LovelandBuckeye said:

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Looks like we’re still playing Ole Miss in the sugar bowl

Feels appropriate

SEREbuckeye said:

Day calling the shots. Sounds like Hartline will be focusing on personnel and the receivers.

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Can't say that fills me with optimism given the 2023 offense. I'd rather he be heavily involved in the gameplay and let Hartline call the plays

My biggest fear is Ruben Bain gets a sack on Sayin, and Day freezes up to protect him. That is the one way that I can see Miami beating us, is if they put pressure early, and Day turtles up, which unfortunately seems to be a tendency.

Yes, he excels at it, but he also sucks at it. It just depends on which Day we get and from much of what I’ve seen this year, I’m not super encouraged. Hartline didn’t call that bullshit Indiana scheme by himself. Let’s hope that we somehow get the CFP 2024 version.

DFBIA has no quit.

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ScriptOhio said:

Just sayin': Watching this play never gets old.....

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As Keels does the play-by-play, Lachey's commentary is priceless. That is, if you consider, "Yeah, yeah, yeah!" as commentary/

Just sayin': This guy reminds me of a small (i.e. undersized) RB named Darren Sproles (who only had a 15 year NFL career).

brodybuck21 said:

still get goosebumps. single most satisfying W ive ever seen or will ever see

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Its my favorite football game of all-time. I watch it at least once a year. Just such a hard hitting, clean, yet brutal game. The talent on the field was just insane on both sides of the ball. Great game. And yes I get goosebumps every fucking time.

Fungo Squiggly said:

He'd be crazy to transfer out of state with that name. He was born to be in Colorado.

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Maybe he'll go full heel and just transfer down the road to play for Deion.

buckeyemania11 said:

Portnoy isn't a guy who pays up on his bets? SHOCKING!

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Probably too busy stealing cotton candy from children ...

We're about to enter "the Hurricane Zone" or so I've heard. We're doomed.

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Why the redshirt could help shape Ohio State’s 2026 defense​

As important as Hicks’ potential playoff contribution is, the long-term implications may be even bigger. By preserving his redshirt, Hicks remains eligible to return next season at a time when Ohio State’s edge room is likely to undergo significant turnover. Caden Curry is expected to graduate and move on, and Kenyatta Jackson Jr. could be headed to the NFL, leaving meaningful snaps available in the rotation.
That opportunity aligns perfectly with Hicks’ developmental timeline. If he uses the playoff experience as a foundation and follows it with a full offseason focused on edge-specific refinement, he could enter next season ready to compete for a major role. The defensive line appears to be his most natural home, and Ohio State has consistently shown that patience with high-upside defenders pays off once the technique matches the talent.
For now, Hicks’ story is about timing. He arrives in the playoffs with eligibility intact, physical tools sharpened by a year of practice, and a chance to help in small but important ways. Beyond that, the redshirt season positions him as a potential centerpiece of Ohio State’s edge rotation in 2026, a reminder that sometimes the most impactful seasons begin before the stat sheet ever even shows it.

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Portal interest signals a clear plan
Early reporting suggests Ohio State is already doing its homework. According to Gators Online reporter Zach Abolverdi, the Buckeyes have expressed interest in Florida running back Jadan Baugh, who rushed for 1,170 yards and eight touchdowns during his true sophomore season.
Baugh fits the profile Ohio State typically targets in the portal. Productive at the Power Five level, physically ready for Big Ten play, and capable of contributing immediately without stunting the development of younger players.

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Ohio State hoping major transfer portal target returns home, top 2027 RB sets commitment date​

The Buckeyes hoping to right some previous recruiting wrongs as an Ohio native enters the transfer portal.

