Buckeyes could push Cornhuskers over the edge - Hillsboro Times Gazette
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Buckeyes could push Cornhuskers over the edge
Hillsboro Times Gazette
The Buckeyes should be able to run the ball against a Nebraska defense that gave up 249 yards to Wisconsin freshman Jonathan Taylor last week. 2. OSU's pass defense could have a huge game against Nebraska quarterback Tanner Lee, who has thrown ...


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No. 9 Buckeyes looking to keep rolling on trip to Nebraska - FOXSports.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


No. 9 Buckeyes looking to keep rolling on trip to Nebraska
FOXSports.com
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) Ohio State-Nebraska matches two of the five programs with the most major college football wins in history, but the teams are in very different places entering Saturday night's game at Memorial Stadium. The ninth-ranked Buckeyes (5-1, ...
Big, bad Buckeyes give NU troubleGrand Island Independent
Ohio State recruiting: Latest updates on the Buckeyes 2018 ...Landof10.com
Kurelic: Buckeyes search for next Zeke; Cox and Bama; another LB247Sports
Land-Grant Holy Land -cleveland.com
all 74 news articles »

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Big, bad Buckeyes give NU trouble - Grand Island Independent
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Big, bad Buckeyes give NU trouble
Grand Island Independent
No doubt, Nebraska coach Mike Riley said, the Buckeyes are a standard by which teams in the Big Ten are measured. “That's where we want to go,” Riley said. “And if you want to win the championship then you look into that team that's at least competing ...
Kurelic: Buckeyes search for next Zeke; Cox and Bama; another LB247Sports
Ohio State recruiting: Latest updates on the Buckeyes 2018 ...Landof10.com
Ohio State offers 2019 DB Tyus Fields, looks to bolster secondary of the futureLand-Grant Holy Land
cleveland.com -The Sports Quotient
all 75 news articles »

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Could there be another Big Ten upset in Week 7 of the college football season?
Alexis Chassen via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Here’s the full slate of college football games this weekend.

Buckeye fans have to wait until the later slate of games on Saturday to catch Ohio State take on the Nebraska Cornhuskers on the road (at 7:30 p.m.), but there are a lot of quality match-ups to check out before then.

Inching closer toward halfway through the season, conference play is in full force and upsets continue to rock the rankings. This week’s slate of games shouldn’t be any different. There aren’t any ranked matchups, but that just means more opportunities for an upset.

Around the Big Ten, conference front-runners Penn State welcomes their open week (two weeks before facing the Buckeyes) and No. 17 Michigan will face an unranked Indiana. No. 7 Wisconsin plays host to Purdue Saturday afternoon, with one of the best chances for an upset among the Big Ten competition. The Spartans moved up into the top 25 after their win over the Wolverines last week, and at the No. 21 spot face off against unranked Minnesota under the lights.

Here’s the full slate of college football games in Week 7:

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Ohio State recruiting: Ohio State in top 2 for Tennessee standout, Texas receiver has Buckeyes roots - Landof10.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State recruiting: Ohio State in top 2 for Tennessee standout, Texas receiver has Buckeyes roots
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.
No. 9 Buckeyes looking to keep rolling on trip to NebraskaNBC4i.com
Kurelic: Buckeyes search for next Zeke; Cox and Bama; another LB247Sports
Ohio State offers 2019 DB Tyus Fields, looks to bolster secondary of the futureLand-Grant Holy Land
cleveland.com -ESPN (blog) -The Sports Quotient
all 66 news articles »

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Ohio State vs. Nebraska game picks: Will the Buckeyes score 60 vs. the Huskers again? - cleveland.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State vs. Nebraska game picks: Will the Buckeyes score 60 vs. the Huskers again?
cleveland.com
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio State's offense has had massive games the last two times it has seen Nebraska. The Buckeyes won in 2012, 63-38, and again last season, 62-3. That's a grand total of 125-41 since the Huskers rallied from a 21-point deficit in 2011 ...
Ohio State recruiting mailbag: Wide receivers, defensive linemen and quarterbacks, oh myLandof10.com
Huskers face tough challenge from BuckeyesGrand Island Independent
What to watch for in Nebraska Huskers vs. Ohio State BuckeyesDaily Nebraskan
AthlonSports.com -Washington Post -247Sports
all 121 news articles »

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Ohio State has done enough to put the Week 2 loss behind them
Alexis Chassen via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The Buckeyes have spent the past four weeks ironing out the wrinkles from early on in the season.

“If there were any questions after the loss to the Sooners, Ohio State has answered them through patience, practice and defeating its opponents in convincing fashion.”

-Tom VanHaaren, ESPN


Ohio State may have started the season 1-1, but after four weeks throttling opponents, they are finally settling into a nice groove heading into the tougher part of their schedule. The areas of concern early on this year were the lackluster passing game and the inconsistent (read: young) secondary.

Since the loss to Oklahoma in Week 2, J.T. Barrett has found 10 different targets for touchdowns, not to mention the ones on the ground. Once the receivers stopped dropping passes and gained some confidence, their growth has been impressive. Most of the receivers have been outstanding with their spacial awareness, often snagging touchdowns in the narrowest windows with one foot down.

According to ESPN, even WR Parris Campbell admitted they look better, but still have room to grow, “We are making progress week by week, and I think we are getting better, but I think we still leave too much on the field. It’s not going to be perfect, but we are taking it step by step and continuing to get better.”

Not only is the offense on the upswing, but the secondary has come around too. The team snagged their first interception of the season against Rutgers and limited Maryland last week to only 16 passing yards (!).

