I dont sweat this at all. Didnt we win like 6 seasons in a row? Lets see where the conference is come tournament time

McCurdy: Despite changes, basketball Buckeyes remain the same - Marion Star
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


McCurdy: Despite changes, basketball Buckeyes remain the same
Marion Star
COLUMBUS - The coaches are different. Some of the personnel is different. Yet the last two games have been eerily familiar for Ohio State's men's basketball team. Sunday in the finale of the PK80 Invitational in Portland, Oregon, the Buckeyes ...
Ohio State: Buckeyes need linebackers at their best against WisconsinLandof10.com
College basketball/Clemson 79, Ohio State 65: Buckeyes let 13-point lead slip away in loss to TigersAkron Beacon Journal
Ohio State basketball sees another lead squandered in 79-65 loss ...cleveland.com
The Columbus Dispatch -Live 5 News
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Dwayne Haskins gave Ohio State fans a glimpse of an offense without J.T. Barrett
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Saturday’s performance against Michigan showed the future is bright at quarterback with Dwayne Haskins

“I had the O-line, I had the receivers. Everybody else was behind me the whole entire way.”

-Ohio State quarterback Dwayne Haskins via Mitch Stacy, Associated Press


Taking snaps late in blowout wins over the likes of UNLV and Illinois is one thing. Getting thrust into action in the third quarter of a tied football game against Michigan, in Ann Arbor, is a whole different animal. Redshirt freshman Dwayne Haskins passed his first true test as an Ohio State quarterback with flying colors on Saturday, as he was pressed into action after J.T. Barrett wasn’t able to continue after suffering a knee injury.

It is still unknown if Barrett or Haskins will take the snaps on Saturday in the Big Ten Championship Game against Wisconsin, but the performance from Haskins on Saturday was a glimpse for Ohio State fans at what life will could be like next year without Barrett. Even if Barrett starts on Saturday, his leash might be a little shorter than normal after what Haskins showed last week in a high pressure situation.

Wisconsin is preparing for both quarterbacks, which could work to Ohio State’s advantage. Instead of being able to prep solely for Barrett or Haskins, the Badgers will have to be ready for what both quarterbacks can bring to the table. Barrett brings a little more of a running attack to defenses, while Haskins has a stronger arm. No matter which quarterback ends up starting for Ohio State, the Buckeye offense will present Wisconsin with their toughest test of the season.


As he is in the midst of his senior season at Ohio State, Kyle Snyder has another award to add to his trophy case. Earlier today, Snyder was named 2017 U.S. Male Olympic Athlete of the Year by the U.S. Olympic Committee. Snyder is just the fourth wrestler to win the award, joining John Smith, who won the award in 1990, 2000 award recipient Rulon Gardner, and 2015 winner Jordan Burroughs.

Snyder won the award in large part because of his victory in the “Match of the Century” over Olympic champion Abdulrashid Sadulaev in the 97 kg final of the 2017 World Wrestling Championships, which helped the United States win the 2017 Freestyle World Team Title — which was the first for the United States since 1995.

Snyder might have some trouble finding space for this award, as he already has earned an Olympic gold medal, two world championships, two NCAA titles, and many other accolades. Even though he still has time to add a few more collegiate accomplishments to his record this year before graduating, Snyder is already one of the most decorated athletes to ever come from Ohio State, and he just turned 22 years old.

“It’s hard for sure. I’ve gotta probably ... I’m not very good at that. I’m not very good at being patient, certainly not good at handling this kind of stuff. I think our players probably need to see me handle that better.”

-Ohio State men’s basketball coach Chris Holtmann via Bill Landis, Northeast Ohio Media Group


Everybody knew there was going to be some growing pains for Ohio State’s men’s basketball team this year, but Chris Holtmann probably didn’t expect to see them this early on. After losing to Butler on Sunday in overtime at the PK80 Invitational, Ohio State squandered a double-digit first half lead last night to Clemson.

Losses like the last two aren’t foreign to the Buckeyes over the past few years. Early on in the 2015-16 season, the Buckeyes dropped three straight games to UT-Arlington, Louisiana Tech, and Memphis, all of which were winnable games. While the losses aren’t exactly the same, it could give Ohio State a glimpse into how the rest of the season might play out. The Buckeyes finished the 2015-16 season at 21-14, missing the NCAA Tournament.

