-
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.
LGHL Instant Recap Podcast: Henderson, defense step up as OSU runs away from Rutgers
- News
- 0 Replies
Instant Recap Podcast: Henderson, defense step up as OSU runs away from Rutgers
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images
None of Ohio State’s wins have been all that pretty, but a win is a win when you are chasing a CFP berth.
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
It wasn’t always pretty — and none of them have been this season — but not only did the No. 1 Ohio State Buckeyes get out of Piscataway, New Jersey with a win, but they also got a cover, which we all know that great teams do. The Buckeyes knocked off the Rutgers Scarlet Knights by a score of 35 to 16. The final score does not accurately convey just how close the game was and how much trouble it appeared that OSU was in at different points in the game.
However, the defense and TreVeyon Henderson ended up showing why they are among the best at what they do and turned what was a close, contentious game into the third quarter into a runaway win. On this postgame show, Matt Tamanini and Justin Golba discuss what worked and what didn’t for OSU and get into what Ryan Day and company should do about Kyle McCord.
Contact Matt Tamanini
Twitter: @BWWMatt
Connect with Justin:
Twitter: @justin_golba
Continue reading...
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images
None of Ohio State’s wins have been all that pretty, but a win is a win when you are chasing a CFP berth.
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
It wasn’t always pretty — and none of them have been this season — but not only did the No. 1 Ohio State Buckeyes get out of Piscataway, New Jersey with a win, but they also got a cover, which we all know that great teams do. The Buckeyes knocked off the Rutgers Scarlet Knights by a score of 35 to 16. The final score does not accurately convey just how close the game was and how much trouble it appeared that OSU was in at different points in the game.
However, the defense and TreVeyon Henderson ended up showing why they are among the best at what they do and turned what was a close, contentious game into the third quarter into a runaway win. On this postgame show, Matt Tamanini and Justin Golba discuss what worked and what didn’t for OSU and get into what Ryan Day and company should do about Kyle McCord.
Contact Matt Tamanini
Twitter: @BWWMatt
Connect with Justin:
Twitter: @justin_golba
Continue reading...
LGHL Tailgate Podcast: Everything you need to know to watch the Ohio State vs. Rutgers game
- News
- 0 Replies
Tailgate Podcast: Everything you need to know to watch the Ohio State vs. Rutgers game
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Ben Jackson/Getty Images
The only Ohio State game day podcast you need.
Before every Ohio State football game, Matt Tamanini will get you ready with all of the information that you need for that day’s game on the “LGHL Tailgate” podcast.
Listen to the episode and subscribe:
Game Date/Time: Saturday, Nov. 4 at 12 noon ET
Location: Piscataway, New Jersey
TV: CBS
Radio: 97.1 FM/1460 AM
Today at 12 noon ET inside SHI Stadium in Piscataway, NJ, the No. 1 Ohio State Buckeyes — coached by criminal mastermind Ryan Day — will take on the State University of New Jersey under the direction of former Ohio State defensive coordinator Greg Schiano.
This past Tuesday, the Buckeyes earned the No. 1 spot in the first College Football Playoff rankings of the 2023 season. They remain third in both the AP and Coaches polls with three firs place votes in each.
While Rutgers is not included in any of the three major rankings, they are receiving votes in the AP Poll, so they are effectively No. 33 according to the media.
Ohio State and Rutgers have played every year since the Scarlet Knights joined the Big Ten in 2014 and the Buckeyes have won each of those contests. The average score in those games has been 53 to 11. Ohio State has failed to score 50 points in just three of those matchups, and in each of those games, they had 49.
Kyle McCord: 250 yards passing, 2 touchdowns
TreVeyon Henderson: 125+ yards from scrimmage
Marvin Harrison Jr.: 100+ yards receiving, 1 touchdown
Ohio State defense: less than 200 yards allowed
Contact Matt Tamanini
Twitter: @BWWMatt
Continue reading...
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Ben Jackson/Getty Images
The only Ohio State game day podcast you need.
Before every Ohio State football game, Matt Tamanini will get you ready with all of the information that you need for that day’s game on the “LGHL Tailgate” podcast.
Listen to the episode and subscribe:
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
No. 1 Ohio State Buckeyes (-18.5) vs. Rutgers | over/under 42.5
Game Date/Time: Saturday, Nov. 4 at 12 noon ET
Location: Piscataway, New Jersey
TV: CBS
Radio: 97.1 FM/1460 AM
Today at 12 noon ET inside SHI Stadium in Piscataway, NJ, the No. 1 Ohio State Buckeyes — coached by criminal mastermind Ryan Day — will take on the State University of New Jersey under the direction of former Ohio State defensive coordinator Greg Schiano.
This past Tuesday, the Buckeyes earned the No. 1 spot in the first College Football Playoff rankings of the 2023 season. They remain third in both the AP and Coaches polls with three firs place votes in each.
While Rutgers is not included in any of the three major rankings, they are receiving votes in the AP Poll, so they are effectively No. 33 according to the media.
Ohio State and Rutgers have played every year since the Scarlet Knights joined the Big Ten in 2014 and the Buckeyes have won each of those contests. The average score in those games has been 53 to 11. Ohio State has failed to score 50 points in just three of those matchups, and in each of those games, they had 49.
Matt’s Prediction: Ohio State 31, Rutgers 6
Kyle McCord: 250 yards passing, 2 touchdowns
TreVeyon Henderson: 125+ yards from scrimmage
Marvin Harrison Jr.: 100+ yards receiving, 1 touchdown
Ohio State defense: less than 200 yards allowed
Contact Matt Tamanini
Twitter: @BWWMatt
Music by: epidemicsound.com
Odds/lines subject to change. T&Cs apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for details.
Continue reading...
LGHL You’re Nuts: What team outside the initial CFP top four is most likely to get a berth?
- News
- 0 Replies
You’re Nuts: What team outside the initial CFP top four is most likely to get a berth?
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Christopher Creveling-USA TODAY Sports
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.
With the first round of College Football Playoff rankings released Tuesday, it’s time to ramp up debates around the validity of the Selection Committee’s decision-making.
There’s nothing too surprising about the Top 4 as it stands today, but while I certainly have no complaints about my alma mater Ohio State being ranked No. 1, it’s likely at least some of the top four (currently Ohio State, Georgia, Michigan, and Florida State, in order) will see a shake-up before the season is out.
Certainly, Ohio State and Michigan still have to play each other, so there’s a good chance at least one of those teams won’t make the playoffs (though as we know from last season, it is not impossible).
I do also think this is a season in which it’s anyone’s guess. There are some very, very good football teams, and there are some decent football teams that have had absolutely stellar games. But there’s no one in the field this season that looks professional, the way Georgia, Alabama, or even Ohio State, Clemson, and Michigan have in recent memory. The field feels a little more evenly matched, and that means both intangible things like how the team is gelling, and tangible things like remaining opponents can factor in.
Coming up behind our top four, we’ve got the No. 5 Washington Huskies, led by Heisman hopeful quarterback Michael Penix Jr. and the only unbeaten team outside of the top 4, followed by No. 6 Oregon, No. 7 Texas, and No. 8 Alabama. I can’t emphasize enough how much any of these teams could make it.
Just last week, I was saying Oklahoma had to get through a tough game against Kansas (but a game in which the Sooners were favored) and then it was fairly smooth sailing to the end of the season for them. They lost to Kansas and now they’re sitting at No. 9.
With five undefeated teams so far (two of whom will play each other), the highest number of undefeated teams we could have—if all of them win out—is four. Assuming each unbeaten team got a playoff spot, that would put our top four (in no particular order) as Georgia, Florida State, Washington, and the winner of Ohio State and Michigan.
