Buckeyes stop to see 5-star O-tackle Jackson Carman - 247Sports
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Buckeyes stop to see 5-star O-tackle Jackson Carman
247Sports
USC head coach Clay Helton made an in-home visit with Carman and his family on Monday. Also, Clemson offensive line coach Robbie Caldwell stopped at Fairfield High School on Monday. Carman will play in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl on Jan. 6 before ...


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Saints, former Buckeyes worried about Steelers linebacker Ryan Shazier - NOLA.com
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Saints, former Buckeyes worried about Steelers linebacker Ryan Shazier
NOLA.com
Saints, former Buckeyes worried about Steelers linebacker Ryan Shazier. Updated December 5, 2017 at 4:26 PM ; Posted December 5, 2017 at 4:25 PM. Pittsburgh Steelers inside linebacker Ryan Shazier (50) is carted off the field after an apparent injury ...

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Stephenson (Stone Mountain, GA)
Ht: 6'3"
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Class: 2020 (High School)

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Ohio State’s lock-down secondary and relentless front-seven made their Big Ten dreams a reality
Ian Hartitz via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Let’s take a look at the defensive film from the Buckeyes’ win in the Big Ten title game.

For the second time in four years, the Ohio State Buckeyes are the official champions of the Big Ten. A previously undefeated Wisconsin squad refused to quit, but gutsy performances on both sides of the ball from the Buckeyes got the job done.

Some notes:

• The key to stopping the Badgers offense is to eliminate their ground game and force the team’s underwhelming passing attack to make plays down the field. The Buckeyes were able to do just that, holding Wisconsin to 60 rushing yards on 32 carries. The Badgers longest run of the evening was just seven yards.
• Ohio State’s cornerbacks — especially Denzel Ward — played great for the majority of the game, but the Badgers were able to generate some offense through some clever play-action and misdirection, that often resulted in a successful screen or pass to a running back in the flat.
• The Buckeyes managed to once again control the line of scrimmage and create turnovers. Alex Hornibrook threw two interceptions and was sacked three times, one each from Tyquan Lewis, Nick Bosa, and Jerome Baker.

The close six-point victory is more a fault of the offense than the defense, as Wisconsin benefited from a pick-six and later turned J.T. Barrett’s second interception into a touchdown as well. Ultimately, the Badgers couldn’t drive the field on the Big Ten’s best defense when it mattered most, and the Buckeyes can call themselves champions because of it. Let’s take a look at some of last Saturday’s best-individual performances.

And in the 1st-Round of the 2018 NFL Draft, the ______ select: Denzel Ward


Ward’s rise from freshman-phenom on the kickoff unit, to an overqualified No. 3 corner in a ridiculously good 2016 secondary, to one of the nation’s premiere lock-down corners has been a treat for Buckeye fans. Ward is the rare cornerback that not only isn’t afraid to hit; he relishes in contact.

Of course, it won’t be his hitting that gets his named called early in next April’s draft: It’ll be the game-changing speed and ball skills that allows him to track and make plays on receivers all over the field:


Ward’s early interception thwarted Wisconsin’s best drive of the game, and he came up big on numerous other plays when the Badgers tested him. The deep shots that are normally 50/50 balls for offenses can quickly become 75/25 balls in the wrong direction against Ohio State. While guys like Kendall Sheffield and Damon Arnette proved to be very solid pieces in the secondary, Ward’s alpha-like presence helped push the secondary to great heights after a rough start to the season.

Nick Bosa is going to be back next year!


Somehow, the game-wrecker that wears No. 97 on Saturdays is just a Sophomore and will thus be gracing Columbus with his presence for another season. Through 13 games Bosa has racked up seven sacks and countless pressures against the best tackles the Big Ten has had to offer. Saturday night was no different, as he proved to be a problem against both the run and pass for 60 minutes:


Bosa will be the Buckeyes’ unquestioned leader next year on the defensive line with multiple starters leaving for the draft, but that role won’t necessarily be anything new for him. He’s emerged as the shiniest star in a front seven full of them, and Bosa will look to dispose of Sam Darnold on his way to what will be an incredibly-hyped Junior campaign.

