Explosive kid.

Ohio State football podcast: There's no sugarcoating Illinois is not the same test Iowa was - Landof10.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State football podcast: There's no sugarcoating Illinois is not the same test Iowa was
Landof10.com
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Get insight and reaction to Ohio State football on the Inside the Shoe podcast, brought to you by Land of 10. On the latest edition, Kyle Lamb previews the Buckeyes' game against Illinois on Saturday. Unlike the game against Iowa, ...
What To Watch: Texas Southern at Ohio State247Sports
How to watch Ohio State vs. Texas Southern: Preview, game time, live streaming onlineLand-Grant Holy Land
Touchdown Times: Ohio StateDaily Illini
Eleven Warriors -Sports Chat Place (blog) -OSU - The Lantern
all 12 news articles »

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Ohio State isn't being unfairly targeted, but targeting rule needs to be fixed - Landof10.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State isn't being unfairly targeted, but targeting rule needs to be fixed
Landof10.com
The Buckeyes have been hit with the stiffest penalty in the game four times this season, earning ejections and one-way trips to the shower because a targeting rule that was created with noble intentions has now become perhaps the most controversial in ...


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Turnure has been a great player for the Bucks Special Teams. Congrats to him again and well done!

How to watch Ohio State vs. Texas Southern: Preview, game time, live streaming online
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Ohio State will look for their third win in a row when they host Texas Southern at Value City Arena later tonight.

After starting off the 2017-18 campaign with wins over Robert Morris and Radford, Ohio State will look to stay undefeated under Chris Holtmann when they host Texas Southern tonight. The Buckeyes are 6-0 all-time against members of the SWAC, and tonight will mark Ohio State’s first-ever meeting with Texas Southern. The last time the Buckeyes played a member of the SWAC came back in 2015, when Ohio State thumped Grambling 82-55 in Columbus.

Ohio State had little trouble with Radford on Sunday afternoon, in a 82-72 win over the Highlanders. The Buckeyes led by as many as 26 points at one point in the second half of Sunday’s game, but a 23-8 run by Radford to close the game made the score look a lot more respectable for the Highlanders than it actually was. Keita Bates-Diop recorded a game-high 22 points in the victory, while guard C.J. Jackson added 19 points.

While there has been plenty of positive play for Ohio State to start off the season, there have been a couple of areas where the Buckeyes must improve if they are going to find success the rest of the year. Against Robert Morris, Ohio State turned the basketball over 19 times, and followed that performance up with 15 turnovers against Radford. With the competition about to ramp up with the PK80 Tournament next week — along with the start of conference play — the Buckeyes will have to take better care of the basketball.

Turnovers haven’t been the only issue for Ohio State early in the season. The Buckeyes have had a tough time finding their range from behind the arc. Ohio State made just five of the 18 three-pointers they attempted against Robert Morris, and on Sunday they made eight of their 27 attempts from behind the arc. If the Buckeyes are going to have any success this year, they’ll have to either improve on their long-range shooting, or find other ways to put points on the board.

Texas Southern comes into tonight’s contest having lost their first two games, but they are a team the Buckeyes can’t take lightly. The Tigers opened up their season with a 97-69 loss to Gonzaga on Friday, and on Sunday just missed out on a chance to take down Washington State in Pullman. The Tigers were up by as many as 22 points in the second half against the Cougars, but Washington State fought back to force overtime, and eventually earn a 86-84 win over Texas Southern.

Many Ohio State fans will notice a familiar name coaching Texas Southern, as Mike Davis is now in his sixth season with the school. The former Indiana head coach has amassed a 99-69 in Houston, and the Tigers have made the NCAA Tournament three times since 2014. Last year Texas Southern won the SWAC regular season title, along with the conference tournament, before falling to eventual national champion North Carolina in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

Numbers to know

143


Sunday’s win was the 143rd game Ohio State has won when they have had at least two Buckeyes recording a double-double. Not only did Keita Bates-Diop record a double-double with 22 points and 10 rebounds, but Jae’Sean Tate joined the junior by scoring 13 points and pulling down 10 rebounds. In games where at least two Buckeyes record a double-double, Ohio State is 143-51 all-time.

