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LGHL The make or break week in Ohio State women’s basketball schedule
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The make or break week in Ohio State women’s basketball schedule
ThomasCostello 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 Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
The Buckeyes have a tough road to the NCAA Tournament, but one week plays a lot like a deep March Madness run
With the start of the regular season within reach, it's ok to look ahead into the schedule to see the type of games that await Ohio State women’s basketball. From Nov. 6 all the way to March 3, the road for the scarlet and gray is not a smooth one. No one can look at the schedule and think that head coach Kevin McGuff has got it easy.
Ohio State has games against the UCLA Bruins, Tennessee Volunteers and USC Trojans on the docket. However, there’s one eight-day span that will show the identity and fight of this edition of the Buckeyes. It comes in January during Big Ten play. That’s when Ohio State goes up against three teams who all have an argument for being near the top of the conference.
The stretch starts on a Wednesday night in College Park, Maryland. It’s the first time the Buckeyes take on the Maryland Terrapins, a side that’s had Ohio State’s number over the past two seasons. In four games, the scarlet and gray are 1-3, with McGuff’s side on a three-game losing streak to Brenda Freese’s Terrapins.
There’s an argument that this iteration of the Terrapins isn’t the same because it doesn’t include forward Angel Reese and guard Ashley Owusu, who played for Maryland during the 21-22 season. Or even last year’s side that featured now WNBA guard Diamond Miller causing issues for the Buckeyes.
Maryland’s next star is one Ohio State’s already faced multiple times: Ohio-born guard Shyanne Sellers. In a 90-54 win for Maryland (not a typo) last year in College Park, Sellers scored 19 points and added nine assists and four rebounds. With Miller gone, Sellers’ responsibilities will increase, and she’s a player who’s up for the additional work.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25044436/usa_today_20331366.jpg "NCAA Womens Basketball: NCAA Tournament Greenville Regional-Maryland vs South Carolina")
Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports
Plus, the Terrapins return graduate seniors Brinae Alexander and Lavender Briggs in a team heavy with upperclassmen leadership. Not to mention a 6-foot-7 center named Hawa Doumbouya who will have a few months of NCAA basketball under her belt by the time the teams meet.
To Ohio State’s credit, it adjusted well the second time the two teams played, and a potential game-winning shot by Cotie McMahon was a fraction of a second too late to give the Buckeyes a win on the final day of last year’s regular season.
McGuff’s group returns home after the Maryland game in January, but four days later it gets exponentially more difficult.
Of all the games on the basketball calendar, this one is circled, highlighted and circled again. It’s against superstar Caitlin Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes.
Last year, the team that continued to get in Ohio State’s way was the Hawkeyes. When the Buckeyes were 19-0 and close to breaking a program record for wins in a row, it was a home game on Jan. 23 against Clark that ended with the guard racking up a triple-double and Ohio State suffering their first loss of the season.
That first loss turned into the Buckeyes’ only losing streak of the season, dropping the next two as well against the Michigan State Spartans and Indiana Hoosiers.
Fast forward to the Big Ten Tournament. A day after coming back from a 24-point deficit to the Hoosiers, the Buckeyes faced none other than the Hawkeyes in the final. It wasn’t really a game. Like the day before, Ohio State went down big, but this time there was no comeback. Clark had another triple-double (30 points, 17 assists and 10 rebounds) in the 105-72 demolishing.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25044463/usa_today_20156766.jpg "NCAA Womens Basketball: Big Ten Conference Tournament Championship - Ohio State vs. Iowa")
Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports
If Ohio State is in the same position on Jan. 21 as they were last year, expect this game to be one with even more national attention. Tickets already sold out within moments of going on sale, and at time of publishing are up to $148 for the cheapest available seat.
Iowa lost center Monika Czinano and forward Kate Martin, who ended their NCAA careers, and the Hawkeyes were quiet in the transfer portal. However, they still have the reigning Naismith Player of the Year in Clark, plus the Big Ten Sixth Player of the Year in Hannah Stuelke.
The Hawkeyes aren’t a test for Ohio State. They’re the test. It goes back to the old wrestling adage of, “If you wanna be the man, you’ve got to beat the man.”
At this point of the eight-day stretch, the Buckeyes could be riding high or trying to pick themselves back up. Either way, Illinois isn’t a team Ohio State can take lightly.
While McGuff’s team has had Illinois’ number in recent years, it wasn’t easy last year. With 6:56 remaining in the third quarter against Illinois, the Buckeyes were down 17 points to first-year Illinois head coach Shauna Green.
Green turned the Illini around in a short period of time. After not making the NCAA Tournament since the 02-03 season, Illinois’ 20-10 record was the program’s best since the late 90s.
Up 17 points to the Buckeyes though, it turned into the McMahon show. The freshman forward scored 11 of Ohio State’s 28 third quarter points to enter the fourth quarter with a one point lead. It was the lone matchup between the two teams last season, and its not a stretch to think that Illinois is looking forward to seeing the Buckeyes twice this year to make up for it.
Illinois gets one more year with Green at the helm, which means more time to build out her system. The players who got the Illini to that point last year are back too. All of the starting lineup is back, including guards Makira Cook and Genesis Bryant who combined for 32 points and 13 assists in the defeat last year. Also outstanding forward Kendall Bostic, who rocked the Buckeyes on the boards grabbing 15 rebounds on top of 27 points.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25044473/usa_today_19749854.jpg "Syndication: The Columbus Dispatch")
Joseph Scheller/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
In the last six years, only one team has won the conference regular season with more than five losses. That team was the 21-22 Ohio State Buckeyes. If McGuff and the scarlet and gray hope to add more to its trophy case, it could come down to this stretch of three games.
The last week of the season doesn’t get any easier, with the Buckeyes facing Maryland, rival Michigan Wolverines and the Iowa Hawkeyes to end the season.
This year, there are no weeks off in Big Ten play.
Continue reading...
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Joseph Scheller/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
The Buckeyes have a tough road to the NCAA Tournament, but one week plays a lot like a deep March Madness run
With the start of the regular season within reach, it's ok to look ahead into the schedule to see the type of games that await Ohio State women’s basketball. From Nov. 6 all the way to March 3, the road for the scarlet and gray is not a smooth one. No one can look at the schedule and think that head coach Kevin McGuff has got it easy.
Ohio State has games against the UCLA Bruins, Tennessee Volunteers and USC Trojans on the docket. However, there’s one eight-day span that will show the identity and fight of this edition of the Buckeyes. It comes in January during Big Ten play. That’s when Ohio State goes up against three teams who all have an argument for being near the top of the conference.
