Column: Ohio State has a Bill Davis problem
Patrick Mayhorn via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Poor hires have hampered Ohio State football for the entire Urban Meyer era

There’s a problem in Ohio State football’s football program that we need to talk about. It’s been an issue for the entire Urban Meyer era, and somehow, to this point, the head coach has faced very little complaining about it. Urban Meyer stinks at hiring coaches, and his bad hires have actively made Ohio State worse every year since 2012.

Admittedly, Meyer has also made some home run hires as well, including Larry Johnson, Greg Schiano, Kerry Coombs, Chris Ash, Tom Herman, and more recently Ryan Day and Alex Grinch.

The first real instance of this was former co-defensive coordinator Everett Withers, who was eventually encouraged to take a job elsewhere after putting together one of the worst secondaries that Ohio State had ever seen in both 2012 and 2013. After him, Ohio State had issues with Tim Beck and Ed Warriner, and those issues more likely than not kept the most talented team in school history out of the playoff in 2015.

More recently, offensive line coach Greg Studrawa has deservedly picked up some heat, both for his bungled recruitments of top in-state linemen, as well as some poor on the field play. That poor play includes the struggles in tonight’s win against TCU, in which the offensive line struggled greatly against the blitz, and formerly awesome guard, Michael Jordan, who for some reason was turned into a center, failed to consistently snap the ball accurately.

The ultimate in bad hires that hurt the Buckeyes is obviously Zach Smith, the worst living receivers coach, and a deeply bad person (that’s a different story entirely though). Ohio State’s receiver play was awful for years, and yet Urban Meyer stuck by his coach, for no reason outside of his relationship with Zach’s grandfather, Earle Bruce. To follow that train wreck with a 31 year old Brian Hartline that has absolutely no coaching experience seems like a bad idea too, though we can’t say that for sure yet. The Smith debacle obviously didn’t give them much time for a coaching search.

The biggest issue this season is none of those hires, however. In that long list of awful hires, the worst was not named. The worst hire of Urban Meyer’s tenure at Ohio State, and possibly in his whole career, is the current acting linebackers coach, Bill Davis. To replace Luke Fickell, one of the best linebacker coaches in the country (at the time), Urban Meyer hired an NFL burnout that failed in Philadelphia, an NFL burnout that even the Browns (!!!!!) didn’t want.

Why? Well because Bill Davis is one of Urban’s best friends, and has been for decades. He was the best man at Urban’s wedding. Urban Meyer, one of the best coaches in the country, at probably the second best football program in the country, hired one of his ten position coaches not because of performance, or recruiting (which Davis had never done at this level), but because they’re friends.

For a coach that makes more than seven million dollars a year, a decision that poor and shallow is completely unacceptable, and borderline neglectful of his duties as the head coach of this program. Urban Meyer’s job is not to hire close friends for him to hang out with. Urban Meyer’s job is to hire elite position coaches and coordinators, to put Ohio State in the best possible position to win. It was obvious today, and it’s been obvious since he was hired that Bill Davis is not that guy.

Since losing Fickell, Ohio State’s linebackers have taken massive steps back. They struggled greatly in both losses last season, and they struggled tonight (in a winning effort) against TCU. They play slow, they don’t read the play quickly enough, and they take some of the worst pursuit angles I’ve ever seen in major college football. We know that this group has talent. We know that these former five-stars and four-stars didn’t just forget how to play football.

That means that there’s an issue with coaching, and the coach responsible is Bill Davis. Urban Meyer is once again the full-time head coach at Ohio State. His first task is a big one. He needs to fire Bill Davis, before Ohio State wastes yet another supremely talented team with poor coaching.

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Ohio State rallies past TCU, wins 40-28
Geoff Hammersley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Buckeyes battle back in hard fought marquee matchup.

ESPN’s “College GameDay” made the right choice coming to the Ohio State Buckeyes-TCU Horned Frogs matchup this week. Back-and-forth action in the first half showcased the Buckeye defensive line’s strength, as well as Dwayne Haskins’ passing ability in big games. In the second half, though, Ohio State overcame their one-point halftime deficit, and defeated the No. 15 Horned Frogs, 40-28.

The Buckeye defense was the difference maker. Nick Bosa forced a fumble, which was picked up in the TCU endzone for a touchdown by Davon Hamilton. Dre’Mont Jones also got in on the turnover party. He intercepted a Shawn Robinson shuffle pass, and ran it back for a 28-yard score. In the waning minutes of the game, Malik Harrison snagged a Robinson pass—sealing the game. On the sacking side, Bosa, Jones and Jonathon Cooper tallied one apiece.

Quarterback Dwayne Haskins kept up his passing momentum for the third-straight game. His numbers began to really shine in the third quarter during the Bucks’ comeback, as he made two TD scoring strikes. One went to Parris Campbell on a screen pass, which was taken to the house from 63 yards out. Not long after that, Haskins put up a floater to K.J. Hill, he hauled in the the pass falling down for a 24-yard TD. For the game, Haskins completed 24-of-38 passes for 344 yards.

In a homecoming of sorts, running back J.K. Dobbins crossed the 100-yard mark. He ended the game with 18 carries and 121 yards, averaging 6.7 yards per attempt. Mike Weber had 17 carries for 64 yards, and crossed a milestone in the process: the 2,000 yard rushing career club.

Receiving was challenging at times for OSU. Austin Mack caught four passes for 84 yards, but managed to make a large handful of drops—he was targeted nine times in total. Hill caught six passes for 95 yards, and Campbell had two catches for 66 yards.

TCU was giving the Buckeyes all they could handle early. A 93-yard TD rush by Darius Anderson set a school-record for longest rush, and was the longest offensive play the Buckeye defense gave up in school history. Anderson led all rushers on the field with two scores and 154 yards. In the air, Robinson threw for over 308 yards on 24-of-40 passing. But, TCU miscues led to scoring chances for the Buckeyes

On the first drive of the game, things looked promising for Ohio State. TCU sent the opening kickoff out of bounds, giving the Buckeyes a starting point at their own 35. After Dobbins got stuffed for a 1-yard loss, Haskins went to work. He hit Austin Mack over the middle for 16, then went back to Mack on a deep ball. Mack, who was caught in between two defenders, found enough space to sprawl out and catch the ball at the TCU 2. However, three plays later, the Buckeyes stalled. Sean Nuernberger came in for a 20-yard field goal, and had no problem splitting the uprights... this time.

Just 1:40 was pulled off the clock, as TCU took to the field for their first drive of the night. The Horned Frogs wasted no time moving down the field in the hurry-up offense; they started on their own 17, and within eight plays—all for positive yardage—they got down to the OSU 7. On the ninth play, running back Darius Anderson beat the defense on the nearside for a touchdown. But hold the phone: there was a holding call. TCU got pushed back to the 14, and proceeded to be stopped on the next three plays. Like OSU, the Frogs called out the FG unit; unlike OSU, they missed the kick. Cole Bunce sent the 31-yard kick wide right.

As the Buckeye offense went back to look for more points, they faced a more ferocious defense the second time around. After Haskins found K.J. Hill for a 20-yard connection, TCU clamped down and caused OSU to punt three plays later. Drue Chrisman sent the ball 41 yards to the TCU 7, and that proved to be a little too close for TCU. On the second play of the Horned Frogs’ drive, they ran into a bear of a problem.

Nick Bosa got around the end, and hit Robinson as he was preparing to wind up a pass. The ball tumbled to the back of the endzone before being corralled by the Bucks’ Davon Hamilton for a touchdown. The hurry-up offense works well until it doesn’t. That brought out the jokes on Twitter.


Desperate for points, TCU needed to make the next drive work—or face the game getting out of hand by the end of the first. Fortunately for them, a couple of OSU penalties proved costly, leading to a TCU touchdown.

A pass interference call on Damon Arnette on third-and-7 gave TCU a fresh chance at a TD on the OSU 9. Three plays later, Sewo Olonilua literally dove across the plain of the endzone around two Buckeye defenders for a score. TCU got their TD, and that would be all the scoring we’d see in the first quarter, as OSU maintained a 10-7 advantage.

We’d have to wait six minutes into the second quarter for the next score. Bad news for Buckeye fans: the score wasn’t one for the good guys. Backed up on their own 7, Robinson handed the ball off to Anderson, and he went right up the middle for a school-record 93 yards. His touchdown gave the Horned Frogs their first lead of the night at 14-10.

The rush proved to be the longest offensive play that Ohio State has given up... ever.

Ohio State came back out on offense looking to respond, as they moved the ball down the field thanks to Dobbins. The rebuttal drive featured three carries from the La Grange, Texas native that went for more than 10 yards. But, as soon as the Bucks got to the redzone, TCU dug their collective feet into the ground and held. Nuernberger was summoned for a field goal, and barely squeaked it in through the near post, cutting the deficit to one, 14-13.

Frenetic play on both sides of the ball would continue throughout the quarter, but leading to no other scores. The Buckeyes had a chance, though, at the end of the half to take the lead. However, Nuernberger didn’t get enough rotation on his kick, and it hooked just left of the upright. Halftime brought us a Horned Frog lead (still at 14-13) against the No. 4 team in the land. Below are some of the first half stats.



TCU got the ball to begin the second half, but couldn’t get to midfield. However, during the drive, Nick Bosa left the game with an apparent groin injury; not long after Bosa walked off the field, Kendall Sheffield was assisted off the field, too, with an apparent injury.

Things got worse for OSU over the next couple drives. After committing a three-and-out, Chrisman only got a 34-yard punt—placing TCU’s possession on their own 48. Anderson gashed the Bucks for eight, and then Robinson picked up 28 in the air with a completion to Jarrison Stewart. The next play went back to Anderson, who danced around to the far side of the field before diving at the pylon. After a review, it was determined that he scored a TD; after the extra point, TCU held an eye-opening 21-13 lead.

But, Ohio State would roar back with a big play of their own. With seven minutes left in the third frame, Haskins made his first TD completion on the night, courtesy of a screen pass to Parris Campbell. Campbell hauled in the pass, then cut upfield down the near sideline, gobbling 63 yards of turf for the score. However, a low snap on the two-point conversion attempt led to a rushed (and incomplete) pass to Rashod Berry. The Buckeyes now only trailed 21-19.

However, just three plays later, the Buckeyes would have a five-point lead. Back on offense, TCU’s Robinson tried to shuffle the ball to a WR in front of him, however, Dre’Mont Jones snatched the ball, and ran in back for a big man touchdown. It would be the defense’s second score of the night, but this one put the Buckeyes back on top.

With OSU now up 26-21, TCU was back on the offensive for points. They nearly had it on the ensuing kickoff. A trick play, one where a kick returner laid down in the end zone to hide from the gunners, then the returner threw the ball across the field. The pass was completed, and taken to the house. But hold the phone. A forward pass was called, negating the score.

The bad break bugaboo was still lurking against TCU, as their punt on this drive was mishandled and went a whopping two yards after being deflected. Ohio State wouldn’t be on offense too long, as Haskins launched a floater to Hill in the endzone. He hauled in the catch, propelling the Buckeyes to a 20-point scoring spree in a matter of minutes.

At the end of three, OSU possessed a 33-28 lead.

Not long into the fourth quarter, the Buckeyes would push their lead even more.

The J.K. Dobbins Show picked up in the game’s final act, with him transporting the rock for carries of nine and 10 yards. All of this culminated with Haskins keeping the ball himself for a 5-yard score. With 12:30 left in regulation, OSU held a 40-28 advantage.

With that, OSU had tamed the Horned Frogs.

The Tulane Green Wave are up next for Ohio State. That game will take place next Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET, with Big Ten Network broadcasting the contest.

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Here’s why J.K. Dobbins is poised for a huge game on Saturday
Mark Prine 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



J.K. Dobbins is averaging 73.5 rushing yards per game and 5.4 yards per carry in Ohio State’s first two weeks; which is decent by most tailback’s standards. However, considering that Dobbins ran for 100.2 yards per game and 7.2 yards per carry last season, it is evident that he has not yet reached his potential with respect to statistical production. On the other hand, Mike Weber is averaging 7.2 yards per carry to this point in the season. Weber is also on pace to rush for over 1300 yards this season, which would be his best year yet for the Buckeyes.

Obviously, these statistics for Dobbins have to be taken with a grain of salt due to the fact that he has not played more than three quarters in either of OSU’s first two contests. Not to mention, he is splitting carries with another running back who is also one of the three best backs in the Big Ten. Hence, Dobbins has not regressed as a player. He has just lacked the opportunity to have the explosive performance that fans are used to seeing from him. That trend can’t last forever and I suspect it won’t last past Saturday night in Dallas. Buckeye fans should expect Dobbins to have his first big game of the season on Saturday against a pretty good TCU defense. The Horned frogs have put an emphasis on pass defense to this point in the season, which has paid dividends for them. They have the 6th best total defense and the 8th best passing defense so far this season. On the other hand, their rushing defense is ranked 36th best in the nation; not terrible but not elite either. Simply put, Ohio State’s 2nd ranked scoring offense and 12th ranked rushing offense, in a climate controlled dome, could prove to be overwhelming for TCU. The run blocking ability of Ohio State’s offensive line and wide receivers will be an astronomical advantage when it comes to the Buckeyes imposing their will on TCU by controlling the line of scrimmage; and as Buckeye fans have all heard Coach Urban Meyer say time and time again, the game is won or lost at the line of scrimmage.

