Hangout in the Holy Land Podcast: A Jim Knowles legacy game in October?... F*%@ it, a Jim Knowles legacy game in October!
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

Josh and Chuck gush over Jim Knowles and the Ohio State defense, as they recap the Buckeyes’ hard fought victory over Penn State.

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

Listen to the episode and subscribe:

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

On this episode of ‘Hangout in the Holy Land,’ Josh and Chuck give props to not only OSU defensive coordinator Jim Knowles, but also Larry Johnson, Tim Walton, Perry Eliano, and the players, as Ohio State rode their stingy defense to a second victory (this season) over a top-10 team — stifling a normally productive Penn State offense in the process.

But first, the hosts discuss other goings-on around the CFB landscape, as several ranked teams played close games. Closer than they should have been. Both Washington and Oklahoma struggled coming off of big, emotional victories, while Iowa... Iowa’ed? As a result of the latter, the Big Ten West is unfortunately and comically wide open, and the Hangout boys are both disgusted and amused.

The title race is heating up, and so is the Heisman race. The guys give their current favorites before transitioning to a total Knowles lovefest.

And why not? Because the Buckeyes’ DC and his group of coaches have their ‘Silver Bullets’ playing at a championship level. While Ryan Day and the OSU offense continue to tinker and tweak - and hope to improve - Knowles’ group is making an argument for the best unit in the country.

The Buckeyes smothered the Nittany Lions and came away with an impressive victory, despite missing a number of key players. Here’s hoping Ohio State can get healthy and continue getting better as they work toward a regular-season finale in Ann Arbor.

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

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Twitter: @HolyLandPod

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Twitter: @jdooleybuckeye

Connect with Chuck Holmes
Twitter: @ctholmes3

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Ohio State opens as 14-point favorites over Wisconsin
Gene Ross 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

The Buckeyes travel to Madison for a battle against a familiar face.

Ohio State passed a huge test on Saturday, defeating Penn State 20-12 to stay undefeated and set up what could very well be an 11-0 vs. 11-0 matchup in Ann Arbor to end the regular season. Before they get there, the Buckeyes must win their toughest remaining game on the schedule ahead of TTUN, and that is Week 9’s road trip to Madison to take on Wisconsin. Luke Fickell’s guys have had a couple stumbles, but the Badgers will still present a real test for Ryan Day and company in what should be a hostile environment.

All lines courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.

Spread: Ohio State -14​

Ohio State’s offense wasn’t the star of the show against Penn State, as the 20 points scored against the Nittany Lions were the team’s second-lowest output of the season (17 against Notre Dame), but the Buckeyes did enough offensively to emerge victorious against a strong defense. Kyle McCord struggled, although he finished the game with 286 yards passing and a touchdown. Marvin Harrison Jr. was Ohio State’s main source of offense, totaling 11 catches for 162 yards and a TD — his fifth 100-yard game of the season and third time with more than 160 yards receiving through seven games.

Defensively, you couldn’t have asked for a much better performance from the Buckeyes. Jim Knowles’ unit held Penn State to under 200 yards passing and under 50 yards rushing, while allowing the Nittany Lions to convert on just 1-of-16 third down attempts. Guys were making plays at all three levels, with the Buckeyes totaling four sacks, eight tackles for loss and six pass breakups. Drew Allar completed less than 50% of his passes (18-of-42), and Penn State really just had zero answers on offense for the entirety of the afternoon. Impressively, Ohio State did all of this without its top corner Denzel Burke, who was sidelined with an injury.

Wisconsin, who comes into this game at 5-2 on the year, managed to bounce back from a 15-6 loss to Iowa with a 25-21 win over Illinois last time out. With starting QB Tanner Mordecai sidelined indefinitely with a hand injury, Mississippi State transfer Braedyn Locke helped lead the Badgers to a fourth quarter comeback. Trailing 21-7 entering the final frame, Wisconsin rattled off 18 unanswered points to steal the game. Locke finished 21-of-41 with 240 yards and two TDs, while star running back Braelon Allen totaled 145 yards rushing and a TD. The Badgers’ offense has struggled at times under OC Phil Longo, but they are at their best when they give Allen the football.

With Jim Leonard no longer at the helm of the defense, the Badgers have taken a bit of a step back this season on that side of the ball. It's still not a bad unit by any means, but Wisconsin currently ranks middle of the pack in the Big Ten in scoring defense, sitting 10th at stopping the run and eighth in stopping the pass. The team’s biggest star defensively has been safety Hunter Wohler, who leads the Badgers with 70 total tackles — 26 more than the next-highest player — with three tackles for loss, two interceptions and four pass breakups. Linebacker Darryl Peterson leads the way in the front seven, tallying six TFLs and 3.5 sacks, both team-highs.

A big question mark going into this game is just how healthy is Ohio State? The Buckeyes have managed to get by with all their injuries, but it would be nice to have guys like TreVeyon Henderson, Emeka Egbuka and Denzel Burke back for what could be a tough road game. OSU has done a great job against the run this season, but Allen is far and away the best back they’ve faced thus far. The linebackers were up to the task against Penn State’s RB duo, and they will need to match that performance this week. Elsewhere, Ohio State has to get something going on the ground to help McCord keep the offense moving. A healthy Henderson would go a long way there, but it remains to be seen when he will take the field again.

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

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The Good, the Bad and the Ugly: Ohio State’s 20-12 win 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


Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

There was lots of good from a Buckeye defense that looks like one of the nation’s best.

No. 3 Ohio State won a defensive battle on Saturday afternoon, knocking off No. 7 Penn State by a score of 20-12 in Columbus. The Buckeyes had some struggles on offense — and were once again without both Emeka Egbuka and TreVeyon Henderson — but Marvin Harrison Jr. picked them up when they needed it, and Jim Knowles’ defense stood on its head all afternoon as OSU won itself a good ole fashion Big Ten rock fight to move to 7-0 on the season.

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

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The Good​

The Entire Defense

A truly impressive performance by the Ohio State defense as a whole.

While Penn State’s offense lacks any real explosiveness, the Silver Bullets completely shut them down. Drew Allar was just 18-of-42 passing for 191 yards and a touchdown — and those stats were even inflated by the Nittany Lions’ final drive when guys were exhausted and the game was virtually out of reach. Penn State was 1-of-16 (!!) on third down, and that lone conversion also came on that last drive. The Nittany Lions’ star running back duo of Nicholas Singetlon and Kaytron Allen mustered only 74 yards on 18 carries, with 36 of those yards coming on two long runs in the first quarter.

Jim Knowles had his guys fully ready to go, even with his top corner Denzel Burke sidelined with an injury. The defensive line did a great job of getting pressure on Allar all afternoon, tallying four sacks and eight tackles for loss. The secondary, led by Jordan Hancock, was equally excellent, recording six pass breakups. The linebackers, which had been a trouble spot for Ohio State over the last two weeks, stepped up to the plate as well. There was nothing not to like about the Buckeyes’ defensive performance, which is ultimately what won them the game.

Marvin Harrison Jr.

While Ohio State’s offense looked out of sync for most of the afternoon, Marvin Harrison Jr. was always there when the team desperately needed to move the chains. The Buckeyes picked up 22 first downs against the Nittany Lions, and 10 of those were on catches by the star wide receiver. MHJ finished the game with 11 receptions for 162 yards and a touchdown. Harrison Jr. has eclipsed 100 yards in five of Ohio State’s last six games, and Saturday was his 12th career game passing the century mark, leaving him just two games shy of tying David Boston’s program record.

Even with some rare drops the last couple weeks, Harrison Jr. is invaluable to Ohio State, and one of the best pure receivers the school has ever seen — which says a lot with some of the names to come through Columbus lately.

Cade Stover

I have had my gripes with Cade Stover in the past. I think Ohio State uses him incorrectly at times and puts him in positions to fail, making the tight end look bad in the process. That being said, Stover is undeniably valuable in the passing game. With so much attention paid to Harrison Jr. and, when healthy, Emeka Egbuka, being able to get four catches for 70 yards from Stover in this game was huge. He made two huge grabs in the second half against Penn State for 30 and 29 yards, including one where he completely Moss’d the defender. For all of Stover’s shortcomings in the blocking department, which is a real concern, he makes some big plays in the Buckeyes’ biggest games when it matters most.

J.T. Tuimoloau

I know I already talked about the defense as a whole, but J.T. Tuimoloau deserves a special shoutout before we move on. The former five-star defensive end never seems to put up numbers that really ‘wow’ you in the final box score, but it feels like Tuimoloau makes at least one massive play in the fourth quarter of every game. This time, it was a sack of Allar on the first play of the final frame to put Penn State behind the sticks and ultimately force a punt. Tuimoloau officially finished the afternoon with the sack, a TFL, one pass break up and one QB hurry, but his impact was felt throughout. He’s not a Chase Young-level pass rusher, but he makes plays all over the place and has a flair for the dramatic.

The Bad​

The Run Game

TreVeyon Henderson has missed the last three games with an injury he suffered against Notre Dame, and as a result Ohio State’s rushing attack has really struggled. With Henderson on the shelf, the Buckeyes have averaged 1.9 yards per carry against Maryland, 3.9 YPC against Purdue and 1.9 YPC on Saturday against Penn State. Chip Trayanum and Miyan Williams have their moments, but they lack the explosiveness of a guy like Henderson. The duo combined for just 84 yards on 33 carries against the Nittany Lions.

It hasn’t helped that Ohio State’s offensive line really struggles with zone running schemes, which is seemingly all Ryan Day is willing to call. On top of that, Day refuses to let Dallan Hayden get involved more since they want to redshirt him, even though Hayden might be the Buckeyes’ best all-around running back. Day said that Henderson was close to playing against Penn State, so hopefully that means he can finally return to action against Wisconsin next week.

Either way, the scheme in the run game must improve. Justin Frye should be allowed to use more of the run designs he learned under Chip Kelly at UCLA, as it doesn’t seem he has a ton of say right now, and the boundary stretch runs and pitch plays that keep resulting in negative yards need to be scrapped from the playbook entirely.

Kyle McCord

The final stat line for McCord doesn’t look all that bad: 22-of-35 for 286 yards and a touchdown. However, both McCord’s own stats and Ohio State’s final margin of victory could have looked a lot better had the Buckeyes’ starting quarterback connected with some wide open receivers at various points in the game. All too often this season McCord’s passes have been off the mark, resulting in incompletions and stalled drives. It seems like the QB is either speeding things up too much and failing to set his feet, leading to off-target throws, or holding the ball too long and taking a sack — one of which nearly costed Ohio State a touchdown had Penn State’s fumble recovery not been called back on a penalty.

Ohio State isn’t asking McCord to make too many tough throws, and many of the guys he is missing are completely open. The deep ball really has not been there, with many attempts down the field falling short of the intended target or going well over their head. The level of quarterback play in Columbus has been so good for so long that maybe we are just nitpicking here, but you have to at least make things happen on the easy throws. The Buckeyes’ offense isn’t where it needs to be just yet, and a lot of that seems to fall on the shoulders of its quarterback.

The Ugly​

Short Yardage/Red Zone Offense

Stop me if you’ve heard this before, but Ohio State really struggled to move the ball in short yardage situations and in the red zone. Prior to Harrison Jr.’s late touchdown to seal the game, the Buckeyes managed only 13 points on four trips to the red zone. OSU’s one TD on those four trips came after Penn State gift-wrapped them field position after a trio of flags. Twice they were forced to kick a field goal, and they were also stopped on fourth down after failing to get into the end zone on two plays facing third-and-goal at the 1-yard line. Ohio State also went just 6-of-16 converting third downs.

Needless to say, that is not going to cut it. A big part of those red zone struggles are a direct result of the lackluster run game, and that got compounded when Devin Brown — who has become a big part of Ohio State’s red zone package — went down with an ankle injury. As a whole, the Buckeyes ran the ball five times on third down, netting seven total yards. A lot of the failure to move the chains in this game was on incomplete passes by McCord, who converted on third down just four times through the air. For whatever reason, short yardage and the red zone continue to allude Day’s teams, and nothing ever really seems to change.