Jerome Baker’s ability on the gridiron is limitless


Ohio State vs. Wisconsin exposed one major disadvantage most teams run into when facing the Buckeyes: Speed. Most teams can field wide receivers, cornerbacks, and running backs with sub-4.5 second 40-yard dashes, but only blue-chip programs like the Buckeyes, Alabama, and Clemson seem to be able to consistently churn out speed demons inside their front seven. Baker is a prime example of this type of player:


Hornibrook will probably never be confused for a spread-option quarterback, but Baker has been able to eliminate the quarterback spy for the majority of his tenure at middle linebacker. His ability to sniff out screens was also on display Saturday night in the biggest of moments. The Buckeyes’ linebackers certainly had their fair share of issues earlier in the season, but they played as large a role as anybody in completely eliminating the best rushing attacks the Big Ten had to offer. Baker led the way against the Badgers with a team-high 16 tackles including 12 solo stops.


It wasn’t quite 59-0, but walking away from Indianapolis with a Big Ten title should be relished nonetheless. The Buckeyes entered the season knowing they needed to create more explosive plays on offense while continuing to breed lock-down defenses. The sounds an awful lot like the unit that just took down the 12-0 Badgers.

The final: 27-21, Ohio State

Defensive player of the game: Jerome Baker (16 tackles, 12 solo, 2 TFL, 1 sack)

Defensive play of the game: Denzel Ward interception stops early-Badgers threat..

Next Victim: The University of Southern California. Keep it classy, Columbus.

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Ohio State: Big NFL decision looming for Buckeyes tailback Mike Weber - Landof10.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State: Big NFL decision looming for Buckeyes tailback Mike Weber
Landof10.com
All week long, our Land of 10 reporters following the Buckeyes will address pressing questions on the minds of the Ohio State fan base with our new daily feature. To ask Austin Ward a question, follow along on Twitter and suggest a topic right here ...
Buckeyes have blueprint with surprise 2-0 Big Ten startToledo Blade
Michael Arace | Buckeyes of second half is what team needs to beThe Columbus Dispatch
Ohio State storms back from 20-point deficit to beat MichiganDayton Daily News
Scarlet and Game -Detroit Free Press -247Sports
all 73 news articles »

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Review: J.T. Barrett had some hits, misses in Big Ten Championship Game
Christopher Jason via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Could Dwayne Haskins have given the Buckeyes a statement win—enough to get OSU to the College Football Playoff?

It’s incredible and a miracle that J.T. Barrett was able to undergo an arthroscopic procedure on his right knee injury just six days before his first ever Big Ten Championship Game and play well enough to defeat the nation’s best defense. But, Urban Meyer’s decision to play a hobbled and rusty Barrett might have been the difference between playing in the Cotton Bowl against Southern California or Clemson in the College Football Playoff down in New Orleans.

Make no mistake about it, Barrett played his tail off and left it all out on the field — as he has in all 49 games that he’s donned the scarlet and gray — but Dwayne Haskins might have made the throws to blow Wisconsin out of the water that might have convinced the committee to take a two-loss conference champion over a one-loss Alabama squad.

In this situation, Meyer should have trusted his eyes over his heart and started the redshirt freshman with the rocket arm, over his three-time captain whose knee was surgically repaired just days before the game. There were multiple instances throughout the game where Barrett’s knee limited him as both a passer and as a runner — not to mention that Wisconsin dared him to beat them throughout the game.

Here’s how it looked:

• The offensive line did a tremendous job against the nation’s best defense. They created monster creases in the run game and protected their quarterback. Even with Barrett’s limited mobility, they allowed ZERO sacks on the night.
• Here’s a great example of the offensive line’s dominance on J.K. Dobbins’ 77-yard run. As a cohesive unit, they blew the Badgers’ front three-to-four yards off the ball on this play — which is incredible.

• This has to be the easiest read/touchdown of Barrett’s career, right? The defensive back read the swing pass and thought that the inside slot receiver would block. Instead, two verticals were ran, and Barrett had a touchdown to either receiver. He hit McLaurin in stride for an easy score.

• On this roll out, at no time was the linebacker out of position. Binjimen Victor ran a clean route and created space on the corner, but the linebacker was in position from the beginning to make a play on the football.

• One could argue with 5:33 remaining in the first half, this was the most important sequence of events that might have changed Ohio State’s potential playoff future. The Buckeyes got the ball back on their own 8-yard line with all the momentum. They led 21-7 and had a chance to score before halftime, before getting the ball back after half. This was their chance to make a statement and blow the doors off the No. 4 team in the country — which could have stated a stronger case in them propelling over Alabama. Then, Mike Weber fumbled, which led to a Wisconsin field goal. Still, leading 21-10, Ohio State had a chance to go up 28-10, but Barrett was unable to take advantage of the favorable situation.
• With 51 seconds remaining in the half and Wisconsin DARING Barrett to beat them over the top — even after allowing a deep touchdown pass earlier — Barrett overshot a wide open K.J. Hill, who was open at his release off the line of scrimmage. Wisconsin played Cover 0 with far inferior athletes on the perimeter, and Barrett was just unable to make them pay.

