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LGHL Ohio State men’s hockey set to take on Michigan in Columbus this weekend
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Ohio State men’s hockey set to take on Michigan in Columbus this weekend
Megan.Husslein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
@OhioStAthletics Twitter
The Wolverines have had the upper hand so far this year...
It’s been a rough year for the Ohio State/TTUN rivalry, as a lot of Buckeye sports have taken the L — football, men’s basketball, women’s basketball and men’s ice hockey just to name a few. However, the hockey Bucks are hopeful to change that when they host the No. 14 Wolverines this weekend in a two-game series.
This year, the men are 9-13-4, and 1-13-2 in conference play. Not good! This is a big switch up from last year, when they finished the season 21-16-3, and 10-9-1 in conference play. The struggle is somewhat expected, as the team did lose two of their star defenders to the AHL and NHL, and goaltender Jakub Dobes, the 2022 Big Ten Goalie of the Year, to the NHL.
Losing those players, combined with 15 new faces and a difficult schedule, has not fared well for the Buckeyes. One of their biggest problems has been the amount of goals they give up. Only five teams in the NCAA have given up more goals than Ohio State, largely due to the fact that they have a whole new defensive core and goalies.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25255320/Screen_Shot_2024_01_29_at_4.14.07_PM.png)
Brad Rempel
Now riding a five-game losing streak, they have to square off against the No. 14 Wolverines. Seven teams in the Big Ten play NCAA men’s ice hockey, and Ohio State is dead last, while TTUN is fifth, with a 12-9-3 overall record and 5-7-2 record in conference play.
TTUN has been pretty mediocre all season, but are recently playing some of their best hockey. On Jan. 26, they took down No. 3 Wisconsin, then lost to them in overtime the following day.
One of the major things to watch in the Wolverines’ matchup with the Buckeyes will be the penalty kill versus the power play. TTUN ranks first in the Big Ten in power-play percentage at 36.6%. Meanwhile, Ohio State’s penalty kill has given up seven goals in its last seven games.
So, will this be the weekend the Buckeyes finally snap their losing streak? Anything is possible against TTUN, and it helps that the scarlet and gray will have home ice advantage. Hopefully this will be the turning point of the season for them.
The series begins on Friday night, with puck drop scheduled for 7:00 p.m. ET with the game being broadcast on Big Ten Plus. Game two will be at 8:00 p.m. ET on Saturday night, and can be watched on Big Ten Network.
Continue reading...
Megan.Husslein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
@OhioStAthletics Twitter
The Wolverines have had the upper hand so far this year...
It’s been a rough year for the Ohio State/TTUN rivalry, as a lot of Buckeye sports have taken the L — football, men’s basketball, women’s basketball and men’s ice hockey just to name a few. However, the hockey Bucks are hopeful to change that when they host the No. 14 Wolverines this weekend in a two-game series.
This year, the men are 9-13-4, and 1-13-2 in conference play. Not good! This is a big switch up from last year, when they finished the season 21-16-3, and 10-9-1 in conference play. The struggle is somewhat expected, as the team did lose two of their star defenders to the AHL and NHL, and goaltender Jakub Dobes, the 2022 Big Ten Goalie of the Year, to the NHL.
Losing those players, combined with 15 new faces and a difficult schedule, has not fared well for the Buckeyes. One of their biggest problems has been the amount of goals they give up. Only five teams in the NCAA have given up more goals than Ohio State, largely due to the fact that they have a whole new defensive core and goalies.
Now riding a five-game losing streak, they have to square off against the No. 14 Wolverines. Seven teams in the Big Ten play NCAA men’s ice hockey, and Ohio State is dead last, while TTUN is fifth, with a 12-9-3 overall record and 5-7-2 record in conference play.
TTUN has been pretty mediocre all season, but are recently playing some of their best hockey. On Jan. 26, they took down No. 3 Wisconsin, then lost to them in overtime the following day.
One of the major things to watch in the Wolverines’ matchup with the Buckeyes will be the penalty kill versus the power play. TTUN ranks first in the Big Ten in power-play percentage at 36.6%. Meanwhile, Ohio State’s penalty kill has given up seven goals in its last seven games.
So, will this be the weekend the Buckeyes finally snap their losing streak? Anything is possible against TTUN, and it helps that the scarlet and gray will have home ice advantage. Hopefully this will be the turning point of the season for them.
The series begins on Friday night, with puck drop scheduled for 7:00 p.m. ET with the game being broadcast on Big Ten Plus. Game two will be at 8:00 p.m. ET on Saturday night, and can be watched on Big Ten Network.
Continue reading...
#14 Illinois at Ohio State, Tuesday, January 30, 2024, 7 PM ET, Peacock
- By ScriptOhio
- Buckeye Basketball
- 61 Replies
Basketball Preview: Illinois’ Scoring Proficiency, Rebounding Dominance Will Make It Difficult for Ohio State to Stop Its Skid
With the Buckeyes reeling off two emphatic road losses, a top-15 Illinois team with a high-scoring offense and dominant rebounding numbers comes to Value City Arena on Tuesday.
BASKETBALL PREVIEW: ILLINOIS’ SCORING PROFICIENCY, REBOUNDING DOMINANCE WILL MAKE IT DIFFICULT FOR OHIO STATE TO STOP ITS SKID
Preventing a second three-game losing streak within a seven-game span isn’t going to be an easy task for Ohio State on Tuesday.The Buckeyes’ opponent coming off of back-to-back losses is No. 14 Illinois, a 15-5 team tied for third in the Big Ten. Ohio State is tied for third-to-last in the Big Ten.
It’s a matchup that comes three days after the Buckeyes suffered their most lopsided defeat of the season, a 25-point blowout loss to Northwestern on the road that was even more lopsided than the final scoring margin.
Regardless of any negativity surrounding his team or the daunting nature of playing a top-15 team, Chris Holtmann remains committed to keeping his squad’s focus internal and centered on improvement.
"Our only focus is today," Holtmann said. "Even though it is a quick turnaround against a really good Illinois team, I think, in some ways, that can be a good thing, and we're excited to see how our guys respond. So much of athletics is about how you respond and we have an opportunity to respond."
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HOW IT PLAYS OUT
LINE: ILLINOIS -3, O/U 150.5
It’s hard to see Ohio State’s losing skid stopping in this one. The Buckeyes have struggled defensively of late, giving up 83 points to both Nebraska and Northwestern and allowing those teams to shoot a combined 53.3% from three-point range. That doesn’t bode well against an offense as prolific as the Fighting Illini’s.Prediction: Illinois 84, Ohio State 71
Ohio State basketball vs. Illinois: Odds, preview, prediction, lineups, TV
Ohio State basketball will face No. 14 Illinois on Tuesday.
www.cleveland.com
Prediction
Stephen’s pick: OSU’s problems have often come on the road regardless level of the opponent. But it’s also just not a better team than the Fighting Illini which is enough reason to think it’ll get its sixth loss in tight games. 78-70, Illinois.
Illinois vs Ohio State Prediction College Basketball Picks 1/30/24
David’s free pick on the Illinois vs Ohio State game and why I think Illinois will cover. Get my free pick!
pickdawgz.com
Illinois vs Ohio State Betting Prediction
Ohio State comes into this game after losing five of their last six contests and they have allowed 83 points in each of their last two games. The Buckeyes will look to turn things around in conference play and they will be at home for this game. Illinois has won three of their last four games, with the one loss coming on the road in overtime against Northwestern. Illinois is the much better team in this matchup and they are scoring over 82 points per game. I know Ohio State is at home and it’s never easy to win on the road in conference play, but I can’t trust this Ohio State team at all. Take Illinois here.
Ohio State men’s basketball vs. Illinois: Game preview and prediction
The Buckeyes look to forget their loss to Northwestern with a repeat of last season’s upset against Illinois tonight.
www.landgrantholyland.com
Just sayin': I couldn't find any site that predicted Ohio State would win this one. Hell, I was even thinking of putting a few vDollars on the Illini (-3); but I couldn't find the game on Buckeye Planet's "Sportsbook".
This team really needs to step up with another "Matt Sylvester moment" game:
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LGHL Ohio State men’s basketball vs. Illinois: Game preview and prediction
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Ohio State men’s basketball vs. Illinois: Game preview and prediction
Jami Jurich via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports
The Buckeyes look to forget their loss to Northwestern with a repeat of last season’s upset against Illinois tonight.
Following Saturday’s 83-58 smackdown road loss to Northwestern, Ohio State returns home tonight to face off against the No. 10 Illinois Fighting Illini in Columbus in the only matchup this season between the two teams.
Saturday’s loss to the Wildcats was the Buckeyes’ second consecutive loss (their fifth in their last six games), and the best they can hope for now is a 3-5 record in January. The Wildcats went into the game hot off their own victory over Illinois, and OSU was down 41-30 by halftime, saddled with shooting struggles.
By the under-8 media timeout, the Buckeyes trailed by 35 points — their largest deficit of the season — and they simply couldn’t find a way to shut down the Wildcats, particularly from three-point range. In the first half alone, Northwestern hit 7-for-13 from deep. Senior guard Boo Buie, whose team-high 29 points helped lead the Wildcats to victory over Illinois earlier in the week, put up 19 points in the win over the Buckeyes.
Memories of last season’s brutal January and February, when the Buckeyes lost 14 of 15 games, are bubbling to the surface as the team looks to keep themselves from further spiraling.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25255818/usa_today_22392341.jpg "NCAA Basketball: Ohio State at Northwestern")
Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports
The Illini, for their part, head to Columbus after a hard-fought 70-62 victory against Indiana, a game in which the Illini were bolstered to a win by star guard Terrence Shannon Jr.’s six free throws in the final minute of the game, after a late-game surge by the Hoosiers.
Illinois currently sits two games behind Wisconsin in the conference standings, and Ohio State desperately needs this marquee win to close out January on a high note.