Jan. 17 - at Maryland Terrapins
The stretch starts on a Wednesday night in College Park, Maryland. It’s the first time the Buckeyes take on the Maryland Terrapins, a side that’s had Ohio State’s number over the past two seasons. In four games, the scarlet and gray are 1-3, with McGuff’s side on a three-game losing streak to Brenda Freese’s Terrapins.
There’s an argument that this iteration of the Terrapins isn’t the same because it doesn’t include forward Angel Reese and guard Ashley Owusu, who played for Maryland during the 21-22 season. Or even last year’s side that featured now WNBA guard Diamond Miller causing issues for the Buckeyes.
Maryland’s next star is one Ohio State’s already faced multiple times: Ohio-born guard Shyanne Sellers. In a 90-54 win for Maryland (not a typo) last year in College Park, Sellers scored 19 points and added nine assists and four rebounds. With Miller gone, Sellers’ responsibilities will increase, and she’s a player who’s up for the additional work.
Plus, the Terrapins return graduate seniors Brinae Alexander and Lavender Briggs in a team heavy with upperclassmen leadership. Not to mention a 6-foot-7 center named Hawa Doumbouya who will have a few months of NCAA basketball under her belt by the time the teams meet.
To Ohio State’s credit, it adjusted well the second time the two teams played, and a potential game-winning shot by Cotie McMahon was a fraction of a second too late to give the Buckeyes a win on the final day of last year’s regular season.
McGuff’s group returns home after the Maryland game in January, but four days later it gets exponentially more difficult.
Jan. 21 - vs. Iowa Hawkeyes
Of all the games on the basketball calendar, this one is circled, highlighted and circled again. It’s against superstar Caitlin Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes.
Last year, the team that continued to get in Ohio State’s way was the Hawkeyes. When the Buckeyes were 19-0 and close to breaking a program record for wins in a row, it was a home game on Jan. 23 against Clark that ended with the guard racking up a triple-double and Ohio State suffering their first loss of the season.
That first loss turned into the Buckeyes’ only losing streak of the season, dropping the next two as well against the Michigan State Spartans and Indiana Hoosiers.
Fast forward to the Big Ten Tournament. A day after coming back from a 24-point deficit to the Hoosiers, the Buckeyes faced none other than the Hawkeyes in the final. It wasn’t really a game. Like the day before, Ohio State went down big, but this time there was no comeback. Clark had another triple-double (30 points, 17 assists and 10 rebounds) in the 105-72 demolishing.
If Ohio State is in the same position on Jan. 21 as they were last year, expect this game to be one with even more national attention. Tickets already sold out within moments of going on sale, and at time of publishing are up to $148 for the cheapest available seat.
Iowa lost center Monika Czinano and forward Kate Martin, who ended their NCAA careers, and the Hawkeyes were quiet in the transfer portal. However, they still have the reigning Naismith Player of the Year in Clark, plus the Big Ten Sixth Player of the Year in Hannah Stuelke.
The Hawkeyes aren’t a test for Ohio State. They’re the test. It goes back to the old wrestling adage of, “If you wanna be the man, you’ve got to beat the man.”
Jan. 25 - at Illinois Fighting Illini
At this point of the eight-day stretch, the Buckeyes could be riding high or trying to pick themselves back up. Either way, Illinois isn’t a team Ohio State can take lightly.
While McGuff’s team has had Illinois’ number in recent years, it wasn’t easy last year. With 6:56 remaining in the third quarter against Illinois, the Buckeyes were down 17 points to first-year Illinois head coach Shauna Green.
Green turned the Illini around in a short period of time. After not making the NCAA Tournament since the 02-03 season, Illinois’ 20-10 record was the program’s best since the late 90s.
Up 17 points to the Buckeyes though, it turned into the McMahon show. The freshman forward scored 11 of Ohio State’s 28 third quarter points to enter the fourth quarter with a one point lead. It was the lone matchup between the two teams last season, and its not a stretch to think that Illinois is looking forward to seeing the Buckeyes twice this year to make up for it.
Illinois gets one more year with Green at the helm, which means more time to build out her system. The players who got the Illini to that point last year are back too. All of the starting lineup is back, including guards Makira Cook and Genesis Bryant who combined for 32 points and 13 assists in the defeat last year. Also outstanding forward Kendall Bostic, who rocked the Buckeyes on the boards grabbing 15 rebounds on top of 27 points.
In the last six years, only one team has won the conference regular season with more than five losses. That team was the 21-22 Ohio State Buckeyes. If McGuff and the scarlet and gray hope to add more to its trophy case, it could come down to this stretch of three games.
The last week of the season doesn’t get any easier, with the Buckeyes facing Maryland, rival Michigan Wolverines and the Iowa Hawkeyes to end the season.
This year, there are no weeks off in Big Ten play.
Continue reading...
LGHL Column: Marvin Harrison Jr. is a no-brainer as a Heisman Trophy contender
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Column: Marvin Harrison Jr. is a no-brainer as a Heisman Trophy contender
Megan.Husslein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Ben Jackson/Getty Images
How has he not been near the top of the conversation?!
Everyone who is a part of Buckeye nation knows that Marvin Harrison Jr. is the best wide receiver in the country. However, he is now trending into the debate of whether he is the best PLAYER in college football. In my opinion, after what Marv has done this year, he should at the very least be a Heisman Trophy finalist.
Since 2000, only three non-quarterbacks have won the award. I’m aware that it has turned into an honor for QBs, and there are definitely some worthy quarterbacks this year who are favored to win— Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy, Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. and Oregon’s Bo Nix, to name a few.
However, I believe that Marv should be in the same conversation as them. He is truly the difference maker on Ohio State’s offense, and without his two touchdowns and yet another 100-yard receiving game against Wisconsin, it may have turned out to be a different ball game.
Marv has at least 105 receiving yards and one touchdown in six of the Buckeyes’ last seven games. That kind of consistency is insane. Mind you, he did this against Penn State, who’s defense at the time was the best in the nation and still contains some of the top cornerbacks in the country. It doesn’t matter who No. 18 goes up against; he’s simply going to beat them every time.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25045625/1763393711.jpg "Ohio State v Wisconsin")
Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images
Now, how likely is it that Marv beats out a quarterback for this trophy? It’ll be hard to say. Penix Jr. is the favorite right now, and for good reason. He has 2,945 passing yards, 24 touchdowns and a 82.7 QBR on the season. McCarthy is next on the list, but his stats are not as gaudy as Penix Jr.’s — 1,799 passing yards, 18 touchdowns and a 93.8 QBR, which does lead the nation.
The Washington QB did out-duel Nix in a phenomenal offensive showdown, and Oregon is a very difficult opponent. Michigan hasn’t faced any top-10 opponents this year yet, and it had a bye week last week. So, in my opinion, McCarthy should be the third or fourth best QB listed.
