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S Caleb Downs (All B1G, All-American, National Champion)
- By ScriptOhio
- Buckeye Football
- 570 Replies
Ohio State star Caleb Downs revisits interest in growing his offensive role for Buckeyes after Ryan Day's plans were scrapped in 2024
Caleb Downs is destined to be a first-round round safety and is arguably the best defensive player in the country. But Day said he wanted to give Downs some backfield touches last summer, even if it never happened in-game. Could that happen again?
Downs talked to Cleveland.com's Buckeye Talk podcast with his brother, Colts receiver Josh Downs, and said he could play an offensive gadget role.
"I definitely feel like I could play that gadget guy, that slot receiver, that running back, whatever you want me at. I feel like I could do that for sure."
Here's what Day had said last year about the potential of the move.
Day admitted Downs had been attending running backs meetings throughout last spring and summer. Ohio State has a deep backfield that revolves around James Peoples and CJ Donaldson, but Downs is no less proven than any of the young quartet behind those two.
"Where it goes, we'll see, you never know. We're just trying to build contingency plans," Day stated. Downs never logged an offensive snap in 2024.
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DB Devin Sanchez (Official Thread)
- By ScriptOhio
- Buckeye Football
- 234 Replies
Ohio State star freshman may already be making enemies with the Oregon Ducks thanks to a subtle jab
ne Ohio State newcomer — a five-star recruit with the potential to make an early impact — is already stirring the pot with Oregon fans.
Freshman cornerback Devin Sanchez responded to a Ducks fan on X (formerly Twitter), saying he never considered Oregon, but if he had, he would have started right away.
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That comment likely won’t sit well with Oregon players, who would strongly disagree with the notion that Sanchez could walk in and take a starting spot without competition. Sanchez was ranked the No. 1 cornerback in the class of 2025, and the Buckeyes were able to land him out of Texas.
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LGHL Game of the Year: The best non-conference games involving Big Ten teams
- News
- 0 Replies
Game of the Year: The best non-conference games involving Big Ten teams
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 David Buono/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Texas-Ohio State tilt kicks off an entertaining slate of non-conference games involving Big Ten teams this season.
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.
Before the grind that is Big Ten play begins, teams around the conference will test themselves against other schools from around the country. While not every team in the Big Ten will be playing exciting non-conference games, the majority of the programs in the conference will play at least one interesting opponent from another conference, which could help bolster their playoff resumé as the regular season comes to a close.
While the Texas-Ohio State tilt will get top billing when it comes to interesting non-conference games this season, there are a number of other games outside of Big Ten play that deserve your attention.
Who knows, maybe the majority of these games don’t end up living up to the hype, but right now it’s fun to imagine a lot of these games coming down to the wire and leaving us on the edge of our seats. At the very least, getting a lay of the land for some of the best non-conference games involving Big Ten teams can help to pass a little time in mid-July.
The only negative about this game is it is being played at noon. A game of this magnitude should be under the lights, but unfortunately the Big Ten is in bed with FOX and Big Noon Saturday. Honestly though, if this game kicked off at 2 AM on a Tuesday morning, the start of another Buckeye football season would have all of us sitting in front of our TVs and ready to run through walls.
Not only is this a rematch of the Cotton Bowl College Football Playoff semifinal, both teams will enter this game having to replace numerous starters from last year’s squads on both sides of the football. The most noteworthy replacements are going to be the quarterbacks. Texas will start Arch Manning, who started a couple games for the Longhorns last year after Quinn Ewers was injured. Ohio State will counter with Julian Sayin, who will be making his first start at the collegiate level.
Unlike 2005 when Texas and Ohio State met in Columbus in a game that was essentially a BCS elimination game, the loser of this year’s game will still be in the mix for a playoff spot. Last year both teams lost two games and still made the playoff, hosting games in the first round. What neither team wants to do is get hammered in the opener, which could set the tone for a disappointing 2025 season.
Even though I don’t feel like this game is quite on the same level as Texas-Ohio State, I still thinking it could be entertaining in a way. Like one of those comedy movies that is so bad it ends up being funny.
This contest has already gotten off to a roaring start before kickoff with the news that Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore wouldn’t have to serve a two-game suspension until his team’s third and fourth games of the season. Moore is an Oklahoma alum so it’s understandable why he fought to be able to coach in this game, but it doesn’t make the ruling any less hilarious.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/26057875/2211364548.jpg "Michigan Maize vs Blue Spring Game")
Photo by Mike Mulholland/Getty Images for ONIT
Nobody knows what we are going to get with either of these teams. It wouldn’t be surprising to see the Wolverines or Sooners make the playoff. It also wouldn’t be surprising to see the two teams go 6-6 during the regular season.
Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables is on the hot seat after a few underwhelming seasons in charge in Norman, while Moore looks like he’ll be dealing with the brunt of the punishment Michigan will have to deal with when the NCAA finally rules on a number of infractions that were committed while Jim Harbaugh was in charge in Ann Arbor.
It’s not a proper list of the best non-conference games in the country unless it includes El Assico! Last year the Cyclones were just a win away from making the College Football Playoff as champions of the Big 12.
This year Iowa State returns quarterback Rocco Becht and some other important contributors from last year’s team. The Cyclones will have two games under their belt when this game kicks off since they’ll meet Kansas State in Dublin in Week 0, followed by a home game against South Dakota the next week.
Iowa really needs this game since they have a Big Ten schedule that includes games against Penn State, Oregon, and USC. Along with some tough conference games, the Hawkeyes will need to replace running back Kaleb Johnson, who did just about everything on offense for Iowa last year.
Keep an eye on how Iowa’s offense looks in Tim Lester’s second season as offensive coordinator. Maybe Lester opens things up a little more now that he has a year under his belt as OC of the Hawkeyes. Quarterback Mark Gronowski put up big numbers as starting quarterback at South Dakota State, so it’ll be interesting to see if he is able to have similar success in Iowa City.
This game might not be the sexiest non-conference game, but it could mean a lot for Illinois. The Fighting Illini are talking like they think they are a playoff contender this year. Since the schedule for Illinois isn’t all that tough, Bret Bielema’s team can’t afford any slip-ups in games where they don’t play Ohio State.
Duke was a respectable 9-4 last year, with one of those victories being a double overtime win at Northwestern. The Fighting Illini can’t let the Blue Devils make it two straight seasons with a win over a Big Ten foe.
Did Luke Fickell and Wisconsin learn anything from the beatdown they suffered at the hands of Alabama in Madison last year? If they didn’t, the Badgers could be in for a long afternoon in Tuscaloosa.
At least Wisconsin will be facing a Crimson Tide squad that will be breaking in a new quarterback. Although, if Ty Simpson is as good as advertised then it’s hard to imagine the Badgers keeping pace in this one, especially in what could be a very toasty atmosphere at Bryant-Denny Stadium.
Notre Dame has gotten the better of USC lately in the Battle for the Jeweled Shillelagh, winning six of the last seven over the Trojans. The Fighting Irish have really let the football fly in the last two meetings, scoring 97 total points.
After making the College Football Playoff National Championship Game last year, Marcus Freeman and company have designs on a title this year after falling just short last season. The Fighting Irish are replacing defensive coordinator Al Golden with former Ohio State DC Chris Ash, and will have a new starting quarterback after Riley Leonard graduated.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/26057874/2187583752.jpg "Notre Dame v USC")
Photo by Ric Tapia/Getty Images
USC and Lincoln Riley feel like they have a real shot at making the playoff this year. With a manageable schedule, it’s easy to see why there is optimism in Los Angeles. What will tell the story of the season is how the defense progresses in the second season under defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn.
If the Trojans are able to enter this game undefeated and get by Notre Dame, USC should be able to enter a game in late November against Oregon with a spotless record.
Honorable mention:
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 David Buono/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Texas-Ohio State tilt kicks off an entertaining slate of non-conference games involving Big Ten teams this season.
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.
Before the grind that is Big Ten play begins, teams around the conference will test themselves against other schools from around the country. While not every team in the Big Ten will be playing exciting non-conference games, the majority of the programs in the conference will play at least one interesting opponent from another conference, which could help bolster their playoff resumé as the regular season comes to a close.
While the Texas-Ohio State tilt will get top billing when it comes to interesting non-conference games this season, there are a number of other games outside of Big Ten play that deserve your attention.
Who knows, maybe the majority of these games don’t end up living up to the hype, but right now it’s fun to imagine a lot of these games coming down to the wire and leaving us on the edge of our seats. At the very least, getting a lay of the land for some of the best non-conference games involving Big Ten teams can help to pass a little time in mid-July.
Texas vs. Ohio State - Aug. 30
The only negative about this game is it is being played at noon. A game of this magnitude should be under the lights, but unfortunately the Big Ten is in bed with FOX and Big Noon Saturday. Honestly though, if this game kicked off at 2 AM on a Tuesday morning, the start of another Buckeye football season would have all of us sitting in front of our TVs and ready to run through walls.
Not only is this a rematch of the Cotton Bowl College Football Playoff semifinal, both teams will enter this game having to replace numerous starters from last year’s squads on both sides of the football. The most noteworthy replacements are going to be the quarterbacks. Texas will start Arch Manning, who started a couple games for the Longhorns last year after Quinn Ewers was injured. Ohio State will counter with Julian Sayin, who will be making his first start at the collegiate level.
