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LGHL Ohio State’s win over Penn State described by the works of Keegan-Michael Key
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Ohio State’s win over Penn State described by the works of Keegan-Michael Key
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 famous actor is a Penn State alum and a ringer for head coach James Franklin.
Over the last decade, Ohio State and Penn State have played a lot of tight contests. Saturday was no different, with the Buckeyes earning their eighth straight victory over the Nittany Lions with a 20-13 win. Even though there wasn’t a ton of scoring in the game, there certainly was plenty of drama throughout the contest. How the game played out was along the lines of a Hollywood script since it had a little bit of everything.
Speaking of Hollywood, one of the most recognizable actors these days is Keegan-Michael Key, who Buckeye fans have two reasons to dislike. Not only was Key born in Michigan, but he earned a Masters of Fine Arts degree from Penn State in 1996. Despite his roots in two areas that Ohio State fans loathe, I can admit that Key has had plenty of enjoyable works on screen and television over the years.
With his hefty filmography and massive popularity, Key was an easy choice to be the Penn State representative for this week’s recap of Ohio State’s game. Plus it doesn’t hurt that Key shares a resemblance with Penn State head coach James Franklin. Today I have five works from Key that describe what we saw on Saturday afternoon in State College.
The 2019 film, which also starred John Cena, John Leguizamo, and Judy Greer, perfectly describes Ohio State quarterback Will Howard in the first half of Saturday’s contest. We knew the Kansas State transfer was going to be amped up for the game since he is from Pennsylvania and dreamed of playing for the Nittany Lions.
Unfortunately for Howard, the first time he took the field at Beaver Stadium started out as a bit of a nightmare. After Penn State drove down the field and took a 3-0 lead, Howard’s first pass was picked off by Zion Tracy who returned 31 yards for a touchdown, increasing the Penn State lead to 10-0 with just over five minutes left in the first quarter.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25713031/2182510814.jpg "Ohio State v Penn State")
Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images
While Howard did settle down a little to find Emeka Egbuka and Brandon Inniss for touchdowns to give the Buckeyes a 14-10 lead, it was obvious he was still working to find some comfort with the majority of the over 111,000 fans in attendance rooting against him, as he had a few inconsistent throws.
Then in the latter half of the second quarter, Howard was on his way to running into the end zone to extend Ohio State’s lead when the football was punched out and went out of bounds in the end zone, giving Penn State the football. Davison Igbinosun made up for the mistake by picking off a Drew Allar pass in the end zone at the end of the first half.
There were some fans calling for Howard to be benched in favor of Julian Sayin. The cries were idiotic since if Howard was benched it would have likely been Devin Brown taking the snaps. In reality, Howard gave Ohio State the best chance to win with his experience. Even though Howard had some ugly moments in the game, he bounced back and showed why he is the right choice to lead this offense right now.
Key was one of the voices in the animated 2015 film from Sony Pictures. There is no other way to describe Ohio State freshman wide receiver than by calling him a star. There was plenty of hype surrounding Smith even before he arrived on campus, and so far he has exceeded the lofty expectations.
Really the only knock on Smith from Saturday’s game is he didn’t catch a touchdown pass, marking the first time in his college career in which he didn’t find the end zone in a game. Not that Smith didn’t have a golden opportunity when Howard had Smith behind the defense on a long throw. Smith lost the ball in the sun and wasn’t able to haul it in with one hand.
Smith finished the game with four catches for 55 yards. With his yardage output, Smith now holds the record for most receiving yards in school history by a freshman, passing the 648 yards Cris Carter had during the 1984 season. The biggest of his catches on the day came early in the fourth quarter when his 14-yard grab on 3rd & 9 kept the drive, which would eventually result in a field goal, alive.
“Reboot” was a television series on Hulu that was canceled after one season. “Reboot” is exactly what the Ohio State offensive line did on Saturday. Coming into the game there was a lot of concern about the group after what they showed against Nebraska last week. After Josh Simmons was lost for the rest of the season after suffering an injury at Oregon, Zen Michalski failed to impress against the Cornhuskers before leaving with an injury of his own.
Early in the week, head coach Ryan Day said if Michalski was healthy he would play on Saturday. Thankfully Michalski wasn’t cleared to play, instead forcing guard Donovan Jackson to slide over to tackle, and Carson Hinzman to start at guard. Hinzman at least had some experience starting after being the center of the Buckeyes last season.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25713032/usa_today_24653944.jpg "Syndication: The Columbus Dispatch")
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
While there were some rocky moments, the offensive line played well for most of the game. Jackson had a tough task in trying to block future NFL defensive end Abdul Carter. When Jackson was left one-on-one with Carter it wasn’t pretty, but when Jackson had help Ohio State was able to neutralize Carter. Also, the running game was a lot more effective than they were against the Cornhuskers, showing the unit as a whole was working better together.