What Ohio State is going to need if they are going to find success, not only this year but over the next few years, is more mental toughness. Wins like Friday night’s victory over Stanford give the team something to build on, but losses like Sunday afternoon’s (and last night’s) set the Buckeyes back.

While Holtmann is frustrated with losses like the one Ohio State suffered to Clemson, there still is no question he made the right move in coming to Columbus. There is going to be plenty of frustrating moments during the first year for Holtmann and his team, but there is no question he is building something big at Ohio State.

STICK TO SPORTS

• Ohio State is planning on building a second medical tower.
• A brand new Taco Bell will return to its familiar 10th Avenue and High Street location in June.
• Jerry Springer has decided against a run for Governor of Ohio.
• Ready to test your insides? Burger King has launched “Flamin Hot Mac and Cheetos”. Don’t worry, you can wash down the pain with $1 Long Island Ice Teas at Applebee’s in December.
• What a time to be alive: Kane from WWE (who is running for mayor of Knox County in Tennessee) says Les Miles wants the Tennessee job.

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Buckeyes Barrett, Price, Bosa win Big Ten awards - Toledo Blade
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Buckeyes Barrett, Price, Bosa win Big Ten awards
Toledo Blade
Barrett previously won the honor in 2014 and 2016, while Braxton Miller did so in 2012-13. Barrett, a finalist for the Davey O'Brien Award, has spearheaded the No. 4-ranked offense in the country, which is fifth nationally in scoring and 13th in ...
Ohio State vs. Wisconsin, 2017 Big Ten Championship odds: Buckeyes favored over unbeaten BadgersSB Nation
Ohio State football: Watch Big Ten title game hype video; Buckeyes have good playoff oddsLandof10.com
Barrett, 23 other Buckeyes named to all-Big Ten teamNBC4i.com
WKYC-TV -Leader-Telegram -cleveland.com -The Columbus Dispatch
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Three Buckeye assistants contacted about other coaching jobs - 247Sports
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Three Buckeye assistants contacted about other coaching jobs
247Sports
But according to Meyer, who spoke Thursday on his weekly radio show on 97.1 The Fan, Schiano is not the only Buckeye coach to draw interest from other programs. "We have had two coaches be contacted about becoming a head coach," Meyer said. "And then ...

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Ohio State: Buckeyes need linebackers at their best against Wisconsin - Landof10.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State: Buckeyes need linebackers at their best against Wisconsin
Landof10.com
Now, the flip side of that is Ohio State essentially was forced to make those adjustments against the Spartans when Jerome Baker and Dante Booker were ruled out with injuries. Why exactly did it take so long, and what would have happened if those two ...
McCurdy: Despite changes, basketball Buckeyes remain the sameMarion Star
College basketball/Clemson 79, Ohio State 65: Buckeyes let 13-point lead slip away in loss to TigersAkron Beacon Journal
Ohio State basketball sees another lead squandered in 79-65 loss to Clemsoncleveland.com
Live 5 News -The Columbus Dispatch -Sporting News
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Ohio State: Is CFP committee trying to stack the deck for Alabama over Buckeyes? - Landof10.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State: Is CFP committee trying to stack the deck for Alabama over Buckeyes?
Landof10.com
Since there's no conference championship for the Crimson Tide to add to the equation, there really doesn't seem to be a solid case for excluding the Buckeyes if they win the Big Ten on Saturday and it comes down to a head-to-head conversation between ...
Buckeyes No. 8 in College Football Playoff rankingDayton Daily News
Buckeyes At No. 8 In Latest CFP Rankings; Clemson, Auburn, Oklahoma And Wisconsin Top 4CBS Cleveland
Playoff Rankings Preview: Final Debates as the Field Is Cut to EightSports Illustrated
ESPN -Eleven Warriors (blog) -The Ringer (blog)
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GreenwoodBuck said:

Jump on me all you want, the problem is conference pride. We, as fans, give 2 [Mark May]s less what the rest of the conference does. We root for Ohio State and that's it. I get the whole Michigan thing, but down here in the South, they hate the Big ten. Clemson just didn't want to beat Ohio State last year in football, they refused to lose to a big ten school. Plain and simple. Some of our asshat fans and ESPN tough guys have really given our University a bad reputation. Why do you think it's hard for us to beat the SEC? Same exact reason. They refuse to lose to a big ten school. I know we beat Alabama, but throughout the years, we have struggled. Believe it or not, all the jokes about hillbillies, toothless rednecks who live in trailers really gets old to the South. That makes them wanna kick our ass even more. Trust me. Our fanbase makes us look bad at times. We laugh at the whole SEC, SEC, SEC chant, but what our conference lacks is pride, and I don't get it. If Wisconsin beats us Saturday night, you can bet your sweet ass I'm rooting for them to win it all. Here in the South, they can't let go of the Civil War. They absolutely hate the North!

