Instant Recap Podcast: Ohio State’s defense dominates, offense explodes in 54-10 win over Iowa
Chris Renne via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Gaelen Morse/Getty Images

The guys are back to recap how Ohio State was dominant in every facet in their resounding win over Iowa.

Ohio State hosted Iowa and beat them in a dominant manner 54-10. Jordan Williams is joined by Chris Renne to bring you the Land-Grant Holy Land “Instant Recap Podcast.”

Listen to the episode and subscribe:

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To get the show started, the guys get into their initial takeaways from Iowa and how the slow start impacted their views of the game. Then they get into the dominant second-half performance from the Ohio State offense and defense.

After the initial discussion, the guys get into the issues on offense in the first half and how Ohio State found their way in an aggressive manner in half two. Then Chris and Jordan talk about the Buckeye defense; they realize the OSU D was playing Iowa’s offense, but there were still some important takeaways.

The defense showed up, bullied Iowa’s offense at the line of scrimmage, and forced the most turnovers they’ve had in a game in recent memory.

After that, Jordan and Chris discuss the Players of the Game as well as their favorite moments including Tanner McAlister’s interceptions. They also discuss how Tommy Eichenberg is still flying off the tracks, “Sack Harrison” makes an appearance, and the offense eventually figured it out.

To conclude, the show they give their final thoughts on the performance, discuss injuries, and what’s next for the Buckeyes.


Connect with Chris Renne:
Twitter: @ChrisRenneCFB

Connect with Jordan Williams
Twitter: @JordanW330

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Celebrate Ohio Stadium’s 100th Anniversary with limited edition Woody Hayes, Brutus bobbleheads
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here



No better way to celebrate the cathedral of college football than with gold accented figurines, imo.

This year is a very special time to be a Buckeye. Not only is Ryan Day’s team trending toward a national championship, but quarterback C.J. Stroud is the clear-cut betting favorite to win the Heisman Trophy. Obviously, both of those feats would be historic if they come to fruition, but just as important in 2022 is the 100th anniversary of the cathedral of college football known as Ohio Stadium.

Ohio State has been celebrating the stadium centennial all season, and as of today, our friends at FOCO — one of the most beloved creators of officially licensed merch in the world — are joining the party with not one, not two, not three, but four bobbleheads depicting the two biggest icons in Ohio State history, Wayne Woodrow Hayes and Brutus Bartholomew Buckeye (I made up the “Bartholomew” part).

This new 100th-anniversary collection features Brutus and legendary Ohio State coach Woody Hayes atop The Horseshoe (individuals and stadium are not built to scale). The 100-year logo is displayed on the back with the names of Brutus and Woody beneath it.

The standard limited-edition versions of the bobbleheads have gray backing, but the extra limited-edition variant versions come with gold accents across the bobblehead making them highly collectible. All of the figures stand eight inches tall.

Get your Brutus and/or Woody 100th Anniversary bobbleheads here!



There will only be 422 of the standard bobbleheads made and only 100 of the gold variant versions, so order yours now. The standard bobbleheads will sell for $75 and the fancy gold ones will run $100.

Most recently, OSU great Chris Olave got his own Gate Series bobblehead joining fellow former Buckeye greats Chase Young, Justin Fields, Cameron Heyward, Carlos Hyde, Joey Bosa, and Michael Thomas who had their boobleheads released in August.

But Brutus is no stranger to these incredible, limited edition releases either as over the summer, FOCO released very snazzy Brutus Buckeye Bighead and “Phantom of the Opera-themed bobbleheads as well.

As someone with a borderline unhealthy Ohio State bobblehead/collectible addiction, I can think of no better way to celebrate this historic season in the annals of Ohio State athletics and the venerated Horseshoe than with one (or all) of these magnificent merchandising masterpieces.

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Bold Predictions: Non-offensive scores and backup QBs
Meredith Hein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Matthew Holst/Getty Images

Plus, one position group will cross the century mark. Another will not.

Before each Ohio State game this year, LGHL is going to bring you some “bold predictions”. This will include somewhere a few hot takes for the game, whether it be passing yards, points scored, sacks, or some other things that we could see happening during the game.

We’d love to hear your bold predictions. Either respond to us on Twitter at @Landgrant33 or leave your bold predictions in the comments.

Not one, not two, but THREE non-offensive scores


And no, we’re not counting field goals. This one isn’t totally rooted in fantasy: Iowa won its season opener on two safeties and a field goal against South Dakota State. The Hawkeyes have also had two defensive touchdowns and two blocked punts on the year. Ohio State, meanwhile, has had no defensive touchdowns and the secondary will be seeking its first pick-six against a vulnerable Iowa quarterback.

We’ll see Iowa’s backup quarterback


Speaking of which, for the first time this season, the world might just get to see what Alex Padilla can bring to the most anemic offense we’ve seen in years. Spencer Petras, the embattled starting quarterback for the Hawkeyes, is simply not working — though, arguably, the problem is really in the offensive schema drawn up by Brian Ferentz rather than any issues with the players on the field.

We saw Padilla for a little while in 2021. The junior quarterback completed 49% of his passes and had two touchdowns and two picks in eight games.

100-total receiving yards from tight ends


If there’s one thing that can consistently be said for Iowa’s offense, their tight ends are really good. Meanwhile, if one thing has changed for the Ohio State passing attack, it’s been incorporating the tight end position more. Perhaps today we’ll see Ohio State’s Cade Stover and Iowa’s Sam LaPorta and Luke Lachey collectively cross the century mark in receiving yards.

Less than 100 net rushing yards


The Hawkeyes are averaging just over 82 rushing yards per game. On the other side of the coin, Ohio State is putting up 228 yards per game on the ground. However, both Ohio State and Iowa have been stingy when it comes to allowing rushing yards so far this season, allowing 93 and 111 yards per game, respectively. While something will certainly give between Ohio State’s rushing offense and Iowa’s defense (probably in favor of the offense), Iowa might have next to no rushing yards — especially when accounting for sacks.

No touchbacks


In yet another direct faceoff of Big Ten punters from Australia, Ohio State’s Jesse Mirco and Iowa’s Tory Taylor go head-to-head for the ultimate battle of punting dominance. Mirco has just two touchbacks to Taylor’s six, but Taylor has downed 20 punts inside the 20 to Mirco’s 10.

Of course, Iowa does a heckuva lot more punting than Ohio State. And probably will again this afternoon.

One more Bama loss


Alabama might be licking its wounds from last week’s upset loss to Tennessee, but the Crimson Tide don’t have time to sulk as they must turn around and face No. 24 Mississippi State. The Bulldogs are coming off a loss themselves, having fallen to Kentucky last week.

It helps that Alabama is back in Tuscaloosa. Also, Bama’s favored by 21. I’ll harken back to that time I thought Nebraska might pull one out against Oklahoma. I was wrong then, and I could be just as wrong now. They’re called bold predictions for a reason.

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Behind Enemy Lines: Inside information on Iowa before today’s 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 Matthew Holst/Getty Images

Our friends from Black Heart Gold Pants pull the curtain back to give us the unbiased truth about the Hawkeyes.

In preparation for the No. 2 Ohio Buckeyes (6-0, 3-0) taking on the Iowa Hawkeyes (3-3, 1-2) in Ohio Stadium today, we chatted with Jonah Parker, the co-managing editor of Black Hearts Gold Pants, our SB Nation sibling site that covers Iowa athletics.

It has been a tale of two sides of the ball for Iowa this season. The Hawkeyes have been characteristically stout on defense — they currently rank third nationally in scoring defense and seventh in total defense — however, on offense, Iowa has been absolutely putrid. Coming into the game Brian Ferentz’s unit ranks dead last in total offense and 127th nationally in scoring defense.

If you want more of the Hawkeyes’ perspective on the game, make sure that you check out all of BHGP’s coverage on their website or on Twitter @BHGP.


LGHL: First things first, with so much national attention being paid to Brian Ferentz’s offense, what is the sentiment toward him from the Iowa fan base? Do they see the situation differently than fans and analysts on the outside? Has his performance soured Hawkeye fans on his dad at all?

BHGP: Sentiment towards Brian hasn’t been good really since the moment he was hired as offensive coordinator. He’s had solid to great game plans in one-off games basically once a year over the last five seasons, but by and large, the offense has been bad since the moment he stepped into the role, even by Iowa standards. Things have certainly come to a head this season and we’ve asked our community nearly every week for an updated count of who thinks Brian deserves to be fired. We’re well over half the fanbase that believes he should be gone now and I think that’s a pretty safe viewpoint given the offense is not just bad, but dead last nationally.

That has started to leak into people’s views on Kirk Ferentz and I would place myself in this camp. While fans have long been frustrated by the style of play offensively (Iowa has been in the top half nationally of total offense just once in the last decade), the track record of (relative) winning has helped mitigate the concerns. The slide in results this year has fans ready to tear things down because it’s becoming clear this is not complementary football as we’ve been sold, but simply a great defense and special teams being totally wasted by an incompetent offense that Kirk continues to defend for the sole reason his son is running it. Those results start to really shine a light on prior years and the fanbase is all too aware that the OC has not really mattered — the offense has always been a challenge under Kirk Ferentz.

LGHL: Ohio State has had one of the best offenses in the country through the first half of the season, and Iowa has had one of the best defenses through the first half of the season. With all of the different offensive weapons that the Buckeyes have, how do you think that Phil Parker will look to limit the OSU offense? Will he focus on either the passing or running game and try to make the Buckeyes one-dimensional, or will he give them opportunities underneath while looking to prevent big plays?

BHGP: The latter has been the bread and butter of Phil Parker and his predecessor Norm Parker (no relation) for two decades. The philosophy is predicated on the idea that college athletes very rarely can play mistake-free for 8-10 consecutive plays and thus marching the length of the field to score touchdowns is really difficult (which is infuriating for Hawkeye fans as the offense seems predicated on the idea they will do just that). I expect the Hawkeyes to play a base 4-2-5 (with that extra DB being more of a safety than a nickel corner – a position played by Amani Hooker the last time these two teams squared off) and try to keep everything in front of them.

The challenge this week that is really never there any other week for this group is Ohio State presents such a matchup problem on the outside that Phil can’t rely on his base defense to keep the Buckeyes out of the endzone consistently. OSU is going to take shots down the field and they’re going to connect on more than one. The key for Iowa historically has been in those situations to find a way to rally to the ball and be sure tacklers to big plays ultimately end with field goals in the red zone instead of touchdowns.

That was largely successful against Michigan, which opted to play Iowa’s game and dink and dunk their way down the field with great success and run Blake Corum into the ground. I suspect OSU will be less patient because they don’t need to be. Against most teams that lack of patience has resulted in turnovers for one of the best secondaries in the country at creating them (they finished 2021 tops nationally over a five-year span), but C.J. Stroud is not most QBs.

LGHL: The Buckeyes haven’t really played an elite (or even all that good) defense yet this season. What does the Hawkeye defense do so well that has allowed it to keep five of its six opponents to 10 points or less?

BHGP: As noted, Phil Parker employs a sort of boa constrictor approach to defense. Typically, Iowa will give up the underneath stuff and allow some modest gains on the ground at the expense of not letting anything get behind them. Again, the philosophy is that more often than not a college offense will stub their own toe at some point via a penalty, missed blocking assignment, missed throw, or whatever, and then they’re behind the chains and this defense can pounce.

The more the offense squirms and gets impatient attempting to march down the field, the more the defense constricts and ultimately creates turnovers. The Hawkeyes never have the best athletes on the field but they’re always disciplined and rarely out of position. The result has often been that opponents are able to move the ball but end up taking a shot on the fringe of the red zone or forcing a throw down inside the 10 and the defense capitalizes.

LGHL: Like OSU, Iowa is coming into this game following an off week. What have the coaches said about what they focused on during the bye and what are fans most hoping was accomplished over the past two weeks?

BHGP: Mostly, fans were hoping they would take the two weeks to fire Brian Ferentz and give an interim OC time to work with the team. That didn’t happen (and it’s not going to) and Spencer Petras is still the QB behind a really not-good offensive line. So the staff has indicated they took the first week to really get back to the basics and try to eliminate some of the mistakes that have plagued this team through six games. If the Hawkeyes were facing any team in the conference besides Ohio State, I would expect to see them come out and work to finally really establish the run to get this offensive line in a rhythm, then open up play action.

But at this point there really is very little they can work on to improve things this season. The offensive line is young and a year away from being serviceable. The wide receiver room is sparse after five of the top six returning scholarship players were injured in the weeks before the season started (add in that the presumed #3 target Charlie Jones departed after the portal closed following spring practice to go actually catch passes in what looks like an actual offense) and there are no signs we get top playmaker Keagan Johnson back this season (or ever?). And the scheme is what it is and what it is, is not effective.

LGHL: I’m sorry that I have to do this, but I’m going to ask a question about the offense. Spencer Petras has obviously not been great this year, but no other quarterback has even attempted a pass this year, including Alex Padilla who saw some action last year. Is this just a case that the coaching staff feels that they have no other better option, or is Petras’ experience just the best fit for an offense that has struggled this year?