Entering tonight’s game, Illinois leads the all-time series, 110-82, though Ohio State has taken six of the last 10.
The last time Ohio State and Illinois faced off, back in February of last year, the Illini were expected to win easily on the road in Columbus. The Buckeyes were on a nine-game losing streak, the season was looking more and more disastrous by the day, and the Illini had their top player (Shannon) back at full strength after an injury.
The Buckeyes had other plans, and on the back of 20 points from then-freshman Bruce Thornton and 14 points from Brice Sensabaugh, OSU walked away with a 72-60 win, staving off a second-half Illinois run and making every one of their shots in the final 6:21 of the game.
Now, the Buckeyes will need to pull themselves out of a shooting slump if they’re going to have any shot at winning this game.
In Saturday’s game against Northwestern, the Buckeyes started the game just 1-for-5 from the field, with five of their first nine points coming from the free throw line. They finished the game shooting just 14-for-39 from the field and 5-for-19 from the three-point line.
The Buckeyes have been particularly unreliable from three-point range, shooting just 24.3% on three-pointers over the last five games. While Jamison Battle is 14-for-29 (48%), the rest of the team is shooting just 15.9% (13-for-82). They must knock in some threes if they have any hope of beating Illinois, a team averaging 82.1 points per game.
It won’t be easy against a team that, in their last outing, kept Indiana from making a single three-pointer all game. The Hoosiers shot 0-for-9 from three-point range. And three-pointers won’t be the only key to victory.
Thornton, who currently leads the team with an average of 16.1 points per game and 4.3 assists, along with Roddy Gayle and Battle, who are each averaging 13.8 points per game, will need to make their shots — be they threes or otherwise — against an Illini team who ranks 13th in the nation in effective field goal defense and 14th in 2-point field goal defense, according to KenPom.
Look to sophomore Bowen Hardman to potentially add some much-needed spark to the Buckeyes’ shooting. He finished the Northwestern game 1-for-2 on three pointers, but he was electric in only eight minutes of playing time against Nebraska, hitting 3-of-7 from downtown and finishing with 11 points. If Hardman can maintain accuracy and put up some big numbers in small pockets of time, he could be a major playmaker and momentum-shifter for the Buckeyes against an extremely talented Illinois team.
The Illini aren’t going to make it easy. They lead the Big Ten in rebounds per game (43.3), and they have out-rebounded their opponents in 14 of their 19 games this season. The Buckeyes are unlikely to get second chances if they can’t sink their shots against the Fighting Illini.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25255821/usa_today_22388023.jpg "NCAA Basketball: Indiana at Illinois")
Ron Johnson-USA TODAY Sports
And as for playing defense, Ohio State will need to play next-to-perfect basketball if they hope to do enough to hold off the Illini.
Led by Shannon Jr., a senior guard averaging 19.9 points per game, and senior forward Marcus Domask, who is putting up 15.2 points per game and 3.5 assists, the Illini are capable of putting up big numbers.
Tonight’s game will mark Shannon’s fourth game back after a university-imposed suspension, as he faces a rape charge in Kansas. He was reinstated to the team after a federal judge granted him a preliminary injunction forcing them to do so.
Domask led the Illini in their outing against Indiana, putting up 16 points and 10 rebounds. Senior forward Coleman Hawkins and junior guard Luke Goode each put up 11 points in the win. Shannon, who got himself into foul trouble early, played only eight minutes in the first half but still acted as a playmaker, with 12 points, six rebounds and some clutch late-game free throws.
It was an ugly victory for a team that has played with style for much of the season (even in their overtime loss to Northwestern two games ago), but it was a testament to the Illini’s grit and resilience, something the Buckeyes will need to be prepared for come this evening. This presents a challenge for an Ohio State team that has struggled with three-point defense, and particularly in their losses to Indiana and Wisconsin, failed to execute defensively in the second half.
Still, the Buckeyes have performed better at home than on the road in the last year (the understatement of the century, given that they are on a 14-game road loss streak), and they will need to capitalize on their home court to repeat last season’s upset and right their ship before it goes further off course.
As the Buckeyes’ season has continued to nose dive throughout the month, January has felt like constant insult on top of injury, with their spot in the NCAA Tournament on the bubble — and that bubble on the brink of bursting. Missing the tournament for a second-consecutive season, particularly given how promising this team looked even a month ago, would be hugely disappointing, to say the least.
And yet, those are the stakes heading into February. Having dropped a few games they should have been able to win this month, the Buckeyes will have to dig deep and play near-perfect basketball against the Illini to keep their hopes alive.
Illinois has executed better in almost every facet of the game recently. The Buckeyes are not incapable of doing so—we saw glimpses of this in early-season marquee wins, but the sloppy errors and shooting woes of late will need to disappear to keep the Illini at bay.
Though Illinois leads steadily in points per game (82.1 to OSU’s 75.2), the teams are almost evenly matched on paper where turnovers and points allowed are concerned. Ohio State is averaging 10.1 turnovers per game to Illinois’ 10.9, and the Buckeyes have allowed an average of 68.2 points per game to Illinois’ 68.7.
But paper and performance under pressure are two different things, and the numbers on paper won’t mean much for the Buckeyes if they can’t pull out a big win to keep their postseason hopes from dying out completely. It’s not an impossible task, but they will need to play near-perfect basketball on all fronts, and they might also need a little bit of magic on their side against a top-10 Illinois team that has executed brilliantly for most of this season.
ESPN BPI: Illinois 67.1%
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
TV: Peacock
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
Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports
The Buckeyes look to forget their loss to Northwestern with a repeat of last season’s upset against Illinois tonight.
Following Saturday’s 83-58 smackdown road loss to Northwestern, Ohio State returns home tonight to face off against the No. 10 Illinois Fighting Illini in Columbus in the only matchup this season between the two teams.
Saturday’s loss to the Wildcats was the Buckeyes’ second consecutive loss (their fifth in their last six games), and the best they can hope for now is a 3-5 record in January. The Wildcats went into the game hot off their own victory over Illinois, and OSU was down 41-30 by halftime, saddled with shooting struggles.
By the under-8 media timeout, the Buckeyes trailed by 35 points — their largest deficit of the season — and they simply couldn’t find a way to shut down the Wildcats, particularly from three-point range. In the first half alone, Northwestern hit 7-for-13 from deep. Senior guard Boo Buie, whose team-high 29 points helped lead the Wildcats to victory over Illinois earlier in the week, put up 19 points in the win over the Buckeyes.
Memories of last season’s brutal January and February, when the Buckeyes lost 14 of 15 games, are bubbling to the surface as the team looks to keep themselves from further spiraling.
The Illini, for their part, head to Columbus after a hard-fought 70-62 victory against Indiana, a game in which the Illini were bolstered to a win by star guard Terrence Shannon Jr.’s six free throws in the final minute of the game, after a late-game surge by the Hoosiers.
Illinois currently sits two games behind Wisconsin in the conference standings, and Ohio State desperately needs this marquee win to close out January on a high note.
Preview
Entering tonight’s game, Illinois leads the all-time series, 110-82, though Ohio State has taken six of the last 10.
The last time Ohio State and Illinois faced off, back in February of last year, the Illini were expected to win easily on the road in Columbus. The Buckeyes were on a nine-game losing streak, the season was looking more and more disastrous by the day, and the Illini had their top player (Shannon) back at full strength after an injury.
The Buckeyes had other plans, and on the back of 20 points from then-freshman Bruce Thornton and 14 points from Brice Sensabaugh, OSU walked away with a 72-60 win, staving off a second-half Illinois run and making every one of their shots in the final 6:21 of the game.
Now, the Buckeyes will need to pull themselves out of a shooting slump if they’re going to have any shot at winning this game.
In Saturday’s game against Northwestern, the Buckeyes started the game just 1-for-5 from the field, with five of their first nine points coming from the free throw line. They finished the game shooting just 14-for-39 from the field and 5-for-19 from the three-point line.
The Buckeyes have been particularly unreliable from three-point range, shooting just 24.3% on three-pointers over the last five games. While Jamison Battle is 14-for-29 (48%), the rest of the team is shooting just 15.9% (13-for-82). They must knock in some threes if they have any hope of beating Illinois, a team averaging 82.1 points per game.
It won’t be easy against a team that, in their last outing, kept Indiana from making a single three-pointer all game. The Hoosiers shot 0-for-9 from three-point range. And three-pointers won’t be the only key to victory.
Thornton, who currently leads the team with an average of 16.1 points per game and 4.3 assists, along with Roddy Gayle and Battle, who are each averaging 13.8 points per game, will need to make their shots — be they threes or otherwise — against an Illini team who ranks 13th in the nation in effective field goal defense and 14th in 2-point field goal defense, according to KenPom.
Look to sophomore Bowen Hardman to potentially add some much-needed spark to the Buckeyes’ shooting. He finished the Northwestern game 1-for-2 on three pointers, but he was electric in only eight minutes of playing time against Nebraska, hitting 3-of-7 from downtown and finishing with 11 points. If Hardman can maintain accuracy and put up some big numbers in small pockets of time, he could be a major playmaker and momentum-shifter for the Buckeyes against an extremely talented Illinois team.
The Illini aren’t going to make it easy. They lead the Big Ten in rebounds per game (43.3), and they have out-rebounded their opponents in 14 of their 19 games this season. The Buckeyes are unlikely to get second chances if they can’t sink their shots against the Fighting Illini.
And as for playing defense, Ohio State will need to play next-to-perfect basketball if they hope to do enough to hold off the Illini.
Led by Shannon Jr., a senior guard averaging 19.9 points per game, and senior forward Marcus Domask, who is putting up 15.2 points per game and 3.5 assists, the Illini are capable of putting up big numbers.