Ohio State facing ‘must-have’ portal target​

Ohio State’s current roster is loaded, and the fortunate part is that the Buckeyes will have a ton coming back in 2026 to make another strong run. Still, the coaching staff is always looking to improve certain areas of the roster, and the transfer portal offers them the best chance at doing so.
Seen the past couple of seasons, Ohio State has been able to land some elite level players to further improve their team, and Thursday’s news of Penn State defensive end Chaz Coleman planning to enter the portal is right on par with the type of player they are looking for.
An Ohio native that simply put the Buckeyes were too late on during his prep recruitment, Coleman chose to stick with his commitment to Penn State even with Ohio State pushing late. After his true freshman season he is looking to head elsewhere, and that of course has the Buckeyes linked all over to this latest update for a multitude of reasons.
One of the premier edge rushers in the country as a freshman, Ohio State knows this is a player they could have done a better job with while he was still in high school, but having a second chance to right their wrongs looks to be in the works. Always a position of need, he would immediately improve the roster and provide depth you cannot have enough of.
The coaching staff knows the abilities Coleman has, and they felt that this year when he made several plays against the Buckeyes in Penn State’s favor. With the amount of smoke and rumors already circling this transfer news, it will be a surprise of Ohio State is not the end destination.
Right now they are very much the clear favorite. It’s time to bring one of Ohio’s best back home and the full court press is about to begin for Coleman.
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Five things Ohio State fans should know about Miami’s win over Texas A&M in the CFP​

Malachi Toney, Mark Fletcher Jr. and the Miami defensive line were some of the keys to the Hurricanes advancing in the CFP.

1) Ground Game​

Neither Texas A&M or Miami had been particularly impressive running the ball so far this season. Miami has the 142nd ranked rushing offense, and Texas A&M has the 63rd ranked rushing offense.
But on Saturday, Miami’s rushing attack, led by former Ohio State commit Mark Fletcher, made the difference in the game. Fletcher had 172 yards on 17 carries, including a clutch 56 yard run late in the game.
If Ohio State can avoid letting Fletcher break off explosive runs, I like Ohio State’s chances at stopping Miami’s ground game.

2) Kicking Woes​

Thank goodness that Ohio State’s matchup against Miami will be indoors. Otherwise, not a single field goal would be made between the two teams...
Miami kicker Carter Davis went 1-for-4 on field goal attempts on the day. Texas A&M’s kicker missed a field goal as well. In all fairness, the wind was clearly a significant factor in the run game.
When Ohio State and Miami do face off, don’t expect any kicks over 45 yards to even be attempted.

3) Pass Rush​

Don’t poke the bear.
A few of Texas A&M’s offensive lineman expressed some extreme confidence about their matchup with Miami’s edge-rushing duo in the week leading up to the game. It’s safe to say that Rueben Bain Jr. and Akheem Mesidor did not appreciate that.
Bain had three sacks against the Aggies, and Mesidor had 1.5 sacks. Miami, as a team, got to A&M quarterback Marcel Reed seven times.
First, I encourage Ohio State’s offensive lineman to choose their words carefully. Second, preventing Bain and Mesidor from wrecking the game will be a crucial part of Ohio State’s game plan against Miami.

4. Malachi Toney​

Beyond Mark Fletcher, Malachi Toney was Miami’s only other threat against Texas A&M.
Toney attempted a pass, took three carries, and had five receptions, which included the game’s only touchdown. Toney also returns punts.
Toney does it all for Miami, and he is only a freshman. The rest of Miami’s receiving core does not strike much fear in me, but Toney is a player you have to account for at all times. Preventing Toney from getting in space and using his speed will be paramount to an Ohio State victory.

5. Brick Wall​

I already highlighted Miami’s pass-rush prowess, but their defensive line also shut down Texas A&M’s run game.
Texas A&M was held to 2.5 yards per carry. Because of this, Marcel Reed was forced to throw 39 times. Reed wound up throwing two costly interceptions.
Texas A&M fell directly into Miami’s trap. Miami had clearly hoped that Texas A&M would give up on the run game and start to throw the ball excessively.
Ohio State has to avoid that trap. While Sayin is a much better passer than Reed, a game that Ohio State throws the ball 40 times and has no run game is not a winning recipe.
The Buckeyes better get creative in these next 10 days.

SEREbuckeye said:

Day calling the shots. Sounds like Hartline will be focusing on personnel and the receivers.