LSU’s Jayden Daniels is also widely talked about as the possible winner, as his stats are pretty similar to Penix Jr.’s. In my opinion, Daniels, Penix Jr. and Nix should be in the conversation, but McCarthy really cannot be discredited.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25045656/1764346330.jpg "Washington v Stanford")
Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images
Ryan Day said after the game this past Saturday that Marv is, “the best player in the country.” Right now, he has +1300 odds to win, good for sixth-best of any player, and the best for any non-quarterback. Through eight games, he has 48 receptions for 889 receiving yards and eight touchdowns.
It’s always difficult to beat out a quarterback in the Heisman Trophy race. However, if anyone can do it, and if anyone deserves it, it’s Marv. There is no running back, receiver or other position player on any other team that is more critical to the team’s success than him. Watching him with my own eyes every game this season has proven that to me. I just hope the Heisman voters can see that.
Continue reading...
Megan.Husslein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Ben Jackson/Getty Images
How has he not been near the top of the conversation?!
Everyone who is a part of Buckeye nation knows that Marvin Harrison Jr. is the best wide receiver in the country. However, he is now trending into the debate of whether he is the best PLAYER in college football. In my opinion, after what Marv has done this year, he should at the very least be a Heisman Trophy finalist.
Since 2000, only three non-quarterbacks have won the award. I’m aware that it has turned into an honor for QBs, and there are definitely some worthy quarterbacks this year who are favored to win— Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy, Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. and Oregon’s Bo Nix, to name a few.
However, I believe that Marv should be in the same conversation as them. He is truly the difference maker on Ohio State’s offense, and without his two touchdowns and yet another 100-yard receiving game against Wisconsin, it may have turned out to be a different ball game.
Marv has at least 105 receiving yards and one touchdown in six of the Buckeyes’ last seven games. That kind of consistency is insane. Mind you, he did this against Penn State, who’s defense at the time was the best in the nation and still contains some of the top cornerbacks in the country. It doesn’t matter who No. 18 goes up against; he’s simply going to beat them every time.
Now, how likely is it that Marv beats out a quarterback for this trophy? It’ll be hard to say. Penix Jr. is the favorite right now, and for good reason. He has 2,945 passing yards, 24 touchdowns and a 82.7 QBR on the season. McCarthy is next on the list, but his stats are not as gaudy as Penix Jr.’s — 1,799 passing yards, 18 touchdowns and a 93.8 QBR, which does lead the nation.
The Washington QB did out-duel Nix in a phenomenal offensive showdown, and Oregon is a very difficult opponent. Michigan hasn’t faced any top-10 opponents this year yet, and it had a bye week last week. So, in my opinion, McCarthy should be the third or fourth best QB listed.
LSU’s Jayden Daniels is also widely talked about as the possible winner, as his stats are pretty similar to Penix Jr.’s. In my opinion, Daniels, Penix Jr. and Nix should be in the conversation, but McCarthy really cannot be discredited.
Ryan Day said after the game this past Saturday that Marv is, “the best player in the country.” Right now, he has +1300 odds to win, good for sixth-best of any player, and the best for any non-quarterback. Through eight games, he has 48 receptions for 889 receiving yards and eight touchdowns.
It’s always difficult to beat out a quarterback in the Heisman Trophy race. However, if anyone can do it, and if anyone deserves it, it’s Marv. There is no running back, receiver or other position player on any other team that is more critical to the team’s success than him. Watching him with my own eyes every game this season has proven that to me. I just hope the Heisman voters can see that.
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2034 Futbol World Cup to be in Saudi Arabia
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Australia’s bid to host went down under
www.aljazeera.com
Saudi Arabia set to host 2034 FIFA World Cup as Australia drops out
Saudi Arabia’s bid to host the 2034 World Cup will go uncontested after Australia dropped out.
LGHL Ohio State should be the No. 1 team in first College Football Playoff rankings
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Ohio State should be the No. 1 team in first College Football Playoff rankings
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 Ben Jackson/Getty Images
Will the committee do the right thing and put them on top of the initial rankings? I have no idea, but they should.
The inaugural College Football Playoff rankings of the 2023 season are set to be released on Tuesday, Oct. 31 and for Ohio State fans, it should be far more of a treat than a trick. Through eight games, the Buckeyes are undefeated and are currently No. 3 in both the AP and Coaches polls, but when the CFP Committee announces their rankings on Halloween, Ryan Day’s squad should be the No. 1 team. Will they be? I have my doubts, but based on their resume, the Buckeyes have earned the top spot through the first two months of the season.
Obviously, anyone who has watched the Buckeyes knows that they are far from a perfect team, but looking across the landscape of college football this year, it is clear that no dominant team has emerged thus far so whichever team claims the top spot is going to have a few faults. The difference is that despite their struggles offensively, Ohio State has already amassed an impressive number of wins.
The playoff committee has a very specifically prescribed set of criteria when ranking teams that, in my humble reading, sets the Buckeyes up very nicely to be the top team tomorrow night.
The CFP’s website says that, ”The selection committee ranks the teams based on the members’ evaluation of the teams’ performance on the field, using conference championships won, strength of schedule, head-to-head results, and comparison of results against common opponents to decide among teams that are comparable.”
For the most part, none of those metrics really apply at this point of the season. There are still eight unbeaten FBS teams, but only five are actually in contention for a playoff berth: Ohio State, Michigan, Georgia, Florida State, and Washington. So, there are no conference championships won yet, and obviously, none of these teams have played each other, so there are no head-to-head results either.
The Wolverines did beat Indiana more soundly than the Buckeyes did, but OSU played them in Week 1, and Michigan was probably cheating when they beat the Hoosiers anyway. Otherwise, there are no common opponents to draw on. So, the one remaining major factor is strength of schedule.
On the raw strength of schedule metric through nine weeks, Ohio State is No. 15, the top team in contention for a CFP top-four ranking. In fact, most teams even in the discussion for a top-eight seeding are way back; only Alabama is in the top 30 at No. 8, and Penn State — which Ohio State beat two weeks ago — is down at No. 33.
With wins on the road against Notre Dame and Wisconsin and victories at the Horseshoe over Penn State and Maryland, there’s no team in the country that can point to as impressive of a slate of victories this season, especially since Ohio State really has not been in trouble against significantly lesser competition, like many of the other teams in the running for the top CFP spot have been.