However, Washington’s schedule for the remainder of the season is absolutely brutal. They face No. 24 USC this weekend on the road, then No. 18 Utah and No. 16 Oregon State on the road before finishing their regular season against Washington State. By the time they get to Washington State, they’ll have had three consecutive games against ranked opponents, something that can physically slow down even the toughest of teams. It’s hard on your bodies to play at that level so many weeks in a row, and that’s assuming you walk away without injury.
Add to that the fact that while Washington has had moments of absolute brilliance this season and the fact that they have a force at quarterback, the team as a whole has looked a bit shaky.
Penix Jr., with the exception of the game against an unranked Arizona State, has played mind-blowing football. Last week against Stanford, he threw for 369 yards and four touchdowns—his FIFTH game this season with four touchdowns.
Still, the team didn’t look like a top-four team against Stanford, and they certainly didn’t look like a top 4 team against ASU. I’m not feeling confident, given their last two weeks, that they’ll win out with three ranked opponents remaining.
Assuming they drop at least one game, at least one team with a loss will make the playoffs.
I don’t think it will be Washington. Instead, I think they will be leapfrogged by a team they handed a loss to earlier this season—No. 6 Oregon.
Oregon, for its part, lost to Washington by only a field goal in a barn burner of a game. While they have games against two of the same ranked opponents as Washington (No. 24 USC and No. 16 Oregon State), both these marquee games are home games for Oregon and they ultimately have a (slightly) easier route to the end of the season as they’ve already played Utah.
Given as much, Oregon has the opportunity to win out at a time when they are playing their best football. Their quarterback Bo Nix, for his part, is absolutely part of the Heisman conversation after an electric performance helped him lead the Ducks to a blowout over Utah this past weekend.
The thing Nix has that Washington doesn’t? The intangibles. Oregon is vibing now—they’re playing their best football at the time it matters most.
If Washington loses its only game toward the end of the season, we also have to consider recency bias (the idea that a loss later in the season hurts more than one earlier on, as you have less time to prove yourself again). Sure, Washington beat Oregon mid-season, but if Oregon wins out and Washington loses a game to any of the three ranked opponents, it will mean Washington also lost a game to a team Oregon beat.
Oregon already curb-stomped Utah. So particularly if Oregon has dominant performances against Oregon State and USC and Washington looks lukewarm AND has a loss, it could be enough for Oregon to leapfrog them despite having lost to them.
I do think ultimately when the end of the season rolls around, that’s what we’re going to see: An Oregon team that dominates the rest of its schedule leapfrogging a Washington team who stockpiled a bunch of tough games for the last month of the season at a time when they already look shaky.
The Ducks might need a little luck on their side, but I do think we’re looking at some Lucky Ducks this year (and Lucky Us because the Duck mascot rules).
I think Jami’s selection of Oregon is a really strong one, as — despite their loss to Washington — I think they are the best team in the Pac-12 and would be my pick to win the conference title. However, there is a very large elephant in the room that we just can’t overlook in the College Football Playoff discussion, and that is the Alabama Crimson Tide.
It wasn’t that long ago that Nick Saban’s squad lost to Texas and essentially everyone in the college football world wrote them off, but they are still lurking around the proverbial chicken coop as they prepare to host No. 13 LSU today in a game that could determine the eventual winner of the SEC West. While I know Ole Miss is still in the mix in that division, they haven’t played Alabama yet, which I think will be an L and push them out of the mix, SEC tiebreakers notwithstanding.
Nonetheless, if ‘Bama comes out of the West and faces off against Georgia, I am not putting it past them to win the SEC crown and coast into the playoffs. The Dawgs have looked better in recent weeks against substandard competition, but when playing anyone with a pulse this season have been less than impressive. Today marks the start of three straight games in which UGA will face ranked opponents, which will obviously tell us a lot about who they actually are.
But whether or not they emerge from this November run unscathed or not, I think that whichever East team plays for the title could have their hands full with the Tide in Atlanta the first weekend in December. And you just know that if the committee has any opportunity to put Alabama in the College Football Playoff, they are going to take it.
Continue reading...
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Christopher Creveling-USA TODAY Sports
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 team outside the initial College Football Playoff top four is most likely to get a berth?
Jami’s Take: Oregon Ducks
With the first round of College Football Playoff rankings released Tuesday, it’s time to ramp up debates around the validity of the Selection Committee’s decision-making.
There’s nothing too surprising about the Top 4 as it stands today, but while I certainly have no complaints about my alma mater Ohio State being ranked No. 1, it’s likely at least some of the top four (currently Ohio State, Georgia, Michigan, and Florida State, in order) will see a shake-up before the season is out.
Certainly, Ohio State and Michigan still have to play each other, so there’s a good chance at least one of those teams won’t make the playoffs (though as we know from last season, it is not impossible).
I do also think this is a season in which it’s anyone’s guess. There are some very, very good football teams, and there are some decent football teams that have had absolutely stellar games. But there’s no one in the field this season that looks professional, the way Georgia, Alabama, or even Ohio State, Clemson, and Michigan have in recent memory. The field feels a little more evenly matched, and that means both intangible things like how the team is gelling, and tangible things like remaining opponents can factor in.
Coming up behind our top four, we’ve got the No. 5 Washington Huskies, led by Heisman hopeful quarterback Michael Penix Jr. and the only unbeaten team outside of the top 4, followed by No. 6 Oregon, No. 7 Texas, and No. 8 Alabama. I can’t emphasize enough how much any of these teams could make it.
Just last week, I was saying Oklahoma had to get through a tough game against Kansas (but a game in which the Sooners were favored) and then it was fairly smooth sailing to the end of the season for them. They lost to Kansas and now they’re sitting at No. 9.
With five undefeated teams so far (two of whom will play each other), the highest number of undefeated teams we could have—if all of them win out—is four. Assuming each unbeaten team got a playoff spot, that would put our top four (in no particular order) as Georgia, Florida State, Washington, and the winner of Ohio State and Michigan.
However, Washington’s schedule for the remainder of the season is absolutely brutal. They face No. 24 USC this weekend on the road, then No. 18 Utah and No. 16 Oregon State on the road before finishing their regular season against Washington State. By the time they get to Washington State, they’ll have had three consecutive games against ranked opponents, something that can physically slow down even the toughest of teams. It’s hard on your bodies to play at that level so many weeks in a row, and that’s assuming you walk away without injury.
Add to that the fact that while Washington has had moments of absolute brilliance this season and the fact that they have a force at quarterback, the team as a whole has looked a bit shaky.
Penix Jr., with the exception of the game against an unranked Arizona State, has played mind-blowing football. Last week against Stanford, he threw for 369 yards and four touchdowns—his FIFTH game this season with four touchdowns.
Still, the team didn’t look like a top-four team against Stanford, and they certainly didn’t look like a top 4 team against ASU. I’m not feeling confident, given their last two weeks, that they’ll win out with three ranked opponents remaining.
Assuming they drop at least one game, at least one team with a loss will make the playoffs.
I don’t think it will be Washington. Instead, I think they will be leapfrogged by a team they handed a loss to earlier this season—No. 6 Oregon.
Oregon, for its part, lost to Washington by only a field goal in a barn burner of a game. While they have games against two of the same ranked opponents as Washington (No. 24 USC and No. 16 Oregon State), both these marquee games are home games for Oregon and they ultimately have a (slightly) easier route to the end of the season as they’ve already played Utah.
Given as much, Oregon has the opportunity to win out at a time when they are playing their best football. Their quarterback Bo Nix, for his part, is absolutely part of the Heisman conversation after an electric performance helped him lead the Ducks to a blowout over Utah this past weekend.