Parker “Waste of a Coaching Spot” Fleming

Holy hell, how does this guy still have a job? I’ve said it a million times at this point, but if you are going to waste a full-time assistant coaching position on special teams, that unit had better be excellent. Ohio State’s special teams isn’t even average — it’s actively bad! The Buckeyes’ special teams unit has turned the ball over twice in just the last three games alone, including what could have been a game-losing blunder on a punt against Penn State had the defense not stood on its head. This is in addition to generally poor blocking and returns on both kicks and punts.

It’s a miracle that Fleming’s key card to the Woody wasn’t deactivated before the final whistle. Fleming’s employment is hamstringing Ohio State in more ways than one. While he is clearly bad at the job itself, leading to a special teams unit that will at some point lose the Buckeyes a football game, he is also keeping OSU from having James Laurinaitis on staff as the full-time linebackers coach. It would be fantastic for Laurinaitis to get more of a hands-on role with the ‘weak’ link of the Buckeyes’ defense, and perhaps even bigger to get the charismatic three-time All-American on the road as a recruiter.

The $500,00 albatross has got to go.

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Here are this week’s games, which include the WLOCP. Some ACC games aren’t slotted yet in this list, and appear at the bottom.

Week 9

Tuesday, Oct. 24

New Mexico State at Louisiana Tech | 7 p.m. | CBSSN
Liberty at Western Kentucky | 7:30 p.m. | ESPNU

Wednesday, Oct. 25

Jacksonville State at Florida International | 7 p.m. | CBSSN
UTEP at Sam Houston | 8 p.m. | ESPN2

Thursday, Oct. 26

Syracuse at Virginia Tech | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN
Georgia State at Georgia Southern | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN2
South Carolina State at North Carolina Central | 7:30 p.m. | ESPNU

Friday, Oct. 27

Brown at Penn | 7 p.m. | ESPNU
Florida Atlantic at Charlotte | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN2

Saturday, Oct. 28

Oklahoma at Kansas | 12 p.m. | FOX
Indiana at Penn State | 12 p.m. | CBS
UMass at Army | 12 p.m. | CBSSN
UConn at Boston College | 12 p.m. | ACC Network
Maryland at Northwestern | 12 p.m. | Big Ten Network
South Carolina at Texas A&M | 12 p.m. | ESPN
Houston at Kansas State | 12 p.m. | ESPN2
West Virginia at UCF | 12 p.m. | FS1
Tulsa at SMU | 12 p.m. | ESPNU
Howard at Delaware State | 12 p.m. | ESPN+
Duquesne at Sacred Heart | 12 p.m. | ESPN+
Tennessee Tech at Robert Morris | 12 p.m. | ESPN+
Columbia at Yale | 12 p.m. | ESPN+

Lafayette at Georgetown | 12:30 p.m. | ESPN+
Western Michigan at Eastern Michigan | 1 p.m. | ESPN+
Bucknell at Colgate | 1 p.m. | ESPN+
Holy Cross at Fordham | 1 p.m. | ESPN+
UNI at Illinois State | 1 p.m. | ESPN+
Princeton at Cornell | 1 p.m. | ESPN+
Stetson at Drake | 1 p.m. | ESPN+
UT Martin at Gardner-Webb | 1:30 p.m. | ESPN+
Chattanooga at VMI | 1:30 p.m. | ESPN+

Morgan State at Norfolk State | 2 p.m. | ESPN+
Indiana State at North Dakota | 2 p.m. | ESPN+
Missouri State at Youngstown State | 2 p.m. | ESPN+
South Dakota State at South Dakota | 2 p.m. | ESPN+
East Tennessee State at Furman | 2 p.m. | ESPN+
Mercer at Western Carolina | 2:30 p.m. | ESPN+
Jackson State at Arkansas-Pine Bluff | 3 p.m. | ESPN+
Abilene Christian at Southern Utah | 3 p.m. | ESPN+
Northern Colorado at Montana | 3 p.m. | ESPN+
Texas A&M-Commerce at Houston Christian | 3 p.m. | ESPN+
Lindenwood at Tennessee State | 3 p.m. | ESPN+
Southeast Missouri State at Nicholls | 3 p.m. | ESPN+
Lincoln (CA) at Kennesaw State | 3 p.m. | ESPN+
The Citadel at Samford | 3 p.m. | ESPN+
Memphis at North Texas | 3 p.m. | ESPN+

Georgia vs. Florida (in Jacksonville, Fla.) | 3:30 p.m. | CBS
BYU at Texas | 3:30 p.m.
Oregon at Utah | 3:30 p.m. | FOX
Pitt at Notre Dame | 3:30 p.m. | NBC
Mississippi State at Auburn | 3:30 p.m. | SEC Network
Michigan State at Minnesota | 3:30 p.m. | Big Ten Network
Purdue at Nebraska | 3:30 p.m. | FS1
Iowa State at Baylor | 3:30 p.m. | ESPN+
East Carolina at UTSA | 3:30 p.m. | ESPN+
Southern Miss at Appalachian State | 3:30 p.m. | ESPN+
Miami (Ohio) at Ohio | 3:30 p.m. | CBSSN
Alabama A&M vs. Alabama State (in Birmingham, Ala.) | 3:30 p.m. | ESPN+
Murray State at North Dakota State | 3:30 p.m. | ESPN+

USC at Cal | 4 p.m. | Pac-12 Network
Tulane at Rice | 4 p.m. | ESPN2
Prairie View A&M at Florida A&M | 4 p.m. | ESPNU
North Alabama at Austin Peay | 4 p.m. | ESPN+
Eastern Washington at Portland State | 4 p.m. | ESPN+
Montana State at Idaho | 4 p.m. | ESPN+
UC Davis at Northern Arizona | 4 p.m. | ESPN+
Dartmouth at Harvard | 4 p.m. | ESPN+
UIW at Lamar | 4 p.m. | ESPN+
Bryant at Charleston Southern | 4 p.m. | ESPN+
Southern Illinois at Western Illinois | 4 p.m. | ESPN+

Arkansas State at UL Monroe | 5 p.m. | ESPN+
Louisiana at South Alabama | 5 p.m. | ESPN+
Tarleton State at Central Arkansas | 5 p.m. | ESPN+
Morehead State at San Diego | 5 p.m. | ESPN+
Wyoming at Boise State | 5:30 p.m. | FS2
Marshall at Coastal Carolina | 6 p.m. | NFL Network

Washington at Stanford | 7 p.m. | FS1
Tennessee at Kentucky | 7 p.m. | ESPN
Air Force at Colorado State | 7 p.m. | CBSSN
Troy at Texas State | 7 p.m. | ESPN+

Ohio State at Wisconsin | 7:30 p.m. | NBC
Vanderbilt at Ole Miss | 7:30 p.m. | SEC Network
Colorado at UCLA | 7:30 p.m. | ABC
Washington State at Arizona State | 8 p.m. | Pac-12 Network
Cincinnati at Oklahoma State | 8 p.m. | ESPN2
Old Dominion at James Madison | 8 p.m. | ESPNU
Eastern Kentucky at Utah Tech | 8 p.m. | ESPN+
Northwestern State at McNeese | 8 p.m. | ESPN+
Idaho State at Sacramento State | 9 p.m. | ESPN+

Oregon State at Arizona | 10:30 p.m. | ESPN
New Mexico at Nevada | 10:30 p.m. | CBSSN
UNLV at Fresno State | 10:30 p.m. | FS1

San Jose State at Hawai'i | 12 a.m. Sunday | Spectrum Sports PPV

Florida State at Wake Forest
North Carolina at Georgia Tech
Duke at Louisville
Clemson at NC State
Virginia at Miami (Fla.)

247
Rivals
HUDL
ON3



Class: 2026 (high school)
Position: Wide Receiver
School: Douglasville (GA) Douglas County
Height: 6-foot-2
Weight: 170 lbs


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A stud, a dud, and a flub: Recapping Ohio State’s 20-12 win vs. Penn State
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Jason Mowry/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Neatly wrapping up what we saw in Columbus on Saturday between the Nittany Lions and Buckeyes.

Ohio State claimed their seventh-straight win over Penn State, beating the Nittany Lions 20-12 in Columbus on Saturday. True to recent form, a lot of the game between the Buckeyes and Nittany Lions was played with only a score separating the teams, but Ohio State was able to put some distance on Penn State in the fourth quarter before a late touchdown by the Nittany Lions made the final tally look a little more respectable.

Beside a ton of points, we saw a little bit of everything else in Saturday’s game in Columbus. There were some studs, some duds, and some moments that were flubbed. I try and summarize what I liked, what I hated, and moments that lost me during the game.

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Stud: Marvin Harrison Jr.​

We are running out of words to describe just how good Marvin Harrison Jr. is. Even on a day where Kyle McCord wasn’t all that sharp, Harrison still hauled in 11 passes for 162 yards and a score. Harrison has put up three-straight games with at least 100 yards and a touchdown, and has hit the century mark in receiving yards in five games this season. The 12 career 100-yard receiving games for Harrison in his Ohio State career breaks a tie with Chris Olave, and has him just two away from tying David Boston’s school record.

What’s crazy is Penn State knew Harrison was going to be the focal point of the offense and they still couldn’t stop him. It’s not like the Nittany Lions have terrible defensive backs; Penn State has one of the best secondaries Ohio State will see all season. Harrison is just that damn good. By the time he declares for the NFL Draft following this season, it is going to be hard to argue that there was a better receiver in Buckeye history than Harrison, which is saying a lot since there has been a lot of top-tier talent at wide receiver over the years at Ohio State.

Please though, no more calling him “Maserati Marv”. After Gus Johnson said it 93,249 times during the game, I am over that nickname.

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Dud: Parker Fleming​

Another week, another miscue from the special teams unit. After Ohio State forced Penn State to punt deep in their own end in the third quarter, a punt bounced and hit Lorenzo Styles, which resulted in the Nittany Lions taking possession after they jumped on the football. Maybe the mistake doesn’t happen if Emeka Egbuka isn’t injured and is back there returning punts, but it looked like punt returner Jayden Ballard was trying to get his teammates to be aware of where the football was.

Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

Do you want to know how much Parker Fleming makes per year? $500,000. No, I didn’t add a couple extra zeros to that number. I haven’t seen anything from the special teams since he has been in Columbus that makes me think Fleming is worth $5,000, let alone $500,000.

I would love for Day to try and justify why Fleming is making anywhere close to that amount per year. Honestly, Fleming might want to consider a career in politics since he already seems to be an expert at stealing money.

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Flub: Ryan Day at the end of the first half​

As a Buffalo Bills fan I already have to deal with Sean McDermott, who is a giant coward of a head coach. At the college level I have Ryan Day trying to talk like a tough guy, but there are times when he doesn’t practice what he preaches. Day had me ready to lose it near halftime when he sat on his three timeouts and decided to kneel out the first half even though Ohio State had nearly a minute to work with. At that time Kyle McCord was struggling with his confidence a bit after having a fumble return for a touchdown nullified by a defensive penalty.

My issue with Day not using his timeouts and at least trying to do something with the football was Ohio State also was getting the kickoff to open up the second half. Score at least some points on both those drives, and the Buckeyes could have really broken the spirit of Penn State. Also, if the Ohio State offense does move the football down the field, at least it would restore some of the confidence of McCord heading into the second half. Instead, the Buckeyes ended up punting on their first drive of the second half anyway.

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What’s not working: Ohio State’s running game​

It’s sad to see just how inept the Ohio State running game has become. It feels like every time the Buckeyes run the football, the design takes it towards the boundary. How about trying to run more north and south? Instead Ohio State runs east to west and ends up running 20 yards to gain two yards if they are lucky. For as much as Ryan Day wants people to believe his team is tough and can run the ball, he doesn’t put them in position to have much success on the ground.

