Ohio State vs. Army 2017: Start time, live stream, TV schedule and Game Thread
Meredith Hein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The Buckeyes look to get back on the right track against the Black Knights.

After a week of commiserating, the Ohio State Buckeyes are finally ready to take the field once again. It has been a tough week with lots of questions that strike to the very core of this team’s identity.

Now, however, Ohio State comes back as 30.5 point favorites against the Black Knights of Army. On paper, it looks like a stereotypical beatdown matchup to give the Buckeyes some swagger after their crushing loss last weekend.

In reality, Army runs the triple option. If that sounds eerily familiar, you are probably thinking of that time in 2014 when the Buckeyes had trouble finding a rhythm against the Midshipmen of the Naval Academy.

However, this system is much more favorable for the Ohio State defense this season. After allowing more than 800 yards through the air against Indiana and Oklahoma, the Buckeyes’ pass defense has proven to be a bust so far this season. The good news is that Army is literally the worst passing team in the NCAA, recording just 17 yards through the air through two games this season.

The flip side is that the Black Knights have the second-best rushing offense in the country, recording 417.5 yards per game on the ground. With one of the best defensive lines in college football, the Buckeyes have allowed just 64 yards per game through two contests. This battle will be the one to watch this afternoon.

While it is unlikely that Army will be able to mount an attack fierce enough to overcome Ohio State, it will probably me a closer matchup than the spread might suggest.

When is the game and how can I watch?


Game Date/Time: Saturday, Sept. 16, 4:30 p.m.

Location: Columbus, OH

TV: FOX

Online: FOX Sports Go

Radio: 97.1 FM/1460 AM


Where is GameDay this week?


After two-straight weeks covering Ohio State games, College Gameday is heading down I-71 to Louisville ahead of the No.13-ranked Cardinals’ matchup with No. 3 Clemson. The game will pit last year’s national champs against last season’s Heisman Trophy winner, Lamar Jackson. This is the second-straight year that the pregame show has headed to Louisville.

What’s the rest of the Big Ten up to this weekend?


Keeping the triple option theme rolling, No. 7 Michigan faces Air Force at noon on BTN. Also at noon, Nebraska plays Northern Illinois on FS1. In a bust slate of 3:30 p.m. games, No. 10 Wisconsin travels to BYU (ABC), Minnesota faces Middle Tennessee State (BTN), Iowa gets North Texas (ESPN2) and Rutgers plays Morgan State (BTN). At 4 p.m., Purdue travels to Missouri on SEC Network. To close the day, No. 5 Penn State gets Georgia State while Northwestern faces Northwestern at 7:30 p.m. both on BTN. Indiana’s matchup with Florida International was cancelled earlier this week due to Hurricane Irma.

Join the conversation


Below is your Ohio State-Army GameThread. Be respectful, be kind and as always, keep it classy. If you like GIFs, lay ‘em on us. In all, be good fans, cheer for your teams, be cool to each other (even if somebody else isn’t) and everyone wins. We started off strong, ladies and gentlemen. Let’s keep it going.

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Counting down most likely to finish off Buckeye recruiting class - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Counting down most likely to finish off Buckeye recruiting class
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! So, who fills those last five to eight spots? Today I have my count down of the Top 12 prospects I currently see as most ...


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Ohio State strength coach Quadrian Banks is changing the culture - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State strength coach Quadrian Banks is changing the culture
247Sports
COLUMBUS – When Ohio State made the decision to fire Thad Matta, who had been the men's basketball coach for 13 years, the Buckeyes did so because the program needed a culture change. Although Matta was successful more years than not, his ...


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WVU coaches want defense to improve; Buckeyes host Army - Huntington Herald Dispatch
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


WVU coaches want defense to improve; Buckeyes host Army
Huntington Herald Dispatch
8 Buckeyes were smoked by Baker Mayfield and Oklahoma at Ohio Stadium last week and will be looking for an outlet for their frustration. Not to say Army (2-0) isn't capable of giving the Buckeyes (1-1, 1-0 Big Ten) some headaches. It has been one of ...

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Ohio State Football: Buckeyes in Learning Stage, Season can be Saved. - Scarlet and Game
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State Football: Buckeyes in Learning Stage, Season can be Saved.
Scarlet and Game
After Ohio State fell to (now #2) Oklahoma, the College Football world, and more specifically the Buckeye Nation blew up. The way the Buckeyes played against the Sooners on both sides of the ball left fans upset and pointing fingers in just about every ...
Buckeyes will try to block out Army cutsTimes Herald-Record
Ohio State Buckeyes will bounce back enough to beat Army: Bill Livingston (photos)cleveland.com
Wojo's Pigskin Picks: Sorry UM fans, Buckeyes aren't quite dead yetThe Detroit News
Landof10.com -NBC4i.com -ESPN
all 174 news articles »

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Lady Buckeyes hold off Meigs - Point Pleasant Register
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Lady Buckeyes hold off Meigs
Point Pleasant Register
The Lady Buckeyes built leads of 4-0, 8-2, 14-4 and 20-7 before MHS answered with two straight points to close within 20-9. The hosts scored the final five points while claiming a 2-0 match advantage. Down 17-10 in Game 3, Meigs reeled off seven ...