The thing Nix has that Washington doesn’t? The intangibles. Oregon is vibing now—they’re playing their best football at the time it matters most.
If Washington loses its only game toward the end of the season, we also have to consider recency bias (the idea that a loss later in the season hurts more than one earlier on, as you have less time to prove yourself again). Sure, Washington beat Oregon mid-season, but if Oregon wins out and Washington loses a game to any of the three ranked opponents, it will mean Washington also lost a game to a team Oregon beat.
Oregon already curb-stomped Utah. So particularly if Oregon has dominant performances against Oregon State and USC and Washington looks lukewarm AND has a loss, it could be enough for Oregon to leapfrog them despite having lost to them.
I do think ultimately when the end of the season rolls around, that’s what we’re going to see: An Oregon team that dominates the rest of its schedule leapfrogging a Washington team who stockpiled a bunch of tough games for the last month of the season at a time when they already look shaky.
The Ducks might need a little luck on their side, but I do think we’re looking at some Lucky Ducks this year (and Lucky Us because the Duck mascot rules).
Matt’s Take: Alabama Crimson Tide
I think Jami’s selection of Oregon is a really strong one, as — despite their loss to Washington — I think they are the best team in the Pac-12 and would be my pick to win the conference title. However, there is a very large elephant in the room that we just can’t overlook in the College Football Playoff discussion, and that is the Alabama Crimson Tide.
It wasn’t that long ago that Nick Saban’s squad lost to Texas and essentially everyone in the college football world wrote them off, but they are still lurking around the proverbial chicken coop as they prepare to host No. 13 LSU today in a game that could determine the eventual winner of the SEC West. While I know Ole Miss is still in the mix in that division, they haven’t played Alabama yet, which I think will be an L and push them out of the mix, SEC tiebreakers notwithstanding.
Nonetheless, if ‘Bama comes out of the West and faces off against Georgia, I am not putting it past them to win the SEC crown and coast into the playoffs. The Dawgs have looked better in recent weeks against substandard competition, but when playing anyone with a pulse this season have been less than impressive. Today marks the start of three straight games in which UGA will face ranked opponents, which will obviously tell us a lot about who they actually are.
But whether or not they emerge from this November run unscathed or not, I think that whichever East team plays for the title could have their hands full with the Tide in Atlanta the first weekend in December. And you just know that if the committee has any opportunity to put Alabama in the College Football Playoff, they are going to take it.
Continue reading...
LGHL I would rather Ohio State have a dominant defense and inconsistent offense than the other way around
- News
- 0 Replies
I would rather Ohio State have a dominant defense and inconsistent offense than the other way around
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
I know that might be blasphemous, but it’s true.
It goes without saying that I would prefer that the team that I root for is dominant on both sides of the football, but it seems that my beloved Ohio State Buckeyes have somehow fallen into a pattern of being borderline unstoppable on one side of the ball while being spotty at best on the other for most of the past half-decade. Primarily, that has been an offensive juggernaut that can score at will while the team’s defense tries to hold on long enough for the other team to screw up.
That is not the case this year. While the 2023 Ohio State offense is not nearly as inconsistent and incontinent as some of the recent defensive units, it is not yet living up to the expectations set by the current defense, or recent offenses. But you know what? That’s okay. Because the defensive is so markedly better than other recent iterations, the Buckeye offense doesn’t need to lead the nation in scoring to have any chance of achieving its goals.
We’ve seen how that script goes, and it usually ends in frustration and disappointment. So, if you are forcing me to pick whether I would want my favorite team to be dominant on offense and struggle on defense, or converse, I’m choosing a lights-out, shutdown, impose-your-will, don’t-bend-or-break defense every single time.
I know that those types of teams aren’t nearly as fun or sexy as the 50-points-per-game squads that we have grown accustomed to during the first four years of Ryan Day’s tenure, but where did that get us?
Obviously, seeing offenses led by C.J. Stroud, Justin Fields, and the late, great Dwayne Haskins was thrilling and led to a ton of wins, and I will cherish the memories of those teams as long as my already feeble mind retains them, but the Buckeyes haven’t won a national title since the 2014 season and have lost to their rivals each of the last two Novembers. Don’t get me wrong, I love the wins and recognize that no program is going to be perfect every single year, but to be honest, as a Buckeye fan, I expect more, and I think Jim Knowles’ resurgent Silver Bullets might be the way that we get it.
Take this discussion outside of the confines of this year’s particular team. In college football, the more explosive and prolific your offense is, it can actually hurt your defense, especially if they are already struggling to keep up. If an offense routinely scores on two to five-play drives that minimizes the opportunity for the D to catch its collective breath and reassess what isn’t working.
But it doesn’t really work the same in the converse. The way you win in football is by scoring the most points, and while you can obviously score on defense and special teams, the best way to score — unless you are Iowa — is on offense. Therefore, if a defense is regularly forcing three-and-outs, that means that the offense has even more opportunities to score. So, even if it is not exactly hitting on all cylinders, the more possessions that the offense can have, the better chances it has to score.
When you couple that with a defense that is keeping opponents out of the end zone, you get a pretty good recipe for success, and that’s exactly what I think we are looking at with the 2023 version of the Ohio State football team.
I know that this isn’t exactly groundbreaking, expert-level football analysis, but I do think that it is important to remember that the way that Ohio State has won games in recent years not only isn’t the only way to do it, but probably isn’t even be the best way to do it.
So, while I will undoubtedly continue to scream at Ryan Day when he calls a stretch run into the boundary, and trust that the magic and science of television technology communicate my frustration to him in real-time, and I will continue to hope that the Kyle McCord that we see in second halves somehow becomes the Kyle McCord that we see all game long, I am comforted in knowing that team that I love has figured out an equation that not only has worked so far this season, but could end up working all the way to a national title.
Continue reading...
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
I know that might be blasphemous, but it’s true.
It goes without saying that I would prefer that the team that I root for is dominant on both sides of the football, but it seems that my beloved Ohio State Buckeyes have somehow fallen into a pattern of being borderline unstoppable on one side of the ball while being spotty at best on the other for most of the past half-decade. Primarily, that has been an offensive juggernaut that can score at will while the team’s defense tries to hold on long enough for the other team to screw up.
That is not the case this year. While the 2023 Ohio State offense is not nearly as inconsistent and incontinent as some of the recent defensive units, it is not yet living up to the expectations set by the current defense, or recent offenses. But you know what? That’s okay. Because the defensive is so markedly better than other recent iterations, the Buckeye offense doesn’t need to lead the nation in scoring to have any chance of achieving its goals.
We’ve seen how that script goes, and it usually ends in frustration and disappointment. So, if you are forcing me to pick whether I would want my favorite team to be dominant on offense and struggle on defense, or converse, I’m choosing a lights-out, shutdown, impose-your-will, don’t-bend-or-break defense every single time.
I know that those types of teams aren’t nearly as fun or sexy as the 50-points-per-game squads that we have grown accustomed to during the first four years of Ryan Day’s tenure, but where did that get us?
Obviously, seeing offenses led by C.J. Stroud, Justin Fields, and the late, great Dwayne Haskins was thrilling and led to a ton of wins, and I will cherish the memories of those teams as long as my already feeble mind retains them, but the Buckeyes haven’t won a national title since the 2014 season and have lost to their rivals each of the last two Novembers. Don’t get me wrong, I love the wins and recognize that no program is going to be perfect every single year, but to be honest, as a Buckeye fan, I expect more, and I think Jim Knowles’ resurgent Silver Bullets might be the way that we get it.
