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2025 Countdown Thread
- Buckeye Football
- 155 Replies
2x All Big Ten
All-American
Silver Football Award (Chicago Tribune Big Ten MVP)
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Keith Byars
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LGHL Game of the Year: Ohio State can’t get caught sleeping at Camp Randall
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Game of the Year: Ohio State can’t get caught sleeping at Camp Randall
Jami Jurich via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
It might not be the highest-profile game this year, but if the Buckeyes overlook the Badgers, it could derail their season unexpectedly.
From now until preseason camp starts in August, Land-Grant Holy Land will be writing articles around a different theme every week. This week is all about this season’s marquee matchups. Whether they feature the Buckeyes, other Big Ten schools, or major teams across the country. You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content here and all of our ”Game of the Year” articles here.
Wisconsin’s football program has taken a bit of a downward turn in recent seasons, finishing the 2024 season with just five wins, but that is, to some extent, what makes Ohio State’s trip to Madison so sticky this year.
In fact, I’m naming this a “Game of the Year” for exactly that reason. It’s not the Buckeyes’ biggest matchup—Wisconsin likely won’t even be ranked. Instead, it’s a game that could be so easy for Ohio State to overlook in their quest to defend their national title that it catches them off guard.
Part of this is where it is positioned on the schedule: Sandwiched between what will presumably be two ranked matchups for the Buckeyes, on the road at Illinois the week prior and at home against Penn State (one of the two toughest games on the schedule) two weeks later (with a bye week after the Wisconsin game), the Badgers have the potential to slip through the cracks on OSU’s radar.
Wisconsin, frankly, has one of the toughest schedules in the Big Ten this season, with tough games against Michigan, Iowa, Ohio State, Oregon, Indiana, and Illinois (plus a preseason matchup against Alabama). If the Badgers head into the Ohio State game with three or four losses already, this game could mark a massive momentum shift for them — and head coach Luke Fickell knows that.
The Badgers will have the home crowd on their side, too, with the game set to take place at Camp Randall. A notoriously tough stadium to play a road game in, if the Buckeyes look past the Badgers to focus on Penn State, the stadium crowd there could be enough to rattle them after a mistake or two.
And then there’s the Fickell Factor: Facing the Buckeyes for the first time since 2023, Fickell has the opportunity to get his first win against his alma mater. Badgers fans have criticized Fickell for both the five consecutive losses that ended last season and his “Why does it matter?” comment when asked who would be calling the plays for the Badgers after he fired offensive coordinator Phil Longo after 10 games.
But you know what would get the fans back on Fickell’s side? A home win over the defending national champions.
While the season likely won’t be a stellar one for the Badgers, sometimes the morale boost that comes from a marquee win in a mediocre season is enough to make a case for a contract extension. If Fickell can pull it off in a year where many experts are predicting Ohio State to run the table, it positions him well to get another chance to build his program.
He’s also made some additions since last season, replacing Longo with new offensive coordinator Phil Grimes in a move that could revitalize the offense. Grimes’ offensive scheme plays to the Badgers’ strengths, focusing on wide-zone runs and play-action passes, so it could breathe new life into the program. Additionally, they have the offensive weapons to execute the scheme with running backs Dilin Jones and Darrion Dupree.
Oh, and they’ve got a wide receiver who might look familiar to Buckeye fans: Jayden Ballard, who transferred to Wisconsin from OSU for his final year of eligibility. Ballard will certainly be hungry to prove himself in this specific game, and while the Buckeyes aren’t struggling defensively or offensively, sometimes when things are personal, it lights a fire that even the most well-equipped firefighters can’t douse.
Do I realistically think the Buckeyes will lose the Wisconsin game? No. And I believe Ryan Day has done a good job of coaching his team not to look past the seemingly easy games. But if the Badgers manage to fly under the radar, they could catch the Buckeyes sleeping, and a loss against a mediocre Wisconsin team would do damage beyond just the one loss when playoff ranking time comes ‘round.
Continue reading...
Jami Jurich via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
It might not be the highest-profile game this year, but if the Buckeyes overlook the Badgers, it could derail their season unexpectedly.
From now until preseason camp starts in August, Land-Grant Holy Land will be writing articles around a different theme every week. This week is all about this season’s marquee matchups. Whether they feature the Buckeyes, other Big Ten schools, or major teams across the country. You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content here and all of our ”Game of the Year” articles here.
Wisconsin’s football program has taken a bit of a downward turn in recent seasons, finishing the 2024 season with just five wins, but that is, to some extent, what makes Ohio State’s trip to Madison so sticky this year.
In fact, I’m naming this a “Game of the Year” for exactly that reason. It’s not the Buckeyes’ biggest matchup—Wisconsin likely won’t even be ranked. Instead, it’s a game that could be so easy for Ohio State to overlook in their quest to defend their national title that it catches them off guard.