BHGP: This was a source of a lot of consternation among fans both last year and early in this season. Spencer Petras is a prototypical Iowa QB in that he has a big arm, big body, is not mobile, but is very good at reading defenses pre-snap and getting Iowa into the plays most other teams would simply have their OC signal in pre-snap (this is the primary reason we continue to hear how “complicated” the Iowa offense is for young players despite it quite clearly being a basic scheme – players, and especially the quarterback, are asked to make pre-snap reads and adjustments at the line whereas most offenses will simply line up and either run the play called or get a decision from the sideline). We hear repeatedly that he is the better player in practice and the staff believes he gives them the best chance to win.

The frustration from fans comes from the divergence between his abilities and what this offense needs to have a pulse. By all accounts, Petras is head and shoulders above everyone else in the room in terms of making those reads, his arm strength, and ability to make on-schedule throws (which probably says more about the staff’s job on the recruiting trail than anything). But as noted, this offensive line is really struggling so those on-time, in-rhythm throws are few and far between. Alex Padilla was even worse statistically than Petras in his time on the field a season ago, but he is at least mobile enough to extend plays and make things happen off-script.

Despite what Padilla offers, Spencer Petras remains the only starter in the country to have played every single offensive snap for his team.

LGHL: If Saturday is a one-score game midway through the fourth quarter, what do you think will be the major storyline (or storylines) that has gotten the teams to that point?

BHGP: If this is a one-score game in the fourth quarter, there have likely been a slew of injuries or ejections on the OSU side. A more realistic scenario, which I still don’t think gets you there, is that CJ Stroud is looking ahead a week and just flat-out misses on several shots down the field. I expect Ryan Day to be looking for style points for the CFP and to be aggressive going downfield. If for some reason Stroud can’t find anyone and starts pressing, this is a defense capable of picking him off 3+ times and just as capable of returning each of those for a score without any help from the offense.

For Iowa to have any hopes of scoring points on the offensive side of the ball, we would need to see major improvements up front that allow them to FINALLY be able to run the ball and actually control time of possession. I don’t see that as a realistic outcome, but there is some very small world out there where the Buckeyes turn the ball over early and give Iowa a short field once or twice or even a pick-six, and then Iowa is able to turn this into more of a rock fight IF the offensive line has a light switch turned on.

LGHL: I won’t make you pick a score (although you are welcome to if you would like), but I do want to know how you think the game will play out.

BHGP: While I would love to predict the above scenario or get uber optimistic and call for something along the lines of the 2017 game (we get those once a generation so apologies if we watch that on Saturday instead of this blood bath), I really suspect this one is a blowout. If history is any indication, the Buckeyes are likely to come out and march down the field on their first possession to get out to an early 7-0 lead. The Iowa offense is unlikely to do anything other than occupy three downs between the defense and Tory Taylor booming a punt. I do think the defense will settle in a little bit in the first half and probably keep the Buckeyes in the 17-24 points area, but at some point, things will just break down with how long I expect them to be on the field.

I assume Iowa gets a field goal somewhere, probably courtesy of a short field, but I’m not expecting more than that. I think Day keeps starters in longer than he probably should for those style points and a 17-3 halftime lead turns into something like 56-3 in the end with the Buckeyes getting a pick-six or at minimum a turnover on the Iowa side of the field, as well as 2-3 home run balls from Stroud and a 40+ yard TD run from someone in the second half. The Iowa defense is good, but it’s not built to play 65% of the game. Doing so against an entire team of superior athletes is not going to end well.

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OHIO STATE GAMEDAY: It’s a bad day to be an Iowa Hawkeye
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Kyle Robertson/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Buckeyes return from their off week looking to pick things up where they left off.

Wake up, everyone. It’s Ohio State game day!

The No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes return to action on Saturday to kick off the second half of their season against the Iowa Hawkeyes. These two teams have not met since that fateful day back in 2017, when Urban Meyer’s team was handed a massive L at Kinnick Stadium. Almost all of the players involved in that game are now gone, but Kirk Ferentz is still at the helm for Iowa, and Ryan Day was on staff at the time and surely remembers that day well. Ohio State will be looking for its revenge in Columbus five years later.

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 film studies, they are there, too.

Enjoy the day everyone. As always, Go Bucks!

Football Podcasts

• Buck Off: An angry discussion about Iowa’s offense
• Hangout in the Holy Land: Ohio State opens the second half against Iowa
• LGHL Uncut: Day, Knowles, Wilson preview Iowa
• Silver Bullets: B1G results, Iowa preview
• I-70 Football: We know who is good, we’ll know soon who is bad

Previews

• Ohio State vs. Iowa: Game Preview and Prediction
• Three Things to Watch from the Iowa Hawkeyes
• Iowa Offensive Player to Watch: Sam Laporta
• Iowa Defensive Player to Watch: Jack Campbell

Sports Betting

• Ohio State opens at -28.5 vs. Iowa
• Week 8 National Games
• Week 8 B1G Conference Games

Film Studies

• Jim Knowles’ defense Film Review
• Iowa Film Preview

Basketball

• Who will make the 2023 men’s basketball Final Four?
• Women’s Basketball Player Preview: Rebeka Mikulášiková
• Women’s Basketball Player Preview: Cotie McMahon
• Men’s Basketball Team Preview: Maryland
• Men’s Basketball Team Preview: Iowa
• Do preseason rankings indicate how many B1G teams make the NCAA Tournament?
• Ohio State women’s basketball ranked No. 14 in AP Preseason Poll

Recruiting

• 2024 four-star OL Ian Moore commits to Ohio State
• 2024 four-star point guard John Mobley Jr. commits to Ohio State
• Ohio State offers 2024 running back
• Carnell Tate and the continued pursuit by Tennessee
• OSU leaves positive impression on four-star Georgia DL
• 2023 DL target sets commitment date

Ask LGHL

• What did you learn from TTUN’s win over PSU?
• Should OSU fans be nervous about Hendon Hooker’s Heisman potential?
• Ohio State football fans predict score vs. Iowa

Other Podcasts

• Bucketheads: Adam Jardy joins to talk Big Ten men’s hoops
• Play Like a Girl: Frankenstein QBs, Team Dog vs. Team Cat

Other Columns

• B1G Thoughts: Ten years of regret?
• Iowa football is a cautionary tale of the dangers of nepotism, cronyism
• How is the Ohio State offense going to work when JSN returns?
• Has Ohio State wide receiver Julian Fleming finally arrived?
• Ryan day is getting the top 10 defense he ordered
• Big Ten stat leaders through Week 7

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Scarlet Out At The Shoe
Richard Tongohan via our good friends at Men of the Scarlet and Gray
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

• 

After a much needed bye week, the Buckeyes will test their mettle against a stingy Hawkeyes defense at home. They passed their initial test against Notre Dame, they blew through Wisconsin and Michigan State, and they cruised by Rutgers, Arkansas State and Toledo.

The second half of the season has a ton of obstacles and it is important for the Buckeyes stay focused from here on out. Not only should they take this game seriously, the last time they faced the Hawkeyes, they were blown out at Kinnick Stadium.

Stiff Test Ahead

Ohio State has one of the best offenses in the nation, but the fact that they haven’t faced a competent defense outside of Notre Dame. This will be a “prove it” type game and I am looking forward to seeing what this team does and how they adapt. This offense hasn’t been challenged yet, and I feel like the team will set the tone for the second half of the season.

This is very much a memory that Coach Day has on his mind as he revealed the proverbial “scars” that have resurfaced as we approach game day. The offense will certainly have a tough time and a lot will be revealed when the clock hits zero. Not only does Iowa have a sturdy defense, they are also the #1 scoring defense in the nation.

I feel like the fact that everyone outside of Columbus is saying that CJ Stroud and company hasn’t “played anyone yet” and they have had a “cupcake” schedule up until this point will also play a factor in this game. The fact that everyone is discounting their achievements up to this point, it only adds to the intrigue and anticipation.

Feast or Famine

Outside of the Buckeye offense facing this stingy defense, how will this improved defense do against a bottom-tier offense? I could go on-and-on about the offense, but I am interested to see if this revamped defensive scheme can manage to shut out the Hawkeyes offense.

It is possible, but we’ve all seen this team have lapses from time to time and sometimes teams find a way to score. The challenge of earning a shutout is another layer of intrigue. It won’t be easy, but with a motivated team it might be possible.

The Buckeyes have been solid up to this point and dismantled most of their opponents, but this Iowa team might show some offensive fortitude in the form of splash plays. I think the Buckeyes limit those to three or less. The bye week helped a few players on both ends get healthy, and I cannot wait to witness everything.

Health Concerns

With the bye week, JSN, Chop and Hall all got an extra week to recuperate. The Buckeyes haven’t been at full strength since week 1 and it is a scary to think of the possibilities. MHJ, Fleming and Egbuka have been having great seasons so far, and if its either Henderson or Williams, they are still explosive.

Not to mention, if their second team receives reps, they can be just as lethal—especially if Coach Day gives McCord the green light to run the offense. That would be awesome and I’m sure everyone would want to see a preview of what next years offense would look like.

With all things considered, I think the Buckeyes will air on the side of caution and allow the starters to rest for a noon game at Happy Valley. If things get out of hand, look for those “health concerns” to win out. We don’t expect Coach Day to be reckless, but if the game is put away by the third quarter, we will get a little preview from McCord and Brown.

Predictions

The pre-game hype videos seem like subliminal messages to the public. The “Statement” sounds like we will be making one against one of the best defenses in the country. This will be a test, but I think they pass with flying colors.

Ohio State defeats Iowa 42-12.

• Stroud shreds this Iowa defense. I don’t think the splash plays will be plentiful but I’d say he has 3-4 and finishes with 275+ passing yards and 4 TD’s.
• Zone 6 and Stover continues offensive assault. MHJ, Fleming, Egbuka, Stover all score while JSN slowly gets back to form.
• Henderson and Williams have a day. 180+ rushing and 2 TD’s.
• Defense makes plays and a statement. 4 sacks, 1 INT and a forced fumble.

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LGHL Tailgate Podcast: Everything you need to know to watch today’s Ohio State vs. Iowa 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


Set Number: X163079 TK1

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 | Stitcher | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio

No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes (-30) vs. Iowa | over/under 49.5


Game Date/Time: Saturday, Oct. 22 at 12 noon ET
Location: Columbus, Ohio
TV: FOX
Online: Sling TV
Radio: 97.1 FM/1460 AM

Today’s matchup between the No. 6 Ohio State Buckeyes (6-0, 3-0) and the Iowa Hawkeyes (3-3, 1-2) is the first since the Hawkeyes upset then-No. 6 OSU in 2017 55-24. Head coach Ryan Day has spoken openly this week about the scars that were left on him and the program for that game, and even though there won’t be a single player in action for either squad today that also played in that game, the Buckeyes are heading into this afternoon’s game looking for revenge.

The Buckeyes come in with arguably the best offense in the country, but they will be tested by arguably the best defense in the country as well. The same cannot be said in reverse as even though OSU has a top-5 to top-10 defense statistically, Iowa comes in with one of the worst (if not the actual worst) defense in all of FBS football.

Ohio State will look to keep their College Football Playoff hopes on track while the Hawkeyes will be trying to pull off an even more improbable upset than the one five years ago.

Matt’s Game Prediction: Ohio State 42-10


C.J. Stroud: 325+ passing yards, 4 TD
OSU running backs: 125+ yards
OSU Defense: Will hold Iowa to less than 200 total yards and will have 12+ TFLs and 5+ sacks


Contact Matt Tamanini
Twitter: @BWWMatt

Music by: epidemicsound.com

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Iowa vs. Ohio State: Game time, TV schedule, streaming, more
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 Matthew Holst/Getty Images

It will be a battle between arguably the best offense in the country vs. arguably the best defense in the country (and one of the best defenses vs. the worst offense).

For the first time since 2017 (more on that in a minute), the No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes (6-0, 3-0) will take on the Iowa Hawkeyes (3-3, 1-2) at 12 noon ET on Saturday, Oct. 22. The game will be FOX’s Big Noon Saturday game of the week, and even though none of the players currently on the Ohio State roster were a part of the two teams’ last meeting, today’s game has taken on an added element of revenge following the 55-24 beat down that the Hawkeyes put on the then-No. 3 Buckeyes.


During the week, head coach Ryan Day — who was in his first season as Ohio State’s offensive coordinator that year — has talked about the scars that the upset has left on him and the program. The two teams were originally slated to meet again in 2020, but due to COVID, that game never happened.

Iowa and Ohio State come into today’s game in two very different places. The Buckeyes are undefeated and halfway to earning a College Football Playoff berth while Iowa has already suffered losses to Iowa State, Michigan, and Illinois. The Buckeyes enter the game with the No. 1 scoring offense and No. 2 scoring offense in all of college football while Iowa is the No. 127 (of 131) scoring offense and No. 131 (still out of 131) total offense.

Much of the conversation around the Hawkeye offense this season has been about offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz’s inability to generate even the slightest bit of offensive efficiency. The son of long-time head coach Kirk Ferentz, the offensive coordinator has come under fire not only for the poor play of his unit, but also for his unwillingness to make a change at quarterback. Veteran Spencer Petras has been lackluster under center this season coming in 13th in the Big Ten in passing yards per game, despite the fact that he has taken every single snap for the Hawkeyes.