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Preview: Army vs #8 Ohio State
Richard Tongohan via our good friends at Men of the Scarlet and Gray
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here



After a long week of bickering and talk from anyone and everyone, game day is finally upon us, and it will turn the page on the previous weeks awful showing at the home opener. There was a whirlwind of opinions from people dishing their hot takes after the Oklahoma loss at home. A lot of people got into the conversation, ranging from notable analysts, former Buckeyes, hardcore fans and even potential recruiting targets found themselves in the storm. Most notably, two top tier 5* targets in OT Jackson Carman and DE Micah Parsons, who were calling their shot and stating their desire to pass on Barrett and go to their “boy” Dwayne Haskins.

A lot of people got into the conversation, ranging from notable analysts, former Buckeyes, hardcore fans and even potential recruiting targets found themselves in the storm. Most notably, two top tier 5* targets in OT Jackson Carman and DE Micah Parsons, who were calling their shot and stating their desire to pass on Barrett and go to their “boy” Dwayne Haskins.

We all weathered the storm and now an opportunity to right the ship and turn the page is almost here. The Army Black Knights are 2-0 and they will test the strength of the front seven for the entirety of this contest with an efficient rushing offense that ranks 2nd in the nation with 835 yards and 11 touchdowns on 113 attempts, averaging 417.5 yards per game.

On the other side, the home team Ohio State Buckeyes are surrendering 60.5 yards per contest, holding their opponents to 121 total yards on 64 rushing attempts. They are allowing 1.89 yards per rush, while only giving up a single rushing touchdown so far this season.

Ohio State is #32 in the NCAA in rushing offense for 459 total yards in 85 attempts for 4 scores. They are averaging 5.4 yards per rushing attempt and 229.5 yards per contest and they must establish a balance to control the pace of the game.

The right side of the O-Line suffered against the constant pressure, so this game will be needed to regain their swagger. They got beat often and were caught off guard by blitzing defenders, so they really need a boost.

Barrett on the other hand also needs this game to re-establish himself as the starting QB with everyone and their mother bashing him over the lack of down the field pass attempts and the lack of accuracy in his passes. He is 39-70 for 487 yards and 3 touchdowns against one interception. He is averaging 243.5 yards per game, 6.96 yards per attempt and 12.49 yards per completion, which isn’t bad but he needs to show a lot of improvement in both the accuracy and the production department to truly improve and become more successful.

This Army team appears to be no threat to the Buckeyes through the air and through 2 games, as they are 2-10 for 17 yards. They are averaging 1.7 yards per attempt and 8.5 yards per game, but they will be a could find a way to involve the running backs, similar to what Oklahoma did.

The Buckeyes linebackers were getting beat by dump-off passes, which could work to Army’s advantage during the game. The linebackers were often out of position and looked confused, so let’s hope they worked out the kinks.

The secondary improved, but tackling was an issue again as they were constantly looking for the big hit instead of wrapping up for the sure tackle. They need to build on their performance again this week.

Prediction: 41-9 Buckeyes

After that embarrassing loss at home, it will drive the cause the Buckeyes to take a step in the right direction. The offense improves and executes better, but will still be a work in progress. There will be a balance between the run and pass, and a big play or two will occur, with emphasis on improving the play-calling situation.

The defense racks up TFL’s against the Army rushing attack forcing them to attempt more passes. I am calling for a forced fumble and a pick to happen due to the immense pressure that the Rushmen place of the Army O-Line.






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Buckeyes will try to block out Army cuts - Times Herald-Record
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Buckeyes will try to block out Army cuts
Times Herald-Record
When Army visits Ohio State on Saturday, it will bring along its ground-based, triple-option offense. Defending the Black Knights' unusual scheme will be tough enough for the Buckeyes, but before they can plug a gap or chase a ball to the outside, they ...
Ohio State Buckeyes will bounce back enough to beat Army: Bill Livingston (photos)cleveland.com
Wojo's Pigskin Picks: Sorry UM fans, Buckeyes aren't quite dead yetThe Detroit News
Ohio State recruiting: Latest updates on Buckeyes' classLandof10.com
NBC4i.com -Akron Beacon Journal
all 182 news articles »

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Following the future: Jackson in action; major cancellations - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Following the future: Jackson in action; major cancellations
247Sports
And you can follow how the Buckeyes' verbal commitments are doing in action all weekend on our Front Row message board thread. And another big weekend it is! A number of the Buckeye commitments are playing in big games this weekend so there will ...