Lastly, this week will be Ohio State’s first true test season of the season. Which means ultimately the load will be a little heavier, for clock management purposes, for OSU’s tailbacks. Hence, barring a blow out in the first half, expect Ohio State’s starters to stay in the game a little longer this week; meaning Dobbins will rack up more carries, yards, touchdowns, and his first breakout game of the year; while doing it all at home, in Texas.




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A scientific analysis: buckeyes vs. horned frogs
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Sorry TCU fans, can’t argue with science.

You know what? We’ve gotten spoiled during the first two weeks of the season, as the No. 4 Ohio State Buckeyes have started their games at noon and 3:30 p.m. ET. However, with the first primetime game of the season comes the inevitable anxious boredom that comes with watching horrendous football like Rutgers vs. Kansas and Syracuse vs. Florida State. We are forced to suffer through the slog of nearly unwatchable games just to finally arrive at moment when Buckeye Nation can revel in the greatness that is Ohio State football.

So, since we had extra time to kill today, I decided to take a scientific look at two of the more unusual mascots in college sports; the buckeye and the horned frog. So, with all due respect to Nick Bakay, let’s look at the “Tale of the Tape.”

Appearance


The Ohio buckeye, also known as the American buckeye or the fetid buckeye, is a small rounded nut with a deep chestnut brown shell and a lighter brown circle on the underside. The darker shell has a beautiful, polished sheen that makes it almost reflect the wonder and beauty of the world around it. It is not difficult to imagine a world in which the buckeye, instead of being the symbol of a state, had been chosen as the currency of our new nation. Perhaps had our Founding Fathers decided to base the United States’ economic system on the buckeye standard, rather than the gold standard, our current financial climate would be better for it.

The Texas Horned lizard, colloquially known as the Texas horned frog, has an ugly, blunt, pointed head, and two beady, black eyes on the sides of its face. Its body is covered with small spikes, and the horns on its head are boney extensions of its skull. It’s dirty brown exterior is used as camouflage in the sandy terrain of Texas and the Southwest.

Advantage: OSU

Edibility


In its peanut butter and chocolate form, I contend that there is no better bite-sized confection than the buckeye. However, the delicious candy is not Ohio State’s mascot... unfortunately. Instead, the mascot is a poisonous nut that contains tannic acid. While not likely to be deadly in small doses to humans, still probably not a good idea to consume anything containing actual buckeye nuts as an ingredient.

Technically, the Texas horned frog is not a frog, it is a lizard, so it doesn’t benefit from the delicacy status of actual frogs. In the wild, these lizards have the ability to squirt a stream of blood from their eyes that contains a foul-tasting chemical that confuses and repulses predators. While humans would be eating this cold-blooded animal cooked, I’d rather not risk consuming anything that secretes blood from its eyes.

Advantage: Push

Ferocity


As stated before, a buckeye is a poisonous nut. However, other than that, it is an inanimate object. The only way that it can affect someone is if the individual actively eats the nut or its byproducts. Although, come to think of it, if you are sitting under a buckeye tree, and one of the nuts— in its spiny, fleshy shell— falls, it could be painful if it hits square on the head; think Isaac Newton and the apple. And, as all football fans know, head injuries are especially dangerous.

Though the Texas horned lizard looks fierce, it is extremely docile. In this case, it’s face is more potent than its bite, because it mostly only feeds on small bugs. Therefore it poses little to no threat to humans. Because it is unable to produce vitamin D, the creature spends most of its time sunbathing and eating harvester ants. Ah, the privileged life.

Advantage: OSU

Holiness


For generations, buckeyes have been kept as good luck charms by Ohioans, but superstition doesn’t rise to the level religious fervor. Neither does the fact that I’ve been known to say “From your mouth to Woody (Hayes)’s ears” in situations where I need a little bit of extra blessing.

And while my grandmother did have a buckeye rosary, the tiny nuts were more decorative, and did not technically add to the fundamental Catholic theology of the series of prayers.

However, many Native American peoples consider the horned lizard to be sacred, and it can be found throughout Native American art in the Southwestern United States and Mexico. I figure, we took their land from them, so the least that we can do is respect their religions.

Advantage: TCU

Durability


The Aesculus glabra is primarily native to the Midwest and lower Great Plains, but can be found in southern Ontario, in parts of the Nashville Basin, and in large, but isolated, parts of Mississippi. Therefore, the Ohio buckeye— not to be confused with the 15 other worldwide varieties of buckeyes— has a sprawling reach that covers a large part of the continental United States.

Unfortunately, the Phrynosoma cornutum has been named a protected species following a 30 percent decline in population. This dip is believed to have been due to the rise of certain pesticides in the region, and the nonnative, highly aggressive and territorial red imported fire ants.

Also, while they all look the same, there is believed to be countless subspecies of the lizard throughout Texas. Because of that, it is not known how many of these subspecies are able to survive outside of their natural habitat, or if they are able to reproduce across subspecies longterm, or if the cross-breeding could lead to substantive declines in population.

Advantage: OSU


So there you have it, everybody. This completely unbiased, academic analysis of tonight’s matchup is definitive: buckeyes are better than horned frogs lizards. Therefore, it would behoove you to take Ohio State in tonight’s game.


The No. 4 Ohio State Buckeyes will take on the No. 15 TCU Horned Frogs tonight at 8 p.m. ET from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The game will be broadcast on ABC.

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Who you got? LGHL staff predicts the score of Ohio State-TCU
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


This season, the LGHL staff is competing to see who is the best prognosticator!

The good thing about marquee, primetime games is that the team has the chance to impression a nationwide audience of fans, voters, and recruits. The bad thing is that you have to wait all dang day to get to kickoff. Well, today, Buckeye Nation will have to remain patient until 8 p.m. ET for the No. 4 Ohio State Buckeyes to take on the No. 15 TCU Horned Frogs in AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Both teams come into the game 2-0, after easily dispatching their first pair of opponents. Gary Patterson’s squad is still looking for revenge after the Buckeyes jumped the Frogs into the first College Football Playoffs in 2014. However, OSU is feeling very at home at this “neutral” venue, having won the playoffs and last season’s Cotton Bowl in Jerry’s World. Will they make it three in a row? Our writers and editors sure seem to think so.

Over the course of this season, we here at Land-Grant Holy Land are competing to see who the best prognosticator is on staff.

How this is working is that every week our writers and editors will predict what think the final score of the Ohio State game will be. If a forecaster foresees the game’s correct winner, he or she will receive 75 points. If the expert gets the score exactly right, they will receive a bonus 25 points. However, for every point that a prediction is off, one point will be subtracted—with a max total of 25 points getting subtracted. Get it? Got it? Good.

With every new week of predictions, we will update the standings, so that you can follow along and see who the best handicapper on the LGHL staff is. Current standings are below this week’s predictions.

Matt Brown


Ohio State 33, TCU 21
Season Point Total: 110

(He’s THE Matt Brown, he doesn’t need to give an explanation.)

Alexis Chassen


Ohio State 63, TCU 28
Season Point Total: 102

TCU might have a fast offense, but the Buckeyes have the best defensive line in the country. It wouldn’t surprise me if a few of TCU’s skill players get behind the line and end up getting into the end zone, but I don’t think it’s nearly as close of a game as some are expecting. Ohio State has some swagger heading into Week 3, and I have no doubt that Dwayne Haskins and his plethora of receivers will ball-out in Arlington.

Colton Denning


Ohio State 41, TCU 20
Season Point Total: 114

SHAUN WADE PICK SIX

Geoff Hammersley


Ohio State 44, TCU 23
Season Point Total: 105

OSU dominates the line of scrimmage on offense, leading to Dobbins having a big day in Big D. Haskins does more Haskins things, but TCU makes life a little bit trickier than what we’ve seen from the other two opponents this season.

Dan Hassler


Ohio State 38, TCU 20
Season Point Total: 102

I think Ohio State wins this game in the trenches. I see the Buckeyes winning the game up front on both sides of the ball, leading to J.K. Dobbins and Mike Weber having solid outings. I think the defense gives up a couple big plays to TCU’s athletic offensive weapons, but Haskins has a solid outing in his first start against a ranked opponent, and leads OSU to victory.

Meredith Hein


Ohio State 34, TCU 21
Season Point Total: 124

TCU’s defense is the toughest Ohio State has faced all year, but Haskins and company will spread the field and overmatch the Horned Frogs by the second half. However, Shawn Robinson will score points for Gary Patterson’s squad, and expect a special teams TD for the other side.

Caleb Houser


Ohio State 31, TCU 17
Season Point Total: 117

Ohio State is able to run the ball well against TCU due to a size advantage in the trenches. Mike Weber and J.K. Dobbins both score TDs and tally up 185 yards of combined rushing.

Dwayne Haskins throws for 200 yards and two TDs--one to Johnnie Dixon and the other to Terry McClaurin, to give the offense another very balanced attack.

The defense gives up a pair of rushing TDs— including one to QB Shawn Robinson— but holds strong for the most part. Nick Bosa and Chase Young each tally one sack and dominate their side of the ball.

Each team hits a FG, but in the end Ohio State prevails and proves they’re a top-4 playoff type contender.

Max Littman


Ohio State 52, TCU 35
Season Point Total: 67

The Ohio State offense and play calling under Ryan Day is looking so incredibly high-powered that I doubt anyone in the country can stop it. TCU can and will put up points, especially on an untested OSU secondary, but Jerry’s World is as close to a home-away-from-home that OSU can have and I will be there watching the Bucks win live and in person!

Brett Ludwiczak


Ohio State 38, TCU 17
Season Point Total: 115

The player who I think could make the biggest impact in this game is J.K. Dobbins, who is returning to his home state for the second time as a Buckeye. The sophomore fares a lot better than he did in the Cotton Bowl against USC, where he rushed for just 39 yards on 13 carries. Ohio State erases any doubt in the middle of the second half and go up by two touchdowns and don’t look back.

Patrick Mayhorn


Ohio State 49, TCU 28
Season Point Total: 111

TCU’s defense keeps the game close through three quarters despite good performances by Dwayne Haskins and J.K. Dobbins. Up by a touchdown at the start of the fourth quarter, Ohio State finally takes over, scoring on two big plays and shutting down the TCU offense on the way to a 49-28 victory, though the score doesn’t reflect how close most of the game will actually be.

Chad Peltier


Ohio State 42, TCU 24
Season Point Total: 50

Matt Tamanini


Ohio State 41, TCU 24
Season Point Total: 107

There is no doubt that No. 15 TCU is going to present challenges to Ohio State on both offense and defense that they haven’t yet seen this season— outside of intra-squad scrimmages, of course. Horned Frogs QB Shawn Robinson will use his feet to extend drives, and he will quickly get rid of the ball to his arsenal of weapons in order to put pressure on the inexperienced linebackers in open space. However, ultimately, the suffocating defensive line will keep them at bay more often than not, and Dwayne Haskins will use this game to officially put himself at the top of the Heisman Trophy conversation.

Dan Vest


Ohio State 34, TCU 20
Season Point Total: 114

TCU will get its punches in and may even lead early, but in the end, the team with the better players will pull away, and Ohio State will win relatively comfortably.


Ok, after two weeks, let’s take a look as to how are staff’s picks are looking.


So, to recap our oddly overly complicated scoring system:

Correct Winner Prediction: 75 points
Perfect Prediction Bonus: 25 points
Point Total Deductions: Subtract 1 point for every point off total score (cap 25 points)

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Floyd Mayweather coming out retirement for Manny Pacquiao bout



According to his personal Instagram, unbeaten boxing champion Floyd Mayweather is coming out of retirement to battle Manny Pacquiao in the ring later this year.

Mayweather dropped the bombshell early Saturday morning with a video detailing a previous spat the pair of boxers had outside of a venue in Japan this week.

"I’m coming back to fight Manny Pacquiao this year. Another 9 figure pay day on the way."

Entire article: https://247sports.com/Article/Floyd...-retirement-for-Manny-Pacquiao-bout-121876831

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Re: All they see is the “Money Mayweather” persona.

Lee Corso made his pick for Ohio State and TCU on ESPN ‘College GameDay’
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Brutus or SuperFrog?

On Saturday morning, ESPN’s “College GameDay” visited the campus of TCU in advance of the No. 15 Horned Frogs game against the No. 4 Ohio State Buckeyes, and with a visit from “GameDay” comes a Lee Corso headgear pick.