Even though the play design is a big reason why the Buckeyes ran for just 79 yards on 41 carries against Penn State, there are more issues than just that. It doesn’t help that TreVeyon Henderson has missed the last three games due to injury. With Henderson on the sidelines, Chip Trayanum and Miyan Williams were left to handle most of the carries. While the two are both tough runners, they are way too similar.

I get that Ryan Day wants to keep Dallan Hayden’s redshirt, but you have to scrap that plan because Hayden is too good to keep on the sidelines right now.

Photo by Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Lastly, there has to be someone better than Josh Simmons that can start. The San Diego State transfer is easily one of the worst offensive linemen in the FBS. Luckily his terrible play hasn’t hurt the Buckeyes too much so far this year, but at some point one of his mistakes is going to end up costing Ohio State a game.

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What to be excited about: The Buckeyes now have a clear path to “The Game”​

With the win over Penn State, Ohio State doesn’t have much to worry about them ahead of next month’s showdown with Michigan. Next week the Buckeyes travel to Madison to take on Wisconsin under the lights. Heading into the season, the battle with the Badgers looked like it could be a tricky spot for Ohio State. The matchup has lost a lot of its luster since Luke Fickell’s dreams of adding more of a passing element to the Wisconsin offense has sputtered, and quarterback Tanner Mordecai broke his hand last week.

Following next week’s contest against Wisconsin, Ohio State travels to Rutgers, then they’ll be at home for games against Michigan State and Minnesota before they travel to Ann Arbor after Thanksgiving. I know college football can make no sense sometimes, I just don’t see a scenario where the Buckeyes lose any of those games before they head to Michigan. We could be looking at another No. 1 versus No. 2 showdown between the rivals.

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Instant Recap Podcast: Ohio State defense flexes on Penn State as OSU becomes No. 1 team in college football
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

In a year where no team looks dominant, even with a sub-standard offense, this team can win it all.

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:


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What an absolutely historic defensive performance from the No. 3 Ohio State Buckeyes as they dispatched the No. 7 Penn State Nittany Lions 20-12 in Ohio Stadium on Saturday afternoon. The Silver Bullets played perhaps their best game in half a decade, completely shutting down an offense that had been putting up 44 points per game this season.

Now, there is still a lot to be desired from the offense with drops, bad throws, red zone inefficiencies, running game issues, and poor play-calling still popping up their ugly heads, but thanks to a career-best 11 receptions, Marvin Harrison Jr. helped the OSU offense do enough to pull off their second top-10 victory of the season.

Because of the wins over Notre Dame and PSU, our Matt Tamanini believes that there is no doubt that Ohio State should be the No. 1 team in the country.

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Contact Matt Tamanini
Twitter: @BWWMatt

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


Kyle Robertson/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Buckeyes can exhale after the close win over the tough Nittany Lions.

Exhale, Buckeye Nation. Ohio State held on against Penn State, winning 20-12. Ohio State now sits at 7-0 on the season and can regroup before going to Wisconsin on October 28th at Camp Randall Stadium.

The victory was not without its difficulties. Backup quarterback Devin Brown suffered an injury that was serious enough for him to leave the game on a cart. If anything, look for Ohio State to elevate Tristan Gebbia to the primary backup quarterback position behind starter Kyle McCord.

Speaking of Kyle McCord - it was not always pretty, and McCord often seemed rattled by the Nittany Lions, but he seemed to subscribe to the “do no harm” mentality that let Ohio State punt the ball away, and let the defense carry the load for the team.

Below are some other random thoughts I had while watching this game...

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The Defense Is The Strength Of This Year’s Team​

If you had told me that I would be writing that sentence back when the season began, I would have scoffed in your face. The facts cannot be denied, as Ohio State was able to effectively clamp down on the Penn State offense, as the Nittany Lions were at one point 0-15 on third down conversions. Major props to Jim Knowles and the defense for making Penn State so miserable offensively.

Penn State finished the game 1-of-16 on third downs.

— Stewart Mandel (@slmandel) October 21, 2023

Click to expand...

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Short Yardage Is Still A Major Weakness For Ohio State​

As soon as Ohio State was on the goal line, up 13-7, with a 4th and 2, I was pleading for a field goal attempt that would have essentially put the game out of reach. Instead, Ohio State went for it on 4th and 2, did not make it, and Penn State was able to get the ball on the turnover of downs.

The fact that Ohio State eventually won the game does not gloss over the painful fact that the Buckeyes are not able to convert on short-yardage downs. It has not yet hurt the Buckeyes, but against some of their remaining opponents, it could certainly be a mistake at the worst time.

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Miyan Williams’ Return Was A Welcome Sight​

It was not always pretty, but Miyan Williams offered a physical running style that this game against Penn State demanded. 24 carries for 62 yards and 1 touchdown is not the stuff of legends, but Williams often was able to gain positive yardage for the Buckeyes, and like his teammate Kyle McCord, played with a “do no harm” style that Ohio State needed.

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This Offense Is Entirely Dependent Upon Marvin Harrison, Jr.​

That statement is not a complaint, but a simple, observable fact. Even though Harrison is not fully healthy, his usually clutch receptions were crucial to Ohio State’s offensive possessions. I wrote “usually clutch”, as he has been having some uncharacteristic drops recently, but for the most part, Harrison is what makes the Ohio State offense go, or unfortunately, stay idle.

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A TresselBall Approach Is Not A Bad Thing​

Yes, I prefer touchdowns to field goals, but against a quality opponent such as Penn State, it was imperative that Ohio State come away with points when in scoring territory. Considering the short-yardage woes that Ohio State is seemingly unable to fix, perhaps Coach Day will be more likely to invoke the style and mannerisms of one of his predecessors and take a field goal after an offensive drive gets stalled.

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I have said this before on The Silver Bullets Podcast, and I will repeat it - the 2023 Ohio State football schedule has a series of tests upon it. Ohio State took, and passed, their first test at the end of September when they went to South Bend and defeated Notre Dame. The second test is how Ohio State was able to knock a top team such as Penn State from the ranks of the unbeaten. A quick reminder to Ohio State fans is how sluggish the Buckeyes looked after their bye week and at home in their 37-17 win over Maryland on October 7th. Considering how challenging Camp Randall Stadium can be, the Buckeyes cannot afford to get too comfortable, as the Badgers and Luke Fickell are eagerly waiting for their first visit since 2016.

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enjoy

Ohio State fans think run blocking is the key to beating Penn State, but I disagree
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

Buckeye Nation also, unsurprisingly, is picking the home team to win the game.

This game has been circled on the calendar for weeks, if not months, as both the No. 3 Ohio State Buckeyes and No. 7 Penn State Nittany Lions will take to the field in Ohio Stadium as undefeated squads looking to remain in control of their own destiny for the Big Ten East title, Big Ten conference championship, and a College Football Playoff berth.

Despite their unblemished records, both teams enter the game with concerns, and earlier this week, we asked Ohio State fans which recent issue that they have seen from the Buckeyes was the one that they thought most needed to be addressed in order for their team to come out on top today.


While generally, I agree with the hive mind of these surveys, today, I do not. I believe that the key to victory against the Nits is in getting the defense off the field and making sure Kyle McCord and company have enough opportunities to make stuff happen.

See what your fellow Buckeye fans had to say in the results below, and feel free to share your opinions in the comments at the bottom of the page.

Check out DraftKings Sportsbook, the official sportsbook partner of SB Nation.

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

With all due respect to the collective intelligence of Buckeye Nation, I disagree with the answer on this one. While being able to effectively run the ball would obviously be a huge benefit for the Buckeyes, I do not think that it is necessary. We have seen Ohio State compete with and beat top-caliber opponents with ineffective running games in the past, and that was often without a top-flight defense like the Buckeyes have this year.

The way to win football games is to score more points than your opponents, and while you technically don’t need to have the ball on offense to do that, it sure helps. On offense, Penn State is one of the least explosive teams in the country. They rank 129th (out of 133 teams) in FBS with just 16 plays all season of 20 yards or more, but that does not mean that their offense isn’t dominant.

The Nits are second nationally behind only Air Force with a time of possession of 34:35.83 per game. This means that PSU often goes on extended touchdown drives that eat up huge amounts of clock and tire out opposing defenses; for comparison, OSU’s time of possession is 99th nationally at 28:46.67.

The Buckeye defense has gotten better at stopping opponents on third down as the season has progressed, but they are still just 37th nationally, allowing a conversion on 34.07% of opportunities. The Nits, on the other hand, are converting 48.28% of their third down opportunities on offense.

So, in my mind, if the Buckeyes want to have enough plays to allow their offense to do what it needs to do to win, then I think it will be incredibly important for them to get off the field when they have the chance and not let Penn State extend drives with impunity all game long.

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

Am I a homer? Yes. Am I ever going to go on record and pick against Ohio State in a game where they are not clearly the lesser team? Absolutely not, and even then, that seems unlikely.

Therefore, I have no fear in admitting that I am predicting what is likely a bit of an irresponsible score as I am going 31-17 in favor of the Buckeyes. I explained my rationale on this morning’s “Land-Grant Tailgate Podcast,” but essentially it comes down to the fact that we’ve been here before with the Nits. They start off a season strong and everyone around the country starts to think that this is finally the year that James Franklin’s team gets over the hump and legitimately competes for a Big Ten title and a CFP berth, only for them to crash and burn when the lights are brightest.


Will that happen again? I don’t know, maybe not. But, given how often it has happened over the years, it might be a little bit “fool me once, shame on... shame on you. Fool me—you can’t get fooled again.“ Franklin and the Nits are going to need to prove it to me before I start believing that they are capable of taking that long-awaited, always elusive next step.

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

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Our streaming expert has the best ways to watch Ohio State vs. Penn State for free without cable
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Ben Jackson/Getty Images

You’ve got a number of free trials you can choose from of various lengths and breadths.

At times during the week, it felt like this day would never come, but we are finally here; it’s game day for the No. 3 Ohio State Buckeyes and the No. 7 Penn State Nittany Lions. At 12 noon ET, the two top-10 teams will face off in Ohio Stadium with the winner maintaining the ability to control its own destiny when it comes to the race for the Big Ten East crown, the Big Ten Conference title, and a College Football Playoff berth.

It is a fairly slim week in terms of marquee matchups, so all eyes in the college football world will be on The Horseshoe for this one. However, as cord-cutting has become far more the norm than the exception across the United States, it would not be a surprise if you gave up cable or a live-streaming service following last year’s season only to realize that it’s the day of the game and you have no way to watch it.

And I know it can be incredibly confusing to find the best way to watch a game in today’s entertainment landscape. Fortunately for you, I am something of a streaming expert... no really, I write about streaming services for a living. So, I am going to walk you through the best — and cheapest — ways for you to stream today’s game.

Also, if you want to put a little money on the game over at DraftKings Sportsbook, not only would it make what could be a blowout even more exciting, but you could make enough cash to pay for a full month of cable or streaming!

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How can I watch the Ohio State vs. Penn State college football game?​

Game Date/Time: Saturday, Oct. 21 at 12 noon ET
TV: Fox
Broadcasters: Gus Johnson, Joel Klatt, Jenny Taft
Betting Line: Ohio State -5 | 45.5 o/u
Odds/lines subject to change. T&Cs apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for details.

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Best Streaming Option to Watch Ohio State vs. Penn State: DIRECTV STREAM | 5-Day Free Trial​

It is getting a little unusual for Ohio State games to not have a native streaming home. When their games air on CBS, they are also on Paramount+. If OSU plays on NBC, the games are also available to stream on Peacock — not to mention that last week’s Purdue game was a Peacock exclusive.

However, Fox does not have a subscription streaming service that broadcasts its live programming. So, if you are looking to stream the game, DIRECTV STREAM is your best option. The live TV streaming service has the only guaranteed multi-day free trial in the industry and provides the most top cable channels of all of its competitors. The basic, Entertainment package comes with all of the major network channels — all of which have college football — ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC. It also has ESPN, ESPN2, and FS1. Then, if you want to upgrade, other packages include the ACC Network, Big Ten Network, ESPNU, SEC Network, CBS Sports Network, Longhorn Network, and more.