The one saving grace for this Iowa team is that its defense has been characteristically impressive, coming into today’s game at The Shoe with the No. 7 overall defense in the country and No. 3 scoring defense. Outside of their 27-14 loss to TTUN, the Hawkeyes have not allowed their opponents to score more than 10 points this season.

The Iowa D is especially adept against the pass ranking third in the country in passing yards allowed per game at just 154. Obviously, this is likely to be the more competitive matchup in today’s game as Ohio State’s defense is as statistically good as Iowa’s offense is statistically bad.

The Buckeyes come out of their off week ranked fifth nationally in total defense and 10th in scoring defense. This should be an interesting experiment for Ohio State; if they can keep Iowa under its 14.7 points per game average, there would be added reason to think that the defense is as good as it has looked through the first half of the season. However, if the Buckeyes end up giving up an abnormal number of chunk plays and the Hawkeyes put up three to four touchdowns, that could be concerning moving forward.

When is the game and how can I watch?


Game Date/Time: Saturday, Oct. 22 at 12 noon ET
Location: Columbus, Ohio
TV: FOX
Online: Sling TV
Radio: 97.1 FM | 1460 AM

DraftKings Sportsbook line: Ohio State -30 | o/u 49.5

Official LGHL Prediction: Ohio State 55, Iowa 14

Matt’s Prediction: Ohio State 42, Iowa 10

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Below is your Ohio State vs. Iowa GameThread. 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.

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I worked at WBNS while in school, mostly gopher work backstage and floor directing for am shows. Jeff Odenwald was also an OSU student and floor director for Flippo.

I would occasionally come back to the station after school to pick up some extra hours and once a year to get the free food and booze at the Christmas party, and yes, the office party scene from Scrooged is pretty accurate.

One year, Flippo is doing his riffs in between sections of Miracle on 34th Street, and he dipped into the punch bowl a bit more than he should have. He started crying on camera and couldn't stop - holiday emotions and booze are a deadly combo. It was touch and go - live TV - the show needed to end and the credits were cued to roll. I saw Jeff take a step like he was going to step in front of the camera and end the show for Flippo, but Flippo pulled it together, his makeup running like Tammy Faye Baker's, and managed to close the show with words of appreciation for his crew and the audience along with a Christmas wish.

Many of the people in TV work are shallow and vain; always checking Broadcast Magazine for a better gig in a smaller market or an equal gig in a bigger market. Rootless. It was my impression that Flippo was content where he was and loved the work he was doing; a contrast to most of the "talent." Yeah, he was a bit drunk, but his tears seemed real to me, giving me a deeper sense of the purpose of the holiday.

The guy was also a hell of a jazz musician who managed to get gigs in a town that didn't do much to bring jazz to the forefront.

RIP Bob Marvin.

LGHL Asks: Ohio State fans predict Iowa score, share thoughts on TTUN vs. PSU
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 Matthew Holst/Getty Images

You ask, we answer. Sometimes we ask, others answer. And then other times, we ask, we answer.

Every day for the entirety of the Ohio State football season, we will be asking and answering questions about the team, college football, 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.

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Question 1: What was your biggest takeaway from Saturday’s Michigan win over Penn State?



I think that this is the right answer for me as well. Over the past 20ish years, I’ve grown accustomed to hearing national pundits and overzealous Corn and Blue fans pump up TTUN and tell me how good they are, only to see them struggle or outright fold at the first sign of any competition. So, while I didn’t expect the Harboys to really mail it in against the Nits, I wouldn’t have been surprised if it was a relatively close game between two moderately above-average teams.

However, it is clear that — despite the close first half — the Weasels are a far better team than James Franklin’s Lions. While I never think that it’s a smart idea to dismiss your rivals out of hand, I think last week’s win by TTUN should put into perspective just how stout a challenge they will be for the Buckeyes come the last Saturday in November.

Question 2: What did you do on Saturday during Ohio State’s off week?



As I said in the survey article, on Saturday, I drove from my home in suburban Orlando out to St. Petersburg, Fla. to watch the world premiere of a new play written by Ruper Holmes — the guy who sings “The Pina Colada Song” — and then went to the Hard Rock Casino in Tampa for the evening to play poker and watch all of the late afternoon and primetime college football action.

So, of the three options, I suppose I was in the majority watching football. While I had a great time (and won $250), I am a little annoyed that I missed some of the absolute insanity from last weekend’s chaotic college football weekend.

Question 3: How many points do you think Ohio State will give up to Iowa this weekend?



Coming into the game, Iowa is only putting up 14.7 points per game, which is the 127th-worst total out of the 131 FBS teams. Conversely, Ohio State is currently 10th nationally in scoring defense, allowing only 15.7 points per game.

In the survey, 91% of respondents believe that the Buckeyes will be able to keep the Hawkeyes under their season average. Let’s be honest, the Iowa offense is absolutely horrible, so it will be telling to see if Jim Knowles’ unit can keep them under two touchdowns.

While you never know what will happen if/when the first-team defense is removed from the game in garbage time, if OSU’s D can continue to keep the lid on the Hawkeye offense, that should at least show that the unit is potentially as good as its top-10 numbers suggest. However, if the Buckeyes allow the Hawkeyes to put up more than 17 or 21 points, that could be a sign that perhaps the Ohio State defense isn’t as good as we hoped it would be.

I will make my official prediction on the podcast tomorrow, but for now, I’m thinking Iowa will put up just under their season average, around 13 points.

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Might not be totally accurate, The home run might have actually come in a later game (i.e. 42 left hand at bats later).

Switch-hitting Ozzie Smith hit the first left-handed home run...

Rick Hummel’s original article from October 15, 1985 is still available at the Post-Dispatch. The Hall of Fame writer called the moment a “3000-1 shot”. Smith, a switch-hitter, had 3009 career left-handed at-bats and had not yet hit a home run.

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Entire article: https://www.vivaelbirdos.com/2020/4/2/21202737/statcasting-smiths-1985-nlcs-game5

Iowa Offensive Player to Watch: Tight end Sam LaPorta
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

LaPorta is carrying on a recent tradition of skilled Iowa tight ends, but he has very little help from the rest of his offense. Can this one-man band burn the Buckeyes on Saturday?

Ohio State welcomes Iowa into The Shoe this weekend, as the good guys look to build off momentum gained two weeks ago by a road victory (their first of the 2022 season) over Michigan State. The Buckeyes currently sit at 6-0, with another big matchup scheduled in Happy Valley next weekend. But first, they will need to get by the Hawkeyes.

The Ferentz-led Big Ten West opponents certainly pose an interesting and unique threat. Because on one hand, they have one of college football’s best defensive units. Led by Jack Campbell, Riley Moss, and others, their defense is allowing just 9.8 points per game — good for third in the country. On the other hand, established rules of football dictate that Iowa must also play offense. And let me tell you: that offense is... something.

Through six games, the Hawkeyes are scoring an average of 14.7 points per — which is actually an improvement over the first few weeks of the season. In the team’s opener, against an FCS opponent, they failed to score a single touchdown. In Week 2, they scored a TD less than three minutes into the game, but added absolutely nothing during the final 57. At home against Nevada was a bounce-back game in which they scored 27 points, but then Iowa reverted back to the same old sluggish offense once Big Ten play began. In three conference games, they are averaging 15.7 points per, and they really don’t have a strength or calling card to hang their hat(s) on.

Much of the blame for this offense’s poor performance is, and has been, attributed to offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz. That’s not me guessing or taking a personal shot, it’s simply a matter of fact. Frustration and annoyance levels were so high, that a fan went as far as to trick former Hawkeye player Bob Stoops – and current Iowa basketball coach Fran McCaffery – into recording sympathetic Cameo videos wishing “Brian” the best during his difficult time. It was a master class in trolling, and a bad beat for the younger Ferentz.


But what about Pops? Where is he in all this? Because as much as people want to point a finger at Brian Ferentz for his shortcomings as the OC, it was his dad who handed him the role. And it was his dad who kept Greg Davis around (as OC) from 2012-2016, despite never having a top-50 offense. Prior to that, he employed Ken O’Keefe for 12 years, and the offense wasn’t a whole hell of a lot better. So while Brian has not been great since taking over the role in 2017, I would argue that Kirk Ferentz has been even worse at adapting to change or moving his program forward. Sometimes middle management is the problem, but often times it is the CEO. Especially when the CEO seems to be risk averse and terrified of the unknown.

Now that we’ve got that out of the way, let’s preview some players, huh!? I would love to tell you that Iowa has one diamond in the rough — an Akrum Wadley or Tyler Goodson-type, capable of making big plays consistently. But the fact is, they don’t. At least not in this current offense. If the Hawkeyes are going to put up points on Saturday, those points will likely be the result of a long, sustained drive... or even a short field via turnover. That’s just what this team is set up to do.

The ground game has been subpar, and the passing attack is honestly gross. It is an attack on the viewers’ eyes. Spencer Petras and Alex Padilla have attempted to set the quarterback position back decades, and the lack of creative playcalling does them no favors. However, in typical Iowa fashion, the team does have a future NFL tight end. His name is Sam LaPorta, and he is this week’s Offensive Player to Watch.

Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

The fourth-year TE deserves much, much better. Because much like George Kittle, T.J. Hockenson, and Noah Fant, LaPorta will be playing the position on Sundays sooner than later. But right now, he is stuck in the mud. Consistently targeted, the volume of his receptions is more impressive than the impact they have or the yardage they gain. And that is not an indictment on his ability. LaPorta is a big, athletic guy, capable of making big plays when given the opportunity. Unfortunately, most of his opportunities this year have been limited to checkdowns and/or dump-off passes. He is averaging 9.3 yards per catch, which is pretty abysmal number for a player of his talent. As part of a better unit, he has thrived in the past.

LaPorta played defensive back and wide receiver in high school, displaying serious athleticism. Not much has changed in that regard, he just happens to be 20 or 30 pounds heavier than in his HS days. The (now) 6-foot-4, 249 pounder contributed to Iowa’ offense immediately, reeling in 15 receptions as a true freshman in 2019. He then became the primary starter in 2020, leading the team in that category during the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign... with 27. That’s right, 27 catches led the Hawkeyes in an eight-game season. LaPorta added his first collegiate TD, and averaged 10 yards per catch.

In 2021, the big pass catcher broke out in a similarly big way. He nearly doubled his own reception total to 53, producing 670 yards and scoring three TD. Due to his strong play, LaPorta received All-Big Ten recognition from a number of media outlets, and established himself as the next star in a long line of Hawkeye tight ends. His best game was a seven-catch, 122-yard performance in Iowa’s bowl game, during which he also added a TD. And not surprisingly, his 2021 totals once again led the team. In fact, he doubled the number of receptions hauled in by their top wide receiver (26), and nearly doubled the top WR’s yardage output (352), rendering LaPorta’s season all the more impressive... or each and every wideout’s season equally unimpressive.

Despite the Ferentz family’s refusal to field a competent, modern offense, LaPorta is still a force to be reckoned with. He is equally skilled as both a pass catcher and a blocker, and at the end of the day, the guy is just a gamer. If you’ve been forced to watch the Hawkeyes during his four-year run, you know that he is always looking to make a play or take on a block. For those reasons – and almost by default – LaPorta is a player to keep your eyes on Saturday.

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MC&J: Week 8’s Big Ten slate sees Ohio State as a 30-point favorite over Iowa
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Set Number: X164186 TK1

The Buckeyes will be looking for a big win over an Iowa team they haven’t faced since an ugly day in Iowa City in 2017.

Last week ATS: 6-6 (2-3 B1G, 4-3 National)

Season ATS: 52-60-3 (26-31-1 B1G, 26-28-2 National)

Supplement these Big Ten picks with yesterday’s National picks for Syracuse-Clemson and six other interesting games.

B1G games:


(All lines courtesy of Draftkings Sportsbook.)

Indiana v. Rutgers (-3) - 12:00 p.m. - Big Ten Network

Anyone watching this game is going to need to take a shower after this one. Rutgers can’t move the football and the Hoosiers have problem stopping opposing offenses. Something has gotta give!

The Scarlet Knights come into this game on a three-game losing streak, falling to Iowa, Ohio State, and Nebraska. In those games, Rutgers has scored a combined 33 points. It feels like Greg Schiano is almost trying to get too hipster for his own good with what his team is trying to do on offense, rotating quarterbacks almost every play, and sometimes even having the tight end that used to be a quarterback line up behind center.

Much like Rutgers, Indiana comes in riding a losing streak. The Hoosiers have lost four in a row, but at least they have been competitive, hanging with Michigan for a half, and last week at least making Maryland work. Even though Indiana is a mess on defense, I’m just not sure if Rutgers has the tools on offense to take advantage of it. I’ll take Indiana since Connor Bazelak has shown he is somewhat competent at times.