In the 22 years that Coach Corso has been donning helmets, mascot heads, and costumes to signal his pick of the week’s biggest game, he has picked 38 Ohio State games, and has a record of 23-15 in them. The former Indiana head coach has gone with the Buckeyes 26 of those times, and in those games that the Sunshine Scooter donned a Brutus head or Buckeye helmet, he is 18-8.

Well, here’s hoping that he ends the day 19-8, as in front of the TCU crowd, Corso put on the famed Brutus head, yet again!

ESPN “College GameDay”

In addition to Corso, Desmond Howard picked OSU, WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns went with the home Horned Frogs. Ohio State alum Kirk Herbstreit will be calling the game, so he didn’t make an official pick.

The Buckeyes and Horned Frogs will face off 18 miles from campus at AT&T Stadium at 8 p.m. ET. The game will be broadcast on ABC.

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Ohio State vs. TCU isn’t the only exciting game on today’s college football schedule
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Let’s be honest, today is all about Rutgers vs. Kansas!

Oh, things are getting serious today! Yes, the Buckeyes are finally playing an opponent with a pulse; yes, the Tiger Bowl is happening down on The Plains; yes the week’s most entertaining game might be Boise State at Oklahoma State, but honestly, who cares?

It is the day that we have all been waiting for. It is like the college football equivalent of Christmas, or Tax Day, or a four-hour visit to the dentist that includes all four wisdom teeth being pulled and a root canal. It’s Rutgers vs. Kansas Day!


Since the No. 4 Ohio State Buckeyes don’t kick off until 8 p.m. ET against the No. 15 TCU Horned Frogs, there is plenty of time to sit back, relax, and enjoy the other games for a while. Despite the much-anticipated, long-awaited Scarlet Knights and Jayhawks matchup, the noon window doesn’t bring a ton of excitement to the table. However, there are some early opportunities to scout Ohio State’s upcoming opponents.

At noon on FS1, No. 11 Penn State will host the Kent State. While I wouldn’t expect to see the Flashes put up much of a fight in Happy Valley, it should be a good opportunity to familiarize yourself with the Buckeyes’ next major opponent after TCU. OSU and PSU play in State College, Penn., on Saturday, Sept. 29.

If you’d prefer to flip the TV to a more immediate Buckeye opponent, too bad, because Ohio State’s next foe, the Tulane Green Wave, isn’t playing on television today. Instead, they will be traveling to UAB to play the Blazers at 1 p.m. ET in a game broadcast on the Facebook... what is this world coming to?

However, once you get through the dregs of the opening timeslot, things get exciting, because at 3:30 p.m. ET, you’ve got a pair of ranked-vs.-ranked matchups, and two Big Ten contenders hosting teams looking to rebound coming off of losses.


On CBS, we’ve got the Battle of the Tigers as Joe Burrow and the No. 12 LSU Tigers head over to Jordan-Hare Stadium to face the No. 7 Auburn Tigers in a major SEC West matchup. Then, we’ve got the aforementioned most exciting game of the day (non-OSU vs. TCU edition, obviously), as No. 17 Boise State travels to Stillwater, Okla., to take on mulletless Mike Gundy’s No. 24 Oklahoma State Cowboys.

A little closer to home, No. 6 Wisconsin hosts BYU, and No. 19 Michigan hosts SMU.

As we get closer to the Buckeyes’ gametime, at 7 p.m. ET over on ESPN, the top-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide will look to knockoff Ole miss in Oxford, Miss. The Rebels are inexplicably 2-2 vs. the Tide since 2014, but I can’t imagine a scenario in which ‘Bama doesn’t win this one by at least three touchdowns.

Kicking off at the same time as the Buckeyes, just three hours south on I-35 in Austin, will be No. 22 USC and Texas. These two storied programs have quite the history against each other. Neither has looked especially impressive so far this season, but it could be a statement game for either program, if they end up winning comfortably.

We’ve also got some other fun, ranked Pac-12 After Dark options as the No. 10 Washington Huskies visit the Utah Utes, and the No. 23 Fighting Herm Edwardses, a.k.a. the Arizona State Sun Devils, will go on the road to Herm’s alma mater, San Diego State. I don’t expect upsets in either game, but you never know what types of craziness will happen when the sun goes down out west.

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Ohio State vs. TCU 2018: Start time, live stream, TV schedule and GameThread
Meredith Hein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The Buckeyes face the Horned Frogs at a “neutral site” in their toughest test of the young season.

The No. 4 Ohio State Buckeyes owned their first two games of the season against Oregon State and Rutgers. Now, the Buckeyes head to AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas for a rare neutral site game against the No. 15 TCU Horned Frogs, even though the game will be played less than 18.5 miles from TCU’s campus. It will be Ryan Day’s final game as interim head coach for Ohio State, and he’ll be facing Gary Patterson, the second-longest tenured head coach in the FBS.

The two teams have not squared off since 1973, when Woody Hayes’ Ohio State squad crushed Billy Tohill’s Horned Frogs 37-3. The teams have only played six times in program history, with Ohio State holding a 4-1-1 record over TCU. This time, Ohio State is a 13-point favorite over the Horned Frogs, who finished second in the Big 12 last season behind Oklahoma.

Sophomore quarterback Dwayne Haskins has proven to be far more than just adequate through two games this season, racking up more than 500 yards passing, and throwing for nine touchdowns, despite sitting for nearly all of the second half in both games. Receivers like Johnnie Dixon and Terry McLaurin have been reliable from both short and long range, while Mike Weber and J.K. Dobbins have balanced the much-improved passing attack with a consistent and reliable ground game.

TCU enters the game with a 2-0 record, with double-digit wins against Southern and SMU. The Horned Frogs are breaking in sophomore quarterback Shawn Robinson, the first truly dual-threat quarterback the Buckeyes have faced this season. On the other side of the ball, TCU boasts the best defense in the Big 12— one that will likely challenge Haskins and his downfield passing game in particular. The Horned Frogs also bring special teams star KaVontae Turpin, who leads TCU in receiving yards this season, and has already scored a special teams touchdown this season.

The matchup will be the toughest of Ohio State’s young season, and will test Day and company on both sides of the ball. Haskins and the offense in particular will need to step up against the most stout defense they have seen all year.

When is the game and how can I watch?


Game Date/Time: Saturday, Sept. 15, 8 p.m.

Location: Arlington, Texas

TV: ABC

Online: WatchESPN

Radio: 97.1 FM/1460 AM

Where is GameDay this weekend?


Despite the game being played 18 miles away, ESPN’s “College GameDay” is broadcasting live from TCU’s campus ahead of the Horned Frogs’ matchup with Ohio State. This visit marks the third time that “GameDay” has visited TCU.

WWE Universal Champion— and former Georgia Tech All-ACC defensive end Roman Reigns (Joe Anoaʻi) was announced to be the guest picker for the day. Importantly, Lee Corso, currently sitting at 2-0 on the year, is 18-8 all-time when picking Brutus Buckeye in his headgear selection.

What’s the rest of the Big Ten up to today?


Most of the Big Ten is in the final week of non-conference play today, beginning with a quintet of noon matchups. Kicking things off, No. 11 Penn State hosts Kent State on FS1 and Rutgers travels to Kansas. On BTN, Indiana faces Ball State, Nebraska plays Troy, and Maryland hosts Temple.

At 3:30 p.m., No. 6 Wisconsin gets BYU at home on ABC. In the same time slot, No. 19 Michigan plays 0-2 SMU, Miami (OH) travels to Minnesota, and Illinois plays South Florida at Soldier Field, all on BTN.

At 7:30 p.m. Missouri travels to Purdue, Northwestern battles Akron, and Iowa faces Northern Iowa, also on BTN.


Join the conversation! Below is your Ohio State-TCU GameThread. Be respectful, be kind and as always, keep it classy. 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 get the Big Ten season going strong. Go Bucks.

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IT’S FINALLY OHIO STATE GAMEDAY!!!! BRING ON THE HORNED FROGS!
Geoff Hammersley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The Buckeyes first primetime game of the season is here. Let’s get you ready for the game with all the content from the past week.

Once again, we made it to Saturday. This time, though, the No. 4 Ohio State Buckeyes are playing a little bit later in the day. The first week was a noon kickoff, then last week was a 3:30 p.m. ET kickoff. Now, it’s a primetime kick, as the Bucks get the No. 15 TCU Horned Frogs in a national televised 8 p.m. ET game—which brings ABC’s Game of the Week broadcast crew of Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit and Maria Taylor.

Over the past week, our talented group of writers have put together preview pieces, analytical breakdowns, and everything in-between.

If you missed out on any of the stories, we have you 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 deep dives, they are there, too.

Enjoy it everybody, we’ve finally made it gameday!

Podcasts


Dwayne Haskins makes first big start at OSU

What the Buckeyes can use for motivation against TCU

Betting Lines


Week 3 Big Ten Games

Week 3 National Games

Previews


Ohio State releases depth chart for TCU

Game Preview

TCU offensive player to watch: Quarterback Shawn Robinson

TCU defensive player to watch: Linebacker Arico Evans

Q&A with the TCU SB Nation blog, Frogs O’ War

Colton Denning’s I Got 5

Deep Dives


Haskins is ready for TCU

Recaps


Ryan Day’s TCU presser notes

5 takeaways from Day’s press conference ahead of TCU

News


ESPN’s College Gameday will be in Fort Worth for Ohio State-TCU

Shawn Robinson will force OSU LBs to step up their game

Ohio State target will be at the game on Saturday

Texas born Buckeyes look to put on a show against the Horned Frogs

Haskins’ Heisman odds take small dip; Ohio State title odds stay the same (Tuesday)

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Showdown In Texas: Ohio State vs TCU
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



It is the last week of Coach Meyer’s suspension and the first big test for the Buckeyes is upon us. It is TCU week and there is a lot of excitement from both fan bases, and what better venue than at the AT&T Stadium–the home of the Dallas Cowboys? This is essentially a home game for TCU, but the Buckeye faithful will find a way to paint the stands in scarlet and gray.

For the Buckeyes, we have seen two dominant performances against mediocre teams and the positive momentum that they have gained cannot be ignored. This Buckeye team is talented and they are arguably one of the most talented teams in the nation and they are also one of the deepest teams at just about every position. They will need to bring their “A” game in order to stop this TCU team, who will be their toughest opponent after two weeks worth of dominating performances. Coach Meyer’s input coupled with Coach Day’s playcalling will be key for the Buckeyes to leave Texas with a win–and possibly a resounding victory.

For TCU, they also faced a pair of mediocre opponents and looked sluggish in the beginning before pulling away. They cannot do that against this Buckeye team due to the explosiveness of Haskins and his wide receiver core. They also cannot afford to lose the battle in the trenches against another collection of talented rushmen led by Nick Bosa, Chase Young, Dre’Mont Jones, and Robert Landers because it is going to be a long day for TCU.

Shawn Robinson provides a unique problem that could threaten this vaunted Buckeye defense and it could spell trouble for them with his ability to run and pass. This will be the first dual-threat quarterback in this years docket and it will be their biggest test before diving into the meat of the rest of their BIG 10 schedule. Another funny part about this is that the Buckeyes heavily recruited Robinson, but he chose TCU instead and the Buckeyes ended up with the Gatorade Player of the Year in Tate Martell.

A lot has been said on the message boards on TCU’s end and they claim that the speed from within their program would essentially give the Buckeyes fits for the entirety of the game this weekend. I get it and in practice, you can be faster than your teammates, but be careful what you wish for because the land of make-believe will come crashing down on you once you witness the caliber of athletes on Ohio States roster. Year in and year out, they constantly reload and bring more speed on top of what they already have on the roster. From the offensive side to the defensive side, they are fast at all levels, and they could be shellshocked once the ball gets housed and the difference in overall speed is evident.

Matchups To Watch:

• Haskins vs TCU Defense: This will be his measuring stick and with the increase in overall talent and team speed, this could be interesting. Will Haskins have another dominant offensive performance against one of the best defensive units? Or will he make mistakes and falter?
• The War in the Trenches: You have to win in the trenches before speaking and with another talented group on both sides of the ball, this will be another matchup to watch. Bosa and friends against the best offensive line that they will face during Coach Meyer’s final game of his suspension. On the offensive side, will their line matchup and dominate against a scrappy TCU defense that ranked in the top 15 a season ago? Or will they struggle?
• TCU WR’s vs Ohio State Back Seven: With the proclaimed speed of Turpin and friends, it is essential that the back seven of the Ohio State defense plays disciplined and focused football and that they trust their instincts and their keys against TCU. Against an inferior Oregon State team and their backup QB they put up 31 points due to miscommunication and inexperience and it is encouraging for this group. If Fuller and pals can matchup and stick with the gameplan, they can shut down this offense with ease, but with the inexperience and the youth of the LB core, we will have to play it by ear.
• Zone 6/Tote Nation vs TCU Defense: It will be interesting to see this matchup! With a handful of receiving threats and a pair of 1,000-yard rushers, there aren’t enough footballs to give to everyone, so they need to make their time on the field count. TCU has had one of the better defenses in recent years, but will they or do they have enough to stop this talented offense?
• Texans Return: With a few former Texans on Ohio State’s roster still on the team, how would they perform in front of their family and friends that they left behind? Will the lights be too bright as they no-show? Or will they dominate and show TCU what they missed out on? J.K. Dobbins, Baron Browning, Demetrius Knox, Kendall Sheffield, and Jeffrey Okudah will return to Jerry’s World and face a team that wanted them on their team.
• Special Teams: Jekyll or Hyde: It is no secret that the Ohio State has struggled with the Special Teams units over the years and this year is no different. With a rotation of returners, there comes growing pains and miscues. Fumbles have been an issue and with an offense that can make you pay. On TCU’s side is Turpin, a potent return man who can swing momentum if given the opportunity to do damage. What this matchup in particular because it could determine the game.

