• New here? Register here now for access to all the forums, download game torrents, private messages, polls, Sportsbook, etc. Plus, stay connected and follow BP on Instagram @buckeyeplanet and Facebook.

Hot

Forum list

Hot

 Threads Latest activity Posts Social Questions
plum diamonds buckeye planet

LGHL The Good, the Bad and the Ugly: Ohio State’s 38-3 win over Michigan State

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly: Ohio State’s 38-3 win over Michigan State
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Michigan State v Ohio State

Photo by Ben Jackson/Getty Images

The Buckeyes got off to a fast start and never looked back.

Ohio State was looking to get out to a fast start against Michigan State, and it did that emphatically by taking a 21-0 lead one play into the second quarter. The Buckeyes went on to win a 38-3 laugher, enabling them to rest their starters for the second half as they continue their quest for an undefeated regular season. It was a great day for the stars of the offense, while a shorthanded defensive group more than got the job done against a largely overmatched Spartans squad.

Here is the good, the bad and the ugly from Ohio State’s win over Michigan State.

The Good​


Marvin Harrison Jr.

If there was a ‘The Ridiculous’ portion of this column, Marvin Harrison Jr. would be listed there instead. The best wide receiver and likely best overall player in all of college football had a monster performance against the Spartans, catching seven passes for 149 yards and scoring three total touchdowns — all coming before halftime as he sat the final two quarters in a blowout. He did a little bit of everything in the game, showcasing his ability to both make the long receptions over the top and also catch it short and pick up yards after the catch. He is the first Ohio State wide receiver ever to record two 1,000-yard receiving seasons, and did so this year with still two games remaining in the regular season.

Kyle McCord

There has been a lot of back and forth about Ohio State’s starting quarterback this season, with much of it surrounding Kyle McCord’s slow first halves. McCord had his best game of the year against Michigan State, completing 24-of-31 pass attempts for a career-high 335 yards and three TDs. The first-year starter really couldn’t have put together a better first half on Saturday, going into the break having completed 21-of-25 passes for 263 yards and the three scores. While the Spartan defense isn’t exactly elite, it was great to see McCord looking on-point and confident out there. This was definitely the type of performance he will look to build off of, with one more game to fine tune things ahead of Michigan.

TreVeyon Henderson

Ohio State’s rushing attack simply looks different when TreVeyon Henderson is healthy. His numbers against Michigan State don't jump off the page like they did against Wisconsin and Rutgers, but it was another efficient night for the junior running back: 13 carries for 63 yards and a touchdown before sitting out the second half of a runaway game. Over his last three games, Henderson has ran for over 350 yards on just under six yards per carry, while also adding 139 yards through the air on 11 receptions. While Harrison Jr. is the star of the show and a ton of eyes are on McCord each week, Henderson is the lynchpin of the entire Ohio State offense.

Fast Starts

The Buckeyes came into the night looking to get off to a fast start, as they have had trouble all season long getting into a rhythm before halftime. The last three weeks especially had really been a struggle offensively through the first two quarters, and even more glaringly in the first quarter. Ohio State scored just three points in the first quarter against Penn State, three in the first quarter against Wisconsin, and only seven in the entire first half against Rutgers. Against Michigan State, the Buckeyes put up 200 yards in the first quarter and got out to an almost immediate 14-0 lead, adding a third score to make it 21-0 on the first play of the second quarter. You won’t be able to put together that kind of opener too often, but it was exactly the kind of start Ryan Day was looking for this week.

The Bad​


The Second Half (as a viewer)

Ohio State didn’t necessarily do anything bad in the second half. Taking a 35-3 lead into halftime, the Buckeyes really just sat on the football for the rest of the contest. Harrison Jr. and Henderson came out of the game to start the third quarter, and it wasn’t too long after that the majority of the other starters on both sides of the ball were out as well. It would have been fun to run up the score a little against an overmatched opponent, but the main goal here was to make sure you left the game without racking up any additional injuries. Unfortunately, that just meant a really boring half of football to watch as a viewer — which I will gladly take if it means Ohio State is up big.

The Ugly​


Parker Fleming

Sticking to my word that Ohio State’s special teams coach will be listed on this part of the postgame column every week until he is fired. While the group didn’t do anything absolutely egregious this week for the first time in what felt like forever, there were still a handful of minor mistakes that shouldn’t happen if you are choosing to waste a coaching position on special teams. The funniest one was failing to get lined up on a punt, leading to Ryan Day needing to waste a time out and looking exacerbated on the sideline as a result. The Buckeyes also missed a field goal, which isn’t entirely Fleming fault, but once again: it’s his unit. With the Michigan game coming up, one that is likely going to be played on the slimmest of margins, having an actively bad special teams coordinator could be the difference in winning or losing.