All these minor battles are leading up to the loaded back-end of the season for the Buckeyes. With the bye week after Nebraska’s road trip, the Scarlet and Grey will get ready to face Big Ten leader Penn State, a burgeoning Michigan State team and lastly an increasingly frustrated Michigan team. These three of the final five games of the season will determine who ultimately competes for the Big Ten title from the East division and likely who will go on to the College Football Playoff.

“You’re not going to have many shots down the field on the way they play. They’re very sound in what they do. Their secondary, they keep everything in front of them and they rally up and run to the ball very, very well and they kind of give you the short stuff.”

-Urban Meyer via Marcus Hartman, Dayton Daily News


Nebraska has had early success on defense this year at limiting big plays, but not so much at preventing solid gains, as noted by Hartman. Meyer dug deeper into Nebraska’s base 3-4 scheme when he met with the media this week, calling it something out of the NFL with two-gap defensive linemen and eight players in coverage.

This should prove to be a good challenge for the Buckeyes, as they transition from the easier slate of games on their schedule to the more difficult. Ohio State has seen improvements in their passing game, but the real bread and butter is still in the rush. With a three-headed attack from Mike Weber, J.K. Dobbins and J.T. Barrett, the Buckeyes will try and create some opportunities for one-on-one match-ups for the receivers by way of screens and short passes.

“Second-year cornerback Artie Burns missed his first tackle of the season, while Ryan Shazier continues to lead the Steelers in missed tackles week after week, but I think a lot of that has to do with the standout inside linebacker flying sideline to sideline making plays.”

-Josh Carney, Steelers Depot


Through five weeks of play, former Buckeye linebacker Ryan Shazier has 13 missed tackles — more than double of any of his other teammates. While that stat line can be a bit head-scratching, as Josh Carney points out in the tackle breakdown, Shazier flies around the field and has far more tackle attempts than most of his teammates.

Despite these misses, the Buckeye is still gearing up for a career-high season. The linebacker recorded 87 total tackles in both 2014 and 2015, and already has 45 through just five games. Shazier has also never been healthy for a full 16-game season — so that could go a long way in making his fifth-year extension worth it for the Steelers. Similarly, he’s only one interception and one forced fumble away from tying his career-highs in both categories — currently at three in each.

While Shazier might have the most missed tackles for Pittsburgh, he’s also in on almost every defensive play, and has a knack for finding the ball. So long as he keeps making big third-down stops, and game-winning picks, the Steelers aren’t going to let a few missed tackles cloud their judgement on one of the league’s best linebackers.

STICK TO SPORTS

• You can now order food delivery through Facebook.
• Since it’s Friday the 13th, the final trailer for the second season of Stranger Things was released, and it’s terrifying.
• Have you ever wanted to live in a fancy shipping container? Well, now you can!
• A few retailers — including H&M and Urban Outfitters — are having online sales this weekend.

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Binjimen Victor wants to live up to major Buckeye comparisons - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Binjimen Victor wants to live up to major Buckeye comparisons
247Sports
While the Buckeyes don't have either of those players walking through the door -- at least not to suit up once again -- maybe they have the next in a long line of great OSU wideouts in sophomore Binjimen Victor. At least Urban Meyer seems to think so.


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Kurelic: Buckeyes search for next Zeke; Cox and Bama; another LB - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Kurelic: Buckeyes search for next Zeke; Cox and Bama; another LB
247Sports
1) On Thursday night I posted the Buckeyes had made a late-night scholarship offer to another star from the state of Georgia, 2019 athlete Steele Chambers from Rosswell (Ga.) Trinity Catholic. “Yes sir they just did,” Chambers said on Thursday night ...
Ohio State recruiting: Latest updates on the Buckeyes 2018 ...Landof10.com
Ohio State offers 2019 DB Tyus Fields, looks to bolster secondary of the futureLand-Grant Holy Land
Ohio State Buckeyes 2017 -- Another rout of un-Nebraska is on tap: Bill Livingston (photos)cleveland.com
ESPN (blog) -Husker Corner
all 59 news articles »

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Former Buckeye Trevor Thompson signs with Golden State Warriors - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Former Buckeye Trevor Thompson signs with Golden State Warriors
247Sports
He transferred to Ohio State and, after sitting out the NCAA mandated one year, was a fixture for the Buckeyes over the next two seasons. In his final year in Columbus, Thompson averaged 10.6 points, 9.2 rebounds and 1.5 blocks while playing 23 minutes ...

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Most projections have Ohio State in the Peach Bowl, however, one projection points to Rose Bowl semifinal
Geoff Hammersley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Jerry Palm of CBS Sports has the right idea for where the Buckeyes are headed.

Unlike last week, there was a consensus for where the Ohio State Buckeyes would be going in the postseason: a New Year’s Six bowl. Entering Week 7 of the college football season—and with the help of the Oklahoma Sooners loss last week to Iowa State—the projections have begun to vary more for the Buckeyes, but a premier bowl game is back on the menu for the Scarlet and Gray, considering everything stays the same.

Let’s take a look at where five outlets have the Buckeyes headed to for their bowl game.


Jerry Palm had the Buckeyes going to the Sugar Bowl in last week’s edition of bowl projections. However, with the Oklahoma Sooners getting upended (and karma’d) by Iowa State, the Scarlet and Gray moved up into the No. 3 spot in the College Football Playoff.

The other playoff matchup, according to Palm, is Alabama vs. Penn State (!) in the Sugar Bowl. So, it appears that Palm has OSU beating PSU—and the Nittany Lions ending with just one loss. For a conference, getting one team into the CFP is tricky enough, let alone two. But, who knows? If the Pac-12 and Big 12 continue the trend of everyone beating up on each other, then it’s plausible that both are gonna miss the boat on getting someone into the playoff.


The more things change, the more they stay the same. As Palm keeps the Bucks in the playoff picture, Eric Single of Sports Illustrated has OSU in the Cotton Bowl for another week. Again, the TCU Horned Frogs are the projected opponent.