Tonight’s game will mark Shannon’s fourth game back after a university-imposed suspension, as he faces a rape charge in Kansas. He was reinstated to the team after a federal judge granted him a preliminary injunction forcing them to do so.
Domask led the Illini in their outing against Indiana, putting up 16 points and 10 rebounds. Senior forward Coleman Hawkins and junior guard Luke Goode each put up 11 points in the win. Shannon, who got himself into foul trouble early, played only eight minutes in the first half but still acted as a playmaker, with 12 points, six rebounds and some clutch late-game free throws.
It was an ugly victory for a team that has played with style for much of the season (even in their overtime loss to Northwestern two games ago), but it was a testament to the Illini’s grit and resilience, something the Buckeyes will need to be prepared for come this evening. This presents a challenge for an Ohio State team that has struggled with three-point defense, and particularly in their losses to Indiana and Wisconsin, failed to execute defensively in the second half.
Still, the Buckeyes have performed better at home than on the road in the last year (the understatement of the century, given that they are on a 14-game road loss streak), and they will need to capitalize on their home court to repeat last season’s upset and right their ship before it goes further off course.
Prediction
As the Buckeyes’ season has continued to nose dive throughout the month, January has felt like constant insult on top of injury, with their spot in the NCAA Tournament on the bubble — and that bubble on the brink of bursting. Missing the tournament for a second-consecutive season, particularly given how promising this team looked even a month ago, would be hugely disappointing, to say the least.
And yet, those are the stakes heading into February. Having dropped a few games they should have been able to win this month, the Buckeyes will have to dig deep and play near-perfect basketball against the Illini to keep their hopes alive.
Illinois has executed better in almost every facet of the game recently. The Buckeyes are not incapable of doing so—we saw glimpses of this in early-season marquee wins, but the sloppy errors and shooting woes of late will need to disappear to keep the Illini at bay.
Though Illinois leads steadily in points per game (82.1 to OSU’s 75.2), the teams are almost evenly matched on paper where turnovers and points allowed are concerned. Ohio State is averaging 10.1 turnovers per game to Illinois’ 10.9, and the Buckeyes have allowed an average of 68.2 points per game to Illinois’ 68.7.
But paper and performance under pressure are two different things, and the numbers on paper won’t mean much for the Buckeyes if they can’t pull out a big win to keep their postseason hopes from dying out completely. It’s not an impossible task, but they will need to play near-perfect basketball on all fronts, and they might also need a little bit of magic on their side against a top-10 Illinois team that has executed brilliantly for most of this season.
ESPN BPI: Illinois 67.1%
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
TV: Peacock
LGHL score prediction: Illinois 80, Ohio State 71
Continue reading...
LGHL Silver Bullets Podcast: Jim Harbaugh’s departure, OSU coaching staff changes and more
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Silver Bullets Podcast: Jim Harbaugh’s departure, OSU coaching staff changes and more
Michael Citro 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
As Harbaugh scurries out of Ann Arbor ahead of the NCAA investigation, things are going well for Ohio State.
We’ve got a lot to discuss on this episode of the Silver Bullets Podcast at the end of an eventful January. We start with a discussion of the biggest Big Ten news of the month, as Jim Harbaugh has departed Ann Arbor and will no longer have to face the consequences of his actions. He’s even taking the assistant most likely to share in the penalties.
We break down the possible ramifications awaiting Michigan when the NCAA investigation is complete and discuss the possibility that Sherrone Moore could also face sanctions and may not be being set up for success. Who is to say which base he was actually born on and how he thought he got there? We are to say, and we do.
Ohio State has made some coaching staff changes since the season ended and we run through those and discuss some the changes that may still come.
After talking about the coaches, we turn our attention to the players. Ohio State got tons of good news this month from players deciding to return for the 2024 season. Aside from a few guys, almost everyone who could come back is going to do so. Plus, there are some big-time transfers coming to Columbus is well.
In addition, Ohio State has a new athletic director, and we touch on some of the pros and cons of Ross Bjork’s appointment to the position. Sure, he’s the guy who gave Jimbo Fisher a ridiculous extension, but he’s also a guy who can help Ohio State get to the next level with fundraising for NIL issues.
Finally, there are a lot of incoming freshmen enrolling early this year, which is exciting because it’s an excellent recruiting class.
We’ll continue coming at you monthly in the college football off-season, with plans to return to our weekly schedule in August 2024. We’d love to hear from you, so please reach out with your feedback and questions below in the comments section or send us an email.
Be sure to subscribe, rate, review, share, and follow the show over on Twitter at @SilvrBulletsPod.
As always, thanks for listening!
Continue reading...
Michael Citro 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
As Harbaugh scurries out of Ann Arbor ahead of the NCAA investigation, things are going well for Ohio State.
We’ve got a lot to discuss on this episode of the Silver Bullets Podcast at the end of an eventful January. We start with a discussion of the biggest Big Ten news of the month, as Jim Harbaugh has departed Ann Arbor and will no longer have to face the consequences of his actions. He’s even taking the assistant most likely to share in the penalties.
We break down the possible ramifications awaiting Michigan when the NCAA investigation is complete and discuss the possibility that Sherrone Moore could also face sanctions and may not be being set up for success. Who is to say which base he was actually born on and how he thought he got there? We are to say, and we do.
Ohio State has made some coaching staff changes since the season ended and we run through those and discuss some the changes that may still come.
After talking about the coaches, we turn our attention to the players. Ohio State got tons of good news this month from players deciding to return for the 2024 season. Aside from a few guys, almost everyone who could come back is going to do so. Plus, there are some big-time transfers coming to Columbus is well.
In addition, Ohio State has a new athletic director, and we touch on some of the pros and cons of Ross Bjork’s appointment to the position. Sure, he’s the guy who gave Jimbo Fisher a ridiculous extension, but he’s also a guy who can help Ohio State get to the next level with fundraising for NIL issues.
Finally, there are a lot of incoming freshmen enrolling early this year, which is exciting because it’s an excellent recruiting class.
We’ll continue coming at you monthly in the college football off-season, with plans to return to our weekly schedule in August 2024. We’d love to hear from you, so please reach out with your feedback and questions below in the comments section or send us an email.
Be sure to subscribe, rate, review, share, and follow the show over on Twitter at @SilvrBulletsPod.
As always, thanks for listening!
Continue reading...
LGHL Ohio State offers pair of 2026 recruits out of Georgia
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Ohio State offers pair of 2026 recruits out of Georgia
Dan Hessler via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
2026 four-star cornerback Dorian Barney via Cory Fravel, 247Sports
Ohio State took the recruiting trail to Georgia on Monday, offering two recruits in the 2026 class from the Peach State.
Ohio State had an incredible recruiting run to start off 2024. The Buckeyes saw huge wins in both the transfer portal and in the traditional sense. Ohio State is instantly a national favorite heading into next season as a result of this run, and the coaching staff is hoping the run is a premonition of things to come.
Ohio State’s 2024 recruiting class is all but finalized, although there is always a possibility of a late add through the transfer portal with coaching staffs changing across the country. As such, Ryan Day and the Buckeyes’ coaching staff are able to put more focus on both the 2025 and 2026 classes. This continued as Ohio State took the recruiting trail to Georgia on Monday, offering two recruits in the 2026 class from the Peach State.
The first prospect to announce his Ohio State offer to begin the week was athlete Xavier Griffin (Gainesville, GA / Gainesville) .
Griffin does not yet hold a 247Sports Composite ranking, but his impressive offer sheet shows that may change in the next ranking update. Griffin holds offers from the likes of Georgia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Duke, Florida State, Appalachian State, Mississippi State, USF, etc.
Griffin has not yet been able to take many visits to schools he is interested in, being as he is two years away from graduating high school, but he will likely look to change that this spring and summer. Look for Ohio State to try and get him on campus at least once in the coming months for a recruiting camp.
The other Peach State recruit to receive a scholarship offer from the Buckeyes on Monday was four-star cornerback Dorian Barney (Suwanee, GA / Peachtree Ridge).
Ohio State secondary coach Tim Walton has been a huge catalyst in bringing the Ohio State cornerback room back to the level of expectation held by Buckeye Nation. He has also been on an incredible run of recruiting wins both in the traditional sense and in the transfer portal.
The Buckeyes brought in multiple blue-chip prospects at the position in the 2024 class with Aaron Scott, Bryce West and Miles Lockhart. They also already hold verbal commitments from Devin Sanchez and Blake Woodby in the 2025 class. In addition, the Buckeyes brought in the top defensive back in the transfer portal, and the No. 1 player overall in the transfer portal, Caleb Downs. Ohio State would love to continue this trend into 2026, and Barney would be a big first step in achieving that goal.
However, the Buckeyes are not alone in recruiting Barney, as he holds offers from the likes of Arkansas, Auburn, Florida, Kentucky, LSU, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Florida State, Colorado, Georgia Tech, Indiana, USC, etc.
Similar to Griffin, Barney has not yet been able to make many visits to schools he is interested in and the Buckeyes will look to change that this Spring or Summer. Barney is the No. 6 CB and the No. 49 overall prospect in the the 247Sports Composite Rankings. He is also the No. 8 recruit out of Georgia.
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Dan Hessler via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
2026 four-star cornerback Dorian Barney via Cory Fravel, 247Sports
Ohio State took the recruiting trail to Georgia on Monday, offering two recruits in the 2026 class from the Peach State.
Ohio State had an incredible recruiting run to start off 2024. The Buckeyes saw huge wins in both the transfer portal and in the traditional sense. Ohio State is instantly a national favorite heading into next season as a result of this run, and the coaching staff is hoping the run is a premonition of things to come.
Ohio State offers pair of 2026 recruits
Ohio State’s 2024 recruiting class is all but finalized, although there is always a possibility of a late add through the transfer portal with coaching staffs changing across the country. As such, Ryan Day and the Buckeyes’ coaching staff are able to put more focus on both the 2025 and 2026 classes. This continued as Ohio State took the recruiting trail to Georgia on Monday, offering two recruits in the 2026 class from the Peach State.