What’s great about DIRECTV STREAM’s free trial is that you are able to sign up for whatever package you want for free. You don’t have to worry about being charged for upgraded plans. So, you can simply sign up for the top-tier Premier package — which normally costs $154.99 per month — enjoy all 140 channels for five days and then cancel.

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Other Streaming Options for the Ohio State and Penn State Game: ​

Fubo: $84.99 per month, at least a one-day free trial
Sling TV: $40 per month, 50% off first month (Fox is only available in select media markets)
Hulu + Live TV: $69.99 per month, comes with Hulu, Disney+, ESPN+ included
YouTube TV: $72.99 per month

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Join the conversation​

Below is your Ohio State vs. Penn State 2023 game thread. Be respectful, be kind and — as always — keep it classy, BuckeyeNation. If you like GIFs, lay ‘em on us. In all, be good fans, cheer for your teams, be cool to each other (even if somebody else isn’t) and everyone wins. Let’s finish the season strong!

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

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OHIO STATE GAMEDAY: It’s a bad day to be a Penn State Nittany Lion
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 will be tested at home on Saturday.

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

The Buckeyes had a big test earlier in the year against Notre Dame, but no game this season has been of greater importance than Saturday’s matchup against Penn State. Both upper echelon Big Ten programs come into the day undefeated, and a win in this game will go a long way in determining the winner of the B1G East when all is said and done. Ohio State has had the upper hand in this series in recent history, but the Nittany Lions will look to turn the tables in Columbus this time around.

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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Podcasts​

• Hangout in the Holy Land: Sweating Penn State, hoping for healthy Buckeyes
• Silver Bullets: Purdue rewind and Penn State preview
• Uncut: Day, McCord, Marv, more talk injuries, game plan, Penn State, much more
• Stick to Sports: Do Penn State Fans nitpick their team as much as we do?
• In Conversation: The Athletic’s Scott Dochterman previews Ohio State-Penn State
• Uncut: Ryan Day, Jim Knowles detail matchup against ‘great team’ in Penn State

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Previews​

• Ohio State vs. Penn State: 2023 game preview and prediction
• Matchups to Know: Ohio State vs. Penn State
• Five stats that could decide Saturday’s Ohio State-Penn State game
• Three Things To Watch vs. Penn State
• What do the advanced analytics models say Ohio State vs. Penn State?

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Sports Betting​

• Ohio State opens as 4.5-point favorites over Penn State
• Week 8 Big Ten games
• Week 8 national games
• Updated conference title odds heading into Week 8

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Basketball​

• Bucketheads Podcast: ‘Drive the Lane’ guys join the pod!
• Which in-state team would be the most fun yearly matchup for Ohio State?
• Guessing the starting five for Ohio State women’s basketball
• Three Buckeyes women’s basketball stars earn spots on postseason award watch lists
• Ohio State women’s basketball 2023-24 player preview: Diana Collins
• Ohio State women’s basketball No. 7 in preseason AP poll
• Big Ten Men’s Basketball Team Previews: Penn State Nittany Lions

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Recruiting​

• 2025 four-star CB Blake Woodby commits to Ohio State
• Buckeyes set to host another elite five-star talent this weekend
• Previewing the loaded guest list as Ohio State hosts Penn State
• Ohio State’s expecting big recruiting visitor list for Saturday’s game

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Ask LGHL​

• What recent issue does Ohio State need to remedy to beat Penn State?

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Other Columns​

• Ohio State may need several of ‘The Other Guys’ to step up against Penn State
• What is the most frustrating Ohio State-Penn State game you’ve seen?
• If you were setting the spread for Ohio State vs. Penn State, what would it be?
• What if the Buckeyes aren’t at full strength against Penn State?

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Tailgate Podcast: Everything you need to know to watch the Ohio State vs. Penn State game
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Robert Goddin-USA TODAY Sports

The only Ohio State game day podcast you need.

Before every Ohio State football game, Matt Tamanini will get you ready with all of the information that you need for that day’s game on the “LGHL Tailgate” podcast.

Listen to the episode and subscribe:

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

No. 3 Ohio State Buckeyes (-5) vs. Penn State | over/under 45.5​

Game Date/Time: Saturday, Oct. 21 at 12 noon ET
Location: Columbus, Ohio
TV: Fox
Radio: 97.1 FM/1460 AM

Today at 12 noon ET inside the cathedral of college football, the No. 3 Ohio State Buckeyes — coached by Ryan Day — will take on the No. 7 Penn State Nittany Lions under the direction of James Franklin from inside Ohio Stadium. Both teams are undefeated and a win will keep them atop the Big Ten East and in control of their own destiny when it comes to the race for the conference title and a College Football Playoff berth.

The Buckeyes are a bit banged up as No. 1 running back TreVeyon Henderson has been out the last two weeks, No. 2 back Chip Trayanum appeared to suffer a concussion last week against Purdue, and third-string running back Miyan Williams did not make the trip to West Lafayette a week ago. All three reportedly were full participants in practice this week, but the same cannot be said for wide receiver Emeka Egbuka and cornerback Denzel Burke.

Egbuka was seen at practice on Wednesday, but appeared to still be suffering from what Marvin Harrison Jr. confirmed was a severe ankle sprain. Denzel Burke was not spotted on Wednesday — which doesn’t necessarily mean that he wasn’t practicing, but it is not a good sign.

Whichever Buckeyes are able to play this afternoon might be favorites according to Las Vegas, but nearly every other prognosticator is picking against them, which might be just the extra little bit of motivation that they need.

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Matt’s Prediction: Ohio State 31, Purdue 17​

Kyle McCord: 275 yards passing. 3 touchdowns

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Contact Matt Tamanini
Twitter: @BWWMatt

Music by: epidemicsound.com​

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

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Stick to Sports Podcast: Do Penn State Fans nitpick their team as much as we do?
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Dan Rainville / USA TODAY NETWORK

Also a long discussion over the merits of a “Great Gatsby” musical.

Land-Grant Holy Land’s Stick to Sports is unlike any podcast you’ve heard on the Ohio State beat. Your hosts, Matt Tamanini and Jami Jurich, will (of course) talk Ohio State sports, but the primary focus of the show will be on what’s going on around the periphery, such as weird/funny happenings in college football and the sports world at large, as well as other things that keep us interested in between games, whether that’s pop culture, social media trends— you name it.

Listen to the episode and subscribe:

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

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On this episode of the Land-Grant Podcast Network’s sports-adjacent podcast “Stick to Sports,” Matt Tamanini and Jami Jurich dive into the nerves that go into a major game like the one that the No. 3 Buckeyes will have tomorrow against the No. 7 Penn State Nittany Lions. They discuss their own superstitions, whether all fans nitpick their teams as much as Buckeye Nation does, and why PSU winning would be worse than losing to Michigan.

They also have an in-depth conversation about the new musical adaptation of “The Great Gatsby” currently having its world premiere in New Jersey.

Jami’s Recommendation: “Eleanor & Park” by Rainbow Rowell
https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250012579/eleanorpark

Matt’s Recommendation: “The Great Gatsby” at New Jersey’s Paper Mill Playhouse
https://my.papermill.org/overview/gatsby

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Connect with Jami Jurich
Twitter: @JamiJurich

Connect with Matt Tamanini
Twitter: @BWWMatt

Theme music provided by www.bensound.com​

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Three Things To Watch vs. Penn State
Chip.Minnich via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


David Banks-USA TODAY Sports

Could be another nailbiter between the Buckeyes and Nittany Lions.

National television audience. A de facto Big Ten East Division elimination game. Ticket prices are exorbitant. The weather is predicted to be in the mid-50 degree range, with rain off and on in the forecast. Both teams are ranked highly. What else could you want as an Ohio State fan?

How about for key players on both sides of the ball to be healthy and able to play? We can address that one more in a little bit.

The Penn State Nittany Lions come into Ohio Stadium undefeated, and ranked seventh in the country. Penn State has had two previous road games this season, at Illinois (Penn State won 30-13) on Sept. 16, and at Northwestern (Penn State won 41-13) on Sept. 30, but the Nittany Lions have not yet played on the road against a ranked opponent.

This game will serve as a sort of homecoming for Penn State offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich and Penn State quarterback Drew Allar. Yurcich grew up in Euclid, Ohio, and was on the Ohio State coaching staff in 2019 under Ryan Day as the Ohio State passing game coordinator/quarterbacks coach. Allar grew up in Medina, Ohio, and was an All-State selection at quarterback. If not for Ohio State having current Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers on the roster in 2021, it is not far-fetched that Allar may have become a Buckeye.

Ohio State coach Ryan Day on whether he recruited PSU QB Drew Allar: "He's an Ohio kid who had a great career. We already had Quinn Ewers committed to us. There was a reclassification and at that point, he was already committed to Penn State."

— Adam Rittenberg (@ESPNRittenberg) October 17, 2023

Click to expand...

Penn State has not won in Ohio Stadium since 2011, but have come so very close in 2017 (39-38) and 2021 (33-24) to doing it again under the leadership of James Franklin. For Penn State to emerge on the national scene as a college football playoff contender, beating Ohio State on the road would help with that narrative.

Below are Three Things To Watch Versus Penn State, when the ball kicks off on FOX at 12:00 p.m. ET. For those of you going, make sure you check out the weather forecast, as it could be rainy.

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1. Can Ohio State slow down the Penn State running game?

The aforementioned Allar is a talented passer, but he is aided tremendously with two strong running backs in Kaytron Allen (375 yards, 4.8 yards per carry, three touchdowns) and Nicholas Singleton (362 yards, 4.1 yards per carry, six touchdowns). Look for Ohio State to try to limit the Penn State running game, putting the Nittany Lions in longer yardage situations. Tyleik Williams has been having a strong season for the Buckeyes along the interior defensive line, and will need to help clog up any running lanes against the Nittany Lions.

2. Is Cade Stover going to be a factor?

Special start to the year for pic.twitter.com/JMCRRuh51J

— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) October 18, 2023

Click to expand...

The Ohio State passing game, led by superstar WR Marvin Harrison Jr., is the strength of the Buckeyes’ offense. Penn State’s defense is arguably the nation’s best, and yards will be tough to gain through the air and on the ground. Emeka Egbuka did not play last week at Purdue, and may be limited in his effectiveness. If Harrison is being double-covered, and Egbuka limited, could this open up things for Cade Stover underneath in the short to intermediate routes for Kyle McCord? If ever there was a game for “Farmer Gronk” to emerge, this could be it.

3. Field position is not to be underrated

As I wrote up above, it could be wet and rainy. Ohio State special teams coach Parker Fleming has been heavily scrutinized for his unit’s inconsistent performances, and the special teams may need to come up big in this one. Punter Jesse Mirco is averaging 43 yards per punt, and may want to even punt out of bounds, considering Penn State’s Daequan Hardy returned two punts for touchdowns last week versus UMass.

As for PK Jayden Fielding, he is 7-for-7 on field goals attempts, with only a missed extra point last week at Purdue. It is my suspicion that points are going to be tough to come by against the Nittany Lions, and Fielding may be called upon to put points on the board for the Buckeyes throughout this game.

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My belief is that this game is going to be a tough, defensive, low-scoring affair, similar to what Ohio State had on the road at Notre Dame. It remains to be seen if the weather is going to play a factor. If this game was at Penn State, I would probably be picking the Nittany Lions to win it, and I may be regretting predicting such a relatively high score, but I have it Ohio State 28, Penn State 24.

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MC&J: Week 8 in the Big Ten will see Penn State and Ohio State clash
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

The Buckeyes are just over a field goal favorite when they host the Nittany Lions on Saturday afternoon.

Last week ATS: 8-5 (5-2 National, 3-3 B1G)​

Season ATS: 60-65 (25-38 National, 35-25 B1G)​

My picks for the interesting games on Saturday outside the Big Ten can be found here.