The performance on Saturday against Penn State does calm some of the concerns Buckeye fans had of the offensive line since with Michalski at tackle it was tough to see the team being a serious title contender.
Would Penn State be any worse off with Key as a head coach than they are with James Franklin? I’m not sure they would. Franklin has put up a lot of wins during his time in State College, but he never can win an important game. With Saturday’s loss, Franklin has only beaten the Buckeyes once, and the Nittany Lions needed to return a blocked field goal to do so.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25713034/949702620.jpg "COLLEGE FOOTBALL: APR 21 Penn State Spring Game")
Photo by Kyle Ross/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Franklin talks big but nothing ever changes. As an Ohio State fan, I hope Franklin coaches the Nittany Lions forever since he always seems to get his team to the brink but turtles when the pressure is ratcheted up. Even in the post-game press conference, Franklin said nobody is taking more accountability for Penn State’s terrible track record in big games than he is. This was not long after getting into a verbal tift with a fan after leaving the field. The fake tough guy act from Franklin doesn’t fool me.
If Ohio State had lost on Saturday their national title hopes would have taken a serious hit. Even though losses to two Top 5 teams wouldn’t have been a death sentence, it would have really put their backs against the wall. Now the Buckeyes are in a really good position to head to Indianapolis for a potential rematch with Oregon in the Big Ten Championship Game, with the winner earning a bye in the College Football Playoff.
For all the criticism Ryan Day has received for how he can’t win the important games, his team had a chance to win at Oregon and quieted a raucous crowd in State College on Saturday. When the Buckeyes are playing to their potential, there isn’t a team that can beat them. What they have to do is stop getting in their own head, which you can see them do at times.
There are still a few hurdles in the regular season with home games against Indiana and Michigan. The game against the Hoosiers is the scarier contest right now since Curt Cignetti is undefeated in his first season as head coach in Bloomington, while Michigan has had Day’s number the last three seasons. Easy games against Purdue and Northwestern the next two weeks should allow Ohio State to center themselves ahead of the monster battles they have to close out the regular season. If all goes well with those four games, the rest of the college football world should be on notice.
Continue reading...
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images
The famous actor is a Penn State alum and a ringer for head coach James Franklin.
Over the last decade, Ohio State and Penn State have played a lot of tight contests. Saturday was no different, with the Buckeyes earning their eighth straight victory over the Nittany Lions with a 20-13 win. Even though there wasn’t a ton of scoring in the game, there certainly was plenty of drama throughout the contest. How the game played out was along the lines of a Hollywood script since it had a little bit of everything.
Speaking of Hollywood, one of the most recognizable actors these days is Keegan-Michael Key, who Buckeye fans have two reasons to dislike. Not only was Key born in Michigan, but he earned a Masters of Fine Arts degree from Penn State in 1996. Despite his roots in two areas that Ohio State fans loathe, I can admit that Key has had plenty of enjoyable works on screen and television over the years.
With his hefty filmography and massive popularity, Key was an easy choice to be the Penn State representative for this week’s recap of Ohio State’s game. Plus it doesn’t hurt that Key shares a resemblance with Penn State head coach James Franklin. Today I have five works from Key that describe what we saw on Saturday afternoon in State College.
Playing with Fire
The 2019 film, which also starred John Cena, John Leguizamo, and Judy Greer, perfectly describes Ohio State quarterback Will Howard in the first half of Saturday’s contest. We knew the Kansas State transfer was going to be amped up for the game since he is from Pennsylvania and dreamed of playing for the Nittany Lions.
Unfortunately for Howard, the first time he took the field at Beaver Stadium started out as a bit of a nightmare. After Penn State drove down the field and took a 3-0 lead, Howard’s first pass was picked off by Zion Tracy who returned 31 yards for a touchdown, increasing the Penn State lead to 10-0 with just over five minutes left in the first quarter.
While Howard did settle down a little to find Emeka Egbuka and Brandon Inniss for touchdowns to give the Buckeyes a 14-10 lead, it was obvious he was still working to find some comfort with the majority of the over 111,000 fans in attendance rooting against him, as he had a few inconsistent throws.
Then in the latter half of the second quarter, Howard was on his way to running into the end zone to extend Ohio State’s lead when the football was punched out and went out of bounds in the end zone, giving Penn State the football. Davison Igbinosun made up for the mistake by picking off a Drew Allar pass in the end zone at the end of the first half.
There were some fans calling for Howard to be benched in favor of Julian Sayin. The cries were idiotic since if Howard was benched it would have likely been Devin Brown taking the snaps. In reality, Howard gave Ohio State the best chance to win with his experience. Even though Howard had some ugly moments in the game, he bounced back and showed why he is the right choice to lead this offense right now.
