month
Join the conversation
Below is your Ohio State vs. M*ch*g*n 2023 game thread. Be respectful, be kind and — as always — keep it classy, BuckeyeNation. If you like GIFs, lay ‘em on us. In all, be good fans, cheer for your teams, be cool to each other (even if somebody else isn’t) and everyone wins. Let’s finish the season strong!
Odds/lines subject to change. T&Cs apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for details.
Continue reading...
LGHL You’re Nuts: Who is your biggest Ohio State hero in The Game?
- News
- 0 Replies
You’re Nuts: Who is your biggest Ohio State hero in The Game?
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images
Your (almost) daily dose of good-natured, Ohio State banter.
So what’s everybody doing at noon on Saturday? Just kidding, we know that all eyes will be on Ann Arbor this Saturday when Ohio State and Michigan square off with not only a spot in the Big Ten Championship Game on the line, but the winner will also be heading to the College Football Playoff. This year’s contest between the hated rivals will be even more combustible after the suspension of Jim Harbaugh because of the cheating scandal that became public last month.
While we know that Harbaugh, J.J. McCarthy, Blake Corum, and the rest of the players in maize and blue are villains, today we are going to keep things positive and focus on the heroes we have seen in scarlet and gray that have stepped up big over the years in The Game. There have been plenty of Ohio State players and coaches that have left a huge mark in the rivalry, especially over the last 20 years since the Buckeyes have won the majority of the meetings with Michigan.
There are plenty of ways you can go with your answer to today’s question. Your biggest hero could be a player or coach. Your choice could be because of one single moment in The Game, or it could be because of what they did over their career against Michigan. No matter who you end up rolling with, the one thing we can all agree on is BEAT MICHIGAN!
Even if John Cooper had gone .500 against Michigan during his time in Columbus, he would have been a legend. Instead, Cooper was 2-10-1 against the Wolverines, with his record against That Team Up North being a major reason why he was fired following the 2000 season. There were questions about how seriously Cooper took the rivalry, which is something that can’t be said about the man who replaced him.
Enter Jim Tressel, who was hired from Youngstown State following the 2000 season. It didn’t take Tressel long to show Buckeye fans just how serious he was about beating Michigan, as during halftime of an Ohio State-Michigan basketball game, Tressel promised fans would be proud of Ohio State on the football field in 310 days when the Buckeyes took on the Wolverines in Ann Arbor. Ohio State would go on to beat Michigan 26-20 in the 2001 season, marking the first time in 14 years the Buckeyes had won at Michigan Stadium.
During his time as Ohio State head coach, Tressel would only suffer one setback against Michigan, which came in 2003 when the Wolverines beat the Buckeyes 35-21 in Ann Arbor in 2003. Tressel would finish his Ohio State coaching career with a 9-1 record (yes, we are including the vacated win in 2010) before he resigned in May 2011 because of the Tatgate scandal.
I wasn’t around while Woody Hayes was head coach, but it was well-known just how much Hayes hated the whole state of Michigan. Hayes was a lot more vocal about his disdain for Michigan than Tressel was. What makes me love Jim Tressel so much is just how calculating he was with how he motivated his team and fans heading into The Game. Tressel wasn’t as vocal, he just let the work his team put into preparing for The Game speak for itself.
Essentially what Jim Tressel was able to do against Michigan laid the groundwork for Urban Meyer to be so successful against the Wolverines. Meyer took some of the best from Hayes and Tressel and put his own spin on it to finish his Ohio State coaching career with an undefeated record against Michigan. Had Tressel done what he did against Michigan, who knows if the Buckeyes have nearly as much success as they have had against the Wolverines over the last 20 years?
As Brett alluded to, Jim Tressel was already well underway to dominating this rivalry when Troy Smith showed up as the starting quarterback in 2004. But the eventual 2006 Heisman Trophy winner changed the game for Ohio State, not only in this rivalry but in terms of what a Buckeye quarterback could be in the 21st Century.
Smith had an NFL-caliber arm but was also athletic enough to change the game with his legs. He was the type of QB that OSU had never seen before, and after winning the 2002 national title with the brainy and gutsy — but less than athletically gifted — Craig Krenzel, Smith was a breath of fresh air.
I think that it is a legitimate question to ask whether Terrell Pryor, Braxton Miller, Justin Fields, or C.J. Stroud — all guys with elite athleticism — would have come to Columbus, had Troy Smith not paved the way.
But, to bring it back to the rivalry, Smith was 3-0 as the starter against That Team Up North, going a very nice 69-for-101 for 857 yards, 7 touchdowns, and just 1 interception. But that’s not all, on the ground, No. 10 rushed for 194 yards, including 145 in 2004. He added two more TDs on the ground as well.
I have gone on record as saying that J.T. Barrett is the greatest quarterback in Ohio State history (a distinction that I believe takes into account more than just his on-field accomplishments) and that Fields is the best QB the program has ever seen. But, I believe that there is a legitimate argument that Troy Smith is the most important signal-caller ever to wear the scarlet and gray, and his performances against That Team Up North play more than a small part in that distinction.
If you don’t remember how electric Troy Smith was, take a look at these highlights put together by our old friend Colton Denning:
Continue reading...
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images
Your (almost) daily dose of good-natured, Ohio State banter.
So what’s everybody doing at noon on Saturday? Just kidding, we know that all eyes will be on Ann Arbor this Saturday when Ohio State and Michigan square off with not only a spot in the Big Ten Championship Game on the line, but the winner will also be heading to the College Football Playoff. This year’s contest between the hated rivals will be even more combustible after the suspension of Jim Harbaugh because of the cheating scandal that became public last month.
While we know that Harbaugh, J.J. McCarthy, Blake Corum, and the rest of the players in maize and blue are villains, today we are going to keep things positive and focus on the heroes we have seen in scarlet and gray that have stepped up big over the years in The Game. There have been plenty of Ohio State players and coaches that have left a huge mark in the rivalry, especially over the last 20 years since the Buckeyes have won the majority of the meetings with Michigan.
There are plenty of ways you can go with your answer to today’s question. Your biggest hero could be a player or coach. Your choice could be because of one single moment in The Game, or it could be because of what they did over their career against Michigan. No matter who you end up rolling with, the one thing we can all agree on is BEAT MICHIGAN!
Today’s question: Who is your biggest Ohio State hero in The Game?
We’d love to hear your choices. Either respond to us on Twitter at @Landgrant33 or leave your choice in the comments.
Brett’s answer: Jim Tressel
Even if John Cooper had gone .500 against Michigan during his time in Columbus, he would have been a legend. Instead, Cooper was 2-10-1 against the Wolverines, with his record against That Team Up North being a major reason why he was fired following the 2000 season. There were questions about how seriously Cooper took the rivalry, which is something that can’t be said about the man who replaced him.
Enter Jim Tressel, who was hired from Youngstown State following the 2000 season. It didn’t take Tressel long to show Buckeye fans just how serious he was about beating Michigan, as during halftime of an Ohio State-Michigan basketball game, Tressel promised fans would be proud of Ohio State on the football field in 310 days when the Buckeyes took on the Wolverines in Ann Arbor. Ohio State would go on to beat Michigan 26-20 in the 2001 season, marking the first time in 14 years the Buckeyes had won at Michigan Stadium.
During his time as Ohio State head coach, Tressel would only suffer one setback against Michigan, which came in 2003 when the Wolverines beat the Buckeyes 35-21 in Ann Arbor in 2003. Tressel would finish his Ohio State coaching career with a 9-1 record (yes, we are including the vacated win in 2010) before he resigned in May 2011 because of the Tatgate scandal.
I wasn’t around while Woody Hayes was head coach, but it was well-known just how much Hayes hated the whole state of Michigan. Hayes was a lot more vocal about his disdain for Michigan than Tressel was. What makes me love Jim Tressel so much is just how calculating he was with how he motivated his team and fans heading into The Game. Tressel wasn’t as vocal, he just let the work his team put into preparing for The Game speak for itself.
Essentially what Jim Tressel was able to do against Michigan laid the groundwork for Urban Meyer to be so successful against the Wolverines. Meyer took some of the best from Hayes and Tressel and put his own spin on it to finish his Ohio State coaching career with an undefeated record against Michigan. Had Tressel done what he did against Michigan, who knows if the Buckeyes have nearly as much success as they have had against the Wolverines over the last 20 years?
Matt’s answer: Troy Smith
As Brett alluded to, Jim Tressel was already well underway to dominating this rivalry when Troy Smith showed up as the starting quarterback in 2004. But the eventual 2006 Heisman Trophy winner changed the game for Ohio State, not only in this rivalry but in terms of what a Buckeye quarterback could be in the 21st Century.
Smith had an NFL-caliber arm but was also athletic enough to change the game with his legs. He was the type of QB that OSU had never seen before, and after winning the 2002 national title with the brainy and gutsy — but less than athletically gifted — Craig Krenzel, Smith was a breath of fresh air.
I think that it is a legitimate question to ask whether Terrell Pryor, Braxton Miller, Justin Fields, or C.J. Stroud — all guys with elite athleticism — would have come to Columbus, had Troy Smith not paved the way.
But, to bring it back to the rivalry, Smith was 3-0 as the starter against That Team Up North, going a very nice 69-for-101 for 857 yards, 7 touchdowns, and just 1 interception. But that’s not all, on the ground, No. 10 rushed for 194 yards, including 145 in 2004. He added two more TDs on the ground as well.
I have gone on record as saying that J.T. Barrett is the greatest quarterback in Ohio State history (a distinction that I believe takes into account more than just his on-field accomplishments) and that Fields is the best QB the program has ever seen. But, I believe that there is a legitimate argument that Troy Smith is the most important signal-caller ever to wear the scarlet and gray, and his performances against That Team Up North play more than a small part in that distinction.
If you don’t remember how electric Troy Smith was, take a look at these highlights put together by our old friend Colton Denning:
Continue reading...
LGHL Ohio State Men’s Basketball vs Santa Clara: Game Preview and Prediction
- News
- 0 Replies
Ohio State Men’s Basketball vs Santa Clara: Game Preview and Prediction
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Johnnie Izquierdo/Getty Images
The Buckeyes will look to win the Emerald Coast Classic by taking down the surging Broncos out of the WCC.
In the Ohio State Men’s Basketball team’s second game in two days, the Buckeyes will take on Santa Clara (6-0) in the championship game of the Emerald Coast Classic in Destin, Fla., at Northwest Florida College.
The Buckeyes (4-1) secured a huge win on Friday in the first round of the bracket portion of the Emerald Coast Classic, upsetting No. 17 Alabama (4-1) 92-81 in what was easily the top performance of the year by Ohio State. The Buckeyes defeated Western Michigan 73-56 in the campus game of the tournament last Sunday.
Santa Clara took down the Oregon Ducks 88-82 in another high-scoring semifinal to set up the matchup with Ohio State. The Broncos have had a solid start to its season, starting 6-0 and defeating Stanford 89-77 earlier this season. They defeated Southeastern Louisiana in the campus game portion of the tournament.
The Buckeyes and the Broncos will face off for a first-place finish in the Emerald Coast Classic.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25110430/1784191894.jpg "COLLEGE BASKETBALL: NOV 14 Santa Clara at Stanford")
Photo by Larry Placido/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
A career performance by Bruce Thornton and Roddy Gayle Jr. led the Buckeyes past the offensive juggernaut Crimson Tide.
Thornton recorded a career-high 29 points on 6-for-12 shooting from the field and 4-for-6 shooting from three-point range over 35 minutes against the Crimson Tide. Thornton added four assists, three rebounds, and only two turnovers. Most impressively, Thornton was 13-for-14 from the free-throw line and helped the Buckeyes ice the game late.
Gayle recorded a career-high 23 points on 8-for-11 shooting, four rebounds, and three assists. Gayle was also 6-for-6 from the free-throw line in 36 minutes on the floor against Alabama.
Starting center Felix Okpara played with foul trouble for much of the second half, but still was able to record 10 rebounds in 18 minutes — although he scored just two points on one made basket. Zed Key had another impressive showing as the sixth man, recording 11 points and three rebounds in 21 minutes off the bench.
Grant Nelson led Alabama with 20 points and six rebounds over 32 minutes. Alabama entered the game as the nation’s leading three-point and scoring team, shooting better than 49% from beyond the arc and averaging 101 points per game. Against the Buckeyes, they were 9-of-30 from beyond the arc (30%) and scored 81 points.
Through five games, Bruce Thornton is averaging 18.0 points per game, and Roddy Gayle is averaging 16.4 points per game. The two talented sophomores have cemented themselves as one of the top backcourts in the conference.
Santa Clara was led by guard Adama Bal against Oregon, who doubled his scoring average, recording 25 points on 10-for-14 shooting. The junior guard was averaging 12 points per game before blowing up on Friday night. Center Christoph Tilly added 18 points on 7-for-9 shooting, and Tyeree Bryan and Carlos Marshall added 12 points each.
Even with the win Friday night, Santa Clara is still No. 95 in KenPom, and is sitting outside the top 100 in both offensive and defensive efficiency. They were picked to finish fifth in the WCC, but to this point have shown the “experts” that perhaps they were picked a bit too low.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25110429/1812448497.jpg "Emerald Coast Classic - Alabama v Ohio State")
Photo by Johnnie Izquierdo/Getty Images
Santa Clara is a solid team, but Ohio State is likely the best team they will have faced to this point in the season.
Ohio State might have found a secret to its success this season in the Alabama game. They beat Alabama at its own game, scoring in transition, winning the rebounding battle, and using that to get out on offense and down the court quickly, setting up transition baskets and forcing fouls. In the past, Ohio State has not had the personnel to play that way, but with the way Bruce Thornton, Roddy Gayle, Evan Mahaffey, and Dale Bonner run the floor, they can implement it a bit more this year.
Taison Chatman was able to get on the floor for a minute in this contest, his first appearance of the season. He will be gently rotated in, but it was promising to see that he is ready for any type of game action.
Jamison Battle played 27 minutes but was not a factor late in Friday’s game, and only shot 2-for-7 from the field and 1-for-5 from three-point range. They will need him to be more of a contributor as teams start to key in on Thornton and Gayle, and a third and fourth scorer needs to emerge.
Ohio State is coming in off its two best performances of the season, and I think they will keep it rolling, winning the Emerald Coast Classic and really using this two-game stretch to propel them into some big games in December.
Time: 7 p.m. ET
TV: CBS Sports Network
Continue reading...
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Johnnie Izquierdo/Getty Images
The Buckeyes will look to win the Emerald Coast Classic by taking down the surging Broncos out of the WCC.
In the Ohio State Men’s Basketball team’s second game in two days, the Buckeyes will take on Santa Clara (6-0) in the championship game of the Emerald Coast Classic in Destin, Fla., at Northwest Florida College.
The Buckeyes (4-1) secured a huge win on Friday in the first round of the bracket portion of the Emerald Coast Classic, upsetting No. 17 Alabama (4-1) 92-81 in what was easily the top performance of the year by Ohio State. The Buckeyes defeated Western Michigan 73-56 in the campus game of the tournament last Sunday.
Santa Clara took down the Oregon Ducks 88-82 in another high-scoring semifinal to set up the matchup with Ohio State. The Broncos have had a solid start to its season, starting 6-0 and defeating Stanford 89-77 earlier this season. They defeated Southeastern Louisiana in the campus game portion of the tournament.
The Buckeyes and the Broncos will face off for a first-place finish in the Emerald Coast Classic.
Preview
A career performance by Bruce Thornton and Roddy Gayle Jr. led the Buckeyes past the offensive juggernaut Crimson Tide.
Thornton recorded a career-high 29 points on 6-for-12 shooting from the field and 4-for-6 shooting from three-point range over 35 minutes against the Crimson Tide. Thornton added four assists, three rebounds, and only two turnovers. Most impressively, Thornton was 13-for-14 from the free-throw line and helped the Buckeyes ice the game late.
Gayle recorded a career-high 23 points on 8-for-11 shooting, four rebounds, and three assists. Gayle was also 6-for-6 from the free-throw line in 36 minutes on the floor against Alabama.
Starting center Felix Okpara played with foul trouble for much of the second half, but still was able to record 10 rebounds in 18 minutes — although he scored just two points on one made basket. Zed Key had another impressive showing as the sixth man, recording 11 points and three rebounds in 21 minutes off the bench.
Grant Nelson led Alabama with 20 points and six rebounds over 32 minutes. Alabama entered the game as the nation’s leading three-point and scoring team, shooting better than 49% from beyond the arc and averaging 101 points per game. Against the Buckeyes, they were 9-of-30 from beyond the arc (30%) and scored 81 points.
Through five games, Bruce Thornton is averaging 18.0 points per game, and Roddy Gayle is averaging 16.4 points per game. The two talented sophomores have cemented themselves as one of the top backcourts in the conference.
Santa Clara was led by guard Adama Bal against Oregon, who doubled his scoring average, recording 25 points on 10-for-14 shooting. The junior guard was averaging 12 points per game before blowing up on Friday night. Center Christoph Tilly added 18 points on 7-for-9 shooting, and Tyeree Bryan and Carlos Marshall added 12 points each.
Even with the win Friday night, Santa Clara is still No. 95 in KenPom, and is sitting outside the top 100 in both offensive and defensive efficiency. They were picked to finish fifth in the WCC, but to this point have shown the “experts” that perhaps they were picked a bit too low.
Prediction
Santa Clara is a solid team, but Ohio State is likely the best team they will have faced to this point in the season.
Ohio State might have found a secret to its success this season in the Alabama game. They beat Alabama at its own game, scoring in transition, winning the rebounding battle, and using that to get out on offense and down the court quickly, setting up transition baskets and forcing fouls. In the past, Ohio State has not had the personnel to play that way, but with the way Bruce Thornton, Roddy Gayle, Evan Mahaffey, and Dale Bonner run the floor, they can implement it a bit more this year.
Taison Chatman was able to get on the floor for a minute in this contest, his first appearance of the season. He will be gently rotated in, but it was promising to see that he is ready for any type of game action.
Jamison Battle played 27 minutes but was not a factor late in Friday’s game, and only shot 2-for-7 from the field and 1-for-5 from three-point range. They will need him to be more of a contributor as teams start to key in on Thornton and Gayle, and a third and fourth scorer needs to emerge.
Ohio State is coming in off its two best performances of the season, and I think they will keep it rolling, winning the Emerald Coast Classic and really using this two-game stretch to propel them into some big games in December.
Time: 7 p.m. ET
TV: CBS Sports Network
LGHL score prediction: Ohio State 80, Santa Clara 72
Continue reading...
LGHL Ohio State fans are split as to what the key to The Game is for the Buckeyes
- News
- 0 Replies
Ohio State fans are split as to what the key to The Game is for the Buckeyes
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/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
But unsurprisingly, they are picking the non-cheaters to win!
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.