Prediction: With everything considered I am predicting another 50+ point game for the Buckeyes in a near shootout with TCU. It will be close in the first quarter with both teams providing the fireworks. In a statement game and Haskins’ coming out party against a Top-15 team, he will throw for 200+ yards and at least 4 TD’s. The Running Back duo will carve up the defense with Dobbins showing out in his home state of Texas, but Weber will match him with a score as well.

Haskins: 235 yards and 3 TD’s

Dobbins/Weber: 155 yards and 2 TD’s

Buckeyes Defense: 3 sacks, 1 int, 2 forced fumbles, 1 TD

Final: 56-24, Buckeyes defeats TCU




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Texas born Buckeyes look to put on a show in their home state
Patrick Mayhorn via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


It could be a big day for JK Dobbins, Baron Browning, Jeffrey Okudah, and Demetrius Knox

“Dobbins is used to putting on a show in Texas. He hopes to do so again when No. 4 Ohio State plays No. 15 TCU on Saturday night at AT&T Stadium in Arlington. That’s a big stage, the home of the Dallas Cowboys. This will be the second time Dobbins has played there in about nine months.”


- Bill Landis, Cleveland.com

This Ohio State roster is infused with more talent from the Lone Star State than ever before. The official roster lists seven(!) Texas products, and while two of them (Matthew Baldwin and Ellijah Gardiner) aren’t expected to play much, the other five will be key in Ohio State’s matchup with TCU tomorrow. Those five, of course, are Jeffrey Okudah, Kendall Sheffield, Demetrius Knox, Baron Browning, and the topic of Bill’s excellent article: JK Dobbins.

It’s been a bit of a slow start for Dobbins, as he hasn’t topped the hundred yard mark yet this season, but Ohio State really hasn’t needed him to. He will be needed quite a bit as the Buckeyes take on the Horned Frogs and their excellent defense, and if Dobbins (and Mike Weber) can get going early, it would be a huge boost for the Buckeye offense.

“Browning’s father, Barry Sr., played defensive back for TCU in the late 1990s, including one season under then-assistant Gary Patterson. And Browning is close friends with TCU quarterback Shawn Robinson.”


- Drew Davison, Star-Telegram

While Ohio State’s offense against TCU’s defense is probably the most interesting matchup in Saturday’s game, the most important is probably the inverse. Ohio State’s defense has struggled a bit early on this year, specifically against Oregon State in Week 1, and there are certainly plenty of fair concerns about this unit.

Most of those concerns fall to the linebackers. The linebacker play on this team last year was, let’s face it, dreadful at times, and was a huge part in Ohio State’s losses to both Oklahoma and Iowa. While TCU doesn’t have the tight end play, or the quarterback to exploit the middle of this defense like those teams did, it will still be a huge test for the back seven of this defense.

We know the line is going to be awesome. The bigger question, and what may actually decide the game, is if the linebackers, corners and safeties can keep the TCU passing offense contained. To do that’s they’ll need to be able to shut down the middle of the field, and keep speedy playmakers like KaVontae Turpin contained. That’s way easier said than done.

“Both the men’s and women’s 2018 cross country teams will be back in action this Saturday. The 2018 edition of the Commodore Classic will be held Saturday, Sept. 15 at Percy Warner Park in Nashville, Tenn. This will be the 15th annual running of the Commodore Classic. Men will run their first 8k of the season at 10 a.m. E.T. and the Women will run a 5k at 11 a.m. E.T.”


- Ohio State Athletics

It’s a big weekend for the cross country teams, as the men’s team looks to build on their first place finish at last Saturday’s meet in Cookeville, Tenn., while the women’s team looks to jump back into the top 30 nationally after dropping out in the most recent rankings.

This weekend’s meet features some of the nation’s top teams, including the Middle Tennessee State men’s team, which comes in to the meet ranked 19th in the country. Throw in Big Ten foe Illinois and in-state rival Xavier, and you’ve got a recipe for a huge weekend in cross-country, at “one of the most scenic and challenging [courses] in the Southeast”

Buckeyes in the NFL


While the full NFL slate for Week 2 doesn’t kick off for another two days, a few Buckeyes got in on the action in last night’s matchup between the Bengals and the Ravens, as two Buckeye rookies, Billy Price and Sam Hubbard, suited up for Cincinnati.

It was a huge day for Hubbard, as he picked up five tackles, two of which came for a loss, and his first sack of his NFL career. Hubbard has gotten off to an excellent start this season, and is establishing himself as one of the steals of the draft very early in his young career.


The news for Billy Price was significantly less encouraging. While he started the game at center for the Bengals, he suffered an ankle injury that sidelined him for the remainder of the game. According to SBNation’s Cincy Jungle, Price should be good to go for the Bengals matchup with the Panthers next Sunday.

This weekend in Buckeye sports

ohiostatebuckeyes.com
Stick to sports

• What we learned from Nintendo Direct (hell yeah, Animal Crossing is back).
• Bojack Horseman season five is out now. You can read a review here.
• Volkswagen is discontinuing the “beetle” cars

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Week 3’s Big Ten College Football betting lines are punctuated by Ohio State-TCU
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The Buckeyes and Horned Frogs meet at the best stadium Jerry can buy on Saturday night, in the only matchup between ranked teams involving a Big Ten squad.

Last week ATS: 9-8 (3-2 National, 6-6 B1G)

Season ATS: 17-19 (6-6 National, 11-13 B1G)


Saturday’s action gets started with a number of underdogs, but MC&J’s action gets chalkier as the day moves along. With any luck, our B1G season record will to the plus side of .500 by the time Saturday is over.

B1G games:


Kent State v. No. 11 Penn State (-35) - 12:00 PM EST - FS1

Penn State straight up embarrassed Pitt last week. Trace McSorley threw a touchdown pass for the 30th straight game, as the Nittany Lions hung 51 on their most hated rival. Now Penn State meets Kent State for the sixth time, outscoring the Golden Flashes 144-29 in their previous five meetings.

This will be the second Big Ten team that Kent State plays this year, losing to Illinois 31-14 in their season opener. Auburn transfer Woody Barrett has been serviceable at quarterback so far, as Kent State transitions to a more up-tempo offense.

Penn State will win comfortably, but Kent State won’t let this game get too far out of hand. The Nittany Lions have a bit of a shorter week coming up, having to hit the road to play Illinois on Friday night. The Golden Flashes find a couple of touchdowns against a Penn State defense that got torched by Appalachian State just a few weeks ago.

Penn State 45, Kent State 14


Troy v. Nebraska (-11) - 12:00 PM EST - Big Ten Network

Oh, hello Adrian Martinez. The first true freshman to start an opener for Nebraska put together a tremendous debut, passing for 187 yards and a touchdown and rushing for 117 yards and two touchdowns before leaving with an injury. Running back Greg Bell joined Martinez in hitting the 100 yard mark on the ground, but the Cornhuskers lost their first game in school history when they’ve had two players rush for over 100 yards.

Nebraska head coach Scott Frost has said that they likely won’t know if Martinez can go on Saturday until pregame warmups.

However, Troy got destroyed by Boise State to open the season, but I think the Trojans are better than that performance. Nebraska avoids their first 0-2 start since 1957, but Troy at least makes Frost sweat a bit in his second attempt to get his first win as head coach at his alma mater.

Nebraska 31, Troy 23


Ball State v. Indiana (-14.5) - 12:00 PM EST - Big Ten Network

It feels like Indiana has to be the worst 2-0 team out there. The Hoosiers did at least find themselves a bowling ball of a running back in freshman Stevie Scott who rushed for 204 yards in the 20-16 win over Virginia last Saturday.

Ball State gave Notre Dame a pretty good test last week, and the Cardinals have Indiana’s number, beating the Hoosiers three times in four meetings since 2008. Ball State will show last week’s performance was no fluke, as the Cardinals take the Hoosiers down to the wire.

Indiana 33, Ball State 30


Temple v. Maryland (-17) - 12:00 PM EST - Big Ten Network

In last week’s game, Maryland had a first half hangover coming off of their win over Texas to start the season. Against Bowling Green, the Terrapins trailed 14-10 after 30 minutes. Then, Maryland reeled off 35 unanswered points in the second half to ruin any hopes I had of the Falcons covering.

Temple is pretty gross right now. The Owls are 0-2, losing to Villanova and Buffalo to start the season. Ty Johnson has a big game on the ground for Maryland, as the Terrapins head into Big Ten play with a 3-0 record.

Maryland 42, Temple 17


Rutgers v. Kansas (-2.5) - 12:00 PM EST - You can only watch this game if you have the true degenerate sports package

Eat at Arby’s

Kansas 23, Rutgers 16


BYU v. No. 6 Wisconsin (-22.5) - 3:30 PM EST - ABC

Wisconsin apparently didn’t set their alarms for last week’s game against New Mexico. Had the Badgers had their act together in the first half, they would have had no trouble covering last week’s spread against the Lobos. Instead the Badgers missed out on covering by less than a touchdown.

I don’t know what to think about BYU right now. They hit the road to open the season and beat Arizona, but then fell at home to Cal last week. Arizona might not be as good as we thought they’d be this year, and the Cougars could be headed for a second straight losing season.

Originally, I was thinking this might be too many points for Wisconsin to be laying against the Cougars, but a couple things keep sticking out to me. Last year, the Badgers went into Provo and decimated BYU 40-6. Also, Wisconsin will be getting back wide receiver Danny Davis from suspension. Not like they’ll need him much though with how Jonathan Taylor has been running the football.

Wisconsin heads into next week’s showdown with Iowa in Iowa City on a high note with an impressive victory over BYU.

Wisconsin 37, BYU 13


SMU v. No 19 Michigan (-36) - 3:30 PM EST - Big Ten Network

We all know that Michigan is going to win this game, so we might as well hope they stomp a mudhole in Craig James’ alma mater. The Wolverines need to do it to honor... well, you know where I’m going with this.

Last week the Wolverines dominated Western Michigan from start to finish, and the Mustangs are likely to get the same treatment this week. Those 36 points are a lot to lay against any team, but SMU has nothing to offer on offense. I’d be surprised if the Mustangs even make it to double digits.

Michigan 51, SMU 7


South Florida (-10.5) v. Illinois - 3:30 PM EST - Big Ten Network

Useless info time: Illinois is playing this game at Soldier Field, where Lovie Smith used to coach the Chicago Bears, against South Florida, who shares a stadium with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who Lovie Smith also used to coach.

Really the only other thing I know about the Fighting Illini is wide receiver Mike Dudek injured his knee and is lost for the year for what feels like the 46th straight season.

Apparently the 13th transfer is a charm for South Florida quarterback Blake Barnett. After starting at Alabama and transferring to Arizona State, Barnett seems to have found a home as Charlie Strong’s quarterback. So far this year, Barnett has eight total touchdowns.

Illinois doesn’t have the offense to keep up with South Florida. The Fighting Illini may hang around a bit early on, but Barnett and company pull away in the second half.

South Florida 44, Illinois 24


Miami (OH) v. Minnesota (-13) - 3:30 PM EST - Big Ten Network

As if this season wasn’t going to be tough enough, Minnesota lost running back Rodney Smith for the season last week. Freshman Zack Annexstad has been pretty good so far at quarterback, but he is going to need some help if the Golden Gophers have designs on going bowling this year.

Minnesota got quite a scare from Fresno State last week before cornerback Antoine Winfield Jr. saved the Golden Gophers with an incredible interception in the end zone to thwart the upset attempt of the Bulldogs.

Even with the injuries and inexperience that Minnesota is dealing with, they are still a couple tiers above the Redhawks. The Golden Gophers use a strong defense to set their offense up in some favorable positions, which allows Minnesota’s offense to gain some confidence with a few easy scores.

Minnesota 34, Miami (OH) 14


Missouri (-6.5) v. Purdue - 7:30 PM EST - Big Ten Network

Purdue, oh no baby! What is you doin’??? The Boilermakers just lost to Eastern Michigan, and now are 0-2 on the season. It figures that once Purdue cultivates a bit of a running attack to compliment their passing game, their defense is non-existent. Purdue is allowing over 400 yards per game so far this year.