136


Since the start of the 2010 season, Ohio State is tied with Kentucky for most home wins. The Buckeyes have posted a 136-22 record in Columbus since 2010, and a win would break a tie with the Wildcats for at least a day, as Kentucky hosts East Tennessee State in Lexington tomorrow night.

13


The 2017 portion of Texas Southern’s 2017-18 season will be spent exclusively on the road. The Tigers’ first 13 games of the season will take place away from home. Already Texas Southern has visited the Pacific Northwest for games against Gonzaga and Washington State, and after the Tigers leave Columbus they’ll play at Syracuse on Saturday and at Kansas on Tuesday. At least all the time spent on the road should bring Texas Southern together as they try to secure another NCAA Tournament bid.

Cast of characters

Ohio State

Keita Bates-Diop


After missing most of last season due to injury, the redshirt junior forward looks to be making up for lost time so far this year. Bates-Diop has recorded double-doubles in Ohio State’s first two games this season, and now the Buckeyes are 8-0 when Bates-Diop records a double-double. Even though Bates-Diop is returning from injury, it doesn’t look like he is on any sort of minutes restriction, as evidenced by the 32 minutes he was on the court for in Sunday’s victory against Radford.

Kaleb Wesson


The freshman has come off the bench in each of his first two games with the Buckeyes, but the Westerville native is already demanding more minutes with how he is playing when he is on the floor. After scoring 13 points and grabbing seven rebounds in his Ohio State debut against Robert Morris on Friday night, Wesson added nine points off the bench in Sunday’s win. As long as Wesson can stay out of foul trouble, he should see his minutes continue to increase.

Texas Southern

Donte Clark


Texas Southern’s NCAA Tournament hopes got a big boost when they were able to land graduate transfer Donte Clark from UMass. The guard averaged 16.1 points per game during the 2015-16 season for the Minutemen, and 12.6 points per game last year. Clark has already been asked to shoulder a lot of the load for the Tigers, playing 85 minutes in his first two games. Despite the drop in scoring last year, Clark has shown he can still fill up the score sheet, recording 13 points in his debut with the team against Gonzaga, and following that performance up with 22 points and 14 rebounds in the loss to Washington State.

Demontrae Jefferson


Teaming with Clark in the backcourt is reigining SWAC Freshman of the Year Demontrae Jefferson. Last year Jefferson averaged 14.8 points per game for the Tigers. The 5-7 guard from Milwaukee has been even better this year, scoring 20 points against Gonzaga, and 22 points in the overtime loss to Washington State. One area of Jefferson’s game Ohio State might be able to exploit is his ball security, as the sophomore is averaging four turnovers per game so far this year.

How to watch:


Game time: 7 p.m. ET

TV: Big Ten Network

Radio: 97.1 WBNS-FM

Streaming: BTN2Go

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Ohio State-Illinois Outrageous Predictions: Huge number of Buckeyes sacks, JT Barrett touchdowns - cleveland.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State-Illinois Outrageous Predictions: Huge number of Buckeyes sacks, JT Barrett touchdowns
cleveland.com
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Who is best at achieving the ultimate combination of outrageousness and accuracy with his weekly Ohio State Outrageous Predictions? Find out thanks to Ryan Ginn from Landof10.com, our special guest this week, who has been tracking ...

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Vandals on hand to witness Buckeyes' 1000th win - Moscow-Pullman Daily News
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Vandals on hand to witness Buckeyes' 1000th win
Moscow-Pullman Daily News
COLUMBUS, Ohio — The ninth-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes showed why they are the winningest women's basketball program in the Big Ten on Wednesday. The Idaho Vandals got a front-row seat to the Buckeyes' 1,000 program victory, falling 99-56.
Kurelic: Buckeyes go for Georgia star; committed DB in picture247Sports
Women's basketball: Buckeyes get 1000th winThe Courier
No. 9 Ohio State 99, Idaho 56 | Linnae Harper stands tall in winThe Columbus Dispatch
OSU - The Lantern -Minneapolis Star Tribune
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Listen: Helwagen on CFB Playoff rankings, OSU's stretch drive - 247Sports
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Listen: Helwagen on CFB Playoff rankings, OSU's stretch drive
247Sports
He discussed Ohio State's rise in the College Football Playoff rankings and what has to happen for the Buckeyes to continue moving up. Plus, we discuss the win over Michigan State, what to expect vs. Illinois and much more. Undisputed Champions Book.


