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LGHL Ohio State women’s basketball 2023-24 player preview: Rebeka Mikulášiková

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

Ohio State v Virginia Tech

Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images

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

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

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

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


Name: Rebeka Mikulášiková

Position: Forward

Class: Graduate Senior

High School: Piaristické Gymnasium (Slovakia)

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

Last Season​


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

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

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

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

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

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

What to Expect​


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

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

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

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

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

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

Prediction​


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

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

Highlights​


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


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

Jacy Sheldon

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LGHL If This Were A Movie: Ohio State gives us something good to ‘Scream’ about at Purdue

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

Syndication: The Columbus Dispatch

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

Ohio State brought its Final Girl energy to West Lafayette.

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


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

He could have outrun Ghostface himself.

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

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

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

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

But that’s another film for another Saturday.

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

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

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LGHL Hangout in the Holy Land Podcast: Winning in West Lafayette but losing key pieces

Hangout in the Holy Land Podcast: Winning in West Lafayette but losing key pieces
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

usa_today_21648641.0.jpg

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

Josh and Chuck recap Ohio State’s impressive win over Purdue, while also acknowledging real concern over the Buckeyes’ injury issues.

The latest episode of Land-Grant Holy Land’s flagship podcast is here! Join LGHL’s Josh Dooley and Chuck Holmes as they discuss Ohio State football, recruiting, and much, much more! Come for the hot takes, stay for the warm ones.

Listen to the episode and subscribe:

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


On this episode of ‘Hangout in the Holy Land,’ Josh and Chuck recap Ohio State’s impressive but potentially costly win over the Purdue Boilermakers. The Buckeyes went into West Lafayette and took care of business, but watched the team’s second-leading rusher and arguably their best defensive player leave the game due to injury.

Saturday’s Scarlet and Gray action was available exclusively on ‘Peacock’, making it about as fun as a trip to the dentist for these hosts. The guys discuss how unenjoyable their viewing experience was, before pivoting to positives, including a surprise BOOM and of course, a decisive OSU victory.

Down multiple running backs and a star wideout, Ohio State went into Ross-Ade Stadium and dominated anyway. The hosts continue to be impressed by Kyle McCord and the Buckeyes’ defense, and they also believe that running back Dallan Hayden should receive more playing time.

However, OSU’s victory did come at a cost. RB Chip Trayanum and CB Denzel Burke left with injuries, adding to the team’s recent health woes. How impactful will these injuries be moving forward, especially with Penn State coming to Columbus next weekend?

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


Connect with the pod
Twitter: @HolyLandPod

Connect with Josh Dooley
Twitter: @jdooleybuckeye

Connect with Chuck Holmes
Twitter: @ctholmes3

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LGHL Ohio State opens as 4.5-point favorites over Penn State

Ohio State opens as 4.5-point favorites over Penn State
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

COLLEGE FOOTBALL: OCT 14 Ohio State at Purdue

Photo by Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

One of two marquee matchups for the Buckeyes in-conference has arrived.

Ohio State has had what basically amounts to five scrimmages and one tough test against Notre Dame to prepare for its Week 8 matchup against Penn State. There have been highs and lows over the first six games for the Buckeyes, but there is no more time to figure things out as the Nittany Lions will be in town on Saturday as an undefeated top-10 opponent. The stakes are high in this Big Ten battle, and James Franklin will be hoping to make a statement in Columbus with one of his best teams in recent years.

All lines courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.

Spread: Ohio State -4.5​


Ohio State’s offense finally looked like Ohio State’s offense in the 41-7 win over Purdue. It wasn’t perfect, but the Buckeyes were able to move the ball consistently, move the chains on third down, score touchdowns in the red zone and cross the 40-point mark for just the second time this season. Marvin Harrison Jr. was his usual self, catching six passes for 105 yards and a TD, while Dallan Hayden impressed when thrust into action in a beat up running back room, leading Ohio State with 11 carries for 76 yards and a TD. The Buckeyes put up nearly 500 yards of total offense, and did so without a handful of key contributors.

Defensively, it was yet another dominant effort in what has become the norm for Jim Knowles’ group. The Silver Bullets kept Purdue out of the end zone until a late garbage time score in the fourth quarter, and held the Boilermakers to just 3-of-17 on third down. It feels like a different defensive unit has been the star each week, and this time around it was finally the defensive line. Ohio State got consistent pressure on Purdue QB Hudson Card, with J.T. Tuimoloau and Jack Sawyer each registering 1.5 sacks in the game. As a team, the Buckeyes recorded nine tackles for loss and broke up five passes, two of which were batted down by star DT Tyleik Williams.