Click to expand...

Amazing analysis. Well, I hate to spill the beans on my PhD research paper on this very subject but here goes. According to my exhaustive research, in the 2015 Sugar Bowl, it turns out that, in fact, the SEC chants were completely insincere and sporadic at best. Many of the Alabama fans were selfishly cheering solely for Alabama instead of directing their collective cheer power entirely and sincerely to the collective SEC. Because of their self-centered, egocentric, Alabama only focused words of encouragement, The Ohio State Buckeyes football team was able to capitalize on that Alabama only focused energy and snatch that victory away from Alabama thus defeating not only the Alabama Crimson Tide football team but The Ohio State Buckeyes thus defeated the entire SEC division that day.

It turns out that much was learned from that lesson that day. Alabama re-focused, re-energized and once again in 2016 was able to re-capture the title, why? 100% SEC focused cheer energy of course. I have graphs and databases that can chart all this out. Aha, but then what happened last year you say? Yes, you guessed it, according to my patented CD-2000 "Cheer Detector 2000" device that I've crafted to interpret cheers and filter conference focused cheers from team only directed cheers, I was able to determine that, once again, Alabama fans failed to direct their chants and cheers to the SEC as a whole. Once again, they forgot what happened the year before and they foolishly cheered only for Alabama instead of the entire SEC. Once they decided to focus some energy towards the SEC at the end, it was too late, Clemson stole that cheer energy and, much like what Ohio State in 2015 did, Clemson was able to win that game thanks to the lack of pure SEC only chanting.

Bravo and kudos to you fine sir!

Forcing Alex Hornibrook into mistakes —or not— will decide the Big Ten Championship
Colton Denning via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The folks at Bucky’s 5th Quarter give us the lowdown on the Badgers.

Wisconsin hasn’t gotten a lot of respect this season. Despite being the only unbeaten Power 5 team left, it took until this past week’s College Football Playoff rankings for them to crack the top four, and even then, most people don’t see them as a credible threat to compete for the national championship.

Part of that is because of their lackluster non-conference schedule. Through no fault of their own, they also didn’t meet Ohio State or Penn State in Big Ten play. On the flipside, it also doesn’t help when you only beat Illinois 24-10, and Purdue 17-9. The Badgers aren’t flashy, but stick to their identity (BEEF ALONG THE LINES) and find ways to win. So do they have what it takes to beat Ohio State and make the College Football Playoff?


On this episode of The Hangout in the Holy-Land, Colton Denning chats with Jake Kocorowski of Bucky’s 5th Quarter about all things Badgers, and how they match up with the Buckeyes prior to Saturday’s Big Ten Championship.

Jake drops some knowledge on what makes this Badgers group different from the 2016 team, how they’ve progressively gotten better as the season has gone on, and why they’re deserving of a spot in the College Football Playoff.

The guys then give their predictions for the game, why quarterback Alex Hornibrook’s mistakes—or lack thereof— may be the deciding factor, Ohio State needing to get J.K. Dobbins and Mike Weber involved early on, and more!

(Jake is also the co-author of an excellent book about the history of Wisconsin Football’s storied walk-on tradition, which you can buy here)

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Alabama or Ohio State might make the Playoff, but they don't deserve to. Look at the records. - SB Nation
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Alabama or Ohio State might make the Playoff, but they don't deserve to. Look at the records.
SB Nation
A losing Oklahoma would have two more wins over bowl teams than Big Ten champ Ohio State would, match the Buckeyes in top-25 record, and (since TCU would move up) match OSU's top-10 record. OU's losses would be by one score and to a team it blew out in ...
Buckeyes No. 8 in College Football Playoff rankingDayton Daily News
Buckeyes At No. 8 In Latest CFP Rankings; Clemson, Auburn, Oklahoma And Wisconsin Top 4CBS Cleveland
Playoff Rankings Preview: Final Debates as the Field Is Cut to EightSports Illustrated
Land-Grant Holy Land -Eleven Warriors (blog) -The Ringer (blog)
all 616 news articles »

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Wisconsin tight end Troy Fumagalli will take advantage of Ohio State’s major weakness
Christopher Jason via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Wisconsin has the best tight end in the Big Ten.