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B1G games​

Rutgers (-5.5) v. Indiana - 12:00 p.m. ET - Big Ten Network

The Scarlet Knights are quietly having a really good season. Greg Schiano’s team is just a win away from becoming bowl eligible and we haven’t even reached November. Last week Rutgers trailed Michigan State 24-6 head into the fourth quarter, and they scored three touchdowns in the final quarter to beat the Spartans 27-24.

Last week Indiana jumped out to a 7-0 lead on Michigan and then failed to score the rest of the game, losing to the Wolverines 52-7. While getting smashed by Michigan was expected, the Hoosiers are getting nothing going on offense this year. Indiana has only scored more than 20 points in two games. The first was when they ran up 41 points on Indiana State, and the other was when they scored 29 points in four overtimes against Akron.

This game is going to be ugly. Laying this many points on the road with Rutgers isn’t something I’m crazy about, but the Hoosiers are awful on offense. At least the Scarlet Knights have shown some moments where they look competent on offense, and their defense is allowing less than 300 yards per game.

Rutgers 24, Indiana 13

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Minnesota v. No. 24 Iowa (-3.5) - 3:30 p.m. ET - NBC

It’s wild that a team that is averaging less than 250 yards per game is 6-1 so far this season. Iowa is a mess on offense, and things are only going to get worse since Michigan transfer Erick All is injured and won’t play the rest of the season, joining quarterback Cade McNamara on the shelf. Last week Deacon Hill didn’t inspire much confidence behind center, completing just six passes for 37 yards in the 15-6 win at Wisconsin.

It’s not like Minnesota is setting the world on fire with their offense, though. The Golden Gophers can run the football a little, the problem is Iowa’s defense is so good it’s going to be hard for Minnesota to find any running room. This game will likely look a lot like Iowa’s game against Wisconsin last week. As bad as Hill and the Iowa offense has been, I can see them having a little success on their home turf. I haven’t seen anything from Minnesota this year to make me think they’ll be able to crack the defense of the Hawkeyes.

Iowa 20, Minnesota 10

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Wisconsin (-2.5) v. Illinois - 3:30 p.m. ET - FS1

Things just keep getting worse for Luke Fickell. Not only has the Wisconsin offense not taken off quite like he was hoping it would, now quarterback Tanner Mordecai will miss some time with a broken hand. If Fickell was smart, he’d tell offensive coordinator Phil Longo to feed running back Braelon Allen early and often. I’m not sure Longo is smart enough to do that, though.

Illinois was able to slow some of the bleeding last time out when they beat Maryland 27-24. I can’t say that I think the win fixes everything, but at least it gives Bret Bielema’s team some confidence. The Fighting Illini still are having a tough time running the football, which is how they were able to find a lot of their success last season. Quarterback Luke Altmyer has at least calmed down on the turnovers of late, only throwing two interceptions over the last game after tossing four picks against Penn State.

Even with a backup quarterback, I think Wisconsin still finds a way to beat their old head coach. Allen finds space to run against a Illinois rush defense that is giving up over 160 yards per game, and Braedyn Locke will be more comfortable at quarterback since he has some time to prepare to start. Plus, Illinois’ defense isn’t close to the caliber of Iowa’s defense.

Wisconsin 23, Illinois 17

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Northwestern v. Nebraska (-11.5) - 3:30 p.m. ET - Big Ten Network

Nebraska has actually strung together some wins recently, winning three of their last four games, with the only loss during that span coming to Michigan. Heinrich Haarberg has given the Cornhuskers a jolt at quarterback with his dual-threat ability. A few more victories for Nebraska and they’ll be bowl eligible for the first time in what feels like forever.

Northwestern also enters this game at 3-3. The forecast for the Wildcats doesn’t look as good, though. Last time out Northwestern only beat Howard by a field goal, and starting quarterback Ben Bryant is injured, which left Brendan Sullivan to take the snaps a couple weeks ago.

As little as I trust Northwestern, I’m not quite ready to lay this many points with the Cornhuskers. I certainly see Nebraska winning this game, I just feel like they’ll make it a lot more difficult than it needs to be. This game has shenanigans written all over it. Watch the Cornhuskers look terrible for most of the game and then end up winning by a late score.

Nebraska 24, Northwestern 20

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No. 2 Michigan (-24.5) v. Michigan State - 7:30 p.m. ET - NBC

Michigan State has turned blowing second half leads into art over the last two games. The Spartans let Iowa score 16 unanswered points in the second half a couple weeks ago, losing 26-16 to the Hawkeyes. Last week, Michigan State led Rutgers 24-6 heading into the fourth quarter, but couldn’t leave New Jersey with a win, falling 27-24.

You just know Michigan is going to come into this game pissed off. Not only are they playing their in-state rival, they now have to deal with cheating allegations. The Wolverines better hand out their beatings while they can. I’m sure Michigan fans are going to hold candlelight vigils since they feel like they are being unfairly targeted by the NCAA.

The good news for Michigan State is they’re not going to have a second half lead to blow this week. The Wolverines have played nobody this year, but they are creaming the nobodies that they are playing. I see no reason why that changes this week. The Spartans will be hyped coming out of the gates at home but they are still a bad team.

Michigan 41, Michigan State 10

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No. 7 Penn State v. No. 3 Ohio State (-4.5) - 12:00 p.m. ET - FOX

After dominating Purdue from start to finish last week in West Lafayette, Ohio State returns home this week to take on Penn State. This will be the seventh straight meeting between the teams where both programs are ranked heading into their clash. The Buckeyes have won six straight games in the series with the Nittany Lions, but the matchups usually come down to the wire.

Last year J.T. Tuimoloau was the difference in the game, as the defensive end had one of the greatest individual defensive performances in a game in college football history, registering two sacks and having a hand in four of Penn State’s turnovers. Marvin Harrison Jr. was also a beast in the game, with all 10 of his catches resulting in first downs. After scoring 30 points in the first three quarters of the game, the two teams combined to score 45 points in the fourth quarter.

This year Ohio State’s defense is playing at a higher level than they were heading into last week’s game. So far this season the Buckeyes haven’t given up more than 17 points in a game. The Silver Bullets will have to be at the top of their game, since Penn State has a quarterback in Drew Allar who hasn’t thrown an interception yet this season. Along with Allar, the Nittany Lions have three strong running backs in Kaytron Allen, Nicholas Singleton, and Trey Potts.

What is going to set the Buckeyes apart in this game is they have at least been in some high pressure situations, which is something Penn State can’t say they have had to deal with. Allar hasn’t had to play in a hostile environment like he’ll see in Columbus on Saturday. Even though Ohio State does have some injury issues, Kyle McCord continues to build off his positive performances over the last few weeks.

Ohio State 28, Penn State 20

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Five stats that could decide Saturday’s Ohio State-Penn State game
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

Neither the Buckeyes or Nittany Lions have played an opponent as talented as they will on Saturday.

The eyes of the college football world will be on The Horseshoe on Saturday as the No. 3 Ohio State Buckeyes play host to the No. 7 Penn State Nittany Lions at 12 noon ET in a game that will be broadcast on Fox. Both “Big Noon Kickoff” and “ESPN College GameDay” will be on campus to cover the game from all of its angles. However, we wanted to dive into some of the stats that very well could spell the difference in the game this weekend.

Since you likely know all about the Ohio State team at this point, we decided to focus specifically on things that the Penn State squad does — or doesn’t do — particularly well in an effort to get a more well-rounded picture as to what the game will look like on Saturday. Of course, as is also true with Ohio State, it is a bit difficult to fully know how much of these statistics are a product of Penn State’s prowess on the field and what is a byproduct of a pretty underwhelming slate of opponents during the first half of the season.

I suppose we will find that out in 24 hours’ time, but in the meantime, let us know what you think will be the biggest determinant of the outcome on Saturday afternoon in the comments below.

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1) Penn State has allowed only one passing touchdown on the season​

Since Ryan Day arrived in Columbus, there has been little doubt that the Buckeyes are a pass-first team. While the OSU head coach likes to preach balance, even when attempting to win a game by running stretch plays into the boundary, the Buckeyes are best when they are getting the ball in the hands of their deep, electric, and sometimes otherworldly receiving corps.

To combat this aspect of OSU’s game plan, the Nittany Lions have one of the best passing defenses in the country, allowing only a single score through the air on the year and giving up just 121.2 passing yards per game thus far. Admittedly, their defense is stout in all aspects, not just against the pass. PSU’s D ranks second nationally in points allowed per game at 8 — Ohio State is third at 9.7. Against the run, the Nittany Lions are third in FBS allowing just 72.50 yards per game, having given up a paltry five touchdowns so far in the season.

But especially of note for the Buckeyes is how well they’ve done against the pass. Compared to the one touchdown pass allowed, PSU has collected seven interceptions and is holding opposing offenses to an FBS-low 4.6 yards per attempt.

Conversely, the Buckeyes are tied for ninth nationally with more than double that average at 9.6 ypa. Even at 308 yards per game (good for 15th nationally), the Buckeye passing attack has not yet been as productive in 2023 as it has in recent years, but almost assuredly, Kyle McCord, Marvin Harrison Jr., Cade Stover, et al. will need to have their best games of the season for the home team to come out on top tomorrow.

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2) Penn State is 129th nationally in offensive plays of 20 yards or more, but that doesn’t really matter​

The downfall of Ohio State’s team in 2022 was the defense’s tendency to allow major chunk plays, many of which turned into touchdowns. That was the focus of defensive coordinator Jim Knowles’ entire offseason as he has retooled his entire approach and has pulled way back on bringing extra pressure, choosing instead to allow his rock-solid secondary to keep plays in front of them.

That should continue to be the case on Saturday, as Penn State has only wracked up 16 plays of 20 yards or more on the season, which ranks 129th out of 133 teams in the FBS. For comparison’s sake, OSU has 35, which ranks 40th in the country.

The difference is that on defense, Ohio State is sixth nationally allowing only 15 plays of 20+ yards, and is second in the country giving up only four plays of 30+ yards; a striking difference from the defensive unit that plagued the Buckeyes last season.

Now, this is not to say that PSU cannot move the ball. In fact, they have the second-best time of possession in the country behind only Air Force. The Nittany Lions hold onto the ball for an average of 34:35.83 per game. So, while they have not yet been able to hit big plays, their sturdy running attack and efficient short-to-intermediate passing game allows them to keep moving the chains. James Franklin’s team is 20th nationally converting 48.28% of their third downs and No. 1 in the country picking up 91.67% of their fourth down attempts.

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3) Penn State leads the country in turnover margin at +1.83​

There is a theory in football that a significant portion of whether or not a team is “good” at creating turnovers is simply luck. But, when a team continues to generate takeaways on a regular basis, it can be very telling. So far this year, Penn State has taken the ball away 13 times (seven INTs, six fumbles recovered); that total is good for 15th in FBS. However, when combined with the fact that the team has only given the ball away twice (both fumbles) that breaks down to a +1.83 turnover margin, which is tied with Oklahoma for the best in the country.

Now, admittedly, four of those takeaways were fumbles from the Iowa game, but it is still an impressive total. On the other side of the ratio, first-year starting quarterback Drew Allar has not thrown an interception this season, but he has yet play a secondary as talented as the Buckeyes in his career.

If OSU — even potentially without No. 1 cornerback Denzel Burke — can find ways to take the ball away from the PSU offense, that could go a long way to upsetting the formula that the Nittany Lions have used to win games so handily this year.

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4) Penn State is fourth nationally in opponents’ third down conversion percentage​

One of the major issues that the Buckeyes have had so far this season is converting on third down. They have seemingly figured some things out in recent weeks to raise their conversion percentage to 44% (still only good for 41st nationally), but they will be in for a much tougher battle than they are used to on Saturday.

This season, Penn State is allowing opponents to convert on only 26.51% of their third down attempts, good for fourth in FBS. They are less successful on fourth down, allowing teams to pick up 45.45% on those downs — which amounts to the 56th-best total in the country.