Heading into The Game, there has been an unbelievable amount of vitriol spewed on both sides of this rivalry. However, we are well aware that the loudest voices in any fandom often come from a relatively small corner of the community, so as we head into what is arguably the most anticipated and potentially influential game in the history of the greatest rivalry in all of sports, we wanted to check in with the larger fanbase in order to see what you were thinking about the game in that cesspool known as Ann Arbor — which reports indicate is a whore.
Earlier this week, as part of our OSU fan survey, we asked Buckeye Nation for their thoughts on what the major key to victory would be for Ohio State and what fans were predicting the score to be. Check out the results below.
Check out DraftKings Sportsbook, the official sportsbook partner of SB Nation.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25110556/LandGrantHolyLand_1_11.24.png)
I love how close these top-four results are, and I honestly can’t fault anyone for picking any of these options. I think for me, I would go with scoring touchdowns in the red zone, because that has obviously been an issue for the Buckeyes this season. Coming into The Game, they are 66th nationally in red zone touchdown percentage, getting into the end zone on just 29 of their 47 trips inside the 20. They have hit an additional 11 field goals, but that only moves them up to 59th in FBS, and we know that FGs aren’t going to win this game today.
Conversely, the Mitten State Astros are No. 2 nationally in red zone scoring defense and No. 1 in touchdowns allowed from inside the red zone. In 18 defensive trips inside the 20, they have only allowed six touchdowns and six field goals on the season.
But you know what’s kind of wild? Seven of those 12 total scores have come in the past two weeks against Penn State and Maryland — the Nits were three-for-three in the red zone (one FG, two TDs) and the Terps were four-for-four (one FG, three TDs). So, perhaps that’s a fluke, or maybe the improved competition highlighted some weaknesses in the Pompous Princes’ defense, or maybe they just aren’t as good in the most high-pressure situations when they don’t know what the other team is going to run.
So, if the Buckeyes are able to come up with some creative ways to punch it in — either with a returning Devin Brown in short-yardage, getting the ball to Marvin Harrison Jr. or Emeka Egbuka on some trick plays, or throwing when everyone expects them to run — and the Weasels have to actually play straight-up, this could be the difference between a win and a loss.
Interestingly, I spoke to a number of college football experts this week over on the podcast (check out those episodes in the player below), and they were all split on what the key to a Buckeye victory was as well. So, even though all OSU fans might not be official college football reporters and analysts, it’s nice to know that we aren’t to far off from the experts either.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25110557/LandGrantHolyLand_2_11.24.png)
I am nothing if not a homer, so in traditional homer fashion, I not only picked the Buckeyes to win on our “Tailgate” podcast that was released earlier this morning, but I picked them to win by 15 points. I went with a score of. Good Guys 31, Sign-Stealing Scoundrels 16.
You can listen to the entire podcast here, and I think you should, because I go out of my way to call Ohio State’s rivals by anything other than their actual name, and I also avoid calling their coach by his name as often as humanly possible.
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.
Continue reading...
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
But unsurprisingly, they are picking the non-cheaters to win!
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.
Heading into The Game, there has been an unbelievable amount of vitriol spewed on both sides of this rivalry. However, we are well aware that the loudest voices in any fandom often come from a relatively small corner of the community, so as we head into what is arguably the most anticipated and potentially influential game in the history of the greatest rivalry in all of sports, we wanted to check in with the larger fanbase in order to see what you were thinking about the game in that cesspool known as Ann Arbor — which reports indicate is a whore.
Earlier this week, as part of our OSU fan survey, we asked Buckeye Nation for their thoughts on what the major key to victory would be for Ohio State and what fans were predicting the score to be. Check out the results below.
Check out DraftKings Sportsbook, the official sportsbook partner of SB Nation.
Question 1: What is the one thing that the Buckeyes have to do to beat their rivals?
I love how close these top-four results are, and I honestly can’t fault anyone for picking any of these options. I think for me, I would go with scoring touchdowns in the red zone, because that has obviously been an issue for the Buckeyes this season. Coming into The Game, they are 66th nationally in red zone touchdown percentage, getting into the end zone on just 29 of their 47 trips inside the 20. They have hit an additional 11 field goals, but that only moves them up to 59th in FBS, and we know that FGs aren’t going to win this game today.
Conversely, the Mitten State Astros are No. 2 nationally in red zone scoring defense and No. 1 in touchdowns allowed from inside the red zone. In 18 defensive trips inside the 20, they have only allowed six touchdowns and six field goals on the season.
But you know what’s kind of wild? Seven of those 12 total scores have come in the past two weeks against Penn State and Maryland — the Nits were three-for-three in the red zone (one FG, two TDs) and the Terps were four-for-four (one FG, three TDs). So, perhaps that’s a fluke, or maybe the improved competition highlighted some weaknesses in the Pompous Princes’ defense, or maybe they just aren’t as good in the most high-pressure situations when they don’t know what the other team is going to run.
So, if the Buckeyes are able to come up with some creative ways to punch it in — either with a returning Devin Brown in short-yardage, getting the ball to Marvin Harrison Jr. or Emeka Egbuka on some trick plays, or throwing when everyone expects them to run — and the Weasels have to actually play straight-up, this could be the difference between a win and a loss.
Interestingly, I spoke to a number of college football experts this week over on the podcast (check out those episodes in the player below), and they were all split on what the key to a Buckeye victory was as well. So, even though all OSU fans might not be official college football reporters and analysts, it’s nice to know that we aren’t to far off from the experts either.
Question 2: What will the result of The Game be?
I am nothing if not a homer, so in traditional homer fashion, I not only picked the Buckeyes to win on our “Tailgate” podcast that was released earlier this morning, but I picked them to win by 15 points. I went with a score of. Good Guys 31, Sign-Stealing Scoundrels 16.
You can listen to the entire podcast here, and I think you should, because I go out of my way to call Ohio State’s rivals by anything other than their actual name, and I also avoid calling their coach by his name as often as humanly possible.
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.
Continue reading...
LGHL OHIO STATE GAMEDAY: It’s a bad day to be a Michigan Wolverine
- News
- 0 Replies
OHIO STATE GAMEDAY: It’s a bad day to be a Michigan Wolverine
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 Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Game has arrived.
Wake up, everyone. It’s Ohio State game day!
This is it. This one is for all the marbles. No. 2 Ohio State vs. No. 3 Michigan in Ann Arbor. The winner gets a trip to Indianapolis to take on Iowa in the Big Ten title game. The loser is almost certainly out of College Football Playoff contention unless they get some lucky breaks. Ryan Day will look to lead the Buckeyes to their first win in The Game since the 2019 season after the Wolverines dodged the game in 2020 and cheated in both 2021 and 2022. Sherrone Moore will look to lead TTUN in the absence of Jim Harbaugh, who is suspended for said cheating.
It doesn’t get much better than this, folks.
Over the past week, our talented group of writers and podcasters have put together preview pieces, analytical breakdowns, and everything in-between.
If you missed out on any of the coverage, we have you... well, covered. Below, each type of story is categorized. If you’re looking for podcasts and previews we’ve done, you can find them; if you’re looking for the betting lines and non-football topics, they are there, too.
Enjoy the day everyone. As always, Go Bucks!
Continue reading...
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 Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Game has arrived.
Wake up, everyone. It’s Ohio State game day!
This is it. This one is for all the marbles. No. 2 Ohio State vs. No. 3 Michigan in Ann Arbor. The winner gets a trip to Indianapolis to take on Iowa in the Big Ten title game. The loser is almost certainly out of College Football Playoff contention unless they get some lucky breaks. Ryan Day will look to lead the Buckeyes to their first win in The Game since the 2019 season after the Wolverines dodged the game in 2020 and cheated in both 2021 and 2022. Sherrone Moore will look to lead TTUN in the absence of Jim Harbaugh, who is suspended for said cheating.
It doesn’t get much better than this, folks.
Over the past week, our talented group of writers and podcasters have put together preview pieces, analytical breakdowns, and everything in-between.
If you missed out on any of the coverage, we have you... well, covered. Below, each type of story is categorized. If you’re looking for podcasts and previews we’ve done, you can find them; if you’re looking for the betting lines and non-football topics, they are there, too.
Enjoy the day everyone. As always, Go Bucks!
Podcasts
- Silver Bullets: Minnesota rewind and Michigan preview
- Hangout in the Holy Land: We don’t give a da*n for the whole state of *ichigan
- In Conversation: Mike Golic Jr. breaks down The Game, laughs at sign-stealing idiocy
- I-80 Football Show: It all comes down to The Game
- Uncut: Day, Knowles provide injury updates, avoid bulletin board material
- In Conversation: The College Football Nerds on The Game
- In Conversation: Former TTUN beat writer Nick Baumgardner on The Game
- In Conversation: The Athletic’s Austin Meeks on TTUN fans ‘losing it’
- Stick to Sports: How good (and bad) things could get based on who wins The Game
- Uncut: Holtmann, Bonner, Battle discuss 73-56 win over Western Michigan
- Uncut: McGuff, Thierry talk confrontation; Mikulášiková on improved shooting
- Bucketheads: Ohio State takes down WMU, looks to Emerald Coast Classic
Previews
- Ohio State vs. Michigan: 2023 game preview and prediction
- Three Things To Watch in ‘The Game’
- What are advanced analytics predicting for The Game?
- Predictions, bold or otherwise, for Ohio State vs. Michigan
- Under-the-radar Buckeye(s) on Chris Olave-esque performance watch in The Game?
- Ohio State’s most important player in The Game might not be a starter
- Three stats that could determine the winner of The Game
Sports Betting
Basketball
- Ohio State men get impressive win against No. 17 Alabama
- Are early three-point shooting numbers for the Buckeyes worrisome?
- No. 15 Ohio State women beat Oklahoma State with defense, 75-57
Recruiting
- Ohio State adds 24th commit in 2024 with offensive lineman Gabe VanSickle
- Ohio State gets flurry of Crystal Balls to land Michigan native offensive line
- Five-star 2024 offensive tackle has Ohio State in top schools
- Ohio State offers a trio of 2025 prospects over the weekend
Ask LGHL
Other Columns
- Ohio State and TTUN ranked No. 2 and No. 3, but this game is No. 1 historically
- How did Michigan turn around its rivalry with OSU? LGHL breaks it down
- If This Were A Movie: Ryan Day and Jim Harbaugh star in ‘Grumpy Old Men’
- A letter to this year’s Buckeyes from an Ohio State senior, pleading for a win
- Eight of Ohio State’s best individual performers in ‘The Game’
- B1G Thoughts: It’s Ryan Day vs. Sherrone Moore in ‘The Game’
Continue reading...
LGHL Tailgate Podcast: Everything you need to know to watch the Ohio State vs. M*ch*g*n game
- News
- 0 Replies
Tailgate Podcast: Everything you need to know to watch the Ohio State vs. M*ch*g*n 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
Joseph Scheller/Columbus Dispatc / USA TODAY NETWORK
The only Ohio State game day podcast you need.
Before every Ohio State football game, Matt Tamanini will get you ready with all of the information that you need for that day’s game on the “LGHL Tailgate” podcast.
Listen to the episode and subscribe:
Game Date/Time: Saturday, Nov. 25 at 12:14 p.m. ET
Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan
TV: Fox
Radio: 97.1 FM/1460 AM
Today at 12:14 p.m. ET in the house some people refer to as big, the No. 2 and 11-0 Ohio State Buckeyes — coached by Ryan Day — will take on the No. 3 and also 11-0 Mitten State Weasels coached by Jim Harb…. strike that, for the third straight game, Ohio State’s rivals will be coached by Sure-own Moore due to Jimbo Harbizzle’s second three-game suspension of the season.
This past Tuesday, the top three of the College Football Playoff rankings remained the same with the Georgia Bulldogs remaining atop with the Buckeyes at No. 2 and the Corn and Blue in third.
There was movement in the two major polls last week after the Mitten Men struggled with Maryland. Ohio State jumped their rivals to take over the No. 2 spot in both the AP and Coaches polls with one first-place vote from both the media and the coaches.
As you undoubtedly know, That Team up North is 11-0 this season, but their production and efficiency have seemed a bit different following the revelations that they’ve been cheating for the past two seasons, especially as they were outplayed by Maryland last week, aside from the Terps essentially gifting them 16 points.
On every level of this game, there is something on the line, which only makes this rivalry even more intense than, I believe, it ever has been before.
Kyle McCord: 225 yards passing, 2 touchdowns
TreVeyon Henderson: 150 all-purpose yards
Marvin Harrison Jr: 100 receiving yards, 2 touchdowns
J.J. McCarthy: < 150 passing yards
Blake Corum, Donovan Edwards: 45+ carries for < 150 rushing yards.
Contact Matt Tamanini
Twitter: @BWWMatt
Continue reading...
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Joseph Scheller/Columbus Dispatc / USA TODAY NETWORK
The only Ohio State game day podcast you need.
Before every Ohio State football game, Matt Tamanini will get you ready with all of the information that you need for that day’s game on the “LGHL Tailgate” podcast.
Listen to the episode and subscribe:
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes (+3.5) vs. TTUN | over/under 46.5
Game Date/Time: Saturday, Nov. 25 at 12:14 p.m. ET
Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan
TV: Fox
Radio: 97.1 FM/1460 AM
Today at 12:14 p.m. ET in the house some people refer to as big, the No. 2 and 11-0 Ohio State Buckeyes — coached by Ryan Day — will take on the No. 3 and also 11-0 Mitten State Weasels coached by Jim Harb…. strike that, for the third straight game, Ohio State’s rivals will be coached by Sure-own Moore due to Jimbo Harbizzle’s second three-game suspension of the season.
This past Tuesday, the top three of the College Football Playoff rankings remained the same with the Georgia Bulldogs remaining atop with the Buckeyes at No. 2 and the Corn and Blue in third.
There was movement in the two major polls last week after the Mitten Men struggled with Maryland. Ohio State jumped their rivals to take over the No. 2 spot in both the AP and Coaches polls with one first-place vote from both the media and the coaches.
As you undoubtedly know, That Team up North is 11-0 this season, but their production and efficiency have seemed a bit different following the revelations that they’ve been cheating for the past two seasons, especially as they were outplayed by Maryland last week, aside from the Terps essentially gifting them 16 points.
On every level of this game, there is something on the line, which only makes this rivalry even more intense than, I believe, it ever has been before.
Matt’s Prediction: Ohio State 31, TTUN 16
Kyle McCord: 225 yards passing, 2 touchdowns
TreVeyon Henderson: 150 all-purpose yards
Marvin Harrison Jr: 100 receiving yards, 2 touchdowns
J.J. McCarthy: < 150 passing yards
Blake Corum, Donovan Edwards: 45+ carries for < 150 rushing yards.
Contact Matt Tamanini
Twitter: @BWWMatt
Music by: epidemicsound.com
Odds/lines subject to change. T&Cs apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for details.
Continue reading...
LGHL Ohio State men get impressive win against No. 17 Alabama behind career days for Thornton, Gayle
- News
- 0 Replies
Ohio State men get impressive win against No. 17 Alabama behind career days for Thornton, Gayle
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports
This was a statement game for Chris Holtmann’s young Buckeyes.
The Ohio State Men’s Basketball team defeated the No. 17 Alabama Crimson Tide 92-81 in the first game of the bracket portion in the Emerald Coast Classic in Destin, Florida. The Buckeyes defeated Western Michigan 73-56 in the campus game of the tournament in Columbus last Sunday.
Coming into the contest, Alabama was averaging over 101 points per game and was listed as the No. 1 offense in the country, according to KenPom. Mark Sears, Grant Nelson, and Aaron Estrada led the team in scoring.
The Buckeyes were led into this one by sophomore guards Bruce Thornton and Roddy Gayle. Zed Key and Jamison Battle were also averaging double-digits in scoring coming into this one.
To start the game, Ohio State turned the ball over three times in the first minute, and Alabama went up 6-0. However, the Buckeyes answered with an 11-2 run to make the game 11-8 at the under-16 media timeout.
The teams traded baskets throughout the first half, as the Buckeyes settled down eventually and stopped turning the ball over. They did record 10 first-half turnovers that led to 12 Alabama points.
In the second half, the Buckeyes found a groove playing Alabama’s style of basketball. The Buckeyes quickly pushed their lead to double-digits, the first time Alabama had trailed by double digits all season.
With eight minutes remaining in the game, Ohio State led 63-56, and Bruce Thornton knocked down two three-pointers and made two free-throws to push the Buckeye lead to 71-56.
Alabama answered with an 11-5 run to cut the Buckeye lead to single digits, as a Mark Sears three-pointer made the score 76-67.
With just under five minutes, Ohio State switched to a defensive-minded lineup, bringing in Dale Bonner and Evan Mahaffey for Jamison Battle as they led by 10 points.
After two free throws from Roddy Gayle and two free throws from Ohio State, the Buckeyes took an 83-69 lead.
After two free throws with 1:24 left in the game from Grant Nelson, the Crimson Tide made the score 85-78.
But an and-one from Roddy Gayle gave the Buckeyes a 10-point lead again.
The Buckeyes would make their free throws to close out the game and go on to win 92-81.
Bruce Thornton led the Buckeyes with 29 points on 6-for-12 shooting. He added four assists and three rebounds. Roddy Gayle added 23 points on 8-for-11 shooting, four rebounds and two assists. Grant Nelson led Alabama with 20 points.
Ohio State shot 28-for-30 from the free-throw line, while the Tide was 20-for-26. Both teams shot well as the refs decided to call things much closer after halftime. In the first 20 minutes of action, the teams combined for only 16 fouls, but after the intermission, the two teams were whistled for 34 fouls.
Here are some key moments from the game:
This was the season's most anticipated game this far for the Buckeyes, and if you were trying to watch it live, you missed the entire first half. The Utah State and New Mexico football game was going long in regulation and to make matters worse, the game went to two overtimes. All you could do was watch the game on the CBS Sports Mobile App, but not on the TV app or the computer.
When the game finally ended, there was 1:08 left in the first quarter of the Buckeye game.
The Buckeyes turned the ball over three times in the first 53 seconds of the game and four times in its first six possessions. I don’t have to explain why that is not ideal to start a game. However, they still held the first-quarter lead.
Freshman wing Scotty Middleton came into the game and provided a huge spark, knocking down a three-pointer and then getting an offensive rebound and a putback.
Taison Chatman is a highly regarded freshman guard who underwent surgery in the offseason and has not played yet this season. However, he checked into the game for under a minute in the first half to help give Bruce Thornton a breather. He was not in for long, but it was great to see that he is healthy enough to give them any minutes in-game action. He will play more as the non-conference schedule progresses.
The star sophomore for the Buckeyes had 14 points, two assists, and two rebounds in the opening half. He led the way for the Buckeyes to hold the lead heading into halftime, and most importantly, he bounced back from some early turnovers and did a good job setting down the Ohio State offense.
In the second half, the whistles came early and often, as Ohio State committed seven team fouls in the first eight minutes to put the Crimson Tide in the penalty and shooting free throws with 12 minutes left in the game.
Ohio State was not far behind, as they entered the bonus with eight minutes left in the game.