Both teams replaced a home-and-home series in 2018-19 in favor for a “neutral” site game next season at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. If Single is right, we’ll get an early dose of Horned Frogs-Buckeyes in Jerry World.

That’s not necessarily a bad thing.


SB Nation’s own Jason Kirk is keeping his Ohio State postseason prediction the same as well. While at the same venue as the National Championship, Kirk has the Georgia Bulldogs basically playing host to the Buckeyes in the Peach Bowl.

Urban Meyer has done well going into SEC territory and pulling out postseason wins against SEC powers since coming to Columbus. I mean, Urbz beat Nick Saban and Alabama in the Sugar Bowl semifinal in 2014. Why would he struggle with a former Saban assistant in Kirby Smart??


Breathes in, sighs heavily

Peach Bowl is the prediction from Erick Smith at USA Today.


Last week, Kyle Bonagura had the Buckeyes in the Citrus Bowl. Now, the tune has changed to the... Peach Bowl. However, unlike Kirk, the ESPN analyst has South Florida taking on Ohio State.

Hot take: If this game happens, no way Ohio State walks out a “winner,” regardless of outcome. If they pound the Bulls, they were supposed to do it. If they don’t, then the sirens go off, and the proclamation that OSU was a pretender all along gets semi-validated—even though that really isn’t a firm truth.

David Hale has the Orange Bowl, again, for the Buckeyes. (And again, it would be a virtual road game as Miami would be the opposition in his prediction.)

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Game On: A closer look at how the Huskers and Buckeyes line up - Lincoln Journal Star
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Game On: A closer look at how the Huskers and Buckeyes line up
Lincoln Journal Star
Stay strong. The Blackshirts looked worn down by the time UW got done rushing 49 times in 66 plays. The Buckeyes don't need to be on the field for 40 minutes, but they'll run a lot of plays regardless and they can score in bunches. The second half is ...


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Chasing History: Ohio State on doorstep of becoming 3rd winningest FBS program
Jim Baird via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


With a win Saturday, OSU will tie Nebraska as the third winningest program in FBS history

Eight-hundred ninety two. That’s the number of all-time wins Nebraska has earned since they first lined up for a game of tackle football against Omaha YMCA on Thanksgiving day in 1890. The Buckeyes enter Saturday’s contest as 24-point favorites — and with a win, will move into a tie with the Cornhuskers for 892 all-time victories. In the FBS ranks, only Texas (893 wins), and Michigan (939 victories) have won more games.

The Cornhuskers have one of college football’s richest winning traditions: 46 conference titles, 5 national championships, 3 Heisman Trophy winners. But despite their long, storied program history — there have been only five previous matchups with Ohio State. And the Buckeyes have been dominant. OSU has won by an average margin of 22 points per contest against Nebraska. Ohio State holds a 4-1 all-time edge in the series, and a 2-1 advantage since the Cornhuskers joined the Big Ten in 2011. It's also the case that the home team is a perfect 5-0 in the series, and this marks only OSU’s second trip ever to Lincoln. Below is the short history between two of college football’s winningest programs.

2016: Ohio State 62, Nebraska 3 — The only top-ten matchup of the series also proved to be its most lopsided contest as No. 6 Ohio State dominated the No. 10 Cornhuskers. In one of his best games of the season, Buckeye quarterback J.T. Barrett accounted for 329 total yards, four touchdowns and zero turnovers. The win improved the eventual playoff bound Buckeyes to 8-1 and marked OSU's first win over a ranked team after a setback on the road against Penn State two weeks earlier.

2012: Ohio State 63, Nebraska 38 — OSU’s Braxton Miller broke his own school record for a quarterback, rushing for 186 yards as No. 12 Ohio State took down No. 21 Nebraska. The win moved the Buckeyes to 6-0. OSU would finish the season 12-0 and win the Big Ten Leaders Division. NCAA sanctions from ‘tattoo-gate’ banned the Buckeyes from participating in the postseason.

2011: Nebraska 34, Ohio State 27 — Freshman Braxton Miller left the game with an injured ankle in the third quarter, and Nebraska rallied behind quarterback Taylor Martinez to score 28 straight points as the No. 14 Cornhuskers notched their only victory of the series. Down three touchdowns, the win marked the biggest comeback in Nebraska history. Ohio State would finish the season 6-7 under interim coach Luke Fickell. Nebraska would end the year with a 9-4 mark, falling to South Carolina in the Citrus Bowl.

1956: Ohio State 34, Nebraska 7 — Sophomore OSU halfback Don Clark ran for two scores of 35 and 38 yards as the No. 8 Buckeyes opened the season victorious. The Buckeyes would finish with a 6-3 record — and were ineligible for postseason play after an NCAA investigation found coach Woody Hayes loaned several players money.

1955: Ohio State 28, Nebraska 20 — Senior halfback Howard ‘Hopalong’ Cassady ran for three scores as No. 6 OSU prevailed in their first ever matchup with Nebraska. Cassady would go on to win the Heisman and lead the defending national champion Buckeyes to a 7-2 record.

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Ohio State will need more than just big hits from CB Denzel Ward against Nebraska
Ian Hartitz via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


This week’s defensive player to watch isn’t your everyday corner.

Ohio State faces a Cornhuskers offense this Saturday that finds themselves without an identity. Quarterback Tanner Lee’s 11/10 touchdown/interception ratio doesn’t inspire much optimism, while the team’s rushing game is expected to be split between bruiser Devine Ozigbo and scat-back Mikale Wilbon — neither of whom is averaging over 5.0 yards per carry this season.