Take this discussion outside of the confines of this year’s particular team. In college football, the more explosive and prolific your offense is, it can actually hurt your defense, especially if they are already struggling to keep up. If an offense routinely scores on two to five-play drives that minimizes the opportunity for the D to catch its collective breath and reassess what isn’t working.
But it doesn’t really work the same in the converse. The way you win in football is by scoring the most points, and while you can obviously score on defense and special teams, the best way to score — unless you are Iowa — is on offense. Therefore, if a defense is regularly forcing three-and-outs, that means that the offense has even more opportunities to score. So, even if it is not exactly hitting on all cylinders, the more possessions that the offense can have, the better chances it has to score.
When you couple that with a defense that is keeping opponents out of the end zone, you get a pretty good recipe for success, and that’s exactly what I think we are looking at with the 2023 version of the Ohio State football team.
I know that this isn’t exactly groundbreaking, expert-level football analysis, but I do think that it is important to remember that the way that Ohio State has won games in recent years not only isn’t the only way to do it, but probably isn’t even be the best way to do it.
So, while I will undoubtedly continue to scream at Ryan Day when he calls a stretch run into the boundary, and trust that the magic and science of television technology communicate my frustration to him in real-time, and I will continue to hope that the Kyle McCord that we see in second halves somehow becomes the Kyle McCord that we see all game long, I am comforted in knowing that team that I love has figured out an equation that not only has worked so far this season, but could end up working all the way to a national title.
Continue reading...
LGHL Believe it or not, Ohio State fans are feeling pretty good about the team right now
- News
- 0 Replies
Believe it or not, Ohio State fans are feeling pretty good about the team right now
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images
The vibes are bit all over the place on Buckeye Twitter, but the majority of fans like where OSU is at.
If you are lurking in certain corners of Ohio State Twitter during football games, you know that there is a portion — it’s difficult to judge exactly how large or small — of the fanbase that views this season as a complete and utter disaster and wants everyone fired and/or benched... despite the fact that the Buckeyes are undefeated and ranked No. 1 by the College Football Playoff Committee.
So, as we enter the final month of the regular season, earlier this week, we wanted to get down to the bottom of just what the bulk of Buckeye Nation was feeling about the team, so we asked that very question in our weekly fan survey.
In addition, we asked what fans thought the outcome would be when the Buckeyes took on the Rutgers Scarlet Knights. See what your fellow Buckeye fans had to say in the results below, and feel free to share your opinions in the comments at the bottom of the page.
Check out DraftKings Sportsbook, the official sportsbook partner of SB Nation.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25057401/LandGrantHolyLand_1_11.1.png)
Look, I’m not blind, I know that there are elements of this team — especially on offense — that aren’t exactly up to the level of recent seasons, nor where they could or should be. But nonetheless, I am increasingly getting confident in the prospects for this team. It started with the Notre Dame game and the vibe has only increased as each week (and each win) has come.
So, I am with the majority here. There was an “I feel great” option in the initial survey, and while believing that the Buckeyes are in line for a national championship would certainly fall under the “great” category, there are still weaknesses and injury concerns to factor in, so a very solid “I feel good” is where I am at currently.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25057402/LandGrantHolyLand_2_11.1.png)
As of this writing, the Ohio State Buckeyes are favored by 18.5, so the largest plurality of survey respondents are in line with the Vegas bookmakers, but as I mentioned in the Land-Grant Tailgate Podcast that was released this morning, my prediction falls into that second category where just over a quarter of the Buckeye fans are.
My official prediction is that Ohio State wins 31-6.
Now these two results were not part of the Land-Grant Holy Land survey, but instead were in the national SB Nation Reacts college football questionnaire this week. So, I am just going to leave them here for your perusal.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25057403/National_1_11.1.png)
Couldn’t agree more!
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25057404/National_3_11.1.png)
Don’t look now, but there’s an alien marching up the ranks.
Continue reading...
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images
The vibes are bit all over the place on Buckeye Twitter, but the majority of fans like where OSU is at.
If you are lurking in certain corners of Ohio State Twitter during football games, you know that there is a portion — it’s difficult to judge exactly how large or small — of the fanbase that views this season as a complete and utter disaster and wants everyone fired and/or benched... despite the fact that the Buckeyes are undefeated and ranked No. 1 by the College Football Playoff Committee.
So, as we enter the final month of the regular season, earlier this week, we wanted to get down to the bottom of just what the bulk of Buckeye Nation was feeling about the team, so we asked that very question in our weekly fan survey.
In addition, we asked what fans thought the outcome would be when the Buckeyes took on the Rutgers Scarlet Knights. See what your fellow Buckeye fans had to say in the results below, and feel free to share your opinions in the comments at the bottom of the page.
Check out DraftKings Sportsbook, the official sportsbook partner of SB Nation.
Question 1: With one month left of the regular season, how are you feeling about the Ohio State team?
Look, I’m not blind, I know that there are elements of this team — especially on offense — that aren’t exactly up to the level of recent seasons, nor where they could or should be. But nonetheless, I am increasingly getting confident in the prospects for this team. It started with the Notre Dame game and the vibe has only increased as each week (and each win) has come.
So, I am with the majority here. There was an “I feel great” option in the initial survey, and while believing that the Buckeyes are in line for a national championship would certainly fall under the “great” category, there are still weaknesses and injury concerns to factor in, so a very solid “I feel good” is where I am at currently.
Question 2: What will the final score be against Rutgers?
As of this writing, the Ohio State Buckeyes are favored by 18.5, so the largest plurality of survey respondents are in line with the Vegas bookmakers, but as I mentioned in the Land-Grant Tailgate Podcast that was released this morning, my prediction falls into that second category where just over a quarter of the Buckeye fans are.
My official prediction is that Ohio State wins 31-6.
Bonus Questions:
Now these two results were not part of the Land-Grant Holy Land survey, but instead were in the national SB Nation Reacts college football questionnaire this week. So, I am just going to leave them here for your perusal.
Couldn’t agree more!
Don’t look now, but there’s an alien marching up the ranks.
Continue reading...
LGHL OHIO STATE GAMEDAY: It’s a bad day to be a Rutgers Scarlet Knight
- News
- 0 Replies
OHIO STATE GAMEDAY: It’s a bad day to be a Rutgers Scarlet Knight
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Dan Sanger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Buckeyes travel to Piscataway for a second-straight road game.
Wake up, everyone. It’s Ohio State game day!
While one undefeated Big Ten team is looking to avoid the fallout of an intricate sign-stealing scandal, the other will be on the road this week looking to knock off a much improved Rutgers squad. Ohio State will battle the Scarlet Knights having never lost in the all-time series (9-0) between the two schools. Kyle McCord will be looking to bounce back from a tough outing against Wisconsin, while the Buckeyes’ defense will look to continue its dominance this season against Gavin Wimsatt, Kyle Monangai and the rest of Greg Schiano’s offense.
Over the past week, our talented group of writers and podcasters have put together preview pieces, analytical breakdowns, and everything in-between.
If you missed out on any of the coverage, we have you... well, covered. Below, each type of story is categorized. If you’re looking for podcasts and previews we’ve done, you can find them; if you’re looking for the betting lines and non-football topics, they are there, too.
Enjoy the day everyone. As always, Go Bucks!
Continue reading...
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Dan Sanger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Buckeyes travel to Piscataway for a second-straight road game.
Wake up, everyone. It’s Ohio State game day!
While one undefeated Big Ten team is looking to avoid the fallout of an intricate sign-stealing scandal, the other will be on the road this week looking to knock off a much improved Rutgers squad. Ohio State will battle the Scarlet Knights having never lost in the all-time series (9-0) between the two schools. Kyle McCord will be looking to bounce back from a tough outing against Wisconsin, while the Buckeyes’ defense will look to continue its dominance this season against Gavin Wimsatt, Kyle Monangai and the rest of Greg Schiano’s offense.