Injuries

It flew under the radar a bit because the broadcast never mentioned it, but Mike Hall Jr. exited the game and went to the locker room with a trainer early in the second quarter. It is unclear the severity of whatever ailed him, but injuries continue to plague this Ohio State team. The Buckeyes were already without Lathan Ransom, Josh Proctor and Tommy Eichenberg in this game, although it sounds like Proctor and Eichenberg were held out more for precautionary reasons. Ransom’s injury is more concerning, as the safety was seen on a scooter with a boot on his foot prior to the game. While Ohio State still needs to win against Minnesota next weekend, the main priority before the trip to Ann Arbor has to be getting as healthy as possible.

Continue reading...
Click to expand...

LGHL Hangout in the Holy Land Podcast: Finally, a ‘get right’ game to talk about

Hangout in the Holy Land Podcast: Finally, a ‘get right’ game to talk about
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Michigan State v Ohio State

Photo by Ben Jackson/Getty Images

Josh and Chuck weigh in on the Michigan saga, before the latter takes over and flies solo to recap MSU, Buckeye basketball, and more.

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

Listen to the episode and subscribe:

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


On this episode of “Hangout in the Holy Land,” Chuck finally gets his wish to run point and do (most of) a pod without Josh! He recaps a Buckeye blowout on the gridiron, a tough defeat on the hardwood, and all the other Ohio State-related news you can handle.

But first, both of the Hangout boys weigh in briefly on the ongoing and seemingly never-ending Michigan saga. Did new Big Ten commish Tony Petitti handle this situation correctly? Did the punishment fit the crime? And what now?

Next up is OSU men’s basketball...

And finally, Chuck gets to the main course: A Buckeye football recap. After two straight good-not-great performances on the road, Ryan Day’s squad was back in The Shoe on Saturday night and put a four-quarter thumping on the Michigan State Spartans. Ohio State coasted to a 38-3 victory, despite several injured Buckeyes watching from the sideline.

Saturday night’s get-right game could not have come at a better time, as the Scarlet and Gray look to drown out the noise and prepare for a late-season charge.

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


Connect with the pod
Twitter: @HolyLandPod

Connect with Josh Dooley
Twitter: @jdooleybuckeye

Connect with Chuck Holmes
Twitter: @ctholmes3

Continue reading...
Click to expand...

LGHL Instant Recap: Against MSU, Kyle McCord shows he’s the best QB in the Big Ten

Instant Recap: Against MSU, Kyle McCord shows he’s the best QB in the Big Ten
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

NCAA Football: Michigan State at Ohio State

Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports

If it wasn’t for special teams, it would be nothing but good vibes to discuss tonight.

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

Listen to the episode and subscribe:


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


The Ohio State Buckeyes used a nearly flawless first half to blowout the Michigan State Spartans 38-3 on Saturday night. In what is unquestionably Kyle McCord’s best game as the Buckeyes’ starter, he went 24-for-31 for 335 yards and 3 touchdowns. Marvin Harrison Jr. continued to make his Heisman Trophy candidacy case with 149 yards receiving and TDs through the air and another — his first — rushing.

The OSU defense was a bit banged up without starting safeties Lathan Ransom and Josh Proctor or captain and starting linebacker Tommy Eichenberg, but — despite giving up a little bit of yardage early on — held Michigan State to just 182 yards of total offense. The Ohio State special teams continue to be a problem, but we are focusing on good vibes tonight.


Contact Matt Tamanini
Twitter: @BWWMatt

Continue reading...
Click to expand...

LGHL Bucketheads Podcast: The Buckeyes take down Oakland to open the season, Texas A&M looms

Bucketheads Podcast: The Buckeyes take down Oakland to open the season, Texas A&M looms
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Syndication: The Columbus Dispatch

Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

What must the Buckeyes improve upon before taking on the Aggies Friday night?

“Bucketheads” is LGHL’s men’s basketball podcast, hosted by Connor Lemons and Justin Golba. Every episode, they give you the latest scoop on the Ohio State Buckeyes and everything else happening in the college hoops world.


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


On this week’s episode of Bucketheads, we have real basketball to talk about and dissect. The Ohio State men’s basketball team opened its season up on Monday night against Oakland, winning a closer contest than most people expected, 79-73.

We talk about what the Buckeyes did well and what they need to improve upon. But at the end of the day, a win is a win. Now, Ohio State will turn its focus to Texas A&M on Friday night.

We preview that matchup and talk about what makes the Aggies so tough. Also, we close by talking about the five-star 2024 center that just listed Ohio State in his final four.

Be sure to like and subscribe to the podcast and leave a review of what you think of the show!


Connect with the Podcast:

Twitter: @BucketheadsLGPN

Connect with Connor:

Twitter: @lemons_connor

Connect with Justin:

Twitter: @justin_golba

Continue reading...
Click to expand...