Those numbers aren’t going to get any better this week against a dangerous Missouri attack. The Tigers have continued the roll that they finished the 2017 regular season on, running their streak of 40-point games to eight straight. Their quarterback Drew Lock has already thrown for eight touchdowns this year.

I keep trying to talk myself into Purdue in this spot, but I can’t pull the trigger. The Boilermakers are reeling, and now they’ll be taking on the wrong team to meet up with when your defense is struggling. Missouri gets some revenge for the 35-3 beatdown Purdue handed them last year.

Missouri 48, Purdue 34


Akron v. Northwestern (-21) - 7:30 PM EST - Big Ten Network

After starting the season on a high note, Northwestern crashed back to earth last weekend against Duke. The Wildcats moved the football, but weren’t able to put points on the board in the loss to the Blue Devils.

After their season opener against Nebraska was cancelled, Akron beat up on Morgan State last week. The Zips won’t have anywhere near as much success this week against a Northwestern team that will come into this game angry after last week’s loss. Quarterback Clayton Thorson looks better this week, while running back Jeremy Larkin continues his strong start to the season.

Northwestern 42, Akron 10


No. 4 Ohio State (-13) v. No. 15 TCU - 8:00 PM EST - ABC

Saturday night’s primetime showdown at JerryWorld will be the first true test for these ranked teams. The Ohio State offense has looked like a well-oiled machine, while the defense has been stout, aside from a few plays against Oregon State. With Urban Meyer fully returning from suspension next week, this will be Ryan Day’s final game as acting head coach.

Early on last week against SMU, TCU looked like they might be looking ahead to the Buckeyes. The Horned Frogs righted the ship and pulled away to a 42-12 victory over the Mustangs. Dual-threat quarterback Shawn Robinson has looked good so far for TCU, accounting for seven touchdowns this year.

It’s hard not to respect what Gary Patterson has done with TCU. Patterson has amassed a 162-57 record in Forth Worth, and has led the Horned Frogs to at least 11 wins in three of the last four seasons. The Horned Frogs have what it takes to challenge Oklahoma this year for the Big 12 title.

This spot is a little too big for TCU, though. The Horned Frogs may come out with some fire, but Ohio State just has too much speed and talent for TCU to sustain the early spark. Nick Bosa and the rest of the defense are going to give Robinson his first true test as a college quarterback. The test will end in pain.

Normally hitting the road for a sophomore quarterback making just his third career start would be a bit of a concern, but Dwayne Haskins isn’t your normal sophomore quarterback making just his third career start. Haskins has shown he is ice cold under pressure, as evidenced by how he stepped in for an injured J.T. Barrett last year against Michigan.

It doesn’t hurt Haskins’ confidence that he has a plethora of weapons on offense, either. The Buckeyes have five wide receivers who have at least 80 yards receiving this year, with Terry McLaurin leading the way with 172 on just five catches, three of those going for touchdowns.

The player who I think could make the biggest impact in this game is J.K. Dobbins, who is returning to his home state for the second time as a Buckeye. The sophomore fares a lot better than he did in the Cotton Bowl against USC, where he rushed for just 39 yards on 13 carries. Ohio State erases any doubt in the middle of the second half and go up by two touchdowns and don’t look back.

Ohio State 38, TCU 17

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Podcast: Dwayne Haskins makes his first big start at Ohio State
Colton Denning via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


How will he handle the pressure? (Probably pretty well)

Colton and Patrick are back with another edition of the Hangout in the Holy Land, previewing Ohio State’s game with TCU. The guys discuss what the Horned Frogs’ best path to victory is, how they might attack the Buckeyes on both sides of the ball, and more.

Show Notes


1:00- Colton and Patrick flame an old listener for a review that hasn’t aged well.

4:16- Why it’s hard to judge TCU’s sloppy play against SMU last week.

6:15- What’s the most realistic path for TCU to win?

8:09- The Horned Frogs not matching up with The Rushmen, and how they’ll probably attack the edges if they want to have offensive success.

12:17- Wanting to see more of Justin Hilliard, and expecting Ohio State’s use of five defensive backs on the field at once to be extensive.

16:30- Dwayne Haskins making the first big start of his career, and the new-look interior offensive linemen being in for a big test.

21:30- Why J.K. Dobbins is better suited to have a big day against this defense than Mike Weber.

24:20- Expecting more consistent downfield shots because of the way TCU’s defense plays in the short passing game.

28:40- Patrick capes for Tate Martell as the starting punt returner, and invents the speed option punt return.

30:10- Questioning how Pat Fitzgerald smells.

31:20- Predictions for the game.

34:10- Taking a tour around the rest of week three’s action, including why everyone wins in Texas-USC (Except Texas and USC).

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I Got Five on it: I’m afraid this Dwayne Haskins is quite operational
Colton Denning via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Michigan Stadium is Alderaan, obviously.

Welcome to I Got Five on it, the Ohio State game preview column where I’m doubling down on my wrong opinion that no one but Demario McCall should be allowed to return punts for Ohio State the rest of the season.

With the Oregon State and Rutgers games mercifully behind us, it’s time for the first true test of the season, as the No. 4 Buckeyes take on No. 15 TCU in Arlington. It’s the ABC night game, and the first time that the schools have played since 1973 (!), and one of the more unique Ohio State non-con matchups in recent memory.

TCU is very TCU this year, as in they aren’t getting a ton of love nationally, but are an upset away from having the biggest win of the season and jumping right into the conversation. It’s hard to know what to take away from their game last week versus SMU— given that it was played after like 30 hours of continuous rainfall in the Dallas-Fort Worth metro— but here are some fun things they did:



Their sloppy play against the Mustangs aside, this game will be an excellent early-season test for Ohio State, and a showcase for Ryan Day’s future abilities as a full-time head coach. With that said, here are the five things I’m watching for tomorrow night:

Take a sip


Did you know that Ohio State played in AT&T Stadium when they beat Oregon to win the first College Football Playoff? If not, I commend you for staying away from literally every article written about this game on the internet all week.

It’s a great memory, and you can count on ESPN having more than a few clips from that game ready to play throughout the broadcast. If you’re looking for a fun drinking game, those references are a good start. But in true I Got Five on It fashion, let’s take it several steps further than it needs to go:

• Take two sips anytime Kirk Herbstreit says Ryan Day/Dwayne Haskins want the offense to “go vertical.”
• One sip every time J.K. Dobbins or Mike Weber get a carry; because handing off to your running backs in a big game is actually a thing you’re allowed to do, amazingly.
• Three sips if the 2014 Virginia Tech game is mentioned.
• Finish your drink if they show a photo of Urban Meyer holding the CFP trophy and use the word “embattled.”
• Two sips when Herbsteit talks about J.T. Barrett’s leadership.
• One sip for every Ohio State tackle for loss; two for every sack. (lowkey the most dangeous item on this list)
• Finish drink if Tate Martell is brought in for a gadget play that goes totally wrong.

(For the record, the official beer of this column is Busch Light.)

7’s big stage


One of my favorite things in college football is the, “Oh shit, he’s a dude™” moment. It’s not a Heisman Moment, but just the first time it really becomes apparent to you that a player is ridiculous. Some of my favorite, “Oh shit, he’s a dude™” moments:

• Reggie Bush vs. UCLA, 2004
• Tyrod Taylor vs. Nebraska, 2009
• Alshon Jeffery vs. Alabama, 2010
• Tyrann Mathieu vs. Oregon, 2011
• Khalil Mack vs. Ohio State, 2013
• Kyle Van Noy vs. Texas, 2013
• Laviska Shenault vs. Nebraska, last week

This game is Dwayne Haskins’ “Oh shit, he’s a dude™” moment for the rest of college football. (You already know he’s one.)

TCU’s defense is a several story escalator ride up from Oregon State and Rutgers’, but I’m all in on Haskins being the type of quarterback talent we’ve never seen in Columbus, and tomorrow’s really his first chance to showcase that on a national stage.

Dobbins gets loose


How quiet has J.K. Dobbins been? Despite only one less rushing attempt than Mike Weber, Dobbins has 70 fewer yards. His explosiveness has been zapped, with only two of carries of ten-plus yards so far, after he put up 38 last year. Expect that to change tomorrow.

Dobbins’ skill-set will pay off against a TCU defense that clogs the middle, and forces teams to get to the edges. Despite Weber’s renewed explosiveness, he’s still much more suited as a North-South runner, and I don’t think that works as well against this defense. Dobbins has more wiggle, can get to the outside, and shake TCU defenders that showed less than ideal tackling ability last week:


* realizes I just said Ohio State shouldn’t run up the middle on TCU then immediately showed a gif of SMU doing it and dude shedding their defensive tackle like a practice dummy *
Shaun Wade will never not start another game at Ohio State


It was merely two weeks ago that I publicly announced in this here column my self-appointment to the Presidency of Shaun Wade Hive:



Wade has followed through on that promise, picking up his first career interception last week, while notching some impressive accolades in the process. In short, he’s been great the first two games. It looks like the coaches have taken notice:



While it’s still — * Stephen A. Smith voice *— completely, and utterly baffling, TO ME, that Wade isn’t just starting at corner, it looks like he’s going to see plenty of action in the nickel, and possibly at safety. TCU uses four-and-five wide sets often, so he’s going to get even more opportunities to make plays. Odds are strong that he makes the most of that playing time, and forces the staff to make him a permanent fixture going forward.

Game management


On our Hangout in the Holy-Land TCU preview, I mentioned that this game reminds me a lot of the 2016 Oklahoma game. While it’s a bit less hyped, I think we’re going to end up with the same result. I’m not the only one confident in a comfortable Ohio State win, but it’s worth noting that a certified coaching legend will be opposite Ryan Day.

Even if Ohio State’s offense cruises, you just know that Gary Patterson is going to break out some exotic looks (Herbstreit™) early that will force Day and the rest of the offensive staff to adjust. In-game adjustments haven’t necessarily been a strong suit in the Meyer-era, but I doubt Day will be as stubborn as Meyer tends to be when it comes to executing the style of play he wants. (Also, having a real wide receivers coach will help.)

The Buckeyes already have a sizable talent advantage, and if they are able to handle the different looks TCU shows early, they shouldn’t have a ton of trouble moving the ball with their usual efficiency, while also sprinkling in a few of the big plays TCU is prone to giving up.


That’s it for this week’s I Got Five on it. Please feel free to add to the drinking game, and come back next week for my 1,000 word column lamenting Urban Meyer taking back the reigns and running Dwayne Haskins 18 times against Tulane.

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Ohio State vs Rutgers Preview
Trevor Arnold 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





The first week has come and gone, already. We wait 7 months only to have the season blink by it seems. However, we are moving on to the second week of the season where Ohio State will open its Big Ten play with Rutgers.

A successful first week for the Ohio State Buckeyes as we now start the season off 1-0. The Buckeyes put up 77 points in the first game of the Dwayne Haskin era. 70 of the points being offensive, the other would be a Nick Bosa fumble recovery. The Buckeyes didn’t have a top power 5 opponent, but the Oregon State Beavers are a power 5 school. It was the first time since 2016, against Bowling Green, the Buckeyes put up 77 points in a game. The offense looked stellar. They could seriously do no wrong. They had to punt one time, and it was during a drive with Tate Martell at the quarterback position. The Buckeyes had the right game plan, right matchups, and well the better talent.

The defense side also played very well. There is cause for concern at the safety position. However, Jordan Fuller was absent from the game with hamstring issues. Also, Marcus Hooker was suspended for the first game of the season and is expected back. So, the safety concerns may be fixed here in no time. The only other problem was the first two drives in the second half where Oregon State had back to back touchdown runs of 80 and 78 yards, respectively. The game was strange. It was a beautiful day in the first half. There wasn’t really a cloud in the sky. Both teams went to the locker room for halftime, then had to sit there an extra hour and a half due to a crazy rain storm. The start of the second half and the rest of the game was then beautiful outside. Ohio State goes the ball to start, had a quick strike to Terry McLaurin from Haskins for a 75-yard touchdown. Then Oregon State had an 80-yard run. Ohio State had a 10 play drive for a touchdown that only took 2 minutes and 30 seconds off the clock. The Oregon State had a 78-yard run. Four touchdowns in the span of 3 minutes and 54 seconds. I’m going to say the delay had something to do with the big running plays. So with the whole offseason and a new quarterback, this was almost a great of a first game as Ohio State could have hoped for.

Rutgers has the number 1 defense in the country in terms of yardage per game. Seriously. Haha. Okay, I know many of you would never buy that. Rutgers did hold the Texas State Bobcats to 176 yards last game. Held the quarterback to 7/20 for only 79 yards. But this is Texas State we are talking about. They finished 2-10 last year. Rutgers is probably getting better like many, many are hoping for, but I’m not so sure, yet. Sadly, their best cornerback, Blessuan Austin, will not play on Saturday with an ongoing knee injury.