Just as it seemed that Alabama might be turning the momentum in their favor, Bruce Thornton went on an 8-0 run by himself to turn a seven-point Buckeye lead into a game-high 15-point lead. He recorded two three-pointers and two free throws during the run.
Roddy Gayle has looked better and better each game on offense, and this was his best game in a Buckeye uniform. Every time a basket was needed, Gayle was there with an answer. Gayle recorded a career-high 23 points on 8-for-11 shooting.
His backcourt counterpart Bruce Thornton also set a career-high in points, recording 29 in the contest.
Continue reading...
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports
This was a statement game for Chris Holtmann’s young Buckeyes.
The Ohio State Men’s Basketball team defeated the No. 17 Alabama Crimson Tide 92-81 in the first game of the bracket portion in the Emerald Coast Classic in Destin, Florida. The Buckeyes defeated Western Michigan 73-56 in the campus game of the tournament in Columbus last Sunday.
Coming into the contest, Alabama was averaging over 101 points per game and was listed as the No. 1 offense in the country, according to KenPom. Mark Sears, Grant Nelson, and Aaron Estrada led the team in scoring.
The Buckeyes were led into this one by sophomore guards Bruce Thornton and Roddy Gayle. Zed Key and Jamison Battle were also averaging double-digits in scoring coming into this one.
To start the game, Ohio State turned the ball over three times in the first minute, and Alabama went up 6-0. However, the Buckeyes answered with an 11-2 run to make the game 11-8 at the under-16 media timeout.
The teams traded baskets throughout the first half, as the Buckeyes settled down eventually and stopped turning the ball over. They did record 10 first-half turnovers that led to 12 Alabama points.
In the second half, the Buckeyes found a groove playing Alabama’s style of basketball. The Buckeyes quickly pushed their lead to double-digits, the first time Alabama had trailed by double digits all season.
With eight minutes remaining in the game, Ohio State led 63-56, and Bruce Thornton knocked down two three-pointers and made two free-throws to push the Buckeye lead to 71-56.
Alabama answered with an 11-5 run to cut the Buckeye lead to single digits, as a Mark Sears three-pointer made the score 76-67.
With just under five minutes, Ohio State switched to a defensive-minded lineup, bringing in Dale Bonner and Evan Mahaffey for Jamison Battle as they led by 10 points.
After two free throws from Roddy Gayle and two free throws from Ohio State, the Buckeyes took an 83-69 lead.
After two free throws with 1:24 left in the game from Grant Nelson, the Crimson Tide made the score 85-78.
But an and-one from Roddy Gayle gave the Buckeyes a 10-point lead again.
The Buckeyes would make their free throws to close out the game and go on to win 92-81.
Bruce Thornton led the Buckeyes with 29 points on 6-for-12 shooting. He added four assists and three rebounds. Roddy Gayle added 23 points on 8-for-11 shooting, four rebounds and two assists. Grant Nelson led Alabama with 20 points.
Ohio State shot 28-for-30 from the free-throw line, while the Tide was 20-for-26. Both teams shot well as the refs decided to call things much closer after halftime. In the first 20 minutes of action, the teams combined for only 16 fouls, but after the intermission, the two teams were whistled for 34 fouls.
Here are some key moments from the game:
Trouble watching? You weren’t alone.
This was the season's most anticipated game this far for the Buckeyes, and if you were trying to watch it live, you missed the entire first half. The Utah State and New Mexico football game was going long in regulation and to make matters worse, the game went to two overtimes. All you could do was watch the game on the CBS Sports Mobile App, but not on the TV app or the computer.
When the game finally ended, there was 1:08 left in the first quarter of the Buckeye game.
Sloppy play to start
The Buckeyes turned the ball over three times in the first 53 seconds of the game and four times in its first six possessions. I don’t have to explain why that is not ideal to start a game. However, they still held the first-quarter lead.
Scotty does it himself
Freshman wing Scotty Middleton came into the game and provided a huge spark, knocking down a three-pointer and then getting an offensive rebound and a putback.
Threeeee @ScottyMiddleto9
OSU: 16
ALA: 19#Tea125 | #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/Waylqg9vei
— Ohio State Hoops (@OhioStateHoops) November 25, 2023
Taison Chatman makes his debut
Taison Chatman is a highly regarded freshman guard who underwent surgery in the offseason and has not played yet this season. However, he checked into the game for under a minute in the first half to help give Bruce Thornton a breather. He was not in for long, but it was great to see that he is healthy enough to give them any minutes in-game action. He will play more as the non-conference schedule progresses.
Bruce Thornton’s hot first half
The star sophomore for the Buckeyes had 14 points, two assists, and two rebounds in the opening half. He led the way for the Buckeyes to hold the lead heading into halftime, and most importantly, he bounced back from some early turnovers and did a good job setting down the Ohio State offense.
Getting it going tonight @Bruce2T_
points,
rebounds, and
pic.twitter.com/UtaiVwn6rl
— Ohio State Hoops (@OhioStateHoops) November 25, 2023
Fouls galore
In the second half, the whistles came early and often, as Ohio State committed seven team fouls in the first eight minutes to put the Crimson Tide in the penalty and shooting free throws with 12 minutes left in the game.
Ohio State was not far behind, as they entered the bonus with eight minutes left in the game.
Thornton gets hot
Just as it seemed that Alabama might be turning the momentum in their favor, Bruce Thornton went on an 8-0 run by himself to turn a seven-point Buckeye lead into a game-high 15-point lead. He recorded two three-pointers and two free throws during the run.
Give hi
OSU: 69
ALA: 56 pic.twitter.com/74OrRlgQmy
— Ohio State Hoops (@OhioStateHoops) November 25, 2023
Bruce Thornton and Roddy Gayle sets career high
Roddy Gayle has looked better and better each game on offense, and this was his best game in a Buckeye uniform. Every time a basket was needed, Gayle was there with an answer. Gayle recorded a career-high 23 points on 8-for-11 shooting.
His backcourt counterpart Bruce Thornton also set a career-high in points, recording 29 in the contest.
Continue reading...
LGHL Uncut Podcast: ‘We’re gonna get it done for the state of Ohio’; Ohio State players confident for The Game
- News
- 0 Replies
Uncut Podcast: ‘We’re gonna get it done for the state of Ohio’; Ohio State players confident for The 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/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
Buckeyes cornerback Denzel Burke makes a Tressel-like declaration.
Throughout the year, the Land-Grant Podcast Network will be bringing you uncut audio primarily from Ohio State press conferences, but also from individual interview sessions.
Listen to the episode and subscribe:
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
On today’s episode of “Land-Grant Uncut,” we are bringing you unedited audio from the Tuesday, Nov. 21 player media availability featuring multiple Ohio State Buckeyes. With Thanksgiving on Thursday, players met with the media earlier than normal. We have audio from cornerback Denzel Burke, quarterback Kyle McCord, wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., and linebacker Cody Simon.
All four of the players seemed calm and confident with the game coming up on Saturday, but no one was out-of-hand cocky. Burke did make a matter-of-fact declaration that felt very similar to Jim Tressel’s statement in front of an OSU basketball crowd on the day that he was named the Buckeyes’ head coach.
Contact Matt Tamanini
Twitter: @BWWMatt
Continue reading...
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
Buckeyes cornerback Denzel Burke makes a Tressel-like declaration.
Throughout the year, the Land-Grant Podcast Network will be bringing you uncut audio primarily from Ohio State press conferences, but also from individual interview sessions.
Listen to the episode and subscribe:
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
On today’s episode of “Land-Grant Uncut,” we are bringing you unedited audio from the Tuesday, Nov. 21 player media availability featuring multiple Ohio State Buckeyes. With Thanksgiving on Thursday, players met with the media earlier than normal. We have audio from cornerback Denzel Burke, quarterback Kyle McCord, wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., and linebacker Cody Simon.
All four of the players seemed calm and confident with the game coming up on Saturday, but no one was out-of-hand cocky. Burke did make a matter-of-fact declaration that felt very similar to Jim Tressel’s statement in front of an OSU basketball crowd on the day that he was named the Buckeyes’ head coach.
Contact Matt Tamanini
Twitter: @BWWMatt
Music by: www.bensound.com
Continue reading...
LGHL Stick to Sports Podcast: How good (and bad) things could get based on who wins The Game
- News
- 0 Replies
Stick to Sports Podcast: How good (and bad) things could get based on who wins The 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/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
Jami and Matt are bringing very different vibes into The Game on Saturday.
Land-Grant’s Stick to Sports is unlike any podcast you’ve heard on the Ohio State beat. Your hosts, Matt Tamanini and Jami Jurich, will (of course) talk Ohio State sports, but the primary focus of the show will be on what’s going on around the periphery, such as weird/funny happenings in college football and the sports world at large, as well as other things that keep us interested in between games, whether that’s pop culture, social media trends— you name it.
Listen to the episode and subscribe:
On this episode of the Land-Grant Podcast Network’s sports-adjacent podcast “Stick to Sports,” Matt Tamanini and Jami Jurich are bringing markedly different vibes into Ohio State’s rivalry game on Saturday. While Jami is guarding her heart by expecting the worst, Matt is feeling confident with his hope for the best.
However, the pair dives into all of the bad and good things that will happen in the short-term and long-term for the Buckeyes’ program based on the result of this year’s edition of The Game, everything from Ryan Day’s total vindication with a definitive win to existential uncertainty for the football program for the next decade with a third straight loss.
Jami’s Recommendation: “Sleigh”
Login to view embedded media
Matt’s Recommendation: Don’t feel like you have to do big holiday traditions if you don’t want to.
Connect with Jami Jurich
Twitter: @JamiJurich
Connect with Matt Tamanini
Twitter: @BWWMatt
Continue reading...
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
Jami and Matt are bringing very different vibes into The Game on Saturday.
Land-Grant’s Stick to Sports is unlike any podcast you’ve heard on the Ohio State beat. Your hosts, Matt Tamanini and Jami Jurich, will (of course) talk Ohio State sports, but the primary focus of the show will be on what’s going on around the periphery, such as weird/funny happenings in college football and the sports world at large, as well as other things that keep us interested in between games, whether that’s pop culture, social media trends— you name it.
Listen to the episode and subscribe:
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
On this episode of the Land-Grant Podcast Network’s sports-adjacent podcast “Stick to Sports,” Matt Tamanini and Jami Jurich are bringing markedly different vibes into Ohio State’s rivalry game on Saturday. While Jami is guarding her heart by expecting the worst, Matt is feeling confident with his hope for the best.
However, the pair dives into all of the bad and good things that will happen in the short-term and long-term for the Buckeyes’ program based on the result of this year’s edition of The Game, everything from Ryan Day’s total vindication with a definitive win to existential uncertainty for the football program for the next decade with a third straight loss.
Jami’s Recommendation: “Sleigh”
Login to view embedded media
Matt’s Recommendation: Don’t feel like you have to do big holiday traditions if you don’t want to.
Connect with Jami Jurich
Twitter: @JamiJurich
Connect with Matt Tamanini
Twitter: @BWWMatt
Theme music provided by www.bensound.com
Continue reading...
LGHL What are advanced analytics predicting for The Game?
- News
- 0 Replies
What are advanced analytics predicting for The 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
Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
Most, but not all, of the models are giving TTUN a slight advantage, but they aren’t figuring in the impact of lose Harbaugh or stolen signs.
Now that Turkey Day is behind us, it is time to start turning our collective attention to The Game on Saturday — as if that hasn’t already been occupying every single thought that we’ve had for the past month. We have had a ton of conversations with college football experts in the podcast feed this week (and we will have more before kickoff), discussing everything from the sign-stealing scandal to how the talent stacks up to how much J.J. McCarthy misses Jim Harbaugh to the emergence of TreVeyon Henderson to why Marvin Harrison Jr. is a legit Heisman contender and much more.
But sometimes, all of that talking can get to be a bit much. So, we are going to dive into the hard numbers here by looking at what some of the analytical models across the college football landscape are saying about the game.
SP+ from ESPN’s Bill Connelly is considered by most to be the gold standard in the CFB analytics game, but like all analytical systems, there’s no real way for SP+ to take into account the impacts of sign-stealing or the offensive struggles that the Corn and Blue have had over the last two games. Therefore, considering the season as a whole, the SP+ model has the Harboys at No. 1 and the Buckeyes at No. 3.
Clearly, the OSU offense is not nearly as highly ranked as it has been in recent years, where Connelly’s metrics routinely had it as the top unit in the country. So while Ohio State’s 19th-rated offense is a bit of a stumble, the fact that SP+ has Jim Knowles’ defense as the top-performing side in the country this season is mindboggling, especially for those of us who have lived through the last few seasons where that side of the ball robbed the Buckeyes of legitimate chances to win multiple national titles.
While the Mitten Men are ranked higher in both offensive and special teams metrics (how in the hell is OSU No. 13 in special teams?), the scoring margin and win probability that SP+ is spitting out are fairly close. If the absence of their head coach matters at all, that very well could erase any advantage that the home team in tomorrow’s game comes in with.
SP+ Score Prediction: TTUN 26, Ohio State 20
SP+ TTUN Win Probability: 64%
On the podcast on Thanksgiving Day, we released an episode in which I spoke with Josh from the College Football Nerds who have been doing great analytical breakdowns of the biggest game in college football for years. This season, they have opened up their model to the world on their website collegefootballnerds.com.
Before we got into the metrics of the game, Josh dipped into his day job knowledge as a high-powered lawyer to explain just how ludicrous much of the reaction to TTUN’s blatant cheating scheme has been, especially when people whose only insight into the law is “A Few Good Men” and Judge Judy.
But once we dove into the numbers, Josh admitted that the model is not built to take into account the obvious changes that the Skunk Bears have gone through since the sign-stealing operation was exposed. So, while the metrics might be pointing to the Meerkats, the trends are clearly in Ohio State’s favor.
So much so that both he and Daniel actually went against their model in their 41-minute video breakdown of The Game and picked the Buckeyes to win.
College Football Nerds Score Prediction: TTUN 23.9, Ohio State 17.1
Daniel’s Prediction: Ohio State 27, TTUN 17
Josh’s Prediction: Ohio State 24, TTUN 21
I have been including the NCAA Game Simulator in our Saturday morning “Tailgate” podcasts for five years. Since it allows people to run multiple simulations, it provides a detailed analysis of every game sim. While most models only tell you the score projection, this one tells you percentages of how all of its sims played out.
As of publishing time, the Simulator has run 10,834 simulations and things are looking pretty good for the Buckeyes, even without taking into account all of the hullabaloo around their blatant cheating tactics.
NCAA Game Simulator Prediction: Ohio State 24.1, TTUN 21.8
ESPN’s Football Power Index doesn’t technically pick games, but in a head-to-head matchup in a regular season finale in which the winner is the division champion, they kind of do. Even though the Buckeyes are the No. 1 team in FPI’s rankings and have the best chance to win the national title of any team in the country, they are actually not favored to win the game according to the metrics. FPI is giving TTUN a 54.5% win probability in this game.
Because Ohio State’s schedule includes a road win over Notre Dame, the model is giving the Buckeyes a great chance to make the College Football Playoff even if they lose The Game. For context, I have included the national rankings for each percentage for non-Big Ten-specific metrics.
And while Las Vegas is not technically an analytics system, oddsmakers do curiously set lines pretty dang close to what most of the high-quality models do. So, let’s take a look at what our friends at DraftKings SportsBook are saying about the game.
When the official odds came out for The Game on Sunday, the Muskrats were favored by four points, but that has come down a bit since then, and it now sits at 3.5. This means that Vegas is essentially projecting that this game is a pick ‘em if it were played on a neutral site, since most home teams get 3 to 3.5 points for playing at home.
Line: TTUN -3.5
Over/Under: 47 points
Ohio State Moneyline: +142
TTUN Moneyline: -170
Implied Final Score: ≈TTUN 25, Ohio State 22
Continue reading...
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
Most, but not all, of the models are giving TTUN a slight advantage, but they aren’t figuring in the impact of lose Harbaugh or stolen signs.
Now that Turkey Day is behind us, it is time to start turning our collective attention to The Game on Saturday — as if that hasn’t already been occupying every single thought that we’ve had for the past month. We have had a ton of conversations with college football experts in the podcast feed this week (and we will have more before kickoff), discussing everything from the sign-stealing scandal to how the talent stacks up to how much J.J. McCarthy misses Jim Harbaugh to the emergence of TreVeyon Henderson to why Marvin Harrison Jr. is a legit Heisman contender and much more.
But sometimes, all of that talking can get to be a bit much. So, we are going to dive into the hard numbers here by looking at what some of the analytical models across the college football landscape are saying about the game.
What Does SP+ Predict for The Game?
SP+ from ESPN’s Bill Connelly is considered by most to be the gold standard in the CFB analytics game, but like all analytical systems, there’s no real way for SP+ to take into account the impacts of sign-stealing or the offensive struggles that the Corn and Blue have had over the last two games. Therefore, considering the season as a whole, the SP+ model has the Harboys at No. 1 and the Buckeyes at No. 3.
Clearly, the OSU offense is not nearly as highly ranked as it has been in recent years, where Connelly’s metrics routinely had it as the top unit in the country. So while Ohio State’s 19th-rated offense is a bit of a stumble, the fact that SP+ has Jim Knowles’ defense as the top-performing side in the country this season is mindboggling, especially for those of us who have lived through the last few seasons where that side of the ball robbed the Buckeyes of legitimate chances to win multiple national titles.
While the Mitten Men are ranked higher in both offensive and special teams metrics (how in the hell is OSU No. 13 in special teams?), the scoring margin and win probability that SP+ is spitting out are fairly close. If the absence of their head coach matters at all, that very well could erase any advantage that the home team in tomorrow’s game comes in with.
SP+ Score Prediction: TTUN 26, Ohio State 20
SP+ TTUN Win Probability: 64%
What Do the College Football Nerds Predict for The Game?
On the podcast on Thanksgiving Day, we released an episode in which I spoke with Josh from the College Football Nerds who have been doing great analytical breakdowns of the biggest game in college football for years. This season, they have opened up their model to the world on their website collegefootballnerds.com.
Before we got into the metrics of the game, Josh dipped into his day job knowledge as a high-powered lawyer to explain just how ludicrous much of the reaction to TTUN’s blatant cheating scheme has been, especially when people whose only insight into the law is “A Few Good Men” and Judge Judy.
But once we dove into the numbers, Josh admitted that the model is not built to take into account the obvious changes that the Skunk Bears have gone through since the sign-stealing operation was exposed. So, while the metrics might be pointing to the Meerkats, the trends are clearly in Ohio State’s favor.
So much so that both he and Daniel actually went against their model in their 41-minute video breakdown of The Game and picked the Buckeyes to win.
College Football Nerds Score Prediction: TTUN 23.9, Ohio State 17.1
Daniel’s Prediction: Ohio State 27, TTUN 17
Josh’s Prediction: Ohio State 24, TTUN 21
Watch the College Football Nerds breakdown The Game:
What Does the NCAA Game Simulator Predict for The Game?