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Lady Buckeyes hold off Meigs - Gallipolis Daily Tribune
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Lady Buckeyes hold off Meigs
Gallipolis Daily Tribune
The Meigs volleyball team had its two-match winning streak come to an end Thursday night following a 25-11, 25-9, 20-25, 27-25 setback to host Nelsonville-York in a Tri-Valley Conference Ohio Division contest in Athens County. The Lady Marauders (6-6, ...

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MSU football players spend bye weekend in Houston aiding Harvey relief
Alex Roux, BTN.com editor via Big Ten Network

Michigan State has a bye this week, and a group of Spartan football players traveled to Houston this weekend to aid the Hurricane Harvey relief effort.

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How can J.T. Barrett get better? One answer: be a little more like Baker Mayfield
Geoff Hammersley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Mayfield took chances down the field. If Barrett could do the same, good things may come to the Buckeye offense.

“Barrett can expedite the repair process, though, by employing a more aggressive approach, taking a few more risks and improvising more...In short, he needs a little Baker Mayfield in his game.”

— Adam Rittenberg on how J.T. Barrett can get better by being a little like Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield | ESPN.com


The postmortem from the Ohio State Buckeyes loss to the Oklahoma Sooners is coming to a close, as the Scarlet and Gray are about to take on the Army Black Knights Saturday afternoon. As the next OSU game is almost upon us, that leaves a question about the offense: how does quarterback J.T. Barrett get better from here on out?

Adam Rittenberg of ESPN.com chimed in with an answer to that question by saying that Barrett could add a little of Baker Mayfield to his style of play. While the antics of the Sooners’ QB is questionable, his results on the field are undeniable; Mayfield has won his last 10 road games as OU starter, and has found his receivers 68.6 percent of the time.

In that same article by Rittenberg, a Big Ten coach is quoted as saying the three-time Buckeye captain “doesn't look like the same confident player.” It seems like ancient history, but Barrett once threw passes to Michael Thomas and Devin Smith. The last time OSU faced a service academy—Navy in 2014, the season that saw a national championship—Barrett, then just a freshman, threw an 80-yard touchdown to Smith.

Ever since the clock went all zeros in Ohio Stadium on Saturday night, different theories have floated on the Internet for what Barrett (and the Buckeye offense) should do. Rittenberg’s take is that over the next five games (Army West Point, UNLV, Rutgers, Maryland and Nebraska) chances should be taken downfield. After that, the backend portion of the Big Ten schedule has Ohio State taking on Penn State at home, and Iowa and Michigan on the road.

Mayfield made plays and took chances down the field against Barrett’s Buckeyes. If Barrett took some risks of his own, is that a solution to solving the woes on offense? We’ll see if that comes to fruition on Saturday.

“It’s as much a mental exercise as physical, because defenders — from linemen to defensive backs — can’t forget that the first Army man they encounter on a play is likely going to dip a shoulder and take aim at the outside lower thigh in an attempt to knock the defender’s legs from beneath him.”

— Tim May on how the triple-option of Army West Point also includes cut blocks | The Columbus Dispatch


Barrett will have the eyes of the fans and critics when the Buckeyes take on the Black Knights. However, each member of the Ohio State defense will have their eyes on their assignment, as there may be a dipped-shoulder coming their way.

Tim May of the Columbus Dispatch broke down how the triple-option offense of Army brings a punch, as cut-blocks are a staple of that kind of physical, ground attack offense. (For those who don’t know, a cut block is when an offensive member takes out a defensive member by targeting their legs.)

Linebacker Chris Worley was quoted in the article by May, and said with the rugged style of play, one has to “man up to it.” The triple-option offense is still used by Navy, Air Force and Georgia Tech, as it’s a way to combat the fact that they are outmatched by the opposition. In the 2014 meeting with the Midshipmen, the Buckeyes struggled in the first half before pulling away.

There are still a few members from that 2014 team that are still with the Buckeyes—Worley is one of them—and have experience with the physicality of going against a triple-option based team. We’ll see how that experience pays off when Ohio State and Army West Point kickoff at 4:30 p.m.

“The seven goals were the most by Ohio State in a Big Ten game and tied for the fourth-most in any contest in program history.”

— Ohio State women’s soccer after they defeated Illinois, 7-0, on Thursday night | Ohio State Athletics


OSU women’s soccer program bounced back from a tough loss to take down the Illinois Illini, 7-0, on Thursday night at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium. The win improved the Buckeyes record to 6-1-1, and 1-0 in Big Ten play.

The offensive barrage came behind five different scorers. Eleanor Gabriel, Marike Mousset and Sammy Edwards each scored one goal apiece; Sarah Roberts and Riley Bowers each netted two goals apiece. Those seven goals were brought upon from a night that saw 17 shots taken—with 11 of those considered on goal.