Rutgers offense is still not quite there yet. Artur Sitkowski, the quarterback, threw 20/30, but also threw 3 interceptions, 2 of them being in the red zone. They ran the ball decently for 218 yards. Johnathan Hilliman had two rushing touchdowns on only 15 carries. But, again, that was against Texas State.

Ohio State has played Rutgers now 4 times. In 2014, the Buckeyes won 56-17. In 2015, the Buckeyes won 49-7. In 2016, the Buckeyes won 58-0. In 2017, the Buckeyes won 56-0. I do believe this is the best Rutgers team Chris Ash has had so far. But I also believe this could very well be the best Ohio State team Urban Meyer has had, especially in terms of recruiting. Now the first game of the season we saw almost every play work to perfection. Will that happen here against Rutgers? Probably not. However, Urban Meyer returned to the practice field this week, and that really only can help the Buckeyes get better. I see no reason Ohio State should even come close to losing this game, and since everyone is talking about the defense and how awful they were(they weren’t). We could see a very fired up defense. I am going to predict the score to be 70-6.




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The Other Guys
Mark Prine 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



In just a few short hours, the Buckeyes and the Oregon State Beavers will each kick off their 2018 campaign for a spot in the college football playoff and a national championship. Oregon State won exactly one game last season; so I’m not going to pretend like this game will be some kind of dogfight. Honestly, if it ends up being close, something will have gone terribly wrong for Ohio State. However, I’d like to avoid sounding completely arrogant. So here are two legitimate reasons Oregon State might actually be better than we’re giving them credit for.

Johnathan Smith

In the fall of 2000, walk-on quarterback Johnathan Smith led OSU to an 11-1 record. Eighteen years later, he’s their new Head Coach. He’s young. He’s energetic. He believes firmly that old-fashioned hard work will lead to the eventual success of his football team. I believe firmly that teams, whether it be in the business world, in the home or in college football, will take on the personality of their leader. A prime example of this can be seen in the difference of performance between the 2011 and 2012 Buckeyes after the Meyer regime took over. Smith’s Beavers are no different. Make no mistake, they are not flying all the way to Columbus with intentions of rolling over for Ohio State.

Experience

The only metric where Oregon State could actually be “better” than Buckeyes is it’s extremely experienced roster. The Beavers are returning thirteen of their twenty-two starters from last season. Such an experienced first string will give Oregon State the best opportunity to limit mistakes and avoid beating themselves. It will also give them a better opportunity to make the most of any mistakes that Ohio State’s talented but inexperienced lineup will make along the way. They are a veteran football team who is ticked off after the way last season turned out. There is no doubt in my mind that the Beavers will give Ohio State their absolute best. However, time will show how their best compares to that of The Ohio State University.

Week one of the 2018 season is finally here and it’s packed with an amazing lineup of marquee matchups. Certainly Auburn and Washington’s battle in Atlanta will be the main course. Watching Notre Dame open their season with a win over Michigan will be so very sweet; like dessert, if you will. Which means Ohio State’s warm-up game against the other OSU will be your perfect low-stress appetizer to jumpstart a great weekend of college football. Enjoy.






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Ready, Set, Go! Buckeye Starters Announced, Primed, and Ready To Rock
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



With a handful of days left in the pit of misery, it is officially game week and with that, the starters for positional units have been announced during the presser–and boy the future looks bright. With the drama behind us (hopefully it stays that way!), we can all begin looking forward to how our Ohio State Buckeyes respond to the backlash and the three-game suspension of Head Coach Urban Meyer.

Quarterback: Dwayne Haskins.

Haskins as the heir apparent to J.T. Barrett was one of the worst-kept secrets at Ohio State. He beat out a shifty dual-threat quarterback in Tate Martell, but even he did enough to earn a few reps when called upon.

Haskins has the arm and the talent to make this offense explode. He also has the weapons to make that happen as well. With a collection of talented receivers and tight ends at his disposal, he almost cannot mess this up, but we will have to see once he steps onto the field if he can live up to the hype surrounding him.

Tate Martell might have lost the battle, but he will act as a change-of-pace quarterback when he subs in for certain situations inside of the red zone. It will be an exciting combination and it would also act as his audition for next seasons quarterback battle if Haskins has one hell of a year and leaves for the NFL.



Running Back: J.K. Dobbins and Mike Weber.

This is probably the most obvious out of every position announced. The dynamic duo will re-assume their roles on the offense this year.

With Dobbins, he will use his success from his freshman season as he shares the snaps with Weber in what should be his final season. With one final season, Weber will search for holes to better his draft stock and reach his personal goals, while simultaneously helping his team achieve their own season goals.

This is another talented group with two talented freshmen in Master Teague, Brian Snead, and Jaelin Gill in the mix for snaps as well.

Wide Receiver: Johnnie Dixon, Austin Mack, and Parris Campbell.

This is another deep group of players, and the three players above are just the more seasoned players of the group. They still have weapons in the wings in McLaurin, Victor, Hill, and Saunders.

This is a talented group of receivers from a season ago that all came back to play with Haskins before they realize their NFL dreams. This is a potent group of playmakers that could light teams up the entire season.

People say speed kills and this group has all the speed! It will be crazy to see, but I am excited to see big plays consistently and often. Like the Troy Smith years–I cannot wait! With McLaurin, Dixon, and Campbell captaining, it will be an exciting time for sure.

Offensive Line: Thayer Munford OR Joshua Alabi, Malcolm Pridgeon, Michael Jordan, Demetrius Knox, and Isaiah Prince.

The offensive line has been set and you gush with excitement due to the potential. The one move that shocked many was the decision to move another offensive guard to center, this year it is Jordan’s time to lead from the inside.

There is still an on-going battle going on between Munford and Alabi at left tackle, but everything else has been nailed down with Pridgeon at left guard, the aforementioned Jordan at center, Knox at right guard, and Prince at right tackle. With a combination of Jordan at center and one of the seven team captains in Prince on the offensive line, they will lead the newer starters into battle for what could be their last year at Ohio State.

The feel I get from this lineup is salivating. I feel like they could be road graders in the run game and that they will bring that nastiness that has been missing for a little bit, both within and outside of the trenches. While Bowen still recovers, the depth is a little green, but they have a talented group that earned their spot on the two-deep.

Linebacker: Malik Harrison, Baron Browning, and Pete Werner.

Linebacker is one of the deeper position groups and the roster and the starters that were announced are all athletes–quick ones too. The sheer speed and athleticism with this group, not even factoring their backups is crazy, but it is too early to buy into the hype for now.

Run stuffers and gap fillers are their specialties, but Harrison and Browning and can be effective in coverage while Werner acts as the missile to blow up players in the backfield. The previous to can do the same, but after seeing Werner blow people up on special teams, it is not out of the question.

The will get beat sometimes because of their youth and inexperience, but they could also be scary good behind one of the best defensive line collections out there in the nation. With captain Tuf Borland still recovering from an Achilles injury, he will mold these younger players into machines.

Defensive Line: Chase Young, Dre’Mont Jones, Robert Landers, and captain Nick Bosa.

Scary doesn’t do this unit and their backups justice. They will be one of the most active units that will consistently try to harass the opposing quarterbacks and disrupt their offensive attack. They will make then earn every single yard and this offense could be a frustrating bunch to beat and overcome in the trenches.

Jones and Landers have proven that they could blow up plays with their coordinated efforts and it usually frees up Young and Bosa. Behind then are a talented group of underclassmen and a few true freshmen. Togiai and company have made a lot of noise this offseason and they are expected to contribute this season.

Watch out! This could be the best collection of disruptive playmakers in the trenches that we have had in a while. I cannot wait to see what becomes of this unit.

Defensive Backs: Damon Arnette, Kendall Sheffield or Jeffrey Okudah, Jordan Fuller, and Isaiah Pryor.

Captain Fuller will lead his unit to live up to the Ohio State standard. Everyone who was expected to start secured their respective spot on the depth chart and the only question is who will be the starting corner opposite of Arnette.

The battle between Okudah and Sheffield has been tight so far, but either or will do and they are interchangeable players that can play the sideline or the slot. Also, with Shaun Wade getting healthier and the true freshmen stepping up, if someone gets banged up they will be perfectly fine because of their depth at every position.

A fiery leader, Fuller will command everyone and coordinate the attack for his defense with other captains at every level.

Specialist/Special Teams: Sean Nuernberger and Drue Cristman.

I am giving the special team unit some love and it is well deserved. During the spring game, they showed their worth in what was the weakest units a season ago.

They weren’t terrible, but they weren’t great either with a mixture of issues from missed FG’s to pointless penalties that killed the momentum or swung it in the other teams favor. It was also the lack of containment on special teams that opposing teams often exposed the Buckeyes–especially when Barkley took it to the house on the opening kickoff last year.

Improvements must be made, especially with the new rules regarding this specific unit, where the ball can be fair caught and placed at the 25-yard line. There are some hungry young studs (think Pete Werner) that will look to make an impact. I think it’ll be Mitchell and Gant that will fly around this season and they will bring the boom!

Jeremiah, Tony, and Shannon, I apologize for the lengthy piece, but I am so excited to turn the page from the media storm that occurred a month ago. I am truly excited for Buckeye season and so are Trevor and Mark.




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Podcast: Is Dwayne Haskins destined to be a first round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft?
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Also, what are the Buckeyes and Horned Frogs doing to get a motivational advantage?

In the latest “Why is this News?” edition of the “Hangout in the Holy Land” podcast, co-hosts Matt Tamanini and Alexis Chassen catch up on all of the biggest Buckeye stories that from the past week.


Matt and Alexis hold off on talking about the huge football game this weekend to discuss the fact that one of the greatest basketball players in Ohio State history, the leading scorer in professional women’s basketball history, Katie Smith, was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass., last weekend.

After heaping praise on the legendary Smith, Matt and Alexis turn their attention to Saturday’s primetime football matchup between the No. 4 Ohio State Buckeyes and No. 15 TCU Horned Frogs.


While they leave the in-depth breakdown to their podcasting cohorts, Colton Denning and Patrick Mayhorn on the previous episode of Hangout in the Holy Land, Matt and Alexis talk about the motivational methods that the Buckeyes and Horned Frogs are employing for their game at AT&T Stadium.

Matt and Alexis also have differing opinions about what Dwayne Haskins will do following this season, they also make their predictions for the game, and Alexis is very optimistic about about the potential Ohio State offensive output.


Alexis also gives a quick recap of the Buckeye news from Week 1 of the NFL season. They also run through the upcoming slate of contests for other Ohio State sports.

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An SEC battle between LSU and Auburn tops Week 3’s national college football betting lines
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The Tiger Bowl is essentially an elimination game in the SEC West race, plus a couple Pac-12 showdowns are on tap

Last week ATS: 9-8 (3-2 National, 6-6 B1G)

Season ATS: 17-19 (6-6 National, 11-13 B1G)


Last week was a very small step in the right direction for MC&J. Teams from the Palmetto State were the only thing holding up a perfect week nationally, as South Carolina provided a lot less challenge for Georgia than I thought they would, and Clemson couldn’t score enough to cover against Texas A&M. With another five national games on tap this week, some more progress could be made.

National games:


No. 12 LSU v. No. 7 Auburn (-10) - 3:30 PM EST - CBS

After opening up the season with wins over ranked teams, both LSU and Auburn had little trouble feasting on cupcakes last week. Former Ohio State quarterback Joe Burrow is still trying to find his rhythm with the Tigers, completing less than 50 percent of his passes so far this year. Luckily with the defense LSU has played so far this year, some of the pressure has been taken off Burrow’s shoulders.

The pressure will definitely ramp up for him and the Tigers this weekend, as they’ll travel to Jordan-Hare Stadium, where Auburn hasn’t lost since 2016. Gus Malzahn’s team will look to avoid a repeat of last year’s game, where Auburn fell 27-23 after jumping out to a 20-0 lead on the Tigers.

The last two meetings between these teams have been close, being decided by a total of nine points. This year’s Tiger Bowl won’t be quite as close. Auburn is the more complete team right now, and their defense is going to give Burrow a rude welcoming to SEC play. Jarrett Stidham has plenty of weapons to work with on offense, and will find some holes in a tough LSU defense.

Auburn 30, LSU 17


No. 17 Boise State v. No. 24 Oklahoma State (-2) - 3:30 PM EST - ESPN

Saturday’s game in Stillwater could end up being the most entertaining game of the day. The Broncos and Cowboys are each putting up over 600 yards of offense per game so far this year, with Oklahoma State’s 674 leading the nation.

Last week Boise State rang up 818 yards of offense against UConn, which set a school record. Brett Rypien has already thrown for seven touchdowns, and a win over Oklahoma State would put the Broncos in the early driver’s seat for the Group of 5 bid to one of the New Year’s Six bowl games. A win over Oklahoma State would give Boise State their 200th win since the year 2000.