The Star
Key was one of the voices in the animated 2015 film from Sony Pictures. There is no other way to describe Ohio State freshman wide receiver than by calling him a star. There was plenty of hype surrounding Smith even before he arrived on campus, and so far he has exceeded the lofty expectations.
Really the only knock on Smith from Saturday’s game is he didn’t catch a touchdown pass, marking the first time in his college career in which he didn’t find the end zone in a game. Not that Smith didn’t have a golden opportunity when Howard had Smith behind the defense on a long throw. Smith lost the ball in the sun and wasn’t able to haul it in with one hand.
Smith finished the game with four catches for 55 yards. With his yardage output, Smith now holds the record for most receiving yards in school history by a freshman, passing the 648 yards Cris Carter had during the 1984 season. The biggest of his catches on the day came early in the fourth quarter when his 14-yard grab on 3rd & 9 kept the drive, which would eventually result in a field goal, alive.
Reboot
“Reboot” was a television series on Hulu that was canceled after one season. “Reboot” is exactly what the Ohio State offensive line did on Saturday. Coming into the game there was a lot of concern about the group after what they showed against Nebraska last week. After Josh Simmons was lost for the rest of the season after suffering an injury at Oregon, Zen Michalski failed to impress against the Cornhuskers before leaving with an injury of his own.
Early in the week, head coach Ryan Day said if Michalski was healthy he would play on Saturday. Thankfully Michalski wasn’t cleared to play, instead forcing guard Donovan Jackson to slide over to tackle, and Carson Hinzman to start at guard. Hinzman at least had some experience starting after being the center of the Buckeyes last season.
While there were some rocky moments, the offensive line played well for most of the game. Jackson had a tough task in trying to block future NFL defensive end Abdul Carter. When Jackson was left one-on-one with Carter it wasn’t pretty, but when Jackson had help Ohio State was able to neutralize Carter. Also, the running game was a lot more effective than they were against the Cornhuskers, showing the unit as a whole was working better together.
The performance on Saturday against Penn State does calm some of the concerns Buckeye fans had of the offensive line since with Michalski at tackle it was tough to see the team being a serious title contender.
The Disaster Artist
Would Penn State be any worse off with Key as a head coach than they are with James Franklin? I’m not sure they would. Franklin has put up a lot of wins during his time in State College, but he never can win an important game. With Saturday’s loss, Franklin has only beaten the Buckeyes once, and the Nittany Lions needed to return a blocked field goal to do so.
Franklin talks big but nothing ever changes. As an Ohio State fan, I hope Franklin coaches the Nittany Lions forever since he always seems to get his team to the brink but turtles when the pressure is ratcheted up. Even in the post-game press conference, Franklin said nobody is taking more accountability for Penn State’s terrible track record in big games than he is. This was not long after getting into a verbal tift with a fan after leaving the field. The fake tough guy act from Franklin doesn’t fool me.
Win It All
If Ohio State had lost on Saturday their national title hopes would have taken a serious hit. Even though losses to two Top 5 teams wouldn’t have been a death sentence, it would have really put their backs against the wall. Now the Buckeyes are in a really good position to head to Indianapolis for a potential rematch with Oregon in the Big Ten Championship Game, with the winner earning a bye in the College Football Playoff.
For all the criticism Ryan Day has received for how he can’t win the important games, his team had a chance to win at Oregon and quieted a raucous crowd in State College on Saturday. When the Buckeyes are playing to their potential, there isn’t a team that can beat them. What they have to do is stop getting in their own head, which you can see them do at times.
There are still a few hurdles in the regular season with home games against Indiana and Michigan. The game against the Hoosiers is the scarier contest right now since Curt Cignetti is undefeated in his first season as head coach in Bloomington, while Michigan has had Day’s number the last three seasons. Easy games against Purdue and Northwestern the next two weeks should allow Ohio State to center themselves ahead of the monster battles they have to close out the regular season. If all goes well with those four games, the rest of the college football world should be on notice.
Continue reading...
Ohio State vs #19 Texas, Monday, Nov 4, 2024 @ 10 PM ET, in Las Vegas, TNT
- By ScriptOhio
- Buckeye Basketball
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Ohio State Opens 126th Season Monday vs. No. 19 Texas
Ohio State vs. #19 TexasDate: November 4, 2024
Time: 10 p.m.
Venue: T-Mobile Arena – Las Vegas, Nev.
TV: TNT
Ohio State opens its 126th season of men’s basketball on Monday night as the Buckeyes will play No. 19 Texas in the Hall of Fame Series event in Las Vegas, Nev. Tip-off is set for 10 p.m. ET from T-Mobile Arena and the game will be televised on TNT. The all-star crew of Spero Dedes, Grant Hill, Candace Parker, and Taylor Rooks will call the action.