Over the past week, our talented group of writers and podcasters have put together preview pieces, analytical breakdowns, and everything in-between.
If you missed out on any of the coverage, we have you... well, covered. Below, each type of story is categorized. If you’re looking for podcasts and previews we’ve done, you can find them; if you’re looking for the betting lines and non-football topics, they are there, too.
Enjoy the day everyone. As always, Go Bucks!
Podcasts
- Silver Bullets: Wisconsin rewind and Rutgers preview
- Hangout in the Holy Land: Buckeyes hit the road to take on Rutgers
- Bucketheads: We pick every single Ohio State men’s basketball game... kind of
- Uncut: McGuff, Sheldon, McMahon on new season of Ohio State women’s basketball
Previews
Sports Betting
- Ohio State opens as 18-point favorites over Rutgers
- Week 10 Big Ten games
- Week 10 national games
- Updated College Football Playoff odds after initial 2023 rankings
Basketball
- Things to watch for in Ohio State men’s basketball’s opener against Oakland
- No. 7 Ohio State women’s basketball opens season vs. No. 21 USC
- Ohio State women’s basketball 2023-24 player preview: Faith Carson
- Ohio State women’s basketball 2023-24 player preview: Madison Greene
- Ohio State women’s basketball 2023-24 player preview: Celeste Taylor
- Ohio State women’s basketball 2023-24 player preview: Emma Shumate
- OSU looks to replicate patience, composure from UD Arena in season opener
- The make or break week in Ohio State women’s basketball schedule
- Big Ten Men’s Basketball Team Previews: Rutgers Scarlet Knights
Recruiting
- Four-star RB includes Ohio State among top five schools
- Ohio State makes the cut for 2025 five-star OT four-star TE
- Ohio State trying to flip four-star DT, makes top five of two high four-star linemen
- Buckeyes make the cut for two 2025 LBs, set to welcome back big 2024 DL
- Five-star CB Devin Sanchez receives Crystal Ball to Ohio State
Ask LGHL
Other Columns
- The Good, the Bad and the Ugly: Ohio State’s 24-10 win over Wisconsin
- Ohio State should be the No. 1 team in first College Football Playoff rankings
- Stock Market Report: Ohio State survives its trip to Madison, remains undefeated
- Ohio State is winning this year with new age of Tressel Ball
- Crime and Punishment: A Michigan Cheating Scandal
- What will be the result of Michigan’s sign stealing scandal?
- Marvin Harrison Jr. is a no-brainer as a Heisman Trophy contender
- What was the biggest treat from Ohio State’s win over Wisconsin
- Get your limited edition Stroud, Smith-Njigba Mini Bighead bobbleheads
Continue reading...
LGHL Our streaming expert has the best ways to watch Ohio State vs. Rutgers for free without cable
- News
- 0 Replies
Our streaming expert has the best ways to watch Ohio State vs. Rutgers for free without cable
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images
You’ve got a number of free trials you can choose from of various lengths and breadths.
We are now in the home stretch, Buckeye fans. It is November and there are just four regular season games left for Ohio State and as the No. 1 team in the country, you are not going to want to miss a single second of the action. So far this season — thanks to the new Big Ten media rights deal — OSU has played on three different broadcast networks and exclusively on a streaming service; it can be tough to keep up with where and how to watch your favorite team.
As cord-cutting has become far more the norm than the exception across the United States, it would not be a surprise if you gave up cable or a live-streaming service following last year’s season only to realize that it’s the day of the game and you have no way to watch it.
And I know it can be incredibly confusing to find the best way to watch a game in today’s entertainment landscape. Fortunately for you, I am something of a streaming expert... no really, I write about streaming services for a living. So, I am going to walk you through the best — and cheapest — ways for you to stream today’s game.
Also, if you want to put a little money on the game over at DraftKings Sportsbook, not only would it make what could be a blowout even more exciting, but you could make enough cash to pay for a full month of cable or streaming!
Game Date/Time: Saturday, Nov. 4 at 12 noon ET
TV: CBS
Broadcasters: Tom McCarthy, Ross Tucker, Tiffany Blackmon
Betting Line: Ohio State -18.5 | 42.5 o/v
Odds/lines subject to change. T&Cs apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for details.
Best Streaming Option to Watch Ohio State vs. Rutgers:
Paramount+ has two streaming packages, the ad-supported Essentials tier and the ad-free Paramount+ with Showtime. Since both come with a 30-day free trial, if you want to watch today’s game against the Hoosiers and all of the other football on CBS for the month of September, opt for the Paramount+ with Showtime plan. This will give you access to everything on your local CBS affiliate, plus tons of streaming exclusives, not to mention all of the original and library content from across the Paramount universe.
Best Streaming Option for All College Football Games:
If just watching the games on CBS isn’t enough to keep your football appetite at bay, then DIRECTV STREAM is your best option. The live TV streaming service has the only guaranteed multi-day free trial in the industry and provides the most top cable channels of all of its competitors. The basic, Entertainment package comes with all of the major network channels — all of which have college football — ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC. It also has ESPN, ESPN2, and FS1. Then, if you want to upgrade, other packages include the ACC Network, Big Ten Network, ESPNU, SEC Network, CBS Sports Network, Longhorn Network, and more.
What’s great about DIRECTV STREAM’s free trial is that you are able to sign up for whatever package you want for free. You don’t have to worry about being charged for upgraded plans. So, you can simply sign up for the top-tier Premier package — which normally costs $154.99 per month — enjoy all 140 channels for five days and then cancel.
Fubo: $84.99 per month, at least a one-day free trial
Hulu + Live TV: $69.99 per month
YouTube TV: $72.99 per month
Below is your Ohio State vs. Rutgers 2023 game thread. Be respectful, be kind and — as always — keep it classy, BuckeyeNation. If you like GIFs, lay ‘em on us. In all, be good fans, cheer for your teams, be cool to each other (even if somebody else isn’t) and everyone wins. Let’s finish the season strong!
Continue reading...
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images
You’ve got a number of free trials you can choose from of various lengths and breadths.
We are now in the home stretch, Buckeye fans. It is November and there are just four regular season games left for Ohio State and as the No. 1 team in the country, you are not going to want to miss a single second of the action. So far this season — thanks to the new Big Ten media rights deal — OSU has played on three different broadcast networks and exclusively on a streaming service; it can be tough to keep up with where and how to watch your favorite team.
As cord-cutting has become far more the norm than the exception across the United States, it would not be a surprise if you gave up cable or a live-streaming service following last year’s season only to realize that it’s the day of the game and you have no way to watch it.
And I know it can be incredibly confusing to find the best way to watch a game in today’s entertainment landscape. Fortunately for you, I am something of a streaming expert... no really, I write about streaming services for a living. So, I am going to walk you through the best — and cheapest — ways for you to stream today’s game.
Also, if you want to put a little money on the game over at DraftKings Sportsbook, not only would it make what could be a blowout even more exciting, but you could make enough cash to pay for a full month of cable or streaming!
How can I watch the Ohio State vs. Indiana college football game?
Game Date/Time: Saturday, Nov. 4 at 12 noon ET
TV: CBS
Broadcasters: Tom McCarthy, Ross Tucker, Tiffany Blackmon
Betting Line: Ohio State -18.5 | 42.5 o/v
Odds/lines subject to change. T&Cs apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for details.