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Ryan Day Taking Over Play Calling As Brian Hartline Balances Upcoming Head Coaching Role With Wide Receiver Coaching Duties​

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When Ohio State plays the Hurricanes in the CFP quarterfinals at the Cotton Bowl in nine days, it will be the first time he's called plays since 2023 – at the Cotton Bowl. The Buckeyes lost that night to Missouri, 14-3, after getting down to then-third-string quarterback Lincoln Kienholz and seeing its offensive line implode play after play. Chip Kelly was hired as offensive coordinator and play-caller in 2024, then Hartline assumed the duties in 2025.

Day's reputation as a play-caller and offensive mind is among the best in the country, that Missouri game aside. He took over as play-caller as Ohio State's offensive coordinator in 2018 and led perhaps the best passing attack in school history. Dwayne Haskins threw for 4,831 yards and 50 touchdowns, school records that still stand.

When Day took over as head coach in 2019, the output didn't stop in his five years maintaining play-calling responsibilities. Ohio State had a top-three scoring offense in 2019, 2021 and 2022, with the No. 1 scoring offense in the country in 2019.

The main change about calling plays as a head coach, Day said, will be staring into his call sheet during games and not having as much attention to direct toward other areas of the game. Although he was still involved in play-calling conversations after surrendering the lead on the role.
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ScriptOhio said:

Just sayin':

1. If you actually wondered what Santa Ono ias doing now. Apparently Larry Ellison is right up there with Dave Portnoy as a "very wealthy idiot".

Former University of Michigan president picked for education role in United Kingdom

Former University of Michigan president Santa Ono has found a new role at the Ellison Institute of Technology's Oxford campus.

www.cbsnews.com

Former University of Michigan president picked for education role in United Kingdom​

August 18, 2025
Former University of Michigan president Santa Ono has found a new role at the Ellison Institute of Technology's Oxford campus in the United Kingdom.

The Ellison Institute of Technology announced Monday that Ono will be its new global president, working with others to develop and expand the school's science programs. The school focuses on topics such as health, medical science, sustainable agriculture, clean energy and artificial intelligence.

"I look forward to collaborating with EIT's leadership teams worldwide to advance Larry Ellison's bold vision," Ono said in his statement. "I believe this innovative approach represents the most exciting investment in fundamental and applied research globally, and I am thrilled to be part of this collective effort to create solutions to humanity's most pressing challenges."

2. Speaking of Portnoy, apparently he doesn't pay off his bets when he loses.....

Dave Portnoy hasn’t paid off $1,000 Michigan-Ohio State bet: Urban Meyer

Dave Portnoy hasn’t put his money where his mouth is.

nypost.com

Dave Portnoy hasn’t paid off $1,000 Michigan-Ohio State bet: Urban Meyer
Dave Portnoy hasn’t put his money where his mouth is.

Former Ohio State coach Urban Meyer claimed that the Barstool boss — and Michigan alum — has yet to cough up his $1,000 bet after the Buckeyes trounced the Wolverines on Nov. 29.

“Portnoy still owes me 1,000 bucks, I know that,” Meyer said during his “Triple Option” podcast with Fox Sports co-hosts Rob Stone and Mark Ingram.

The show reposted the clip to its social media and attached the message, “Please pay your debts, Dave.”

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Ahead of the rivalry game in Ann Arbor, Meyer and Portnoy made a bet on Fox’s “Big Noon Kickoff” that the loser would pledge one grand to the winning school’s NIL fund.
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You know what needs to be done Urban.