- This is the earliest Ohio State has started a season in terms of date.
- The matchup with No. 19 Texas marks just the third time that Ohio State has opened a season against a ranked team. The Buckeyes lost their previous two times, falling on the road at No. 12 Utah State on Dec. 1, 1970 and then lost to No. 15 Oklahoma on Nov. 25, 1988 in the opening round of the Maui Invitational.
- Ohio State and Texas are meeting for just the second time on the hardwood. The Buckeyes won 71-65 on March 17, 1986 in the second round of the NIT in Columbus.
- This is Ohio State’s fourth game in Las Vegas. The Buckeyes are 2-1 all-time with a win over Georgetown in 1990 in the Dual in the Desert and a win over Kentucky in the CBS Sports Classic in 2019. The lone loss also came in the CBS Sports Classic to UCLA in 2016.
- Ohio State welcomes in nine newcomers to pair with seven returners and just two returning starters from last year’s team that finished 22-14 and advanced to the quarterfinals of the NIT.
- Head coach Jake Diebler begins his first full season as head coach. He was the interim coach and later named the head coach at the end of last season and led the team to an 8-3 record down the stretch.
- Of the nine newcomers, five are transfers including Meechie Johnson Jr., who is returning to Ohio State to finish his career where it started. Aaron Bradshaw from Kentucky and Sean Stewart from Duke are both sophomores who were highly rated out of high school and have an opportunity to show their skills with the Buckeyes.
- Micah Parrish (SDSU) and Ques Glover (Kansas State) are both in their fifth years and bring a wealth of experience and veteran leadership. Parrish played in the national championship in 2023 with San Diego State.
- Freshman Colin White is the reigning Mr. Basketball in the state of Ohio while John Mobley Jr. was considered one of the top shooters in the 2024 class.
- Texas is coming off a 21-13 season that saw the Longhorns reach the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Tre Johnson and Tramon Mark were both named to the preseason All-SEC Team.
LGHL Stock Market Report: Ohio State shatters narratives in win over Penn State
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Stock Market Report: Ohio State shatters narratives in win over Penn State
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Ryan Day won a big game, James Franklin lost another one to Ohio State and the offensive line showed up when it mattered most
In another “same day, same story” situation, No. 4 Ohio State defeated No. 3 Penn State 20-13 to hand the Nittany Lions their first loss and give Ryan Day his first win against a team that was 7-0 or better. He previously was 0-7 in those games.
This was a narrative-shifting game for the Buckeyes and Ryan Day, and now the Buckeyes still control their own destiny to get to Indianapolis.
Here is who and what we are higher and lower on after the showdown in Happy Valley.
Offensive line
All week long, the conversation was about the offensive line and how they were the team’s weakness. The criticism was fair since the line had struggled in the six quarters since Josh Simmons went down with an injury. But they absolutely stepped up today.
That final drive was the best evidence of this. They needed to step up and put together a drive to kill the clock and make sure Penn State did not get the ball back and have a chance to tie the game again. The offensive line stepped up hugely, and they deserve to be complimented.
Caleb Downs
It is hard to overstate how important Caleb Downs has been to this defense. He constantly saves touchdowns, plugs holes in the running game, shadows tight ends and running backs out of the backfield, and has been the best defender on the team through the first eight games.
Quinshon Judkins
Judkins and the offensive line both showed a different gear in this contest, and this was the game that showed why the Buckeyes brought in Judkins this season. He runs hard and plays hard, showing the toughness that the Buckeyes have needed and some people did not know if they had this season.
Costly turnovers
Will Howard does not make many mistakes. However, when he does, they tend to be incredibly significant. If that trend continues in the playoffs, it will be tough to overcome, and those one to two mental lapses per game have to stay in October with Halloween.
Buy: Ryan Day against Penn State
Ryan Day may struggle to beat SEC teams, and he is 1-3 against Michigan, but the guy knows how to get the job done against the Nittany Lions. Day is now 6-0 against Penn State and 3-0 in Happy Valley. He has to win some other games, too, but it’s safe to say he has Penn State’s and James Franklin’s numbers.
Buy: Brandon Innis
Although Innis hasn’t been a breakout player this year, given the quality of the receiving room, he has shown flashes of his potential and what he can bring next season when he is a main part of the rotation. In this one, he had two big catches and one that went for a touchdown. Innis is going to be a big piece to the Ohio State offense sooner rather than late.