The key to the Nittany Lions' efficiency on third down has been in keeping opposing offenses behind the chains. So, if Day and his offense can find ways to get into manageable situations on third down — or better yet, avoid third downs altogether! — it should go a long way to allowing the Buckeyes to sustain drives and eat into PSU’s time-of-possession advantage.

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5) Penn State is third nationally with 4.50 sacks per game​

Ohio State has allowed 10 sacks in six games so far this season, which comes out to a respectable 1.67 per game — good for 40th in the country. However, they have not faced a defense like Penn State’s yet. The Nittany Lions are averaging a whopping 4.5 sacks and 8.5 tackles for loss per game in 2023.

There is no question that Ohio State’s offensive line has been its biggest weakness throughout the first half of their season, but that has mostly manifested itself in run blocking. The Notre Dame defensive front presented a challenge for the Buckeyes, but Kyle McCord was only sacked once in that game.

The first-year starter has proven to be fairly effective against pressure this season, both in moving and escaping the pocket, as well as stepping up into rushers. Last week against Purdue, he seemed to be throwing off of his back foot more than he ever has before, and while it was fairly effective against the Boilermakers, he is unlikely to be as productive that way against a defense as dynamic as Penn State’s.

So, this will be a massive test for the OSU offensive line, and whether or not they can avoid failing, let alone pass with flying colors, could be the difference between a Buckeye win or loss. Of course, the game plan and play calling will play a huge factor in the o-line’s success on Saturday. McCord has hit some impressive deep shots, but he has seemed to be more comfortable in the intermediate range, getting rid of the ball quickly and allowing the sheer talent advantage that his wide receivers have over defenders to be the difference.

If Day focuses on getting the ball out of McCord’s hands quickly — to receivers, tight ends, and even running backs — that would obviously help to negate the pass rush advantage that PSU has in the game.

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You’re Nuts: Which in-state team would be the most fun yearly matchup for Ohio State men’s basketball?
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports

Non-conference scheduling is getting tougher every year, but if we had a say, the Buckeyes would see these teams annually.

With Ohio State heading west this weekend to tangle with the Dayton Flyers at UD Arena for the first time in 35 years, we took a moment to debate which in-state teams would make the most fun annual matchup for the Buckeyes. This isn’t something that’s done often in college basketball (an annual non-conference game against the same team), but for the sake of debate, we’re each picking an in-state foe.

Last week, the guys took a look at Ohio State’s newly-released schedule and pointed out a couple of games that they would consider “trap” games. Justin picked Ohio State’s road game at Michigan on January 15. Connor picked Ohio State’s road game at Wisconsin on February 13. 56% of the people who read our piece last week sided with Justin. 6% of the people agreed with Connor, and 38% of the people think it’s a different game.

After 122 weeks:​

Connor- 55
Justin- 49
Other- 14​

(There have been four ties)​

This week, the guys are each taking an in-state foe that they think would be fun for the Buckeyes to make an annual matchup. We’re very clear that this is unlikely to ever materialize, but we’re also both fans of the many great men’s basketball programs in Ohio. This is a great excuse to write about a few of them.

Today’s Question: Which in-state team would be the most fun yearly matchup for Ohio State? ​

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Connor: Dayton ​

Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports

I think this is the correct answer and also the easy answer. The Dayton Flyers have a great basketball program, with one of the best venues in the country as well as one of the most rabid alumni and fan bases in all of college basketball.

Flyer fans have always acted like their program was just as prestigious as Ohio State, and a big NCAA Tournament win over the Buckeyes in 2014 has cemented their opinion. When you throw the two teams’ recent track record and NCAA Tournament success (or lack thereof) into the mix, PLUS Dayton’s win over the Buckeyes in 2014, Flyer fans may have a point.

While most people would say Ohio State is still the premier basketball program in the state of Ohio, there’s no doubt that Dayton fans still have bragging rights until the two teams meet again. If the Buckeyes win the charity exhibition game this weekend at UD Arena, the Dayton fanbase will probably try to hold onto bragging rights, since this game is just an exhibition. If the Flyers win, they’ll never let Ohio State fans hear the end of it.

Part of the reason this weekend’s exhibition game is such a big deal is because of how rare of an occasion it is to see these two teams come together and face each other. Before that NCAA Tournament game in 2014, these two teams — despite being separated by only 75 miles — had not played in 26 years.

Chris Holtmann told the media on Tuesday that he’s been “given a lot of grief” by Flyer fans for not scheduling them during his seven years as head man of the Buckeye program. However, as the Big Ten continues to expand, teams have fewer and fewer non-conference games to tinker with. Ohio State is already tied into at least three games as part of the CBS Sports Classic/various other MTE’s each year. If the Big Ten moves to a 22-game schedule at some point, that would be even fewer games to squeeze in someone like Dayton in November or December.

Even so, if there were an opportunity to schedule another Ohio team on a yearly basis, Dayton would be the one. Flyer fans have completely sold out UD Arena this weekend for a game that literally does not count for anything — other than the money that will be raised for some worthwhile causes. These two programs are consistently the best in the state. Having them face each other every year would be fantastic.

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Justin: Cincinnati ​

Kylie Graham-USA TODAY Sports

Dayton is the simple answer, and it would be fun if Ohio State were able to play them yearly, but I am going to take a different route for this one. I want the Buckeyes to play Cincinnati every season or at least once every three years.

Ohio State has only played the Bearcats seven times in the program’s history, and the Buckeyes are 5-2. They played the Bearcats last season, and the Buckeyes won 81-53 behind 19 points and eight rebounds from Zed Key.

It seems weird that two of the top programs historically in the state have only played seven times, and Ohio State has played Ohio University and Cleveland State more than Cincinnati. Both student sections and fans would show out for this one, just like Dayton.

This would also be a fun and interesting game in terms of recruiting. A lot of in-state recruits and recruits in border states will consider both Ohio State and Cincinnati in their final lists. A lot of recruits would visit this game and make it part of their success of beating the other school if they chose one of the two. Especially if they were offered a spot on the roster by one and not the other.

Cincinnati has had success recently with Mick Cronin and now Wes Miller. The Bearcats would be a solid test for the Buckeyes every time they play and would be a marquee early-season matchup.

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Ohio State vs. Penn State: 2023 game preview and prediction
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images

The Buckeyes will be looking for their seventh-straight win over their neighbors to the east.

Ohio State’s biggest home game of the 2023 takes place on Saturday when the Buckeyes host Penn State. Ryan Day’s team is coming off an easy 41-7 win in West Lafayette over Purdue where Ohio State was in charge from start to finish.

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A highly entertaining series​

This week figures to present a stiffer challenge for the Buckeyes. In the series with Penn State, 35 percent of the matchups between the teams have been decided by a touchdown or less. This game marks the seventh consecutive meeting where both teams enter the contest ranked, and it is the 24th time in 39 all-time games.

Since the 2020 game against Michigan was cancelled, the 31 straight seasons the Nittany Lions and Buckeyes have met make the series with Penn State the longest consecutive active series, at least until 2025 when the teams aren’t scheduled to meet in Big Ten play.

Last year’s game in State College featured a classic performance from Ohio State’s J.T. Tuimoloau. The defensive end created four turnovers in the game, forcing a fumble, tipping a pass that led to an interception, and picking off two passes, one of which he returned for a touchdown. Tuimoloau also had two sacks in the game, which will go down as one of the greatest individual defensive performances in a game in college football history.

Not only did Tuimoloau have a game for the ages, there was a couple of other amazing feats in last year’s 44-31 thriller. Wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. caught 10 passes in the game, with all his catches resulting in first downs. The teams combined to score 45 points in the final quarter after scoring just 30 points in the first three quarters.

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Finding their groove​

Marvin Harrison Jr. continued to work his way up the Ohio State record books after catching six passes for 105 yards and a score against Purdue. Not only did Harrison record his fourth 100-yard game of the season, he is now tied with Chris Olave for second-most 100-yard receiving games in history, just three away tying David Boston’s school record of 14 100-yard receiving games. The junior also became the 12th Buckeye to reach 2,000 career receiving yards.

With Emeka Egbuka on the sidelines due to injury, tight end Cade Stover was an even bigger part of the passing offense last week. Stover finished with four catches for 53 yards, finding the end zone twice against the Boilermakers. Now Stover is two catches shy of tying Bruce Jankowski for fifth all-time amongst Buckeye tight ends. Stover is second on the team with 23 catches and 359 yards.

An area where Ohio State was thin heading into the game last week was at running back. Not only did TreVeyon Henderson miss his second consecutive game, Miyan Williams also was unavailable for the game due to injury. Then early in the game Chip Trayanum was injured, leading Dallan Hayden to shoulder most of the running load not long after head coach Ryan Day said the play for Hayden was to use the running back’s redshirt this season.

Last week Kyle McCord continued his strong play, throwing for 276 yards and three touchdowns in the rout of Purdue. While McCord has cemented himself as the starting quarterback of the Buckeyes, Ryan Day threw a wrinkle into the offense when he introduced backup quarterback Devin Brown into a red zone package. Brown ran for a two-yard touchdown late in the first quarter, and would have had a second score had he not fumbled the football as he was heading into the end zone in the second quarter. The biggest impact of Brown taking some red zone snaps is it gives Penn State a new look to prepare for.

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JTT & friends on defense​

Not only has J.T. Tuimoloau has been playing better of late, last week Jack Sawyer recorded his first sack of the season, as he was credited with a sack and a half against the Boilermakers, Tuimoloau matched Sawyer’s sack output, registering a sack and a half for the second consecutive game. Tuimoloau now has three sacks on the season, which is a team-high. Tyleik Williams is the leading tackler on the defensive line, with the defensive tackle being credited with 27 tackles through six games.

Tuimoloau, Sawyer, Williams, and the rest of the defensive line are going to have to work hard to create pressure on Saturday since they’ll be going up against a Penn State offensive line that has allowed just four sacks this year. The most impressive offensive line Ohio State will have to try and solve is left tackle Olumuyiwa Fashanu, who has yet to allow a sack so far this season. Redshirt senior Caeden Wallace will man the other tackle spot, while 34-game starter Hunter Nourzad is the center for the Nittany Lions.

Ohio State’s secondary continued their dominant play last week, only allowing Purdue to complete 14 of 35 pass attempts. Cornerback Denzel Burke leads the Big Ten with nine pass breakups, and his 25 career PBUs is currently tied with Shawn Springs for sixth-most in school history. Jordan Hancock and Davison Igbinosun have done a great job in trying to match what Burke has been doing, while Josh Proctor, Sonny Styles, and Lathan Ransom have been making waves at safety.

At linebacker, Tommy Eichenberg and Steele Chambers have a lock on the starting positions, but Cody Simon has been making an impact over the weeks. Last week Simon tied for the team lead in the win of Purdue, with both linebackers making eight tackles. The senior is now just 11 tackles from tying his total from 2022 of 32 tackles. The play of Simon also has kept highly touted linebacker C.J. Hicks off the field after it was assumed heading into the season that Hicks would play a bigger role than he has so far this year.

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Penn State so far this year​

While going on the road and beating Notre Dame was a huge win for Ohio State, the Buckeyes are going to face an even bigger challenge when they take on Penn State on Saturday. The Nittany Lions have set a school record with each of their 11 straight wins being by a least 14 points. The Nittany Lions also have scored 30 points in 13 straight games, which is the longest active streak in the country.

Last week Penn State had no problem in their game against UMass, beating the Minutemen 63-0 in State College. The win mark the second time the Nittany Lions have scored 63 points in a game this year, as they also reached that mark in their win over Delaware. The win last Saturday was highlighted by Daequan Hardy, who became the first Penn State player to return two punts in a game for touchdowns.

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The Nittany Lions on offense​

Leading the Penn State offense is quarterback Drew Allar, who has been even better than advertised. The Ohio product is not only the only quarterback in the country with at least 150 pass attempts and no interceptions, he is the first Big Ten quarterback since 2000 to attempt at least 180 passes and not throw an interception. Dating back to last year’s game against Maryland, Penn State quarterbacks haven’t thrown an interception over the last 10 games.