For Penn State, they are coming off a big 63-0 victory against an overmatched UMass team. Drew Allar threw for three touchdowns and ran for another, but Daquan Hardy stole the show with two punt return TDs. It has been about as good a start as you could ask for from Allar in his first year at the helm, passing for over 1,200 yards with 12 TDs and zero interceptions through six games. The Nittany Lions have a pair of talented running backs in Kaytron Allen and Nicholas Singleton, both of whom are approaching 400 yards rushing with a combined nine TDs on the year. Through the air, Keandre Lambert-Smith is the guy, catching 31 passes for 402 yards and three scores.

Defensively, Penn State lays claim to one of the best units in the country. They really showed out against the Minutemen, recording a whopping 14 tackles for loss, seven sacks and a pick. Chop Robinson and Adisa Isaac combined for 5.5 of those sacks, as the pair of defensive ends continue to wreak havoc on opposing QBs with a combined eight sacks and 12.5 TFLs on the season. When Hardy isn’t returning punts, he is picking off passes, already recording two interceptions this year. Overall, this is a Nittany Lions defense that is allowing just 8.0 points per game, good for second in the country behind only Michigan (6.71 ppg). Penn State leads the nation in total defense, allowing less than 200 yards per game.

This will be far and away the biggest test for both of these teams this season. Penn State has yet to play an offense with nearly the type of firepower that Ohio State possesses, but the Buckeyes have also yet to play a defense with this talented a defensive line. The trenches could be a real concern here, as the OSU offensive line hasn’t exactly impressed so far this season. Still, Ohio State’s defense is no slouch either, and if Knowles’ group can contain the Nittany Lions’ ground game and keep tabs on Lambert-Smith, this has a chance to be a low-scoring, hard-fought affair.

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

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LGHL The Good, the Bad and the Ugly: Ohio State’s 41-7 win over Purdue

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly: Ohio State’s 41-7 win over Purdue
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Ohio State v Purdue

Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images

There is still some room for improvement, but the Buckeyes played perhaps their best game of the season thus far despite missing some key contributors.

Ohio State exercised some demons on Saturday afternoon, beating up on Purdue at Ross-Ade Stadium after having lost badly on the last trip to West Lafayette. The Buckeyes avenged their 2018 loss in a thorough 41-7 win over the Boilermakers this time around, playing one of their most complete games of the season from start to finish as they move to 6-0 on the year. The offense looked good despite missing a few key players, and the defense continued its dominance through the first half of the schedule.

Here is the good, the bad and the ugly from Ohio State’s victory over Purdue.

The Good​


Dallan Hayden

With TreVeyon Henderson out for the second-straight game with an injury — more on that later — and Miyan Williams also sidelined, Ohio State came into the game with just three healthy scholarship running backs. That number dropped to two when Chip Trayanum got banged up, which opened up the door for Dallan Hayden to finally get his first carries of the season. Hayden made the most of his limited touches, racking up 76 yards and a touchdown on 11 attempts.

Virtually every time we have seen the young running back, he has been effective. Hayden had a trio of 100-yard games in 2022, including a career-high 146 yards and three TDs against Maryland. The Buckeyes have made it clear that they intend to redshirt Hayden this season, but I don't think it's out of the question to say that he is Ohio State’s most complete running back. This is not a slight at any of the other talented ball-carriers in that room, but the 5-foot-10 sophomore combines some of the best characteristics of all three other primary backs, and adds to it great vision and the ability to hit the hole hard.

The Defensive Line

For all the talk this season about Ohio State’s lackluster defensive line, they made themselves known on Saturday. Of course, it is a necessary caveat to say that Purdue’s already not-so-great offensive line lost some guys to injury during the game, but regardless the Buckeyes did a much better job of getting pressure on quarterback Hudson Card. Officially, OSU was credited with three total sacks — 1.5 apiece between Jack Sawyer and J.T. Tuimoloau — and nine tackles for loss. Two of those TFLs came from Tyleik Williams, while Mitchell Melton had one and Tywone Malone as well as freshman Kayden McKenzie each got credited with half a TFL.

Brandon Inniss

A first catch at Ohio State that the freshman is going to remember for a long time. Getting a chance to see some snaps in the fourth quarter of a blow out, Inniss put on a show with his first career reception. On 3rd-and-4, Inniss hauled in a pass along the sideline for a first down, then shook off the defender and took it all the way down the field for a touchdown. It is the first TD of what should be many for the talented first-year, who came to Ohio State as a five-star prospect and the No. 5 receiver in the 2023 recruiting class. With Marvin Harrison Jr. and Emeka Egbuka more than likely to enter the 2024 NFL Draft, Inniss will be in competition for a starting spot next season.