Presser Bullets: Keenan Bailey is Spending More Time With Ohio State's Wideouts, Nicknames for Ohio State Offensive Linemen Include "Sicko Mode" and "Piggy"​

QB Julian Sayin​

• Sayin's dove into Miami film much more deeply since Saturday.
• On Miami's defense: "Well-coached ... tackle well, they cover well. They have a really good front seven."
• The Hurricanes have a fantastic pass rush. "Have to be extremely quick in your decision-making and can't be holding onto the ball forever."
• Ohio State's No. 1-ranked defense has given a great look to an offense trying to fix its issues that have appeared. "It's been challenging and they've brought the best out of us the past couple weeks."
• On what he learned from Will Howard's preparation for last year's CFP: "He was able to play his best football when it mattered the most. ... So that's definitely something we'll need to do going forward."
• Sayin said that it's been great to have Ryan Day in the quarterback room with a more hands-on approach to coaching during the layover before the CFP.
• On Jeremiah Smith: "Every week you see a guy who's really humble, but someone who works extremely hard. ... I'm excited for him in this matchup."
• On the process of setting pass protections pre-snap: "I think throughout the season, I've gained a lot more confidence in that area." He added that Carson Hinzman has been a big help in that area.
• Sayin has noted the high number of turnovers that Miami has forced this season. "It's gonna be important for us to take care of the football."
• On his gratitude for playing on this stage: "Just being a kid and playing the game I love. Growing up, I always wanted to play on the biggest stage. ... It's been awesome this season."
• On taking a season-high in sacks against Indiana: "A lot of it's on me, I can't hold onto the ball as long. ... So just being able to keep us on schedule and get us in the right play."
• Expanding more on his issue holding onto the ball too long, Sayin said he needs to be willing to take checkdowns more often.

TE Max Klare​

• On Miami's defense: "They're really talented, they play really hard and they do a lot of things well."
• Klare said he transferred to Ohio State to play in these types of games. "This is what college football's all about."
• Klare said the Buckeyes aren't looking ahead to a potential national championship. "Right now it's just one game, that's all we got. It's a one-game season."
• On how Sayin boosts Ohio State's offense: "I think it's just the consistency that he brings on a daily basis. ... That's something that you really want in a quarterback."
• Klare said that Ohio State is an angry football team right now. "We have a lot to prove. We have a chip on our shoulder now."
• On how Sayin's grown throughout the year: "How comfortable he is back there ... he's just gotten even more comfortable throughout the season."
• On the adversity he's faced since his transfer: "It's been a long road. ... I've been challenged here a lot ... those challenges have really built me up into a better player."
• Klare feels prepared for the Cotton Bowl from the Buckeyes' practices. "The physicality of playing at Ohio State and the practices here will prepare us for this stretch that we want to go on."
• It's been a strange feeling for Klare to not have played a game in a few weeks. "It's been a while. It's been kind of weird. It's been half a year it feels like."
• Klare hasn't made a decision on whether he'll enter the NFL draft.
• Klare noted he has a lot of room to grow as a player. "All aspects of the game."
• On how Ohio State is addressing its problems on offense: "I think it really comes down to execution."

C Carson Hinzman​

• On Gabe VanSickle: "He's been proving that he's more than capable of going out there and playing with us. ... He's done a great job of not only building his own confidence, but building confidence with Phillip (Daniels) and I."
• On how Ohio State has worked in practice to go on a similar run to last year: "It's just getting back to the basics."
• The offensive line's substandard performance vs. the Hoosiers has provided massive motivation, Hinzman said. "When we're playing at our best, I think we can play with anyone in the country."
• On Miami's defensive tackles: "The interior there is good. It's an elite-level defense. ... They get pressure, they do what they're supposed to do."
• On his communication in setting pass protections with Sayin: "It's been good. He's been growing every game we've played. He's an extremely smart individual. ... Sometimes the way I see it isn't the way he sees it and vice versa. ... These games coming up will be a great opportunity to show that we've fixed our problems there."
• On the message to the rest of the offensive line: "I think it comes down to winning those early downs. ... These games come down to being able to make positive throws and completions and keeping us on schedule." Hinzman added that the offensive line has emphasized a need to control the ground game.
• On where the offensive line's depth has grown: "Gabe has done a great job stepping into that right guard position. Joshua Padilla has done a great job ... really, all of our depth. ... That's really important going into (the CFP)."
• Hinzman joked about the nicknames on the offensive line like VanSickle's "Sicko Mode." "The brotherhood grows closer."
• Some other offensive line nicknames: Austin Siereveld is "Piggy," Tegra Tshabola is "Tigré," Ethan Onianwa is "Biggie" and Joshua Padilla is "Dilla."