Best Streaming Option to Watch Ohio State vs. Rutgers:
Paramount+ | 30-Day Free Trial
Paramount+ has two streaming packages, the ad-supported Essentials tier and the ad-free Paramount+ with Showtime. Since both come with a 30-day free trial, if you want to watch today’s game against the Hoosiers and all of the other football on CBS for the month of September, opt for the Paramount+ with Showtime plan. This will give you access to everything on your local CBS affiliate, plus tons of streaming exclusives, not to mention all of the original and library content from across the Paramount universe.
Best Streaming Option for All College Football Games:
DIRECTV STREAM | 5-Day Free Trial
If just watching the games on CBS isn’t enough to keep your football appetite at bay, then DIRECTV STREAM is your best option. The live TV streaming service has the only guaranteed multi-day free trial in the industry and provides the most top cable channels of all of its competitors. The basic, Entertainment package comes with all of the major network channels — all of which have college football — ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC. It also has ESPN, ESPN2, and FS1. Then, if you want to upgrade, other packages include the ACC Network, Big Ten Network, ESPNU, SEC Network, CBS Sports Network, Longhorn Network, and more.
What’s great about DIRECTV STREAM’s free trial is that you are able to sign up for whatever package you want for free. You don’t have to worry about being charged for upgraded plans. So, you can simply sign up for the top-tier Premier package — which normally costs $154.99 per month — enjoy all 140 channels for five days and then cancel.
Other Streaming Options for the Ohio State and Wisconsin Game:
Fubo: $84.99 per month, at least a one-day free trial
Hulu + Live TV: $69.99 per month
YouTube TV: $72.99 per month
Join the conversation
Below is your Ohio State vs. Rutgers 2023 game thread. Be respectful, be kind and — as always — keep it classy, BuckeyeNation. If you like GIFs, lay ‘em on us. In all, be good fans, cheer for your teams, be cool to each other (even if somebody else isn’t) and everyone wins. Let’s finish the season strong!
Odds/lines subject to change. T&Cs apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for details.
Continue reading...
LGHL Three Things To Watch at Rutgers
- News
- 0 Replies
Three Things To Watch at Rutgers
Chip.Minnich via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
The Buckeyes cannot look past an improved and determined Scarlet Knights squad.
Rutgers joined The Big Ten in 2014, and has been one of the conference’s doormat programs during that time frame. While I recognize how harsh that statement reads, here are some simple facts that I can share with all of you...
Now that I have lulled you all into a false sense of confidence, here is the reality about this game against Rutgers this season — the Scarlet Knights are no longer a pushover. Yes, Ohio State is a heavy favorite, and the Buckeyes should get that 10th consecutive win that I wrote about up above, but Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano has slowly and methodically been making the Scarlet Knights a tougher and better team, and already has Rutgers in bowl contention with a 6-2 record.
Below are Three Things To Watch at Rutgers, when the game kicks off on CBS at 12pm ET from SHI Stadium...
As noted up above, Rutgers has improved, and while not an explosive offense by any stretch, the Scarlet Knights have a strong running game that allows them to control the clock and wear down their opposition. Key players to watch from Rutgers are RB Kyle Monangai and QB Gavin Wimsatt. Both have averaged better than five yards a carry, both have long runs of better than 50 yards, and both have scored seven touchdowns on the ground.
If Ohio State can truly make Rutgers one-dimensional, forcing Wimsatt to throw more out of necessity than by design, than Ohio State will be in good shape. Keeping Rutgers to 2nd and long, or 3rd and long, will be a good sign for Ohio State defensively. Along those lines, a key player I will be looking and listening for will be Ohio State defensive lineman Tyleik Williams. Williams can be effective at clamping down on the Rutgers running game, while also helping to collapse the offensive line pocket for Gavin Wimsatt on passing downs.
2. Will Emeka Egbuka return to play for this game?
Egbuka has been withheld from game action ever since he sustained an ankle injury, and according to Ohio State head coach Ryan Day, Egbuka should be good to go at Rutgers. While Marvin Harrison Jr. has demonstrated his worthiness for the Heisman Trophy, it would not surprise me if Greg Schiano has his defense double-team Harrison to try and limit the star wideout’s effectiveness.
A healthy Egbuka would give Ohio State quarterback Kyle McCord another viable option in the passing game, and could make the Scarlet Knights pay if they tried to cover Egbuka with only single coverage. Plus, it would be good for Ohio State if Egbuka can knock off some of the rust after missing the last few games.
3. Look for Rutgers to pull out all of the stops
Greg Schiano is not going to hold anything back in this game against Ohio State, knowing that the Scarlet Knights have improved but the talent gap between the programs is still considerable. Onside kicks, fake punts, trick plays — any and all of these are things Ohio State needs to be concerned about from Rutgers, as the Scarlet Knights will need to do these type of things to keep drives going against the Buckeyes.
For embattled Ohio State special teams coach Parker Fleming, making sure his units look prepared will be something to keep eyes and ears open for during the game.
On the latest Silver Bullets Podcast, Michael Citro and I have come to the agreement that this 2023 Ohio State offense is not going to be as explosive as Ohio State fans have grown accustomed to seeing in the Ryan Day era. The running game has not emerged as strongly as the Buckeyes need, and the season-ending injury to Miyan Williams only has added to the offense’s challenges.
Look for Rutgers to try and limit the Ohio State offense from making any big plays, and this game may be more of a grind it out type affair. Ohio State will win, but this game will not feel truly decided until the 4th quarter, not the 1st quarter like Ohio State fans have grown used to against Rutgers in previous seasons.
I have it Ohio State 31, Rutgers 14.
Continue reading...
Chip.Minnich via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
The Buckeyes cannot look past an improved and determined Scarlet Knights squad.
Rutgers joined The Big Ten in 2014, and has been one of the conference’s doormat programs during that time frame. While I recognize how harsh that statement reads, here are some simple facts that I can share with all of you...
- The lowest point total Ohio State has scored when on the road at Rutgers was in 2015, when Ohio State defeated Rutgers, 49-7. Every other trip to New Jersey has seen Ohio State score at least 52 points or more against the Scarlet Knights.
- If Ohio State defeats Rutgers, as most are expecting, it will mark the 10th consecutive win over an opponent. This will mark the first time in program history that Ohio State will have defeated an opponent 10-straight times.
Now that I have lulled you all into a false sense of confidence, here is the reality about this game against Rutgers this season — the Scarlet Knights are no longer a pushover. Yes, Ohio State is a heavy favorite, and the Buckeyes should get that 10th consecutive win that I wrote about up above, but Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano has slowly and methodically been making the Scarlet Knights a tougher and better team, and already has Rutgers in bowl contention with a 6-2 record.
Below are Three Things To Watch at Rutgers, when the game kicks off on CBS at 12pm ET from SHI Stadium...
- The Rutgers running game versus the Ohio State defense
As noted up above, Rutgers has improved, and while not an explosive offense by any stretch, the Scarlet Knights have a strong running game that allows them to control the clock and wear down their opposition. Key players to watch from Rutgers are RB Kyle Monangai and QB Gavin Wimsatt. Both have averaged better than five yards a carry, both have long runs of better than 50 yards, and both have scored seven touchdowns on the ground.
If Ohio State can truly make Rutgers one-dimensional, forcing Wimsatt to throw more out of necessity than by design, than Ohio State will be in good shape. Keeping Rutgers to 2nd and long, or 3rd and long, will be a good sign for Ohio State defensively. Along those lines, a key player I will be looking and listening for will be Ohio State defensive lineman Tyleik Williams. Williams can be effective at clamping down on the Rutgers running game, while also helping to collapse the offensive line pocket for Gavin Wimsatt on passing downs.