Third Down/Red Zone Offense

Ohio State’s struggles on third down and in the red zone have been well-documented, but neither of those two areas of concern gave the Buckeyes any difficulty against the Boilermakers. Ohio State went 8-of-13 on third down against Purdue, and even effectively ran a QB sneak on a 3rd-and-1, which many have been clamoring for. More impressively, the Buckeyes were 5-of-6 in the red zone, scoring touchdowns on every trip outside of the Devin Brown fumble that was nearly another score. With Penn State on the horizon, it was good to see Ryan Day and the staff add some more creativity to the playbook and find ways to pick up yards in key moments.

The Bad​


Drops

It was a weird day for Marvin Harrison Jr., as the stat sheet shows an impressive six catches for 105 yards and a touchdown — a pretty typical day at the office for the nation’s top wide receiver. However, it could have been an even bigger day for the star wideout if not for a few uncharacteristic drops. Harrison Jr. was officially credited with three drops, while Julian Fleming had another. It obviously didn’t cost Ohio State in this one, but you have to come down with the receptions when the ball hits you in the hands. It was very odd to see happen multiple times from a guy as talented as Marv, but it’s not something I expect to see much moving forward.

Special Teams

It is honestly indefensible that Ohio State not only brought Parker Fleming back to coach its special teams, but they gave him a raise to do so. It was another poor day for the unit, with a pair of penalties and a missed extra point to add to a growing list of special teams issues. If you’re going to waste a full-time assistant coach on special teams, that group should be excellent. Instead, the Buckeyes have been well below average under Fleming in pretty much every area on the special teams unit, and you’re wasting a coaching spot that could instead be used on a full-time linebackers coach.

Turnovers

This one is nitpicking, but Ohio State did turn the ball over twice on Saturday — both on fumbles. Once was the aforementioned Brown fumble, where the backup QB lost the ball on a designed run that nearly resulted in a touchdown. I liked the use of Brown to give the Buckeyes a different look in the red zone, but you have to hold onto the football. The second fumble was late in the third quarter, when Kyle McCord held onto the ball for a bit too long and lost it on a sack. Not a huge deal by any means, but especially when you aren't forcing a ton of turnovers on defense (zero against Purdue) those kinds of things can cost you games against better teams.

The Ugly​


Injuries

This one is nobodies fault in particular (although I do think Mick Marotti’s outdated strength and conditioning program is to blame for a ton of Ohio State’s soft tissue injuries over the past few years), but the Buckeyes are losing players to injury left and right.

Ohio State was already without TreVeyon Henderson and Miyan Williams against the Boilermakers, as Henderson was missing his second-straight week after getting banged up against Notre Dame. Williams’ injury was more unclear, but it paved the way for Chip Trayanum to once again receive the bulk of the carries — or so we thought. The Buckeyes’ running back depth was put to the test, as Trayanum left the Purdue game with an injury after taking a big hit. Hayden stepped up big and both Xavier Johnson and Evan Pryor got some carries as well, but your top three backs all being injured at once is less than ideal.

On the other side of the ball, Ohio State lost its top cover corner when Denzel Burke was taken to the locker room with an apparent injury in the third quarter. Burke made a tremendous play earlier in the game to break up a pass in the end zone, but limped off the field in that third quarter and was escorted down the tunnel. We have not heard any additional info about Burke’s injury, but being without the star DB against Penn State would obviously be a huge blow to the Buckeyes’ defense that has been playing so well with him locking down receivers.

Ohio State was also without Emeka Egbuka, who did not travel to Purdue after injuring his ankle in the fourth quarter against Maryland. Day said on Tuesday that Egbuka’s injury was,“not going to be a long-term issue,” but it's unclear if he will be available next weekend against the Nittany Lions.

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LGHL Instant Recap Podcast: Peacock sucks; Ohio State did what it had to do ahead of Penn State

Instant Recap Podcast: Peacock sucks; Ohio State did what it had to do ahead of Penn State
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Syndication: The Columbus Dispatch

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

The Buckeyes played perhaps their most complete game of the season, some glaring issues notwithstanding.

On LGHL Instant Recap Pods, Land-Grant Holy Land writers break down Ohio State games just minutes after the action ends. They bring you the biggest stats, storylines, and moments of the game before the players make it back to the locker room.