Sell: James Franklin against Ohio State
At some point, there has to be a tipping point with Franklin against top teams, and this game may have been it. He is now 1-10 against Ohio State, and the one was due to a blocked field goal. We thought Andy Kotelnicki could be the difference, but Franklin has had six offensive coordinators in his time in Happy Valley, and only one of them has been able to get him over the hump.
Sell: Big Noon commercials
They could change the name of Big Noon Kickoff to Big Noon Commercials. Nothing is worse for a product than a score, commercial, kickoff, and commercial. That is 15 minutes of real-time and two plays. It’s not fun.
Continue reading...
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Ryan Day won a big game, James Franklin lost another one to Ohio State and the offensive line showed up when it mattered most
In another “same day, same story” situation, No. 4 Ohio State defeated No. 3 Penn State 20-13 to hand the Nittany Lions their first loss and give Ryan Day his first win against a team that was 7-0 or better. He previously was 0-7 in those games.
This was a narrative-shifting game for the Buckeyes and Ryan Day, and now the Buckeyes still control their own destiny to get to Indianapolis.
Here is who and what we are higher and lower on after the showdown in Happy Valley.
Blue Chip
Offensive line
All week long, the conversation was about the offensive line and how they were the team’s weakness. The criticism was fair since the line had struggled in the six quarters since Josh Simmons went down with an injury. But they absolutely stepped up today.
That final drive was the best evidence of this. They needed to step up and put together a drive to kill the clock and make sure Penn State did not get the ball back and have a chance to tie the game again. The offensive line stepped up hugely, and they deserve to be complimented.
Solid Investments
Caleb Downs
It is hard to overstate how important Caleb Downs has been to this defense. He constantly saves touchdowns, plugs holes in the running game, shadows tight ends and running backs out of the backfield, and has been the best defender on the team through the first eight games.
Quinshon Judkins
Judkins and the offensive line both showed a different gear in this contest, and this was the game that showed why the Buckeyes brought in Judkins this season. He runs hard and plays hard, showing the toughness that the Buckeyes have needed and some people did not know if they had this season.
Junk Bond
Costly turnovers
Will Howard does not make many mistakes. However, when he does, they tend to be incredibly significant. If that trend continues in the playoffs, it will be tough to overcome, and those one to two mental lapses per game have to stay in October with Halloween.
Buy/Sell
Buy: Ryan Day against Penn State
Ryan Day may struggle to beat SEC teams, and he is 1-3 against Michigan, but the guy knows how to get the job done against the Nittany Lions. Day is now 6-0 against Penn State and 3-0 in Happy Valley. He has to win some other games, too, but it’s safe to say he has Penn State’s and James Franklin’s numbers.
Buy: Brandon Innis
Although Innis hasn’t been a breakout player this year, given the quality of the receiving room, he has shown flashes of his potential and what he can bring next season when he is a main part of the rotation. In this one, he had two big catches and one that went for a touchdown. Innis is going to be a big piece to the Ohio State offense sooner rather than late.
Sell: James Franklin against Ohio State
At some point, there has to be a tipping point with Franklin against top teams, and this game may have been it. He is now 1-10 against Ohio State, and the one was due to a blocked field goal. We thought Andy Kotelnicki could be the difference, but Franklin has had six offensive coordinators in his time in Happy Valley, and only one of them has been able to get him over the hump.
Sell: Big Noon commercials
They could change the name of Big Noon Kickoff to Big Noon Commercials. Nothing is worse for a product than a score, commercial, kickoff, and commercial. That is 15 minutes of real-time and two plays. It’s not fun.
Continue reading...
LGHL If This Were a Movie: Will Howard and Buckeyes channel Rocket Boys’ grit vs. Penn State
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If This Were a Movie: Will Howard and Buckeyes channel Rocket Boys’ grit vs. Penn State
Jami Jurich 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 via Imagn Images
Look to the sky in Happy Valley, and you’ll see footballs soaring through the air, much like Homer Hickam’s rockets in “October Sky”
Growing up just a few hours from Penn State, Will Howard dreamed of one day donning a Nittany Lions jersey. His father went there (and his sister is currently a senior there), and with his sights set on his goal, Howard went to work. His mother recalled recently to The Athletic that when he was in high school, she would find him playing football alone in the front yard at midnight, practicing until she finally called him in.
So heading into this week’s top-5 matchup between No. 4 Ohio State and No. 3 Penn State, Howard was “stoked.” These were the kind of marquee matchups he probably dreamt of when practicing into the wee hours. Only he wouldn’t take the field wearing the white and navy jersey he had once longed for.
During a post-game interview last week, the Ohio State quarterback said, “I grew up a Penn State fan. I wanted to go there my whole life,” he said. “They didn’t think I was good enough. I guess we’ll see next week if I was.”
For him, this was personal. He had something to prove, a redemption storyline to work for.