I have been including the NCAA Game Simulator in our Saturday morning “Tailgate” podcasts for five years. Since it allows people to run multiple simulations, it provides a detailed analysis of every game sim. While most models only tell you the score projection, this one tells you percentages of how all of its sims played out.
As of publishing time, the Simulator has run 10,834 simulations and things are looking pretty good for the Buckeyes, even without taking into account all of the hullabaloo around their blatant cheating tactics.
NCAA Game Simulator Prediction: Ohio State 24.1, TTUN 21.8
- Ohio State won 6,063 times (56.1%)
- Michigan won 4,747 times (43.9%)
- Ohio State won by >20 pts 1,438 times (13.3%)
- Michigan won by >20 pts 843 times (7.8%)
- Number of games that went to overtime: 415 (3.8%)
- Number of games decided by < 5 pts 2,781 times (25.7%)
What Does FPI Predict for The Game?
ESPN’s Football Power Index doesn’t technically pick games, but in a head-to-head matchup in a regular season finale in which the winner is the division champion, they kind of do. Even though the Buckeyes are the No. 1 team in FPI’s rankings and have the best chance to win the national title of any team in the country, they are actually not favored to win the game according to the metrics. FPI is giving TTUN a 54.5% win probability in this game.
Because Ohio State’s schedule includes a road win over Notre Dame, the model is giving the Buckeyes a great chance to make the College Football Playoff even if they lose The Game. For context, I have included the national rankings for each percentage for non-Big Ten-specific metrics.
What Do the Oddsmakers Predict for The Game?
And while Las Vegas is not technically an analytics system, oddsmakers do curiously set lines pretty dang close to what most of the high-quality models do. So, let’s take a look at what our friends at DraftKings SportsBook are saying about the game.
When the official odds came out for The Game on Sunday, the Muskrats were favored by four points, but that has come down a bit since then, and it now sits at 3.5. This means that Vegas is essentially projecting that this game is a pick ‘em if it were played on a neutral site, since most home teams get 3 to 3.5 points for playing at home.
Line: TTUN -3.5
Over/Under: 47 points
Ohio State Moneyline: +142
TTUN Moneyline: -170
Implied Final Score: ≈TTUN 25, Ohio State 22
Continue reading...
LGHL You’re Nuts: Are the early three-point shooting numbers for the Buckeyes something to worry about?
- News
- 0 Replies
You’re Nuts: Are the early three-point shooting numbers for the Buckeyes something to worry about?
justingolba 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
Ohio State is shooting 34.9% from deep this season.
Happy belated Thanksgiving everyone, and happy Feast Week! As you’re digging in to some leftovers from Thursday, we here at Land-Grant Holy Land are digging into statistics and trying to figure out if this Ohio State team is going to be good at knocking down threes or not. More on that later.
Last week, Connor and Justin each gave their biggest takeaways of the season to this point. Connor said, “Ohio State will only go as far as Roddy Gayle and Bruce Thornton will take them” while Justin said, “Jamison Battle needs to be the No. 1 option on offense.” The readers voted, and 87% of them thought Connor was was more on the ball about the team thus far.
Connor- 59
We look at Twitter, and we see people complaining about Ohio State on a daily basis. One of the big gripes we see is people saying it’s, “another Chris Holtmann team that can’t shoot.” We are willing to entertain this possibility, even if the premise of the statement is wrong since the Buckeyes were third in the Big Ten last season in three-point shooting at 36.8%.
So, to feed the trolls, per se, we looked into it. Is there reason to be concerned about Ohio State’s three-point shooting?
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25097404/usa_today_21937363.jpg "NCAA Basketball: Emerald Coast Classic-Western Michigan at Ohio State")
Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports
I think this Ohio State team will finish somewhere around the middle of the Big Ten in three-point shooting, but it’s currently shooting better than I think it will as we get into the meat of the season. The Buckeyes are shooting 34.9% as a team at the moment, but when you cut some of the fat away, it’s not quite as impressive.
I’m still skeptical how many three-pointers Dale Bonner is going to hit this season for Ohio State in games that matter; In my opinion, that Western Michigan game didn’t matter all that much. I also don’t think Zed Key shooting threes will happen all that often. I’m not saying it didn’t happen, so I’m not erasing the stats, but for the sake of projecting forward, I am removing their three-pointers.
That takes their 34.9% and lowers it to 33.3%.
Next, let’s remove the entire Western Michigan game from the equation (they went 10-of-25 from deep), since the Broncos — bless their hearts — are the No. 295 defense in college basketball this year. Again, not saying it didn’t happen or that it doesn’t count, but I am just trying to project into the future, when Ohio State plays teams much better than WMU.
That takes their 34.9% and lowers it to 32.7%.
I’m also concerned that none of Ohio State’s four freshmen are going to contribute in this area. Scotty Middleton is 3-for-8 so far, but Taison Chatman hasn’t played, Austin Parks has only played a couple minutes, and Devin Royal is 0-for-2. That’s less than one three-pointer per game from freshmen thus far.
That 34.9% mark for the Buckeyes might be fourth in the conference right now, but it’s 121st nationally — that tells a better picture. If Bruce Thornton, Jamison Battle, and Roddy Gayle can all knock down threes at a clip of 40% or better, this team could be just fine. But I think it is a little bit of smoke and mirrors so far, and cutting back some of the fat shows that.
Only time will tell if Ohio State’s early-season shooting will carry into the Big Ten schedule, regress, or get better.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25107261/usa_today_21905010.jpg "Syndication: The Columbus Dispatch")
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
To be honest, I don’t think the three-point shooting numbers are all that bad to start the season. I recognize that in the only tough game of the year so far, they shot the ball an abysmal 3-for-18 from three-point range. However, Texas A&M is a really solid defensive team, and it was only the second game of the season, so you need to let the rust wear off a bit early on.
So far this season, and as of this publishing on Friday, Nov. 24, the Buckeyes are fourth in the conference in three-point percentage at 35.4 percent and are seventh in three-point field goals made at 29 and 7.3 field goals made per game. However, they have only played four games, and four teams ahead of the Buckeyes have played five games.
Jamison Battle is the only player on the team that has the potential to be an elite three-point shooter, but there are plenty of good shooters on the team. The debut of freshman guard Taison Chatman should not have much bearing on those numbers, as he is more of a driver and slasher than a shooter.
Freshman Scotty Middleton and Devin Royal are still adjusting to the collegiate game, and their numbers should go up through the season as they get more acclimated to the speed of the game and the offense.
With Battle, Bruce Thornton, Roddy Gayle, Scotty Middleton, and even Dale Bonner at times, this team can shoot the ball well enough to where not only is it not a detriment, it could even be a positive for the team.
Continue reading...
justingolba 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
Ohio State is shooting 34.9% from deep this season.
Happy belated Thanksgiving everyone, and happy Feast Week! As you’re digging in to some leftovers from Thursday, we here at Land-Grant Holy Land are digging into statistics and trying to figure out if this Ohio State team is going to be good at knocking down threes or not. More on that later.
Last week, Connor and Justin each gave their biggest takeaways of the season to this point. Connor said, “Ohio State will only go as far as Roddy Gayle and Bruce Thornton will take them” while Justin said, “Jamison Battle needs to be the No. 1 option on offense.” The readers voted, and 87% of them thought Connor was was more on the ball about the team thus far.
After 127 weeks:
Connor- 59
Justin- 50
Other- 14
(There have been four ties)
We look at Twitter, and we see people complaining about Ohio State on a daily basis. One of the big gripes we see is people saying it’s, “another Chris Holtmann team that can’t shoot.” We are willing to entertain this possibility, even if the premise of the statement is wrong since the Buckeyes were third in the Big Ten last season in three-point shooting at 36.8%.
So, to feed the trolls, per se, we looked into it. Is there reason to be concerned about Ohio State’s three-point shooting?
Today’s Question: Are the early three-point shooting numbers for the Buckeyes something to worry about?
Connor: Yes
I think this Ohio State team will finish somewhere around the middle of the Big Ten in three-point shooting, but it’s currently shooting better than I think it will as we get into the meat of the season. The Buckeyes are shooting 34.9% as a team at the moment, but when you cut some of the fat away, it’s not quite as impressive.
I’m still skeptical how many three-pointers Dale Bonner is going to hit this season for Ohio State in games that matter; In my opinion, that Western Michigan game didn’t matter all that much. I also don’t think Zed Key shooting threes will happen all that often. I’m not saying it didn’t happen, so I’m not erasing the stats, but for the sake of projecting forward, I am removing their three-pointers.
That takes their 34.9% and lowers it to 33.3%.
Next, let’s remove the entire Western Michigan game from the equation (they went 10-of-25 from deep), since the Broncos — bless their hearts — are the No. 295 defense in college basketball this year. Again, not saying it didn’t happen or that it doesn’t count, but I am just trying to project into the future, when Ohio State plays teams much better than WMU.
That takes their 34.9% and lowers it to 32.7%.
I’m also concerned that none of Ohio State’s four freshmen are going to contribute in this area. Scotty Middleton is 3-for-8 so far, but Taison Chatman hasn’t played, Austin Parks has only played a couple minutes, and Devin Royal is 0-for-2. That’s less than one three-pointer per game from freshmen thus far.
That 34.9% mark for the Buckeyes might be fourth in the conference right now, but it’s 121st nationally — that tells a better picture. If Bruce Thornton, Jamison Battle, and Roddy Gayle can all knock down threes at a clip of 40% or better, this team could be just fine. But I think it is a little bit of smoke and mirrors so far, and cutting back some of the fat shows that.
Only time will tell if Ohio State’s early-season shooting will carry into the Big Ten schedule, regress, or get better.
Justin: No
To be honest, I don’t think the three-point shooting numbers are all that bad to start the season. I recognize that in the only tough game of the year so far, they shot the ball an abysmal 3-for-18 from three-point range. However, Texas A&M is a really solid defensive team, and it was only the second game of the season, so you need to let the rust wear off a bit early on.
So far this season, and as of this publishing on Friday, Nov. 24, the Buckeyes are fourth in the conference in three-point percentage at 35.4 percent and are seventh in three-point field goals made at 29 and 7.3 field goals made per game. However, they have only played four games, and four teams ahead of the Buckeyes have played five games.
Jamison Battle is the only player on the team that has the potential to be an elite three-point shooter, but there are plenty of good shooters on the team. The debut of freshman guard Taison Chatman should not have much bearing on those numbers, as he is more of a driver and slasher than a shooter.
Freshman Scotty Middleton and Devin Royal are still adjusting to the collegiate game, and their numbers should go up through the season as they get more acclimated to the speed of the game and the offense.
With Battle, Bruce Thornton, Roddy Gayle, Scotty Middleton, and even Dale Bonner at times, this team can shoot the ball well enough to where not only is it not a detriment, it could even be a positive for the team.
Continue reading...
LGHL Ohio State vs. Michigan: 2023 game preview and prediction
- News
- 0 Replies
Ohio State vs. Michigan: 2023 game preview and prediction
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images
The Buckeyes will look to halt a two-game losing streak to the Wolverines when the teams meet in Ann Arbor on Saturday.
It’s finally here. The Game. On Saturday afternoon Ohio State and Michigan will square off in Ann Arbor with a whole lot on the line. Not only will bragging rights for a year be at stake, but also spots in the Big Ten Championship and College Football Playoff hang in the balance. High stakes are nothing new in this rivalry. This is the 13th meeting between the programs with both teams ranked in the Associated Press Top 5. In those games, Ohio State holds a 7-4-1 edge.
Overall in the series, Michigan holds a 60-51-6 advantage. After Ohio State had won eight straight meetings from 2012 to 2019, Michigan has taken the last two showdowns. Last year in Columbus, the Wolverines used five touchdowns of over 40 yards to beat the Buckeyes 45-23, earning their first victory at Ohio Stadium since 2000. Despite Ohio State having seven more first downs in the game, Michigan still rolled up 530 yards of offense and won by 22 points.
Ohio State enters Saturday’s game playing their best football of the season. After beating Michigan State 38-3 two weeks ago, the Buckeyes closed out their 2023 home schedule by blowing out Minnesota 37-3 last week. Both scores for the Spartans and Golden Gophers came on field goals over 50 yards.
With the victory over Minnesota, Ohio State is now on an 11-game winning streak, which is their eighth streak of that length this century. Last year Ohio State also started their season by winning their first 11 games before falling to Michigan. Ryan Day is now 39-2 in the Big Ten as Ohio State head coach, with the only two setbacks coming at the hands of Jim Harbaugh, along with some assistance from Connor Stalions’ recording equipment.
Spuring the recent offensive uptick for Ohio State has been the return of running back TreVeyon Henderson. Since returning to the lineup against Wisconsin after missing three games because of an injury suffered in the Notre Dame game, the Buckeyes have averaged 33 more rushing yards per game than its season average. While the team is rushing for 145.5 yards per game this year, Henderson’s return has the Buckeyes averaging 178 yards per game over the last four contests. Along with putting up 124 yards per game rushing, the junior is a factor in the passing attack, adding over 40 receiving yards per game.
Henderson is a fantastic compliment to Marvin Harrison Jr., who is a possible Heisman Trophy finalist. After scoring three touchdowns against Michigan State, Harrison was pretty quiet last week, catching just three passes for 30 yards. Even though his numbers weren’t eye-popping, Harrison still found the end zone in the blowout. If Harrison is going to New York City next month, this is the game where he has to put up one of the biggest performances of his career.
Now Kyle McCord will look to do something the man he backed up for two years, C.J. Stroud, couldn’t do. Beat Michigan. While McCord’s performance throughout the season has ben uneven at times, the first-year starter has gained confidence recently and is playing his best football of the season. What will help McCord on Saturday is he already has some experience coming up big in a hostile environment, as he engineered a game-winning drive late in the game at Notre Dame. McCord is nearing 3,000 yards passing this year, tossing 22 touchdowns and just four interceptions.
Along with finding Harrison through the air, a preferred target for McCord this year has been tight end Cade Stover. “Farmer Gronk” has hauled in 38 passes for 534 yards and five scores. After missing the Rutgers game due to injury, Stover has caught 11 passes for 105 yards and two touchdowns over the last two games. The 26 yards he was credited with last week pushed Stover over 1,000 career receiving yards, allowing him to join John Frank as the only Ohio State tight ends to reach that mark.
On the defensive side of the football, Jack Sawyer enters Saturday’s game coming off his best game as a Buckeye. Against Minnesota, Sawyer had six tackles, with 3.5 of them coming behind the line of scrimmage. The defensive end also forced a fumble on a strip-sack. With his huge output against the Golden Gophers, Sawyer passed J.T. Tuimoloau for second on the team in tackles for loss, four behind Tyleik Williams’ team-leading 10 TFLs.
As a whole, the Buckeye defense has been dominant this year, not allowing more than 17 points in a game so far this season. Ohio State currently ranks first in the country in pass defense, second in scoring defense, and is third in total defense. After being burned for so many big plays last season, the only 40-yard play the defense of the Buckeyes have given up this year came on a fourth down play against Rutgers where the Scarlet Knights ran a “fumblerooski” play.
The biggest reason for the sharp turnaround in play from the defense this year has been because of the pass defense of the Buckeyes. Even though the unit took a hit with the injury to safety Lathan Ransom, Sonny Styles and Malik Hartford have stepped up to fill the void. Along with those two, Josh Proctor has eight pass breakups, which is tied with cornerback Denzel Burke for the team lead.
There’s no question Burke has rebounded from a disappointing sophomore season this year, but Jordan Hancock has gotten better as the year has gone on. Not only did Hancock return an interception 93 yards for a touchdown against Rutgers, last week the junior cornerback picked off a pass against Minnesota. Add in Ole Miss transfer Davison Igbinosun and freshman Jermaine Mathews Jr. and there is some quality depth at the cornerback position.
One Buckeye who is itching to get back on the field is linebacker Tommy Eichenberg, who has sat out the last two games because of injury. Eichenberg did everything he could to suit up for senior day last week, but the decision was made to give the linebacker an extra week to get healthy for the biggest game of the year. Even though he has sat out the last two games, Eichenberg leads the team with 73 tackles.
While Eichenberg has been on the sidelines, Steele Chambers has held it down at linebacker, and Cody Simon continued his improved play as he has seen more time on the field. Chambers is second on the team with 62 tackles this year, while Simon has 44 tackles. You just know the trio will be playing with a huge chip on their shoulder after how Michigan has run over the Ohio State defense the past two seasons.
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh won’t be on the sidelines after being suspended three games by the Big Ten for the Connor Stalions sign-stealing scandal. This is the second suspension of the year for Harbaugh, who missed the first three games of the season. Offensive coordinator and offensive line coach Sherrone Moore has served as acting head coach while Harbaugh has been banned from the sidelines.
Despite Harbaugh not coaching on game days for a good portion of the season, Michigan enters Saturday 11-0, running their regular season winning streak to 27 games, which is the second-longest in Big Ten history. The 31-24 win over Maryland last week was the 1,000th win in program history for the Wolverines. Who knows, Michigan could be the first team to win 1,000 games twice if any wins from the last couple years are vacated due to the sign-stealing scandal.
One of the reasons Michigan has been so successful this year is because of their tremendous play in the first half of games, where they are outscoring opponents 227-55 in the first 30 minutes of games. By building such big leads in the first half, the Wolverines have been able to focus on running the football in the second half, bleeding the clock out, and leaving no doubt in the result. Along with getting up on their foes early, Michigan is also only averaging 25.7 penalty yards per game, which is the lowest total in the country, so they aren’t beating themselves.
Leading the Michigan offense is quarterback J.J. McCarthy, who threw for 263 yards and accounted for four total touchdowns last year against the Buckeyes. The Wolverines haven’t been so reliant on the passing game the last two weeks though, with McCarthy totaling just 31 passing attempts in wins over Penn State and Maryland. Despite not always needing to air it out, the one consistent thing McCarthy has done at Michigan is win. In his first 24 starts, the only game McCarthy has lost was in last year’s Fiesta Bowl against TCU.
Shouldering the load lately for the Wolverines has been running back Blake Corum. The junior has carried the football 54 times over the past two games. After scoring 18 touchdowns last year before he was injured in the Illinois game, limiting him to just two carries against Ohio State, Corum has found the end zone 20 times on the ground this year, which is two touchdowns shy of tying Hassan Haskins for most in a season in school history. For his career, Corum is four touchdowns away from tying Anthony Thomas’ school record of 55 rushing touchdowns. With 112 more rushing yards, Corum will reach 1,000 yards rushing for the second straight season.
Michigan may not have a game-changing receiver like Marvin Harrison Jr., but they do have a solid group that can make plays. Roman Wilson leads the team with 37 catches for 612 yards and 10 touchdowns. Tight end Colston Loveland made a monster play against the Buckeyes last year, and has hauled in 32 passes for 464 yards and four scores. Rounding out the group, Cornelius Johnson, A.J. Barner, and Semaj Morgan all have at least 16 catches this year.