The first prospect to announce his Ohio State offer to begin the week was athlete Xavier Griffin (Gainesville, GA / Gainesville) .
Griffin does not yet hold a 247Sports Composite ranking, but his impressive offer sheet shows that may change in the next ranking update. Griffin holds offers from the likes of Georgia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Duke, Florida State, Appalachian State, Mississippi State, USF, etc.
Griffin has not yet been able to take many visits to schools he is interested in, being as he is two years away from graduating high school, but he will likely look to change that this spring and summer. Look for Ohio State to try and get him on campus at least once in the coming months for a recruiting camp.
The other Peach State recruit to receive a scholarship offer from the Buckeyes on Monday was four-star cornerback Dorian Barney (Suwanee, GA / Peachtree Ridge).
Ohio State secondary coach Tim Walton has been a huge catalyst in bringing the Ohio State cornerback room back to the level of expectation held by Buckeye Nation. He has also been on an incredible run of recruiting wins both in the traditional sense and in the transfer portal.
The Buckeyes brought in multiple blue-chip prospects at the position in the 2024 class with Aaron Scott, Bryce West and Miles Lockhart. They also already hold verbal commitments from Devin Sanchez and Blake Woodby in the 2025 class. In addition, the Buckeyes brought in the top defensive back in the transfer portal, and the No. 1 player overall in the transfer portal, Caleb Downs. Ohio State would love to continue this trend into 2026, and Barney would be a big first step in achieving that goal.
However, the Buckeyes are not alone in recruiting Barney, as he holds offers from the likes of Arkansas, Auburn, Florida, Kentucky, LSU, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Florida State, Colorado, Georgia Tech, Indiana, USC, etc.
Similar to Griffin, Barney has not yet been able to make many visits to schools he is interested in and the Buckeyes will look to change that this Spring or Summer. Barney is the No. 6 CB and the No. 49 overall prospect in the the 247Sports Composite Rankings. He is also the No. 8 recruit out of Georgia.
Quick Hits
- Speaking of Ohio State secondary coach Tim Walton and recruiting wins, the Buckeyes are moving closer to securing another one with the No. 1 safety in the 2025 class, Faheem Delane (Olney, MD / Our Lady Good Counsel HS). Delane spoke with 247Sports following a weekend visit to Oregon, and said that Ohio State and Oregon are currently his top two schools.
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LGHL Ohio State women’s basketball moves to No. 8 in AP poll
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Ohio State women’s basketball moves to No. 8 in AP poll
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
After two close wins, and some help around the NCAA, the Buckeyes move up in weekly polling
Last week of NCAA women’s basketball was interesting, to say the least. For Ohio State women’s basketball, it faced two teams it struggled against during the 22-23 campaign. While the Buckeyes had struggles again against the Illinois Fighting Illini and Purdue Boilermakers, head coach Kevin McGuff’s side still came out on top in both. The wins, and a lot of shakeups around the country, move the Buckeyes up to No. 8 in Monday’s AP poll.
How much help did Ohio State get exactly? Of the top 25 teams in the poll, 12 lost last week. Of those 12 sides, six were ranked ahead of the Buckeyes No. 12 spot. Including two teams that the scarlet and gray lost to already this season.
The then No. 2 and No. 11 UCLA Bruins and USC Trojans each suffered defeats in Pac-12 play. UCLA lost to the 16-5 Washington State Cougars 85-82, although the defeat was without center Lauren Betts. For the Trojans, it was a 62-59 loss at the hands of the 14-5 Washington Huskies.
Elsewhere in the top 11 teams, the then No. 10 Texas Longhorns fell to its Oklahoma Sooner rivals. Plus, ranked defeats for the No. 9 LSU Tigers against the No. 1 South Carolina Gamecocks, No. 8 UConn Huskies losing to No. 15 Notre Dame (who also lost to No. 22 Syracuse midweek) and the No. 3 Colorado Buffaloes losing to the No. 25 Oregon State Beavers.
Basically, pure havoc from top to bottom across Power Five conferences and beyond. That put the NCAA voters in quite the predicament in choosing the latest top 25 ranking.
In the Big Ten, the three teams who’ve consistently represented the conference are all still part of the conversation. The Iowa Hawkeyes moved up to No. 3 after dropping to No. 5 following last Sunday’s defeat to the Buckeyes. The Indiana Hoosiers, who played once, defeating the Northwestern Wildcats 100-59, also benefited from the chaos ahead of them, moving from No. 14 to No. 10.
Although no other Big Ten teams made the top 25, attention is starting to trickle down to the Penn State Nittany Lions. Reinvigorated with the addition of a now-healthy guard Ashley Owusu, the Nittany Lions are on a five-game winning streak, including a 112-76 win over the Maryland Terrapins, earning the Pennsylvania side a vote.
The NET rankings, also released Monday, put six Big Ten teams in the top 30. Along with the Buckeyes, Hawkeyes and Hoosiers are the Michigan State Spartans at No. 20, Nittany Lions at No. 26 and the Nebraska Cornhuskers right behind Penn State at No. 27.
Both weekly rankings are likely to change in the coming week for the Buckeyes. Following a home game against the Wisconsin Badgers on Thursday, the scarlet and gray welcome the crimson of No. 10 Indiana Sunday at noon.
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ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
After two close wins, and some help around the NCAA, the Buckeyes move up in weekly polling
Last week of NCAA women’s basketball was interesting, to say the least. For Ohio State women’s basketball, it faced two teams it struggled against during the 22-23 campaign. While the Buckeyes had struggles again against the Illinois Fighting Illini and Purdue Boilermakers, head coach Kevin McGuff’s side still came out on top in both. The wins, and a lot of shakeups around the country, move the Buckeyes up to No. 8 in Monday’s AP poll.
How much help did Ohio State get exactly? Of the top 25 teams in the poll, 12 lost last week. Of those 12 sides, six were ranked ahead of the Buckeyes No. 12 spot. Including two teams that the scarlet and gray lost to already this season.
The then No. 2 and No. 11 UCLA Bruins and USC Trojans each suffered defeats in Pac-12 play. UCLA lost to the 16-5 Washington State Cougars 85-82, although the defeat was without center Lauren Betts. For the Trojans, it was a 62-59 loss at the hands of the 14-5 Washington Huskies.
Elsewhere in the top 11 teams, the then No. 10 Texas Longhorns fell to its Oklahoma Sooner rivals. Plus, ranked defeats for the No. 9 LSU Tigers against the No. 1 South Carolina Gamecocks, No. 8 UConn Huskies losing to No. 15 Notre Dame (who also lost to No. 22 Syracuse midweek) and the No. 3 Colorado Buffaloes losing to the No. 25 Oregon State Beavers.
Basically, pure havoc from top to bottom across Power Five conferences and beyond. That put the NCAA voters in quite the predicament in choosing the latest top 25 ranking.
In the Big Ten, the three teams who’ve consistently represented the conference are all still part of the conversation. The Iowa Hawkeyes moved up to No. 3 after dropping to No. 5 following last Sunday’s defeat to the Buckeyes. The Indiana Hoosiers, who played once, defeating the Northwestern Wildcats 100-59, also benefited from the chaos ahead of them, moving from No. 14 to No. 10.
Although no other Big Ten teams made the top 25, attention is starting to trickle down to the Penn State Nittany Lions. Reinvigorated with the addition of a now-healthy guard Ashley Owusu, the Nittany Lions are on a five-game winning streak, including a 112-76 win over the Maryland Terrapins, earning the Pennsylvania side a vote.
The NET rankings, also released Monday, put six Big Ten teams in the top 30. Along with the Buckeyes, Hawkeyes and Hoosiers are the Michigan State Spartans at No. 20, Nittany Lions at No. 26 and the Nebraska Cornhuskers right behind Penn State at No. 27.
Both weekly rankings are likely to change in the coming week for the Buckeyes. Following a home game against the Wisconsin Badgers on Thursday, the scarlet and gray welcome the crimson of No. 10 Indiana Sunday at noon.
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2026 GA CB Dorian Barney (Alabama Decommit, ttun Decommit, Ole Miss Signee)
- By pnuts34
- Football Recruiting
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247
Rivals
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HudL
Class: 2026
Position: CB
School: Carrollton (GA) Carrollton
Height: 6-foot-1
Weight: 175 lbs.
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Rivals
HudL
Class: 2026
Position: CB
School: Carrollton (GA) Carrollton
Height: 6-foot-1
Weight: 175 lbs.
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LGHL Cotie McMahon’s switch from pure scorer to do-it-all forward for Ohio State women’s basketball
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Cotie McMahon’s switch from pure scorer to do-it-all forward for Ohio State women’s basketball
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
How the sophomore star is breaking through the zone in new ways, benefiting everyone on the Buckeyes.
The loss of a history-making three-point shooter is going to impact any team. Ohio State women’s basketball had to work through that transition this season with the graduation of the player with the second most three-point shots in a career, Taylor Mikesell.
The question over and over again was “who fills her shoes from beyond the arc?” Sophomore forward Cotie McMahon is proving that those who wanted an answer were asking the wrong question.
Last season, McMahon debuted for Ohio State, and hasn’t been left off a starting lineup since. For a season and a half, McMahon’s used speed, agility and desire to get her way around opponents in the paint. The work amassing an impressive highlight reel including spins, jumps and taking contact — all of which turning into high-scoring games and memorable performances.
Sunday against the Purdue Boilermakers had the same impact, albeit in ways that aren’t likely to show up on a Big Ten Network hype video.
In West Lafayette, Indiana, McMahon entered the fourth quarter with only five points scored to her name. Even so, the sophomore was flirting with a triple-double. It was clear evidence of the growth of McMahon’s game.