The Cowboys have so far had little problem adjusting to life after Mason Rudolph. One area that fifth-year senior quarter Taylor Cornelius will have to clean up against the Broncos is in the turnover department. Cornelius has thrown three interceptions so far this year, which is something that he can’t afford to do against a tough Boise State defense.

There is no doubt that Stillwater will be rocking on Saturday, but Boise State will be ready for the challenge. The Broncos could also get stronger this week, as defensive tackle David Moa, who started 24 games the past two seasons, could return from injury. But the main reason I think Boise State covers is because I’m still salty that Mike Gundy got rid of his mullet.

Boise State 38, Oklahoma State 31


Houston (-1.5) v. Texas Tech - 4:15 PM EST - FOX

After Tom Herman left Houston following the 2016 season, who would have thought that the Cougars would be better right now than Texas? Last week Houston shut down Khalil Tate and Arizona, beating the Wildcats 45-18. Quarterback D’Eriq King accounted for six touchdowns against Arizona, and more could be on the way against a Texas Tech defense that is notoriously bad.

This very well could be Kliff Kingsbury’s last shot at building something in Lubbock. In his sixth year with the Red Raiders, Kingsbury has posted a 31-34 record, never winning more than eight games in a season. After getting shelled by Ole Miss in the season opener, Texas Tech got back on track last week, beating Louisiana-Monroe 77-0.

I used to be a little more leery of betting against Texas Tech in Lubbock, but they haven’t been as good at home the last two years, losing seven games over that span. The Red Raiders will find some offense at times during the game, but Ed Oliver leads Houston’s defense to some stops which will allow the Cougars to their second straight win over a Power Five school.

Houston 44, Texas Tech 34


No. 22 USC v. Texas (-3) - 8:00 PM EST - FOX

After Ohio State reached the 900 win mark last week, Texas will be looking to join the Buckeyes as the third school to hit that number. To get there, Texas will have to take down a USC team that beat the Longhorns 27-24 in double overtime last year in Los Angeles. Saturday’s game will be the first time since 1966 that USC has visited Austin.

After a successful debut against UNLV, freshman quarterback JT Daniels had a rough go of it last week against Stanford. Not only did Daniels throw two interceptions, but he also suffered a bruised throwing hand against the Cardinal, but all signs point to Daniels being able to play on Saturday.

After getting embarrassed in the season opener against Maryland, the Longhorns struggled to a 28-21 win over Tulsa last week. I learned my lesson after the loss to the Terrapins. If Tim Beck is heavily involved in the offense, then it is wise to stay away from siding with Texas. I’m not crazy about backing a freshman quarterback in Austin, but the Trojans have a lot of experience on defense, which I think could easily sniff out Beck’s terrible play calling. USC sweeps the home-and-home with the Longhorns.

USC 28, Texas 24


No. 10 Washington (-5.5) v. Utah - 10:00 PM EST - ESPN

Pac-12 after dark time! I have a feeling that things are going to get silly in Salt Lake City. Washington rebounded from a loss in the season opener against Auburn with a 45-3 victory over North Dakota last week. Running back Myles Gaskin has been pretty quiet so far this year, and that trend could continue this week against a Utah defense that is allowing just over 80 yards per game on the ground.

If Utah is going to pull the upset of Washington on Saturday night, the Utes are going to need to get more from their running game. Last week Utah mustered just 68 yards on the ground against Northern Illinois in a 17-6 win over the Huskies. That type of effort won’t cut it against Washington.

Much like last week when a ranked Michigan State team traveled to Arizona State, I like an unranked Pac-12 home team against a ranked squad. Even though they haven’t beaten Washington, the Utes have played the Huskies tough the last two years, losing those contests by a combined 10 points. Third time is a charm for Kyle Whittingham’s team.

Utah 24, Washington 21


No. 23 Arizona State (-6) v. San Diego State - 10:30 PM EST - CBS Sports Network

We are all eating a lot of crow for all of the Herm Edwards jokes we made when Arizona State hired him to be their head coach, aren’t we? Last week the Sun Devils gutted out a 16-13 win over Michigan State, and now Arizona State will hit the road for the first time this year.

There are some incredible ties in this matchup. Not only is Herm Edwards’ alma mater San Diego State, but he hired defensive coordinator Danny Gonzales and defensive passing game coordinator Tony White away from Rocky Long’s staff.

At the beginning of this season this game seemed like a prime spot for San Diego State to take down another Power 5 school, but that isn’t the case anymore. The Aztecs will be missing quarterback Christian Chapman, who sprained his MCL in last week’s win over Sacramento State. Ryan Agnew will have his hands full in his first career start, as he’ll have to deal with a swarming Arizona State defense,

Maybe Agnew is more comfortable at quarterback after getting a week of starter’s reps, but I’m not counting on it. The knowledge of what San Diego State’s defense will likely try to throw at them will help quarterback Manny Wilkins and wide receiver N’Keal Harry have another big game. Herm stays perfect in his college football coaching career.

Arizona State 34, San Diego State 20

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Ohio State vs. TCU: Game preview, prediction and 6 things to know
Meredith Hein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The Buckeyes head to Arlington for their toughest test yet of this young season.

No. 4 Ohio State continued to build its early-season momentum in its outing against Rutgers last week, defeating the Scarlet Knights 52-3. The win was the 900th in program history and, though coming against Rutgers, gave the Buckeyes an early leg up in the Big Ten East. Ohio State controlled the game from start to finish, with a stout defense that gave up just 134 yards from scrimmage. The Big Ten game also provided a crucial tuneup for the Buckeyes’ matchup this week with No. 15 TCU, its toughest non-conference test of the season.

After finishing ninth in the final AP Poll last year, TCU has had a strong start to 2018, opening with a 55-7 win over Southern in Week One, and following up with a 42-12 victory in driving rains over SMU. Ohio State is the final non-conference game of the season for the Horned Frogs, who are scheduled to go on the road against Tom Herman’s Texas squad in Week Four to open their round-robin schedule of Big 12 play.

Gary Patterson, the Horned Frogs’ lead man since 2000, is the second-longest tenured head coach in the FBS behind Iowa’s Kirk Ferentz. Despite the switch to a Power 5 conference in 2012, Patterson has brought home seven 11-win seasons in the last decade and earned a Big 12 co-championship in 2014 (more on that later). Last season, the Horned Frogs finished second in the conference behind Oklahoma, capping the season with an Alamo Bowl victory over Stanford.

However, the loss of Kenny Hill— who played two seasons under Patterson after transferring from Texas A&M— left uncertainty at the quarterback position heading into 2018. Just two weeks before the start of the season, Patterson named sophomore Shawn Robinson to the starting role. Robinson served as Hill’s backup last season, but had been locked in a battle with Penn transfer Michael Collins for the starting job since spring practice.

Despite his new role as a starter, Robinson presents a real threat to the Ohio State defense, since he is the first true dual-threat quarterback the unit has faced in a long time. He was the sixth-ranked dual-threat passer in the 2017 recruiting class, but the Buckeye defense might be better prepared than it would seem: Tate Martell, who practiced on the scout team last season, was No. 2 in the same class.

In terms of the overall schedule, Ohio State has not been shy about scheduling premiere non-conference matchups early in the season, though these generally have taken the format of a home-and-home. The results from these matchups, as would be expected when pitting top teams against one another, has been mixed. Ohio State split matchups with Virginia Tech from 2014-15 and with Oklahoma in 2016-17.

Ohio State has faced off against TCU six times in program history, winning the last three head-to-heads in 1966, 1969 and 1973. The Buckeyes also won in 1937 and tied in 1961, with the only series loss coming in 1957. Woody Hayes was at the helm at Ohio State in five of the six games between the two schools.

For Ohio State, this week marks the final game with Ryan Day as interim head coach before Urban Meyer returns versus Tulane. Day’s team has been impressive in its first two outings, but a ranked matchup away from Columbus will be an entirely different sort of test.

Ohio State’s biggest advantages


Across (and down) the field. Despite all of the questions surrounding how he would manage to replace J.T. Barrett, Dwayne Haskins hasn’t shown any serious growing pains in his first two starts at quarterback. Some even have Haskins listed as a Heisman candidate.


In his opening outings, he has emerged as one of the most accurate passers in the country, completing greater than 79 percent of his throws— good for third in the FBS. He has three touchdowns of 20 yards or more, and has enabled the growth of a vertical passing game which has been largely absent in recent years in Columbus. And while he has shown skill with the deep ball, Haskins has also demonstrated his ability in short passing situations, patiently managing sustained drives with his offense instead of jumping to the long pass.

Haskins’ downfield passing threat means nothing without reliable receivers, and those receivers have shown up through the first two games of the season. Against Oregon State, Terry McLaurin turned a 15-yard reception into a 75-yard touchdown in the third quarter to start and finish a one-play drive. Versus Rutgers, Johnny Dixon opened the scoring with a 44-yard touchdown catch. Through just two games, 11 receivers have catches of 10 or more yards.

Reliable rushing. For an offense which has been so running-centric in recent years, it’s been a fascinating break to watch a vertical passing game emerge in the opening games of 2018. However, the ground game, led in tandem by Mike Weber and J.K. Dobbins, has remained a consistent and reliable source of yardage and points for the OSU offense. Though much of the hype surrounded Dobbins, who had a breakout, 1,400-yard season as a true freshman last year, it’s been Weber who has gained the most ground rushing in his redshirt junior season. Weber’s totaled 217 yards and three touchdowns on 28 carries in 2018, while Dobbins is sitting at 147 yards and one touchdown on 27 carries.

Then there is the Martell factor. Haskins’ backup has played cleanup duty mainly in the second half of the first two games, but did well enough against Rutgers to earn Big Ten Co-Freshman of the Week honors last week. The freshman went 10-for-10 passing for 121 yards and a touchdown. Importantly, he added another 47-yard score on the ground to demonstrate his running ability. Though Haskins is clearly the starter, it helps to have a quarterback with a different skill set comfortable and ready to step in if need be.


TCU boasts the best defense in the Big 12, so a diversified set of offensive weapons will be vital for Ohio State. Establishing the run early will help to open up that beautiful downfield passing that’s already become so familiar this season.

Second(ary) to none. The Silver Bullets were without some of their firepower in the season opener against Oregon State. Safety Jordan Fuller missed the matchup with a strained hamstring, while linebacker Tuf Borland, recovering from an Achilles injury, only played 10 snaps versus the Beavers. Without the pair for most of the game, the Ohio State defense gave up 196 yards each rushing and passing, including more than 300 yards on just seven chunk plays.

However, with safety Jordan Fuller back and with Borland more than doubling his snap count last week against Rutgers, the Buckeyes locked up their defense, eliminating the big plays which had caused them such trouble Week One. Fuller recorded three tackles and a pass breakup, while Borland had three tackles himself. As a team, Ohio State allowed just 65 yards through the air and 69 on the ground, giving up just three points to the Scarlet Knights.

It was a massive improvement against a theoretically better opponent. While credit certainly goes to the rest of the defense for making the adjustments from week to week, the presence of Fuller especially eliminated much of the threat of a big play through the air. This week, those pieces will be even more necessary as the defense takes on the dual-threat of Robinson, and his multi-faceted offensive weapons.

TCU’s biggest advantages


Total defense. The Big 12 might not be known for its defense, but the fact that TCU has the best defense in its conference should not be discounted. Last season, the Horned Frogs finished the season allowing just 331 yards per game (by comparison, Ohio State allowed 301) in a conference famous for racking up yardage seemingly just for the sake of it.

This season, though coming versus Southern and SMU, the defense has given up under 220 yards per game, and allowed less than 23 percent of attempted third down conversions. The Horned Frogs defense is led by defensive end Ben Banogu, who opted to return to TCU for his senior season, losing out on, by some projections, a first-round selection in the NFL Draft. He was named the preseason Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year over the summer after recording 8.5 sacks in 2017.

For a defense that is used to defending high-wire passing games, Ohio State will need to be prepared to make adjustments, balancing its offensive firepower to keep the Horned Frogs on their toes.

A special teams speedster. Senior KaVontae Turpin may stand at just 5-foot-9, 157-pounds, but he has proven to be one of the most elusive returners in his conference over the course of his career. Last season, Turpin led the Horned Frogs with 1,202 all-purpose yards, including more than 700 combined return yards. In fact, Turpin was named to the Big 12 Media Preseason Football Team this past July as the top projected return man in the conference. In the first two weeks of this season, he’s shown why.

Turpin has returned seven punts for a total of 145 yards— the second-highest total yardage in the FBS. His 20.7 yard average return is good for sixth in the country, and Turpin’s 78-yard return for a touchdown last week against SMU— in the rain and after a delay, no less— was the fifth special teams touchdown of his career.