After winning the Joe Moore Award the last two years as the best offensive line in the country, the offensive line of the Wolverines have had to work in a few new faces this year. To fill some of the holes of departed offensive linemen, Michigan hit the transfer market, adding tackle LaDarius Henderson from Arizona State to go along with center Drake Nugent and Myles Hinton from Stanford. Returning to the group are first team all-Big Ten performers Trevor Keegan and Zak Zinter.
What will be interesting to see on Saturday is if the Michigan defense is on par with what we saw from the unit the last two years. One of the stars of the defense this year has been cornerback Mike Sainristil, who started his career as a wide receiver. Sainristil has intercepted five passes this year, which puts him near the top among Big Ten defenders. Joining Sainristil in the secondary are cornerbacks Will Johnson and Josh Wallace, as well as safeties Makari Paige and Rod Moore.
The Ohio State offensive line will have their hands full with the Michigan defensive line, which belongs in the conversation as one of the best in the country. Anchoring the unit is Kris Jenkins, who is a massive athletic freak who will plug the middle of the line at nose tackle. Defensive end Jaylen Harrell leads the team with 5.5 sacks this year, while at the other end of the defensive line Mason Graham has 5.5 tackles for loss. As a team, Michigan has 27 sacks so far this season.
The linebackers of the Wolverines are paced by Junior Colson, who tops the team with 60 tackles. Joining Colson is Nebraska transfer Ernest Hausmann. The former Cornhusker has been credited with 32 stops through the first 11 games. Lining up at the EDGE position will be Braiden McGregor, who has started all 11 games this season. The tackle numbers for the Wolverines might not look to high, but you have to remember the offense dominates time of possession in games, keeping the defense off the field for long stretches.
This is going to be a game for the ages. There are so many storylines heading into this game. What will Ryan Day’s strategy be after losing the last two years to Michigan? Will this be the game where Jim Harbaugh not being on the sidelines finally catches up to the Wolverines? Does Marvin Harrison Jr. have a Heisman performance a couple weeks before the ceremony in New York City? Does TreVeyon Henderson continue his strong play since his return from injury? All this and more will be answered on Saturday.
The downfall over the last two years for Ohio State has been they haven’t been tough enough. This year feels a little different. After years of the offense being able to make up for some questionable defensive play, this year the Buckeye defense has been the driving force of the team. Ohio State still hasn’t given up more than 17 points in a game, and they have only allowed one play of over 40 yards. To win this game, Michigan is going to have do things to the Buckeye defense that nobody has been able to do so far this year.
This game is going to come down to quarterback play. J.J. McCarthy has feasted off cupcakes for most of the season, while Blake Corum has really come on over the last couple games for Michigan. The Wolverines have been so confident in their running game that they didn’t have to throw the ball after the midway point of the second quarter two weeks ago against Penn State. With how stout the Buckeyes have been against the run this year, it’s hard to see McCarthy getting another light day of work.
In the end, Ohio State is going to want this game just a little more than Michigan. This feels like a game where the offenses are going to struggle for a lot of the game, but the talent of the skill position players of the Buckeyes is going to be the difference. With all the talk about Marvin Harrison Jr. and Cade Stover, it seems like Emeka Egbuka is getting lost in the shuffle, which is wild considering Egbuka has been talked about as a possible first round pick.
With a loss on Saturday, Ryan Day won’t be fired, but his seat will get a little hotter, especially with a new athletic director coming in next year. If Day prepares for this game like he did the Georgia game it’s going to be hard for the Wolverines to beat the Buckeyes. Coaching is going to be to decide the game, and Day has experience in moments like these, where interim Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore doesn’t. Go Bucks!
Continue reading...
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images
The Buckeyes will look to halt a two-game losing streak to the Wolverines when the teams meet in Ann Arbor on Saturday.
It’s finally here. The Game. On Saturday afternoon Ohio State and Michigan will square off in Ann Arbor with a whole lot on the line. Not only will bragging rights for a year be at stake, but also spots in the Big Ten Championship and College Football Playoff hang in the balance. High stakes are nothing new in this rivalry. This is the 13th meeting between the programs with both teams ranked in the Associated Press Top 5. In those games, Ohio State holds a 7-4-1 edge.
Overall in the series, Michigan holds a 60-51-6 advantage. After Ohio State had won eight straight meetings from 2012 to 2019, Michigan has taken the last two showdowns. Last year in Columbus, the Wolverines used five touchdowns of over 40 yards to beat the Buckeyes 45-23, earning their first victory at Ohio Stadium since 2000. Despite Ohio State having seven more first downs in the game, Michigan still rolled up 530 yards of offense and won by 22 points.
The Ohio State offense is clicking at the right time
Ohio State enters Saturday’s game playing their best football of the season. After beating Michigan State 38-3 two weeks ago, the Buckeyes closed out their 2023 home schedule by blowing out Minnesota 37-3 last week. Both scores for the Spartans and Golden Gophers came on field goals over 50 yards.
With the victory over Minnesota, Ohio State is now on an 11-game winning streak, which is their eighth streak of that length this century. Last year Ohio State also started their season by winning their first 11 games before falling to Michigan. Ryan Day is now 39-2 in the Big Ten as Ohio State head coach, with the only two setbacks coming at the hands of Jim Harbaugh, along with some assistance from Connor Stalions’ recording equipment.
Spuring the recent offensive uptick for Ohio State has been the return of running back TreVeyon Henderson. Since returning to the lineup against Wisconsin after missing three games because of an injury suffered in the Notre Dame game, the Buckeyes have averaged 33 more rushing yards per game than its season average. While the team is rushing for 145.5 yards per game this year, Henderson’s return has the Buckeyes averaging 178 yards per game over the last four contests. Along with putting up 124 yards per game rushing, the junior is a factor in the passing attack, adding over 40 receiving yards per game.
Henderson is a fantastic compliment to Marvin Harrison Jr., who is a possible Heisman Trophy finalist. After scoring three touchdowns against Michigan State, Harrison was pretty quiet last week, catching just three passes for 30 yards. Even though his numbers weren’t eye-popping, Harrison still found the end zone in the blowout. If Harrison is going to New York City next month, this is the game where he has to put up one of the biggest performances of his career.
Now Kyle McCord will look to do something the man he backed up for two years, C.J. Stroud, couldn’t do. Beat Michigan. While McCord’s performance throughout the season has ben uneven at times, the first-year starter has gained confidence recently and is playing his best football of the season. What will help McCord on Saturday is he already has some experience coming up big in a hostile environment, as he engineered a game-winning drive late in the game at Notre Dame. McCord is nearing 3,000 yards passing this year, tossing 22 touchdowns and just four interceptions.
Along with finding Harrison through the air, a preferred target for McCord this year has been tight end Cade Stover. “Farmer Gronk” has hauled in 38 passes for 534 yards and five scores. After missing the Rutgers game due to injury, Stover has caught 11 passes for 105 yards and two touchdowns over the last two games. The 26 yards he was credited with last week pushed Stover over 1,000 career receiving yards, allowing him to join John Frank as the only Ohio State tight ends to reach that mark.
The Buckeye defense is playing with a ton of confidence
On the defensive side of the football, Jack Sawyer enters Saturday’s game coming off his best game as a Buckeye. Against Minnesota, Sawyer had six tackles, with 3.5 of them coming behind the line of scrimmage. The defensive end also forced a fumble on a strip-sack. With his huge output against the Golden Gophers, Sawyer passed J.T. Tuimoloau for second on the team in tackles for loss, four behind Tyleik Williams’ team-leading 10 TFLs.
As a whole, the Buckeye defense has been dominant this year, not allowing more than 17 points in a game so far this season. Ohio State currently ranks first in the country in pass defense, second in scoring defense, and is third in total defense. After being burned for so many big plays last season, the only 40-yard play the defense of the Buckeyes have given up this year came on a fourth down play against Rutgers where the Scarlet Knights ran a “fumblerooski” play.
The biggest reason for the sharp turnaround in play from the defense this year has been because of the pass defense of the Buckeyes. Even though the unit took a hit with the injury to safety Lathan Ransom, Sonny Styles and Malik Hartford have stepped up to fill the void. Along with those two, Josh Proctor has eight pass breakups, which is tied with cornerback Denzel Burke for the team lead.
There’s no question Burke has rebounded from a disappointing sophomore season this year, but Jordan Hancock has gotten better as the year has gone on. Not only did Hancock return an interception 93 yards for a touchdown against Rutgers, last week the junior cornerback picked off a pass against Minnesota. Add in Ole Miss transfer Davison Igbinosun and freshman Jermaine Mathews Jr. and there is some quality depth at the cornerback position.
One Buckeye who is itching to get back on the field is linebacker Tommy Eichenberg, who has sat out the last two games because of injury. Eichenberg did everything he could to suit up for senior day last week, but the decision was made to give the linebacker an extra week to get healthy for the biggest game of the year. Even though he has sat out the last two games, Eichenberg leads the team with 73 tackles.
While Eichenberg has been on the sidelines, Steele Chambers has held it down at linebacker, and Cody Simon continued his improved play as he has seen more time on the field. Chambers is second on the team with 62 tackles this year, while Simon has 44 tackles. You just know the trio will be playing with a huge chip on their shoulder after how Michigan has run over the Ohio State defense the past two seasons.
Michigan’s season entering The Game
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh won’t be on the sidelines after being suspended three games by the Big Ten for the Connor Stalions sign-stealing scandal. This is the second suspension of the year for Harbaugh, who missed the first three games of the season. Offensive coordinator and offensive line coach Sherrone Moore has served as acting head coach while Harbaugh has been banned from the sidelines.
Despite Harbaugh not coaching on game days for a good portion of the season, Michigan enters Saturday 11-0, running their regular season winning streak to 27 games, which is the second-longest in Big Ten history. The 31-24 win over Maryland last week was the 1,000th win in program history for the Wolverines. Who knows, Michigan could be the first team to win 1,000 games twice if any wins from the last couple years are vacated due to the sign-stealing scandal.
What to expect from the Michigan offense
One of the reasons Michigan has been so successful this year is because of their tremendous play in the first half of games, where they are outscoring opponents 227-55 in the first 30 minutes of games. By building such big leads in the first half, the Wolverines have been able to focus on running the football in the second half, bleeding the clock out, and leaving no doubt in the result. Along with getting up on their foes early, Michigan is also only averaging 25.7 penalty yards per game, which is the lowest total in the country, so they aren’t beating themselves.
Leading the Michigan offense is quarterback J.J. McCarthy, who threw for 263 yards and accounted for four total touchdowns last year against the Buckeyes. The Wolverines haven’t been so reliant on the passing game the last two weeks though, with McCarthy totaling just 31 passing attempts in wins over Penn State and Maryland. Despite not always needing to air it out, the one consistent thing McCarthy has done at Michigan is win. In his first 24 starts, the only game McCarthy has lost was in last year’s Fiesta Bowl against TCU.
Shouldering the load lately for the Wolverines has been running back Blake Corum. The junior has carried the football 54 times over the past two games. After scoring 18 touchdowns last year before he was injured in the Illinois game, limiting him to just two carries against Ohio State, Corum has found the end zone 20 times on the ground this year, which is two touchdowns shy of tying Hassan Haskins for most in a season in school history. For his career, Corum is four touchdowns away from tying Anthony Thomas’ school record of 55 rushing touchdowns. With 112 more rushing yards, Corum will reach 1,000 yards rushing for the second straight season.
Michigan may not have a game-changing receiver like Marvin Harrison Jr., but they do have a solid group that can make plays. Roman Wilson leads the team with 37 catches for 612 yards and 10 touchdowns. Tight end Colston Loveland made a monster play against the Buckeyes last year, and has hauled in 32 passes for 464 yards and four scores. Rounding out the group, Cornelius Johnson, A.J. Barner, and Semaj Morgan all have at least 16 catches this year.
After winning the Joe Moore Award the last two years as the best offensive line in the country, the offensive line of the Wolverines have had to work in a few new faces this year. To fill some of the holes of departed offensive linemen, Michigan hit the transfer market, adding tackle LaDarius Henderson from Arizona State to go along with center Drake Nugent and Myles Hinton from Stanford. Returning to the group are first team all-Big Ten performers Trevor Keegan and Zak Zinter.
The Wolverines on defense
What will be interesting to see on Saturday is if the Michigan defense is on par with what we saw from the unit the last two years. One of the stars of the defense this year has been cornerback Mike Sainristil, who started his career as a wide receiver. Sainristil has intercepted five passes this year, which puts him near the top among Big Ten defenders. Joining Sainristil in the secondary are cornerbacks Will Johnson and Josh Wallace, as well as safeties Makari Paige and Rod Moore.
The Ohio State offensive line will have their hands full with the Michigan defensive line, which belongs in the conversation as one of the best in the country. Anchoring the unit is Kris Jenkins, who is a massive athletic freak who will plug the middle of the line at nose tackle. Defensive end Jaylen Harrell leads the team with 5.5 sacks this year, while at the other end of the defensive line Mason Graham has 5.5 tackles for loss. As a team, Michigan has 27 sacks so far this season.
The linebackers of the Wolverines are paced by Junior Colson, who tops the team with 60 tackles. Joining Colson is Nebraska transfer Ernest Hausmann. The former Cornhusker has been credited with 32 stops through the first 11 games. Lining up at the EDGE position will be Braiden McGregor, who has started all 11 games this season. The tackle numbers for the Wolverines might not look to high, but you have to remember the offense dominates time of possession in games, keeping the defense off the field for long stretches.
Summary
This is going to be a game for the ages. There are so many storylines heading into this game. What will Ryan Day’s strategy be after losing the last two years to Michigan? Will this be the game where Jim Harbaugh not being on the sidelines finally catches up to the Wolverines? Does Marvin Harrison Jr. have a Heisman performance a couple weeks before the ceremony in New York City? Does TreVeyon Henderson continue his strong play since his return from injury? All this and more will be answered on Saturday.
The downfall over the last two years for Ohio State has been they haven’t been tough enough. This year feels a little different. After years of the offense being able to make up for some questionable defensive play, this year the Buckeye defense has been the driving force of the team. Ohio State still hasn’t given up more than 17 points in a game, and they have only allowed one play of over 40 yards. To win this game, Michigan is going to have do things to the Buckeye defense that nobody has been able to do so far this year.
This game is going to come down to quarterback play. J.J. McCarthy has feasted off cupcakes for most of the season, while Blake Corum has really come on over the last couple games for Michigan. The Wolverines have been so confident in their running game that they didn’t have to throw the ball after the midway point of the second quarter two weeks ago against Penn State. With how stout the Buckeyes have been against the run this year, it’s hard to see McCarthy getting another light day of work.
In the end, Ohio State is going to want this game just a little more than Michigan. This feels like a game where the offenses are going to struggle for a lot of the game, but the talent of the skill position players of the Buckeyes is going to be the difference. With all the talk about Marvin Harrison Jr. and Cade Stover, it seems like Emeka Egbuka is getting lost in the shuffle, which is wild considering Egbuka has been talked about as a possible first round pick.
With a loss on Saturday, Ryan Day won’t be fired, but his seat will get a little hotter, especially with a new athletic director coming in next year. If Day prepares for this game like he did the Georgia game it’s going to be hard for the Wolverines to beat the Buckeyes. Coaching is going to be to decide the game, and Day has experience in moments like these, where interim Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore doesn’t. Go Bucks!
LGHL score prediction: Ohio State 24, Michigan 17
Continue reading...
LGHL Three Things To Watch in ‘The Game’
- News
- 0 Replies
Three Things To Watch in ‘The Game’
Chip.Minnich via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Kirthmon F. Dozier / USA TODAY NETWORK
Ohio State seeks its first win over That Team Up North since 2019.
In 2020, an outbreak of COVID-19 led to a cancellation. In 2021 and 2022, Ohio State suffered embarassing losses to their rival. Now in 2023, an ever-expanding scandal will keep Jim Harbaugh, the head coach of That Team Up North, off the sidelines.
It almost feels like another episode from a soap opera. The reality is that it is just another expansive chapter in what is known as “The Game”.
Both teams are 11-0, and can claim The Big Ten East Division with a victory. While the stakes have been comparably high in previous renditions, such as in 2006, the off the field drama for this year’s contest has both teams at an unparalleled intensity.
Below are Three Things To Watch for “The Game” when the ball kicks off on FOX at 12:00 p.m. ET in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Traditionally, the team that has been able to run the ball better than the other has won this contest. While both teams pride themselves on their respective abilities to run the football, it is my contention that the Wolverines are much more dependent upon having an effective running game than the Buckeyes.
Ohio State is getting back key players such as Tommy Eichenberg and Michael Hall Jr. on defense, and both will be needed to slow down Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards of the Wolverines. J.J. McCarthy is a legitimate threat as a runner, whether on designed quarterback runs or improvised scrambles. It would not surprise me if Sonny Styles acts like a spy on McCarthy, as Styles has the versatility to both cover the pass while also hindering McCarthy on potential perimeter runs.
2. TreVeyon Henderson’s moment to shine
Henderson has played very well over the last several games, with big games against Wisconsin (162 yards), Rutgers (128 yards) and Minnesota (146 yards). Henderson would have had a big game against Michigan State, but the Ohio State coaching staff wisely pulled Henderson from the lineup after getting a big lead.
Henderson’s effectiveness as a receiver out of the backfield may be an area that the Wolverines have difficulty accounting for, as they will already have their hands full trying to cover Marvin Harrison Jr., Emeka Egbuka and Cade Stover. Henderson had five receptions for 80 yards against Rutgers, with one play covering 65 yards. Henderson will be counted upon to come up big against That Team Up North both on the ground and through the air.
3. Lessons learned by Ryan Day and Jim Knowles
One year ago, Ryan Day seemed bound and determined to show That Team Up North that the Buckeyes could be just as tough and physical as the Wolverines. Conversely, Jim Knowles was insistent upon playing a highly aggressive style that often put the secondary in single coverage situations, leaving the Ohio State defense vulnerable to big plays.
Fast forward to this season. After the painful home loss to That Team Up North, it seemed as though Ryan Day recognized that he coached far too conservatively, and seemed to let it all hang out in the playoff game against Georgia. Even though Ohio State lost, the Buckeyes left nothing to chance.
Conversely, Jim Knowles has the Ohio State defense playing exceptionally well, but not playing as much of a riverboat gambler style, like he did in the losses to That Team Up North and Georgia in 2022. The Buckeyes have not given up big plays on defense, and have become very difficult to score points against, as evidenced by the fact that Maryland scored the most points against Ohio State back on Oct. 7, a 37-17 Buckeye victory.
Both coaches know what is at stake, and both seem to be ignoring all of the outside noise and hype coming into this game. It will bear watching to see how the Ohio State game plan shakes out on both sides of the ball.
A quick glance at the weather forecast for Ann Arbor has it in the high 30s, meaning ideal situations for the Ohio State offense to be thriving in both the running and passing game. Look for the Buckeyes to be effective in slowing down the running game of That Team Up North, and for the scarlet and gray to come home victorious for the first time since the 2019 season.
I have it Ohio State 28, That Team Up North 21.
Continue reading...