“We’ve been running our zone offense through the middle of the floor quite a bit with Cotie (McMahon),” said head coach Kevin McGuff. “And, you know, they kind of, they guarded her and she did a good job passing the ball.”
By the end of the third quarter, McMahon already had seven assists, tying a career high. McMahon ended the day with 10 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists, good for her third double-double in a row, matching her overall freshman season total.
“When teams go zone, it kind of helps us more than they think it hurts us,” said McMahon. “People draw their attention towards me, which leaves Rebeka (Mikulášiková) open on the post, or just people open on the perimeter.”
Forward Rebeka Mikulášiková’s team leading 15 points featured 10 of those points initiated by a McMahon pass. It came on a day where the Buckeyes needed all they could get from the inside game, with perimeter shooting struggling.
The workload of McMahon is a stark contrast to where the sophomore was at the end of the 2023 calendar. Following a five point, one assist, game for McMahon against the Michigan Wolverines on Dec. 30, where foul trouble held her to only 17 minutes, Coach McGuff’s heralded the work McMahon’s put in during practice. It’s helped McMahon reach a new level that was on display in Sunday’s 71-68 win over Purdue.
Since the start of 2024, McMahon is close to averaging a double-double in Ohio State’s seven game winning streak, scoring 15.1 points and grabbing 8.3 rebounds per contest. In the last three games, McMahon’s grabbed a combined 36 rebounds, leading the Buckeyes in each game. Then throw in eight assists for McMahon on Sunday and the forward looks like she’s only just getting started.
McMahon’s individual growth is one of the things improving for Ohio State as the end of the Big Ten schedule approaches. Although Purdue guard Abbey Ellis found open space on Sunday, to the tune of 14 second half points coming mostly on open three-point shots, the Buckeyes half court defense is improving. The evidence of that stronger defenses in games like Thursday when Ohio State held a surging Illinois Fighting Illini to 59 points or keeping the Michigan State Spartans to 20 points fewer than its season average.
Should opponents’ defensive zone continue its focus on McMahon, and the scarlet and gray’s outside shooting finds consistency, the individual attention won’t last long. Improving team shooting puts the Buckeyes one step closer to a performance peak at the right time: The postseason.
Another byproduct of better shooting is that it opens McMahon up to not only drive and dish to teammates, but have repeat performances like her 33 point game against the then-No. 2 Iowa Hawkeyes.
While Ohio State’s two games last week didn’t feature the best shooting or 100-point games, there’s a silver lining in the narrow victories. It’s the solace of knowing that no matter how defenses play McMahon, there’s going to be a positive impact when the sophomore is on the court.
Continue reading...
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
How the sophomore star is breaking through the zone in new ways, benefiting everyone on the Buckeyes.
The loss of a history-making three-point shooter is going to impact any team. Ohio State women’s basketball had to work through that transition this season with the graduation of the player with the second most three-point shots in a career, Taylor Mikesell.
The question over and over again was “who fills her shoes from beyond the arc?” Sophomore forward Cotie McMahon is proving that those who wanted an answer were asking the wrong question.
Last season, McMahon debuted for Ohio State, and hasn’t been left off a starting lineup since. For a season and a half, McMahon’s used speed, agility and desire to get her way around opponents in the paint. The work amassing an impressive highlight reel including spins, jumps and taking contact — all of which turning into high-scoring games and memorable performances.
Sunday against the Purdue Boilermakers had the same impact, albeit in ways that aren’t likely to show up on a Big Ten Network hype video.
In West Lafayette, Indiana, McMahon entered the fourth quarter with only five points scored to her name. Even so, the sophomore was flirting with a triple-double. It was clear evidence of the growth of McMahon’s game.
“We’ve been running our zone offense through the middle of the floor quite a bit with Cotie (McMahon),” said head coach Kevin McGuff. “And, you know, they kind of, they guarded her and she did a good job passing the ball.”
By the end of the third quarter, McMahon already had seven assists, tying a career high. McMahon ended the day with 10 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists, good for her third double-double in a row, matching her overall freshman season total.
“When teams go zone, it kind of helps us more than they think it hurts us,” said McMahon. “People draw their attention towards me, which leaves Rebeka (Mikulášiková) open on the post, or just people open on the perimeter.”
Forward Rebeka Mikulášiková’s team leading 15 points featured 10 of those points initiated by a McMahon pass. It came on a day where the Buckeyes needed all they could get from the inside game, with perimeter shooting struggling.
The workload of McMahon is a stark contrast to where the sophomore was at the end of the 2023 calendar. Following a five point, one assist, game for McMahon against the Michigan Wolverines on Dec. 30, where foul trouble held her to only 17 minutes, Coach McGuff’s heralded the work McMahon’s put in during practice. It’s helped McMahon reach a new level that was on display in Sunday’s 71-68 win over Purdue.
Since the start of 2024, McMahon is close to averaging a double-double in Ohio State’s seven game winning streak, scoring 15.1 points and grabbing 8.3 rebounds per contest. In the last three games, McMahon’s grabbed a combined 36 rebounds, leading the Buckeyes in each game. Then throw in eight assists for McMahon on Sunday and the forward looks like she’s only just getting started.
McMahon’s individual growth is one of the things improving for Ohio State as the end of the Big Ten schedule approaches. Although Purdue guard Abbey Ellis found open space on Sunday, to the tune of 14 second half points coming mostly on open three-point shots, the Buckeyes half court defense is improving. The evidence of that stronger defenses in games like Thursday when Ohio State held a surging Illinois Fighting Illini to 59 points or keeping the Michigan State Spartans to 20 points fewer than its season average.
Should opponents’ defensive zone continue its focus on McMahon, and the scarlet and gray’s outside shooting finds consistency, the individual attention won’t last long. Improving team shooting puts the Buckeyes one step closer to a performance peak at the right time: The postseason.
Another byproduct of better shooting is that it opens McMahon up to not only drive and dish to teammates, but have repeat performances like her 33 point game against the then-No. 2 Iowa Hawkeyes.
While Ohio State’s two games last week didn’t feature the best shooting or 100-point games, there’s a silver lining in the narrow victories. It’s the solace of knowing that no matter how defenses play McMahon, there’s going to be a positive impact when the sophomore is on the court.
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LGHL You’re Nuts: When will Ohio State mens basketball finally end its B1G road losing streak?
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You’re Nuts: When will Ohio State mens basketball finally end its B1G road losing streak?
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Dylan Widger-USA TODAY Sports
The Buckeyes have to win a Big Ten road game eventually... right?
Everybody knows that one of the best parts of being a sports fan is debating and dissecting the most (and least) important questions in the sporting world with your friends. So, we’re bringing that to the pages of LGHL with our favorite head-to-head column: You’re Nuts.
In You’re Nuts, two LGHL staff members will take differing sides of one question and argue their opinions passionately. Then, in the end, it’s up to you to determine who’s right and who’s nuts.
The Ohio State men’s basketball team dropped yet another Big Ten road game this past weekend, making it 40 consecutive such losses dating back to 2019... Alright, so 40 is a lie. You got me. But it certainly feels like 40 losses and four-plus years since the Buckeyes last won a conference road game.
In reality, OSU has lost just (italicized for sarcasm) 14 consecutive Big Ten roadies, with their last conference road win coming on Jan. 1, 2023. And oh, what a glorious day that was (more sarcasm). Just a few hours earlier, as the ball dropped to signify a new year, the Buckeyes’ football team was having their heart(s) ripped out and stepped on and then thrown into incoming traffic.
A bit grim? Perhaps. But I can’t hide that the increasingly dark Chris Holtmann era has me feeling some type of way (shoutout to Rich Homie Quan).
14 consecutive Big Ten road losses is downright embarrassing. As is Ohio State’s 8-21 total conference record over the past two seasons. Especially if/when you remember that the Buckeyes were 24-16 in the B1G in the two seasons prior to 2022-23. And they won 11+ conference games in four of Holtmann’s first five seasons.
So they weren’t hanging banners, but they weren’t bad either! Now the Scarlet and Gray find themselves in a race to the bottom of the B1G, with Holtmann driving the bus and pressing the pedal to the metal.
Even worse, fans are developing apathy. Nobody wants to consume a bad, boring product, which is what OSU men’s basketball has become. And for those who say that the Big Ten has gotten better or that the standard should change/has changed, give me a break.
Simply put, Holtmann has failed to meet expectations in recent years. Since the 2017-18 season, his teams have not exceeded 21 total wins or finished in the top-3 of the regular season conference standings. Meaning that this season will, in all likelihood, mark six straight in which Ohio State falls short of the aforementioned benchmarks.
For comparison purposes, neither Jim O’Brien nor Thad Matta put together more than two consecutive seasons without reaching 22 wins and/or a top-3 finish in the Big Ten... Because they were fired/forced to resign after just a few lackluster campaigns! Sure, O’Brien had some other things going on, but the point remains: Holtmann has been clinging to mediocrity for half a decade. And don’t get me started on his lack of success in March!
With that out of the way and out of my system, it is time to address today’s topic/question for You’re Nuts, which was posed by my partner Gene Ross. He asked, “When will the Ohio State men’s basketball team end their Big Ten road losing streak?” And I actually have a few predictions.
First, I predict that OSU will not win a B1G roadie until sometime next season. Feb. 22 (this season) at Minnesota seems like a possibility. As does the team’s regular season finale at Rutgers on March 10. But unfortunately, I cannot sit here with any level of confidence and say that I expect the Buckeyes to win on the road for the remainder of this season... Primarily because of their coach.
For that reason, I also predict that Chris Holtmann will no longer be the coach of the Buckeyes when they win their next B1G roadie, sometime in December of 2024 or January of 2025. That last part sounds depressing, but Ohio State only has five more opportunities this season, and then I think it will be time for Holtmann and the program to part ways.