It was reminiscent of another young man who had the odds stacked against him and set out to prove people wrong: Homer Hickam, the rocket scientist from Coalwood, West Virginia, whose life is portrayed in the 1999 film “October Sky,” based on Hickam’s memoir of the same name.
At the center of Coalwood’s economy is, well, a coal mine and Hickam is expected to grow up and work there like his father and most men in the town. But when Hickam watches the Russian satellite Sputnik soar across the night sky, Hickam, along with some of his friends, becomes fixated on rockets, much to the dismay of his father.
This brings us to Saturday, when Howard and his friends took the field in Happy Valley. Now, Howard wasn’t the only one facing doubts—the Ohio State offensive line was coming off one of their worst performances in recent memory and had to make further adjustments to account for injuries. The defense faced some criticism after the Oregon game for their inability to put pressure on Ducks quarterback Dillon Gabriel.
Howard and his friends, like the Rocket Boys, were ready to defy expectations.
Defensively, the team couldn’t have been better, keeping the Nittany Lions out of the end zone even with two first-and-goal situations from within OSU’s five-yard line. The offensive line, with left guard Donovan Jackson taking over at left tackle to account for injuries, did a helluva job creating space for the run game and giving Howard time to read the play through the air.
Howard, for his part, didn’t play his cleanest game. He threw a pick-six on just his third play of the game (putting the Buckeyes behind 10-0 very early in the game), had a few messy incompletions that could have been disastrous, and fumbled at the goal line (turning what would have been a touchdown into a touchback and returning the ball the Nittany Lions).
Hickam, too, had some hiccups. Hickam similarly struggled early in his rocket-building ventures, with one of his first small rockets landing near his father’s office and nearly injuring some workers. It led to his father banning him from building rockets on the property.
Still, both Howard and Hickam persevered, and without giving away the ending, Hickam’s efforts came to a head at the National Science Fair in much the same way Howard’s did this weekend.
For Howard, the early nerves and adrenaline, the turnovers and incompletions didn’t keep him from having the last laugh: He finished the game with 16 of 24 passes and 24 rushing yards, including a 7-yard rush for the first down that sealed the team’s 20-13 victory.
And while his rockets flew through a November sky instead of an October one, they did just as much to impress as he secured the win for a team that now controls its own destiny.
Continue reading...
Jami Jurich 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 via Imagn Images
Look to the sky in Happy Valley, and you’ll see footballs soaring through the air, much like Homer Hickam’s rockets in “October Sky”
Growing up just a few hours from Penn State, Will Howard dreamed of one day donning a Nittany Lions jersey. His father went there (and his sister is currently a senior there), and with his sights set on his goal, Howard went to work. His mother recalled recently to The Athletic that when he was in high school, she would find him playing football alone in the front yard at midnight, practicing until she finally called him in.
So heading into this week’s top-5 matchup between No. 4 Ohio State and No. 3 Penn State, Howard was “stoked.” These were the kind of marquee matchups he probably dreamt of when practicing into the wee hours. Only he wouldn’t take the field wearing the white and navy jersey he had once longed for.
During a post-game interview last week, the Ohio State quarterback said, “I grew up a Penn State fan. I wanted to go there my whole life,” he said. “They didn’t think I was good enough. I guess we’ll see next week if I was.”
For him, this was personal. He had something to prove, a redemption storyline to work for.
It was reminiscent of another young man who had the odds stacked against him and set out to prove people wrong: Homer Hickam, the rocket scientist from Coalwood, West Virginia, whose life is portrayed in the 1999 film “October Sky,” based on Hickam’s memoir of the same name.
At the center of Coalwood’s economy is, well, a coal mine and Hickam is expected to grow up and work there like his father and most men in the town. But when Hickam watches the Russian satellite Sputnik soar across the night sky, Hickam, along with some of his friends, becomes fixated on rockets, much to the dismay of his father.
This brings us to Saturday, when Howard and his friends took the field in Happy Valley. Now, Howard wasn’t the only one facing doubts—the Ohio State offensive line was coming off one of their worst performances in recent memory and had to make further adjustments to account for injuries. The defense faced some criticism after the Oregon game for their inability to put pressure on Ducks quarterback Dillon Gabriel.
Howard and his friends, like the Rocket Boys, were ready to defy expectations.
Defensively, the team couldn’t have been better, keeping the Nittany Lions out of the end zone even with two first-and-goal situations from within OSU’s five-yard line. The offensive line, with left guard Donovan Jackson taking over at left tackle to account for injuries, did a helluva job creating space for the run game and giving Howard time to read the play through the air.
Howard, for his part, didn’t play his cleanest game. He threw a pick-six on just his third play of the game (putting the Buckeyes behind 10-0 very early in the game), had a few messy incompletions that could have been disastrous, and fumbled at the goal line (turning what would have been a touchdown into a touchback and returning the ball the Nittany Lions).