Unlike 2005 when Texas and Ohio State met in Columbus in a game that was essentially a BCS elimination game, the loser of this year’s game will still be in the mix for a playoff spot. Last year both teams lost two games and still made the playoff, hosting games in the first round. What neither team wants to do is get hammered in the opener, which could set the tone for a disappointing 2025 season.
Michigan vs. Oklahoma - Sept. 6
Even though I don’t feel like this game is quite on the same level as Texas-Ohio State, I still thinking it could be entertaining in a way. Like one of those comedy movies that is so bad it ends up being funny.
This contest has already gotten off to a roaring start before kickoff with the news that Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore wouldn’t have to serve a two-game suspension until his team’s third and fourth games of the season. Moore is an Oklahoma alum so it’s understandable why he fought to be able to coach in this game, but it doesn’t make the ruling any less hilarious.
Nobody knows what we are going to get with either of these teams. It wouldn’t be surprising to see the Wolverines or Sooners make the playoff. It also wouldn’t be surprising to see the two teams go 6-6 during the regular season.
Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables is on the hot seat after a few underwhelming seasons in charge in Norman, while Moore looks like he’ll be dealing with the brunt of the punishment Michigan will have to deal with when the NCAA finally rules on a number of infractions that were committed while Jim Harbaugh was in charge in Ann Arbor.
Iowa vs. Iowa State - Sept. 6
It’s not a proper list of the best non-conference games in the country unless it includes El Assico! Last year the Cyclones were just a win away from making the College Football Playoff as champions of the Big 12.
This year Iowa State returns quarterback Rocco Becht and some other important contributors from last year’s team. The Cyclones will have two games under their belt when this game kicks off since they’ll meet Kansas State in Dublin in Week 0, followed by a home game against South Dakota the next week.
Iowa really needs this game since they have a Big Ten schedule that includes games against Penn State, Oregon, and USC. Along with some tough conference games, the Hawkeyes will need to replace running back Kaleb Johnson, who did just about everything on offense for Iowa last year.
Keep an eye on how Iowa’s offense looks in Tim Lester’s second season as offensive coordinator. Maybe Lester opens things up a little more now that he has a year under his belt as OC of the Hawkeyes. Quarterback Mark Gronowski put up big numbers as starting quarterback at South Dakota State, so it’ll be interesting to see if he is able to have similar success in Iowa City.
Illinois vs. Duke - Sept. 6
This game might not be the sexiest non-conference game, but it could mean a lot for Illinois. The Fighting Illini are talking like they think they are a playoff contender this year. Since the schedule for Illinois isn’t all that tough, Bret Bielema’s team can’t afford any slip-ups in games where they don’t play Ohio State.
Duke was a respectable 9-4 last year, with one of those victories being a double overtime win at Northwestern. The Fighting Illini can’t let the Blue Devils make it two straight seasons with a win over a Big Ten foe.
Wisconsin vs. Alabama - Sept. 13
Did Luke Fickell and Wisconsin learn anything from the beatdown they suffered at the hands of Alabama in Madison last year? If they didn’t, the Badgers could be in for a long afternoon in Tuscaloosa.
At least Wisconsin will be facing a Crimson Tide squad that will be breaking in a new quarterback. Although, if Ty Simpson is as good as advertised then it’s hard to imagine the Badgers keeping pace in this one, especially in what could be a very toasty atmosphere at Bryant-Denny Stadium.
USC vs. Notre Dame - Oct. 18
Notre Dame has gotten the better of USC lately in the Battle for the Jeweled Shillelagh, winning six of the last seven over the Trojans. The Fighting Irish have really let the football fly in the last two meetings, scoring 97 total points.
After making the College Football Playoff National Championship Game last year, Marcus Freeman and company have designs on a title this year after falling just short last season. The Fighting Irish are replacing defensive coordinator Al Golden with former Ohio State DC Chris Ash, and will have a new starting quarterback after Riley Leonard graduated.
USC and Lincoln Riley feel like they have a real shot at making the playoff this year. With a manageable schedule, it’s easy to see why there is optimism in Los Angeles. What will tell the story of the season is how the defense progresses in the second season under defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn.
If the Trojans are able to enter this game undefeated and get by Notre Dame, USC should be able to enter a game in late November against Oregon with a spotless record.
Honorable mention:
- Nebraska vs. Cincinnati (Aug. 28)
- Oklahoma State vs. Oregon (Sept. 6)
- Washington vs. Washington State (Sept. 20)
- Boston College vs. Michigan State (Sept. 6)
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