I am typically not one to call for anyone’s job, but Holtmann simply is not and has not been getting it done. If he were to lose 19-straight conference road games, there would be no justification whatsoever for retaining him as the Buckeyes’ coach, even if Gene Smith is on his way out — and things seem to be trending in that direction.
It’s a bummer, Gene, but that’s what I got. OSU will not win another Big Ten road game until Holtmann is swapped out for... Thad Matta, perhaps? Can I interest you in a reunion?
Just throwing it out there.
I’m not going to pretend that I'm the world’s biggest Ohio State men’s basketball fan out there. In reality, I’ve probably watched the women’s team more this season, as it has been a far superior product than the alternative — shoutout those lady Bucks!
That being said, things are not looking so good for Chris Holtmann’s group, both in a literal and a metaphorical sense. The Buckeyes have dropped five of their last six games, and as Josh already touched on, an almost-impossible 14 consecutive losses on the road against Big Ten opponents dating back to last season. To draw even more attention to the streak, Ohio State’s most recent performance on the road was one of its worst: an 83-58 loss to Northwestern, a team that ranks in the bottom third of the conference in scoring.
If Ohio State is going to right the shape and finally earn that elusive road victory before the end of the 2023-24 campaign, it only has a few more opportunities to do so. The Buckeyes only have 11 games left in the regular season, and five of those are on the road: at Iowa on Feb. 2, at Wisconsin on Feb. 13, at Minnesota on Feb. 22, at Michigan State on Feb. 5 and the regular season finale at Rutgers on March 10.
Of those five teams, the Buckeyes have already played three of them at home, defeating both Minnesota and Rutgers in Columbus and losing to Wisconsin 71-60. Ohio State’s only meetings this year against the Hawkeyes and the Spartans both take place on the road, with the two conference foes each currently sitting with identical Big Ten (4-5) and overall records (12-8).
Probably the least likely win among those teams for Ohio State are the Badgers, who having already beaten Holtmann’s squad by double-digits on their own home floor sit atop the Big Ten at 8-1 in the conference and are currently the No. 6 team in the AP Poll. Iowa hasn't exactly set the world on fire, but their 85.3 points per game lead the B1G, and the Buckeyes have had more than their fair share of defensive woes of late. Minnesota is the definition of middle-of-the-pack in nearly every department, but it's hard to beat the same team twice in one season. The same goes for Rutgers, whom OSU narrowly defeated in early January.
That leaves me with just one option remaining for Ohio State to potentially end its road slid: Michigan State on Feb. 25. A matchup which, by the way, the ESPN matchup predictor gives the Spartans an 82.3% chance of winning.
Do I like the odds for the Buckeyes in this one? Well... not really. Michigan State has dominated Ohio State in East Lansing, posting a 17-6 mark against the Buckeyes at the Breslin Center. In fact, OSU has not won a game on the Spartans’ home court since 2012. Ohio State did defeat MSU in the last meeting between the two teams, 68-58 in 2023, but that game was played in Columbus.
So, by all accounts, it does not seem likely for Holtmann’s team to actually win that game, but it seems to be at least feasible among the remaining options. In reality, the most probable chance for Ohio State to end the road losing streak would likely occur in the season finale in Piscataway against Rutgers. However, having only beaten the Scarlet Knights by four at home in the prior meeting this season, that is no sure thing either.
As Josh predicted, there is a greater than zero chance that the Buckeyes finish out this season without picking up a Big Ten road victory, as crazy as that may sound, which would bring the streak to 19 consecutive losses in-conference away from home. I don't think there's much of anything Holtmann could really do to save his job at this point — outside an incredibly unlikely Big Ten Tournament run that gets his team into the NCAA Tournament — but it would still feel nice to get the monkey of his back by winning one of these B1G roadies to close out the year.
Continue reading...
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Dylan Widger-USA TODAY Sports
The Buckeyes have to win a Big Ten road game eventually... right?
Everybody knows that one of the best parts of being a sports fan is debating and dissecting the most (and least) important questions in the sporting world with your friends. So, we’re bringing that to the pages of LGHL with our favorite head-to-head column: You’re Nuts.
In You’re Nuts, two LGHL staff members will take differing sides of one question and argue their opinions passionately. Then, in the end, it’s up to you to determine who’s right and who’s nuts.
This week’s topic: When will Ohio State mens basketball finally end its road losing streak?
Josh’s Take
The Ohio State men’s basketball team dropped yet another Big Ten road game this past weekend, making it 40 consecutive such losses dating back to 2019... Alright, so 40 is a lie. You got me. But it certainly feels like 40 losses and four-plus years since the Buckeyes last won a conference road game.
In reality, OSU has lost just (italicized for sarcasm) 14 consecutive Big Ten roadies, with their last conference road win coming on Jan. 1, 2023. And oh, what a glorious day that was (more sarcasm). Just a few hours earlier, as the ball dropped to signify a new year, the Buckeyes’ football team was having their heart(s) ripped out and stepped on and then thrown into incoming traffic.
A bit grim? Perhaps. But I can’t hide that the increasingly dark Chris Holtmann era has me feeling some type of way (shoutout to Rich Homie Quan).
14 consecutive Big Ten road losses is downright embarrassing. As is Ohio State’s 8-21 total conference record over the past two seasons. Especially if/when you remember that the Buckeyes were 24-16 in the B1G in the two seasons prior to 2022-23. And they won 11+ conference games in four of Holtmann’s first five seasons.
So they weren’t hanging banners, but they weren’t bad either! Now the Scarlet and Gray find themselves in a race to the bottom of the B1G, with Holtmann driving the bus and pressing the pedal to the metal.
Even worse, fans are developing apathy. Nobody wants to consume a bad, boring product, which is what OSU men’s basketball has become. And for those who say that the Big Ten has gotten better or that the standard should change/has changed, give me a break.
Simply put, Holtmann has failed to meet expectations in recent years. Since the 2017-18 season, his teams have not exceeded 21 total wins or finished in the top-3 of the regular season conference standings. Meaning that this season will, in all likelihood, mark six straight in which Ohio State falls short of the aforementioned benchmarks.
For comparison purposes, neither Jim O’Brien nor Thad Matta put together more than two consecutive seasons without reaching 22 wins and/or a top-3 finish in the Big Ten... Because they were fired/forced to resign after just a few lackluster campaigns! Sure, O’Brien had some other things going on, but the point remains: Holtmann has been clinging to mediocrity for half a decade. And don’t get me started on his lack of success in March!
With that out of the way and out of my system, it is time to address today’s topic/question for You’re Nuts, which was posed by my partner Gene Ross. He asked, “When will the Ohio State men’s basketball team end their Big Ten road losing streak?” And I actually have a few predictions.
First, I predict that OSU will not win a B1G roadie until sometime next season. Feb. 22 (this season) at Minnesota seems like a possibility. As does the team’s regular season finale at Rutgers on March 10. But unfortunately, I cannot sit here with any level of confidence and say that I expect the Buckeyes to win on the road for the remainder of this season... Primarily because of their coach.
For that reason, I also predict that Chris Holtmann will no longer be the coach of the Buckeyes when they win their next B1G roadie, sometime in December of 2024 or January of 2025. That last part sounds depressing, but Ohio State only has five more opportunities this season, and then I think it will be time for Holtmann and the program to part ways.
I am typically not one to call for anyone’s job, but Holtmann simply is not and has not been getting it done. If he were to lose 19-straight conference road games, there would be no justification whatsoever for retaining him as the Buckeyes’ coach, even if Gene Smith is on his way out — and things seem to be trending in that direction.
It’s a bummer, Gene, but that’s what I got. OSU will not win another Big Ten road game until Holtmann is swapped out for... Thad Matta, perhaps? Can I interest you in a reunion?
Just throwing it out there.
Gene’s Take
I’m not going to pretend that I'm the world’s biggest Ohio State men’s basketball fan out there. In reality, I’ve probably watched the women’s team more this season, as it has been a far superior product than the alternative — shoutout those lady Bucks!
That being said, things are not looking so good for Chris Holtmann’s group, both in a literal and a metaphorical sense. The Buckeyes have dropped five of their last six games, and as Josh already touched on, an almost-impossible 14 consecutive losses on the road against Big Ten opponents dating back to last season. To draw even more attention to the streak, Ohio State’s most recent performance on the road was one of its worst: an 83-58 loss to Northwestern, a team that ranks in the bottom third of the conference in scoring.
If Ohio State is going to right the shape and finally earn that elusive road victory before the end of the 2023-24 campaign, it only has a few more opportunities to do so. The Buckeyes only have 11 games left in the regular season, and five of those are on the road: at Iowa on Feb. 2, at Wisconsin on Feb. 13, at Minnesota on Feb. 22, at Michigan State on Feb. 5 and the regular season finale at Rutgers on March 10.
Of those five teams, the Buckeyes have already played three of them at home, defeating both Minnesota and Rutgers in Columbus and losing to Wisconsin 71-60. Ohio State’s only meetings this year against the Hawkeyes and the Spartans both take place on the road, with the two conference foes each currently sitting with identical Big Ten (4-5) and overall records (12-8).
Probably the least likely win among those teams for Ohio State are the Badgers, who having already beaten Holtmann’s squad by double-digits on their own home floor sit atop the Big Ten at 8-1 in the conference and are currently the No. 6 team in the AP Poll. Iowa hasn't exactly set the world on fire, but their 85.3 points per game lead the B1G, and the Buckeyes have had more than their fair share of defensive woes of late. Minnesota is the definition of middle-of-the-pack in nearly every department, but it's hard to beat the same team twice in one season. The same goes for Rutgers, whom OSU narrowly defeated in early January.
That leaves me with just one option remaining for Ohio State to potentially end its road slid: Michigan State on Feb. 25. A matchup which, by the way, the ESPN matchup predictor gives the Spartans an 82.3% chance of winning.