2. Will Emeka Egbuka return to play for this game?
Egbuka has been withheld from game action ever since he sustained an ankle injury, and according to Ohio State head coach Ryan Day, Egbuka should be good to go at Rutgers. While Marvin Harrison Jr. has demonstrated his worthiness for the Heisman Trophy, it would not surprise me if Greg Schiano has his defense double-team Harrison to try and limit the star wideout’s effectiveness.
A healthy Egbuka would give Ohio State quarterback Kyle McCord another viable option in the passing game, and could make the Scarlet Knights pay if they tried to cover Egbuka with only single coverage. Plus, it would be good for Ohio State if Egbuka can knock off some of the rust after missing the last few games.
3. Look for Rutgers to pull out all of the stops
Greg Schiano is not going to hold anything back in this game against Ohio State, knowing that the Scarlet Knights have improved but the talent gap between the programs is still considerable. Onside kicks, fake punts, trick plays — any and all of these are things Ohio State needs to be concerned about from Rutgers, as the Scarlet Knights will need to do these type of things to keep drives going against the Buckeyes.
For embattled Ohio State special teams coach Parker Fleming, making sure his units look prepared will be something to keep eyes and ears open for during the game.
On the latest Silver Bullets Podcast, Michael Citro and I have come to the agreement that this 2023 Ohio State offense is not going to be as explosive as Ohio State fans have grown accustomed to seeing in the Ryan Day era. The running game has not emerged as strongly as the Buckeyes need, and the season-ending injury to Miyan Williams only has added to the offense’s challenges.
Look for Rutgers to try and limit the Ohio State offense from making any big plays, and this game may be more of a grind it out type affair. Ohio State will win, but this game will not feel truly decided until the 4th quarter, not the 1st quarter like Ohio State fans have grown used to against Rutgers in previous seasons.
I have it Ohio State 31, Rutgers 14.
Continue reading...
LGHL MC&J: Week 10 in the Big Ten will see Ohio State trying to stay perfect against Rutgers
- News
- 0 Replies
MC&J: Week 10 in the Big Ten will see Ohio State trying to stay perfect against Rutgers
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images
The Buckeyes 18.5-point favorites heading into this week’s game against the Scarlet Knights in New Jersey.
Picks for Washington-USC, LSU-Alabama, and a number of other big games nationally can be found here.
Wisconsin (-9.5) v. Indiana - 12:00 p.m. ET - Big Ten Network
Which team will have less of a hangover in this game? Wisconsin is coming off a 24-10 loss to Ohio State, while Indiana took Penn State to the limit last week. The Badgers are battered and bruised heading to Bloomington. Wisconsin has lost running back Chez Mellusi and quarterback Tanner Mordecai, while Braelon Allen and Chimere Dike were banged up against the Buckeyes
Brendan Sorsby threw for 269 yards against the Nittany Lions, but really 160 of those yards came on two touchdown passes. Still, at least the Hoosiers showed some fight against a tough opponent. I think the performance carries over to this week when Indiana returns home. Even though the Badgers end up winning the game, the Hoosiers are pesky and hang around at home.
Wisconsin 24, Indiana 17
Nebraska (-3) v. Michigan State - 12:00 p.m. ET - FS1
Who would’ve thought before the season that at this point of the season we’d be able to trust Nebraska more than Michigan State. Head coach Matt Rhule has turned the culture around in Lincoln, and it feels like now the Cornhuskers are expecting to win games and not feeling lucky when they do get a victory.
Calling Michigan State a mess might be an understatement. After winning their first two games of the season, the Spartans have lost six-straight games. Quarterback Noah Kim has thrown six interceptions this year, and I expect him to throw a couple more on Saturday since the Nebraska defense has gotten a bit of their mojo back this year.
With a win, Nebraska will be bowl eligible for the first time since 2016. The Cornhuskers are going to have a ton of motivation in this game, while Michigan State is playing out their disaster of a season. Give me the team playing smart, confident football right now.
Nebraska 23, Michigan State 14
No. 11 Penn State (-8.5) v. Maryland - 3:30 p.m. ET - FOX
Imagine how good Maryland would be if the season ended at the end of September. The loss to Ohio State in early October kicked off a three-game losing streak for the Terrapins, with their latest setback being a puzzling loss to Northwestern. Defense has been what has failed Maryland lately, as they have given up a combined 60 points to the Wildcats and Illinois.
Following their loss to Ohio State, Penn State survived a scare in State College last week from Indiana. This is a crucial game for the Nittany Lions to put things back together with a game against Michigan looming next week. Penn State gets back to running the football, while also tightening up on defense. I know Maryland has Taulia Tagovailoa, but if he can’t solve Northwestern and Illinois, I don’t see how he is going to find enough success against the Nittany Lions to halt his team’s slide.
Penn State 34, Maryland 21
Illinois v. Minnesota (-1.5) - 3:30 p.m. ET - Big Ten Network
Defensive backs for both teams have to be licking their chops heading into this contest. Quarterbacks Luke Altmyer and Athan Kaliakmanis have combined to throw 16 interceptions so far this season. An even more incredible stat is last week Kaliakmanis hit 200 yards passing for the first time this season in the 27-12 win over Michigan State.
Illinois had a week off to process blowing a fourth quarter lead to Wisconsin. The Fighting Illini might need a few more weeks off to try and put things back together since they are really struggling this year, and don’t have much room for error if they want to become bowl eligible. The running game hasn’t been there for Bret Bielema’s team, while the defense has taken a few steps back from last year.
Minnesota at least feels like the more complete of the two teams, which isn’t saying much. Somehow the Golden Gophers control their own destiny in the Big Ten West, but they also have a game against Ohio State ahead of them in a couple weeks. P.J. Fleck knows his teams needs to get as many wins as they can before coming to Columbus. They squeak out a win against the Fighting Illini on Saturday.
Minnesota 21, Illinois 17
Iowa (-5.5) v. Northwestern - 3:30 p.m. ET - Peacock
Honestly, Iowa fans probably have to feel like they won a national championship with the news this week that offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz won’t return next year. Saying the Iowa offense has been trash would be an insult to trash. So far this season, the Hawkeyes have scored more than 24 points in just two games. Michigan transfers Cade McNamara and tight end Erick All Jr. have both been lost for the season to injury.
What Northwestern did last week to Maryland isn’t going to fly this week against the Iowa defense. For as bad as the Hawkeyes have been on offense, they have been that good on defense. There’s no chance quarterback Brendan Sullivan comes anywhere close to throwing for 265 yards and two scores like he did last week against the Terrapins. Iowa stays in the Big Ten West race with an ugly win against Northwestern.
Iowa 20, Northwestern 10
Purdue v. No. 3 Michigan (-32.5) - 7:30 p.m. ET - NBC
The good news for Michigan is they don’t need to steal signs to beat up on Purdue. The Boilermakers are the latest in a long line of cupcakes the Wolverines have on their schedule to start the season. Things will get real for Michigan next week when they have to travel to Penn State. Until then, it’s going to be more of the same for the Wolverines, as they beat up on a Purdue team that hasn’t had anything go right in Ryan Walters’ first season as head coach.
Plus, Jim Harbaugh might be chapped Michigan is ranked third in the first CFP rankings, so he could keep his foot on the gas a little longer in this game.
Michigan 48, Purdue 10
No. 1 Ohio State (-18.5) v. Rutgers - 12:00 p.m. ET - CBS
The Buckeyes are coming off a 24-10 win at Wisconsin, but really the score could’ve been a lot more lopsided had it not been for three turnovers in the game. TreVeyon Henderson returned to the field and had one of his best performances in scarlet and gray, totaling over 200 yards of total offense in the game. Along with Henderson, Marvin Harrison Jr. not only continued his streak of 100-yard games, establishing himself as a legit Heisman Trophy contender.