• After Dobbins converted this insane fourth-and-one that he had no business converting, the Buckeyes were still rolling and were looking to score before halftime.

• After missing the deep throw earlier in the drive, Barrett was given a second chance and once again could not hit the open receiver to blow out the Badgers. The inability to properly execute when a defense is allowing receivers to run free is maddening, and I fully believe that the committee recognized the lack of execution in this offense.

• For someone who has consistently made the smart play throughout his career, Barrett needs to throw the ball away here. Throw it into the stands, pin the Badgers inside the 10 and get the ball back around midfield.

• Why did Urban Meyer decide to go for it on fourth-and-one at the Wisconsin 12 with 7:47 remaining in the game, only to kick a field goal on fourth-and-one from the 4-yard line with 5:29 remaining? The field goal only put the Buckeyes up six points. If they went for it and didn’t get it, do you really think that Wisconsin would drive 96-yards for a game winning touchdown? Baffling decision to only go up six with that much time remaining.
• After stopping Wisconsin on the ensuing drive, Ohio State got the ball back and had a chance to put the game away. Barrett had Dobbins wide open in the flat which would have definitely moved the sticks and maybe would have resulted in six. Instead, he missed a wide open Dobbins.

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Matt Tamanini said:

In part because Buckeye fans were quite influential in the public ballot portion of the voting, QB J.T. Barrett, OT Jamarco Jones, DE Sam Hubbard, DT Dre’Mont Jones, and punter Drue Chrisman all received honorable mentions.
[...]
In addition to one ballot being decided by a popular vote, 33 writers and editors from SB Nation and its various team sites voted on the awards.

Click to expand...

So, had those influential Buckeyes fans not voted, losing that one ballot out of 34 total ballots would've kept JT, Jamarco, Sam, Dre'Mont, and Drue from honorable mention. OK...

Buckeyes offer Georgia D-tackle commitment - 247Sports
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Buckeyes offer Georgia D-tackle commitment
247Sports
The Buckeyes have offered a scholarship to Stone Mountain (Ga.) Stephenson 2020 defensive tackle and Georgia Bulldog commitment Nazir Stackhouse. Blessed To receive a offer from The hio State University #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/r72e8sR2nE. — Nazir ...

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Ohio State: Playoff snub won't overshadow how JT Barrett led Buckeyes to Big Ten title - Landof10.com
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Ohio State: Playoff snub won't overshadow how JT Barrett led Buckeyes to Big Ten title
Landof10.com
Ohio State Buckeyes-Ohio State football-Big Ten championship-J.T. Barrett-Cotton J.T. Barrett ran for a touchdown and threw for two in the win over Wisconsin. (Andy Lyons/Getty Images). The fact that it didn't come with an invitation to the College ...
Buckeyes Miss Out On Playoff BidScout
Buckeyes claim Big Ten titleSouth Bend Tribune
Buckeyes claim Big Ten title over Badgers, seek playoff spotNews & Observer
The Register-Guard -NCAA.com -The Athletic
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Ohio State football: Moving on after playoff snub; Buckeyes rally to bounce Michigan - Landof10.com
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Ohio State football: Moving on after playoff snub; Buckeyes rally to bounce Michigan
Landof10.com
As fans and analysts argue about whether the College Football Playoff committee got it right by picking Alabama over Ohio State, the Buckeyes are doing the only thing they can: Turning their attention to the Cotton Bowl against Southern California ...
Buckeyes have blueprint with surprise 2-0 Big Ten startToledo Blade
Michael Arace | Buckeyes of second half is what team needs to beThe Columbus Dispatch
Ohio State storms back from 20-point deficit to beat MichiganDayton Daily News
Detroit Free Press -Akron Beacon Journal -247Sports
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Ohio State offers elite 2019 receiver
Dan Hessler via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Ohio State looks towards the future, offering one of 2019’s top WRs in David Bell.

The college football regular season has come to an end and college football coaches and programs around the country that found themselves lucky enough to be playing in a post-season game will be focusing on ending the season strong. With just one or two games remaining to prepare for, coaches will find themselves with extra time to dedicate to recruiting.

Along these lines, the 2018 recruiting cycle is winding down and the Ohio State coaching staff is working on the finishing touches for its top-rated class. The entire Ohio State coaching staff hit the recruiting trail on Monday in efforts to finish the year strong but also to work on the future.