Along with what Allar gives the Nittany Lions throwing the football, Penn State also has a trio of impressive running backs. Kaytron Allen, Nicholas Singleton, and Minnesota transfer Trey Potts all have at least 1,200 career rushing yards. Allen is currently the team’s leading rusher, rolling up 375 yards this year. Singleton sits just 13 yards behind Allen, and is leading the Nittany Lions with six rushing touchdowns so far this season. The running game has been a huge reason why Penn State is second in the country with an average time of possession of 34:36. In the shutout of Iowa, the Nittany Lions held onto the football for 45:27.

Every year it feels like Penn State has a receiver that picks apart the Ohio State secondary. The leading candidate to do that this year is KeAndre Lambert-Smith, who has caught 31 passes for 402 yards and three touchdowns so far this year. Lambert-Smith is the only Penn State receiver with multiple catches of at least 80 yards.

Partnering with Lambert-Smith is Theo Johnson and Tyler Warren, who each have 16 catches so far this season. Warren has been a prime target of Allar when Penn State nears the end zone, as he has hauled in five touchdown passes this year. A sleeper candidate to make some plays on Saturday could be Kent State transfer Dante Cephas, who has yet to make much of an impact after joining the Nittany Lions in the transfer portal.

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A roaring Penn State defense​

Unlike Ohio State, Penn State hasn’t had much trouble generating pressure so far this season. The Nittany Lions have 19 players that have made at least one tackle for loss this season, and 15 players that have recorded at least one sack so far this year. As a team, Penn State has 27 sacks through six games. Leading the team is sacks is defensive end Adisa Isaac, who has five sacks this season. Lining up on the other end of the defensive line will be Chop Robinson.

In the backend of the defense, Penn State has a pair of Kings that will be all over the field. Hybrid defender Kobe King has four tackles for loss this season and a forced fumble, while cornerback Kalen King has 11 tackles and a pass breakup. Rounding out the secondary will be safeties Jaylen Reed, Kevin Winston, and cornerback Johnny Dixon. Daequan Hardy also has two interceptions this season and should see some time at corner during the game.

Since the Nittany Lions are so good at holding onto the football, the tackle totals for the linebackers aren’t nearly as high as what has been seen from Tommy Eichenberg and Steele Chambers. Curtis Jacobs leads the team with 23 tackles, while also registering three tackles for loss. Dominic Deluca is tied for second with 16 tackles, and has an interception, two forced fumbles, and three pass breakups in the season’s first six games. Abdul Carter is also a linebacker the Buckeyes will have to keep tabs on in Saturday’s contest.

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Summary​

Saturday’s game has the feel of being another game between Ohio State and Penn State that comes down to the wire. Both teams have questions heading into the game. The Buckeyes are dealing with injuries to TreVeyon Henderson, Miyan Williams, and Emeka Egbuka. Luckily Ohio State has depth at both positions which has allowed them to deal with injuries at some of their key positions over the last few seasons.

The Nittany Lions will be facing their first true test of the season. The toughest teams Penn State have played this year have been West Virginia and Iowa, with both of those games coming at home. While the Hawkeyes have a tremendous defense, they have one of the worst offenses that college football has ever seen. Saturday’s game against Ohio State will show whether the Nittany Lions are for real, or if a good amount of their success this year has because they have been playing lesser competition.

To win on Saturday, Ohio State is going to have to do something that nobody has been able to do so far this year. Rattle Penn State quarterback Drew Allar. This will be the first true road game Allar has had to try and navigate, since games at Illinois and Northwestern didn’t have anywhere close to the hostile environment that he will see in Columbus on Saturday. If the Buckeyes are able to force Allar into throwing an interception early, it will be interesting to see how the QB responds to throwing his first pick of the season.

This showdown is going to come down to the trenches. Last year J.T. Tuimoloau was the difference since he was able to put constant pressure on quarterback Sean Clifford. It will be tough for the Buckeyes to put pressure on Allar since the Penn State offensive line is so good, but it’s not impossible. A key for Ohio State will be if Jack Sawyer can build on his performance from last week, since Tuimoloau will certainly receive a lot of attention.

On the other side, Ohio State’s offensive line will have to be at their best on Saturday, since the Nittany Lions have been able to create pressure from all angles so far this season. If the Buckeyes can give Kyle McCord time to evaluate his options, or the running backs some holes to run through, it greatly improve Ohio State’s chance of winning this battle of undefeated teams.

LGHL prediction: Ohio State 28, Penn State 20​

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In Conversation Podcast: The Athletic’s Scott Dochterman previews Ohio State-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


Matthew O’Haren-USA TODAY Sports

Also, has the Hawkeye fanbase turned on Kirk Ferentz for the offensive (pun intended) sins of his son?

On Land-Grant Holy Land In Conversation, we talk to people in and around Ohio State athletics, and the sporting world at large, to bring you a different insight and perspective to the teams, athletes, and university that you love.

Listen to the episode and subscribe:

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

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On today’s episode, Matt Tamanini is in conversation with Scott Dochterman from The Athletic. Scott covers the Iowa Hawkeyes and the Big Ten and is able to provide valuable insight into the Buckeyes’ opponent on Saturday. With Penn State having skunked Iowa 31-0 earlier this season, Scott was able to get a good handle on what PSU does well, and where some of their weaknesses might be.

Matt and Scott also discuss the unusual season that Iowa is having and how much the 25 points per game stipulation in offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz’s contract is impacting the team and the fanbase.

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Connect with Scott Dochterman

Twitter: @ScottDochterman
Read his work: https://theathletic.com/author/scott-dochterman/

Connect with Matt Tamanini
Twitter: @BWWMatt

Theme music provided by www.bensound.com​

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Buckeyes set to host another elite five-star talent this weekend as new names continue to be added to the guest list
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here



Five-star Jonah Williams will make the visit to Ohio State this weekend.

You would think that after all of the names mentioned so far this week that the list would be basically full, but Thursday was another day for Ohio State to see their name in the mix for visit plans this weekend. Regardless of class or position, the names continue to pile up, and this staff doesn’t seem to be capping the number any time soon either.

Every year it seems that there’s always one big weekend during spring ball and another big weekend during the summer months where Ohio State’s visit plans are off the charts. In season, there’s typically a home game that outmatches the rest, and this Saturday is that day. Buckle up. It’s going to be quite the next 72 hours.

A Texas trifecta heading to Columbus this weekend ​

All eyes will be on the Buckeyes as they take on Penn State, and with the game being the first and most important priority, a close second are the recruiting efforts. Set to host one of the more impressive guest lists you could see, the coaching staff has a ton of their top guys both committed and uncommitted coming to campus, and the goal is for each to leave feeling really solid about Ohio State.

Two of the more highly anticipated visitors Devin Sanchez and Dorian Brew were mentioned on Thursday, as the cornerback duo will be on site Saturday to see Ohio State compete. What’s been a really solid season so far for the back end of the defense, these two guys have to be liking what they see.

Those two names alone would have been enough, but some news broke on Thursday that there’s another big time 2025 defensive back set to be in attendance this weekend. Prefaced with the fact that Brew is an Ohio native who has moved to Texas, the third product from the Lone Star State to be in Columbus this weekend now includes 2025 safety, Jonah Williams.

The No. 17 player nationally per the 247Sports Composite, Williams being on campus at any time is a major win for the coaching staff, but having him join the likes of Sanchez and Brew is a huge advantage for the Buckeyes. Package deals aren’t something to bank on, but it’s never a bad thing for major targets like this to be together. For Ohio State, this is just another elite talent that will be on site to see all the program has to offer.

A five-star has almost definitely figured out his plans for this weekend:https://t.co/80RXMvJ2st pic.twitter.com/Z47kGPPLws

— Adam Gorney (@adamgorney) October 19, 2023

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Quick Hits​

• It will be interesting to see what Brian Hartline does at the receiver position in the 2025 class. Thanks to having a full stable of young guys after this 2023 campaign, the Buckeyes can afford to land less than the typical amount of guys at the spot, but if there’s one thing that’s certain, it’s that Hartline will have his fair share of success.

Though the 2024 class of receivers is his first priority right now before signing day, 2025 has Hartline’s attention as well, and this weekend a current Alabama commit will take in an Ohio State game day.

Set to arrive tomorrow, Jaime Ffrench is another big time name worth mentioning. The No. 13 player nationally and the fourth best receiver in the 2025 class per the 247Sports Composite, Ffrench has been committed to Alabama since July of this past summer, but visiting the Buckeyes this weekend shows he’s not totally shut it down yet in terms of entertaining other interests.

The Buckeyes tend to have their way when it comes to the receiver position, and if Ffrench is someone Hartline really wants, you can’t count them out even if he is currently pledged elsewhere. Either way, it’s worth keeping an eye on moving forward.

I’ll be in Columbus this weekend ! @brianhartline pic.twitter.com/sgtbaTKscP

— Jaime Ffrench Jr. (@jaimeffrenchjr) October 19, 2023

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Uncut Podcast: Day, McCord, Marv, more talk injuries, game plan, Penn State, much more
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here



Basically, every Buckeye talks to reporters about Saturday’s game against the Nittany Lions.

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

Listen to the episode and subscribe:


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On today’s episode of “Land-Grant Uncut,” we are bringing you unedited audio from the Wednesday, Oct. 18 postpractice media availabilities at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center where Ohio State football coach Ryan Day, quarterback Kyle McCord, wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., defensive lineman Tyleik Williams, offensive lineman Donovan Jackson, tight end Cade Stover, and linebacker Cody Simon met with reporters to provide updates on their preparation for this weekend’s marquee matchup against the Penn State Nittany Lions.

The Buckeyes discussed how Ohio State will deal with any potential injury issues on Saturday, the enormous challenge PSU will present, what this week has been like as they prepare and much more.

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Contact Matt Tamanini
Twitter: @BWWMatt

Music by: www.bensound.com​

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MC&J: Will Week 8’s national action see Alabama get revenge on Tennessee?
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

Plus, Oklahoma quarterback Dillon Gabriel and Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze host their former teams.

Last week ATS: 8-5 (5-2 National, 3-3 B1G)​

Season ATS: 60-65 (25-38 National, 35-25 B1G)​

If we could have more weeks the rest of the season like we did last week, the season would be a success. After gaining a few games on .500 now the key will be to not loss the progress we made. This week has some tough matchups to predict since the spreads are bigger, but I have confidence we can put together another winning week.

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National games​

UCF v. No. 6 Oklahoma (-18.5) - 12:00 p.m. ET - ABC

Dillon Gabriel’s revenge game is here! The Oklahoma quarterback started his career at UCF before entering the transfer portal and moving on to the Sooners. I’m sure there is no ill will between the quarterback and his former team, it’s really about the only interesting storyline in this game aside from this being the only meeting we’ll see between these two schools as conference foes.

Oklahoma looked great in their victory over Texas a few weeks ago in the Red River Shootout. If the Sooners handle their business, they’ll be able to cruise into the Big 12 Championship Game in early December, and it’d be hard to keep them out of the College Football Playoff, even if they end up losing that game.

The Golden Knights haven’t enjoyed their first season in the Big 12, losing all three of their conference games so far. The last time UCF was on the field, they were embarrassed 51-22 by Kansas. Along with the lopsided loss, quarterback John Rhys Plumlee was pulled in the first quarter after it was obvious he wasn’t fully recovered from an injury he suffered in early September against Boise State. The Sooners add to UCF’s woes by handing them another blowout loss.

Oklahoma 48, UCF 21

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Washington State v. No. 9 Oregon (-18.5) - 3:30 p.m. ET - ABC

Both Washington State and Oregon are coming off losses last week. At least Oregon can look themselves in the mirror after dropping a close contest against Washington. The Cougs were obliterated in Pullman, losing 44-6 to Arizona. Washington State has now run for a total of 47 yards in the last two games. To say the Cougars have lost the plot after beating Oregon State is an understatement.