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Hornets must stop Buckeyes' big-play offense - Ironton Tribune
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Hornets must stop Buckeyes' big-play offense
Ironton Tribune
Coal Grove Hornets' wide receiver Sam Angelo (left) hauls in a 15-yard touchdown pass from Nate Harmon during last week's Division VI Region 23 48-26 semifinal win over the Southeastern Panthers. (Kent Sanborn of Southern Ohio Sports Photos).


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3-star WR Shocky Jacques-Louis reels in Ohio State offer
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 former Tennessee commit might find himself in the Scarlet and Gray next year.

Jacques-Louis, Mays get OSU offers


Ohio State was busy on Wednesday as head coach Urban Meyer and the coaching staff sent out two new offers to current high school prospects.

One recipient was to '18 WR Shocky Jacques-Louis of Dunbar (FL), a three-star wide receiver who comes in at 6'1, 175 pounds. Jacques-Louis picked up the offer from the Buckeyes just three days after decommitting from Tennessee, a program he had verballed to in late August. It will be interesting to see what develops between the two parties. But as of now, the 247Sports Crystal Ball is expecting the under-the-radar WR to pick Kentucky for the time being.


The other recipient of a Buckeye offer went to an interesting name in '20 OG Cooper Mays of Knoxville Catholic (TN). Cooper is the younger brother of big-time 2018 offensive tackle and Ohio State target Cade Mays, a former Tennessee commit.

One thing we do not know is if the Mays brothers are planning to play together at the next level. However, one would imagine that this is a positive development in the Buckeyes' pursuit of the Mays duo. With that being said, Ohio State isn't the only program to offer both. Tennessee and Georgia, who is the overwhelming favorite to land the older Mays, have also sent offers to the pair.

Tarquin set to visit again


Sticking with the offensive line trend, it is well known that the Buckeyes have already added '19 OT Doug Nester of Spring Valley (WV) to the fold for next year's cycle. The addition was well-documented as Nester was a five-star prospect at the time of his commitment.

One that they would like to join him along the frontline would be '19 OT Michael Tarquin of Belleview (FL).

Tarquin is a mammoth 6'5, 290-pounder that is wanted by the Buckeyes and many more programs across the country. Auburn, Clemson, Florida, Florida State, LSU, Miami (FL), Michigan, Michigan State, Oklahoma, and many more are other teams hoping to land the four-star prospect when all is said and done.

At this time, all indications are that the in-state Hurricanes and the Buckeyes are currently out in front. Obviously, there is a long way to go in this race.

Quick Hits

• '18 DT Antwuan Jackson of Blinn College (TX), an Ohio State commit, had a big Wednesday as he was recognized as an All-Conference MVP and a first team defender. Jackson was a former member of the Auburn Tigers but went the JUCO route to ultimately choose Ohio State, who was blocked on the Tigers' transfer list by Auburn.
• '18 DE Casey Rogers of Old Farms (CT) has set official visits to both Ohio State and Alabama. Rogers has received offers from both New Hampshire and Western Michigan. Other teams showing interest in the former Syracuse lacrosse commit include California, Penn State, Pittsburgh, UCLA, West Virginia, and many more.

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Zero sympathy. You choose to bring these things into your home, you deserve whatever happens to you.

Versailles' Niekamp signs with Ohio State Buckeyes - Bluebag Media - Early Bird Newspaper (press release)
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Versailles' Niekamp signs with Ohio State Buckeyes - Bluebag Media
Early Bird Newspaper (press release)
“I wanted to be a part of Buckeye Nation for a long time now just growing up a Buckeye fan,” said Kniekamp. “When the opportunity came up I couldn't pass.”.
Versailles ace Cole Niekamp happy to join 'Buckeye Nation' - Piqua ...Piqua Daily Call

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Kurelic: Buckeyes go for Georgia star; committed DB in picture - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Kurelic: Buckeyes go for Georgia star; committed DB in picture
247Sports
The 6-foot-5 and 235-pound Goede has close to two dozen scholarship offers including Ohio State, Georgia, Alabama, LSU, Tennessee, Auburn, Florida, Michigan, Florida, Nebraska and North Carolina State. In September Goede said the Buckeyes were one ...