Part of this is where it is positioned on the schedule: Sandwiched between what will presumably be two ranked matchups for the Buckeyes, on the road at Illinois the week prior and at home against Penn State (one of the two toughest games on the schedule) two weeks later (with a bye week after the Wisconsin game), the Badgers have the potential to slip through the cracks on OSU’s radar.
Wisconsin, frankly, has one of the toughest schedules in the Big Ten this season, with tough games against Michigan, Iowa, Ohio State, Oregon, Indiana, and Illinois (plus a preseason matchup against Alabama). If the Badgers head into the Ohio State game with three or four losses already, this game could mark a massive momentum shift for them — and head coach Luke Fickell knows that.
The Badgers will have the home crowd on their side, too, with the game set to take place at Camp Randall. A notoriously tough stadium to play a road game in, if the Buckeyes look past the Badgers to focus on Penn State, the stadium crowd there could be enough to rattle them after a mistake or two.
And then there’s the Fickell Factor: Facing the Buckeyes for the first time since 2023, Fickell has the opportunity to get his first win against his alma mater. Badgers fans have criticized Fickell for both the five consecutive losses that ended last season and his “Why does it matter?” comment when asked who would be calling the plays for the Badgers after he fired offensive coordinator Phil Longo after 10 games.
But you know what would get the fans back on Fickell’s side? A home win over the defending national champions.
While the season likely won’t be a stellar one for the Badgers, sometimes the morale boost that comes from a marquee win in a mediocre season is enough to make a case for a contract extension. If Fickell can pull it off in a year where many experts are predicting Ohio State to run the table, it positions him well to get another chance to build his program.
He’s also made some additions since last season, replacing Longo with new offensive coordinator Phil Grimes in a move that could revitalize the offense. Grimes’ offensive scheme plays to the Badgers’ strengths, focusing on wide-zone runs and play-action passes, so it could breathe new life into the program. Additionally, they have the offensive weapons to execute the scheme with running backs Dilin Jones and Darrion Dupree.
Oh, and they’ve got a wide receiver who might look familiar to Buckeye fans: Jayden Ballard, who transferred to Wisconsin from OSU for his final year of eligibility. Ballard will certainly be hungry to prove himself in this specific game, and while the Buckeyes aren’t struggling defensively or offensively, sometimes when things are personal, it lights a fire that even the most well-equipped firefighters can’t douse.
Do I realistically think the Buckeyes will lose the Wisconsin game? No. And I believe Ryan Day has done a good job of coaching his team not to look past the seemingly easy games. But if the Badgers manage to fly under the radar, they could catch the Buckeyes sleeping, and a loss against a mediocre Wisconsin team would do damage beyond just the one loss when playoff ranking time comes ‘round.
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LGHL Buckeye fans are torn on what the most important game of OSU’s season will be
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Buckeye fans are torn on what the most important game of OSU’s season will 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
Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images
You ask, we answer. Sometimes we ask, others answer. And then other times, we ask, we answer.
Throughout the year, we will be asking and answering questions about various Ohio State teams, the players, and anything else on our collective minds of varying degrees of importance. If you have a question that you would like to ask, you can tweet us @LandGrant33 or if you need more than 280 characters, send an email HERE.
As we wrap up Game of the Year Week here at Land-Grant Holy Land, we are diving into the results of this week’s fan survey. Earlier this week, we asked Buckeye Nation what they thought were going to be the most important and the most entertaining games in Ohio State’s regular season.
The top three answers for both questions were the same, but they were not in the same order. So, check out the results below, and if you want to share your agreement (or disagreement) with anything in the survey, please feel free to head down to the comments at the bottom of the page.
And, while we’re thinking about the season to come, why don’t you put all of your football expertise to good use and put some money down on the season over at FanDuel Sportsbook? After all, they are sponsoring this article.
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Obviously, the top two results here are incredibly close. While Penn State clearly came out on top, it is as close as it possibly could be. But whichever answer you preferred likely comes down to how you define “important.”
Personally, while I think Penn State is likely to be the best team on OSU’s schedule this season (in spite of the fact that James Franklin is still their coach), to me, The Game is the clear-cut winner here. The Nits will visit Ohio Stadium in what will be the Buckeyes’ eighth game of the season. While a November loss in that game would be disappointing, even if OSU has already stumbled against Texas, Washington, Minnesota, Illinois, or Wisconsin, a loss to PSU would not eliminate them from a College Football Playoff berth.
While it would certainly go a long way to reconfiguring what the top of the Big Ten Conference looks like, Penn State’s first win in Columbus since 2011 (although I’m not sure that should even count) would likely only have limited ramifications. Don’t get me wrong, it would suck big time, but in this new era of college football, it would not be nearly as devastating as it would have been in the past.
The same cannot be said, in my opinion, about the regular season finale. While the logistics of the CFP are only markedly different than those of the Penn State game (by virtue of the fact that the Buckeyes will visit Ann Arbor for the regular season finale), the implications of that one go far beyond whether the check goes in the W or L column.