Listen to the episode and subscribe:


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

On today’s episode, Matt Tamanini and Justin Golba are breaking down No.3 Ohio State’s 40-7 victory over the Purdue Boilermakers. It certainly wasn’t a perfect performance from the Buckeyes, but it felt like OSU did everything that it needed to do in order to get prepared for the challenge Penn State will present next weekend. Kyle McCord had arguably his most complete performance of the season and the defense continued to show a remarkable ability for keeping opposing offenses out of the end zone.

Of course, there were a few negatives as both running back Chip Trayanum and cornerback Denzel Burke left the game due to injuries. As of recording time, Ohio State had not provided any updates as to the severity of their injuries, but Trayanum appeared to be in concussion protocol, while Burke seemed to be dealing with a leg injury.

The Buckeye wide receivers — including Marvin Harrison Jr. — had an abnormal number of drops, but if that is the biggest issue for a team, then you are in pretty good shape.


Contact Matt Tamanini
Twitter: @BWWMatt

Connect with Justin:
Twitter: @justin_golba

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LGHL Minnich’s Musings about Ohio State vs. Purdue

Minnich’s Musings about Ohio State vs. Purdue
Chip.Minnich via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Syndication: The Columbus Dispatch

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

The Buckeyes took care of business in rainy Ross-Ade Stadium.

On a perpetually rainy and misty afternoon, Ohio State defeated Purdue, 41-7. Purdue had its occasional moments where it appeared that the Boilermakers were going to be able to score, but the Ohio State defense would rise up to the occasion, and thwart those plans.

Here are some thoughts I have about Ohio State’s win over Purdue, and what it could mean with the big game at Penn State looming next week...

1) The Ohio State Defense Is Solid​


The skepticism about Jim Knowles coming into the 2023 season was warranted, but Knowles seems to have learned from his overly aggressive style that hurt Ohio State last season against Michigan and Georgia. Yes, I know Purdue is not a great offensive threat, the Boilermakers missed three field goals and the weather certainly impacted the Boilermakers, but Ohio State only gave up seven points.

The defensive line was able to come up with 3 sacks, 9 tackles for loss, and 5 passes defended. Penn State is a better offensive team than Purdue, but the Ohio State defense has to be feeling more confident than they were at the end of last season.

2) Is Dallan Hayden The Answer To Ohio State’s Running Woes?​


I certainly understood the intention to redshirt Dallan Hayden for this season, but Hayden’s performance against Purdue has to make the coaches wonder if he should be getting more playing time at running back. Hayden may not be as fast as TreVeyon Henderson, or as physical as Chip Trayanum or Miyan Williams, but Hayden is the most decisive of the running backs and makes yards when given the ball. It makes me wonder if Hayden is going to get opportunities against Penn State next week.

3) Xavier Johnson’s Versatility​


As soon as the news broke about the injuries at the running back position, combined with Emeka Egbuka’s absence, I was happy to be rewarded with the usage of Xavier Johnson in this game. “The X Man” gives Ohio State options at both running back and receiver, and could be a match-up problem for upcoming Ohio State opponents.

4) The Offensive Line Was Better​


I am not saying that they are a good offensive line, but I will say that they played better. Again, Purdue is not a great opponent, but the offensive line needed to show improvement, and they did. I believe Coach Frye simplified the offensive line blocking scheme, and the running game looked better today than they have the previous weeks of this 2023 season.

The looming test against Penn State is going to demand the offensive line protect Kyle McCord, while also giving the Ohio State running back lanes to run through for positive yardage. Maybe I am being overly complimentary, but this performance by the offensive line on the road was markedly better than last week against Maryland at home.

5) “Put Me In, Coach”​


Thank you, Coach Day, for playing the backups late in the contest, and letting them do more than just hand the ball off on offense. Yes, I know that Carnell Tate’s play was necessitated by Emeka Egbuka’s absence, but it was still good to see Tate haul in a long pass of 55 yards. Even more impressive to me was the insertion of Brandon Inniss, who made his first reception a memorable one, with a 58-yard touchdown reception.

I would have liked to have seen freshman quarterback Lincoln Kienholz get the last series of the game, but I also will concede that backup quarterback Devin Brown needs game reps.


Perhaps I am in the minority of Ohio State fans, but I did not mind the Peacock broadcast. I did not want to jinx it during the broadcast, but Peacock did not show any of the annoying Dr. Pepper “Fansville” commercials, instead concentrating on annoying Geico commercials.