Chip.Minnich via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Kirthmon F. Dozier / USA TODAY NETWORK
Ohio State seeks its first win over That Team Up North since 2019.
In 2020, an outbreak of COVID-19 led to a cancellation. In 2021 and 2022, Ohio State suffered embarassing losses to their rival. Now in 2023, an ever-expanding scandal will keep Jim Harbaugh, the head coach of That Team Up North, off the sidelines.
It almost feels like another episode from a soap opera. The reality is that it is just another expansive chapter in what is known as “The Game”.
Both teams are 11-0, and can claim The Big Ten East Division with a victory. While the stakes have been comparably high in previous renditions, such as in 2006, the off the field drama for this year’s contest has both teams at an unparalleled intensity.
Below are Three Things To Watch for “The Game” when the ball kicks off on FOX at 12:00 p.m. ET in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
- The TTUN running game vs. the Ohio State defense
Traditionally, the team that has been able to run the ball better than the other has won this contest. While both teams pride themselves on their respective abilities to run the football, it is my contention that the Wolverines are much more dependent upon having an effective running game than the Buckeyes.
Ohio State is getting back key players such as Tommy Eichenberg and Michael Hall Jr. on defense, and both will be needed to slow down Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards of the Wolverines. J.J. McCarthy is a legitimate threat as a runner, whether on designed quarterback runs or improvised scrambles. It would not surprise me if Sonny Styles acts like a spy on McCarthy, as Styles has the versatility to both cover the pass while also hindering McCarthy on potential perimeter runs.
2. TreVeyon Henderson’s moment to shine
Henderson has played very well over the last several games, with big games against Wisconsin (162 yards), Rutgers (128 yards) and Minnesota (146 yards). Henderson would have had a big game against Michigan State, but the Ohio State coaching staff wisely pulled Henderson from the lineup after getting a big lead.
Henderson’s effectiveness as a receiver out of the backfield may be an area that the Wolverines have difficulty accounting for, as they will already have their hands full trying to cover Marvin Harrison Jr., Emeka Egbuka and Cade Stover. Henderson had five receptions for 80 yards against Rutgers, with one play covering 65 yards. Henderson will be counted upon to come up big against That Team Up North both on the ground and through the air.
3. Lessons learned by Ryan Day and Jim Knowles
One year ago, Ryan Day seemed bound and determined to show That Team Up North that the Buckeyes could be just as tough and physical as the Wolverines. Conversely, Jim Knowles was insistent upon playing a highly aggressive style that often put the secondary in single coverage situations, leaving the Ohio State defense vulnerable to big plays.
Fast forward to this season. After the painful home loss to That Team Up North, it seemed as though Ryan Day recognized that he coached far too conservatively, and seemed to let it all hang out in the playoff game against Georgia. Even though Ohio State lost, the Buckeyes left nothing to chance.
Conversely, Jim Knowles has the Ohio State defense playing exceptionally well, but not playing as much of a riverboat gambler style, like he did in the losses to That Team Up North and Georgia in 2022. The Buckeyes have not given up big plays on defense, and have become very difficult to score points against, as evidenced by the fact that Maryland scored the most points against Ohio State back on Oct. 7, a 37-17 Buckeye victory.
Both coaches know what is at stake, and both seem to be ignoring all of the outside noise and hype coming into this game. It will bear watching to see how the Ohio State game plan shakes out on both sides of the ball.
A quick glance at the weather forecast for Ann Arbor has it in the high 30s, meaning ideal situations for the Ohio State offense to be thriving in both the running and passing game. Look for the Buckeyes to be effective in slowing down the running game of That Team Up North, and for the scarlet and gray to come home victorious for the first time since the 2019 season.
I have it Ohio State 28, That Team Up North 21.
Continue reading...
LGHL Ohio State adds 24th commit in the 2024 class in offensive lineman Gabe VanSickle
- News
- 0 Replies
Ohio State adds 24th commit in the 2024 class in offensive lineman Gabe VanSickle
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Ohio State adds to their second-ranked recruiting class with offensive line target.
In case you missed it, the Buckeyes added their 24th commitment to the 2024 class on Thanksgiving Day when Coopersville, Michigan product Gabe VanSickle announced via Twitter account that he was locked in with Ohio State. A 6-foot-5, 285-pound three-star talent, VanSickle projects as an interior lineman at the next level and will be a great depth piece upon his arrival in Columbus. Credit to Justin Frye down the stretch, the Buckeyes now have four guys at the position with at least one more spot open.
A consistent topic of discussion for the better part of two weeks now, VanSickle’s recruitment with Ohio State really started on Nov. 7 when he was offered by the Buckeyes. A Northwestern commit for months, Gabe chose to visit Ohio State twice in the last few weeks and broke the news this past Tuesday that he was de-committing from the Wildcats. That said, it didn’t take long for the masses to realize where this was trending.
Whether it be the scheduled visits — including an official — or the multiple 247Sports crystal ball predictions, VanSickle seemed to be all Buckeye as soon as he received the offer. Showing the recruiting chops this staff has, Ohio State was able to go in and throw its weight around for a prospect that had been solidly committed to another Big Ten program for months, and though the current situation surrounding Northwestern helps, it’s still a case of the Ohio State brand being among the best in college football.
Looking ahead, VanSickle’s addition to the 2024 class has no impact on the tackle spot. The Buckeyes are still very much trying their best with top remaining prospect Jordan Seaton and will continue to do so until he commits.
For Gabe, his projection as a guard fits his profile perfectly. His size fits that mold already, but it’s everything else in his game that translates super well. His ability to pull, get out of his stance, and be a hog in the run game is a perfect fit for any college offensive line, and though he will be a depth piece early on, his work ethic in the weight room as a high school player aides the thought that once he’s in a college strength program he will shine.
The No. 613 player nationally and the 41st best interior lineman in the 2024 class per the 247Sports Composite Ratings, VanSickle chooses Ohio State over Northwestern, Indiana, and a host of other schools. While the ranking may not be as high as the ideal Ohio State lineman commit, trust that this staff sees what VanSickle brings to the table and after a dominant senior campaign on both sides of the ball, the Buckeyes know what they’re getting and are thrilled to have him in their class.
Continue reading...
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Ohio State adds to their second-ranked recruiting class with offensive line target.
Ohio State lands Michigan native offensive line target
In case you missed it, the Buckeyes added their 24th commitment to the 2024 class on Thanksgiving Day when Coopersville, Michigan product Gabe VanSickle announced via Twitter account that he was locked in with Ohio State. A 6-foot-5, 285-pound three-star talent, VanSickle projects as an interior lineman at the next level and will be a great depth piece upon his arrival in Columbus. Credit to Justin Frye down the stretch, the Buckeyes now have four guys at the position with at least one more spot open.
A consistent topic of discussion for the better part of two weeks now, VanSickle’s recruitment with Ohio State really started on Nov. 7 when he was offered by the Buckeyes. A Northwestern commit for months, Gabe chose to visit Ohio State twice in the last few weeks and broke the news this past Tuesday that he was de-committing from the Wildcats. That said, it didn’t take long for the masses to realize where this was trending.
Whether it be the scheduled visits — including an official — or the multiple 247Sports crystal ball predictions, VanSickle seemed to be all Buckeye as soon as he received the offer. Showing the recruiting chops this staff has, Ohio State was able to go in and throw its weight around for a prospect that had been solidly committed to another Big Ten program for months, and though the current situation surrounding Northwestern helps, it’s still a case of the Ohio State brand being among the best in college football.
Looking ahead, VanSickle’s addition to the 2024 class has no impact on the tackle spot. The Buckeyes are still very much trying their best with top remaining prospect Jordan Seaton and will continue to do so until he commits.
For Gabe, his projection as a guard fits his profile perfectly. His size fits that mold already, but it’s everything else in his game that translates super well. His ability to pull, get out of his stance, and be a hog in the run game is a perfect fit for any college offensive line, and though he will be a depth piece early on, his work ethic in the weight room as a high school player aides the thought that once he’s in a college strength program he will shine.
The No. 613 player nationally and the 41st best interior lineman in the 2024 class per the 247Sports Composite Ratings, VanSickle chooses Ohio State over Northwestern, Indiana, and a host of other schools. While the ranking may not be as high as the ideal Ohio State lineman commit, trust that this staff sees what VanSickle brings to the table and after a dominant senior campaign on both sides of the ball, the Buckeyes know what they’re getting and are thrilled to have him in their class.
Just a kid from
— (@gabe_vansickle) November 23, 2023
Continue reading...
LGHL Ohio State Men’s Basketball vs Alabama: Game Preview and Prediction
- News
- 0 Replies
Ohio State Men’s Basketball vs Alabama: Game Preview and Prediction
justingolba 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 head to Florida for the bracket portion of the Emerald Coast Classic Friday night.
It is one of the best weeks in sports, and college basketball has a strong hand in that. It’s Feast Week, and The Ohio State Men’s Basketball team (3-1) is heading to Niceville, Fla., for the Emerald Coast Classic to take on the No. 17 Alabama Crimson Tide (4-0) in the first round of the bracket portion of the Emerald Coast Classic.
The Buckeyes defeated the Western Michigan Broncos 73-56 in the opening round of the Emerald Coast Classic (campus game) The Buckeyes led by as much as 31 at one points, and it was their best overall performance of the season, but was against a team they should be able to beat handily every single time.
Now, they get to face off against their second ranked opponent of the season. The Buckeyes lost to then No. 15 and now No. 12 Texas A&M Aggies 73-66 back on November 10. The Aggies are 4-0 on the season and one of the favorites to wi the SEC, along with this Alabama team.
Since the Buckeyes lost to the Aggies, they have taken down Merrimack and Western Michigan by double digits to ease into the two-games-in-two-days marathon they’ll face this weekend.
If the Buckeyes win this game, they will take on the winner of Oregon and Santa Clara at 7 p.m. ET on Saturday. If they lose, they will play the loser of Oregon and Santa Clara at 4 p.m. ET on Saturday.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25107288/usa_today_21835893.jpg "NCAA Basketball: Morehead State at Alabama")
Gary Cosby Jr.-USA TODAY Sports
It is no surprise that Bruce Thornton has led the Buckeyes through the season’s first four games. The sophomore guard is averaging 15.2 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.8 steals per game thus far. The most impressive stat is the fact that he is just one half of a turnover per game, while playing 30 minutes per night. That means in four games, he has recorded only two turnovers. Thornton has been one of the best point guards in the country in that regard, ranking seventh in the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio. It is early in the season, but that is promising from the young guard.
Sophomore guard Roddy Gayle has also been stuffing the stat sheet through the first four games, averaging 14.8 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game. Zed Key has been successful in his role off the bench as the sixth man, averaging 11.8 points and 7.3 rebounds per game in 22 minutes per contest.
Alabama is a juggernaut on offense and a darling in the eyes of the analytics, as they rank No. 5 on KenPom with the most efficient offense in the nation and are No. 23 on the defensive side of the ball. The best offense in the country and a top-25 defense in the country is a mix that will make a great team, especially in March. The Crimson Tide is averaging an impressive 101.8 points per game on 57 percent shooting from the field.
Alabama lost a lot of talent from its top team in the country last season, namely freshman phenom Brandon Miller, who was the No. 2 pick in the NBA Draft to the Charlotte Hornets. However, they hit the transfer portal hard, bringing in some incredibly talented players to fill the void.
Head coach Nate Oats brought in Hofstra transfer guard Aaron Estrada and North Dakota State transfer forward Grant Nelson. Estrada averaged 20.2 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game last season, while Nelson averaged 17.9 points and 9.3 rebounds per game. Both players were two of the most coveted transfers of the offseason.
The two transfers have acclimated to their new team nicely, as Estrada is averaging 15.3 points and 4.0 rebounds per game, while Nelson is averaging 13.8 points and 6.8 rebounds per game. The Crimson Tide have been led in scoring by former Ohio University guard Mark Sears, who is averaging 19.5 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game. This is Sears’ second year with the program.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25107289/usa_today_21835904.jpg "NCAA Basketball: Morehead State at Alabama")
Gary Cosby Jr.-USA TODAY Sports
This is going to be a tough and unique test. Grant Nelson, Mark Sears, and Aaron Estrada can all score the ball at a high level, and Alabama has no lack of scorers on the floor at all times. The Buckeyes coaching staff and players have tried to emphasize the defensive end of the ball and improving on that side this season, and that will be tested tonight.
The matchup to watch will be Mark Sears and Bruce Thornton. Both point guards are the scoring leaders on their respective teams and will look to get the best of the other team’s lead man. Another player to watch is Grant Nelson. At 6-foot-11, look for the Buckeyes to throw Evan Mahaffey or potentially Jamison Battle at him, as the former North Dakota State star will operate on the perimeter and below the basket.
I don’t think the Crimson Tide are leaps better than the Buckeyes, but they are more dynamic on offense, and that could be the difference in this one. However, the Buckeyes have already been tested by Texas A&M, while Alabama has not played anyone yet, so they could still have some things to work out early on.
Ultimately, I think this will be a close game throughout, but the Buckeyes can’t get enough stops to keep the Crimson Tide at bay, and Alabama wins a close one.
ESPN BPI: Alabama 71.0%
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
TV: CBS Sports Network
Continue reading...
justingolba 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 head to Florida for the bracket portion of the Emerald Coast Classic Friday night.
It is one of the best weeks in sports, and college basketball has a strong hand in that. It’s Feast Week, and The Ohio State Men’s Basketball team (3-1) is heading to Niceville, Fla., for the Emerald Coast Classic to take on the No. 17 Alabama Crimson Tide (4-0) in the first round of the bracket portion of the Emerald Coast Classic.
The Buckeyes defeated the Western Michigan Broncos 73-56 in the opening round of the Emerald Coast Classic (campus game) The Buckeyes led by as much as 31 at one points, and it was their best overall performance of the season, but was against a team they should be able to beat handily every single time.
Now, they get to face off against their second ranked opponent of the season. The Buckeyes lost to then No. 15 and now No. 12 Texas A&M Aggies 73-66 back on November 10. The Aggies are 4-0 on the season and one of the favorites to wi the SEC, along with this Alabama team.
Since the Buckeyes lost to the Aggies, they have taken down Merrimack and Western Michigan by double digits to ease into the two-games-in-two-days marathon they’ll face this weekend.
If the Buckeyes win this game, they will take on the winner of Oregon and Santa Clara at 7 p.m. ET on Saturday. If they lose, they will play the loser of Oregon and Santa Clara at 4 p.m. ET on Saturday.
Preview
It is no surprise that Bruce Thornton has led the Buckeyes through the season’s first four games. The sophomore guard is averaging 15.2 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.8 steals per game thus far. The most impressive stat is the fact that he is just one half of a turnover per game, while playing 30 minutes per night. That means in four games, he has recorded only two turnovers. Thornton has been one of the best point guards in the country in that regard, ranking seventh in the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio. It is early in the season, but that is promising from the young guard.
Sophomore guard Roddy Gayle has also been stuffing the stat sheet through the first four games, averaging 14.8 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game. Zed Key has been successful in his role off the bench as the sixth man, averaging 11.8 points and 7.3 rebounds per game in 22 minutes per contest.
Alabama is a juggernaut on offense and a darling in the eyes of the analytics, as they rank No. 5 on KenPom with the most efficient offense in the nation and are No. 23 on the defensive side of the ball. The best offense in the country and a top-25 defense in the country is a mix that will make a great team, especially in March. The Crimson Tide is averaging an impressive 101.8 points per game on 57 percent shooting from the field.
Alabama lost a lot of talent from its top team in the country last season, namely freshman phenom Brandon Miller, who was the No. 2 pick in the NBA Draft to the Charlotte Hornets. However, they hit the transfer portal hard, bringing in some incredibly talented players to fill the void.
Head coach Nate Oats brought in Hofstra transfer guard Aaron Estrada and North Dakota State transfer forward Grant Nelson. Estrada averaged 20.2 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game last season, while Nelson averaged 17.9 points and 9.3 rebounds per game. Both players were two of the most coveted transfers of the offseason.
The two transfers have acclimated to their new team nicely, as Estrada is averaging 15.3 points and 4.0 rebounds per game, while Nelson is averaging 13.8 points and 6.8 rebounds per game. The Crimson Tide have been led in scoring by former Ohio University guard Mark Sears, who is averaging 19.5 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game. This is Sears’ second year with the program.
Prediction
This is going to be a tough and unique test. Grant Nelson, Mark Sears, and Aaron Estrada can all score the ball at a high level, and Alabama has no lack of scorers on the floor at all times. The Buckeyes coaching staff and players have tried to emphasize the defensive end of the ball and improving on that side this season, and that will be tested tonight.
The matchup to watch will be Mark Sears and Bruce Thornton. Both point guards are the scoring leaders on their respective teams and will look to get the best of the other team’s lead man. Another player to watch is Grant Nelson. At 6-foot-11, look for the Buckeyes to throw Evan Mahaffey or potentially Jamison Battle at him, as the former North Dakota State star will operate on the perimeter and below the basket.
I don’t think the Crimson Tide are leaps better than the Buckeyes, but they are more dynamic on offense, and that could be the difference in this one. However, the Buckeyes have already been tested by Texas A&M, while Alabama has not played anyone yet, so they could still have some things to work out early on.
Ultimately, I think this will be a close game throughout, but the Buckeyes can’t get enough stops to keep the Crimson Tide at bay, and Alabama wins a close one.
ESPN BPI: Alabama 71.0%
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
TV: CBS Sports Network
LGHL score prediction: Alabama 82, Ohio State 76
Continue reading...
LGHL In Conversation Podcast: TTUN fans are ‘losing it’ after ‘disorienting month,’ The Athletic’s Austin Meeks says
- News
- 0 Replies
In Conversation Podcast: TTUN fans are ‘losing it’ after ‘disorienting month,’ The Athletic’s Austin Meeks says
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 Christian Petersen/Getty Images
Austin also goes into how much J.J. McCarthy misses Jim Harbaugh on both a personal and football level.
On Land-Grant Holy Land In Conversation, we talk to people in and around Ohio State athletics, and the sporting world at large, to bring you a different insight and perspective to the teams, athletes, and university that you love.
Listen to the episode and subscribe:
On this episode of “Land-Grant In Conversation,” Matt Tamanini talks to The Athletic beat writer covering the Michigan Wolverines, Autin Meek. They discuss what impact Jim Harbaugh’s absence will have on quarterback J.J. McCarthy, what the injury status is for players who have been banged up in recent weeks, what has led to the decline in production from all-purpose back Donovan Edwards, and more.
Then, they get into the sign-stealing scandal and subsequent fallout. Austin details how the investigation and suspension of Harbaugh have impacted both the fans and the team and what the latter will need to do to focus on the game, rather than the emotions of the situation.
Connect with Austin Meek
https://theathletic.com/author/austin-meek
Twitter: @byaustinmeek
Connect with Matt Tamanini
Twitter: @BWWMatt
Continue reading...
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images
Austin also goes into how much J.J. McCarthy misses Jim Harbaugh on both a personal and football level.