Coach Meyer and his staff are great at recognizing talent early in the recruiting process, giving them a head start in building relationships with blue-chip prospects. The Buckeyes are hoping this holds true as they presented an elite 2019 wide receiver prospect with a scholarship offer Monday afternoon.


David Bell (Indianapolis, IN/Warren Central) might be a familiar name to those who follow Ohio State recruiting. The four-star WR attended the Buckeyes’ annual Friday Night Lights camp this past summer and the team hosted him on an unofficial visit in March of this year.

While Bell has found himself on Ohio State’s campus numerous times, he had yet to receive an official scholarship offer until yesterday.

Bell just completed his junior season of high school football but has already shown enough to garner attention from some of the best schools in the country. His impressive offer list now includes 13 schools, including Michigan, Michigan State, Iowa, Northwestern, Notre Dame, Louisville, Cincinnati, and now Ohio State.

The 6'2, 185-pound receiver is viewed as the No. 1 recruit from the Hoosier State, the No. 12 WR in the class and the No. 63 overall prospect despite position, according to the 247Sports Composite Rankings.

The Buckeyes have only secured a commitment from one WR in their 2018 class in four-star L’Christian “Blue” Smith and are viewed as the leader for four-star WR Kamryn Babb, the top WR on their big board.

However, Smith projects as more of an H-back rather than a true WR, so the Buckeye coaching staff will likely make the WR position a priority next year, and with the recent offer to Bell, they are off to a great start.

5-star CB target has new commitment date


Five-star CB Anthony Cook’s (Houston, TX/Lamar) recruiting process has been a roller coaster ride.

For much of his recruitment, it was expected that Ohio State would be the school of choice when it was all said and done. However, in the past few months both Texas and LSU have increased their efforts in courting him, and in turn have increased their chances at landing the prospect.

The elite level CB was scheduled to announce his decision back in October, but following official visits to all three schools, he decided to delay his decision date until he had made up his mind.

It appears however, that Cook has now landed on a new date, as ESPN’s National Recruiting Analyst Gerry Hamilton is reporting sources from Cook’s high school have confirmed he will now be announcing Dec. 20.


As was previously mentioned, Cook at one point appeared to favor Ohio State, but since then the momentum in his recruitment has swayed in Texas’ favor. It appears that Cook will be committing to Texas as 87 percent of the 247Sports Crystal Ball predictions now favor the Longhorns.

The Buckeyes aren’t out of it yet, and hope a late attempt in swaying him towards continuing his football career in Columbus pays off, as Buckeye assistant coach Kerry Coombs visited the elite recruit Monday.


Will it be enough? Make sure to continue following Land-Grant Holy Land for the latest on Cook’s situation and all things Ohio State recruiting.

Ohio State reportedly offers 4-star DE


The aforementioned Bell was not the only 2019 prospect Ohio State offered a scholarship Monday, as the school has reportedly offered defensive end Derrick McLendon (Tucker, GA/Tucker). The move was first reported by Chad Simmons of Rivals.com and looks to have been later confirmed by McLendon himself.


The four-star DE is currently slotted as the No. 16 weak-side DE in his class, the No. 28 recruit from Georgia, and is No. 246 overall. However, despite the lower rankings, McLendon has already built an impressive offer sheet.

Along with Ohio State, McLendon holds offers from Alabama, Auburn, Tennessee, Georgia, LSU, Clemson, Michigan State, Oregon, Cincinnati, and several others.

Ohio State will need to quickly put in work with McLendon as they certainly have their hands full in the competition for the Peach State prospect. Alabama looks to be the early favorite as McLendon has spent more time on the Crimson Tide’s campus than any other. McLendon has also said that Alabama is his top school. However, all of that predates his Ohio State offer so nothing is a done deal.

Quick Hits:

• Ohio State may not have a game to play this weekend but that doesn’t mean official visits are over. DE prospect Casey Rogers (Avon, CT/Old Farms) will be in Columbus this weekend and will then travel to Alabama the following week.

• Rivals.com released their updated recruiting rankings and Ohio State safety commit Jaiden Woodbey (Bellflower, CA/St. John Bosco) saw the biggest increase of any Buckeye commit, jumping to No. 26 overall and earning that fifth and final star.
• Urban Meyer hit the recruiting trail Monday to visit Ohio State verbal commits. The visits included four-star RB commit Master Teague and four-star OT commit Max Wray.

• Could an Ohio State four-star DB target be making a decision soon?