Georgia has struggled against South Carolina, UAB, and Auburn; Florida State could have lost to Boston College and Clemson; Washington was in danger against Arizona, Arizona State, and Stanford; Michigan has played nobody... no really, their strength of schedule is currently 111 in all of FBS. While the Buckeyes have not been scoring as many points this season as in the other years of Ryan Day’s, so some scores are closer than normal, the only two games that weren’t decided by double digits were against the Fighting Irish and Nittany Lions, two top-10 teams.
UGA is currently No. 100 in strength of schedule, Washington is 75th, and Florida State is a respectable-ish 49th.
Judging by strength of record — which measures how an average top-25 team would do against a specific schedule — the Buckeyes are No. 1. This metric is a bit more helpful in comparative conversations, because it factors in how well you played, not just who you played. So, unsurprisingly, this is a much closer metric.
Florida State is No. 2, Washington is No. 3, Georgia is No. 7, and Michigan is No. 9. Ohio State is still the top team here, but it’s a much closer discussion.
From a more in-depth analytical standpoint, OSU is currently ranked No. 1 in ESPN’s Football Power Index with Michigan at No. 2, Georgia is No. 6, and Florida State is No. 7. In fairness, the gold standard college football analytical model, SP+, has the Bucks at No. 3 behind the Wolverines and Bulldogs, but again, neither team has played no one to warrant the top spot in the CFP rankings, especially when we know that the committee values wins and resumes above all else.
The one thing working against the Buckeyes is that they are the least efficient team on offense that is in the discussion. SP+ has the OSU offense at No. 16, behind Washington (4), Georgia (6), Michigan (7), and Florida State (8).
Granted, the Buckeyes’ defense helps bridge that gap. They come in at No. 3 defensively with Michigan at No. 2, UGA at No. 5, Florida State at No. 16, and Washington at No. 32.
To me, I think that’s all close enough to come out in a wash — with perhaps the exception of UW. So, when you factor in the SOS and SOR metrics, I feel pretty good about the Buckeyes’ place.
While a lot of folks like to portray the CFP committee’s selections as good old boys’ backroom dealings, it is actually fairly regimented and standardized. For years, the CFP has invited journalists to sit in on mock seeding discussions in order for them to understand the processes that go into generating a set of rankings, and because of that, they have gotten very good at predicting how these things will shake out. And, no matter what you think about the media, I’m liking what many of the most esteemed members of the college football beat are picking.
If you watched the Ohio State and Wisconsin game on Saturday night, you know that the official NBC Sports prediction had the Buckeyes at No. 1 followed by Michigan, Florida State, and then Washington, with Georgia on the outside looking in. I’m not sure that I would have UGA at fifth, just because of the gravitas that they carry as the two-time defending national champion, but I’m certainly not mad at it.
Similarly, the NCAA’s official prediction also has the Buckeyes on top. They have FSU and Washington in second and third with Georgia fourth and Michigan fifth (which probably just adds more to the Michigan Man “The NCAA Hates Us” conspiracy theories).
Then Heather Dinich from ESPN, who is quite possibly the most accurate CFP committee prognosticator, also has OSU in the top spot. She has Florida State, Georgia, and Washington rounding out the top four (which probably just adds more to the Michigan Man “The ESPN Hates Us” conspiracy theories).
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 Ben Jackson/Getty Images
Will the committee do the right thing and put them on top of the initial rankings? I have no idea, but they should.
The inaugural College Football Playoff rankings of the 2023 season are set to be released on Tuesday, Oct. 31 and for Ohio State fans, it should be far more of a treat than a trick. Through eight games, the Buckeyes are undefeated and are currently No. 3 in both the AP and Coaches polls, but when the CFP Committee announces their rankings on Halloween, Ryan Day’s squad should be the No. 1 team. Will they be? I have my doubts, but based on their resume, the Buckeyes have earned the top spot through the first two months of the season.
Will Ohio State Be No. 1 in the First College Football Playoff Rankings of 2023?
Obviously, anyone who has watched the Buckeyes knows that they are far from a perfect team, but looking across the landscape of college football this year, it is clear that no dominant team has emerged thus far so whichever team claims the top spot is going to have a few faults. The difference is that despite their struggles offensively, Ohio State has already amassed an impressive number of wins.
The playoff committee has a very specifically prescribed set of criteria when ranking teams that, in my humble reading, sets the Buckeyes up very nicely to be the top team tomorrow night.
The CFP’s website says that, ”The selection committee ranks the teams based on the members’ evaluation of the teams’ performance on the field, using conference championships won, strength of schedule, head-to-head results, and comparison of results against common opponents to decide among teams that are comparable.”
For the most part, none of those metrics really apply at this point of the season. There are still eight unbeaten FBS teams, but only five are actually in contention for a playoff berth: Ohio State, Michigan, Georgia, Florida State, and Washington. So, there are no conference championships won yet, and obviously, none of these teams have played each other, so there are no head-to-head results either.
The Wolverines did beat Indiana more soundly than the Buckeyes did, but OSU played them in Week 1, and Michigan was probably cheating when they beat the Hoosiers anyway. Otherwise, there are no common opponents to draw on. So, the one remaining major factor is strength of schedule.
On the raw strength of schedule metric through nine weeks, Ohio State is No. 15, the top team in contention for a CFP top-four ranking. In fact, most teams even in the discussion for a top-eight seeding are way back; only Alabama is in the top 30 at No. 8, and Penn State — which Ohio State beat two weeks ago — is down at No. 33.
With wins on the road against Notre Dame and Wisconsin and victories at the Horseshoe over Penn State and Maryland, there’s no team in the country that can point to as impressive of a slate of victories this season, especially since Ohio State really has not been in trouble against significantly lesser competition, like many of the other teams in the running for the top CFP spot have been.
Georgia has struggled against South Carolina, UAB, and Auburn; Florida State could have lost to Boston College and Clemson; Washington was in danger against Arizona, Arizona State, and Stanford; Michigan has played nobody... no really, their strength of schedule is currently 111 in all of FBS. While the Buckeyes have not been scoring as many points this season as in the other years of Ryan Day’s, so some scores are closer than normal, the only two games that weren’t decided by double digits were against the Fighting Irish and Nittany Lions, two top-10 teams.
UGA is currently No. 100 in strength of schedule, Washington is 75th, and Florida State is a respectable-ish 49th.
Judging by strength of record — which measures how an average top-25 team would do against a specific schedule — the Buckeyes are No. 1. This metric is a bit more helpful in comparative conversations, because it factors in how well you played, not just who you played. So, unsurprisingly, this is a much closer metric.
Florida State is No. 2, Washington is No. 3, Georgia is No. 7, and Michigan is No. 9. Ohio State is still the top team here, but it’s a much closer discussion.
How Does Ohio State Rank in Advanced Analytics?