Rutgers haven’t even played their first game in November and they are already bowl eligible. It’s obvious Greg Schiano is turning around the football program in East Piscataway for the second time. The Scarlet Knights don’t play sexy football, but they do play hard. That might be enough against teams like Indiana, Michigan State, and others. It won’t fly against Ohio State, though. The talent gap is too big for Rutgers to overcome on Saturday.
What the Scarlet Knights want to do is run the football, control the clock, and then use their defense to make some plays. Ohio State is great at stopping the run, which will force Gavin Wimsatt to make more plays. I just don’t see Wimsatt being able to solve the Buckeye secondary, which is playing at a high level this year. The only victory for Rutgers in this one is they won’t let Ohio State score at least 49 points, which is something the Buckeyes have done in each meeting since the Scarlet Knights joined the Big Ten.
Ohio State 41, Rutgers 13
Continue reading...
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images
The Buckeyes 18.5-point favorites heading into this week’s game against the Scarlet Knights in New Jersey.
Last week ATS: 5-7 (4-3 National, 1-4 B1G)
Season ATS: 74-74 (33-44 National, 41-30 B1G)
Picks for Washington-USC, LSU-Alabama, and a number of other big games nationally can be found here.
B1G games
Wisconsin (-9.5) v. Indiana - 12:00 p.m. ET - Big Ten Network
Which team will have less of a hangover in this game? Wisconsin is coming off a 24-10 loss to Ohio State, while Indiana took Penn State to the limit last week. The Badgers are battered and bruised heading to Bloomington. Wisconsin has lost running back Chez Mellusi and quarterback Tanner Mordecai, while Braelon Allen and Chimere Dike were banged up against the Buckeyes
Brendan Sorsby threw for 269 yards against the Nittany Lions, but really 160 of those yards came on two touchdown passes. Still, at least the Hoosiers showed some fight against a tough opponent. I think the performance carries over to this week when Indiana returns home. Even though the Badgers end up winning the game, the Hoosiers are pesky and hang around at home.
Wisconsin 24, Indiana 17
Nebraska (-3) v. Michigan State - 12:00 p.m. ET - FS1
Who would’ve thought before the season that at this point of the season we’d be able to trust Nebraska more than Michigan State. Head coach Matt Rhule has turned the culture around in Lincoln, and it feels like now the Cornhuskers are expecting to win games and not feeling lucky when they do get a victory.
Calling Michigan State a mess might be an understatement. After winning their first two games of the season, the Spartans have lost six-straight games. Quarterback Noah Kim has thrown six interceptions this year, and I expect him to throw a couple more on Saturday since the Nebraska defense has gotten a bit of their mojo back this year.
With a win, Nebraska will be bowl eligible for the first time since 2016. The Cornhuskers are going to have a ton of motivation in this game, while Michigan State is playing out their disaster of a season. Give me the team playing smart, confident football right now.
Nebraska 23, Michigan State 14
No. 11 Penn State (-8.5) v. Maryland - 3:30 p.m. ET - FOX
Imagine how good Maryland would be if the season ended at the end of September. The loss to Ohio State in early October kicked off a three-game losing streak for the Terrapins, with their latest setback being a puzzling loss to Northwestern. Defense has been what has failed Maryland lately, as they have given up a combined 60 points to the Wildcats and Illinois.
Following their loss to Ohio State, Penn State survived a scare in State College last week from Indiana. This is a crucial game for the Nittany Lions to put things back together with a game against Michigan looming next week. Penn State gets back to running the football, while also tightening up on defense. I know Maryland has Taulia Tagovailoa, but if he can’t solve Northwestern and Illinois, I don’t see how he is going to find enough success against the Nittany Lions to halt his team’s slide.
Penn State 34, Maryland 21
Illinois v. Minnesota (-1.5) - 3:30 p.m. ET - Big Ten Network
Defensive backs for both teams have to be licking their chops heading into this contest. Quarterbacks Luke Altmyer and Athan Kaliakmanis have combined to throw 16 interceptions so far this season. An even more incredible stat is last week Kaliakmanis hit 200 yards passing for the first time this season in the 27-12 win over Michigan State.
Illinois had a week off to process blowing a fourth quarter lead to Wisconsin. The Fighting Illini might need a few more weeks off to try and put things back together since they are really struggling this year, and don’t have much room for error if they want to become bowl eligible. The running game hasn’t been there for Bret Bielema’s team, while the defense has taken a few steps back from last year.
Minnesota at least feels like the more complete of the two teams, which isn’t saying much. Somehow the Golden Gophers control their own destiny in the Big Ten West, but they also have a game against Ohio State ahead of them in a couple weeks. P.J. Fleck knows his teams needs to get as many wins as they can before coming to Columbus. They squeak out a win against the Fighting Illini on Saturday.
Minnesota 21, Illinois 17
Iowa (-5.5) v. Northwestern - 3:30 p.m. ET - Peacock
Honestly, Iowa fans probably have to feel like they won a national championship with the news this week that offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz won’t return next year. Saying the Iowa offense has been trash would be an insult to trash. So far this season, the Hawkeyes have scored more than 24 points in just two games. Michigan transfers Cade McNamara and tight end Erick All Jr. have both been lost for the season to injury.
What Northwestern did last week to Maryland isn’t going to fly this week against the Iowa defense. For as bad as the Hawkeyes have been on offense, they have been that good on defense. There’s no chance quarterback Brendan Sullivan comes anywhere close to throwing for 265 yards and two scores like he did last week against the Terrapins. Iowa stays in the Big Ten West race with an ugly win against Northwestern.
Iowa 20, Northwestern 10
Purdue v. No. 3 Michigan (-32.5) - 7:30 p.m. ET - NBC
The good news for Michigan is they don’t need to steal signs to beat up on Purdue. The Boilermakers are the latest in a long line of cupcakes the Wolverines have on their schedule to start the season. Things will get real for Michigan next week when they have to travel to Penn State. Until then, it’s going to be more of the same for the Wolverines, as they beat up on a Purdue team that hasn’t had anything go right in Ryan Walters’ first season as head coach.
Plus, Jim Harbaugh might be chapped Michigan is ranked third in the first CFP rankings, so he could keep his foot on the gas a little longer in this game.
Michigan 48, Purdue 10
No. 1 Ohio State (-18.5) v. Rutgers - 12:00 p.m. ET - CBS
The Buckeyes are coming off a 24-10 win at Wisconsin, but really the score could’ve been a lot more lopsided had it not been for three turnovers in the game. TreVeyon Henderson returned to the field and had one of his best performances in scarlet and gray, totaling over 200 yards of total offense in the game. Along with Henderson, Marvin Harrison Jr. not only continued his streak of 100-yard games, establishing himself as a legit Heisman Trophy contender.
Rutgers haven’t even played their first game in November and they are already bowl eligible. It’s obvious Greg Schiano is turning around the football program in East Piscataway for the second time. The Scarlet Knights don’t play sexy football, but they do play hard. That might be enough against teams like Indiana, Michigan State, and others. It won’t fly against Ohio State, though. The talent gap is too big for Rutgers to overcome on Saturday.
What the Scarlet Knights want to do is run the football, control the clock, and then use their defense to make some plays. Ohio State is great at stopping the run, which will force Gavin Wimsatt to make more plays. I just don’t see Wimsatt being able to solve the Buckeye secondary, which is playing at a high level this year. The only victory for Rutgers in this one is they won’t let Ohio State score at least 49 points, which is something the Buckeyes have done in each meeting since the Scarlet Knights joined the Big Ten.
Ohio State 41, Rutgers 13
Continue reading...