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Michael Arace | Buckeyes of second half is what team needs to be - The Columbus Dispatch
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Michael Arace | Buckeyes of second half is what team needs to be
The Columbus Dispatch
On the Buckeyes' second possession of the second half, Tate threw down another one, and the fans began to believe a comeback was in the offing. And it was. Ohio State ultimately drew away to a 71-62 victory. This is the same team that blew big leads ...
Ohio State storms back from 20-point deficit to beat MichiganDayton Daily News
Game thread: Ohio State rallies past Michigan, 71-62Detroit Free Press
Ohio State men's basketball: Furious rally powers Buckeyes to 71-62 win over MichiganAkron Beacon Journal
247Sports -Land-Grant Holy Land
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Ohio State erases 20-point deficit, knocks off rival Michigan
Brent Yarina, BTN.com Senior Editor via Big Ten Network

Down by 20 just before halftime Monday night, Ohio State stormed back and dominated Michigan in the second half on the way to a 71-62 victory.

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Buckeyes have blueprint with surprise 2-0 Big Ten start - Toledo Blade
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Buckeyes have blueprint with surprise 2-0 Big Ten start
Toledo Blade
To start the game, the Buckeyes looked like a young group who couldn't obtain a stop to save their lives and couldn't match up with Michigan. By the end of Monday's game, they turned into a pass-deflecting, pace-controlling pest that used no style and ...
Game thread: Ohio State rallies past Michigan, 71-62Detroit Free Press
Buckeyes rally from down 20 to knock off Michigan 71-62247Sports
Ohio State men's basketball | Postgame blog: Buckeyes pull off second straight stunnerThe Columbus Dispatch

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HUDL Highlights



Stephenson (Lithonia, GA)
Ht: 6'
Wt: 195 lbs
Class: 2020 (High School)

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Buckeyes score 20 fourth-quarter points to upend Aggies in DII contest - Coveleaderpress
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Buckeyes score 20 fourth-quarter points to upend Aggies in DII contest
Coveleaderpress
The Copperas Cove Buckeyes scored 20 fourth-quarter points to defeat the Copperas Cove Aggies 20-14 in the 2017 Copperas Cove Youth Football League Toy Bowl Championship Thursday night at Bulldawg Stadium. The Buckeyes lost to the Aggies in last year's ...


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Meet USC's Cotton Bowl opponent: Ohio State Buckeyes - LA Daily News
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Meet USC's Cotton Bowl opponent: Ohio State Buckeyes
LA Daily News
Over 13 games, the Buckeyes averaged 42.5 points per game, fifth in the nation, and 524 yards per game, sixth in the nation. J.T. Barrett remains the starter at quarterback and led Ohio State's push toward a playoff bid for much of the fall, including ...
Ohio State football: Buckeyes left out of College Football Playoff; Cotton Bowl matchup set vs. USCLandof10.com
1993 Holiday Bowl: Buckeyes beat BYU againThe San Diego Union-Tribune
#8 USC Trojans take on #5 Ohio State Buckeyes in the Cotton Bowl: game info, how to watch, ticket and travel info ...Conquest Chronicles
cleveland.com -Akron Beacon Journal -Los Angeles Times -Los Angeles Times
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Don't blame CFP committee for keeping Ohio State out; blame the Buckeyes | Opinion - News-Herald.com
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Don't blame CFP committee for keeping Ohio State out; blame the Buckeyes | Opinion
News-Herald.com
Don't blame CFP committee for keeping Ohio State out; blame the Buckeyes | Opinion. This touchdown run by Iowa running back Toren Young was part of a 31-point blowout over Damon Webb and Ohio State on Nov. 4. Charlie Neibergall — Associated Press. By ...


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Ohio State overcomes 20-point deficit to defeat Michigan, 71-62
Geoff Hammersley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Three Buckeyes went into double figures in this comeback.

There were 12,546 in attendance at Value City Arena that watched the Ohio State Buckeyes battle the Michigan Wolverines. After a very one-sided half in favor for the Team Up North, the Buckeyes rallied back in the second half, and came back from as many as 20 points to defeat the Wolverines, 71-62.

Ohio State improves to 7-3 on the season, and 2-0 in conference play. Michigan now falls to 7-3 overall.

Here’s how this one went down.

After a miss by fellow guard Charles Matthews, and a turnover by the Bucks’ Musa Jallow, Eli Brooks put in the first basket of the game after 58 seconds. Jae’Sean Tate would put in a layup of his own as a rebuttal, drawing the game at 2-2 with 18:19 left in the half.