The Buckeyes have faced the Big Ten’s second and third team tight ends, and they’re about to square off against the conference’s first team tight end, Troy Fumagalli.

Keeping the opposing team’s tight ends in check has been a real issue for the Buckeye defense, as they allowed Mike Gesicki to record 57 yards on six receptions and then Iowa’s Noah Fant to reach the end zone twice on four receptions. Overall, they allowed those two tight ends to rack up 111 yards and two touchdowns on 10 receptions. Those numbers don’t necessarily jump off the page, but the receptions came at clutch situations that extended drives or in Fant’s case, blew the game open.

Fumagalli is the most complete of the three tight ends, as he is a very solid blocker, a plus-route runner and possesses consistent hands. He’ll most likely land within the second or third round of the 2018 NFL Draft and will definitely be a three-down threat.

The 6’6, 248-pound tight end isn’t as athletic as Gesicki or Oklahoma’s Mark Andrews, but he finds a way to constantly move the chains and make the key plays for the Badger offense. He’s found a way to battle through a leg injury that has hampered him for parts of the season, but he’s still put up 471 yards and four touchdowns on 38 receptions in only 10 games.

When looking at his splits, 28 of his 38 receptions came in the first half, meaning they use the Fumagalli to get Alex Hornibrook into a groove — mostly with easy, high-percentage throws. But most importantly, of those 38 receptions, he’s moved the chains 23 times, which shows his importance to the offense. He’s either gaining first down yardage, or putting his offense in a short yardage situation.

This throw on third-and-five shows the faith that Hornibrook has in his tight end. Fumagalli was blanketed on his route, but utilized his size to box out the defender to make the tough catch and move the sticks on third down.


Here’s an example of how they get him open in the flats. They utilize play action to get the linebackers to flow to the running back, forgetting about Fumagalli who runs his route away from the flowing linebackers. Easy pitch and catch for the Badgers.


Fumagalli is more than just a pass-catcher, he’s a complete tight end. Below, he’s on the line of scrimmage and is asked to kick out the outside linebacker (#44). He engages with the OLB and uses his strength to violently strike the linebacker with his right hand and open the hole for his running back.


Here’s Fumagalli lined up in the flex tight end spot and is assigned the task to drive the strong safety out of the play. He fires off the ball, engages with the safety and completely blows the safety seven yards off the line of scrimmage. Fumagalli should have stayed engaged a little longer and tossed him out of bounds, but let up at the end. Either way, his strength is on display during this block.


With Ohio State’s defensive deficiencies on tape, Wisconsin is basically Iowa and Michigan on steroids. They possess a much better running back and a better tight end than both of those teams. There’s no doubt about it that Wisconsin will lean on Fumagalli in the pass game, which could lead to serious issues for the Buckeyes. The key to the game would be to get up early and force Hornibrook to beat them with his arm. If not, they’ll pound the rock and use play action to eat up yardage.

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Read between lines: Committee likes Buckeyes over 'Bama - Toledo Blade
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Read between lines: Committee likes Buckeyes over 'Bama
Toledo Blade
Call me an idiot — no offense taken — but if the debate for the final college football playoff spot comes down to Alabama and Ohio State, I'm now confident the Buckeyes are in. Is that not what committee chairman Kirby Hocutt all but just declared ...
College basketball/Clemson 79, Ohio State 65: Buckeyes let 13-point lead slip away in loss to TigersAkron Beacon Journal
Clemson 79, Ohio State 65 | Buckeyes stumble down the stretchThe Columbus Dispatch
Tigers Get Hot, Suffocate Buckeyes 79-65Live 5 News
cleveland.com -247Sports -Land-Grant Holy Land
all 45 news articles »

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Ohio State: Buckeyes need linebackers at their best against Wisconsin - Dayton Daily News
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State: Buckeyes need linebackers at their best against Wisconsin
Dayton Daily News
Now, the flip side of that is Ohio State essentially was forced to make those adjustments against the Spartans when Jerome Baker and Dante Booker were ruled out with injuries. Why exactly did it take so long, and what would have happened if those two ...
Ohio State football: Some helpful advice — wink, wink — as Sam Hubbard debates his NFL futureLandof10.com

all 2 news articles »

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View 2017 Big Ten Football Individual Award Winners
BTN.com staff via Big Ten Network

The conference announced the 2017 All-Big Ten defensive/special teams and offensive teams the last two days. The third and final day of the announcements is dedicated to the individual award winners. See all of the honorees inside.