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OSU Notebook: Buckeyes to lean on running backs - Toledo Blade
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OSU Notebook: Buckeyes to lean on running backs
Toledo Blade
COLUMBUS — Ohio State made a concerted effort to involve its running backs last week, and it was no coincidence that the Buckeyes' running game flourished. Both Mike Weber and J.K. Dobbins surpassed 100 yards and Ohio State racked up 335 total ...
Watch: Chris Worley on which linebacker position he should play247Sports
Ohio State LB Jerome Baker cleared, Dante Booker questionable vs ...Landof10.com

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Buckeyes offer another 2018 wide receiver - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Buckeyes offer another 2018 wide receiver
247Sports
What's next for the Buckeyes? Make sure you're in the loop -- take five seconds to sign up for our FREE Buckeyes newsletter now! In addition to Ohio State, the 6-foot-1 and 175-pound Jacques-louis has offers from Kentucky, Michigan State, Michigan, ...


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Ohio State recruiting: MJ Devonshire, Andrew Kristofic talk Buckeyes offer; a 2021 DE to watch - Landof10.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State recruiting: MJ Devonshire, Andrew Kristofic talk Buckeyes offer; a 2021 DE to watch
Landof10.com
Recruiting never stops, and if you take a day off, you fall behind. Join us every night for a daily recap of Ohio State recruiting news, insight on what's happening behind the scenes and a glimpse at what's coming next.
Linebacker Zach Turnure Discusses His Role in Ohio State's Pursuit of Four-Star Wideout Kamryn Babb While ...Eleven Warriors

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Billy Price’s consistency has allowed Ohio State to find its best balance in years
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Chris Holtmann is trying to buy your affection with fried chicken!

“He cares not because the story is particularly important, but because in Billy Price's life, nothing is trivial, nothing is overlooked, nothing slides.”

- Doug Lesmerises, cleveland.com


With all of the accomplishments that senior Billy Price has, and will have, under his belt by the time that his Ohio State playing career concludes at season’s end, perhaps the one that has had the biggest impact on his team is his school record of starting 51 games in his career; a number that could get as high as 56 if everything breaks the Buckeyes’ way.

Whether it was at guard, or now at center, the consistency that Price has afford the offensive line, as well as the leadership that he has provided his younger linemates, has allowed the team to settle into as good of an offensive balance as they’ve had in his time on the field.


If you take a look at this chart from everyone’s favorite certified financial planner (that’s what the CFP stands for, not College Football Playoff), you will see that the number of QB runs (designed or otherwise) that the Buckeyes have relied on this year is the lowest in Price’s time on the line, and the split between running back, H-back, tight end, and wide receiver is as balanced as it’s been.

These are the things that Urban Meyer is referencing when he talks about how having a mature and experienced offensive line can pay huge dividends in all aspects of the offensive gameplan. While it hasn’t happened all at once, and likely not as quickly as many had hoped, the Buckeyes are at the point now where they seem to have found the proper workload for backs Mike Weber and J.K. Dobbins, as well as quarterback J.T. Barrett.

If they are able to recreate the balance and “chances” that led to the demolishing of Michigan State last weekend over the next three weeks, the Buckeyes should be able to put themselves in position to sneak their way back into the College Football Playoff, should a number of teams falter above them.


Look, let’s call this what it is. New Buckeye men’s basketball coach Chris Holtmann is trying to buy the attention and affection of the normally football-obsessed Ohio State student body, especially before all focus turns to Michigan Week. And if I were still a student at OSU, it would totally work on me.

As I discussed with 97.1 The Fan’s Lori Schmidt on the Hangout in the Holy Land podcast, Holtmann is actively attempting to find ways to connect with OSU fans and his program’s history.