Hickam, too, had some hiccups. Hickam similarly struggled early in his rocket-building ventures, with one of his first small rockets landing near his father’s office and nearly injuring some workers. It led to his father banning him from building rockets on the property.
Still, both Howard and Hickam persevered, and without giving away the ending, Hickam’s efforts came to a head at the National Science Fair in much the same way Howard’s did this weekend.
For Howard, the early nerves and adrenaline, the turnovers and incompletions didn’t keep him from having the last laugh: He finished the game with 16 of 24 passes and 24 rushing yards, including a 7-yard rush for the first down that sealed the team’s 20-13 victory.
And while his rockets flew through a November sky instead of an October one, they did just as much to impress as he secured the win for a team that now controls its own destiny.
Continue reading...
LGHL All the news, analysis from Ohio State’s 20-13 win over Penn State
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All the news, analysis from Ohio State’s 20-13 win over 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
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
All the Buckeye news thats fit to re-print.
Look, we get it. Your days are busy and you don’t have time to read all of the stories and tweets from the three dozen websites dedicated to covering Ohio State athletics, or the 237 Buckeye beat writers churning out hot takes and #content on a daily basis. But that’s ok, that’s what your friends at Land-Grant Holy Land are here for.
Monday through Friday, we’ll be collecting all of the articles, tweets, features, interviews, videos, podcasts, memes, photos, and whatever else we stumble across on the interwebz and putting them in our daily “Why is this News?” article. That way, you’ll have a one-stop shop for all of the most important Buckeye news, jokes, and analysis.
You’re welcome!
Subscribe to the Land-Grant Podcast Network for all of your Ohio State needs
Matt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | iHeart Radio
Late Goal-Line Stand Lifts Buckeyes to 20-13 Win at Penn State
Ohio State Athletics
Defense lifts No. 4 Buckeyes to 20-13 win over No. 3 Penn State
Bill Rabinowitz, The Columbus Dispatch
Ohio State Defeats Penn State, 20-13, For Eighth Straight Win over Nittany Lions
By Dan Hope
Ryan Day, Ohio State bounce back as Buckeyes coach admits Penn State win was ‘big game’ for program
Grant Hughes, 247Sports
Ohio State finally took ‘action’ in win over Penn State, altering our view of the Buckeyes’ ceiling
Ari Wasserman, On3
Record Breaking: Jeremiah Smith breaks Cris Carter’s freshman receiving record in just eight games
Gene Ross, Land-Grant Holy Land
Tyleik Williams injury update: Ryan Day shares latest after Ohio State DT leaves Penn State game
Andy Backstrom, Lettermen Row
Ohio State vs. Penn State Notebook: Will Howard Bounces Back After “Worst Game of the Year,” Jayden Fielding Proves Dependable
Andy Anders, Eleven Warriors
Football: No. 4 Buckeyes take the Happy out of the Valley, down No. 3 Penn State 20-13
Noah Weiskopf, The Lantern
Everything Penn State coach James Franklin said post-game about Buckeyes
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row
James Franklin Said Ohio State “Had A Championship Drive” To Ice Win Over Penn State In Top-Five Matchup
Jack Emerson, Eleven Warriors
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25712825/Screenshot_2024_11_03_at_8.05.00_AM.png)
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: Ohio State’s 20-13 win over Penn State
Gene Ross, Land-Grant Holy Land
Snap Judgments: Buckeyes fight off mat in slugfest win at Penn State
Austin Ward, Dotting The Eyes
4 things we learned from Ohio State’s win at Penn State
Joey Kaufman, The Columbus Dispatch
First thoughts: Buckeyes grind out critical top-five win at Penn State
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row
Quick Takes: Will Howard, offensive line respond; Buckeye defense stands tall vs. Penn State
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts
Buckeyes show championship-level toughness in grind-it-out win
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row
Moment of the Game: Ohio State’s rebuilt offensive line won the game vs. Penn State
Matt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land
Football: Photos: Ohio State vs. Penn State
Ohio State Athletics
Instant opinions: Chip Kelly earns his millions in win over Penn State
Rob Oller, The Columbus Dispatch
Ohio State’s New-Look Offensive Line Carries Buckeyes to Victory at Penn State
Andy Anders, Eleven Warriors
‘He willed it to happen’: Will Howard made his Beaver Stadium moment count
Andy Backstrom, Lettermen Row
How OSU defense made late goal-line stand in win at Penn State
Joey Kaufman, The Columbus Dispatch
Ohio State’s Defense Shows It Can Still Be A Championship-Caliber Unit with Shutdown Performance Against Penn State
Dan Hope, Eleven Warriors
Buckeye Leaves: Game-changing plays make the difference in top-four, road showdown
Andy Backstrom, Lettermen Row
Reshuffled OSU offensive line paves way to victory over Penn State
Bill Rabinowitz, The Columbus Dispatch
Continue reading...