From a more in-depth analytical standpoint, OSU is currently ranked No. 1 in ESPN’s Football Power Index with Michigan at No. 2, Georgia is No. 6, and Florida State is No. 7. In fairness, the gold standard college football analytical model, SP+, has the Bucks at No. 3 behind the Wolverines and Bulldogs, but again, neither team has played no one to warrant the top spot in the CFP rankings, especially when we know that the committee values wins and resumes above all else.
The one thing working against the Buckeyes is that they are the least efficient team on offense that is in the discussion. SP+ has the OSU offense at No. 16, behind Washington (4), Georgia (6), Michigan (7), and Florida State (8).
Granted, the Buckeyes’ defense helps bridge that gap. They come in at No. 3 defensively with Michigan at No. 2, UGA at No. 5, Florida State at No. 16, and Washington at No. 32.
To me, I think that’s all close enough to come out in a wash — with perhaps the exception of UW. So, when you factor in the SOS and SOR metrics, I feel pretty good about the Buckeyes’ place.
Who Do the Experts Think Will Be No. 1 in First College Football Playoff Rankings of 2023?
While a lot of folks like to portray the CFP committee’s selections as good old boys’ backroom dealings, it is actually fairly regimented and standardized. For years, the CFP has invited journalists to sit in on mock seeding discussions in order for them to understand the processes that go into generating a set of rankings, and because of that, they have gotten very good at predicting how these things will shake out. And, no matter what you think about the media, I’m liking what many of the most esteemed members of the college football beat are picking.
If you watched the Ohio State and Wisconsin game on Saturday night, you know that the official NBC Sports prediction had the Buckeyes at No. 1 followed by Michigan, Florida State, and then Washington, with Georgia on the outside looking in. I’m not sure that I would have UGA at fifth, just because of the gravitas that they carry as the two-time defending national champion, but I’m certainly not mad at it.
Similarly, the NCAA’s official prediction also has the Buckeyes on top. They have FSU and Washington in second and third with Georgia fourth and Michigan fifth (which probably just adds more to the Michigan Man “The NCAA Hates Us” conspiracy theories).
Then Heather Dinich from ESPN, who is quite possibly the most accurate CFP committee prognosticator, also has OSU in the top spot. She has Florida State, Georgia, and Washington rounding out the top four (which probably just adds more to the Michigan Man “The ESPN Hates Us” conspiracy theories).
Where Will Ohio State Rank in the First College Football Rankings of 2023?
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LGHL Ohio State is winning this year with new age of Tressel Ball
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Ohio State is winning this year with new age of Tressel Ball
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
Even though it’s not the prettiest at times, it’s hard to argue with wins.
Watching Saturday night’s 24-10 win over Wisconsin was certainly frustrating at times. In the end, it’s hard to find too much fault with a two-touchdown win over the Wisconsin Badgers in Madison, especially considering the history of the Buckeyes at Camp Randall since 2002. Ohio State had played six games in Madison entering Saturday night’s contest. The Buckeyes had lost two of those games and their four victories were all decided by seven points or less.
The victory on Saturday night had me thinking that this year’s team is closer to playing Tressel Ball than what we saw over the last few years with Justin Fields and C.J. Stroud at quarterback. Not that there’s a problem with that, since in the end, all that matters is the Buckeyes keep stacking wins ahead of the showdown at the end of November in Ann Arbor with Michigan. Hell, Tressel Ball won Ohio State a national title against one of the most talented teams in college football history.
After seeing Ohio State put up 30 points or more on a regular basis, this year has been a bit of a change for the Buckeyes. Already this season, Ohio State has scored 24 points or less in four of their wins. In the 17-14 win at Notre Dame at the end of September, the Buckeyes saw their record streak of scoring at least 20 points in over 70 games snapped. In the end, fans are going to remember the win over the Fighting Irish, not the streak of scoring at least 20 points in games.
When it comes to quarterbacks, Buckeye Nation has been spoiled. Fields, Stroud, and the late Dwayne Haskins were all NFL first-round draft picks. Just before them, J.T. Barrett set pretty much every school passing record. The recent lineage of quarterbacks might have set expectations a little too high for Kyle McCord. So far this season McCord has been largely fine. We have seen the first-year starter improve throughout the year, but there are also periods of inconsistency from the quarterback. McCord has more of a Craig Krenzel feel to him than that of Fields or Stroud.
One player that would have been fun to transport to some of those Jim Tressel teams would be Marvin Harrison Jr. Even though Tressel did bring some great wide receivers to Columbus, Harrison is better than Ted Ginn Jr., Santonio Holmes, and Michael Jenkins. While Ginn had speed like we had never seen from a receiver when he came to Ohio State, and Holmes and Jenkins possessed great hands and could make some of the clutchest catches ever seen, it’s like Harrison has the best traits of all three, along with the size to go up and grab the football.
There were two areas that really drove home the Tressel Ball similarities when I was watching Saturday night’s game. The first was what we saw from TreVeyon Henderson. You can tell how badly Ryan Day wants his team to be able to run the football so people like Lou Holtz don’t criticize the toughness of Ohio State. The Buckeyes can do just that when they have a healthy Henderson lining up in the backfield. The junior running back carried the football 24 times for 162 yards and a score against the Badgers.
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Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
Nothing against Chip Trayanum and Miyan Williams since those two running backs certainly run tough, they just don’t have the vision or the speed of Henderson. The Ohio State offense operates at a whole different dynamic when Henderson is on the field. Somehow Henderson can take the smallest hole and turn it into a 20 or 30-yard gain. When he is on the field, just the presence of Henderson can take a lot of pressure off of McCord, since opposing defenses have to respect Henderson a lot more than they did Trayanum or Williams.
The other area for Ohio State that gives this team more of a Tressel Ball feel is the defense. While there was one drive where the defense looked clueless in the third quarter, other than that they gave up pretty much nothing to Wisconsin, holding the Badgers under 300 yards of offense. After a number of years of fans clamoring for the return of the “Silver Bullets,” now it’s pretty obvious that the group is back.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25044849/usa_today_21773351.jpg "NCAA Football: Ohio State at Wisconsin")
Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
Unlike past years where the Bosa brothers and Chase Young were the stars of the Ohio State defense, this year’s defense is driven by the secondary. After closing out last year by giving up big plays to Michigan and Georgia, this year’s team has yet to give up a play of at least 40 yards. There are moments when the defense bends, but they have yet to break. So far this season, Ohio State hasn’t given up more than 17 points in a game.