Do I like the odds for the Buckeyes in this one? Well... not really. Michigan State has dominated Ohio State in East Lansing, posting a 17-6 mark against the Buckeyes at the Breslin Center. In fact, OSU has not won a game on the Spartans’ home court since 2012. Ohio State did defeat MSU in the last meeting between the two teams, 68-58 in 2023, but that game was played in Columbus.
So, by all accounts, it does not seem likely for Holtmann’s team to actually win that game, but it seems to be at least feasible among the remaining options. In reality, the most probable chance for Ohio State to end the road losing streak would likely occur in the season finale in Piscataway against Rutgers. However, having only beaten the Scarlet Knights by four at home in the prior meeting this season, that is no sure thing either.
As Josh predicted, there is a greater than zero chance that the Buckeyes finish out this season without picking up a Big Ten road victory, as crazy as that may sound, which would bring the streak to 19 consecutive losses in-conference away from home. I don't think there's much of anything Holtmann could really do to save his job at this point — outside an incredibly unlikely Big Ten Tournament run that gets his team into the NCAA Tournament — but it would still feel nice to get the monkey of his back by winning one of these B1G roadies to close out the year.
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LGHL A Super Bowl rooting guide for Ohio State football fans
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A Super Bowl rooting guide for Ohio State football fans
Michael Citro via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports
If your team isn’t in the Super Bowl, which should you be pulling for in Super Bowl LVIII?
Now that we know who will be playing in the Super Bowl, it’s the time of year when neutrals are looking for a rooting interest. If your team made it to the big game, congratulations, you have no ambiguity whatsoever on the team for which you’ll be rooting. Likewise, if one of the teams is a rival of your favorite squad, you’re more likely to be rooting against either the Kansas City Chiefs or San Francisco 49ers.
However, what if you’re a true neutral? What would tip the scales for you to help you pick someone to root for on Feb. 11 in Super Bowl LVIII?
Since you’re reading this site, chances are you’re an Ohio State fan. So, which of the teams is the one with the strongest ties to the Buckeyes? Let’s look at the rosters and coaching staffs of the two teams for some answers.
San Francisco’s roster features defensive ends Nick Bosa and Chase Young — two of the all-time greats at the position in Ohio State history. Bosa is San Francisco’s sack leader, with 10.5, and he’s amassed 46 tackles (27 solo) and four passes defensed. He has been a starter written in ink since becoming the 49ers’ first-round draft selection (No. 2 overall) in the 2019 NFL Draft. The 2017 first-team All-American played in 29 career games at Ohio State, logging 77 tackles (47 solo), 17.5 sacks, two passes defensed, two forced fumbles, and one touchdown.
Young, who was acquired midseason in a trade with the Washington Commanders, is a recent arrival in San Francisco. After an injury-plagued career in the nation’s capital, Washington traded the defensive end to San Francisco on Nov. 1 of last year in exchange for a third-round pick in the 2024 NLF Draft. Young played in seven games with Washington, starting six, before heading to San Francisco, where he played in nine games (no starts). He recorded a combined 25 tackles on the season (17 solo) with 7.5 sacks and two passes defensed. The Maryland native was a unanimous All-American at Ohio State in 2019 and was a Heisman Trophy finalist after breaking the school’s single-season sack record, racking up 16.5.
On the coaching side, the 49ers don’t have many ties to Ohio, although tight ends coach Brian Fleury did spend time as the Browns’ outside linebackers coach in 2015 after a season as an assistant linebackers coach in Cleveland. San Francisco Linebackers Coach Johnny Holland spent 2016 in the same role with the Browns.
The biggest connection is Running Backs Coach Robert Turner, Jr., who served as Ohio State’s running backs coach in 1989 and 1990, where he oversaw Scottie Graham’s transition from fullback to tailback and also coached Robert Smith. The Buckeyes led the Big Ten in rushing yards per game (241) in 1989, while averaging 418 yards of total offense and just a fraction under 30 points per game.
A big drawback for Ohio State fans looking for a rooting interest is that former Michigan quarterback Brian Griese is San Francisco’s quarterbacks coach. Additionally, San Francisco has recent Wolverines receiver Ronnie Bell, kicker Jake Moody, and cornerback Ambry Thomas. Bell is a rookie and third-string receiver who was selected in the seventh round (No. 253) in the 2023 NFL Draft. He played in 17 games this season and made just six receptions for 68 yards, but managed to score three touchdowns among those six catches.
Moody was also a 2023 draft pick by San Francisco, which selected him in the third round (No. 99), which is quite high for a kicker. He played in all the team’s games in 2023 and made 84% of his field-goal attempts, making 21 of 25 on the year.
Thomas, a backup to Deommodore Lenoir at corner, was a third-round pick by the 49ers (No. 102 overall) in 2021. He appeared in 15 games and made 42 tackles (35 solo) with seven passes defensed and one interception.
The Kansas City Chiefs do not have any Ohio State players on the roster. However, they do have one Michigan Wolverine – defensive end Michael Danna, who Kansas City drafted in the fifth round back in 2020. Danna, who starts opposite George Karlaftis on the defensive line, appeared in 16 games in 2023, making 47 total tackles (29 solo) to go along with 6.5 sacks and three passes defensed.
The Chiefs’ main coaching staff is also bereft of Ohio State personnel.
This one is a pretty easy call. San Francisco has more ties to Ohio State than Kansas City, although the 49ers also have more Wolverines. But if the Chiefs win, no former Buckeyes get to win it, so the OSU rooting interest should be with the NFC’s 49ers.
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Michael Citro via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports
If your team isn’t in the Super Bowl, which should you be pulling for in Super Bowl LVIII?
Now that we know who will be playing in the Super Bowl, it’s the time of year when neutrals are looking for a rooting interest. If your team made it to the big game, congratulations, you have no ambiguity whatsoever on the team for which you’ll be rooting. Likewise, if one of the teams is a rival of your favorite squad, you’re more likely to be rooting against either the Kansas City Chiefs or San Francisco 49ers.
However, what if you’re a true neutral? What would tip the scales for you to help you pick someone to root for on Feb. 11 in Super Bowl LVIII?
Since you’re reading this site, chances are you’re an Ohio State fan. So, which of the teams is the one with the strongest ties to the Buckeyes? Let’s look at the rosters and coaching staffs of the two teams for some answers.
San Francisco’s roster features defensive ends Nick Bosa and Chase Young — two of the all-time greats at the position in Ohio State history. Bosa is San Francisco’s sack leader, with 10.5, and he’s amassed 46 tackles (27 solo) and four passes defensed. He has been a starter written in ink since becoming the 49ers’ first-round draft selection (No. 2 overall) in the 2019 NFL Draft. The 2017 first-team All-American played in 29 career games at Ohio State, logging 77 tackles (47 solo), 17.5 sacks, two passes defensed, two forced fumbles, and one touchdown.
Young, who was acquired midseason in a trade with the Washington Commanders, is a recent arrival in San Francisco. After an injury-plagued career in the nation’s capital, Washington traded the defensive end to San Francisco on Nov. 1 of last year in exchange for a third-round pick in the 2024 NLF Draft. Young played in seven games with Washington, starting six, before heading to San Francisco, where he played in nine games (no starts). He recorded a combined 25 tackles on the season (17 solo) with 7.5 sacks and two passes defensed. The Maryland native was a unanimous All-American at Ohio State in 2019 and was a Heisman Trophy finalist after breaking the school’s single-season sack record, racking up 16.5.
On the coaching side, the 49ers don’t have many ties to Ohio, although tight ends coach Brian Fleury did spend time as the Browns’ outside linebackers coach in 2015 after a season as an assistant linebackers coach in Cleveland. San Francisco Linebackers Coach Johnny Holland spent 2016 in the same role with the Browns.
The biggest connection is Running Backs Coach Robert Turner, Jr., who served as Ohio State’s running backs coach in 1989 and 1990, where he oversaw Scottie Graham’s transition from fullback to tailback and also coached Robert Smith. The Buckeyes led the Big Ten in rushing yards per game (241) in 1989, while averaging 418 yards of total offense and just a fraction under 30 points per game.
A big drawback for Ohio State fans looking for a rooting interest is that former Michigan quarterback Brian Griese is San Francisco’s quarterbacks coach. Additionally, San Francisco has recent Wolverines receiver Ronnie Bell, kicker Jake Moody, and cornerback Ambry Thomas. Bell is a rookie and third-string receiver who was selected in the seventh round (No. 253) in the 2023 NFL Draft. He played in 17 games this season and made just six receptions for 68 yards, but managed to score three touchdowns among those six catches.
Moody was also a 2023 draft pick by San Francisco, which selected him in the third round (No. 99), which is quite high for a kicker. He played in all the team’s games in 2023 and made 84% of his field-goal attempts, making 21 of 25 on the year.
Thomas, a backup to Deommodore Lenoir at corner, was a third-round pick by the 49ers (No. 102 overall) in 2021. He appeared in 15 games and made 42 tackles (35 solo) with seven passes defensed and one interception.
The Kansas City Chiefs do not have any Ohio State players on the roster. However, they do have one Michigan Wolverine – defensive end Michael Danna, who Kansas City drafted in the fifth round back in 2020. Danna, who starts opposite George Karlaftis on the defensive line, appeared in 16 games in 2023, making 47 total tackles (29 solo) to go along with 6.5 sacks and three passes defensed.
The Chiefs’ main coaching staff is also bereft of Ohio State personnel.
This one is a pretty easy call. San Francisco has more ties to Ohio State than Kansas City, although the 49ers also have more Wolverines. But if the Chiefs win, no former Buckeyes get to win it, so the OSU rooting interest should be with the NFC’s 49ers.
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LGHL Ohio State sends out slew of new offers, including elite former Florida State WR commit
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Ohio State sends out slew of new offers, including elite former Florida State WR commit
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
2026 WR Devin Carter | Andrew Ivins, 247Sports
The Buckeyes are busy evaluating talent in the next two cycles.