Ohio State has not allowed a single punt return yard this season (they’ve only punted five times, with no returns), but the team also has yet to face someone on the level of Turpin. Combined with the fact that the Buckeyes will be facing a tougher defense and a higher chance of punting on a given possession, and TCU’s return game in general, and Turpin in particular, will become much more viable threats.

A thirst for revenge. Remember that time Ohio State won the first ever College Football Playoff championship in 2014? Remember how Ohio State got the last playoff spot and ran through Alabama and Oregon to win the title? Anyone remember who got shut out of the playoff that year?

TCU does. Ohio State had been out of the playoff picture heading into the Big Ten Championship game in 2014, sitting at the No. 5 spot. TCU was No. 4, and finished its season with a win over 2-10 Iowa State. Baylor, at the No. 6 spot, capped off the year with a much narrower victory over No. 9 Kansas State. However, it was Ohio State who ultimately won the day. The Buckeyes’ 59-0 pummeling of Wisconsin was enough for the committee to move the Buckeyes to the No. 4 spot--jumping TCU and staying ahead of Baylor.

The Big 12, naturally, shifted. After an NCAA rule change in 2015 which allowed for any conference, regardless of size, to host a title game, the Big 12 immediately opted to reinstate its championship game starting in 2017. They reaped the rewards immediately, as Oklahoma made its second playoff in 2017.

At TCU, which still has not made a playoff, only the coaching staff and redshirt seniors remember the feeling of being left out personally, but you have to believe that the Horned Frogs will be hyping up the snub from 2014, and beating Ohio State in 2018 would go a long way in TCU’s hunt to finally get that elusive playoff berth.

Summary


F/+ Projection: Ohio State 35, TCU 23

Win probability: Ohio State 86.7%

While still heavily in favor of Ohio State, the win probability isn’t nearly as high as it has been the first two weeks of the season. TCU presents a real foe with a significant pool of talent on both sides of the ball. The offense has molded well in the opening weeks of the season, but Saturday’s matchup will be a significant challenge against a strong non-conference opponent, and Ohio State will have to respond accordingly.

How to watch, stream, listen to Ohio State at Rutgers:


Game time: Saturday September 15th, 8 PM ET

TV: ABC

Streaming: WatchESPN

Radio: 97.1 WBNS-FM

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Even away from home, Ohio State still hosting top prospects
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The Buckeyes will have the nation’s top safety watching Saturday night.

Tomorrow evening, the Ohio State Buckeyes face their toughest test of the season as they’ll battle TCU in a top-15 showdown at the home of the Dallas Cowboys. With what the Buckeyes have displayed so far this season, there’s more than enough reason to be both excited and confident in their ability to take home the win. With this game being the primetime game of the weekend, eyes across the country will be on Ohio State. That also includes recruits, as one of the nation’s top safeties will be in attendance at the game.

The best will have his eyes on OSU


Ohio State’s ability to recruit Texas as successfully as they have in recent years has correlated to instant success on the field. When the Buckeyes come on to the field tomorrow night, they’ll be starting most likely four players from the state of Texas—and that alone will have top recruits not only watching on television, but also in person. One highly sought after prospect that will be in attendance is the top overall safety prospect in the 2020 class, RJ Mickens. Yesterday, Bucknuts.com recruiting writer Bill Kurelic took to Twitter to let Buckeye fans know that Mickens will in fact be in attendance, and it looks to be very clear who he will be watching.


A Southlake, Texas product, Mickens is a 6-foot-1, 190-pound safety. A hard hitter who is also a great player defending the pass, Mickens is a very polished player already as a high school junior. He currently holds 27 offers, but Ohio State and Texas A&M are the only two schools with 247sports crystal ball predictions.

To brag a little more on RJ’s elite level talent, he’s considered to be the fifth best Texas player for the 2020 class as well as the 34th best player in the entire country. According to Bill Kurelic, TCU has recruited Mickens, but has since closed the lines of communication a bit. With RJ having a pre-existing friendship with current Buckeye Jeffrey Okudah, you can see why he’s high on Ohio State. Saturday night has the potential to really make an impression on this star safety, and that’s exactly what Buckeye fans want to see.

Ohio still loaded with talent


It’s hard to even imagine, but even with how great Ohio State has recruited with Urban Meyer and this coaching staff, there’s still been the occasional complaint that the Buckeyes don’t always make in-state Ohio prospects a true top priority. With a national recruiting approach, the focus gets pulled away from the home state.

Yesterday, 247sports published a tweet showing the top states in the country that produce the largest amount of current NFL players, and Ohio came in at No. 5. The four states in front of Ohio were Florida, California, Texas, and Georgia. No coincidence, Ohio State lands guys from those states year in and year out. This data shows a lot, but what it shows more than anything is that the Buckeyes are going after the right guys, and that’s exactly what they’ll continue to do.


But, at the same time, Meyer and OSU still do recruiting within the home state, and sometimes pull away with the recruiting win. Maybe the in-state recruiting will heat up over the next couple years?

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Ohio State defensive end Nick Bosa is bullish on his Heisman Trophy chances
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The junior defensive end knows that history isn’t on his side when it comes to the Heisman Trophy

“I don’t think any defensive player is winning a Heisman, so we’ll see.”

Ohio State defensive end Nick Bosa via Bill Bender, The Sporting News


The list of defensive players in the mix for the Heisman Trophy is few and far between, but if there was ever a player to be a part of the discussion, it might be Ohio State defensive end Nick Bosa. Despite his strong start to the season, Bosa isn’t exactly booking tickets to New York City in early December.

Through two games this year, Bosa has registered three sacks, five tackles for loss, two fumble recoveries, and a touchdown. If the junior can keep that pace up, it’ll be hard to omit Bosa from the Heisman fesitivies.

The award has largely been dominated by quarterbacks and running backs, which is why Bosa is tempering his expectations. Of the last 18 Heisman Trophy winners, 15 of those award recipients have been quarterbacks. It also doesn’t help Bosa’s case that teammate Dwayne Haskins has put up monster numbers at quarterback in Ohio State’s first two games.

In the history of the Heisman Trophy award, just eight times have defensive linemen finished in the top five in voting, with the last being Nebraska’s Ndamukong Suh in 2009. The best finish overall for a defensive lineman in Heisman voting came in 1957 with Iowa’s Alex Karras and Pitt’s Hugh Green in 1980, who both finished second.

Bosa understands why he likely won’t be a part of the final discussion for the award, since with the added attention in the press, he’ll see opponents throwing more blockers at him to try and slow him down. Ohio State defensive coordinator Greg Schiano also thinks Bosa likely has an uphill battle to win the award, as it would have to be a year in which no offensive players had tremendous stats.

Even though he thinks he’ll miss out on winning the award, Bosa is fine with that. Bosa just wants to help his team win a couple other trophies, in the Big Ten title and a national championship. Plus, it doesn’t hurt that he’ll likely be one of the first players taken in the 2019 NFL Draft.

“Honestly, it’s just school and dogs and girlfriend and family. I don’t really let the football stuff get to me. One practice at a time, one game at a time is what I think about.”

Ohio State quarterback Dwayne Haskins via Bill Rabinowitz, The Columbus Dispatch


From what Ohio State fans have seen of Dwayne Haskins so far, it almost feels like nothing can rattle the redshirt sophomore quarterback. There isn’t many situations that are more pressure packed than what Haskins went through last year, having to replace an injured J.T. Barrett in the third quarter in Ann Arbor with the Buckeyes trailing Michigan.

In two starts this year, Haskins hasn’t been tested, leading the Buckeyes to easy wins over Oregon State and Rutgers. Saturday night will be Haskins’ first true test as Ohio State’s starting quarterback, as the Buckeyes travel down to Texas to take on TCU in primetime. Haskins says a game like Saturday night’s showdown on national television is something he has been dreaming about since he was a young kid.

While all has seemed perfect so far for the quarterback, Haskins knows there is always room to grow. The biggest area Haskins knows he needs to improve in is with his leadership skills. Former quarterback J.T. Barrett showed a little more intensity as a leader, which Haskins has been working on. Although if the results continue like the first two games of the season for the Buckeyes, Haskins might not want to change things too much.

For now, Haskins is just having fun out there with his teammates. The quarterback has inserted himself into the Heisman Trophy discussion with his performance so far this season, and a big performance of TCU could put him near the top of the early season list for the prestigious award.


There isn’t a whole lot of history between Ohio State and TCU, but something that happened off the field between that involved the two teams helped to shape an important Ohio State tradition.

In 1934, Ohio State was searching for a new head coach. After head coaches from Purdue and the University of Chicago turned down the Buckeyes, Ohio State looked to Fort Worth, where Francis Schmidt had put together a 45-6-5 record over five seasons as head coach. The 45 wins by Schmidt still rank fourth on TCU’s all-time wins list.

When asked about Ohio State’s rivalry with Michigan, Schmidt uttered the famous phrase, “Hell, they put their pants on one leg at a time, the same as we do”. After Schmidt’s statement, Ohio State began the tradition of awarding Gold Pants trinkets to the team when they defeated the Wolverines.

Schmidt’s Ohio State teams would shutout the Wolverines in his first four years as head coach, but fail to beat Michigan in the final three years of his time in Columbus. In seven years as head coach of the Buckeyes, Schmidt would finish with a 39-16-1 record. Along with the introduction of the Gold Pants, Schmidt also did bring in a more diverse offense, helping set the very early groundwork for what will be seen by Ohio State fans when the Buckeyes take on Schmidt’s former team on Saturday night.


New Orleans may have dropped their season opener to Tampa Bay on Sunday, but a former Ohio State wide receiver can’t be blamed for the loss. Thomas hauled in 16 of his 17 targets and totaled 180 receiving yards and a touchdown. The effort is even more valuable when considering Thomas is making just under $1.3 million per year on his rookie contract.

Thomas is in the third year of a four-year contract, so the time is going to come soon where the Saints will have to pony up to keep Thomas in New Orleans. The former Buckeye caught 104 passes last year after recording 92 receptions in his rookie year. Without Thomas, it would have been a lot tougher for New Orleans to make the playoffs last season.

So how much will it cost for New Orleans to keep Thomas in “The Big Easy”? Odell Beckham Jr just signed a 5-year, $90 million dollar contract with the New York Giants, and it’s likely Thomas will be looking for similar numbers. While Thomas might not get exactly that type of money, it’s easy to see him getting somewhere in the range of 5-years and $80-$85 million, which would be similar to deals Brandin Cooks and DeAndre Hopkins recently signed.

With Drew Brees likely in the twilight of his NFL career, it would be wise for the Saints to lock up Thomas as soon as they can. With Thomas signed to a long-term deal, it would certainly make life easier for whoever is tasked with trying to replace Brees in the future.

STICK TO SPORTS

• Ohio State’s Suicide and Mental Health Task Force has released their recommendation report after four people have fallen or jumped from campus parking garages in 19 months.
• Hilliard has a “mini North Market” which could include a craft brewery in the works.
• 10 years ago tomorrow, the remnants of Hurricane Ike caused havoc in Ohio.
• How do you determine damage during a natural disaster? If Waffle House closes then things are really bad.
• Jon Hamm wants to play Batman, but if that happened he should only be able to play the role as Don Draper.

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spflynn said:

These OSU commits will be featured on a game tonight in Arizona (Chapparal vs. Saguaro). If anyone is interested, here's where you can watch a stream of the game.

https://www.yurview.com/chaparral-vs-saguaro-football-9-14-18

Click to expand...

Very nice! Thanks

Back in college now.

Herm Edwards is only getting started at Arizona State



Herm Edwards has cracked college football.

He hasn't broken it -- yet? -- but this season's most unconventional new hire has Arizona State at 2-0 after last week's 16-13 win over the No. 15 Michigan State. Edwards outfoxed one of the country's best coaches in Mark Dantonio during a winning 69-yard drive by forcing timeouts and simply playing for a field goal while bleeding the final 4:55 off the clock.

"He out-chested the very fine Dantonio when he took that last timeout," ASU athletic director Ray Anderson told ESPN. He stood under the winning goalposts during Brandon Ruiz's 28-yard kick. "That was it. I'm not sure folks anticipated he would do that.

"That was really gratifying to see because some of the folks wanted to doubt the intellectual capacity [of Edwards]. I think he has quieted that noise quite well."

Arizona State enters Week 3 ranked No. 23, its first AP ranking since the 2015 preseason. Now Edwards has to make sure his team doesn't waste its promising start when it goes on the road to play San Diego State (1-1).

On Tuesday, Edwards surprised players and coaches with a slideshow of a man blowing up a balloon until it got too big and popped. The symbolism was obvious, but Edwards won't miss an opportunity to send his team a message.

"You gotta stay humble and hungry, man," Edwards said. "That's how we function around here.

"They're getting a good feel for who I am when it comes to that stuff because I create chaos all the time around here, but you have to be able to function in it."

Entire article: http://www.espn.com/college-footbal...zona-state-sun-devils-herm-edwards-fast-start