LGHL Uncut Podcast: Chris Holtmann, Buzz Williams talk following Texas A&M’s win over Ohio State

Uncut Podcast: Chris Holtmann, Buzz Williams talk following Texas A&M’s win over Ohio State
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Syndication: The Columbus Dispatch

Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

We also spoke with Bruce Thornton, Jamison Battle, Tyrece “Boots” Radford, and Henry Coleman.

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

Listen to the episode and subscribe: ​

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


Following Texas A&M’s 73-66 win over the Buckeyes in Columbus, both head coaches, as well as select players, spoke to the media about the grindy, gritty non-conference bout.

Bruce Thornton and Jamison Battle spoke first. Thornton mentioned Ohio State’s struggles at the free throw line no fewer than five times, saying that if the Buckeyes had hit a few more, they’d have been in “a much better spot.” Battle mentioned that his team fouled a few too many times, which handed the Aggies free points.

We then spoke to Tyrece “Boots” Radford and Henry Coleman, who both scored 20+ points in the game. Radford said the game was just “two teams hooping” and going “bucket for bucket,” but that the Aggies were the team able to string a few baskets together at the end of the game and pull out the win.

Buzz Williams followed and was able to recite exactly how many rebound opportunities Ohio State had in their exhibition game against Dayton and their win over Oakland. He said he told his team he wanted “50 rebounds” and that rebounding is “woven into everything they do” at Texas A&M.

Chris Holtmann closed the press conference. He felt the rebounding issues mostly stemmed from his team’s inability to contain Radford and Wade Taylor, which caused help defense to jump the ball and not have as many people available to rebound.


Connect with Connor:
Twitter: @lemons_connor

Theme music provided by www.bensound.com​


Continue reading...
Click to expand...

LGHL You’re Nuts: What would the funniest outcome of the Michigan sign-stealing scandal be?

You’re Nuts: What would the funniest outcome of the Michigan sign-stealing scandal be?
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Ohio State Buckeyes Vs. Michigan Wolverines 11-27-2011


Your (almost) daily dose of good-natured, Ohio State banter.

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.

Today’s Question: What would the funniest outcome of the Michigan sign-stealing scandal be?​

Jami’s Take: ​


Trust me when I say that I know in my bones Matt and I are blowing Michigan’s sign-stealing scandal out of proportion.

AND… I’m going to keep doing it.

Let’s not pretend Michigan fans would take the high road and simply drop the matter if the tables were turned. We’d be hearing about it for the next century. They’d be burning Brutus in effigy. They’d probably be marching up and down High Street in their maize and blue, calling for Ryan Day’s resignation if the Buckeyes were suspected of not just stealing signs but sending a scout out to games to do so.

Because I’m going to ride the high of this storyline as long as humanly possible, trust me when I say I have fantasized about a million possible outcomes.

Most of them—short of Harbaugh losing his job (because I don’t wish unemployment on people AND because I think he’s good for the rivalry)—are funny to me.

A Bowl ban? Hilarious. Imagine a world in which Michigan finally becomes a powerhouse team rather than one that is just this side of mediocre and they STILL have nothing to show for it because they can’t compete in major games? That’s comedy, baby.

Now, there’s a world in which a Michigan bowl ban would allow OSU to make the playoffs over Michigan even if the Wolverines won The Game. That’s ha-ha funny, but it’s not an outcome I want because first, I want to win the game, and second, I don’t want to listen to Wolverine fans tell us we only got in by default.

But by far, the funniest to me involves a lawsuit. As of Tuesday afternoon, Michigan was threatening to take the Big Ten to court if the conference punished the Wolverines prior to a full investigation.

To quickly explain the complexities here—both the Big Ten and the NCAA have the power to take action against Michigan, separately, should it be determined there were infractions. As such, both are investigating, but the NCAA investigative process moves much slower. It is unlikely, therefore, that we will see any sweeping action against Michigan this season.

The Big Ten, however, can move faster, and the conference is currently facing a lot of pressure from competing athletic directors and coaches to make some moves.

Harbaugh isn’t happy about it (and frankly, even Urban Meyer has voiced that he’s not happy about it either. It does seem there’s a lot of support for letting things play out before we rush to judgment). Michigan is threatening to take legal action if the conference acts too swiftly.

I see their point—the punishment needs to fit the crime, so without understanding the scope of any violations, it’s hard to dole out fair disciplinary actions. So far, the NCAA hasn’t shared any evidence with the conference that shows Harbaugh and his assistants knew about or authorized sign stealing.

But the idea of this going to court is better than any sitcom or even an episode of SNL when the show was in its prime. You can’t manufacture this kind of hilarity. Personally, I’d LOVE to see Judge Judy, Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti, and Jim Harbaugh face off in a televised court battle.

That’s more entertaining television than 90% of the last two football seasons!