Two layups, as well as a three from Brooks, had the Wolverines out early to a 9-3 lead. And by the time that the first media timeout occurred (14:18), The Team Up North had pulled away with a 12-6 lead. However, a mini-scoring drought by that team would allow the Buckeyes to hold court at a 6-point deficit. Kyle Young got himself a couple buckets, and then C.J. Jackson popped in a three from the near wing, but the home team still trailed, 19-13.

A big time block by Kaleb Wesson on Moritz Wagner gave the Buckeyes some momentum, but a missed chance to score points minimized the effect of the block. On the other end, the Wolverines nailed a three, courtesy of Ibi Watson. Like the opening basket, OSU came back with a rebuttal three attempt on their next possession, and made it.

At the under-8 minute media timeout, Ohio State still trailed, 22-16.

Another three from Wagner, a dribble drive layup from Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman, and a make from Jordan Poole would push Michigan to their largest lead of the early going. With a 12 point, 29-17, lead, things couldn’t go worse for OSU could it?

Well, it could. Ohio State’s shooting slump didn’t stop—leading to a stretch where they didn’t make a shot for over four minutes. In the same time span, UM went on a 13-1 scoring run, and connected on six of their seven shots.

Breaking up the scoring slump was Bates-Diop, who hit a near identical three as Jackson’s from earlier in the half. Going into the under-4 minute media timeout, though, Chris Holtmann’s Buckeyes were trailing, 36-20.

Off the break, John Beilein’s team kept up a hot-hand, and went on a 7-0 run. Kam Williams was able to make a three of his own, but Michigan kept on sinking their shots. On the bright side, Tate had the highlight of the half: a one handed slam over top a Michigan defender.


Beilein called for a timeout after the dunk—so it at least got the Wolverines off their game for a second.

Unfortunately, the dunk couldn’t be worth more points, as OSU went into the half down 43-30. But, the basketBucks went on a 7-0 run of their own to end the half.

A big reason behind the deficit though was because Michigan went 7-of-16 from three-point range, and had an 11-to-3 advantage on second-chance points. Ohio State shot 10-of-23 from the field, making five of their eight shots from beyond the arc.

Coming off of the halftime break, the Buckeyes kept their streak alive. Wesson split a pair of free throws, and Tate threw down the ball to get Ohio State within 10. A missed Michigan layup followed by a Bates-Diop jumper brought the Bucks within eight—and led to Beilein calling a 30-second timeout at the 17:43 mark of the half.

Kam Williams made a runner, bringing OSU to a 14-0 run, stretched over the two halves. Wesson got in a shot underneath the basket, and made it. Needing a basket in the worst way, Brooks fired a shot from the corner—it looked like a rainbow shot—and hit nothing but net; the shot broke up a 16-0 run by the Buckeyes.

At the under-16 minute media timeout, the comeback was nearing completion as OSU trailed 46-41.

Michigan continued their slump, as Ohio State continued to heate up. Makes by Jackson and Tate, who missed an and-1, brought the Buckeyes within one, 46-45. However, both teams stayed gridlocked at this score for roughly two minutes. A pair of free throws at the 12:29 mark by Bates-Diop gave OSU their first lead of the game.

A charge by Matthews kept the Wolverines drought at over four minutes. On top of that, they missed seven straight shots. Ohio State, who just got the lead, added to it by working the ball inside to Bates-Diop, who put up a beautiful shot off the glass that went right into the basket. Another media timeout came at 11:28, but unlike the others, OSU had the lead. Over the course of 10 minutes, OSU went on a 26-3 run.

With a 49-46 lead after the timeout, Michigan came back with a dribble drive of their own—drawing a foul. Jon Teske got credit for the shot, and followed up with the conversion of the and-1.

After the tie, Tate was fouled on a shot, and split his free throws. Not long after that, Young worked his way on the inside for a layup. Michigan’s offensive woes continued, as their scoring drought remerged—this time lasting over 2:16. Another make (a layup by Jackson) pushed OSU to their largest lead of the night at five.

Zavier Simpson put an end to the UM struggles with a layup, bringing the score to 54-51 with 8:32 left. Free throws were traded, as Wesson buried both of his after being fouled; Poole made his after making a layup in traffic.

With the game at a 56-54 advantage to the Buckeyes, the Wolverines’ Wagner drove to the basket and drew a foul on Young—or so he thought. After a brief conversation, Ted Valentine and co. (the refs) reversed the call. The Michigan offensive turnover took us to the under-8 media timeout.

Back from the break, Tate made a couple of nifty moves to the basket before putting an off-balanced shot. He missed it, though. Michigan went to the other end and, after missing their initial shot and getting an offensive rebound, drew a foul on a layup. Simpson went to the line and made both of his freebies, bringing us to a 56-56 tie with a little more than six minutes on the clock.