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
All the Buckeye news thats fit to re-print.
Look, we get it. Your days are busy and you don’t have time to read all of the stories and tweets from the three dozen websites dedicated to covering Ohio State athletics, or the 237 Buckeye beat writers churning out hot takes and #content on a daily basis. But that’s ok, that’s what your friends at Land-Grant Holy Land are here for.
Monday through Friday, we’ll be collecting all of the articles, tweets, features, interviews, videos, podcasts, memes, photos, and whatever else we stumble across on the interwebz and putting them in our daily “Why is this News?” article. That way, you’ll have a one-stop shop for all of the most important Buckeye news, jokes, and analysis.
You’re welcome!
For your Earholes...
Subscribe to the Land-Grant Podcast Network for all of your Ohio State needs
Matt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | iHeart Radio
Recapping Ohio State’s 20-13 win over Penn State
Late Goal-Line Stand Lifts Buckeyes to 20-13 Win at Penn State
Ohio State Athletics
Defense lifts No. 4 Buckeyes to 20-13 win over No. 3 Penn State
Bill Rabinowitz, The Columbus Dispatch
Ohio State Defeats Penn State, 20-13, For Eighth Straight Win over Nittany Lions
By Dan Hope
Ryan Day, Ohio State bounce back as Buckeyes coach admits Penn State win was ‘big game’ for program
Grant Hughes, 247Sports
Ohio State finally took ‘action’ in win over Penn State, altering our view of the Buckeyes’ ceiling
Ari Wasserman, On3
News From Ohio State’s 20-13 win over Penn State
"It just shows the grit and toughness of this team. There's a smile right here on my face and I'm really proud of this team and the physicality." @JennyTaft catches up with @OhioStateFB's Ryan Day after a massive win over Penn Statepic.twitter.com/dto7zA1tJs
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) November 2, 2024
Record Breaking: Jeremiah Smith breaks Cris Carter’s freshman receiving record in just eight games
Gene Ross, Land-Grant Holy Land
Tyleik Williams injury update: Ryan Day shares latest after Ohio State DT leaves Penn State game
Andy Backstrom, Lettermen Row
Ohio State vs. Penn State Notebook: Will Howard Bounces Back After “Worst Game of the Year,” Jayden Fielding Proves Dependable
Andy Anders, Eleven Warriors
Football: No. 4 Buckeyes take the Happy out of the Valley, down No. 3 Penn State 20-13
Noah Weiskopf, The Lantern
Everything Penn State coach James Franklin said post-game about Buckeyes
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row
James Franklin Said Ohio State “Had A Championship Drive” To Ice Win Over Penn State In Top-Five Matchup
Jack Emerson, Eleven Warriors
Analyzing Ohio State’s 21-17 win over Nebraska
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: Ohio State’s 20-13 win over Penn State
Gene Ross, Land-Grant Holy Land
Snap Judgments: Buckeyes fight off mat in slugfest win at Penn State
Austin Ward, Dotting The Eyes
4 things we learned from Ohio State’s win at Penn State
Joey Kaufman, The Columbus Dispatch
First thoughts: Buckeyes grind out critical top-five win at Penn State
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row
Quick Takes: Will Howard, offensive line respond; Buckeye defense stands tall vs. Penn State
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts
Buckeyes show championship-level toughness in grind-it-out win
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row
Looking at the Performances From Ohio State’s
Moment of the Game: Ohio State’s rebuilt offensive line won the game vs. Penn State
Matt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land
Football: Photos: Ohio State vs. Penn State
Ohio State Athletics
Instant opinions: Chip Kelly earns his millions in win over Penn State
Rob Oller, The Columbus Dispatch
Ohio State’s New-Look Offensive Line Carries Buckeyes to Victory at Penn State
Andy Anders, Eleven Warriors
‘He willed it to happen’: Will Howard made his Beaver Stadium moment count
Andy Backstrom, Lettermen Row
How OSU defense made late goal-line stand in win at Penn State
Joey Kaufman, The Columbus Dispatch
Ohio State’s Defense Shows It Can Still Be A Championship-Caliber Unit with Shutdown Performance Against Penn State
Dan Hope, Eleven Warriors
Buckeye Leaves: Game-changing plays make the difference in top-four, road showdown
Andy Backstrom, Lettermen Row
Reshuffled OSU offensive line paves way to victory over Penn State
Bill Rabinowitz, The Columbus Dispatch
Continue reading...