Nebraska isn’t ranked inside the top 10 this time around, as their 3-3 start has included close losses to Oregon and Northern Illinois (!!!) along with a Badger-induced beat down last week in Lincoln, Neb. We’ve seen the Buckeyes shut down opposing rush offenses for the better part of this season, but there have been issues defending the downfield pass. The onus will once again be on the secondary to keep the Buckeyes perfect in Big Ten play, and the secondary’s success largely hinges on the play of No. 1 cornerback Denzel Ward.

The Man Can HIT


Last week saw Ward become the victim of the most-atrocious targeting call of the past 100 years (probably). There’s no other way to justify the decision other than to conclude Ward hit the receiver too hard:


This isn’t anything too new for Ward, as he’s flashed his willingness to lay big hits throughout his career on kickoff coverage, as well on Oklahoma’s 6-foot-5, 250-pound tight end in 2016. Cornerbacks aren’t supposed to hit like safeties, and Ward is actually small for the position by Ohio State’s standard at 5-foot-11 and 180 pounds. Still, it sets the tone for the entire defense when the little guy delivers the big hit, and a confident Buckeyes secondary will be needed against a Cornhuskers offense undoubtedly looking for redemption after scoring just three points against the Buckeyes last season.

Ward needs to win the 50/50 balls


A common thread from Ohio State’s opponents this season has been the decision to take the game outside. Opposing coaches realize that attempting to battle with the Buckeyes’ maulers on the defensive line isn’t a great plan, so they’ve often decided to take their one-on-one chances against the Ohio State corners. The Buckeyes have some of the most-talented defensive backs in the nation, but there are plenty of talented receivers who can make plays without enough opportunities. Take Indiana’s second touchdown, for example, when Kendall Sheffield and Ward were tasked with defending three straight end-zone fades:


The Buckeyes ask their corners to read the receiver’s eyes and shoot their arm to the sky upon the ball’s arrival. A well-placed back-shoulder fade is pretty much impossible to stop, so playing the receiver’s reaction gives the defensive backs about as good a chance at making a play as they’ll get. Ohio State’s front seven makes the idea of methodically moving the ball downfield a tall task. The easiest way for Nebraska to give themselves a shot at creating explosive plays is to target the one-on-one matchups Ohio State gives the opposition’s wide receivers on a snap-by-snap basis. Ward and company will need to shut down their side of the field to allow the rest of the Buckeyes to do what they do best: Get after the quarterback.


Ohio State is currently a 24.5-point favorite with a 58-point over/under. Vegas is roughly implying a 36-12 victory for the Buckeyes.

The Ohio State offense has been a much-improved unit since the Oklahoma game, but will face their second-biggest test of the season Saturday. How Ohio State's secondary manages to set the tone will go a long way towards deciding how much close of a contest this game ends up being.

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Former Ohio State basketball big man Trevor Thompson signs with the Golden State Warriors
Matt Brown via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Another Buckeye will be getting checks to play professional basketball

Trevor Thompson raised a fair amount of eyebrows amongst Buckeye fans when he decided to leave college early for the NBA Draft. After all, nobody projected him to be drafted...and then he wasn’t drafted.

But Trevor Thompson is going to get paid to play basketball by an NBA team, so it looks like that bet on himself paid off.

The Golden State Warriors announced today that they signed Thompson, although, as Bay Area News Group’s Dieter Kurtenbach points out, he’s almost certainly headed to the G-League.


Thompson was productive at Ohio State, nearly averaging a double-double, while establishing himself as one of the better big men in the conference. He was also one of the few Ohio State players who demonstrably improved each year while with the Buckeyes.

Thompson, already 23, is old for an NBA prospect, having already redshirted thanks to having to sit out from a transfer from Virginia Tech. Whether he sticks around long-term in the NBA or not, he’s going to get a legitimate shot at the G-League, under the banner of the probable best team in the NBA. That’s not bad.

Congrats to Trevor. Here’s hoping he gets lots of buckets.

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Ohio State heads to Nebraska in Week 7’s Big Ten College Football betting lines
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The Buckeyes look to head into their bye week on a high note

Last week ATS: 7-5 (4-2 National, 3-3 B1G)

Season ATS: 47-38-1 (18-13 National, 29-25-1 B1G)

In case you missed yesterday’s national picks for six games, including the Red River Showdown, you can find them here.

B1G games:


No. 17 Michigan (-7) v. Indiana - 12:00 PM EST - ABC

Another big game, and another big loss for Jim Harbaugh. It is becoming all too familiar for Michigan fans, and it is glorious. Last week Michigan couldn’t muster much of anything against Michigan State, turning the ball over five times on their way to a 14-10 loss to the Spartans.

Last week Peyton Ramsey got his first start at quarterback for Indiana against Charleston Southern, throwing for 321 yards and two touchdowns. The freshman won’t have things so easy this week against a very tough Michigan defense. It’ll be interesting to see if Ramsey lasts the whole game if he struggles to find traction against the Michigan defense, or if the Hoosiers turn back to Richard Lagow.

Indiana isn’t Michigan State on defense, but they still won’t give up much to the Wolverines. John O’Korn is going to be under pressure for much of the game since Michigan’s offensive line is so bad. The Hoosiers keep it close, but fall short of their first victory against Michigan since 1987.

Michigan 17, Indiana 14

Rutgers v. Illinois (-2) - 12:00 PM EST - Big Ten Network

I’m trying to imagine just how bad this game is going to be and I know I’m not even scratching the surface of the levels of terrible it will approach.

Illinois 13, Rutgers 7

Purdue v. No. 7 Wisconsin (-16) - 3:30 PM EST - Big Ten Network

The Boilermakers have turned things around a lot faster than many expected under Jeff Brohm, and it’s very likely Purdue ends the season in a bowl game. Last week the Boilermakers scored with just over a minute to go to take a 24-17 lead over Minnesota. Elijah Sindelar threw for 248 yards and a touchdown after David Blough was ineffective and tossed two picks.