Oregon is going to be furious after falling short in the showdown with Washington last week. The Ducks are going to take out some of the frustrations on Washington State this week. The Cougars can’t run the football, which will allow the Oregon defense to load up and get after quarterback Cam Ward. Dan Lanning won’t have to worry about making any fourth down decisions since the Ducks should cruise in this game.

Oregon 45, Washington State 20

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No. 17 Tennessee v. No. 11 Alabama (-8.5) - 3:30 p.m. ET - CBS

You just know last year’s loss to Tennessee is still eating at Alabama head coach Nick Saban. The Volunteers were able to snap a 15-game losing streak to the Crimson Tide with the thrilling win in Knoxville. A lot has changed in the last year, most notably at quarterback for both teams. Tennessee has Michigan transfer Joe Milton taking the snaps, while Jalen Milroe is finding his way behind center for Alabama.

MIlton’s inconsistency at quarterback has led to Tennessee doing most of their damage on the ground, averaging 230 yards per game rushing so far this season. The issue for the Volunteers is they’re not going to be able to get much going running the football against Alabama’s stout defense. Laying more than a touchdown with the Crimson Tide is a little concerning, but so far this year it feels like every time I think the spread is a little high for Alabama they have gone on to prove me wrong and cover, so I might as well try and learn from my mistakes.

Alabama 28, Tennessee 17

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South Carolina v. No. 20 Missouri (-7) - 3:30 p.m. ET - SEC Network

Heading into the year, I thought South Carolina was going to be better than they have been so far this year. Last week the Gamecocks dropped a heartbreaker to Florida, which led to head coach Shane Beamer kicking something after the game and breaking his foot. That pretty much tells you everything you need to know about how things are going in Columbia.

At the other Columbia in the SEC, things are going a lot better. The Tigers are coming off a road win at Kentucky where they shook off a 14-0 first quarter deficit and finished the game on a 38-7 run. If Missouri can win on Saturday, it will set up a spicy matchup in a couple weeks at Georgia. Quarterback Brady Cook is quietly putting together a great season, teaming with dynamic wide receiver Luther Burden III. The Tigers keep rolling against a South Carolina team that is reeling.

Missouri 38, South Carolina 24

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No. 13 Ole Miss (-6.5) v. Auburn - 7:00 p.m. ET - ESPN

Hugh Freeze will square off with his former employer when Auburn hosts Ole Miss on Saturday night. I’m sure Freeze would like his team to be in a better position heading into the game. The Tigers are on a three-game losing streak, with their latest loss being a 48-18 blowout at LSU last week. Payton Thorne doesn’t provide much at quarterback for Auburn, which is a problem since they don’t have a running game to lean on when their quarterback struggles.

Ole Miss doesn’t have to worry much about their quarterback, since Jaxson Dart has been really good this year. The offense of the Rebels also has the ability to run the football with Quinshon Judkins. While Auburn will try and play hard for Freeze in his first conference game against his former team, the Tigers don’t have the offensive firepower to keep pace with what Lane Kiffin and Ole Miss will throw at them.

Ole Miss 34, Auburn 21

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No. 16 Duke v. No. 4 Florida State (-13.5) - 7:30 p.m. ET - ABC

Duke has been a pretty neat story so far this year. The Blue Devils took down Clemson in their season opener, and a few weeks ago pushed Notre Dame to the limit in Durham. Then quarterback Riley Leonard was injured in the loss to the Fighting Irish. The Blue Devils were able to get by last week since NC State is a clueless team. Backup quarterback Henry Belin IV was just 4-of-12 for 107 yards and two touchdowns in the 24-3 win. Running back Jordan Waters did most of the damage against the Wolfpack, rushing for 123 yards and a score.

Following shaky wins over Boston College and Clemson, Florida State has regained the form we saw from them earlier in the season, as the have handily beaten Virginia Tech and Syracuse in their last two games. Former Michigan State receiver Keon Coleman has been one of the most impactful transfers so far this season, hauling in seven touchdown passes.

Duke is going to be in trouble when Florida State jumps out early in the game, which will force Belin to throw the football more. The Seminoles pull away from the Blue Devils in Tallahassee on Saturday night.

Florida State 37, Duke 14

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No. 14 Utah v. No. 18 USC (-6.5) - 8:00 p.m. ET - FOX

USC is a mess right now, and a big reason this is going to be a wasted season for the Caleb Williams and the Trojans is because Lincoln Riley has somehow not realized what all of us have known for years: defensive coordinator Alex Grinch is terrible at his job. USC has now given up at least 40 points in each of their last three games.

Utah has dominated USC of late, winning their last three games against the Trojans. After last week’s 48-20 loss at Notre Dame it would seem like Utah is in a perfect spot to make it four straight wins against USC, right? Not so fast. Since sometimes you have to throw logic out the window in college football, this is one of those situations. The Utes have struggled to get anything going on offense without Cam Rising, who still hasn’t played this year. This feels like one of those games where USC bounces back in a big way.

USC 31, Utah 17

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Matchups to Know: Ohio State vs. 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


Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images

A look at some of the key individual battles in this weekend’s Big Ten showdown.

No. 7 Penn State travels to Columbus, Ohio this weekend to take on No. 3 Ohio State in one of the biggest and potentially most impactful games of the 2023 college football season. Both teams enter the game undefeated, but only one will come out of Saturday’s contest with that perfect record intact. With the nation’s eyes locking into the Nittany Lions versus the Buckeyes, what are some of the individual matchups to keep an eye on that will ultimately decide this game?

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Marvin Harrison Jr. vs. Kalen King/Johnny Dixon​

Ohio State has a lot of playmakers on offense, but of course none are bigger than Marvin Harrison Jr. The nation’s most talented wide receiver feels like he hasn’t quite hit his stride yet this season, but the Route Man still leads the Big Ten with 604 yards receiving and has eclipsed 160 yards in a game twice through six weeks. Harrison Jr. requires a lot of attention, and even when he isn’t catching passes on his own, the extra help needed to cover him on one side opens things up for guys like a hopefully healthy Emeka Egbuka, in addition to Julian Fleming and Cade Stover.

Marv will likely see a lot of corners Kalen King and Johnny Dixon on Saturday. King, a preseason All-American, ranked second in FBS a year ago with 18 pass breakups as the No. 2 guy across from Joey Porter Jr. As the top dog this year, teams have been avoiding King like the plague, only targeting the DB 18 times thus far. As the new No. 2, Dixon has performed really well in coverage, allowing just a 50% completion rate when targeted this season with two PBUs and a pick. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see Penn State bracket Harrison Jr. with one of those guys as well as another safety or linebacker.

Chop Robinson/Adias Isaac vs. Josh Simmons/Josh Fryar​

One of the scariest matchups for Ohio State fans heading into this game are Penn State’s defensive ends against the Buckeyes’ offensive tackles. Adisa Isaac is tied for the Big Ten lead with five total sacks on the season, while Chop Robinson is one of the most highly touted defensive linemen in the country. Robinson is pegged as a likely first round NFL Draft pick this coming April, totaling 10.5 sacks and 17.5 tackles for loss during his collegiate career between both the Nittany Lions and Maryland, where he played his freshman campaign. As a whole, Penn State leads the Big Ten with 27 sacks.

Josh Fryar and Josh Simmons meanwhile have been... on the field. Ohio State’s offensive line has seemingly chosen a different player to have a poor performance in each of the team’s first six games, with Simmons having more difficulty than Fryar to this point. The entire front has been a soft spot for this year’s Buckeyes, and while their 10 sacks allowed ranks them middle of the pack in the B1G, they cannot afford to be subpar in keeping Kyle McCord clean against Penn State. The run blocking has been an even bigger bugaboo for the OSU O-line, but if Robinson and Isaac are able to eat against Fryar and Simmons, it’ll be a long day for Ryan Day’s offense as a whole.

Eichenberg/Chambers/Simon vs. Kaytron Allen/Nicholas Singleton​

On the flip side, Ohio State’s linebackers need to bring their A-game against these Penn State running backs. It had been a tough couple of weeks for Steele Chambers and Tommy Eichenberg, as the Buckeyes’ two starting linebackers really struggled against both Notre Dame and Maryland. Eichenberg got back into the flow of things against Purdue, and leads Ohio State with 46 total tackles on the season, but Chambers has lost a lot of playing time to Cody Simon, who tied for a team-high eight tackles last time out against the Boilermakers. It would not be a surprise if Eichenberg and Simon are with the ones on Saturday.

Whoever takes the majority of snaps for Ohio State at linebacker, they will be primarily in charge of slowing down the Nittany Lions’ dynamic RB duo of Kaytron Allen and Nicholas Singleton. The two have put up very similar stats to this point in the year, with Allen at 375 yards and three touchdowns and Singleton at 362 yards and a team-high six TDs. Singleton is also the far bigger receiving threat of the two, catching 13 passes for 111 yards and another score through the air. Even despite some inconsistency at linebacker, Ohio State has held opponents to 3.1 yards per carry this season, but they will have their hands full against this one-two punch.

Kyle McCord vs. Drew Allar​

While these guys won’t be competing against each other in a direct sense, a lot of eyes will be on the two starting quarterbacks in this game. Statistically, McCord has marginally outdueled the Ohio native Allar through six games. McCord has thrown for 1,651 yards with 11 touchdowns and one pick, while Allar has thrown for 1,254 yards with 12 TDs and no INTs. Allar has completed slightly more of his attempts, with a 65.2% completion rate compared to McCord’s 64.1%, but McCord is far better in yards per attempt (9.7 to Allar’s 6.9) and passer efficiency rating (165.9 to 145.3).

Obviously these two guys play in two very different offenses. Ohio State is far more pass heavy and throws a lot more deep balls, leading to more explosive play potential. Penn State, meanwhile, is more adept at running the football, and while Allar hasn’t taken a ton of deep shots, he is incredibly accurate and has yet to turn the ball over this season. The Buckeyes have the No. 1 passing offense in the Big Ten, but Penn State has the best passing defense in the conference. Ohio State has had trouble getting to the QB this season, and Allar will have no problem working the short passing game down the field with a clean pocket.

Ryan Day vs. The Playbook​

Clearly, this is not actually a matchup in this game, but which version of its head coach Ohio State sees on Saturday will go a long way in deciding the outcome.

Ryan Day has had his struggles with play-calling in big games. Most of the time, the offense plays far too conservative against the better teams on its schedule. We have seen this type of approach cost the Buckeyes on numerous occasions, and even when it hasn’t led directly to a loss, it has turned some potential runaways into nail-biters. On the flip side, Day’s scheme against Georgia last season was excellent, with a diverse and creative offensive design that was a Marvin Harrison Jr. injury away from playing for a national title. Ohio State needs less of the former and more of the latter.

Which Day do we see against Penn State? The Ohio State headman has come under fire at various times this season for his play-calling woes, and he cannot afford to have a bad performance with the play sheet against a team that will thoroughly test the Buckeyes. We saw some really good things at Purdue last weekend, including increased variance in the run game and a goal line package centered around mobile backup QB Devin Brown. The Nittany Lions are a very good football team, but Ohio State is still more talented on paper. If Day calls the plays like he has the talent advantage rather than playing scared against a worthy adversary, the Buckeyes will be in prime position to remain unbeaten.

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Ohio State may need several of ‘The Other Guys’ to step up against an impressive (and undefeated) Penn State squad
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


letterboxd.com

Yes, this headline is a reference — an homage, even — to the most underrated comedy of the 21st century. And if you don’t love it, then we simply can’t be friends... cue Little River Band!

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


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

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


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

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

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QB Devin Brown​

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

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

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

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

RB Dallan Hayden​

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

— Colton Denning (@Dubsco) October 14, 2023

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

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

WR Julian Fleming​

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

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

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

LB Cody Simon​

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

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

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

CB Jermaine Mathews Jr.​

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

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

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

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

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

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