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Ohio State’s J.T. Barrett reportedly underwent knee surgery on Sunday
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The B1G’s QB of the Year is expected to play against Wisconsin.

According to the Columbus Dispatch’s Tim May, Ohio State quarterback J.T. Barrett underwent arthroscopic knee surgery on Sunday to remove a piece of ligament that had torn off of his meniscus. Barrett reportedly had been dealing with the injury throughout the season, but it was exacerbated following a pre-game collision with a cameraman on the sideline before last Saturday’s game against Michigan.

Though Barrett played into the third quarter, he eventually had to be replaced by backup Dwayne Haskins.

Despite leaving last week’s game, and his subsequent surgery, Barrett is reportedly on schedule to play in the Big Ten Championship game on Saturday against the Wisconsin Badgers.

An Ohio State team spokesman would not confirm any of the above facts to May, but, despite no previous mention of the surgery, everything seems to fall in line with what had been said publicly by Barrett and Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer.

Ohio State takes on Wisconsin at 8:17 p.m. ET on Saturday night in Indianapolis. Fox will broadcast the game.

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J.T. Barrett, Billy Price, and Nick Bosa earn Big Ten Player of the Year honors
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Barrett is a three-time winner of the award.

With a shocking loss to Iowa at the beginning of the month, Ohio State’s post-season plans are anything but secured as they enter this Saturday’s Big Ten Championship game against the Wisconsin Badgers. However, one thing that is for sure, is that their talent is still extraordinary.

After getting a total of 16 players selected to the Big Ten’s All-Conference teams as selected by the coaches (seven on offense, nine on defense and special teams), not to mention a handful of honorable mentions, on Thursday, the B1G announced their individual award winners for various players of the year.







Griese-Brees Quarterback of the Year: J.T. Barrett


For the third time in his four year career (previously in 2014 and 2016), Barrett has been selected as the Big Ten’s best quarterback. With nearly three dozen school and conference records under his belt, the Wichita Falls, Tex. native just might be the most under-appreciated player in college football history.

This season, Barrett has accounted for 2,728 passing yards and 672 rushing yards, racking up 42 total touchdowns. His 33 through the air are just one shy of his career high; a mark that, should he be healthy enough to play again this season, he should be able to break. His passing total was second most in the Big Ten behind Penn State’s Trace McSorley, while his touchdowns through the air led the B1G and currently sit at fifth nationally.

Despite his literally unparalleled success, his lack of “big-play ability” has led many to question throughout his career if he was the right man for the job. Undaunted, the QB is Ohio State’s first three-time captain, and the first starting quarterback to collect four victories in the 114-year history of the Ohio State-Michigan rivalry.

Putting all the whispers and calls for his job aside, Barrett is on the brink of leading his team to the College Football Playoff for the third time in his storied four-year career, and he has yet another well-deserved accolade to add to his legacy.

With Barrett’s third win in this category, it marks the fifth time in the award’s seven-year history that it has been won by an Ohio State quarterback. Braxton Miller previously won in 2012 and 2013.

Rimington-Pace Offensive Lineman of the Year: Billy Price


Having already been a first-team All-American performer at guard, Price returned to Ohio State for his senior season to continue the long line of heralded Buckeye centers. A two-time captain, Price followed in the foot steps of Pat Elflein who moved from guard to center, and immediately into a starting position in the NFL.

With Elflein, and Taylor Decker before him, Price becomes the third consecutive Buckeye to win the award, named in part for Ohio State legend Orlando Pace. The late Korey Stringer won the award twice in 1993 and 1994 and was immediately followed by Pace’s two wins in 1995 and 1996 (obviously before the award was named for him). Buckeye LeCharles Bentley also took home the prize in 2001.

Earlier this month, Price set the school record for consecutive starts in a career, a total that currently sits at 53. Price is also on pace to tie Elflein for the most games played by a Buckeye, and should Ohio State make the College Football Playoff, barring injury, Price would be able to claim the mark for himself.