Wisconsin had little trouble in Lincoln against the Cornhuskers last week, scoring 21 unanswered points in the third and fourth quarters on their way to a 38-17 win. Freshman running back Jonathan Taylor was a beast for the Badgers, rushing for 249 yards and two touchdowns.

Purdue has made significant strides this year, but they are still pretty poor against the run. Last week Minnesota ran for over 220 yards against the Boilermakers, so who knows what kind of numbers Wisconsin will be able to rack up. Purdue may keep things tight for a bit, but much like their game against Michigan, they’ll wear down and the Badgers will be able to bust some big runs as the game goes on.

Wisconsin 41, Purdue 17

Northwestern (-3) v. Maryland - 3:30 PM EST - ESPN2

It is possible Max Bortenschlager might not be able to play after suffering a head injury last week, which could leave fourth-string junior quarterback Caleb Henderson as the starter. That’s all I need to know when taking Northwestern here. The Wildcats feast on a wounded Maryland team.

Northwestern 30, Maryland 20

No. 21 Michigan State (-5) v. Minnesota - 8:00 PM EST - Big Ten Network

P.J. Fleck’s boat is taking on a bit of water in Minneapolis. That doesn’t mean the Golden Gophers are going to can their new coach or anything, but Minnesota has now dropped two games in a row after a 3-0 start. There are questions at quarterback for the Golden Gophers, but at least they still have a strong run game to lean on.

Michigan State got their biggest win in a couple years last week with a 14-10 victory over rival Michigan. I’m still not exactly sure how the Spartans are doing it, but they are 4-1 so far this year. Brian Lewerke has thrown for nine touchdowns, and added another three rushing touchdowns.

This game screams letdown for the Spartans. Even though they are struggling of late, Minnesota is still a tough team to beat, and they’ll be even more fired up with this game being under the lights. Last week, Michigan State feasted on five Michigan turnovers. This week the Golden Gophers are careful with the football and grind out an upset win.

Minnesota 24, Michigan State 21

No. 9 Ohio State (-24.5) v. Nebraska - 7:30 PM EST - FOX

This will be just the second trip ever to Lincoln for the Buckeyes. In 2011, Ohio State jumped out to a huge first half lead over the Cornhuskers, only to see Joe Bauserman personally toss a football to every single fan in the crowd as Nebraska rallied for a 34-27 win. At least this year the quarterback position is in J.T. Barrett’s hands, so Ohio State fans won’t have to worry about seeing so many footballs sent into the seats.

Nebraska put together a decent effort against Wisconsin for about two and a half quarters, but the Badgers eventually wore the Cornhuskers down. Quarterback Tanner Lee has been erratic this year, throwing 10 interceptions, which has to have Ohio State defenders ready to make some plays to help their offense. At least Lee won’t have to deal with Damon Arnette for the first half, after the cornerback was called for targeting in the second half against Maryland last week.

Last year Ohio State threw 62 points on the board against Nebraska in Columbus, and it might not be too crazy to think they might approach that number again this week. Nebraska’s defense has improved of late, but they haven’t exactly been playing offenses that can move the football like Ohio State.

I know Lincoln can be a tough environment to play, but I really do think Ohio State puts together another complete game on Saturday night. With the bye week coming up before a showdown with Penn State at the end of the month, Urban Meyer is going to want a strong performance from his team heading into the bye. Meanwhile, Nebraska shows the effects of playing Wisconsin last week and the Buckeyes this week.

Ohio State 49, Nebraska 20

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Bill Kurelic: 5-star Ohio State Buckeyes' target Zach Harrison looks ... - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Bill Kurelic: 5-star Ohio State Buckeyes' target Zach Harrison looks ...
247Sports
Posting live with 5-star Ohio State DE target Zach Harrison in action; top safety talks Buckeyes' offer; D-tackle looks to visit Buckeyes again.

and more »

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Early BH: Offensive trust fund | No. 9 a No. 1? - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Early BH: Offensive trust fund | No. 9 a No. 1?
247Sports
In fact, the same source who happens to know Cox told us Cox has been recruiting for the Buckeyes. In particular, Cox continues trying to recruit fellow Georgian and current 2019 Bradenton (Fla.) IMG 5-star defensive end Nolan Smith to join him at Ohio ...


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I Got Five on it: Ohio State returns to Lincoln for the ghost of Joe Bauserman
Colton Denning via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


It’s Friday the 13th, so let’s revisit that terrible game from 2011!

With today being Friday the 13th, this week’s I Got Five on it is the perfect avenue for us to go back in time, and revisit one of the weirdest nights in Ohio State Football history.

On October 8, 2011, Ohio State traveled to Lincoln for the first time, for what happened to be Nebraska’s first Big Ten home game. Unless you’ve completely repressed that game/the whole 2011 season from your memory, I’m sure you can recall what a terrible experience it was. It didn’t start off all that bad, though!

Thanks to the freshman duo of quarterback Braxton Miller and running back Carlos Hyde —there’s a sentence for you, if you’re looking to feel old— the Buckeyes jumped out to a 27-6 lead, and looked like a completely different team than the one who had managed 178 total yards against Michigan State the prior week. It was looking like a season-changing win, but then Miller got hurt, and all hell broke loose.

In one of the most infamous performances in recent program history, Joe Bauserman came into the game, went 1-10 passing for 13 yards, threw an interception, and had some of the most hilariously bad incompletions you’ll ever see:


SOMEONE GRAB THE JETPACK

To be fair, it wasn’t all Bauserman’s fault. Ohio State’s defense cratered, and blew a 21-point lead, which allowed Nebraska its biggest comeback in school history. I’ll go ahead and put 90 percent of it on Bauserman, though. Ultimately, his dreadful game has taken on a somewhat legendary status among the fanbase, and now Ohio State is back in Lincoln for the first time since.