On Land-Grant Holy Land In Conversation, we talk to people in and around Ohio State athletics, and the sporting world at large, to bring you a different insight and perspective to the teams, athletes, and university that you love.
Listen to the episode and subscribe:
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
On this episode of “Land-Grant In Conversation,” Matt Tamanini talks to The Athletic beat writer covering the Michigan Wolverines, Autin Meek. They discuss what impact Jim Harbaugh’s absence will have on quarterback J.J. McCarthy, what the injury status is for players who have been banged up in recent weeks, what has led to the decline in production from all-purpose back Donovan Edwards, and more.
Then, they get into the sign-stealing scandal and subsequent fallout. Austin details how the investigation and suspension of Harbaugh have impacted both the fans and the team and what the latter will need to do to focus on the game, rather than the emotions of the situation.
Connect with Austin Meek
https://theathletic.com/author/austin-meek
Twitter: @byaustinmeek
Connect with Matt Tamanini
Twitter: @BWWMatt
Theme music provided by www.bensound.com
Continue reading...
LGHL In Conversation Podcast: The College Football Nerds and their analytical model disagree on the winner of The Game
- News
- 0 Replies
In Conversation Podcast: The College Football Nerds and their analytical model disagree on the winner of The 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
Hopefully, the human brain is better at picking winners than the computers in this case.
On Land-Grant Holy Land In Conversation, we talk to people in and around Ohio State athletics, and the sporting world at large, to bring you a different insight and perspective to the teams, athletes, and university that you love.
Listen to the episode and subscribe:
On today’s episode, Matt Tamanini is in conversation with one of our regular and smartest guests, Josh from the College Football Nerds. In this episode, Josh puts on his big fancy lawyer hat to walk us through some of what’s going on with the lunacy surrounding TTUN’s sign-stealing scandal before pivoting into analytics mode to explain why the model favors the Harboys, even if he is going in a different direction.
The pair discuss J.J. McCarthy’s regression to the mean since the sing-stealing scheme was exposed, Marvin Harrison Jr.’s importance in the game, and much more.
Connect with College Football Nerds
Twitter: @CFBNerds
Website: https://collegefootballnerds.com
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/CollegeFootballNerds
Connect with Matt Tamanini
Twitter: @BWWMatt
Continue reading...
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Hopefully, the human brain is better at picking winners than the computers in this case.
On Land-Grant Holy Land In Conversation, we talk to people in and around Ohio State athletics, and the sporting world at large, to bring you a different insight and perspective to the teams, athletes, and university that you love.
Listen to the episode and subscribe:
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
On today’s episode, Matt Tamanini is in conversation with one of our regular and smartest guests, Josh from the College Football Nerds. In this episode, Josh puts on his big fancy lawyer hat to walk us through some of what’s going on with the lunacy surrounding TTUN’s sign-stealing scandal before pivoting into analytics mode to explain why the model favors the Harboys, even if he is going in a different direction.
The pair discuss J.J. McCarthy’s regression to the mean since the sing-stealing scheme was exposed, Marvin Harrison Jr.’s importance in the game, and much more.
Connect with College Football Nerds
Twitter: @CFBNerds
Website: https://collegefootballnerds.com
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/CollegeFootballNerds
Connect with Matt Tamanini
Twitter: @BWWMatt
Theme music provided by www.bensound.com
Continue reading...
LGHL Which under-the-radar Buckeye(s) could break through with a Chris Olave-esque performance in this year’s edition of The Game?
- News
- 0 Replies
Which under-the-radar Buckeye(s) could break through with a Chris Olave-esque performance in this year’s edition of The Game?
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Set Number: X162339 TK1
Olave was a relative unknown in 2018 when he put the football world on notice with his legendary performance against TTUN.
Prior to Nov. 24, 2018, few outside of Columbus, Ohio had ever heard the name Chris Olave. Hell, there were plenty of people in Columbus at the time who would have been unable to pick him out of a lineup. And that is because he rarely saw Ohio State’s (football) lineup.
Olave was a three-star wide receiver out of California – recruited by Ryan Day – who had joined the Buckeyes’ roster to little fanfare. He sat behind the likes of Parris Campbell, Terry McLaurin, Johnnie Dixon, and Austin Mack, and totaled just five catches and 70 yards through the first 11 games of OSU’s 2018 season.
Prior to Rivalry Week, Olave hadn’t really provided any hints or clues that he would eventually become ‘a guy’. But his special teams prowess and overall effort had at least earned praise from coaches, setting him up for additional opportunities should they arise... And boy did they.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25104430/1236689945.jpg)
Photo by Jason Mowry/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
When Mack went down with an injury in late October, Olave moved up on the Buckeyes’ depth chart. He only tallied three catches in his first three games running (part-time) with the ones, but more importantly, he began to earn additional trust from Ohio State coaches and the team’s quarterback, Dwayne Haskins. Then on Nov. 24, when real opportunity came-a-knockin’, Olave was there to answer the door. And/or kick it down, landing on top of the *ichigan Wolverines.
TTUN rolled into Columbus as the No. 4 team in the country in 2018, while OSU was ranked No. 10. But you never would have known had you been tasked with ‘sorting out the bodies’ post-game. Because the Buckeyes decimated their rival 62-39, thanks to a scoring barrage initiated by Olave.
Ohio State’s freshman WR scored the first two TDs of the game, putting the football world – and the Wolverines – on notice. Both tuddies came on 24-yard receptions, which would prove to be Olave’s only catches of the day. But he was not done making an impact. With just under five minutes left in the third quarter, Olave also blocked a punt that was then scooped up by Sevyn Banks and returned 33 yards for another Buckeye TD.
It was the pièce de resistance of Olave’s breakout performance, and just one of many memorable plays/performances the OSU legend would be a part of during his time in Columbus.
Now, you likely already knew about The Legend of Olave... Olave ’18... 2 Tuddies, a Punt Block and a Pizza Place. But I thought that I needed to re-live it, re-tell it, whatever, in order to A) once again recognize a truly legendary performance in The Game and B) remind people of the backstory before I reveal candidates for this year’s Olave Award — created by me and given to the Ohio State Buckeye who enjoys an out-of-nowhere, unexpected, breakout performance against TTUN.
**UM players and/or players who benefitted from cheating are not eligible, apologies to retroactive snubs Hassan Haskins and Donovan Edwards
Without further ado, here are your 2023 Olave Award candidates:
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25102465/1726796691.jpg)
Photo by Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Tate is/was an obvious choice. True freshman WR, behind a few guys on the depth chart. However, unlike Olave, Tate was a coveted recruit and carved out a role rather quickly in Columbus, catching at least one pass in 10 (different) games. But he has yet to experience a true breakout. He has just 17 total receptions and a single TD, to go with 260 yards. Nice numbers for a freshman – and he is clearly going to be a stud – but not enough to make Tate a household name... Yet.
That could all change come Saturday. TTUN will be focused on Marvin Harrison Jr., Emeka Egbuka, TreVeyon Henderson and others, potentially opening the door for Tate to make an impact. The latter has already proven that he is Ohio State’s third most dangerous WR (will circle back), much like Olave did or was in 2018. So go nuts, young man. Show everyone that you are the next great Buckeye wideout.
This is me circling back... Admittedly, I am nominating Fleming for an award for which he may or may not qualify. But has he ever experienced a breakout? Does the common football fan outside of Columbus and/or Catawissa, PA know his name? I don’t think so. So he gets the nod.
And you can all stop wondering if I’ll ever give up on Fleming. I’m not goin’ to, so quit askin’. Sure, it’s been a disappointing four years. But JF4 is my ride or die. I can’t help myself. And I would not be shocked if he came up big against the Wolverines.
Why? Because I still believe in Fleming’s talent. And because nobody on TTUN is worried about him, that’s why. Also, I just really want it to happen for this guy who has been through so much. So c’mon, Julian. Let’s do this! One time.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25102468/1685436243.jpg)
Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images
Oh yeah. I’m going there. Brown is the backup to Ohio State’s starting QB Kyle McCord. If he (Brown) plays a bunch of snaps or is called upon to throw several passes, well then, OSU might be in trouble. But if not... If McCord plays fine and makes it through four quarters in one piece... Brown could still have a positive impact on Saturday’s game.
Because Brown can run the ball. He has potential to be a goal line guy, and that is an area in which the Buckeyes have struggled. The Wolverines have a very stingy defense, so points likely won’t come easy in Ann Arbor. If healthy, Brown could be a four-point player (TD over FG).
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25102473/usa_today_21339599.jpg)
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
It sounds like Ohio State will have Tyleik Williams, Ty Hamilton, AND Mike Hall Jr. against TTUN. But I want a dozen defensive tackles available, if at all possible. Because the Wolverines are going to run, run, and run again. It’s what they do.
Well, Kanu is a mountain of a man. And the thing about mountains is that they can be very difficult to run around. Hence the reason I believe Kanu could be of use on Saturday. The Buckeyes’ second-year DT has played sparingly but flashed potential while doing so. Interior linemen rarely get credit for turning the tide of a game, but what if German big man gets a timely stop or forces a game-altering turnover?
Likely? No, not even a little bit. Possible? I guess. But I’m not holding my breath. Because it seems like the OSU coaching staff is vehemently against putting their freaky-athletic LB on the field. But (this) Saturday afternoon between noon and whenever sure seems like a hell of a time to use all the tools at the team’s disposal.
We know that TTUN loves to run the ball and throw to their TEs. Which means that Ohio State will need guys playing at a high level — at the second level. Even better if said guys boast coverage skills and/or the ability to chase down ball carriers. Has Hicks proven that he possesses either? No, not yet. But I haven’t been enamored with the play of Steele Chambers or Cody Simon, and who knows how banged up Tommy Eichenberg is going to be come kickoff.
Hicks seems like the closest thing the Buckeyes have had to Ryan Shazier since Ryan Shazier. And last time I checked, the latter was pretty damn special during his time in Columbus. So maybe we finally see the young Buck(eye) unleashed against the Wolverines. I certainly wouldn’t be opposed to it.
Does Ohio State NEED an unexpected breakout performance to defeat TTUN this weekend? No, I don’t believe that they do. This is a very, very good Scarlet and Gray squad with potential to be great. I think The Game ultimately comes down to QB play and which defense can make timely stops, perhaps in the red zone.
But I guess we shall see... Saturday is shaping up to be an epic battle, and yours truly is hoping for several special performances. Unexpected or not. Just give me a dub in that state up north!
Continue reading...
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Set Number: X162339 TK1
Olave was a relative unknown in 2018 when he put the football world on notice with his legendary performance against TTUN.
Prior to Nov. 24, 2018, few outside of Columbus, Ohio had ever heard the name Chris Olave. Hell, there were plenty of people in Columbus at the time who would have been unable to pick him out of a lineup. And that is because he rarely saw Ohio State’s (football) lineup.
Olave was a three-star wide receiver out of California – recruited by Ryan Day – who had joined the Buckeyes’ roster to little fanfare. He sat behind the likes of Parris Campbell, Terry McLaurin, Johnnie Dixon, and Austin Mack, and totaled just five catches and 70 yards through the first 11 games of OSU’s 2018 season.
Prior to Rivalry Week, Olave hadn’t really provided any hints or clues that he would eventually become ‘a guy’. But his special teams prowess and overall effort had at least earned praise from coaches, setting him up for additional opportunities should they arise... And boy did they.
When Mack went down with an injury in late October, Olave moved up on the Buckeyes’ depth chart. He only tallied three catches in his first three games running (part-time) with the ones, but more importantly, he began to earn additional trust from Ohio State coaches and the team’s quarterback, Dwayne Haskins. Then on Nov. 24, when real opportunity came-a-knockin’, Olave was there to answer the door. And/or kick it down, landing on top of the *ichigan Wolverines.
TTUN rolled into Columbus as the No. 4 team in the country in 2018, while OSU was ranked No. 10. But you never would have known had you been tasked with ‘sorting out the bodies’ post-game. Because the Buckeyes decimated their rival 62-39, thanks to a scoring barrage initiated by Olave.
Ohio State’s freshman WR scored the first two TDs of the game, putting the football world – and the Wolverines – on notice. Both tuddies came on 24-yard receptions, which would prove to be Olave’s only catches of the day. But he was not done making an impact. With just under five minutes left in the third quarter, Olave also blocked a punt that was then scooped up by Sevyn Banks and returned 33 yards for another Buckeye TD.
It was the pièce de resistance of Olave’s breakout performance, and just one of many memorable plays/performances the OSU legend would be a part of during his time in Columbus.
Now, you likely already knew about The Legend of Olave... Olave ’18... 2 Tuddies, a Punt Block and a Pizza Place. But I thought that I needed to re-live it, re-tell it, whatever, in order to A) once again recognize a truly legendary performance in The Game and B) remind people of the backstory before I reveal candidates for this year’s Olave Award — created by me and given to the Ohio State Buckeye who enjoys an out-of-nowhere, unexpected, breakout performance against TTUN.
**UM players and/or players who benefitted from cheating are not eligible, apologies to retroactive snubs Hassan Haskins and Donovan Edwards
Without further ado, here are your 2023 Olave Award candidates:
WR Carnell Tate
Tate is/was an obvious choice. True freshman WR, behind a few guys on the depth chart. However, unlike Olave, Tate was a coveted recruit and carved out a role rather quickly in Columbus, catching at least one pass in 10 (different) games. But he has yet to experience a true breakout. He has just 17 total receptions and a single TD, to go with 260 yards. Nice numbers for a freshman – and he is clearly going to be a stud – but not enough to make Tate a household name... Yet.
That could all change come Saturday. TTUN will be focused on Marvin Harrison Jr., Emeka Egbuka, TreVeyon Henderson and others, potentially opening the door for Tate to make an impact. The latter has already proven that he is Ohio State’s third most dangerous WR (will circle back), much like Olave did or was in 2018. So go nuts, young man. Show everyone that you are the next great Buckeye wideout.
WR Julian Fleming
This is me circling back... Admittedly, I am nominating Fleming for an award for which he may or may not qualify. But has he ever experienced a breakout? Does the common football fan outside of Columbus and/or Catawissa, PA know his name? I don’t think so. So he gets the nod.
And you can all stop wondering if I’ll ever give up on Fleming. I’m not goin’ to, so quit askin’. Sure, it’s been a disappointing four years. But JF4 is my ride or die. I can’t help myself. And I would not be shocked if he came up big against the Wolverines.
Why? Because I still believe in Fleming’s talent. And because nobody on TTUN is worried about him, that’s why. Also, I just really want it to happen for this guy who has been through so much. So c’mon, Julian. Let’s do this! One time.
QB Devin Brown
Oh yeah. I’m going there. Brown is the backup to Ohio State’s starting QB Kyle McCord. If he (Brown) plays a bunch of snaps or is called upon to throw several passes, well then, OSU might be in trouble. But if not... If McCord plays fine and makes it through four quarters in one piece... Brown could still have a positive impact on Saturday’s game.
Because Brown can run the ball. He has potential to be a goal line guy, and that is an area in which the Buckeyes have struggled. The Wolverines have a very stingy defense, so points likely won’t come easy in Ann Arbor. If healthy, Brown could be a four-point player (TD over FG).
DT Hero Kanu
It sounds like Ohio State will have Tyleik Williams, Ty Hamilton, AND Mike Hall Jr. against TTUN. But I want a dozen defensive tackles available, if at all possible. Because the Wolverines are going to run, run, and run again. It’s what they do.
Well, Kanu is a mountain of a man. And the thing about mountains is that they can be very difficult to run around. Hence the reason I believe Kanu could be of use on Saturday. The Buckeyes’ second-year DT has played sparingly but flashed potential while doing so. Interior linemen rarely get credit for turning the tide of a game, but what if German big man gets a timely stop or forces a game-altering turnover?
LB C.J. Hicks
Likely? No, not even a little bit. Possible? I guess. But I’m not holding my breath. Because it seems like the OSU coaching staff is vehemently against putting their freaky-athletic LB on the field. But (this) Saturday afternoon between noon and whenever sure seems like a hell of a time to use all the tools at the team’s disposal.
We know that TTUN loves to run the ball and throw to their TEs. Which means that Ohio State will need guys playing at a high level — at the second level. Even better if said guys boast coverage skills and/or the ability to chase down ball carriers. Has Hicks proven that he possesses either? No, not yet. But I haven’t been enamored with the play of Steele Chambers or Cody Simon, and who knows how banged up Tommy Eichenberg is going to be come kickoff.
Hicks seems like the closest thing the Buckeyes have had to Ryan Shazier since Ryan Shazier. And last time I checked, the latter was pretty damn special during his time in Columbus. So maybe we finally see the young Buck(eye) unleashed against the Wolverines. I certainly wouldn’t be opposed to it.
Does Ohio State NEED an unexpected breakout performance to defeat TTUN this weekend? No, I don’t believe that they do. This is a very, very good Scarlet and Gray squad with potential to be great. I think The Game ultimately comes down to QB play and which defense can make timely stops, perhaps in the red zone.
But I guess we shall see... Saturday is shaping up to be an epic battle, and yours truly is hoping for several special performances. Unexpected or not. Just give me a dub in that state up north!
GO BUCKS!
Continue reading...
LGHL In Conversation Podcast: NFL Draft expert, former TTUN beat writer Nick Baumgardner breaks down the talent in The Game
- News
- 0 Replies
In Conversation Podcast: NFL Draft expert, former TTUN beat writer Nick Baumgardner breaks down the talent in The 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/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
Nick has a surprise frontrunner on his official Heisman ballot... and I think you are going to agree.
On Land-Grant Holy Land In Conversation, we talk to people in and around Ohio State athletics, and the sporting world at large, to bring you a different insight and perspective to the teams, athletes, and university that you love.
Listen to the episode and subscribe:
On this episode of “Land-Grant In Conversation,” Matt Tamanini talks to The Athletic Senior Writer Nick Baumgardner. Having been the beat writer for the Michigan football team for years before transitioning into covering the NFL Draft, Nick has a unique vantage point to break down everything going on in the 2023 edition of The Game. First, they get into some talent breakdowns at key positions for both squads, then they discuss how the absence of Jim Harbaugh from the sideline will impact the home team, and then Nick reveals that he has a certain Ohio State wide receiver at the top of his Heisman ballot, even if he isn’t supposed to be saying that publicly at this point.
This conversation has a number of unique discussion points that haven’t been brought up much in the lead-up to The Game.
Connect with Nick Baumgardner
https://theathletic.com/author/nick-baumgardner
Twitter: @nickbaumgardner
Connect with Matt Tamanini
Twitter: @BWWMatt
Continue reading...
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
Nick has a surprise frontrunner on his official Heisman ballot... and I think you are going to agree.
On Land-Grant Holy Land In Conversation, we talk to people in and around Ohio State athletics, and the sporting world at large, to bring you a different insight and perspective to the teams, athletes, and university that you love.