Indiana 24, Rutgers 20


Purdue v. Wisconsin (-2.5) - 3:30 p.m. - ESPN

Just when you think you have Wisconsin figured out, they do something stupid like lose to Michigan State in double overtime. A week after Graham Mertz threw for five touchdowns, the Badger quarterback turned back into a pumpkin last week, throwing for just 131 yards and a couple touchdowns against one of the worst passing defenses in the country.

Purdue hasn’t been winning pretty recently, but they are winning, and that’s all that matters. The Boilermakers held off Nebraska last week, beating the Cornhuskers 43-37 behind 391 yards and four touchdowns from Aidan O’Connell, as well as 178 yards and a score from running back Devin Mockobee. Purdue is now tied with Illinois for the lead in the Big Ten West, with the teams scheduled to meet next month in Champaign.

The Boilermakers haven’t beaten Wisconsin since 2003. If there was ever a year for Purdue to snap their 16-game losing streak to the Badgers, this feels like the year. Wisconsin feels a bit lost after the firing of Paul Chryst. Jim Leonhard had a nice first two games as interim head coach, but the shine wore off a bit last week with the loss to the Spartans. O’Connell, Mockobee, and Charlie Jones hand the Badgers their fifth loss of the year.

Purdue 34, Wisconsin 24


Northwestern v. Maryland (-14) - 3:30 p.m. - Big Ten Network

This game became a little tougher to pick now that Maryland quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa is a game-time decision after getting banged up last week against Indiana. Even if the Terrapins have to turn to Wake Forest transfer Billy Edwards Jr., I don’t think it will matter much since Northwestern is dreadful.

After beating Nebraska over in Ireland, Northwestern still hasn’t won a game on American soil this season. The Wildcats have dropped games to national powers Southern Illinois and Miami (OH) this year, which should tell you just how great of a job Pat Fitzgerald is doing in Evanston. Imagine where Northwestern would be without running back Evan Hull, who is leading the team in rushing and receiving.

I know it’s not the smartest strategy to lay two touchdowns with Maryland in any game since they are so unpredictable. This is one of those occasions where I feel a bit safer doing so since the Wildcats are so bad. Plus, there isn’t going to be the remnants of a hurricane swinging through College Park, which is pretty much the only reason Northwestern was able to stay within 10 of Penn State a few weeks ago in State College.

Maryland 38, Northwestern 21


Minnesota v. No. 16 Penn State (-4) - 7:30 p.m. - ABC

You just know Mohamed Ibrahim and Trey Potts have to be licking their chops after seeing Michigan run all over Penn State last week. The Nittany Lions gave up over 400 yards on the ground the the Wolverines in the 41-17 loss in Ann Arbor. Unfortunately for Minnesota, they are not Michigan, so they won’t find running the football to be so easy on Saturday night. Ibrahim will put up some yards since he is one of the best running backs in the country, the problem is the Golden Gophers don’t have much else on offense they can lean on.

At least Sean Clifford knows how to bounce back from a loss, since he has had plenty of experience in this situation as he is in the middle of his 54th year as starting quarterback at Penn State. Clifford is a serviceable quarterback, but you just have to wonder when James Franklin might want to take a little longer look at Drew Allar since he is the future at quarterback for the Nittany Lions.

Penn State isn’t quite as good as some might have thought they were this year, and we saw that against Michigan. Minnesota certainly isn’t as good as they showed in their first four games of the year, as they were able to feast on some of the worst teams in the country before losing to Purdue and Illinois. It’s hard not to like the Nittany Lions in a bounce-back game on a night when they are doing their little “white out” thing.

Penn State 27, Minnesota 17


Iowa v. No. 2 Ohio State (-30) - 12:00 p.m. - FOX

Do we even have to play this game? Can’t Iowa just take their L and save themselves some embarrassment? The Hawkeyes have an offense that is one of the worst in the country. Iowa is averaging just 14.7 points per game and under 240 yards per contest on offense. The Buckeyes are capable of putting up those numbers in the first quarter. I almost feel bad for Iowa fans because they have to live with Brian Ferentz’s offense, since you know Kirk isn’t going to fire his son. Together those two are going to milk the Iowa football program for every last cent they can get.

The scariest thing about Ohio State is we haven’t even seen their full offense yet. Jaxon Smith-Njigba has barely been on the field after suffering an injury early against Notre Dame, and both Miyan Williams and TreVeyon Henderson have been in and out of the lineup with injuries this season. Following his five rushing touchdown performance against Rutgers, Williams sat two weeks ago against Michigan State, allowing Henderson to notch his second 100-yard rushing game of the season.

Iowa does have a stout defense that has kept the Hawkeyes in games this year. The problem for the Hawkeyes is they haven’t faced anyone with anywhere near the offensive weapons that they’ll see from Ohio State. There is no way Spencer Petras is keeping pace with C.J. Stroud. The only chance Iowa has of staying anywhere close in this game is if the Hawkeye defense forces Stroud into some mistakes. It’s hard to see enough of those mistakes happening, especially since Stroud had some extra time to prepare for the Iowa defense.

The last time we saw these teams together on the football field, Iowa absolutely crushed Ohio State 55-24 in 2017. Even though pretty much everyone on the Buckeyes now wasn’t in Iowa City that day, Ryan Day was. After half a decade of enduring jokes about the Hawkeyes putting up 55 on the Buckeyes, Ohio State gets a little revenge.

Ohio State 55, Iowa 14

Odds/lines subject to change. T&Cs apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for details.

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You’re Nuts: Who will make the 2023 men’s basketball Final Four?
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports

It’s October, so why not talk some March Madness?

We are officially only 17 days away from the Ohio State’s season opener against Robert Morris. Enough said. Time to lock in.

Last week, we debated how many Big Ten teams we think will go dancing in March. Connor said 10 and Justin said nine. The only difference was Connor had Wisconsin in, while Justin did not. A bold take on a team that’s only missed the NCAA Tournament once since 2000!


Splitting the votes were Justin with 15 and ‘fewer than nine’ with 15, so we officially have our fourth tie in 72 weeks, except this time one of our writers wasn’t even involved. Tough week for Connor once again.



With this tie between other and Justin, here are the updated standings through 72 weeks, or something like that. At some point, we’re going to lose count.

After 72 weeks:

Connor- 31
Justin- 29
Other- 8

(There have been four ties)


Without further ado, let’s jump into this week’s debate:

Today’s question: Who will make the 2023 men’s basketball Final Four?

Connor


If we’ve learned anything about the NCAA Tournament, it’s that:

A) The Final Four won’t go chalk. If you’re penciling in four teams that are starting the season in the top-10, go ahead and try again.

B) Old wins. Specifically, old guards win. Experience wins in the tournament, and elite backcourt play wins in the tournament.

Those two ideas helped me make up my mind. Keep an eye on these four teams this season, and don’t say I didn’t tell you so!

North Carolina


AP Rank: 1
KenPom Rank: 9

Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images

Yeah, this one isn’t too terribly hard. North Carolina wasn’t a great team during the regular season, but they got hot, hot, hot in the NCAA Tournament and made a run all the way to the national championship game. They’re the preseason No. 1 team, the favorites to win the ACC, and have the preseason ACC Player of the Year in Armando Bacot — all very strong arguments to pick them here.

They also return Caleb Love (seen above) who can be a bit of a gunslinger with his shot selection, but has established that he can drop 30 points on any given night. R.J. Davis — North Carolina’s junior point guard — is back as well. He dropped 30 points on Baylor in the second round of the tournament, but will probably be the Tar Heels’ fourth option on offense.

The reason Davis won’t be needed to score as much? Former Northwestern forward Pete Nance transferred to Carolina, too. The 6-foot-11, 230-pound Ohio-native shot 45% from three last season. He could be the piece that puts them over the top.

Houston


AP Rank: 3
KenPom Rank: 7

Photo by David Becker/Getty Images

The most impressive thing about Houston’s 32-6 record last season and run to the Elite Eight? They did it without their two best players — Marcus Sasser and Tramon Mark. Both guards return this season, as well as Jamal Shead, who averaged double-digit scoring in their absence. The Coogs also bring in five-star/6-foot-8/235-pound freshman forward Jarace Walker, who will clog up the paint and open up space for Shead, Sasser, and Mark.

All of that offensive firepower is nice and alone could carry Houston to the Final Four, but we can’t forget that the Cougars have also been one of — if not the — best defensive team in the nation over the past five seasons. They’ve been in the top-20 in defensive efficiency each of the past five seasons, and top-10 each of the past two years. They suffocate you on defense and then make it rain offensively — the Coogs will be tough to beat.

TCU


AP Rank: 14
KenPom Rank: 16

Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports

Jamie Dixon’s Horned Frogs were one questionable foul call away from beating top-seeded Arizona in the second round of the NCAA Tournament last season and advancing to the Sweet Sixteen. They return last season’s go-to scorer, Mike Miles — who also became the first TCU player ever to be named Big 12 Preseason Player of the Year. He averaged 15.4 PPG last season, but will need to improve his three-point shooting a bit to become the all-around threat TCU needs him to be.

They also return double-double behemoth Eddie Lampkin, who scored 20 points and grabbed 16 rebounds in that 85-80, overtime loss to Arizona in the tournament. He was one of the best offensive rebounding big men in the nation last season, and he’ll present a terrible mismatch for most teams.

Miami


AP Rank: NR
KenPom Rank: 42

Ken Ruinard / USA TODAY Network / USA TODAY NETWORK

Miami is my wild card, and this could go horribly wrong. But I’m willing to put my name on it and say that I’m convinced the ‘Canes are going to make some serious noise in the ACC this year. Most publications are pegging them as a six or seven-seed in the NCAA Tournament. I think their ceiling is so much higher than that.

Isaiah Wong averaged 17 PPG as a sophomore, 15 PPG as a junior, and can really fill it up. He has the potential to be an All-American by year’s end. The Hurricanes also added Nijel Pack, a flamethrowing guard from Kansas State who was one of the best players in the Big 12 the last two seasons. On top of that, they also added Norchad Omier, a 6-foot-7, 230-pound double-double machine from Arkansas State.

Defense and rebounding are going to be a struggle for Miami. But they’ll be in the tournament. And when they get there, that combo of Wong and Pack is going to be a duo that absolutely nobody will want to face.

Justin


The four teams that I took are very likely not going to happen because three of them are top five teams in the country, and the tournament doesn’t normally work itself out like that. But, nevertheless, it is hard to predict which teams will overachieve so we will just go with the ones we know.

My context I will always give for a preseason prediction like this is that the NCAA Tournament is heavily predicated on matchups, which could make all of this null and void. But since we don’t have that info at our disposal obviously yet, we will make do.

North Carolina


AP Rank: 1
KenPom Rank: 9

Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

There’s nothing wrong with some low hanging fruit. North Carolina is the No. 1 team in the country in the preseason AP poll — and for good reason. They went to the Final Four last season and return four of their five starters and a coach with another year of experience under his belt.

The Tar Heels are returning Armando Bacot, RJ Davis, Caleb Love and Leaky Black. They lost Brady Manek to eligibility, but they did not skip a beat as they added Pete Nance from Northwestern.

Even though they are the No. 1 team in the country, I think they will have some struggles in conference play. They aren’t incredibly deep, and guys like Davis and Love can be hot and cold. However, like last year, this is a team built for March. Experienced, great guard play and well coached. That’s the recipe.

Houston


AP Rank: 3
KenPom Rank: 7

Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Houston is very weird. They are incredibly talented and also lost a ton of talent. They lost Josh Charlton, Kyler Edwards, Taze Moore and Fabian White but return Jamal Shead, Marcus Sasser, Tramon Mark and add one of the top recruits in the country Jarace Walker. Sasser is one of the top players in the country, the Cougars have depth, and you can never count out Kelvin Sampson.

Cougs to the Final Four.

Creighton


AP Rank: 9
KenPom Rank: 22

Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports

Hand up. I absolutely love this Creighton team. They return Ryan Nembhard, Alex Kalkbrenner, Arthur Kaluma and Trey Alexander and bring in a top three transfer in the whole country, Baylor Scheierman. Scheierman is an elite level scorer whose game will transfer right into the Big 12 with no problem.

Losing Ryan Hawkins is tough with him averaging 13 points and seven rebounds per game last season. As long as their depth steps up and helps replace some of that production, this team is incredibly talented.

Virginia


AP Rank: 18
KenPom Rank: 5

Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

This is my one shot in the dark. I really like this Cavalier team and their makeup. First of all, they pretty much lose no one. The only rotation player they are losing from last season is Kody Stattman, who averaged 3.3 points and 1.7 rebounds.

They return Kihei Clark, Jayden Gardner and Reece Beekman who are all possible first team all-conference selections and bring in one of the top transfers Ben Vander Plas, who averaged 15 points and 6.8 rebounds per game at Ohio University. They will need to improve their defense which normally isn’t an issue on the Tony Bennett coached team, but if they can do that then this team can make some noise in the ACC.

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Three Things To Watch from the Iowa Hawkeyes
CMinnich via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here



The Hawkeyes visit Ohio Stadium for the first time since 2013

Ohio State welcomes the Iowa Hawkeyes into Ohio Stadium for the first time since the 2013 season. Ohio State and Iowa were supposed to play in 2020, but the game was eliminated when The Big Ten went through its on/off/back on but with tweaks schedule. The last time the two teams met was in 2017, and we take you now to a visual reminder of how that went for the Buckeyes in Iowa City.