(Side note: Ohio State had games that season where they completed one, four, and seven passes. AS A TEAM. IN A COLLEGE FOOTBALL GAME. IN 2011. It takes a special kind of bad to make people gloss over those games, and Joe Bauserman delivered. Joe Bauserman forever.)

Does any of this matter for tomorrow’s game? Absolutely not, but looking back on that game is a pretty stark reminder of how quickly everything can change in college football. Imagine how terrible it would be if people were still complaining about Ohio State’s passing ga- nevermind.

With our trip in the wayback machine over, here are five things to watch for as Ohio State takes on Nebraska:

Austin Mack: Penalty magnet


Lost in the shuffle of Binjimen Victor’s recent emergence has been the quiet rise of fellow sophomore wide receiver Austin Mack. While his numbers are still relatively pedestrian, Mack is seeing lots of redzone targets, and the offense is benefiting even when they aren’t completed. Through six games, Mack has generated four pass interference/holding calls in the endzone:



It’s unlikely that Mack will keep generating nearly a flag per game, —and in the endzone, no less— but it’s worth keeping an eye on No. 11 tomorrow when Ohio State gets inside the 20. He has ideal size (6’2”, 215), and his continued emergence alongside Victor can give Ohio State it’s first legitimate one-two punch at receiver in quite some time.

Tanner Lee comes bearing gifts


Nebraska quarterback Tanner Lee might want to consider dressing as Santa Claus for Halloween, given how often he’s lobbed presents to opposing defenses this season:


With starting corner Damon Arnette out for the first half due to last week’s targeting call, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Lee test Ohio State’s young secondary early and often. Nebraska’s wide receivers are too talented to not make some plays, but Ohio State’s aggressive secondary, paired with its fierce pass rush means that opportunities for turnovers will be plentiful.

I sure hope this game doesn’t come down to special teams


Here’s a list of the bad things Ohio State’s special teams unit did last week:

• Gave up a kick return touchdown
• Fumbled an extra point (Although it did result in this awesome Rashod Berry stiff arm)
• Had a kickoff go out of bounds
• Missed a 29-yard field goal
• Had a 22-yard punt
• Had a kick blocked, which also nearly happened on several other kicks:

I don’t even have any real analysis here, other than hoping that tomorrow’s game, or any other game this season don’t come down to a kick. We already saw that movie last year.

A special shoutout goes to Parris Campbell and the kick return group for being one of the best in the country (6th in Kick Return Success Rate), and punter Drew Chrisman has been great for the most part, but Ohio State could sure use a bounceback game from everyone else involved in the 3rd phase.

Playing strong into the bye week


Ohio State hasn’t just been good since losing to Oklahoma; they’ve been damn-near perfect. Chalk it up to an easy slate of opponents, or whatever else you want, but the last four weeks have been much more of what we all expected heading into the season. With the bye week on deck, I’m interested to see how the Buckeyes close out essentially what is the first half of their season before the real tests begin.

Nebraska isn’t a pushover, but there’s a reason why the Buckeyes are the biggest road favorites in Lincoln since 1948. This isn’t a particularly good matchup for Nebraska, and even in what should be a charged up atmosphere in Memorial Stadium, a lot of things are going to have to break their way for this to be a game late in the second half.

I’m not saying to expect another 60 point outburst, but Ohio State is rolling right now, and should be able to keep that momentum going tomorrow as they head into a bye week.

J.T. Barrett surpasses Bauserman’s passing numbers fairly quickly


You didn’t actually think I was going to end this without bringing up Bauserman again, did you? Seriously, it’s going to take J.T. less than two minutes of game time to have more completions and yardage than Bauserman did in that 2011 game. That’s how bad it was. Let’s take one last look:



Good night, sweet prince of Bauserbombs.

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Buckeyes make late night scholarship offer to Georgia star - Bucknuts - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Buckeyes make late night scholarship offer to Georgia star - Bucknuts
247Sports
There is no rest when it comes to the Ohio State staff and recruiting. They have made a Thursday night scholarship offer to a Georgia star.

and more »

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The Friday List: Five coordinators ready to be head coaches
Tom Dienhart, BTN.com Senior Writer via Big Ten Network

The Big Ten has some of the hottest coordinators in line for head coaching jobs, if they want them. Tom Dienhart lists the top five head coaches-in-waiting.

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Ohio State at Nebraska: game preview, prediction, and 6 things to know
Chuck McKeever via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The Buckeyes head to Lincoln to take on the Cornhuskers.

There is no shortage of quotable personae in the college football universe. Hell, sometimes it feels like the game itself was created as sort of an afterthought, a publicly-engaging vehicle used as a front to get these guys' words out into the mainstream.

You've got your classics, like Woody Hayes' seminal "because I couldn't go for three." You've got your modern iterations, like Boston College's Steve Addazio, who fails the Hemingway test by a single word in this gem:


And then you've got first-year Nebraska defensive coordinator Bob Diaco (formerly of UConn and Notre Dame), who is on a galaxy brain meme-worthy level all by himself.

Diaco once half-jokingly (we think) proposed that UConn, in an effort to build its brand among younger players, "target six-year-olds to 16-year-olds, how about that? Eventually they're going to be 18 to 35. Let's broadcast our games on Nickelodeon."

As Calvin once said, it takes an uncommon mind to think of these things, Hobbes.