WR Jeremiah Smith​

• On his eagerness to play his hometown team and thoughts on losing the Biletnikoff Award: "I'm very excited to play the guys from back home. ... The Biletnikoff, just use that as motivation, can't think about it too much."
• Smith is attacking his preparation with as much fervor as possible. "I'm trying to crank it up a little bit because now it's time to win another natty around here."
• On Miami's defense: "That front is special ... got a good interior, got a good back end, good linebackers."
• Ohio State returned to its preseason camp intensity in practice recently, Smith said. "The way we've practiced over the past few weeks has been very intense."
• On Brian Hartline "He's been around, he's been helping us in the receiver room.
• Keenan Bailey has been involved in the receiver room these past few weeks. "He's been involved with us over the last couple weeks ... he's been in the receiver room before."
• On coming back from injury: "That was something serious that I had to deal with. After Rutgers week, I was feeling really down because I didn't know if I could play against the Team Up North." Smith said the injury was a quad strain.
• Getting back for the Michigan game was a huge deal for Smith. "I didn't want to miss that game. I did everything I could to not miss it."
• Smith isn't worried about late or dirty hits, because whatever he takes, he'll dish back out. "I'm probably gonna be the one doing it too. I'll get a little chippy."
• There's still plenty of animosity Smith has seen over the 2003 BCS National Championship Game. "All over Twitter, they still talking about that. We got something for them coming New Year's Eve."
• On seeing former teammate Jojo Trader again: "For us to be on this stage in the Cotton Bowl, it's something that we dreamed of growing up."
• On whether he was at full health for the Michigan game: "Going into that game, no, I was not 100 percent. ... But right now I'm healthy, back healthy."
• Smith said that Miami nickel Kionte Scott does a great job in both run and pass defense. "He's a very good football player."
• On where he's grown the most this season: "I've grown as a leader, using my voice, that's been the biggest thing."
• On what Carnell Tate has meant to him: "Carnell meant a lot to me. ... Carnell is a special person on and off the field. ... I'm very excited to be on the journey with him and he's a first-round draft pick."

Just sayin': Click in the link to see the entire interviews.

Ohio State Right Guard Tegra Tshabola Sidelined By Injury, Gabe VanSickle and Joshua Padilla Could Both Play at Right Guard vs. Miami​

Ohio State will have a new right guard for at least the start of the College Football Playoff.

Tegra Tshabola, who has started every game for Ohio State at right guard since the start of the 2024 season, will be out for at least the Buckeyes’ CFP quarterfinal game against Miami due to injury, Ryan Day said Monday.

Tshabola left Ohio State’s Big Ten Championship Game loss to Indiana after the opening drive of the third quarter and did not return. Day did not specify what Tshabola’s injury was, but a source told Eleven Warriors that Tshabola underwent surgery after the Big Ten Championship Game. Day said Tshabola will be out “for a few weeks at least,” putting his availability for the entire CFP in question.

Tshabola was replaced in the Big Ten Championship Game by Gabe VanSickle, who will now likely be in line to start at RG in the CFP. Day said Monday that Joshua Padilla, who rotated with Tshabola at RG earlier in the season before suffering an injury against Penn State, could also see playing time at RG against Miami.

While Tshabola started all of Ohio State’s first 13 games this season at right guard – and all 16 of Ohio State’s games last season – his starting job might have been in jeopardy for the CFP even if he was healthy. Tshabola was the weak link of Ohio State’s offensive line all season, and he was rotated out of the game for at least one series – with Ethan Onianwa, Padilla and VanSickle all getting opportunities to play in his place – in every game except Ohio State’s win over Michigan.

None of those players usurped Tshabola on the depth chart during the regular season, but now, Ohio State will need at least one of them to step up in the CFP for its offensive line to get back on track after struggling vs. the Hoosiers.

Jaxbuck said:

I shall not stand in judgement of Mike Price.

If a man can't celebrate a promotion, then what's the point?

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It was rollin' What's a player supposed to do?