A pair of Abdur-Rahkman free throws got the Wolverines their lead back. Right after the free shots went down, Bates-Diop lost control of the ball, leading to Tate diving after the ball. He didn’t get the ball, and to make matters even worse, he stayed down with an apparent leg injury, but got up after a minute and seemed fine.

Both teams proceeded to struggle making field goals. Another errant three from Tate led to Wesson fighting for the rebound. While that is all good, he was called for a foul, sending Wagner to the line. Two more freebies gave UM a 60-56 lead with 4:45 left in regulation.

Tate came back on the other end and worked a shot over Wagner, bringing the gap to just two points. Michigan went over four minutes without a made FG, and continued that trend after Wagner airballed a three-pointer. At the final media timeout at 3:58, it was still a two-point advantage for the Wolverines.

Down two in the home stretch, Williams swished in a shot with the shot clock winding down. Tied up at 60, the Wolverines’ next possession was thrown away—leading to Jackson going to the line for free throws. He made the first, but missed the second.

Duncan Robinson missed a shot for Michigan; his miss continued a trend of five straight misses by the Wolverines. Bates-Diop was then fouled, and he took advantage of his freebies. After making both, OSU went up 63-60.

On the very next possession, UM continued their fouling ways, ultimately sending Jackson to the line for two more free throws. He made both to make it a 65-60 lead for OSU.

Even though Michigan got another basket in, it wasn’t enough to overcome the comeback orchestrated by the Buckeyes.

Ohio State is back in action on Saturday against William & Mary. Tipoff is scheduled for noon.

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Ohio State recruiting: Commits react to playoff rankings; 5-star Anthony Cook reportedly sets date - Landof10.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State recruiting: Commits react to playoff rankings; 5-star Anthony Cook reportedly sets date
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Bell attended a Buckeyes camp last offseason, and he's compiled an expansive list of offers. Ohio State enters a mix that includes Indiana, Iowa, Louisville, Michigan State and Notre Dame. Bell has enjoyed a tremendously productive prep career ...

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Ohio State got beat out of the playoff by Alabama’s brand
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 Tide may have got the nod based on success in previous seasons.

“Past success and Nick Saban, that’s why Alabama is in.”

-David Pollack, via Brad Crawford, 247Sports


Ohio State is set to play the USC Trojans in the Cotton Bowl Classic on Dec. 29. It’s a major bowl that most teams in the country would be clamoring to get into, but is a bit of a letdown for the Buckeyes, who had been hoping for a playoff spot. Instead, the Alabama Crimson Tide managed to make it into the No. 4 spot in the playoff, behind Clemson, Oklahoma and Georgia. By accepting Bama into the fold, the playoff committee omitted two conferences--the Big Ten and Pac-12--from contention in the College Football Playoff. Those conferences’ champions, Ohio State and USC, both won an additional conference matchup against a highly ranked opponent to earn their bids, while Alabama did not make its conference title game.

According to ESPN analyst David Pollack, the committee selected Alabama over Ohio State based on past success, rather than what the Crimson Tide demonstrated on the field this season. Pollack cited that the Bama defense, which has been one of the best in the nation in recent years, has taken a step back this year. While some of this erosion can be attributed to injury (including some serious problems at linebacker), Pollack called the unit “the most vulnerable defense at Alabama in a long time.”

Despite Pollack’s words, Bama still ranks second nationally in total defense, and has given up just 138 points on the season. The Tide opened as a one-point favorite over Clemson in the CFP semifinal--a rematch of last season’s championship game which the Tigers won. This year will be the third-straight season that the two teams have met in the playoff.

While the same “past success” argument could be made for why the committee selected Ohio State last season, the group still forewent choosing two teams from the same conference, thereby shutting out an additional conference from the final four.

“He’s a firecracker. So I was just telling him like relax, we’re going to be in a good position, we’re going to be in a good game. And we’re going to go against a great team.”

-Ohio State linebacker Chris Worley, via Doug Lesmerises, Cleveland.com


Several of the potential College Football Playoff contenders had watch parties together Sunday afternoon as they awaited the reveal of the top-four from the playoff committee. Ohio State did not. The team returned home early Sunday morning after a thrilling, six-point win over Wisconsin in the Big Ten Championship game, with Urban Meyer admitting that he didn’t get to bed until about 4:30 a.m. Instead of gathering together just a few hours later, Meyer gave his players the chance to process the news, for better or worse, in their own ways.