Unfortunately for Diaco and Nebraska, Ohio State has built one of the strongest recruiting brands of any school in the country, and it's paid dividends: the Buckeye roster is stacked with the kind of 4- and 5-star talent that Nebraska hasn't really sniffed since the 1990s.

The Huskers enter Saturday's matchup with a 3-3 record, having posted wins against Arkansas State, Illinois, and Rutgers. They've been beaten by a decent Oregon team, a top-10 Wisconsin team, and in a head-scratcher against Northern Illinois. The star-studded hire of Diaco to run the team's defense under head coach Mike Riley has yet to improve the Huskers in any meaningful way, and the former B1G West powerhouse is struggling to stay afloat in an evermore inequitable college football landscape.

The Buckeyes, meanwhile, look to have gotten themselves back on track in a big way since a stilted and embarrassing home loss to Oklahoma in the season's second week. While they've hardly faced top-flight competition, the Buckeyes have seized every opportunity to steadily build up their arsenal and beat a host of bad teams by about a million points each.

The last time Ohio State and Nebraska faced off, the Buckeyes walked out of the Horseshoe with a 62-3 win. The game's in Lincoln this year, but the result might look almost as lopsided again.

Ohio State’s biggest advantages


The Dobbins-Weber one-two punch. How do we put this lightly? Nebraska's run defense is...not good. Per S&P+, the Huskers are 87th in run defense efficiency, 48th in explosive run defense, and 105th in stuff rate. If you'd rather not bother with analytics, consider that just last week, the Wisconsin RB our friends at the Solid Verbal have dubbed "Jonathan Taylor Tailback" hit the ground to the tune of 249 yards and two TDs on just 25 carries.

Given that Mike Weber, though hobbled in 2017, was one of the conference's best running backs last year, and that true freshman J.K. Dobbins has lit the league on fire this year, the Huskers juuuuust might be in trouble here. The Buckeyes can flat out run—the ground game ranks 2nd, 51st, and 2nd nationally, respectively, in the categories listed for Nebraska's defense above—and they can do it with any of a half-dozen guys on the roster. Parris Campbell, Antonio Williams, Demario McCall, and J.T. Barrett are all threats to take it to the house outside of the every-down backs.

A hungry defensive front. The Buckeye defensive line is a talented one, and that's bad news for Huskers QB Tanner Lee, who has to deal with the combination of a shaky offensive line and his own questionable decision-making. Ohio State's DL is first in the country in the always-fun Havoc Rate stat, which compares sacks, forced fumbles, pass breakups, and tackles for loss to total plays run. Despite a quiet season for Tyquan Lewis (by his standards, anyway), the Buckeyes' line has been outstanding, paced by Nick Bosa's 4.0 sacks and 10 TFLs. Lee doesn't scramble well, instead often forcing throws from his back foot, and that won't help the Huskers much against a pass rush like this one.

A rapidly-improving secondary. After allowing Baker Mayfield to look like Tom Brady for four quarters in early September, the Ohio State pass defense has grown up in a hurry. Safety Damon Webb leads the team in both tackles and interceptions, while CB Denzel Ward has racked up nine pass breakups on his heavy volume of targets.

Given that Tanner Lee has thrown 10 interceptions to just 11 TDs this season (by comparison, J.T. Barrett has thrown just one pick to his 16 TDs), it feels like the odds of the Buckeye secondary forcing one or two more turnovers are pretty high.

Nebraska's biggest advantages


Stout linebackers. The Huskers have a very solid trio of linebackers in Chris Weber, Luke Gifford, and Dedrick Young II. The three of them have combined for 3.5 sacks, 8.5 tackles for loss, 13 run stuffs, and two interceptions this season. While those numbers don't necessarily jump off the page, they're nothing to sneeze at, and Weber, Gifford, and Young are a big reason Nebraska has climbed to 35th in defensive S&P+ despite the team's other shortcomings. If the Huskers are going to be able to slow down Ohio State's offense at all, it will start with these guys.

Tanner Lee's good side. Despite his disappointing stats, the Tulane transfer certainly does have moments where he shines. As my colleague Chris Jason breaks down here, Lee has a cannon and a knack for placing the ball right where it needs to be. Lee's bad turnovers are more a factor of his judgement than a lack of arm strength or accuracy—check the video linked above where Lee drops the ball into his receiver's breadbasket from 48 yards away—and if the Huskers' o-line does buy him a little time, Lee might make a few impressive plays downfield.

Go-to guys. While the last two seasons have been mired in questions about who the true No. 1 in the Buckeye receiving corps should be, Nebraska has faced no such difficulties. In Stanley Morgan and De'Mornay Pierson-El, the Huskers have a receiving tandem that's combined for nine TDs, 873 yards, and 54 catches. Pierson-El has a catch rate of 75% and is averaging more than 11 yards per target.

Given that Damon Arnette will be missing the first half of the game for Ohio State thanks to last week's targeting ejection, the Huskers probably have a better chance of moving the ball through the air in the game's first 30 minutes than they would normally. If a few things break the right way for Lee and his terrifying pair of receivers, Nebraska could stick around longer than most people are betting on.

Summary


F/+ Projection: Ohio State 38.2, Nebraska 16.5 Win Probability: Ohio State 90%

Ohio State is far from a perfect football team, and there are still so many kinks to be worked out for Urban Meyer and co. before Penn State rolls around. But the Buckeyes have some serious mojo to go with their ridiculously productive performances the last four weeks, and it's hard to see this one going any way other than "lopsided." Nebraska seems to be heading in the right direction as a program, and the Diaco hire is an exciting one, but they're not there yet. Ohio State should roll.