For those of you who purchased Peacock for this game, just a gentle reminder — there is always a possibility that Ohio State could wind up on the platform again this season, with the games at Wisconsin, at Rutgers, and Minnesota still unaccounted for with the respective TV networks. You may want to hold onto your Peacock account for the month before you delete it.

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LGHL OHIO STATE GAMEDAY: It’s a bad day to be a Purdue Boilermaker

OHIO STATE GAMEDAY: It’s a bad day to be a Purdue Boilermaker
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Maryland v Ohio State

Photo by Ben Jackson/Getty Images

The Buckeyes are looking to put together a strong performance in West Lafayette.

Wake up, everyone. It’s Ohio State game day!

With only one game remaining before Ohio State welcomes Penn State to Columbus on Oct. 21, the Buckeyes travel to hell on earth West Lafayette, Indiana to take on a historically pesky foe — Purdue. While the Boilermakers are just 2-4 on the year, that hasn’t mattered in previous meetings between the two schools, as Ohio State has been upset by lesser Purdue teams before. Ryan Day’s squad has some things they still need to get righted before taking on the Nittany Lions, and they need to avoid an upset in Week 7 in the process.

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!

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Sports Betting​

Basketball​

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Other Columns​


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LGHL What prop bets can you make for Ohio State vs. Purdue game?

What prop bets can you make for Ohio State vs. Purdue 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

Purdue v Ohio State

Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images

If you’re betting on whether the final score is even or odd, you need to seek help!

Normally, playing the Purdue Boilermakers isn’t a cause for concern for the Ohio State football Buckeyes. But, let’s be honest, going to Ross-Ade Stadium always seems to be a bit more confounding and complicated than it needs to be. So, if you are feeling especially antsy about the Bucks’ game today and want to distract yourself with all of the unusual betting options available, I’m here to help.

So, let’s run through some of the most interesting prop bets for today’s game from our friends at DraftKings Sportsbook. One not mentioned below that I wanted to highlight is that DK has the chance of the game going to overtime at +1600. Obviously, if that happened all of Buckeye Nation would be thoroughly pissed and not especially worried about a prop bet, but in case you want to make that bet, feel free.

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

Who Will Score First?​



This is always a fun one for me because trying to predict who scores first has to take into account a ton of football factors, but also things that are completely left to chance. Yes, you have to be able to analyze both teams’ offenses and defenses, but you’ve also got to keep in mind that who gets the ball first is essentially determined by a random flip of a coin.

Now, against Notre Dame, the Buckeyes won the toss and Ryan Day decided to take the ball (which I wholeheartedly support). So, there is a bit of strategic thinking that you have to figure in when making this bet. If most teams defer to the second half, but OSU opts to start on offense, that significantly increases the chances that the Buckeyes score first; and, considering that Ohio State’s offense is significantly better than Purdue’s, that feels like a fairly solid bet.

Of course, the most fun bet would be to put a buck or two on each safety option. While almost wholly unlikely, a $1 bet could profit you up to $800, so that’s certainly worth one dollar of sweat.

How Much Will the Largest Lead of the Game Be?​



According to DraftKings Sportsbook, the line for the game has dropped from 20.5 to 18 points, so the largest lead question is essentially whether or not Ohio State (or I suppose Purdue) will ever have a lead four points above the spread. While the Buckeyes did get the cover against Maryland, they have not been an especially great covering team in recent years, so to expect them to go above and beyond the spread at any point seems like something that might not be worth the wager, especially at fairly thin margins.

How Many Touchdowns Will Be Scored?​



I think this one is fun because of how mixed up the touchdown totals are. It goes 6 to 7 to 5 to 8 to 4 to 9 to 10 or more back down to 3. The distribution of odds is fascinating. The 6.5 total touchdowns aren’t all that interesting to me from an over/under perspective because I think that’s probably a fairly accurate line. However, I will be trying to decode the pattern in the odds breakdown until kickoff.

What Will the Winning Margin Be?​



Again, the line currently sits at 18 points for the Buckeyes, so it is interesting to me that the biggest gap doesn’t happen until the jump from 31 to 36 points and 37 to 42. Personally — because I am a terrible gambler — I would probably put a little bit on the 37 to 42 and 43+ options just because I think that there is a moderately decent chance of it happening and the pay out is good.

Who Will Score X Number of Points First?​



The answer to all of these is Ohio State. Just take Ohio State in all of them.

Will the Final Score Be an Even or Odd Number?​



This is for absolute degenerates only, but I need someone who is not completely worthless when it comes to math to walk me through why odd is a not insignificant favorite here.

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