Senior linebacker Chris Worley took things well, remarking that it was a blessing to be in the position that they are, while Meyer reflected on how he has grown over the years in his response. He continuously referred to his senior players in the room with him at the press conference, who kept him on track with the bigger picture. While he used to take things hard, “where I couldn’t eat, couldn’t sleep,” he has attempted to move towards reflection and appreciation in tune with what Worley has expressed.

Meyer emphasized the bigger picture of what his team had accomplished, even pointing out the spot in the facility where the recognition of this year’s Big Ten Championship would go. His senior quarterback echoed that sentiment, stating that “what we achieved last night in the locker room and what we achieved last night being Big Ten champs; no one can take that from us.”

While Meyer acknowledged that his team was likely devastated at being left out of the playoff--J.T. Barrett admitted that he was “hurt by us not getting in”--but that the team is handling it like a family. The coach said he loves his team and that they have done everything right up to this point, and that they are going to now focus their work on beating yet another great team.

“The reality is, the beauty of arthroscopy is that it involves three incisions of less than 1 cm, a minimally invasive procedure and quick recovery.”

-Dr. David Chao, San Diego Tribune


J.T. Barrett knows what it’s like to miss a game due to injury. Even worse, he knows what it is like to get injured against Michigan and be sidelined for the postseason while the backup takes over and wins the game for his team. Getting knocked out against the Wolverines last month must have been terrible deja vu for the senior quarterback, as he indicated Saturday: “Last time I got us to the party, but I wasn’t let in.”

Credit Barrett’s toughness for making a comeback from arthroscopic knee surgery in less than a week to take his team to their first Big Ten title in three years. And while Barrett certainly deserves the credit he’s received, the reality is that, from a medical perspective, there was minimal risk to Barrett in playing Saturday. Such dangers might include swelling, pain and the possibility of infection.

Some, like all-pro left tackle Joe Thomas, questioned the wisdom of Barrett coming back so soon, especially if he was not given the opportunity for a second opinion from another physician. Thomas, who himself has had significant knee surgeries, indicated that such practice is standard in the NFL. He also acknowledged his feelings regarding the coaching staff having too much control in these situations.

Given what is known about the injury, it would seem that Barrett’s surgery was done to trim a torn meniscus, which is minimally invasive and which does not require extended recovery. The bigger danger, however, is the fact that Barrett may have been playing on the injury for the duration of the season, which could have led to greater risk down the road.

Nonetheless, Barrett was ready for Saturday, and was able to manage his recovery to get back on the field within six days of his surgery to lead his team to a title.

STICK TO SPORTS

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• Someone at UCF has a sense of humor.
• Today is National Cookie Day. Here’s where to get your fix.
• Herm Edwards’ qualities as a coach are apparently similar to living room furniture.

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Podcast: Ohio State can only blame itself for missing the College Football Playoff
Colton Denning via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Plus, we recap the Buckeyes’ Big Ten Championship win, and preview their Cotton Bowl matchup versus USC.

Let’s get this out of the way: It sucks that Ohio State didn’t make the College Football Playoff.


The Buckeyes were mostly incredible all season, and it’s a shame that they won’t have the opportunity to play for a national championship after Saturday’s Big Ten Championship win over Wisconsin. That being said, it isn’t the playoff committee’s fault that they aren’t in their third playoff in four seasons. It really only comes down to one thing:


When they got blown out by Iowa last month, Ohio State left itself no benefit of the doubt come selection time, and it ultimately cost them a shot at returning to the playoff.

On this episode of The Hangout in the Holy Land, Colton Denning and Patrick Mayhorn discuss the committee’s decision, why they think the criteria to make it is so different from year to year, and how Ohio State’s inconsistency all season didn’t earn them many favors.

It’s not all doom and gloom though, as the guys also break down everything that happened in the Big Ten title game, including:

• J.T. Barrett’s up-and-down performance, and whether it was right for the coaching staff to play him after knee surgery.
• The monster games from Nick Bosa and J.K. Dobbins.
• Recognizing how dominant the Buckeyes were on both the offensive and defensive lines against a stout Wisconsin front.
• Being happy with a season that ends in a Big Ten title, looking ahead to the Cotton Bowl versus USC, and more!

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Micah Potter out indefinitely for the Buckeyes - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Micah Potter out indefinitely for the Buckeyes
247Sports
COLUMBUS – It was a good start to the season for Ohio State center Micah Potter. The sophomore began his second year as a Buckeye by averaging over 10.5 points and five rebounds per game. But in the second half of OSU's fourth game against Northeastern ...

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