And, if that includes buying some delicious fast food fried chicken for some poor, hungry college students, what’s the harm in that? Well, of course that assumes that the poor hungry college students are not also scholarship athletes, as that would get into a gray area that we would need compliance to weigh in on first.


This Saturday’s matchup against the Illinois Fighting Illini will mark the final game for this year’s Buckeyes at The Horseshoe, and with Senior Day comes all of the requisite emotions about ending one chapter of a young man’s life and beginning another.

Though we like to think of our college football players as warriors who only show emotion when it comes to running someone over, the nostalgic memories of camaraderie shared over the years can be overwhelming for even the most grizzled of athletes. That is why the fact that OSU is playing Illinois in its final home game of the season should (and I emphasize “should”) allow the Buckeyes time to settle into the game after the sentimental pregame ceremony.

Of course, don’t tell Lovie Smith and his crew that, but the Buckeyes are fortunate that with less than zero margin for error, that they are hosting the Illini, rather than the Spartans or Wolverines on Senior Day.

“Although it’s not two top 10-ranked opponents coming to Columbus as over the past weekend, the next stretch of games for the Ohio State women’s basketball team will be another significant test.”

- Josh Horton, The Columbus Dispatch


If you hadn’t heard, over the weekend, the No. 9 Ohio State women’s basketball team knocked off No. 14 Stanford and fell to No. 5 Louisville in overtime to start the 2017-2018 season. Kevin McGuff’s squad is looking to make it to the Final Four, which will be held at Columbus’ Nationwide Arena this spring, and while the challenges might not be as significant this week as they were last, the Buckeyes are in for a grueling three games in five days at the Value City Arena.

Facing off against Idaho on Wednesday, Quinnipiac on Friday, and Washington (McGuff’s old school) on Sunday will very much recreate the intensity and turn around that OSU will need to make a run in the Women’s NCAA Tournament.

While Horton explains that postseason preparedness was not the purpose of scheduling the games as they are, no doubt that these early season challenges should provide McGuff’s team opportunities to test themselves early on in a potentially historic season.

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College Hockey News: Buckeyes Goaltender Transition Smooth So Far - College Hockey News
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


College Hockey News: Buckeyes Goaltender Transition Smooth So Far
College Hockey News
Whatever voodoo Romeo uses, from his particular phone habits to general OCD and keeping to himself on gamedays, has been working. The goaltender transfer has started 11 of 12 games for the Buckeyes, helping Ohio State to five wins this young season.


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Just how good was Ohio State’s defense against Michigan State?
Ian Hartitz via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The Buckeyes defense dominated on all three levels against Sparty.

Ohio State’s beat down of Michigan State was the most complete performance the defense has put on all season. The fact it came without starters Jerome Baker and Dante Booker was even more surprising. Some notes from the Buckeyes’ 48-3 win:

• Spartans quarterback Brian Lewerke averaged a miserable 3.6 yards per pass attempt, by far his worst performance of the season. After allowing a plethora of big plays throughout the opening weeks of the season, the Silver Bullets didn’t allow a single completion over 20 yards last week.
• L.J. Scott gave the Buckeyes fits in 2016, totaling 236 yards and two touchdowns from scrimmage. His first run went for 20 yards last Saturday, but he gained just 10 yards on his remaining seven carries as the Spartans couldn’t establish a rushing attack all game.
• Felton Davis III had racked up a 45-586-8 line going into Saturday, and left with the exact same statistics. Denzel Ward was attacked early and often (more on that in a bit), but stayed strong and managed to help take the Spartans’ best receiver completely out of the game.

Michigan State’s inability to either run or pass resulted in their fewest points since getting blanked by Alabama in 2015. The Buckeyes defense displayed plenty of speed and talent at all three levels Saturday, with more than a few players making numerous stand-out plays. Let’s take a look at some of the best highlights from the Buckeyes’ win.

Nick Bosa didn’t come to take part, he came to take over.


Part of the reason why Michigan State was able to play so many close games over the years was their ability to somewhat neutralize Joey Bosa. Jack Conklin, 2016’s No. 8 overall pick and now the starting right tackle for the Tennessee Titans, handled Bosa better than just about any other tackle in the country. Unfortunately for Michigan State, Conklin didn’t have a brother entering the program to pick up the slack.