My podcast partner Michael Citro and I welcomed Adam Jacobi of GoIowaAwesome.com on our latest Silver Bullets Podcast to preview the upcoming match-up. While Ohio State is a prohibitive favorite (Ohio State -30), there are some specific players and schemes that I will be keeping an eye on as this game kicks off on FOX at 12pm EST.

Below are Three Things To Watch from the Iowa Hawkeyes...

1. Ohio State’s offensive line vs. Iowa’s defensive line

Ohio State fans have become accustomed to any/all of the 2022 wide receivers (Marvin Harrison Jr., Emeka Egbuka, Julian Fleming) having a good game against whichever team they are playing that particular week. Even Adam Jacobi acknowledged that Iowa, a team with a strong defense, has not yet played against a team that is as dynamic or explosive as Ohio State. Something that is key to the success of any good passing game is having a strong offensive line to protect the quarterback, and Ohio State’s offensive line has done a tremendous job so far this season in protecting C.J. Stroud.

A player Adam mentioned on our podcast has me intrigued — Iowa DL Lukas Van Ness. Nicknamed “The Van Ness Monster” (catchy, isn’t it?), Van Ness is listed at 6-foot-5, 269 pounds, and has three sacks, which leads the Hawkeyes in that specific defensive category. No matter where Van Ness lines up for the Hawkeyes, I will be watching to see how the Ohio State offensive line handles his pass rushing abilities.

2. Iowa’s tight ends vs. Ohio State’s secondary

In 2017, Iowa repeatedly and mercilessly attacked the Ohio State defense with their tight ends. Granted, Ohio State has a completely different defensive staff than in 2017, but Iowa is still a tight end-oriented offense, with Sam LaPorta (30 receptions for 279 yards) and Luke Lachey (9 receptions for 157 yards, 1 TD). Both could pose match-up problems for the Ohio State defense, and I am curious as to how Ronnie Hickman may be deployed to combat either/both of these tight ends that Iowa will certainly use in their offensive game plan.

I am especially intrigued by how Lachey will play against the Buckeyes, considering he grew up an Ohio State fan, but did not receive a coveted scholarship offer.

“The kids have been counting it down for two years.” ~ Ann Lachey, mother of Iowa TE Luke Lachey and wife of former Ohio State OL/current Ohio State broadcaster Jim Lachey

3. The role of special teams

It is no secret that Iowa has struggled offensively, ranking 131st out of 131 teams in total offense. One of the key elements in keeping the Hawkeyes competitive this season has been the play of their special teams units. With two blocked punts this season, look out against the Hawkeyes if Ohio State finds themselves in a punting situation. A blocked punt, or fumble recovery of a muffed punt, could provide the sudden change and boost of momentum that could keep Iowa in the game.


Ohio State is among the nation’s leaders in total offense, while Iowa is among the nation’s leaders in total defense. Something’s gotta give.

Ohio State will present more offensive challenges than Iowa’s defense will be able to handle. There may be some frustrating aspects to the game for Ohio State fans, as Iowa’s defensive coordinator Phil Parker is one of the best in the country, but look for the Buckeyes to pull away in the second half for a convincing victory. I have it Ohio State 35, Iowa 10.

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Ohio State vs. Iowa: 2022 game preview and prediction
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 Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

The Buckeyes will be looking for their 28th-straight home win in Big Ten play when they host Iowa on Saturday.

Following a week off to recharge their batteries, Ohio State is back at work, hosting Iowa on Saturday. The Buckeyes will be looking to extend their Big Ten record home winning streak to 28 games. The last time Ohio State suffered a loss at The Horseshoe came in their final home game of the 2015 season, when they lost 17-14 to Michigan State on a miserable November day.

A score to settle


The last time Iowa and Ohio State squared off was a tough watch for Buckeye Nation, as the Hawkeyes intercepted a J.T. Barrett pass on the first play of the game and returned it for a touchdown. Iowa went on to win the game 55-24, with the 55 points being the fifth-most points that the Buckeyes have allowed in a game. The last meeting between the Hawkeyes and Buckeyes in Columbus came back in 2013, with Ohio State winning 34-24. The Buckeyes hold a 46-15-3 record all-time against the Hawkeyes.

Last time out


Prior to their bye week, Ohio State dismantled Michigan State, staying undefeated with a 49-20 win over the Spartans. The Buckeyes rolled up 614 total yards in the blowout, reaching at least 600 yards of offense under Ryan Day for the 12th time. The Columbus area code that the Buckeyes put up in the game was the ninth-highest total they have posted under Day.

Movin’ on up


Following an outstanding first half of the season, C.J. Stroud will be looking to add to his Heisman Trophy résumè in the final six games of the regular season. The quarterback is currently leading the country with 24 touchdown passes this season. After his six touchdown performance against Michigan State, Stroud was named Manning Star of the Week and the weekly winner of the Maxwell Award.

Stroud has now passed for six touchdowns three times as a starter for the Buckeyes. With his second touchdown pass against Michigan State, Stroud moved pass Justin Fields for second place all-time on Ohio State’s passing touchdown list. Heading into this week’s game, Stroud has 68 career touchdown passes. With 145 yards passing, Stroud will enter the top-five on the school’s all-time passing yardage ranking.

About to get even better


With some time to recover from a hamstring injury he suffered in the season opener against Notre Dame, Jaxon Smith-Njigba should be able to get back on the field in the second half of the regular season. Even though Smith-Njigba and Stroud formed quite a duo last year, Stroud hasn’t had trouble putting up big numbers without Smith-Njigba so far this year.

One target that has stepped up big time this year is Marvin Harrison Jr., who is leading the country with nine touchdown catches. Three of those scores came against Michigan State, allowing Harrison to make history as the only Buckeye wide receiver to score three receiving touchdowns in a game three times. The son of the NFL Hall of Fame has 31 catches for 536 yards this year.

Along with Harrison, Emeka Egbuka and Julian Fleming have also been great this season. Egbuka is leading the Buckeyes with 655 yards this year, reaching at least 100 yards receiving in four of six games this year. Against Michigan State, Egbuka had 143 yards receiving, which is a career-high mark for the wideout from Washington.

After missing the first two games of the season, Julian Fleming is finally starting to live up to the hype. The junior has scored in every game he has been active for this year, reaching the end zone five times in four games. Two weeks ago against the Spartans, Fleming caught four passes for 81 yards, with the yardage total setting a career-high.

Thunder and lightning


Following a five rushing touchdown performance against Rutgers, it was a bit of a surprise that Miyan Williams wasn’t active against Michigan State. It didn’t sound like the injury to Williams was anything serious, it was more of the coaching staff being cautious and giving Williams a little extra time to rest with the bye week upcoming, allowing the running back to be as close to 100 percent as possible the rest of the regular season.

With Williams on the sidelines in East Lansing, it allowed TreVeyon Henderson to remind people of just how good he is. Henderson wasn’t available the previous week against Rutgers, when Williams tied the school record for rushing touchdowns. Even though Henderson didn’t repeat Williams’ performance against Michigan State, he did rush for 118 yards and score in the win, marking the second time this year he has cracked triple digits on the ground. Henderson has rushed for 436 yards this year, which is 61 yards behind Williams for the team lead.

Mike check


So far this season there has been two stars on the Ohio State defense. Defensive tackle Michael Hall Jr. has been making a lot of noise on the interior of the defensive line as one of them. Hall is currently eighth nationally with 7.5 tackles for loss and 10th in the country with 4.5 sacks, with both of those totals leading the Big Ten. As a team, the Buckeyes have 14 sacks. Defensive ends Jack Sawyer and Javontae Jean-Baptiste both have two sacks on the season.

Halfway there


The other headliner on the Ohio State defense is linebacker Tommy Eichenberg. Through six games this year, Eichenberg is halfway to become the first Ohio State linebacker since Raekwon McMillan to reach 100 tackles in a season. Eichenberg sits second on the team with six tackles behind the line of scrimmage and 2.5 sacks. Eichenberg and Steele Chambers have teamed to give the linebacker unit some stability, which is something that has been lacking over recent years.

A mixed bag at the back


Even though Ohio State hasn’t been tested all that much through the air, there have been some times when the play in the secondary have given many cause for concern. Denzel Burke and Cam Brown have been banged up and ineffective at cornerback, but the position should get a boost as it sounds like Jordan Hancock is ready to play after dealing with an injury for the first half of the season. Luckily, the Iowa passing offense shouldn’t challenge the Buckeyes that much, which might allow the cornerbacks to gain some confidence heading into next week’s contest against Penn State.

While the corners have struggled, at least they have had some help behind them at safety. Ronnie Hickman, Tanner McCalister, and Josh Proctor all have plenty of experience, and have had strong moments so far this season. Along with the three veterans, there has been a little youthful energy at the position, as Lathan Ransom has 21 tackles and an interception so far this season. Without the quartet of safeties, it is scary to think of where the Buckeye secondary would be right now.

Iowa’s season at a glance


Iowa enters Saturday game with a 3-3 record. In their most recent contest two weeks ago, the Hawkeyes lost to Illinois 9-6. Defense hasn’t been the problem for Iowa, as so far this season the Hawkeyes have allowed just 59 points through six games, which is their lowest total since 1956 when they allowed 57 points in their first six games. The Iowa defense has allowed 10 points or fewer in five of their first six games this season. The 9.8 points per game the Hawkeyes have allowed ranks third nationally.

Points are at a premium


The biggest issue for Iowa this season has been their anemic offense. Offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz has become a target for Hawkeye fans since the offense has shown little imagination. This season Iowa is averaging just 14.7 points per game and under 240 yards per contest on offense. On three occasions, the Hawkeyes have scored less than 10 points in a game, and their highest scoring output of the year is 27 points, which they reached in wins over Nevada and Rutgers.

Questionable quarterbacking


The contrast between quarterbacks in this game is amazing to look at. On one side, you have C.J. Stroud, who has thrown for over 1,700 yards and 24 touchdowns, while Iowa’s Spencer Petras has 940 yards passing and just two passing touchdowns. The fifth-year senior has shown little growth over the last three seasons, failing to complete more than 57 percent of his passes, and not throwing more than 10 touchdown passes in a season. For his career, Petras has thrown 705 passes, with 21 just touchdown tosses and 17 interceptions.

Strong bloodlines


The one receiver that Ohio State is going to have to keep a close eye on is tight end Sam LaPorta, who is coming off his second career 100-yard receiving game, as he caught nine passes for 101 yards in the loss to the Fighting Illini. His other 100-yard game came in the Citrus Bowl, when he caught seven balls for 122 yards and a touchdown in the 20-17 loss to Kentucky. Last year LaPorta caught 53 passes for 670 yards and three scores.

LaPorta has hauled in 30 passes for 279 yards this year, which is more than 100 yards clear of Luke Lachey, who has nine grabs for 157 yards and a score. Lachey is the son of former Buckeye Jim Lachey, who calls games on the Ohio State Radio Network with Paul Keels. Another Hawkeye that has a famous father is wide receiver Arland Bruce IV, who is the son of CFL standout receiver Arland Bruce III. The elder Bruce is a two-time Grey Cup champion, and amassed over 10,000 receiving yards up north.

Running scared


The lack of a passing game for the Hawkeyes might be a little easier to stomach if they had an effective running game. Unfortunately for Iowa fans, that hasn’t been the case this year. The Hawkeyes are averaging less than 100 yards per game on the ground. Leshon Williams is leading the team with 236 yards and two touchdowns, while Kaleb Johnson is just behind Williams, racking up 232 rushing yards and three scores. How bad the Iowa rushing attack has been can be illustrated by Miyan Williams falling just over 40 yards shy of reaching those numbers in the win over Rutgers.

Puntman


To detail how bad Iowa’s offense is, their best weapon might be punter Tory Taylor, who ranks second in the Big Ten with an average of 46 yards per punt. Taylor has 15 punts of at least 50 yards, and has dropped 20 punts inside the 20. This marks the third straight game where the Buckeyes have faced one of the best punters in the country, as Rutgers’ Adam Korsak became an expert at keeping his kicks out of the end zone, and Michigan State punter Bryce Baringer leads the country with an average of 51.8 yards per punt.

A stout defense


The inability to produce much of anything on offense has put a ton of pressure on the Iowa defense. For the most part the defense has been up to the challenge, keeping the Hawkeyes in games. Iowa is allowing just 154 pass yards per game, which is third in the country, and 265 yards per game, which is seventh in the nation.

Ball Hawk-eyes


What the Iowa defense has done a great job at so far this year is forcing turnovers. Against Iowa State, Rutgers, and Illinois, the Hawkeyes were able to force three turnovers in each of those games. Since 2021, Iowa has intercepted 25 passes, and since 2017 they have recorded 95 interceptions, which is the most in the country. Cooper DeJean has been a ball hawking Hawkeye this year, grabbing three interceptions, which ranks second in the Big Ten. Against Rutgers, the sophomore defensive back returned an interception 45 yards for a touchdown.