How to watch, stream, listen to Nebraska v. Ohio State:


Game Time: Saturday, October 14, 7:30 PM
TV: FOX Sports 1
Streaming: FoxSportsGo
Radio: 97.1 WBNS-FM

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Ohio State recruiting: Update on Buckeyes' top-ranked 2018 recruiting class - Landof10.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State recruiting: Update on Buckeyes' top-ranked 2018 recruiting class
Landof10.com
The Buckeyes lead Texas, which has surged into the No. 2 spot. Big Ten rank: Obviously, Ohio State ranks as the Big Ten's No. 1 class, outpacing No. 2 Penn State. The Nittany Lions have 23 commitments, but the Buckeyes' per-player average is more than ...
Buckeyes make late night scholarship offer to Georgia star247Sports
Ohio State Offers Wideout Alontae Taylor While Michigan Enters Race for Defensive End Jayson OwehEleven Warriors

all 6 news articles »

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Ohio State recruiting: How Michigan offer could affect Jayson Oweh; Woodi Washington to return to Columbus soon - Landof10.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State recruiting: How Michigan offer could affect Jayson Oweh; Woodi Washington to return to Columbus soon
Landof10.com
“I've not been able to talk to them recently,” Jones said of the Buckeyes, understanding that NCAA contact rules prohibit them from reaching out to 2020 prospects whenever they'd like. “It's not been finalized yet, but I'm trying to visit soon. After ...
Scouting Ohio State: Breaking down the BuckeyesLincoln Journal Star
Country's No. 1 ILB says Buckeyes making strong pitch247Sports
Ohio State preview: Powerhouse Buckeyes experiencing 'Pete Carroll effect' with Urban MeyerOmaha World-Herald (blog)
cleveland.com -Mansfield News Journal -Land-Grant Holy Land
all 67 news articles »

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Ohio State offers 2019 DB Tyus Fields, looks to bolster secondary of the future
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


It's never too early to add another prospect to the country's most elite secondary.

Tomorrow night the Buckeyes square off in yet another road night game as they take on the Nebraska Cornhuskers in a conference showdown. While Urban Meyer and many other Ohio State football fans are feeling rather annoyed with the amount of road conference night games the team is being forced to play, it cannot be overshadowed that once again, the primetime eyes are on the Ohio State Buckeyes. When it comes to prime-time match-ups, recruiting is a never-ending story. The amount of stars on hand and viewing via television is always increased due to the time of the game. Whether Ohio State likes this or not, Urban has to at least enjoy the fact that his team is being seen by prospects all over the country. If it ends on the field as a win and off the field in a recruiting win, the more night games, the better.

DB offers don’t come easy


It wasn’t long ago that Urban Meyer was quoted for saying some schools hand out scholarships like “pop-tarts.” We know he meant that the rate scholarship offers go out is very different than in the past, and that’s not always a good thing. When you look at the Buckeye football program and their recruiting efforts, it’s not a program that hands out offers left and right. If a prospect has an offer from Ohio State, he is a legitimate candidate and a top player in the country. When it comes to the secondary, that is proven to be true with the amount of success Kerry Coombs and his cornerbacks are having year in and year out. A ton of high-profile student-athletes have received offers to play in Ohio State's secondary and gone on to become high NFL Draft picks. That's a huge selling point for recruiting new talent to Columbus.

Yesterday, Ohio State handed out their latest scholarship offer to Tyus Fields. The Cornelius, North Carolina native is a 5'10, 170-pound corner in the 2019 class. He currently ranks out as the seventh-best corner in the country for 2019 and the fifth-best player overall in the Tar Heel state. Easily deserving of his 4-star status, Fields also holds nearly 10 offers from schools such as Clemson, Penn State, North Carolina, North Carolina State, Tennessee, and Ohio State, among others.


With Fields still having the remainder of this season and all of next year to be played, this recruitment has started early. However, when you’re Urban Meyer and you boast one of, if not the best defensive backfield development program in the country, it’s never to early to recruit the nation’s top talent. With the past success of Buckeye DBs, you can guarantee Fields will pay close attention and entertain Ohio State's efforts. As always, if a visit occurs and the red carpet is laid out, Ohio State will certainly be a player in this recruiting saga.

But really, what’s going on?


The Ohio State 2018 recruiting class has no shortage of talent, and truth be told, doesn’t possess a weakness, which is exactly why they hold the nation’s best class according to every major recruiting site. However, their lone quarterback commit, Emory Jones, who has been a commit since the summer of 2016, has been shall we say nothing short of interesting. Taking visits to schools such as Alabama while he’s still “solid” to the Buckeyes has been the word, but with a loaded QB room in Columbus and guys ahead in line such as Joey Burrow, Dwayne Haskins, and Tate Martell, you can see why there may be some looking around.

With that said, Ohio State is no slouch in this game, as it seems a newer name has come onto the scene as of late. Basically, the staff is being as proactive as they can with their lone QB spot in the 2018 class. It’s no secret the program wants to keep Emory Jones in the fold, but if he’s steadily entertaining other options and at the very least visiting other schools, the Buckeyes have to be smart and also keep the door open.

Enter current Kentucky commit Jarren Williams, another Georgia native like Jones. Williams is the seventh-ranked dual-threat QB in the nation, with Jones coming in three slots higher as the fourth-best. While he may hold a lesser ranking, there are many out there that believe Williams is actually a better prospect with a higher upside. Playing in the top division of the talent-rich state of Georgia as well as being an Elite 11 finalist, Williams truly is one of the best in the country.

All in all, there’s still a long way to go before the pen hits the paper and the fax machine cements in stone the Buckeyes' 2018 signal caller, but until then, if Jones is going to continue to shop around, then the Buckeyes are going to stay in Jarren Williams’ ear.

Quick Hits:

• Current Ohio State 2018 commit L’Christian “Blue” Smith will take his official visit to Columbus when Penn State heads to town on October 28.

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