Ohio State has been lucky enough to replace one game-wrecking Bosa with another, and Nick’s presence was felt from the first drive of the game:


It didn’t take long for Michigan State to realize they needed to at least chip Bosa on a play-by-play basis, and leaving any of the Buckeyes’ other defensive ends alone is a death sentence. When the Buckeyes are able to force the quarterback to get rid of the ball quickly, it naturally decreases the amount of time the defensive backs need to stay in coverage. Ohio State did a great job staying sticky in coverage and managed to make the Spartan passing game a living hell all over the field.

Denzel Ward made a serious case as Ohio State’s next first-round defensive back.


Michigan State wasn’t the first team to make a point of picking on Ward this season. Not that anyone had been overly successful, but it seemed as though opposing offenses weren’t nearly as afraid of the Buckeyes’ latest-stud corner as they had been in recent years. Well, Ward quickly closed the book on the idea that he was a part of the secondary worth attacking:


Ward’s viciousness in tackling is complemented by game-changing speed that helps him always have a chance to make a play on the ball. The Buckeyes were determined not to let the Spartan tight ends have success in the same manner of Iowa, and Ward, along with Kendall Sheffield, Damon Webb, Damon Arnette, and Jordan Fuller, all teamed up to make that goal a reality. It’s been an up-and-down season for the back end of the Buckeyes defense, but they demonstrated just how good they could be when everything is going right last Saturday.

The Buckeyes front seven completely eliminated the Spartans rushing game.


Ohio State’s defensive line has been the most-consistent unit all season, but their performance Saturday was only rivaled by how well they played during the second half of the Penn State game. The Spartans tried all the tricks in the book to put their over-matched offensive line in a position to succeed. Draws, misdirection, option looks: Nothing worked against this front.

Linebackers Tuf Borland and Malik Harrison filled in admirably beside Chris Worley. With the Buckeyes linemen causing plenty of disruption and garnering loads of attention, it was up to the linebackers to finish the play and fill their gaps. Other than the aforementioned first run of the game, they were able to consistently shut down Sparty:


It wasn’t uncommon to see a swarm of scarlet jerseys around the football at the end of any given play. Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard, but Michigan State found out what it’s like to deal with talent that does work hard.


The Buckeyes quest for Indianapolis remains very much in reach, but they can’t be looking ahead against a Fighting Illini team that will undoubtedly be prepared under head coach Lovie Smith.

The final: 48-3, Ohio State

Defensive player of the game: Tuf Borland (11 tackles, 8 solo, 2 TFLs, 1 sack)

Defensive play of the game: Damon Arnette interception.

Next Victim: Illinois. Keep it classy, Columbus.

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Future Buckeye D-tackle Antwuan Jackson receives big honor - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Future Buckeye D-tackle Antwuan Jackson receives big honor
247Sports
Coming out of high school Jackson had a Buckeye offer and was a big Ohio State target. However, the Buckeyes finished second to Auburn. Jackson spent one year at Auburn before transferring to Blinn College. The 6-foot-2 and 302 pound Jackson ...


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Apparently the "bad weather" forecast is driving down ticket prices for the Illinois game:

444 SEAT HAS TICKETS FOR SATURDAY'S SENIOR DAY AGAINST ILLINOIS FOR JUST $43 – WELL BELOW FACE VALUE

Saturday marks Senior Day at Ohio Stadium, an opportunity to send J.T. Barrett, Jamarco Jones, Billy Price and the rest of the Buckeyes out in style as they play their final game in Ohio Stadium. It will be an emotional day and Illinois is very bad at football, so there's that, too.

Luckily, 444 SEAT, the Official Travel and Hospitality Partner of Eleven Warriors, has seats for 3:30 p.m. kickoff with Illinois starting at just $43 – well below face value. Tailgate and hospitality packages for the game are sold out, but you can still grab a ticket, head to any of the hundreds of tailgates around the Shoe and salute the gentlemen who have given so much to this football program.