Can this Ohio State win the national championship? Did anybody really think the 2002 team could win the title at this point of the season? If there was ever a year that the Buckeyes could win a championship with new-age Tressel Ball, this would be the year. We still don’t truly know what Michigan was since the Wolverines haven’t played anyone, and things could be a little different now that they don’t have Connor Stalions attending every game he can to try and steal the signs of opponents. So far this year, no team has truly stood out as the dominant team in college football, which works in the favor of the Buckeyes, who have already won two games against top-10 teams and won under the lights in Madison.
Much like teams under Jim Tressel, there are going to be some frustrating games. At the time Buckeye Nation (myself included) will act like the sky is falling. We just have to trust that the team will get things figured out in-game. They did in the win at Notre Dame, and they were able to respond when Wisconsin tied the game in the second half. Responding to adversity is the Tressel Ball way. We just have to learn to embrace it again.
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
Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
Even though it’s not the prettiest at times, it’s hard to argue with wins.
Watching Saturday night’s 24-10 win over Wisconsin was certainly frustrating at times. In the end, it’s hard to find too much fault with a two-touchdown win over the Wisconsin Badgers in Madison, especially considering the history of the Buckeyes at Camp Randall since 2002. Ohio State had played six games in Madison entering Saturday night’s contest. The Buckeyes had lost two of those games and their four victories were all decided by seven points or less.
The victory on Saturday night had me thinking that this year’s team is closer to playing Tressel Ball than what we saw over the last few years with Justin Fields and C.J. Stroud at quarterback. Not that there’s a problem with that, since in the end, all that matters is the Buckeyes keep stacking wins ahead of the showdown at the end of November in Ann Arbor with Michigan. Hell, Tressel Ball won Ohio State a national title against one of the most talented teams in college football history.
After seeing Ohio State put up 30 points or more on a regular basis, this year has been a bit of a change for the Buckeyes. Already this season, Ohio State has scored 24 points or less in four of their wins. In the 17-14 win at Notre Dame at the end of September, the Buckeyes saw their record streak of scoring at least 20 points in over 70 games snapped. In the end, fans are going to remember the win over the Fighting Irish, not the streak of scoring at least 20 points in games.
When it comes to quarterbacks, Buckeye Nation has been spoiled. Fields, Stroud, and the late Dwayne Haskins were all NFL first-round draft picks. Just before them, J.T. Barrett set pretty much every school passing record. The recent lineage of quarterbacks might have set expectations a little too high for Kyle McCord. So far this season McCord has been largely fine. We have seen the first-year starter improve throughout the year, but there are also periods of inconsistency from the quarterback. McCord has more of a Craig Krenzel feel to him than that of Fields or Stroud.
One player that would have been fun to transport to some of those Jim Tressel teams would be Marvin Harrison Jr. Even though Tressel did bring some great wide receivers to Columbus, Harrison is better than Ted Ginn Jr., Santonio Holmes, and Michael Jenkins. While Ginn had speed like we had never seen from a receiver when he came to Ohio State, and Holmes and Jenkins possessed great hands and could make some of the clutchest catches ever seen, it’s like Harrison has the best traits of all three, along with the size to go up and grab the football.
There were two areas that really drove home the Tressel Ball similarities when I was watching Saturday night’s game. The first was what we saw from TreVeyon Henderson. You can tell how badly Ryan Day wants his team to be able to run the football so people like Lou Holtz don’t criticize the toughness of Ohio State. The Buckeyes can do just that when they have a healthy Henderson lining up in the backfield. The junior running back carried the football 24 times for 162 yards and a score against the Badgers.
Nothing against Chip Trayanum and Miyan Williams since those two running backs certainly run tough, they just don’t have the vision or the speed of Henderson. The Ohio State offense operates at a whole different dynamic when Henderson is on the field. Somehow Henderson can take the smallest hole and turn it into a 20 or 30-yard gain. When he is on the field, just the presence of Henderson can take a lot of pressure off of McCord, since opposing defenses have to respect Henderson a lot more than they did Trayanum or Williams.
The other area for Ohio State that gives this team more of a Tressel Ball feel is the defense. While there was one drive where the defense looked clueless in the third quarter, other than that they gave up pretty much nothing to Wisconsin, holding the Badgers under 300 yards of offense. After a number of years of fans clamoring for the return of the “Silver Bullets,” now it’s pretty obvious that the group is back.
Unlike past years where the Bosa brothers and Chase Young were the stars of the Ohio State defense, this year’s defense is driven by the secondary. After closing out last year by giving up big plays to Michigan and Georgia, this year’s team has yet to give up a play of at least 40 yards. There are moments when the defense bends, but they have yet to break. So far this season, Ohio State hasn’t given up more than 17 points in a game.
Can this Ohio State win the national championship? Did anybody really think the 2002 team could win the title at this point of the season? If there was ever a year that the Buckeyes could win a championship with new-age Tressel Ball, this would be the year. We still don’t truly know what Michigan was since the Wolverines haven’t played anyone, and things could be a little different now that they don’t have Connor Stalions attending every game he can to try and steal the signs of opponents. So far this year, no team has truly stood out as the dominant team in college football, which works in the favor of the Buckeyes, who have already won two games against top-10 teams and won under the lights in Madison.
Much like teams under Jim Tressel, there are going to be some frustrating games. At the time Buckeye Nation (myself included) will act like the sky is falling. We just have to trust that the team will get things figured out in-game. They did in the win at Notre Dame, and they were able to respond when Wisconsin tied the game in the second half. Responding to adversity is the Tressel Ball way. We just have to learn to embrace it again.
Continue reading...
LGHL Ohio State opens as 18-point favorites over Rutgers
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Ohio State opens as 18-point favorites over Rutgers
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 Justin Casterline/Getty Images
The Buckeyes travel to Piscataway to take on the bowl eligible Scarlet Knights.
Ohio State took down Wisconsin 24-10 at Camp Randall on Saturday, and while the way they’ve gotten there each week definitely hasn't been perfect, the Buckeyes’ record remains unblemished at 8-0. Rutgers, meanwhile, is putting together a fantastic campaign under Greg Schiano, sitting at 6-2 on the year and reaching bowl eligibility with still four games left on the regular season schedule. The two teams will meet this weekend in Piscataway in what should be one of the closer matchups between these programs in their 10th meeting all-time.
All lines courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.
Despite being now eight games into the season, Ohio State’s offense still doesn’t quite look like the Ohio State offense we have become accustomed to under Ryan Day. The unit isn’t bad by any means, averaging 32.5 points per game — good for 38th in the country — but obviously, more is to be expected. Kyle McCord’s inconsistent play and a lackluster offensive line has played a large role in the team’s shortcomings, but Marvin Harrison Jr. and TreVeyon Henderson, when healthy, have been two of the best players in the country at their positions. Throw in the hopeful return of Emeka Egbuka this Saturday, and there is still reason to believe the offense can hit a new gear.