Though the starters have played sparingly in the second half in much of the season, Price has been one of the leaders on the offensive line that has allowed the Buckeyes to have the most productive offense (593.5 ypg) in the conference, and fourth nationally.

Similarly, OSU has rushed for the most yards (250.33 pg) in the B1G, while allowing just 4.33 tackles for loss per fame, the best in the conference, and 1.58 sacks per game, good for third in the B1G.

Already named to the All-Big Ten team, Price has been an vocal leader for the Buckeyes, especially following their loss to Iowa in early November. A two-time OSU Scholar-Athlete, and Big Ten Distinguished Scholar, this marks another piece of history that Price will carry with him into what is sure to be a first-round selection in the spring’s NFL Draft.

Smith-Brown Defensive Lineman of the Year: Nick Bosa


Following in the foot steps of his legendary big brother, Nick Bosa won the 2017 Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year award, just as Joey did in 2014 and 2015. In fact, Nick Bosa’s award marks the fourth straight for Ohio State with Tyquan Lewis receiving the honor in 2016. John Simon also claimed the prize in 2012.

With the philosophy of Ohio State’s defensive line coach Larry Johnson to rotate through as many high-performing players as possible to keep the front line fresh, it is difficult for any Buckeye to accumulate standout stats, but Nick Bosa has recorded 12.5 tackles for loss in his sophomore season, good for eighth best in the league; a ranking that his six sacks match.

However, what separates little Bosa (and all of OSU’s rushmen for that matter) is his ability to disrupt what the offense would like to do even before the ball is snapped. An absolute freak of an athlete, #97 must be accounted for at all times. So even if the play-call is simply to run away from Bosa, his mere presence has impacted the play, making it easier for one of his teammates to make a stop.

After being a Freshman All-American and OSU Scholar Athlete last year, Bosa was named to his first All-Conference first team earlier this week, and with at least one more year in Columbus (we assume), it seems clear that the Fort Lauderdale-native will have quite a few more honors to compare to his brother’s when all is said and done.

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Ohio State center Billy Price named Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year: Buckeyes football news - cleveland.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State center Billy Price named Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year: Buckeyes football news
cleveland.com
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Billy Price has often pointed to the photos on the wall on the indoor practice field at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center, the ones for the Buckeyes recognized for individual national awards. He hasn't quite earned a photo there yet ...
Price joins Bosa as Big Ten individual award winner247Sports
Billy Price and Nick Bosa earn Big Ten Player of the Year honorsLand-Grant Holy Land
Ohio State Center Billy Price Named 2017 Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the YearEleven Warriors

all 6 news articles »

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Six games that helped land Wisconsin & Ohio State in the title game
Tom Dienhart, BTN.com Senior Writer via Big Ten Network

How did Wisconsin and Ohio State make the title game? Here are the three games for each school that most shaped their road to Indianapolis.

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Badgers' Taylor could break Peterson's freshman mark against Buckeyes - Leader-Telegram
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Badgers' Taylor could break Peterson's freshman mark against Buckeyes
Leader-Telegram
A productive outing and a win against the Buckeyes (10-2, No. 8 CFP) could also strengthen Taylor's postseason award resume and earn him a potential invite to New York as a Heisman Trophy finalist. “I feel as that it will be a big step, having a great ...

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What needs to happen for Ohio State to get into the College Football Playoff
Geoff Hammersley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Will beating Wisconsin be enough? Maybe...

The freshest batch of College Football Playoff rankings came out on Tuesday night, and the Ohio State Buckeyes were on the outside looking in—as they came in at No. 8.

Hope is not lost, as the Buckeyes get the No. 4 Wisconsin Badgers in the Big Ten Championship Game on Saturday night. A win there, and the Scarlet and Gray have to have their foot in the door for a playoff berth, right?

As the debate gets ratcheted up as we get closer to the full slate of conference championship games this weekend, let’s take a look at what appears to be the best way Ohio State finds themselves playing in a semifinal contest at the Rose Bowl or Sugar Bowl.

Clemson beats Miami (FL)


Newly minted as the No. 1 team in the land, the Clemson Tigers can help make things less complicated by beating the Miami Hurricanes in Charlotte for the ACC Championship.