Entire article: https://www.elevenwarriors.com/spon...st-illinois-for-just-43-well-below-face-value

Actually the forecast is getting a little better, i.e. no snow, etc.; The Weather Channel now has 70% chance of rain with a high of 56°.

The future is bright for freshman receiver Ricky Smalling despite Illinois’ losing season
Kyle Sumner McKinnon via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The Fighting Illini have a star in the making on their hands.

There hasn’t been much for Illinois to celebrate this year.

The Fighting Illini own a 2-8 record and haven’t won a game since Week 2, back in September. They’ve yet to beat a Big Ten team and are headed towards their sixth straight losing season.

For all their shortcomings, Illinois can take solace in the young talent currently on their roster.

Before they got injured, freshmen running backs Ra'Von Bonner and Mike Epstein were tearing it up on the field, combining for eight total touchdowns. Freshman tight end Louis Dorsey has also led the way on offense, tallying 18 receptions, 332 yards and three touchdowns.

But the biggest threat Ohio State should be on the lookout for on Saturday is wide receiver Ricky Smalling.

A Chicago native, Smalling has grown into a legit playmaker for coach Lovie Smith and Co. He’s compiled 28 catches for 488 yards and a pair of scores despite being virtually nonexistent the first two weeks of the season.

Here’s how Smalling has fared as a true freshman.


Considering he’s only a first-year, playing for talent-devoid Illinois no less, that’s not a bad way to start off a college football career.

The 6-foot-1, 205-pound Smalling has had success outmuscling defenders to gain separation. He isn’t the most refined receiver, but his soft hands and ability to make plays after the catch are why No. 4 is one of the better freshmen in the Big Ten.

In a losing effort to Rutgers last month, Smalling racked up 111 receiving yards and a touchdown on just five receptions.


With two games to go before the regular season ends, Smalling leads all Illinois pass-catchers in receptions and receiving yards, and is second in average yards per reception and receiving touchdowns.

He’s third among all eligible FBS freshmen in average yards per reception.

Once Smalling gets more talent around him on offense, let alone a competent quarterback, watch out. You’ll see him produce like he did against Minnesota with frequency, when he caught eight passes for 71 yards and a touchdown.


A third win doesn’t appear to be in the cards for Illinois. But the final score isn’t of much concern to the Fighting Illini at this point.

Building a steady, sustainable program is what Smith and his staff are focused on. And it’s players like Smalling that represent the first steps in that process. He’s a difference-maker at receiver and will play an important role in whatever future success his team has.

Keep an eye out for Smalling on Saturday when Illinois takes the field in Columbus. You’ll be seeing a lot more of him down the road.

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BH: Five for fighting? | Baker goods - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


BH: Five for fighting? | Baker goods
247Sports
The Buckeyes attempted to add a fifth member to the class but were unable to close any targets before the initial signing period. Could they add a fifth recruit before the final spring period? "We do have one more spot," a source close to the program said.


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Highly coveted 4-star defensive tackle to visit Ohio State this weekend - Land-Grant Holy Land
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Highly coveted 4-star defensive tackle to visit Ohio State this weekend
Land-Grant Holy Land
There's only one more home game left in the 2017 season for the Ohio State Buckeyes. The time just flies by when you're having fun. Anyway, Urban Meyer has already had his weekly press conference, and we are now at the midway point of the workweek.

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Ohio State alumnus Evan Turner appreciates Blake Shelton being named People Magazine’s ‘Sexiest Man Alive’
Alexis Chassen via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


In a move that surprised many, Turner couldn’t help but troll the Shelton selection.

Every year People Magazine releases their Sexiest Man Alive honor, with past winners including the swoon-worthy George Clooney, Brad Pitt and The Rock. In a bit of a surprising move this year, the magazine chose “The Voice” judge and country crooner Blake Shelton to represent sexy men everywhere.

This decision has received quite a bit of push back. From those arguing he’s a racist, to those who just don’t think he’s that attractive, Shelton has to be one of the more controversial choices for the completely subjective distinction.

One guy who isn’t mad, though: former Buckeye baller Evan Turner.


Hey, 7’s need love too!

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