Defensively, the Buckeyes have simply been one of the best in the nation. Jim Knowles’ group currently ranks No. 2 in all of FBS in scoring defense, allowing just 10 points per game. All three levels have really thrived this season, with star players like J.T. Tuimoloau, Tommy Eichenberg and Denzel Burke to anchor each group. Ohio State as a whole is allowing less than 100 yards rushing and just 160.3 yards passing per contest, and while they haven’t done a ton in terms of taking the ball away or creating havoc plays, the bend-don't-break style has certainly done its job.
On the other side, this is not your older brother’s Rutgers team! With still four games remaining in the regular season, the Scarlet Knights’ three in-conference victories are tied for the most ever in program history since they joined the Big Ten in 2014. Even if Rutgers were to lose each of its remaining four games — which could happen with Ohio State, Iowa, Penn State and Maryland left on the docket — it would still be the program’s best season since going 8-5 in 2014.
Rutgers has been one of the best rushing teams in the Big Ten, thanks largely in part to Kyle Monangai’s 744 yards and seven touchdowns and the dual-threat ability of quarterback Gavin Wimsatt, but the Scarlet Knights have not passed the ball well, averaging less than 150 yards through the air per game. Still, they have found a way to get on the scoreboard, averaging 28.1 points per contest to rank fifth in the B1G. That being said, they did struggle against the two best teams they’ve played thus far, scoring just seven points in a 52-7 blowout loss to Michigan and 13 in a 24-13 loss to Wisconsin.
The Scarlet Knights have been surprisingly sturdy on defense, although I guess that shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise given Greg Schiano’s background. Rutgers is actually No. 2 in the Big Ten in passing yards allowed, giving up just 156.3 yards per game through the air — slightly better than Ohio State! Top cover corner Max Melton will likely be in charge of trying to slow down Harrison Jr. on Saturday, but Robert Longerbeam is no slouch in that secondary either. Aaron Lewis and Wesley Bailey have led the charge up front, as the duo as combined for six sacks and 7.5 tackles for loss.
The series between Ohio State and Rutgers has never been close, with the Buckeyes winning all nine meetings by an average margin of 41 points. As indicated by the spread, this matchup has the potential to be the closest game these two teams have played yet. Ohio State is still favored by three scores and should ultimately win the game, but it likely won't be another 58-0 or 56-0 final like we saw back in 2016 and 2017, respectively. The smallest margin between the two teams to this point has been 22 points in a 49-27 win for OSU in 2020 during the COVID-shortened season, and Rutgers should be competitive yet again this time around.
Odds/lines subject to change. T&Cs apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for details.
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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 Justin Casterline/Getty Images
The Buckeyes travel to Piscataway to take on the bowl eligible Scarlet Knights.
Ohio State took down Wisconsin 24-10 at Camp Randall on Saturday, and while the way they’ve gotten there each week definitely hasn't been perfect, the Buckeyes’ record remains unblemished at 8-0. Rutgers, meanwhile, is putting together a fantastic campaign under Greg Schiano, sitting at 6-2 on the year and reaching bowl eligibility with still four games left on the regular season schedule. The two teams will meet this weekend in Piscataway in what should be one of the closer matchups between these programs in their 10th meeting all-time.
All lines courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.
Spread: Ohio State -18
Despite being now eight games into the season, Ohio State’s offense still doesn’t quite look like the Ohio State offense we have become accustomed to under Ryan Day. The unit isn’t bad by any means, averaging 32.5 points per game — good for 38th in the country — but obviously, more is to be expected. Kyle McCord’s inconsistent play and a lackluster offensive line has played a large role in the team’s shortcomings, but Marvin Harrison Jr. and TreVeyon Henderson, when healthy, have been two of the best players in the country at their positions. Throw in the hopeful return of Emeka Egbuka this Saturday, and there is still reason to believe the offense can hit a new gear.
Defensively, the Buckeyes have simply been one of the best in the nation. Jim Knowles’ group currently ranks No. 2 in all of FBS in scoring defense, allowing just 10 points per game. All three levels have really thrived this season, with star players like J.T. Tuimoloau, Tommy Eichenberg and Denzel Burke to anchor each group. Ohio State as a whole is allowing less than 100 yards rushing and just 160.3 yards passing per contest, and while they haven’t done a ton in terms of taking the ball away or creating havoc plays, the bend-don't-break style has certainly done its job.
On the other side, this is not your older brother’s Rutgers team! With still four games remaining in the regular season, the Scarlet Knights’ three in-conference victories are tied for the most ever in program history since they joined the Big Ten in 2014. Even if Rutgers were to lose each of its remaining four games — which could happen with Ohio State, Iowa, Penn State and Maryland left on the docket — it would still be the program’s best season since going 8-5 in 2014.
Rutgers has been one of the best rushing teams in the Big Ten, thanks largely in part to Kyle Monangai’s 744 yards and seven touchdowns and the dual-threat ability of quarterback Gavin Wimsatt, but the Scarlet Knights have not passed the ball well, averaging less than 150 yards through the air per game. Still, they have found a way to get on the scoreboard, averaging 28.1 points per contest to rank fifth in the B1G. That being said, they did struggle against the two best teams they’ve played thus far, scoring just seven points in a 52-7 blowout loss to Michigan and 13 in a 24-13 loss to Wisconsin.
The Scarlet Knights have been surprisingly sturdy on defense, although I guess that shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise given Greg Schiano’s background. Rutgers is actually No. 2 in the Big Ten in passing yards allowed, giving up just 156.3 yards per game through the air — slightly better than Ohio State! Top cover corner Max Melton will likely be in charge of trying to slow down Harrison Jr. on Saturday, but Robert Longerbeam is no slouch in that secondary either. Aaron Lewis and Wesley Bailey have led the charge up front, as the duo as combined for six sacks and 7.5 tackles for loss.
The series between Ohio State and Rutgers has never been close, with the Buckeyes winning all nine meetings by an average margin of 41 points. As indicated by the spread, this matchup has the potential to be the closest game these two teams have played yet. Ohio State is still favored by three scores and should ultimately win the game, but it likely won't be another 58-0 or 56-0 final like we saw back in 2016 and 2017, respectively. The smallest margin between the two teams to this point has been 22 points in a 49-27 win for OSU in 2020 during the COVID-shortened season, and Rutgers should be competitive yet again this time around.
Odds/lines subject to change. T&Cs apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for details.