Along with DeJean, C.J. Stroud is going to have to be aware of where Riley Moss is on the field. After picking off at least two passes in each season since 2018, Moss has yet to intercept a pass in 2022. Of the 10 career passes that Moss has picked off, he has returned three of them for scores. While he hasn’t intercepted any passes this year, Moss has forced two fumbles and recorded 28 tackles.

Senior stoppers


Along with a strong secondary, the Hawkeyes also have a couple linebackers that always seem to be around the football. Senior linebacker Jack Campbell leads the team with 62 tackles, making at least 10 stops in four games this year. Campbell’s high mark this year came last time out, when he was credited with 13 tackles against Illinois. In the loss, Campbell also was able to recover a fumble. Even though he has had a great start to the season, Campbell has a long way to go to reach last year’s tackle total where he finished the season with 140 tackles.

Just behind Campbell is another senior. Seth Benson has 51 tackles this year and 214 stops during his time in Iowa City. Benson’s best performance of the year came against Michigan when he made 14 tackles, and like Campbell, he was able to recover a fumble against the Fighting Illini. Last year saw Benson also eclipse the 100 tackle mark, as he finished the season with 105 tackles, which he could top if he continues to make stops at the pace he did in the first half of the year, and the Hawkeyes make a bowl game.

Looking for consistency


Even though the linebackers and defensive backs have been able to make a lot of plays throughout the year, the Hawkeyes are still looking for a consistent source of pressure on the defensive line. Through six games, Iowa is averaging just over two sacks per game, recording 13 sacks. Defensive lineman Lukas Van Ness leads the team with three sacks, while Joe Evans, Deontae Craig, and Aaron Graves each have two sacks this year. The group will likely have a tough time getting to Stroud with Ohio State’s strong offensive line, as well as the short release time we have seen from the Buckeye quarterbacks on his passes.

Summary


There is really no reason this game should be close. Even though the Hawkeyes might be the best defense Ohio State has faced this year, there’s no question the Buckeye offense is the best the Hawkeyes have seen. C.J. Stroud has shown he is able to carve up tough defenses during his career. Just look what he did to Utah in the Rose Bowl, and Notre Dame in this year’s season opener.

Plus, there is a revenge factor for Ryan Day, who was a member of the Ohio State coaching staff in 2017 when the Buckeyes were embarrassed by the Hawkeyes in Iowa City. Even though almost nobody on this year’s team was on the 2017 squad, Day likely showed his team tape from the 2017 game just to get his team ready to lay a hurting on the Hawkeyes.

The scariest thing about this game, as well as the rest of the regular season, is Ohio State hasn’t really been healthy in the first half of the season. Smith-Njigba has barely played, and Miyan Williams and TreVeyon Henderson each have missed games because of injuries they have picked up in the first half of the year. After having last week off, the Buckeyes should be rested and ready to go. Along with key players getting healthier, there isn’t quite as much wear on this team, since they have been able to be cautious with players, and some blowout games have allowed for players lower on the depth chart to see some time on the field.

Iowa also had last weekend off, but that isn’t enough time to overhaul their putrid offense. Maybe Alex Padilla sees some time if Petras is ineffective early, but with the unimaginative game plan of offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz, it’s hard to imagine the Hawkeyes doing much on offense that is really going to surprise the Buckeye defense. Even if Iowa is able to get a few scores, they don’t have the firepower to be able to match what the Buckeyes should put on the scoreboard at home.

LGHL Prediction: Ohio State 55, Iowa 14

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Why is this News? All the articles and tweets Buckeye fans need for October 21, 2022
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Set Number: X164186 TK1

All the Buckeye news thats fit to re-print.

Look, we get it. Your days are busy and you don’t have time to read all of the stories and tweets from the three dozen websites dedicated to covering Ohio State athletics, or the 237 Buckeye beat writers churning out hot takes and #content on a daily basis. But that’s ok, that’s what your friends at Land-Grant Holy Land are here for.

Monday through Friday, we’ll be collecting all of the articles, tweets, features, interviews, videos, podcasts, memes, photos, and whatever else we stumble across on the interwebz and putting them in our daily “Why is this News?” article. That way, you’ll have a one-stop shop for all of the most important Buckeye news, jokes, and analysis.

You’re welcome!

For your Earholes...


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

Ask LGHL


Introducing ‘Ask LGHL,’ asking and answering questions throughout the football season
Matt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land

On the Gridiron


BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!


Top247 2024 OL Ian Moore commits to Ohio State
Steve Wiltfong, 247Sports

Analyzing impact as top-ranked 2024 tackle Ian Moore commits to Ohio State (paywall)
Jeremy Birmingham, Dotting the Eyes

What commitment of four-star offensive lineman Ian Moore means for Ohio State
Matt Parker, Lettermen Row

What Ian Moore’s Commitment Means for Ohio State’s 2024 Recruiting Class
Garrick Hodge, Eleven Warriors

Twitter reacted after Ian Moore announced commitment to Ohio State
Bill Kurelic, Bucknuts

Watch Ryan Day’s final media comments ahead of of Saturday’s Iowa game:


Austin Translation: Analyzing Ryan Day lighting round before Iowa (paywall)
Austin Ward, Dotting the Eyes

Ryan Day Radio Show: Ryan Day Believes Iowa Will Be “As Big a Challenge as We’ve Had,” Says Ohio State Will “Get Some Guys Back” This Week
Chase Brown and Griffin Strom, Eleven Warriors

Ryan Day, Buckeyes expect ‘full-strength’ backfield for Iowa matchup
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row

(Thurs)Day: Feeling better about JSN | Miyan is back | ‘Long-term injury’ for Kourt | Preaching ‘sacrifice’
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts

Buckeyes RBs Henderson, Williams expected to return against Iowa
Joey Kaufman, The Columbus Dispatch

Will Ohio State football’s Kourt Williams II play again this season?
Nathan Baird, cleveland.com


Film Preview: The dichotomy of Iowa’s offense and defense represents the state of the program
Chris Renne, Land-Grant Holy Land

Ohio State doesn’t want a repeat ‘scar’ of the upset loss to Iowa in 2017
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts

Film Study: The Iowa Football Program’s Entire Identity Is Built Upon Phil Parker’s Stingy Defense
Kyle Jones, Eleven Warriors

Can Buckeyes’ explosive plays continue against stingy Iowa defense?
Joey Kaufman, The Columbus Dispatch


Making the spectacular look routine: Inside Marvin Harrison Jr.’s breakout season
Cameron Teague Robinson, The Athletic

Ohio State’s cornerbacks ‘had a good week’ before second-half-of-season challenges
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts

Column: Has Ohio State wide receiver Julian Fleming finally arrived?
David M. Wheeler, Land-Grant Holy Land


MC&J: Clemson hosts Syracuse in a battle of ACC unbeatens in Week 8 national action
Brett Ludwiczak, Land-Grant Holy Land

On the Hardwood


By the numbers: Do pre-season rankings indicate how many Big Ten teams will make the NCAA Tournament?
Connor Lemons, Land-Grant Holy Land

You never know what you’re gonna hear on an LGHL podcast:


Final Four atop to-do list for Taylor Mikesell in Ohio State return
Adam Jardy, The Columbus Dispatch

Big Ten men’s basketball team previews: Maryland Terrapins
Justin Golba, Land-Grant Holy Land

Ohio State women’s basketball player preview: Rebeka Mikulášiková
Thomas Costello, Land-Grant Holy Land

Outside the Shoe and Schott


Bill Mosiello sells new era of Ohio State baseball
Colin Gay, The Columbus Dispatch

Women’s Volleyball: No. 6 Ohio State Keeps Streak Alive, Wins 12th-Consecutive Set in Sweep over Illinois
Patrick Kenney, The Lantern

Like I said, you never know what you’ll hear on one of our pods.


Wrestling: Buckeyes to Appear on BTN Four Times in 2023
Ohio State Athletics

And now for something completely different...


One of the rare times when I wish I could hear Chris Berman’s sound effects:


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Buck Off Podcast: An angry discussion about Iowa’s offense
Chris Renne via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Matthew Holst/Getty Images

The guys are back to discuss the failures of Iowa’s offense and how Ohio State can attack the vaunted Hawkeyes' defense.

Listen to the episode and subscribe:

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


On today’s episode of “Buck Off with Christopher Renne,” I’m joined by Jordan Williams. The guys take a look at Ohio State and get into a discussion about the failures of nepotism, and the Iowa Hawkeyes.

To get the show started, the guys get open the show with their Iowa report. They discuss the coaching staff and how Ohio State should approach the matchup. Then they continue breaking down the scenarios of how they see this game going.

After that, the guys get into a discussion about Phil Parker’s successful Iowa defense. In this conversation, the guys discuss how Iowa is simple in what they do, but how effective the defense is. They then give the expectations for what they need from the offense to come away impressed.

Moving on from that, the guys talk about the failures of Iowa’s offense and how Brian Ferentz needs to be brought up on charges for crimes against humanity. This turns into a discussion about how far the Iowa program has fallen since the last time Ohio State and Iowa met.

As the show moves forward, Chris and Jordan then get into what the coaches have to say about the matchup ahead. They talk about Ryan Day’s bending of the truth once again, and how he just needs to start being honest with us. Then they talk about some takeaways from the pressers.

To close out the show, the Buck Off boys discuss their thoughts about the recent overreactions in college football and leave the show with their score position.


Connect with the Show:
Twitter: @BuckOffPod

Connect with Chris Renne:
Twitter: @ChrisRenneCFB

Connect with Jordan Williams
Twitter: @JordanW330

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Buckeyes pick up their latest BOOOOM in the 2024 class
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Ian Moore | 247Sports

Ohio State lands their second commitment in the 2024 class thanks to an Indiana native OL.

Make no mistake about it, the 2023 class is certainly the top priority for the coaching staff right now, as there’s only weeks until the December signing period. That doesn’t mean eyes aren’t already on the future 2024 cycle. Efforts are being strongly given to the next class in line, and fortunately the Ohio State coaches have put themselves in a great spot thanks to early efforts with their top targets in 2024. Those efforts already seem to be paying off in big ways.

On Thursday, Ohio State received the second commitment to their 2024 class when offensive lineman Ian Moore took to his Twitter account to share his Buckeye pledge. No stranger to Ohio State, Moore has been to campus in the last several weeks numerous times, and while the Indiana native is a national target, the chances of him ending up in Columbus seemed to be pretty solid, especially looking at the 247Sports Crystal Ball.

Among the many reasons as to why Moore committed, it’s his comments about positon coach Justin Frye that really stick out and prove Ohio State made the right call in bringing him on staff. Quoted as saying, “I don’t know if it’s an Indiana thing. But Coach Frye literally sounds like my dad when he talks. He feels like a family member.” It’s words like these that show the relationship skills Frye has under his belt, but also that he has every ability to land those top national offensive line targets that this team has missed out on too many times recently.

The No. 82 player nationally, Moore checks in as the fourth best player at his position, and the second best player from Indiana for the 2024 class per the 247Sports Composite. No question this is a massive get for Ohio State, and as the 2024 haul starts to really take shape, Moore will be an instrumental piece in both peer recruiting, but also as a leader of this class being an early addition. As the 2023 class starts to come to a close, look for Moore and fellow commit Dylan Raiola to really get down to business as they look to lock in many more of the top guys from around the country.

Quick Hits

• Ohio State will be back in the buisness of hosting recruits from across the country on Saturday, including those from right in their own back yard. Sticking with the trend of future recruiting class efforts, the Buckeyes will have Michael Taylor (Pickerington, Ohio/Pickerington North) on hand to watch the matchup versus Iowa.

A 2025 running back, Taylor is just a trek down the road from Columbus, and the 5-foot-11, 185 pound sophomore already holds an SEC offer from Kentucky. Putting their money where their mouth is when it comes to recruiting Ohio prospects heavily and early, Tony Alford will be all over this one, and Saturday is just another chance to impress the local product.

Unranked as of now, it could be just a matter of time before Taylor’s ranking and recruitment really starts to take off.


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Ohio State women's basketball player preview: Rebeka Mikulášiková
1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Barbara J. Perenic/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Buckeye big in the paint returns for another year in a potential starting spot.

Last season, only three Ohio State Buckeyes women’s basketball players started every game. Up next in the Land-Grant Holy Land series previewing every player on the 2022-23 roster is one of those three players — Rebeka Mikulášiková.

The forward filled big shoes in the Scarlet & Gray’s 2021-22 title season. With reinforcements in the paint now on the roster, does Mikulášiková push her game to solidify her spot in the starting lineup?


Name: Rebeka Mikulášiková
Position: Forward
Class: Senior
High School: Piaristické Gymnasium

Last Year


Entering the 21-22 campaign, the Ohio State Buckeyes were thin in the forward department due to two transfers: Dorka Juhasz, who won back-to-back First Team All-B1G in 2020 and 2021, and Aaliyah Patty, who started alongside Juhasz in all but two games in her last two years in Columbus, as the pair moved on to UConn and Texas A&M, respectively.