The Buckeyes have not beaten their rivals since 2019. Ryan Day is 1 and 4 against Michigan. The Wolverines, despite OSU’s national title, have all of the bragging rights. And even though there are NCAA sanctions looming that could negate some of the recent losses, it is undeniable that Ohio State has to win this game.
Obviously, they don’t have to win in order to continue to chase a national title — we saw last year that a win in The Game was not a prerequisite. However, while Day has quieted practically all of his doubters, there has to be at least the faintest of whispers in the back of many fans’ minds about what lies ahead at the end of the regular season. Woody forbid, should TTUN win for the fifth straight season, I think that there would be quite a bit of uncomfortable conversations happening across the homes of Buckeye fans.
So, because it is later in the season and comes with all of the extra mishigas that accompanies the greatest rivalry in all of sports, to me, it is a no-brainer that the Michigan game is the most important of Ohio State’s regular season.
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Yeah, I think it is safe to say that Texas and Ohio State in The Horseshoe will be a wildly entertaining game. Will it end up being the most entertaining? I don’t know, but I am absolutely looking forward to finding out.
Throughout the year, we ask questions of the most plugged-in Ohio State fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys. This survey was brought to you by FanDuel.
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 Scott Taetsch/Getty Images
You ask, we answer. Sometimes we ask, others answer. And then other times, we ask, we answer.
Throughout the year, we will be asking and answering questions about various Ohio State teams, the players, and anything else on our collective minds of varying degrees of importance. If you have a question that you would like to ask, you can tweet us @LandGrant33 or if you need more than 280 characters, send an email HERE.
As we wrap up Game of the Year Week here at Land-Grant Holy Land, we are diving into the results of this week’s fan survey. Earlier this week, we asked Buckeye Nation what they thought were going to be the most important and the most entertaining games in Ohio State’s regular season.
The top three answers for both questions were the same, but they were not in the same order. So, check out the results below, and if you want to share your agreement (or disagreement) with anything in the survey, please feel free to head down to the comments at the bottom of the page.
And, while we’re thinking about the season to come, why don’t you put all of your football expertise to good use and put some money down on the season over at FanDuel Sportsbook? After all, they are sponsoring this article.
Question 1: What do you think will be the most important regular-season game on Ohio State’s schedule?
Obviously, the top two results here are incredibly close. While Penn State clearly came out on top, it is as close as it possibly could be. But whichever answer you preferred likely comes down to how you define “important.”
Personally, while I think Penn State is likely to be the best team on OSU’s schedule this season (in spite of the fact that James Franklin is still their coach), to me, The Game is the clear-cut winner here. The Nits will visit Ohio Stadium in what will be the Buckeyes’ eighth game of the season. While a November loss in that game would be disappointing, even if OSU has already stumbled against Texas, Washington, Minnesota, Illinois, or Wisconsin, a loss to PSU would not eliminate them from a College Football Playoff berth.
While it would certainly go a long way to reconfiguring what the top of the Big Ten Conference looks like, Penn State’s first win in Columbus since 2011 (although I’m not sure that should even count) would likely only have limited ramifications. Don’t get me wrong, it would suck big time, but in this new era of college football, it would not be nearly as devastating as it would have been in the past.
The same cannot be said, in my opinion, about the regular season finale. While the logistics of the CFP are only markedly different than those of the Penn State game (by virtue of the fact that the Buckeyes will visit Ann Arbor for the regular season finale), the implications of that one go far beyond whether the check goes in the W or L column.
The Buckeyes have not beaten their rivals since 2019. Ryan Day is 1 and 4 against Michigan. The Wolverines, despite OSU’s national title, have all of the bragging rights. And even though there are NCAA sanctions looming that could negate some of the recent losses, it is undeniable that Ohio State has to win this game.
Obviously, they don’t have to win in order to continue to chase a national title — we saw last year that a win in The Game was not a prerequisite. However, while Day has quieted practically all of his doubters, there has to be at least the faintest of whispers in the back of many fans’ minds about what lies ahead at the end of the regular season. Woody forbid, should TTUN win for the fifth straight season, I think that there would be quite a bit of uncomfortable conversations happening across the homes of Buckeye fans.
So, because it is later in the season and comes with all of the extra mishigas that accompanies the greatest rivalry in all of sports, to me, it is a no-brainer that the Michigan game is the most important of Ohio State’s regular season.
Question 2: What do you think will be the most entertaining regular-season game on Ohio State’s schedule?
- Season opener
- College Football Playoff semifinal rematch
- Arch Manning’s first start as Texas’ full-time quarterback
- A ton of Buckeyes will be making their first starts, including a new quarterback
- The Nos. 1 and 6 teams in the Blue Chip Ratio
- The first game of the season
Yeah, I think it is safe to say that Texas and Ohio State in The Horseshoe will be a wildly entertaining game. Will it end up being the most entertaining? I don’t know, but I am absolutely looking forward to finding out.
Throughout the year, we ask questions of the most plugged-in Ohio State fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys. This survey was brought to you by FanDuel.
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