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LGHL Ohio State women’s basketball 2023-24 player preview: Faith Carson
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Ohio State women’s basketball 2023-24 player preview: Faith Carson
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
John Mersits / USA TODAY NETWORK
The Buckeyes add a freshman big to the roster this year. Can she earn minutes in a crowded restricted area?
Entering the 2023-24 season, the Ohio State women's basketball team added two out-of-state freshmen. Point guard Diana Collins joined from Georgia, and the second is a top recruit head coach Kevin McGuff picked up from Michigan.
That other freshman is Faith Carson, a 6-foot-4 center who brings a heralded high school career to a Buckeyes team that has struggled defensively and grabbing rebounds in the paint. Carson might be the answer to that problem for years to come.
Name: Faith Carson
Position: Center
Class: Freshman
High School: Buchanan High School (Buchanan, Michigan)
2022-23 Stats: N/A
Carson played her final season of high school last year for Buchanan High School, in the southwest corner of Michigan 25 minutes north of South Bend, Indiana. With the Bucks (ironically), Carson averaged 20.5 points, 12.5 rebounds and 5.8 blocks per game, Unfortunately for Buchanan High School, it didn’t end in a state title like Collins’ final game in Georgia.
The Bucks fell in the quarterfinals in a shock upset to Unheralded Hart. It wasn’t a poor game by Carson that did Buchanan in either. The center had an outstanding night, scoring 22 points and pulling in 15 rebounds, both above her season averages. Of those 22 points, 10 came in the fourth quarter, including hitting a shot with less than a minute remaining to tie the game.
An illustrious basketball career put Carson as the No. 1 ranked prospect in the state for the past four years. A four-star recruit, Carson didn’t only excel on the basketball court, as she was a two-sport athlete, leading Buchanan on the volleyball court too and lettering after a four-year career.
Put Carson in the paint and she’ll work like a center. The new Buckeye scores points in the paint, grabs a lot of rebounds and makes things difficult for opponents hoping to make their presence known underneath the basket. She can hit midrange shots too. Carson draws attention in the paint but doesn’t need to post up and force her will. Instead, the center can draw that attention away.
The center isn’t a top-100 prospect in the country, likely in part due to playing at a Division III school. However, the skills are there. Look at forward Taylor Thierry, another name from the Division III level of high school basketball. With that though, there’s going to be a time of adjustment for Carson, and the minutes might not come this year.
Ohio State is top heavy in upperclassmen at the No. 5 role, with four leaving NCAA basketball following this season. That means the position Carson plays has steep competition. In front of the freshman are three graduate seniors who are likeliest to receive all the minutes in Rebeka Mikulášiková, Eboni Walker and Taiyier Parks.
So, Carson has a year to learn the system and watch three different power forwards play what might be her eventual starting spot. That doesn’t mean Carson won’t make it onto the court this year. Like fellow freshman Collins needing some time this year to fill in once multiple starters leave the backcourt, the more time Carson has to adjust to NCAA play the better.
Those minutes are likely to come in non-conference home games against non-power five schools, which the Buckeyes have a few. Will Carson’s outstanding high school form transition quickly to the college game?
Here’s a compilation put together by Carson herself. It shows not only the range of shooting but the defensive work near the basket and mobility to go on fast breaks. Also, some impressive transition passing that goes with outstanding rebounding ability.
Miss a player preview? Here’s who you can read about so far:
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ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
John Mersits / USA TODAY NETWORK
The Buckeyes add a freshman big to the roster this year. Can she earn minutes in a crowded restricted area?
Entering the 2023-24 season, the Ohio State women's basketball team added two out-of-state freshmen. Point guard Diana Collins joined from Georgia, and the second is a top recruit head coach Kevin McGuff picked up from Michigan.
That other freshman is Faith Carson, a 6-foot-4 center who brings a heralded high school career to a Buckeyes team that has struggled defensively and grabbing rebounds in the paint. Carson might be the answer to that problem for years to come.
Name: Faith Carson
Position: Center
Class: Freshman
High School: Buchanan High School (Buchanan, Michigan)
2022-23 Stats: N/A
Last Season
Carson played her final season of high school last year for Buchanan High School, in the southwest corner of Michigan 25 minutes north of South Bend, Indiana. With the Bucks (ironically), Carson averaged 20.5 points, 12.5 rebounds and 5.8 blocks per game, Unfortunately for Buchanan High School, it didn’t end in a state title like Collins’ final game in Georgia.
The Bucks fell in the quarterfinals in a shock upset to Unheralded Hart. It wasn’t a poor game by Carson that did Buchanan in either. The center had an outstanding night, scoring 22 points and pulling in 15 rebounds, both above her season averages. Of those 22 points, 10 came in the fourth quarter, including hitting a shot with less than a minute remaining to tie the game.
An illustrious basketball career put Carson as the No. 1 ranked prospect in the state for the past four years. A four-star recruit, Carson didn’t only excel on the basketball court, as she was a two-sport athlete, leading Buchanan on the volleyball court too and lettering after a four-year career.
What to Expect
Put Carson in the paint and she’ll work like a center. The new Buckeye scores points in the paint, grabs a lot of rebounds and makes things difficult for opponents hoping to make their presence known underneath the basket. She can hit midrange shots too. Carson draws attention in the paint but doesn’t need to post up and force her will. Instead, the center can draw that attention away.
The center isn’t a top-100 prospect in the country, likely in part due to playing at a Division III school. However, the skills are there. Look at forward Taylor Thierry, another name from the Division III level of high school basketball. With that though, there’s going to be a time of adjustment for Carson, and the minutes might not come this year.
Prediction
Ohio State is top heavy in upperclassmen at the No. 5 role, with four leaving NCAA basketball following this season. That means the position Carson plays has steep competition. In front of the freshman are three graduate seniors who are likeliest to receive all the minutes in Rebeka Mikulášiková, Eboni Walker and Taiyier Parks.
So, Carson has a year to learn the system and watch three different power forwards play what might be her eventual starting spot. That doesn’t mean Carson won’t make it onto the court this year. Like fellow freshman Collins needing some time this year to fill in once multiple starters leave the backcourt, the more time Carson has to adjust to NCAA play the better.
Those minutes are likely to come in non-conference home games against non-power five schools, which the Buckeyes have a few. Will Carson’s outstanding high school form transition quickly to the college game?
Highlights
Here’s a compilation put together by Carson herself. It shows not only the range of shooting but the defensive work near the basket and mobility to go on fast breaks. Also, some impressive transition passing that goes with outstanding rebounding ability.
Miss a player preview? Here’s who you can read about so far:
- Jacy Sheldon
- Rebeka Mikulášiková
- Diana Collins
- Taiyier Parks
- Rikki Harris
- Taylor Thierry
- Kennedy Cambridge
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