It becomes even funnier when you think about the potential ramifications of Petitti and the conference taking action.

Big Ten bylaws allow Petitti to issue a two-game suspension and up to $10,000 in fines. So far this season, Michigan’s strength of schedule has been abysmal, but that’s set to change this Saturday when they face their first real test against Penn State.

Then they face Maryland and close the season against No. 1 Ohio State.

Assuming the conference won’t act before Saturday, Harbaugh’s two-game suspension would include The Game.

That is side-splitting.

While Harbaugh already missed three games this season after a self-imposed disciplinary action in response to unrelated infractions, none of those games had the stakes of the Ohio State game. There is a strong possibility both teams will enter that game undefeated, and a playoff spot will likely be on the line.

Harbaugh wants to be there. And frankly, his team needs him there.

Ultimately, I don’t anticipate the conference taking action that could potentially rob them of the best Rivalry Game possible (with potential National Championship ramifications), but they do have the opportunity to do the funniest possible thing and set up an off-field battle in a court of law.

Matt’s Take: ​


In fairness to Jami, I have updated my pick here following Jim Harbaugh’s three-game suspension, but I couldn’t help but react to the absolute idiocy of the latest round of drama coming out of the sign-stealing fiasco.

Starting from today, there is still a distinct possibility that a local judge will grant a temporary restraining order that will allow Harbizzle to coach the final two games of the regular season, and while that would be funny in its own right, it’s not the funniest outcome. So, my imagined outcome involves the Mitten Men’s head coach having to seethe and watch the remaining two games from home. However, in the meantime, his team’s fans will file a class-action lawsuit against the Big Ten looking for compensation for the pain and suffering that they are having to endure because of the conference’s biased and — honestly — bigoted treat of the Crown Prince of Ann Arbor.

The suit will look to compensate each Corn and Blue fan $1 million for having to withstand three straight weeks of not being able to see their dashing savior — or his khakis — on the sideline of games. Their lawyer’s argument will be that the emotional toil that they are forced to feel from not being able to experience the comforting aura of Screech Powers’ cousin’s presence on gameday is tantamount to assault and therefore, the B1G should not only be held financially responsible, but criminally as well.

With a case of this magnitude, the Supreme Court will rule that a single sitting judge is not nearly enough to properly decide this case, and therefore, SCOTUS will assemble an Avengers-style set of magistrates, including Judge Judy, Judge Mathis, Judge Joe Brown, an AI recreation of the late Judge Wapner, Judge Mills Lane, Judge “Uncle Phil” Banks, Judge Dredd, Aaron Judge, and the chief on the panel Simon Cowell.

As one would expect, given the importance of this precedent-defining case, the judges will evaluate every argument from Tom Mars Esq. with all of the seriousness that it deserves, and — after 64 seconds of deliberation — will rule that Mars will be stripped of his license to practice law and that it is actually every single one of the plaintiffs that owes the Big Ten money.

Back to Jimbo. While the Ann Arbor Muskrats will not be substantively challenged by the Maryland Terrapins next week (they might even let “Heisman Trophy contender” J.J. McCarthy throw the ball in the second half), the same will not be the case on Nov. 25. Trailing 24-10 late in the fourth quarter, while the erstwhile head coach is screaming at his team to run the play where everybody lines up in a straight line, he will slam his glass of 2% milk down on the table, shattering it and cutting his hand, requiring dozens of stitches. He won’t need a cast, but he will ask the doctors to give him one anyway, and when he returns to the practice facility the next day, the entire team will simultaneously burst into tears and immediately form a prayer circle for their long put-upon mentor. Everyone will then sign his cast and will dot all of their i’s with hearts.

While it will take months, in the spring of 2024, the NCAA will finally make a ruling in the case, vacating 23 TTUN victors over the past 2.5 seasons and, when combined with Matt Weiss’ firing, Alex Yood’s arrest, the Shemy Schembechler fiasco, and #CheeseburgerGate, the greatest coach since Fielding Yost (and honestly, Yost couldn’t hang with Jimmy) will be hit with a failure to monitor sanction and a five-year show-cause penalty.

The only problem is, that Harbaugh won’t care at all, because he will be singularly focused on preparing for his first NFL Draft as the head coach of the Chicago Bears, having peaced-out before a consolation Rose Bowl appearance. Unfortunately for the legions of UM fans who have been absolutely deluding themselves about the reality of the situation, the program will have to endure a three-year bowl ban and, in a historic step by the NCAA, the new coaching staff will have to give every one of their opponents their into sign sheet and game plan prior to kickoff.

This will usher in a new Dark Ages for the Meerkats’ program, one that will force them to finally concede that Lance Leipold’s Michigan State Spartans are, in fact, the Wolverines’ big brothers.

Continue reading...
Click to expand...
Load more

Filter

Back
Top