Listen to the episode and subscribe:
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
On this episode of “Land-Grant In Conversation,” Matt Tamanini talks to The Athletic Senior Writer Nick Baumgardner. Having been the beat writer for the Michigan football team for years before transitioning into covering the NFL Draft, Nick has a unique vantage point to break down everything going on in the 2023 edition of The Game. First, they get into some talent breakdowns at key positions for both squads, then they discuss how the absence of Jim Harbaugh from the sideline will impact the home team, and then Nick reveals that he has a certain Ohio State wide receiver at the top of his Heisman ballot, even if he isn’t supposed to be saying that publicly at this point.
This conversation has a number of unique discussion points that haven’t been brought up much in the lead-up to The Game.
Connect with Nick Baumgardner
https://theathletic.com/author/nick-baumgardner
Twitter: @nickbaumgardner
Connect with Matt Tamanini
Twitter: @BWWMatt
Theme music provided by www.bensound.com
Continue reading...
LGHL MC&J: Ohio State-Michigan is the star of Week 13 in the Big Ten
- News
- 0 Replies
MC&J: Ohio State-Michigan is the star of Week 13 in the Big Ten
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
All eyes will be on The Game on Saturday afternoon in the final week of the Big Ten regular season
My picks for Oregon State-Oregon, Washington State-Washington, and six other interesting national games can be found here.
No. 17 Iowa v. Nebraska (-2.5) - Friday 12:00 p.m. ET - CBS
It’s incredible that for as bad as Iowa has been offensively this year they have won nine games and will be representing the West in the Big Ten Championship Game next Saturday. The Hawkeyes have scored at least 24 points in just three games this year, with the last of those occurrences coming at the end of September against Michigan State. To be as successful as Iowa has been with no offense just tells you how good their defense and special teams has been.
Nebraska has been just as dreadful on offense as Iowa has this season. Much like the Hawkeyes, the Cornhuskers have reached 24 points in just three games this season. After a 5-3 start to the season, Nebraska has fallen flat, losing their last three games, putting their dreams of making a bowl game in Matt Rhule’s first season in Lincoln in serious jeopardy. Last week in the 24-17 overtime loss to Wisconsin, the Cornhuskers turned to Chubba Purdy at quarterback.
In a game where the offenses aren’t going to have much success, I’ll take the points and the team that has experience winning tight games. Nebraska has made losing one-score games an art-form over the last few years. This year four of their six losses have been by seven points or less. Iowa gets some revenge for last year when the Cornhuskers snapped a seven-game losing streak in the rivalry.
Iowa 17, Nebraska 10
No. 11 Penn State (-21.5) v. Michigan State - Friday 7:30 p.m. ET - NBC
I would say this game feels so weird being played at Ford Field in Detroit, but it’s not like Michigan State has much of a home-field advantage this year. Plus, at least this way they won’t have a chance to put anything embarrassing up on their scoreboard before the game. Still, college football regular season games played at NFL stadiums sucks all the fun out of the game.
Penn State enters this game with some uncertainty when it comes to quarterback Drew Allar. While it sounds like Allar is going to play on Friday, it’s obvious the first-year starter isn’t anywhere close to 100 percent. Last week against Rutgers, Allar and Beau Pribula combined to throw for just 88 yards in the 27-6 win. Luckily the Nittany Lions have running backs Kaytron Allen and Nicholas Singleton to lean on.
Even though Penn State is great at beating up on bad teams, Michigan State does come into this game with a little confidence after beating Indiana last week. We should see a spirited effort from the Spartans since this will be their final game of the season, while Penn State still has a bowl game to prepare for. The Nittany Lions keep things pretty vanilla as they try and earn the win while not accumulating any more injuries ahead of their bowl game.
Penn State 28, Michigan State 13
Indiana v. Purdue (-3.5) - 12:00 p.m. ET - Big Ten Network
Unless you’re an alum of either of these schools, or a true degenerate gambler, there really is no reason to watch this game. Honestly, they shouldn’t even award the Old Oaken Bucket this year since both of these teams have been awful, with both entering Saturday’s game with 3-8 records.
Indiana at least has been somewhat competitive recently, losing their last two games by a combined six points. Purdue lost 23-15 to Northwestern last week after somehow beating Minnesota a few weeks ago. While the future of Indiana head coach Tom Allen is uncertain, at least for Ryan Walters it is his first year at Purdue, so he’ll get some time to show some positive results before his seat starts to get hot.
I can’t say I’m totally comfortable with backing Purdue here, but I do at least feel a little more confident taking the Boilermakers than I would if I picked the Hoosiers. Purdue has at least found their running game recently, rushing for over 300 yards in each of their last two contests. Devin Mockobee and Tyrone Tracy Jr. help the Boilers control the clock, wear out the Indiana defense, and eventually it will open things up for Hudson Card to make a couple throws to lead Purdue to victory.
Purdue 27, Indiana 17
Northwestern v. Illinois (-5.5) - 3:30 p.m. ET - Big Ten Network
Northwestern undoubtedly is one of the most improved teams in the country from the start of the season. In early October the Wildcats barely beat Howard, and now they’re bowl eligible and head coach David Braun had the interim tag removed from his job title because of how well Northwestern has been playing under him. Last week the Wildcats beat Purdue 23-15 to secure bowl eligibility a year after going 1-11.
On the other side, a year after playing in a January bowl game, Illinois needs a win this week just to become bowl eligible. Last week the Fighting Illini fell to Iowa 15-13. John Paddock again started at quarterback for Illinois, and it’s likely to see him behind center again since he has started the last two games and has played pretty well.
Taking the points in this game is very attractive since each of the last five games for Illinois have been decided by four points or less. Northwestern is playing with a lot of confidence, while the Fighting Illini could be pressing in this game because they know this is their last chance to become bowl eligible. I just like how the Wildcats are playing right now, so I’ll side with them to deny their in-state foe.
Northwestern 24, Illinois 20
Wisconsin (-1.5) v. Minnesota - 3:30 p.m. ET - FS1
The Badgers avoided Luke Fickell’s first year in Madison being a total failure by beating Nebraska 24-17 in overtime last week to become bowl eligible. Don’t get it twisted, the first season for Fickell as the head coach of the Badgers has been disappointing. Injuries haven’t helped Fickell’s cause, as both quarterback Tanner Mordecai and running back Braelon Allen have missed time because of injuries.
Last week we saw just how basic Minnesota is. The Golden Gophers can’t really throw the football, and their running game isn’t nearly as prolific as it has been in the previous few years. After being just a win away from bowl eligibility, Minnesota has now lost three straight games. Along with the losing streak, their latest loss came to Ohio State, and we know there can be a hangover after being run over by the Buckeyes.
I think Wisconsin builds off their win last week. Mordecai is back at quarterback, so the Badgers can at least throw the football a little to take some of the pressure off of Allen and the running game. Plus, I think Fickell is a better coach than P.J. Fleck, so give me the better all-around team that has a better coach.
Wisconsin 23, Minnesota 13
Maryland (-1.5) v. Rutgers - 3:30 p.m. ET - Big Ten Network
Neither of these teams enter this game with much confidence. Rutgers has lost three straight games, while Maryland has dropped five of six after a 5-0 start to the season. At least the Terrapins show bit of fight last week in their 31-24 loss to Michigan. The same can’t be said for the Scarlet Knights, who were rolled 27-6 by Penn State. Each of the three straight losses for Rutgers have come by at least 19 points.
We know Maryland does have some weapons of offense with Taulia Tagovailoa at quarterback. The same can’t be said for Rutgers. Who do the Scarlet Knights turn to when they need someone to make a play on offense? Nobody really comes to mind, which is why Rutgers relies so heavily on trick plays. With a short line, I feel a lot more comfortable taking the Terrapins here. While Tagovailoa hasn’t announced otherwise, who would blame him if he skipped Maryland’s bowl game this year to prepare for the NFL Draft? If that ends up being the case, expect to see him make some plays in his final game at Maryland.
Maryland 27, Rutgers 14
No. 2 Ohio State v. No. 3 Michigan (-3.5) - 12:00 p.m. ET - FOX
We have finally made it to the most anticipated game on this year’s schedule. As if there wasn’t already enough hate between the rivals, the vitriol has been ratcheted up following the Michigan sign stealing scandal. Now we wonder how much Connor Stalions had to do with the last two years, which were Michigan victories after a decade of domination by Ohio State.
The punishment for Michigan by the Big Ten was the suspension of head coach Jim Harbaugh for three games, with the last of those games being Saturday’s contest. The formula under interim head coach Sherrone Moore has been simple: jump out to a lead and then plod along and don’t blow it. The Wolverines have been so successful at this because of their ability to run the football.
One good thing for Ohio State heading into this game is Michigan isn’t quite as dominant on either line. While Michigan has been able to run the football on all their previous opponents this year, they certainly haven’t had to line up against a defense as good as what they’ll see from the Buckeyes. Ohio State hasn’t given up more than 17 points in a game this year, and they have been stout against the run.
If Michigan can’t run the football, it will force the Wolverines to put the football in J.J. McCarthy’s hands more. That strategy worked last year against Ohio State, who was burnt for a number of huge passing touchdowns in the game in Columbus. Jim Knowles has transformed the defense this year, and the Buckeyes have only given up one play of more than 40 yards, and that was on a “fumblerooski” on fourth down against Rutgers.
Ohio State doesn’t have a C.J. Stroud or Justin Fields at quarterback this year. Kyle McCord has gained more confidence throughout the season, though. McCord already has played in a hostile environment went the Buckeyes went to Notre Dame at the end of September. It also helps that he has TreVeyon Henderson, Marvin Harrison Jr., Emeka Egbuka, and Cade Stover lining up with him on offense.
Rent will be due on Saturday in Ann Arbor. Honestly, I wish Jim Harbaugh was on the sidelines since I don’t want there to be any excuse when the Buckeyes beat the Wolverines. Of course this is a homer pick, but I also think Ohio State is a better team. The Buckeyes not only have more talent on both sides of the football, they are the most tested team. Ohio State returns to the Big Ten Championship Game and the College Football Playoff by beating Michigan in The Game.
Ohio State 24, Michigan 17
Continue reading...
Brett Ludwiczak 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
All eyes will be on The Game on Saturday afternoon in the final week of the Big Ten regular season
Last week ATS: 9-6 (5-3 National, 4-3 B1G)
Season ATS: 98-93-1 (45-54-1 National, 53-39 B1G)
My picks for Oregon State-Oregon, Washington State-Washington, and six other interesting national games can be found here.
B1G games
No. 17 Iowa v. Nebraska (-2.5) - Friday 12:00 p.m. ET - CBS
It’s incredible that for as bad as Iowa has been offensively this year they have won nine games and will be representing the West in the Big Ten Championship Game next Saturday. The Hawkeyes have scored at least 24 points in just three games this year, with the last of those occurrences coming at the end of September against Michigan State. To be as successful as Iowa has been with no offense just tells you how good their defense and special teams has been.
Nebraska has been just as dreadful on offense as Iowa has this season. Much like the Hawkeyes, the Cornhuskers have reached 24 points in just three games this season. After a 5-3 start to the season, Nebraska has fallen flat, losing their last three games, putting their dreams of making a bowl game in Matt Rhule’s first season in Lincoln in serious jeopardy. Last week in the 24-17 overtime loss to Wisconsin, the Cornhuskers turned to Chubba Purdy at quarterback.
In a game where the offenses aren’t going to have much success, I’ll take the points and the team that has experience winning tight games. Nebraska has made losing one-score games an art-form over the last few years. This year four of their six losses have been by seven points or less. Iowa gets some revenge for last year when the Cornhuskers snapped a seven-game losing streak in the rivalry.
Iowa 17, Nebraska 10
No. 11 Penn State (-21.5) v. Michigan State - Friday 7:30 p.m. ET - NBC
I would say this game feels so weird being played at Ford Field in Detroit, but it’s not like Michigan State has much of a home-field advantage this year. Plus, at least this way they won’t have a chance to put anything embarrassing up on their scoreboard before the game. Still, college football regular season games played at NFL stadiums sucks all the fun out of the game.
Penn State enters this game with some uncertainty when it comes to quarterback Drew Allar. While it sounds like Allar is going to play on Friday, it’s obvious the first-year starter isn’t anywhere close to 100 percent. Last week against Rutgers, Allar and Beau Pribula combined to throw for just 88 yards in the 27-6 win. Luckily the Nittany Lions have running backs Kaytron Allen and Nicholas Singleton to lean on.
Even though Penn State is great at beating up on bad teams, Michigan State does come into this game with a little confidence after beating Indiana last week. We should see a spirited effort from the Spartans since this will be their final game of the season, while Penn State still has a bowl game to prepare for. The Nittany Lions keep things pretty vanilla as they try and earn the win while not accumulating any more injuries ahead of their bowl game.
Penn State 28, Michigan State 13
Indiana v. Purdue (-3.5) - 12:00 p.m. ET - Big Ten Network
Unless you’re an alum of either of these schools, or a true degenerate gambler, there really is no reason to watch this game. Honestly, they shouldn’t even award the Old Oaken Bucket this year since both of these teams have been awful, with both entering Saturday’s game with 3-8 records.
Indiana at least has been somewhat competitive recently, losing their last two games by a combined six points. Purdue lost 23-15 to Northwestern last week after somehow beating Minnesota a few weeks ago. While the future of Indiana head coach Tom Allen is uncertain, at least for Ryan Walters it is his first year at Purdue, so he’ll get some time to show some positive results before his seat starts to get hot.
I can’t say I’m totally comfortable with backing Purdue here, but I do at least feel a little more confident taking the Boilermakers than I would if I picked the Hoosiers. Purdue has at least found their running game recently, rushing for over 300 yards in each of their last two contests. Devin Mockobee and Tyrone Tracy Jr. help the Boilers control the clock, wear out the Indiana defense, and eventually it will open things up for Hudson Card to make a couple throws to lead Purdue to victory.
Purdue 27, Indiana 17
Northwestern v. Illinois (-5.5) - 3:30 p.m. ET - Big Ten Network
Northwestern undoubtedly is one of the most improved teams in the country from the start of the season. In early October the Wildcats barely beat Howard, and now they’re bowl eligible and head coach David Braun had the interim tag removed from his job title because of how well Northwestern has been playing under him. Last week the Wildcats beat Purdue 23-15 to secure bowl eligibility a year after going 1-11.
On the other side, a year after playing in a January bowl game, Illinois needs a win this week just to become bowl eligible. Last week the Fighting Illini fell to Iowa 15-13. John Paddock again started at quarterback for Illinois, and it’s likely to see him behind center again since he has started the last two games and has played pretty well.
Taking the points in this game is very attractive since each of the last five games for Illinois have been decided by four points or less. Northwestern is playing with a lot of confidence, while the Fighting Illini could be pressing in this game because they know this is their last chance to become bowl eligible. I just like how the Wildcats are playing right now, so I’ll side with them to deny their in-state foe.
Northwestern 24, Illinois 20
Wisconsin (-1.5) v. Minnesota - 3:30 p.m. ET - FS1
The Badgers avoided Luke Fickell’s first year in Madison being a total failure by beating Nebraska 24-17 in overtime last week to become bowl eligible. Don’t get it twisted, the first season for Fickell as the head coach of the Badgers has been disappointing. Injuries haven’t helped Fickell’s cause, as both quarterback Tanner Mordecai and running back Braelon Allen have missed time because of injuries.
Last week we saw just how basic Minnesota is. The Golden Gophers can’t really throw the football, and their running game isn’t nearly as prolific as it has been in the previous few years. After being just a win away from bowl eligibility, Minnesota has now lost three straight games. Along with the losing streak, their latest loss came to Ohio State, and we know there can be a hangover after being run over by the Buckeyes.
I think Wisconsin builds off their win last week. Mordecai is back at quarterback, so the Badgers can at least throw the football a little to take some of the pressure off of Allen and the running game. Plus, I think Fickell is a better coach than P.J. Fleck, so give me the better all-around team that has a better coach.
Wisconsin 23, Minnesota 13
Maryland (-1.5) v. Rutgers - 3:30 p.m. ET - Big Ten Network
Neither of these teams enter this game with much confidence. Rutgers has lost three straight games, while Maryland has dropped five of six after a 5-0 start to the season. At least the Terrapins show bit of fight last week in their 31-24 loss to Michigan. The same can’t be said for the Scarlet Knights, who were rolled 27-6 by Penn State. Each of the three straight losses for Rutgers have come by at least 19 points.
We know Maryland does have some weapons of offense with Taulia Tagovailoa at quarterback. The same can’t be said for Rutgers. Who do the Scarlet Knights turn to when they need someone to make a play on offense? Nobody really comes to mind, which is why Rutgers relies so heavily on trick plays. With a short line, I feel a lot more comfortable taking the Terrapins here. While Tagovailoa hasn’t announced otherwise, who would blame him if he skipped Maryland’s bowl game this year to prepare for the NFL Draft? If that ends up being the case, expect to see him make some plays in his final game at Maryland.
Maryland 27, Rutgers 14
No. 2 Ohio State v. No. 3 Michigan (-3.5) - 12:00 p.m. ET - FOX
We have finally made it to the most anticipated game on this year’s schedule. As if there wasn’t already enough hate between the rivals, the vitriol has been ratcheted up following the Michigan sign stealing scandal. Now we wonder how much Connor Stalions had to do with the last two years, which were Michigan victories after a decade of domination by Ohio State.
The punishment for Michigan by the Big Ten was the suspension of head coach Jim Harbaugh for three games, with the last of those games being Saturday’s contest. The formula under interim head coach Sherrone Moore has been simple: jump out to a lead and then plod along and don’t blow it. The Wolverines have been so successful at this because of their ability to run the football.
One good thing for Ohio State heading into this game is Michigan isn’t quite as dominant on either line. While Michigan has been able to run the football on all their previous opponents this year, they certainly haven’t had to line up against a defense as good as what they’ll see from the Buckeyes. Ohio State hasn’t given up more than 17 points in a game this year, and they have been stout against the run.
If Michigan can’t run the football, it will force the Wolverines to put the football in J.J. McCarthy’s hands more. That strategy worked last year against Ohio State, who was burnt for a number of huge passing touchdowns in the game in Columbus. Jim Knowles has transformed the defense this year, and the Buckeyes have only given up one play of more than 40 yards, and that was on a “fumblerooski” on fourth down against Rutgers.
Ohio State doesn’t have a C.J. Stroud or Justin Fields at quarterback this year. Kyle McCord has gained more confidence throughout the season, though. McCord already has played in a hostile environment went the Buckeyes went to Notre Dame at the end of September. It also helps that he has TreVeyon Henderson, Marvin Harrison Jr., Emeka Egbuka, and Cade Stover lining up with him on offense.
Rent will be due on Saturday in Ann Arbor. Honestly, I wish Jim Harbaugh was on the sidelines since I don’t want there to be any excuse when the Buckeyes beat the Wolverines. Of course this is a homer pick, but I also think Ohio State is a better team. The Buckeyes not only have more talent on both sides of the football, they are the most tested team. Ohio State returns to the Big Ten Championship Game and the College Football Playoff by beating Michigan in The Game.
Ohio State 24, Michigan 17
Continue reading...