That left a big hole for the Buckeyes to fill. Graduate Tanaya Beacham moved from a starting position to a sixth player role, and junior Rebeka Mikulášiková, who started one game in her first two seasons as a Buckeye, was thrust into the starting five. Mikulášiková played and started in all 32 Ohio State games, leading the team in rebounds per game with 5.0 and finishing third in scoring, averaging 9.4 points per contest.

Normally, Mikulášiková’s offensive production was as inconsistent as commentator’s pronunciations of her last name. At the turn of the 2021 calendar, the Slovakian didn’t score a point in three-straight games. Once Ohio State hit their conference schedule, Mikulášiková hit double-digit points in consecutive games just twice. Looking at individual games though, Mikulášiková’s impact grows — especially in games against the Nebraska Cornhuskers and the Iowa Hawkeyes.

After a tough string of performances to start the calendar year, Mikulášiková went up against center Monika Czinano and the Iowa Hawkeyes in Iowa City. Mikulášiková was able to forget past troubles and score 17 points, her highest of the conference and postseason schedule. On top of that, it was in a game that ultimately gave Ohio State a share of the conference title.

Then, 10 days later, Mikulášiková had another tough matchup against 2022 Big Ten Freshman of the Year Alexis Markowski and the Cornhuskers. Like she did against Iowa, the forward stepped up, scoring 15 points — nine from beyond the arc — and grabbed seven rebounds in an 80-70 home victory.

As the year wound down, maybe it was the stress of starting and playing in every game, but Mikulášiková finished the season in a more subdued role, scoring double figures in only one of the final seven games of the season, and only three against the Texas Longhorns in the Sweet Sixteen.

What To Expect


Mikulášiková is a big who plays both in the paint and deep. Coming from a European basketball upbringing, Mikulášiková isn’t afraid to shoot from three, making 21 shots from deep last season, including five against the Hawkeyes.

That ability gives teammates in the post more room to move and create mismatches on the court. If an opposing forward or center goes up against Mikulášiková near the three-point line, the Jacy Sheldons and Madison Greenes on the Buckeyes can attack the basket. If teams switch, it gives Mikulášiková the height advantage over most guards on a deep or mid-range shot.

In the paint, Mikulášiková is a presence, but not as much as you’d expect on the boards. Mikulášiková hit double-digit rebounds only three times last year. However, this season the Academic All-B1G and OSU Scholar Athlete sees her increased responsibilities as the senior post player as a means to grow.

“This season, I’m trying to be a bigger leader on the team,” said Mikulášiková. “Just trying to communicate, especially with the post players that we have, and just explain to them the way we play and what do we need from them.”

Prediction


That group of post players strengthened in the offseason. Not only does explosive forward Taylor Thierry return, but two transfers in Eboni Walker and Karla Vres joined the Buckeyes. Also, fourth-ranked forward in the 2022 recruiting class, Cotie McMahon, makes her Scarlet & Gray debut. With that increased presence around her, Mikulášiková can have a better, more consistent, 2022-23 season.

Mikulášiková will learn from her first full season starting and grow alongside a lineup that includes two other teammates who started every game last year in Sheldon and Taylor Mikesell. With those two and Greene in the guard group, Ohio State has more offensive might than they had last year, giving Mikulášiková space to move.

If Mikulášiková can hit shots more consistently, the three single-digit losses the Buckeyes had on the 2022 calendar could swing the other direction. Unless head coach Kevin McGuff opts to play a smaller lineup, or Vres surprises this year, expect Mikulášiková to start a majority of the Buckeyes’ games this season.

Highlights


Watch Mikulášiková’s highlights from the 92-88 victory over the Hawkeyes on Jan. 31, 2022.


Miss any player previews? Here’s the list so far:

• Taylor Mikesell
• Eboni Walker
• Madison Greene
• Emma Shumate
• Cotie McMahon

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Play Like a Girl Podcast: Frankensteined QBs, Team Dog vs. Team Cat, pre-Halloween chaos
Meredith Hein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Because Jami loves chaos.

On LGHL’s Play Like a Girl podcast, Jami and Meredith talk everything from Ohio State sports to advocacy for women in sports and all the happenings in between.

Check out the podcast below, and make sure to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts:


HAPPY SPOOKY SEASON and welcome back to Play Like a Girl! This week, Jami and Meredith build their own Frankenstein’s monster football players, Stranger Things they expect from Iowa vs. Ohio State this weekend and, just for fun, reviews of new Halloween movies this October.

The pair also review their favorite moments from Tennessee’s upset over Alabama and, in a new segment, see how Team Cat did vs. Team Dog this week.

Plus, we learned why Jami was such a fan of Tennessee tearing down the goalposts and also wants to give Michael Myers a hug: She just loves chaos.

Check out the full pod for more.


Contact Jami Jurich
Twitter: @jamiurich

Contact Meredith Hein
Twitter: @MeredithHein

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MC&J: Clemson hosts Syracuse in a battle of ACC unbeatens in Week 8 national action
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Ken Ruinard / staff / USA TODAY NETWORK

Plus, TCU and UCLA will try and stay perfect on the year when they take on one-loss foes on Saturday.

Last week ATS: 6-6 (2-3 B1G, 4-3 National)

Season ATS: 52-60-3 (26-31-1 B1G, 26-28-2 National)

Sometimes it feels like I’m a broken record when trying to make myself feel better about some of the losses from the previous week. Hitting on Tennessee straight up was nice, but then there are my TCU and Utah picks. While both teams won, neither team covered. Even though we treaded water last week, at least we didn’t fall any games farther behind .500.

National games:


(All lines courtesy of Draftkings Sportsbook.)

No. 14 Syracuse v. No. 5 Clemson (-13.5) - 12:00 p.m. - ABC

Last week Syracuse added to NC State’s woes, beating the Wolfpack 24-9, running the Orange’s record to 6-0 this year. Over the last 10 seasons, Syracuse has won at least six games in a season only three times, so nearing November without having suffered a loss yet is unfamiliar territory for Syracuse.

On the other hand, it is pretty normal these days that Clemson is still undefeated at this point of the season. Last week the Tigers beat Florida State for the seventh-straight time. The 34-28 final score makes the game look a little closer than it actually was, as Clemson jumped out to a 34-14 lead before the Seminoles were able to score a couple times in the fourth quarter.

I’m still not sure if Syracuse is really all that good. Sean Tucker is a great running back and quarterback Garrett Shrader is solid, but who have the Orange really played? Last week Syracuse beat a beaten up NC State team that lost quarterback Devin Leary for the rest of the season. The best win otherwise for Syracuse is over Purdue in a really weird game. I just think Clemson is a lot better, and the difference between the two teams is going to be obvious on Saturday at Death Valley.

Clemson 38, Syracuse 17


No. 21 Cincinnati (-3.5) v. SMU - 12:00 p.m. - ESPN

Following a loss to Arkansas to start the season, Cincinnati has reeled off five-straight wins. The last two wins by the Bearcats have been tight victories, as Luke Fickell’s team won 31-21 at Tulsa to start the month, and the following week they beat South Florida 28-24. Quarterback Ben Bryant has settled into the role, throwing 15 touchdowns, while Charles McClelland rushed for 179 yards against the Bulls.

There’s no question that SMU has a potent offense. The Mustangs average 490 yards and 35 points per game. Oklahoma transfer Quarterback Tanner Mordecai has been good, teaming with wide receiver Rashee Rice to form one of the most dangerous combos in the country. The problem with SMU is they don’t play much defense.

Cincinnati hasn’t had much trouble with SMU of late, winning the last three meetings with the Mustangs, and five of the six times the schools have met since 2013. The Bearcats are a lot more disciplined than the Mustangs, which makes this short line a lot more attractive for the road team. SMU will put some points on the board, but it won’t matter since Cincinnati will get enough stops to win by at least a touchdown.

Cincinnati 41, SMU 31


No. 7 Ole Miss v. LSU (-2) - 3:30 p.m. - CBS

LSU’s 40-13 loss at home to Tennessee a couple weeks ago doesn’t look all that bad after the Volunteers beat Alabama last week. The Tigers were able to rebound from getting routed two weeks ago by traveling to Florida and beating the Gators 45-35. Quarterback Jayden Daniels was living in the end zone last Saturday, throwing three touchdowns and adding another three scores on the ground.

Is Ole Miss for real? The Rebels are a fun team to watch, I’m just not sure they are ready to be in the College Football Playoff discussion. We’ll find out a lot more about Ole Miss in the upcoming weeks, since their schedule will get a little more difficult. Aside from a 22-19 win over Kentucky at the beginning of the month, there isn’t much impressive about the rest of the wins by the Rebels.

LSU is going to be the most challenging team Ole Miss has played this year. The Rebels have found a lot of success running the ball this year, but it is going to be a lot tougher to move the chains on Saturday. Jaxson Dart has thrown six interceptions this year, and a few more picks will be added to his season total as the Rebels suffer their first loss of the season.

LSU 34, Ole Miss 23


No. 9 UCLA v. No. 10 Oregon (-6) - 3:30 p.m. - FOX

Just over a month ago UCLA was struggling to beat South Alabama. Now the Bruins are coming off wins over Washington and Utah, with both those opponents being ranked at the time. It looks like what Chip Kelly is trying to do in Pasadena is finally landing, with the Bruins averaging over 500 yards per game of offense. Dorian Thompson-Robinson has scored 19 total touchdowns so far this year, while Michigan transfer running back Zach Charbonnet has ran for over 600 yards and six touchdowns through six games.

It’s eerie just how similar UCLA and Oregon are. The two teams have similar offensive and defensive numbers. Thompson-Robinson and Bo Nix are both quarterbacks that can run and pass the football. Both teams are even coming off a bye week, which means they’ll be rested for this Pac-12 showdown. About the only thing in one team’s favor is the Ducks have won nine of the last ten against the Bruins.

I just feel like this is going to be a close game that comes right down to the wire. Chip Kelly brings his best team to where he made a name for himself as coach, and it feels like he finally gets a win against his former employer. The Ducks are a very good team, and it wouldn’t surprise me if they ended up beating the Bruins. I figure I gotta take a shot with the underdog here. No matter who wins, this feels like a game that is decided by a field goal.

UCLA 38, Oregon 35


No. 20 Texas (-6.5) v. No. 11 Oklahoma State - 3:30 p.m. - ABC

Six of the last seven games between the Longhorns and Cowboys have been decided by eight points or less. There’s no reason to think this game won’t follow the script we have seen recently when the two schools meet. Oklahoma State is coming off a double overtime loss to TCU, which was their first loss of the season.

Texas was less than impressive last week in a 24-21 win over Iowa State. Bijan Robinson ran for 135 yards while Quinn Ewers tossed three touchdowns in the win over the Cyclones. There’s no doubt the Longhorns are more dangerous with Ewers under center, I’m just not convinced they should be laying so many points in a tough road environment. The Cowboys make it six wins in their last eight meetings with Texas.

Oklahoma State 34, Texas 30


No. 24 Mississippi State v. No. 6 Alabama (-21) - 7:00 p.m. - ESPN

Is Alabama in danger of losing their second game in a row? I’m not betting on it. Especially not against a team they have won 14 straight games against. In those 14 victories, Mississippi State has only scored in double digits three times, and the last time they scored at least 10 points against Alabama was back in 2017.

The Crimson Tide aren’t the only team in this game coming off a loss. Last week Mississippi State traveled to Kentucky and fell to the Wildcats 27-17. Not only was Will Rogers held in check, the Bulldogs only rushed for 22 yards in the game, while Kentucky was able to control the clock by rolling up 239 yards on the ground.

As seen last week, Alabama does have some problems in the secondary. If there is any quarterback that could exploit some of those issues, it is Rogers. Mississippi State will break their streak of not scoring at least 10 points against the Crimson Tide, as they’ll put up a few touchdowns and keep the final score inside 21 points.

Alabama 42, Mississippi State 24


No. 17 Kansas State v. No. 8 TCU (-3.5) - 8:00 p.m. - FS1

TCU will be looking for their fourth-straight win against a ranked team when they host Kansas State on Saturday night. The Horned Frogs beat both Kansas and Oklahoma when those teams were ranked, and last week they staged a furious comeback to beat Oklahoma State 43-40 in double overtime. Quarterback Max Duggan is leading an offense that is averaging almost 530 yards per game.

Kansas State is such a weird team. Sometimes they’ll lose a game to someone like Tulane, and then they’ll come out and beat a ranked team. We already saw it earlier this season when the Wildcats knocked off Oklahoma, who was ranked sixth in the country at the time. Two weeks ago Kansas State barely beat Iowa State, and now they’ll be looking to end TCU’s dreams of an undefeated season.

The Wildcats have gotten great quarterback play out of Adrian Martinez so far this year, while Deuce Vaughn has rushed for 661 yards and three scores through six games. TCU is vulnerable against the pass, but luckily for the Horned Frogs passing the football isn’t something the Wildcats do all that well. TCU has a little too much firepower at home in this one.

TCU 37, Kansas State 27

Odds/lines subject to change. T&Cs apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for details.

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Big Ten men’s basketball team previews: Maryland Terrapins
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports

How will the Terrapins fare their first season under Kevin Willard?