If Miami, who is ranked one spot ahead of OSU at No. 7, beats the Tigers, then things get a little hairy. Clemson has quality wins over Auburn, South Carolina, Virginia Tech and Louisville, so there is a real chance they could end up in front of a Big Ten Champion Ohio State.

Oklahoma doesn’t goof up the Big 12 Championship to TCU


This one may be hard to swallow, but Buckeye nation should be rooting for Baker Mayfield and the Sooners to wallop the TCU Horned Frogs in the reboot of the Big 12 Championship Game.

Since the Sooners picked apart the Buckeyes in Columbus, and seeing how the committee has treated head-to-head matchups, it wouldn’t be too far out of the realm of possibility that Oklahoma winds up a spot ahead of Ohio State.

Granted, the committee does like the conference champion aspect of things. However, if enough chaos occurs, who knows how exactly this cookie will crumble.

Georgia blows Auburn out of the water


Auburn, the No. 2 team, has slayed then-No. 1’s in Alabama and Georgia throughout the regular season. Now, it seems to benefit OSU if Georgia absolutely smokes Auburn in the SEC Championship Game in Atlanta.

Why a Georgia win, though?

Well, Auburn is the best of the two-loss teams right now. In the previous three years, the playoff committee has never a) selected two teams from the same conference and b) selected a two-loss team to a playoff semifinal.

If Auburn and Ohio State win, the committee will have to have the conversation to put multiple two-loss teams into the playoffs, while a couple teams (Wisconsin and Alabama) are left out with just one loss.

Ohio State beats Wisconsin by a respectful margin—but doesn’t 59-0 them again


Wisconsin’s strength of schedule has been frowned upon; they are the lone unbeaten team among the Power 5 conferences, and have secured the No. 4 spot in the latest playoff rankings. It’s safe to say that the Badgers could’ve gotten a little more respect for beating 10 of their 12 opponents by 14 points or more.

However, if the Buckeyes steamroll Wisconsin like they did back in 2014, it may have a boomerang effect. A blowout in Indianapolis sets up the college football version of Schrödinger’s Cat: the Badgers were a great team in one of the toughest conferences in America, or the Badgers were overrated in an overrated conference.

Depending on how the Big Ten Championship Game goes, that paradox could be coming into the forefront by Sunday morning. Ohio State is favored by six points right now, so a victory by 14 is respectable. With the way the committee is viewing Wisconsin, I’m not entirely sure that they are buying the Big Ten—as well as Wiscy’s non-conference schedule—as firm playoff options. (If we think that way, it makes a little more sense why the committee put Alabama in the No. 5 spot. They’re banking on at least one upset.)

The precedent of last season complicates things even more: Ohio State getting in without winning their conference. Sure, Ohio State defeated Oklahoma and Michigan last season to improve their playoff stock, but the optics didn’t look good when the Buckeyes proceeded to get their proverbial door blown off the hinges when they lost to Clemson in the Fiesta Bowl.

Is there an unknown bias toward the Big Ten? It doesn’t seem like it. But after watching the Big Ten East cannibalize itself, that theory echoes a little louder as the scapegoat for why OSU wouldn’t get in. Also, a 31-point loss at Iowa will be hard to ignore, even if the Buckeyes do win the conference crown.

In Conclusion


It’s entirely possible that all these things happen, and Alabama somehow still slips into the fourth playoff spot. The only people who know how this thing will shake out are the playoff committee members who put together the rankings.

However, the scenarios listed above appear to give the best chance for Ohio State to get in.

Is there a better way for the Buckeyes to get in? Scenarios that weren’t listed but are entirely plausible? Let us know in the comments.

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Ohio State vs. Wisconsin, 2017 Big Ten Championship odds: Buckeyes favored over unbeaten Badgers - SB Nation
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State vs. Wisconsin, 2017 Big Ten Championship odds: Buckeyes favored over unbeaten Badgers
SB Nation
The Buckeyes haven't lost a game to Wisconsin since 2010. The Badgers enter this game in much better form, but the Buckeyes may have the mental edge given the recent history between these two teams and Ohio State's experience playing in big games. The ...
Ohio State football: Watch Big Ten title game hype video; Buckeyes have good playoff oddsLandof10.com
Barrett, 23 other Buckeyes named to all-Big Ten teamNBC4i.com
Urban Meyer's test is keeping Buckeyes' 'laser focus' amid distractionsSporting News
cleveland.com -Akron Beacon Journal -Fort Wayne Journal Gazette
all 351 news articles »