We are nearing the end of January, a month that has been almost exclusively positive for Ryan Day’s group on both the recruiting trail and in the transfer portal. The Buckeyes’ latest good news came in the form of a huge commitment in the 2025 class, as in-state offensive lineman Carter Lowe committed to Ohio State as one of the nation’s best at his position.
Day and his staff will look to keep the good times rolling as the calendar flips to February, and have already been busy in their talent evaluations in both the 2025 and 2026 classes. Ohio State has sent out numerous offers in each cycle in just the past few days, including a former Florida State commit who happens to be one of the top wide receivers in the country in the sophomore class.
Georgia native Devin Carter earned an Ohio State offer as one of a handful of schools that have offered the 2026 prospect since he de-committed from the Seminoles on Jan. 22 — a group that includes Miami, Texas, and others in addition to the Buckeyes.
Carter currently ranks as the No. 3 wide receiver and the No. 35 player overall in the 2026 class, and his offer sheet this early in the process is beginning to reflect that as he nears 20 total schools in pursuit of the Cedar Grove High School product. The 6-foot pass-catcher comes from a football family, as his brother Dexter Carter Jr. was a wideout at Georgia Southern from 2016-20 and his father Dexter Carter played running back at FSU and won a Super Bowl with the San Francisco 49ers in 1995.
A track athlete, Carer played varsity snaps as a freshman on a Saints team that went 11-3 and played for a state title, catching 30 passes for 417 yards and six touchdowns, earning himself a spot in the FBU Freshman All-American Bowl. He followed it up with a dominant sophomore season, hauling in 51 catches for 923 yards and 13 TDs en route to a state title.
As a Florida State legacy, it was seemingly a forgone conclusion that Carter wound play for the Seminoles at the next level, but now that his recruitment is once again open, you can never count out Brian Hartline. There is a lot of time between now and when Carter will sign, as he is just a high school sophomore, and if Hartline is serious about this one, Ohio State should always like its chances.
Moving to the nearer future in the 2025 class, the Buckeyes continued to scour the country for talent on both sides of the football. That search took them to South Carolina, where Ohio State extended an offer to four-star defensive lineman Isaiah Campbell.
Campbell, the No. 5 DL and No. 72 overall player per the 247Sports Composite, holds over 30 offers to his name, including the likes of Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, LSU, Notre Dame, Penn State, USC and many others. After an impressive campaign as a sophomore, totaling 61 tackles, 17 tackles for loss and five sacks, Campbell really showed out in his junior season, compiling a whopping 110 tackles, 27 tackles for loss, 16 sacks and a pair of forced fumbles.
Ohio State is likely a bit behind the eight-ball here, as many of the nation’s top programs have been in the 6-foot-4, 260-pound lineman for some time. It seems as though Clemson is the odds-on favorite for Campbell right now, with three Crystal Ball predictions in favor of the Tigers — including two of just this past week. Larry Johnson and the Buckeyes will have some work to do if they want to sway the Durham native up north, but they will have almost an entire calendar year to do so if they wish.
Keeping in line with 2025 defensive linemen, Ohio State also offered four-star edge rusher Darren Ikinnagbon late last week.
A New Jersey native, Ikinnagbon is the No. 27 EDGE and No. 239 player in the cycle per 247Sports’ rankings, as well as the No. 8 player in the state. The 6-foot-5, 225 Hillside product has over 20 offers to his name thus far, including from big name programs in Georgia, Miami, Oklahoma, Penn State, Tennesee and others. Ikinnagbon racked up 25 tackles, five tackles for loss and two sacks this past season.
Expect defensive line recruiting in the 2025 class to remain busy for the Buckeyes, as Ohio State will need to bring in at least five or six guys — if not more — in this cycle after just three additions in 2024. As things stand, LJ and the staff have sent out at least 25 official offers to defensive lineman in the class, the most of any position group. Ohio State already has one DL commitment in four-star edge rusher Zahir Mathis, and remains in good standing with Justin Hill, Brandon Caesar and others.
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Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
2026 WR Devin Carter | Andrew Ivins, 247Sports
The Buckeyes are busy evaluating talent in the next two cycles.
We are nearing the end of January, a month that has been almost exclusively positive for Ryan Day’s group on both the recruiting trail and in the transfer portal. The Buckeyes’ latest good news came in the form of a huge commitment in the 2025 class, as in-state offensive lineman Carter Lowe committed to Ohio State as one of the nation’s best at his position.
Day and his staff will look to keep the good times rolling as the calendar flips to February, and have already been busy in their talent evaluations in both the 2025 and 2026 classes. Ohio State has sent out numerous offers in each cycle in just the past few days, including a former Florida State commit who happens to be one of the top wide receivers in the country in the sophomore class.
Georgia native Devin Carter earned an Ohio State offer as one of a handful of schools that have offered the 2026 prospect since he de-committed from the Seminoles on Jan. 22 — a group that includes Miami, Texas, and others in addition to the Buckeyes.
Carter currently ranks as the No. 3 wide receiver and the No. 35 player overall in the 2026 class, and his offer sheet this early in the process is beginning to reflect that as he nears 20 total schools in pursuit of the Cedar Grove High School product. The 6-foot pass-catcher comes from a football family, as his brother Dexter Carter Jr. was a wideout at Georgia Southern from 2016-20 and his father Dexter Carter played running back at FSU and won a Super Bowl with the San Francisco 49ers in 1995.
A track athlete, Carer played varsity snaps as a freshman on a Saints team that went 11-3 and played for a state title, catching 30 passes for 417 yards and six touchdowns, earning himself a spot in the FBU Freshman All-American Bowl. He followed it up with a dominant sophomore season, hauling in 51 catches for 923 yards and 13 TDs en route to a state title.
As a Florida State legacy, it was seemingly a forgone conclusion that Carter wound play for the Seminoles at the next level, but now that his recruitment is once again open, you can never count out Brian Hartline. There is a lot of time between now and when Carter will sign, as he is just a high school sophomore, and if Hartline is serious about this one, Ohio State should always like its chances.
Moving to the nearer future in the 2025 class, the Buckeyes continued to scour the country for talent on both sides of the football. That search took them to South Carolina, where Ohio State extended an offer to four-star defensive lineman Isaiah Campbell.
Campbell, the No. 5 DL and No. 72 overall player per the 247Sports Composite, holds over 30 offers to his name, including the likes of Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, LSU, Notre Dame, Penn State, USC and many others. After an impressive campaign as a sophomore, totaling 61 tackles, 17 tackles for loss and five sacks, Campbell really showed out in his junior season, compiling a whopping 110 tackles, 27 tackles for loss, 16 sacks and a pair of forced fumbles.
Ohio State is likely a bit behind the eight-ball here, as many of the nation’s top programs have been in the 6-foot-4, 260-pound lineman for some time. It seems as though Clemson is the odds-on favorite for Campbell right now, with three Crystal Ball predictions in favor of the Tigers — including two of just this past week. Larry Johnson and the Buckeyes will have some work to do if they want to sway the Durham native up north, but they will have almost an entire calendar year to do so if they wish.
Keeping in line with 2025 defensive linemen, Ohio State also offered four-star edge rusher Darren Ikinnagbon late last week.
After a great conversation I am truly blessed to receive an offer from THE Ohio State University️ @CoachBGGrant @coachlrblanc @R2X_Rushmen1
#OhioState #buckeyes pic.twitter.com/qDNQgDotRF
— Darren Ikinnagbon (@AceSZNF) January 26, 2024
A New Jersey native, Ikinnagbon is the No. 27 EDGE and No. 239 player in the cycle per 247Sports’ rankings, as well as the No. 8 player in the state. The 6-foot-5, 225 Hillside product has over 20 offers to his name thus far, including from big name programs in Georgia, Miami, Oklahoma, Penn State, Tennesee and others. Ikinnagbon racked up 25 tackles, five tackles for loss and two sacks this past season.
Expect defensive line recruiting in the 2025 class to remain busy for the Buckeyes, as Ohio State will need to bring in at least five or six guys — if not more — in this cycle after just three additions in 2024. As things stand, LJ and the staff have sent out at least 25 official offers to defensive lineman in the class, the most of any position group. Ohio State already has one DL commitment in four-star edge rusher Zahir Mathis, and remains in good standing with Justin Hill, Brandon Caesar and others.
Quick Hits
- Ohio State appears to be in great shape with 2025 linebacker Tarvos Alford. The Buckeyes are among the top three schools for the four-star Florida native, with in-state schools Miami and UCF the other two contenders. Alford is the No. 10 LB and No. 70 overall player in the 247Sports Composite.
- Ryan Day and Brian Hartline also made time this past week to check in with five-star wide receiver Jaime Ffrench. The 6-foot-1 Florida native had been committed to Alabama since July, but de-committed following the news of Nick Saban’s retirement. Hartline and Ohio State remained in constant pursuit of the No. 3 WR and No. 12 overall player in the 2025 class even while pledged to the Tide, and the door is now wide open to turn him into a Buckeye.
- Ohio State added one more player to the offer sheet over the weekend, sending out a new offer to 2025 offensive lineman Atamai Matau on Saturday. The 6-foot-2, 310-pound California native does not yet have a rating on 247Sports, but is now approaching double-digit offers with big names among the likes of Florida, Ole Miss and now the Buckeyes having joined the fray in just the last two months.
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2026 GA DE Xavier Griffin (USC Decommit, Alabama Signee)
- By pnuts34
- Football Recruiting
- 28 Replies
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HudL
Class: 2026
School: Gainesville(GA) Gainesville
Position: DE
Height: 6-foot-4
Weight: 210lbs
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Rivals
HudL
Class: 2026
School: Gainesville(GA) Gainesville
Position: DE
Height: 6-foot-4
Weight: 210lbs
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