Team: Maryland Terrapins
Head coach: Kevin Willard (first season)
2021-22 record: 15-17 (7-13)
Season finish: No postseason


Players returning: Julian Reese, Donta Scott, Hakim Hart, Pavlo Dziuba, Ian Martinez, Ike Cornish, Arnaud Revaz

Players departed: Eric Ayala, Marcus Dockery (Howard), Qudus Wahab (Georgetown)

Key additions: Jahmir Young (Charlotte), Donald Carey (Georgetown), Jahari Long (Seton Hall), Patrick Emilien (St. Francis Brooklyn), Caelum Swanton-Rodger, Noah Batchelor

Outlook


Last season was pretty much a disaster for the Terrapins, as they underachieved with a talented roster and parted ways with head coach Mark Turgeon. Now, guys like Eric Ayala and Fatts Russell are gone, and new coach Kevin Willard will be looking at some returners and a few transfers to help get Maryland back into the fold of the Big Ten.

The big three returning for Maryland are Donta Scott, Hakim Hart and Julian Reese. Scott and Hart were the third and fourth leading scorers for the Terrapins last season, and Reese showed flashes of what he can be in the conference and on this team. Now, with all three having expanded roles, the numbers and minutes of those three should stand out.

Scott and Hart averaged 12.6 and 9.9 points per game, respectively. Scott also averaged 6.2 rebounds per contest. Reese averaged a modest 5.7 points and 4.4 rebounds per game. With Ayala and Russell gone — a duo that combined to average 30 points and nine boards — they will need transfers like Jahmir Young from Charlotte and Donald Carey from Georgetown to step in and become immediate contributors.

The depth will be called into question on this team. They will have to have guys like Ian Martinez, Ike Cornish and Pavlo Dziuba step up in productive roles or they will really struggle late in games and when the starters inevitably get tired and banged up throughout the season.

X Factor


Jahmir Young. Young is similar to last season’s Maryland transfer guard Fatts Russell, as he is a guy that can go get you a bucket at any time. He is an in-state kid, hailing from the historic DeMatha Catholic high school in Hyattsville, where the likes of Markelle Fultz, Jerami and Jerian Grant, Quinn Cook, Victor Oladipo and Hunter Dickinson, amongst others, all played their high school basketball.

At Charlotte, Young averaged 16.7 points and 5.4 rebounds per game. Young also started in every game he played in since he was a freshman for the 49ers. Last season as a junior, Young averaged 19.6 points and 5.9 boards.

He mentioned that once he withdrew his name from the NBA Draft, he was already committed to Maryland, and a large reason for that was coach Willard. With experienced guys like Scott, Hart and Reese coming back, Young can be a relief for Willard as someone who can start immediately and average 15 points a night for the Terrapins.

Donald Carey is another guy who could prove to be an X-factor on this team for many of the same reasons.

Prediction


With a new coach coming in and a solid group of transfers, the season has some hope for the Terrapins. Unfortunately, this squad resembles last year’s a lot, and while there was a lot of talent, they struggled with consistency. I think this team will have similar problems. The depth is also something to be concerned about, and even though Willard was a great hire and is a great coach, expectations should always be tempered when talking about a first-year head coach — unless you are at Duke or North Carolina.

I don’t see this being a tournament team, and I would be surprised if they hit 15 wins again. It will be important for Willard to really nail down recruiting the DMV, as it is a hotspot for some of the top recruits in the country. DeMatha High School alone produces DI talent seemingly every season. The future is likely bright, but this season could be a long one in College Park.

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Column: Has Ohio State wide receiver Julian Fleming finally arrived?
David M Wheeler via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Adam Ruff/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Does it matter if he has?

Take a stroll back to 2020, back to Ohio State’s football recruiting class that year. The class ranked fifth nationally, and there are some names on the list that we have come to know very well — most notably C.J. Stroud and Jaxon Smith-Njigba. But the jewel in the crown of that class was five-star wide receiver Julian Fleming. He was the Buckeyes’ top recruit. He ranked No. 3 overall nationally. He was the top receiver coming out of high school in 2020. What happened?

Heavily recruited by his home state team Penn State and by Alabama, Fleming, the Gatorade Player of the Year in Pennsylvania, committed fairly early – well before he began his senior year in high school – to the Buckeyes. The recruiting reports raved. Fleming could do it all and possessed all of the tools for stardom: size, strength, speed, hands. Unfortunately, he also brought with him to Columbus a shoulder injury that kept recurring.

2020


This COVID-19 season almost didn’t take place at all for Big Ten players. Ohio State played only eight games: five in the regular season, the B1G Championship game, and two playoff contests. A true freshman, Fleming played in only four of those games, snagging seven passes for 74 yards. Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave got the bulk of the targets, and Fleming played behind Jameson Williams and fellow five-star freshman Smith-Njigba.

The season was weird. Lots of cancellations. Lots of players sitting out with positive tests. We watched Justin Fields, Olave and Wilson, as well as Trey Sermon. Fleming, despite his reputation and hype, seemingly got lost in the shuffle. And couldn’t really shake the injury.

2021


Olave, very surprisingly, announces that he’s returning for a fourth season with the Buckeyes. There’s one starting slot taken. Wilson, too, is back, of course. Jameson Williams, seeing the writing on the wall (writing that is spelled “JSN”) transfers to Alabama. Fleming might hope to be fourth receiver, in the rotation for snaps. Two freshmen, however – Marvin Harrison Jr. and Emeka Egbuka – got off to roaring starts. And Julian Fleming was once again more or less forgotten.

Still plagued with a shoulder injury, still often wearing a brace, Fleming played in just eight of the Buckeyes’ 13 games last year. Among wideouts, he was fourth in receptions with 12 (JSN had 95, Wilson 70, and Olave 65). Fleming scored a receiving touchdown (his first) but had only 86 yards from his catches. The 7.2 per catch average was so far behind that of the other OSU wide receivers that it had me asking myself last year, “Is Fleming slow? Can’t he shake a defender and get clear? Isn’t he tough enough to break out of a tackle?”

In the Rose Bowl, with Olave and Wilson sitting out, Julian Fleming finally got his chance to start a game. And? His shoulder popped out. He popped it back in, kept playing, and earned the lasting respect of his teammates. Toughness? No question. He finished the bowl game with five receptions for 35 yards. Anyone who watched the game remembers not Fleming’s toughness in dealing with injury, but JSN’s record-setting night: 15 catches, 347 yards, three TDs. Fleming was still an afterthought.

This year


This was to be the breakout year for Julian Fleming. Wilson and Olave were gone. One of the three starting positions was sure to be his. Injury again (this time unspecified) kept Fleming out of Ohio State’s 2022 spring game, but he came back strong and earned one of Mickey Marotti’s “Iron Buckeye” awards for performance in the weight room during summer workouts. Before the Notre Dame game, though, Fleming felt another “tweak” and missed that game – and the Arkansas State game.

If 2022 was to be his breakout year, he was off to a slow start. Harrison Jr. and Egbuka were already well ahead of him. JSN’s injury has given Fleming another shot as a starter. He returned to play against Toledo in the Buckeyes’ third game and caught three passes for 23 yards and two touchdowns. His sideline catch on one of the TDs was a thing of beauty.

Fleming has caught four passes in each of the Buckeyes’ last three games (versus Wisconsin, Rutgers, and Michigan State). He’s scored three more touchdowns, and his per catch average has climbed steadily with plays like his 51-yarder against Sparty. For the season, Fleming’s 15 receptions rank him just behind Egbuka (35) and Harrison Jr. (31) among wideouts. He’s scored five TDs, and his 14.8/reception average is quite an improvement, though it’s still behind Egbuka (18.7), Harrison Jr. (17.3), and Jayden Ballard (18.7).

Answering the questions


To return to the questions at the head of this story: has Fleming finally arrived. I’d say “yes,” or at least he’s finally getting there. No, he hasn’t yet lived up to his billing. The shoulder injury prevented that — and the competition in the wide receiver room. Now that he’s playing regularly, he’s a viable option for Stroud, one that can get open, make the catch, gain yards afterward. He’s starting to look like a star.

The second question, “Does his arrival matter?” is tougher. Here’s why. Smith-Njigba will be back in the starting lineup. With luck, soon; against Iowa, we hope. When he does, who among the current starters sits? My guess would be Fleming. Egbuka and Harrison Jr. have flashed greatness all year. They’ve earned their spots. And that would put Fleming on the sideline, next to Ballard (whom I really like) and Xavier Johnson.

It will be interesting to see what happens once JSN returns. Does Fleming rotate into action on meaningful snaps? Put up good numbers and continue his rise to stardom? Or does he simply become a reliable backup? Come into the game once the outcome is decided? Flank wide while the ball is run into the middle of the line to run the clock?

The future


What happens with Fleming the rest of the year will, naturally enough, determine his future next year. Completing his third year, he’s eligible to declare for the NFL Draft after this season. But has he played enough? Does he have the stats? If he stays at Ohio State, can he join Egbuka and Harrison Jr. as starters by holding off Ballard and the four receivers in the 2022 class? Does he consider the transfer portal, take a chance on a year somewhere where he’ll not only start but also be the quarterback’s primary target?

Time will tell. I think, however, that Fleming wants to be a Buckeye and that he’s happy to take on the competition in Columbus. Healthy, at full strength, he’ll take his chances against anybody in the country. So, I’ll answer that second question with a “yes!” His arrival matters not only to Fleming himself but to the Buckeyes’ who have a lot to gain in putting his talent on the field.

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By the numbers: Do pre-season rankings indicate how many Big Ten teams will make the NCAA Tournament?
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here



Ohio State will start the season unranked as the Big Ten lands just three teams in the initial AP Poll.

As we navigate the college basketball pre-season waters, the shared sentiment among many people who cover the game is that the Big Ten could be — potentially — looking at a down year.

The conference put nine teams in the NCAA Tournament last season, which ties the most they’ve had in the last decade. But of those nine, only two of them — Michigan, which ironically was an 11-seed, and Purdue — made the Sweet Sixteen. Neither Michigan nor Purdue advanced to the next round, with the Wolverines falling to Villanova and Purdue losing to 15-seed St. Peter’s. For the first time since 2017, the B1G failed to put a single team in the Elite Eight.

Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images

Last week, Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim — whose team missed the NCAA Tournament last season — commented on the Big Ten’s failure in March Madness:

“At the end of the day, you play for the [NCAA] Tournament,” Boeheim said Friday at his team’s media day. “You can say what you want about the Big Ten. They sucked in the tournament. To me, that’s what they did. All of their wins were in their league. If you can’t play in the [NCAA] Tournament, then you’re not good.”

The conference saw an extraordinary exodus of talent following the season that rivals any of the past decade. Trevion Williams, Jaden Ivey, Johnny Davis, Kofi Cockburn, Keegan Murray, E.J. Liddell, Malaki Branham, Ron Harper Jr., and Bryce McGowens all left for the NBA — as well as several others I did not name here.

On the whole, the Big Ten appears to be less talented, not as deep, and not likely to be the dominant conference in the NCAA Tournament. This idea was reinforced on Monday afternoon, when the preseason AP Top 25 Poll was released, and included only three B1G teams:

• Indiana (13)
• Michigan (22)
• Illinois (23)

Over the past 10 seasons, the B1G has never had fewer than three teams in the preseason AP Poll. It had three teams in the preseason Top-25 in 2018 as well, but the conference got it together and still put eight teams in the NCAA Tournament by season’s end. But has the number of ranked teams (in the preseason poll) been indicative of NCAA Tournament teams recently? I pulled the numbers from the last 10 years (nine tournaments) to find out:


Only putting three teams in the very first poll indicates that the media does not think the conference has many “great” teams. This notion, however, does not necessarily coincide with an invitation to the NCAA Tournament. In actuality, a team does not need to be one of the best 25 teams in the country to make it to the NCAA Tournament. They don’t even need to be “good”, since another path to punch a tournament ticket is to get hot and win your conference tournament — see Oregon State, two years ago, who went 10-10 in Pac-12 play, but won their conference tournament and made it all the way to the Elite Eight.

For the Big Ten conference specifically, the last time it only had three teams ranked in the initial poll — 2018 — the B1G still put eight teams in the NCAA Tournament. Conversely, the B1G had six teams ranked in the first AP Poll in 2015 — double what they have this season and in 2018. However, that only led to the conference punching seven NCAA Tournament tickets — one fewer than 2018.

What should concern fans who follow the Big Ten is the fact that there isn’t a single B1G team in the top-10 this season, as statistics show that teams who begin the season in the top-10 are more or less a lock to make the NCAA Tournament. This infers that the B1G once again does not appear to have a team strong enough to break the 22-year national championship draught that’s been hanging over the conference since Michigan State cut down the nets in 2000.



The very first AP Poll is based on predictions, assumptions, and educated guesses. By the end of December, the list will be erased and will look completely different from what we see now. And — as history shows us — only having three teams in that very first poll does not mean the Big Ten conference will struggle to produce NCAA Tournament-caliber teams.

Final Four-caliber teams, though? Well, we’ll see about that.

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