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Ohio State football: Some helpful advice — wink, wink — as Sam Hubbard debates his NFL future - Landof10.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State football: Some helpful advice — wink, wink — as Sam Hubbard debates his NFL future
Landof10.com
That could certainly be true, but at this point there is a better chance that I'm lining up at defensive end for the Buckeyes next year than Hubbard. Again, there's no reason for him to come back, and just about everybody knows it — even if they don't ...

and more »

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Can Ohio State win the recruiting crown? Ranking the Buckeyes' remaining 2018 recruiting targets in order of importance - The Athletic
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Can Ohio State win the recruiting crown? Ranking the Buckeyes' remaining 2018 recruiting targets in order of importance
The Athletic
Ohio State's 2018 recruiting class ranks No. 1 overall in the 247Sports' composite rankings, but Urban Meyer has a ton of work remaining in the next month — remember, there's an early signing period now — and beyond if he wants to finish with his ...
4-star OT Rasheed Walker looking to officially visit Ohio StateLand-Grant Holy Land

all 2 news articles »

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Ohio State football: Watch Big Ten title game hype video; Buckeyes have good playoff odds - Landof10.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State football: Watch Big Ten title game hype video; Buckeyes have good playoff odds
Landof10.com
Ohio State football is the No. 1 topic in Wake Up Sloopy every day — but we cover news, notes and analysis from across Buckeyes sports. Join us each morning to get caught up on everything you missed in the world of Ohio State football, recruiting ...
Buckeyes No. 8 in College Football Playoff rankingDayton Daily News
FiveThirtyEight says if Ohio State wins, they're inLand-Grant Holy Land
Ohio State releases Big Ten Championship hype video: Rings247Sports
The Athletic -The Columbus Dispatch
all 596 news articles »

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4-star OT Rasheed Walker looking to officially visit Ohio State
Bret Favachio via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The Buckeyes need to start beefing up the 2018 offensive line.

As Ohio State continues their focus on Wisconsin in hopes of securing a Big Ten Championship and possibly a playoff berth, they were able to get some positive news on the recruiting trail on Wednesday.

Walker to officially visit


With National Signing Day for this year's recruiting class now just a few months away, Ohio State has only acquired commitments from two offensive linemen to this point; '18 OG Matthew Jones of Erasmus Hall (NY) and '18 OT Max Wray of Franklin (TN).

For the Buckeyes, they are still in hot pursuit for some other prospects among the front five on the offensive side of the ball. Guys like William Barnes, Walker Culver, in-state Jackson Carman, Cade Mays, Nicholas Petit-Frere, Jamaree Salyer and more are targets for the Scarlet and Gray on the offensive line.

However, another name in play for the Buckeyes is '18 OT Rasheed Walker of North Pointe (MD), and it sure seems that Ohio State will have a chance to impress the four-star prospect sooner rather than later.

According to Brian Dohn of 247Sports, Walker has already set an official visit to Penn State. Dohn also revealed that the 6'6, 300-pounder is also looking to set three other official visits: Maryland, Ohio State, and Virginia Tech.

Walker is currently widely expected to choose the Nittany Lions. However, if the Buckeyes do ultimately get that official visit from the nation's 11th highest ranked offensive tackle, all bets are off.

Williams sets decision date


With all of the drama surrounding '18 QB commit Emory Jones for Ohio State in regards to how committed he was to the Buckeyes, the Scarlet and Gray began looking for a backup plan incase Jones was to depart from the class.

The guy they turned their attention to was '18 QB Jarren Williams of Central Gwinnett (GA), who at the time was committed to Kentucky. With that being said, earlier this month Williams backed off of that pledge after an Ohio State offer and an official visit to Miami (FL).

Fast forward to Wednesday and the four-star prospect has set a decision date on where he will play at the next level.


With the Emory Jones saga not coming to an end at this time, I would imagine the Buckeyes aren't going to take a pledge from Williams. Nonetheless, the Hurricanes seem to be in great position for the 6'2, 206-pounder and will likely be the beneficiary come the 6th of December.

Quick Hits

• Ohio State offered '19 PG Demetrius Johnson of Garfield Heights (OH). Johnson was in attendance for the Buckeyes' contest against Clemson last night.
• '19 SF Max Martz of Upper Arlington (OH) was also in attendance as the Buckeyes squared off with the Tigers.

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