From the start it was all Buckeyes, as Roberts put the ball behind the net in the third minute. The Ohio State history books had to make room for the big night, as the seven goal output tied for the fourth most ever. (For those curious, the most goals ever scored by the OSU women’s squad was 14 on Oct. 12, 1995).

Northwestern is next up for the Buckeyes. That game is slated for Sunday at 1 p.m. and will be broadcasted on ESPNU.

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Ohio State visit reaction from Jowon Briggs and Christian Tutt; Buckeyes appear out of it for 2019 5-star LB - Landof10.com
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Ohio State visit reaction from Jowon Briggs and Christian Tutt; Buckeyes appear out of it for 2019 5-star LB
Landof10.com
Walnut Hills (Cincinnati) 4-star prospect Jowon Briggs was in Columbus for the Buckeyes' home opener against Oklahoma and said the visit to Ohio State showed him what big-time football is all about. “I liked it,” Briggs said of the trip. “It was very fun.

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Ohio State-Army: 3 keys, game picks, score predictions - Landof10.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State-Army: 3 keys, game picks, score predictions
Landof10.com
Army's only chance to stay in this game is to break off occasional big plays on offense because the Buckeyes run defense is too good to give up 3-4 yards at a time over 80 yards. Likewise, Ohio State's best chance to turn this into a laugher instead of ...

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Kurelic: Will Buckeyes get their man again? Official visit news - 247Sports
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Kurelic: Will Buckeyes get their man again? Official visit news
247Sports
1) The Buckeyes landed their No. 1 class of 2018 tight end target in Lindenhurst (N.Y.) 5-star Jeremy Ruckert. They also have a realistic shot at landing one of the country's elite 2019 tight ends, Ryland Goede from Acworth (Ga.) Kennesaw Mountain.


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Padresooner said:

Hey guys. Not much of a message board lurker, but wanted to weigh in on my experience. Had a great time with your fans. Your hospitality was unbelievable. Great home and home and I hope we do it again. (But based on the results of both home and homes so far, I'm for playing both games in The Shoe).

As for the game, reminded me much of last year. One team was just further along at this point. Our D was a hot mess last year, plus our O hadn't found its groove. Def same with your O this year, and your secondary. Easy to see you have really good players, though. And I'd be concerned if you righted the ship and rematched us in the CFP, hoping of course we make it.

Your secondary, should you follow our plight of last year, will gel. My guess is you will shuffle some guys next few games and find the right combination. It's not like you don't have highly recruited players. Offensively, I could only guess. Easy and most obvious solution would be to get your best players on the field together. I'd be afraid to see Weber, Dobbins (holy hell he's good) and Campbell on field at same time. Utilize Baugh with some easy play action, etc. that would keep defenses off-balance for sure. Mostly, though, run plays off sets that Barrett is comfortable in, else go ahead and trot out the guy that fits the system best. Up in my section there was some clamoring to see Haskins, for sure. I don't recall seeing those guys out there together and JT seemed like he was running an offense he had been introduced to on Tuesday. Just uncomfortable all night. It did help us that our defense has greatly improved. Motley is now our best cover guy playing a position that got Noah Brown drafted last year! Lol

Good thing is, Urban is smarter than all of us combined and well knows what he needs to do. Lincoln struggled for a bit because he had never really had a running back before and inherited Mixon and Perine here. Took him a while to adjust. But he did. When Andrews went out I thought we were toast but he kept designing ways to keep your D off guard. We didn't really have a star out there to key on (post Andrews), although Lamb is getting there quickly. You have 3. If only one is on the field, makes it easier.

Oh, and sorry about the flag. That was highly unnecessary. (and why I'm not too excited about a rematch!)

Click to expand...

If OSU played OU in a rematch oh my god would we have motivation lol.. but you're right we both have to get there first. However, after watching your team play in a very tough environment you guys have what it takes to get there but remains to be seen with us.

It's amazing that as an OU fan you have assessed what our issues are particularly on offense when it seems our own staff doesn't understand it. You're right JT looks like he learned the offense in a weeks time and for some reason it also happened to be in Japanese.

Good luck to your team, this will be a very special year for you guys!

I Got Five on It: Ohio State looks to rebound against Army
Colton Denning via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Can Ohio State’s receivers catch? Will the coaches remember that J.K. Dobbins exists?

Welcome to I Got Five On It, where I give you five things to watch for during each Ohio State game. The less we talk about the OU game the better, but last week was a rough one for your boy, as I predicted J.T. Barrett would at least tie the Big Ten’s career touchdown record (LOL), and that Ohio State could change the perception of its offense that’s been lingering since the Clemson game (Narrator: They did not).

Mercifully, a new week is upon us, and the Buckeyes are in rebound mode against what should be an over-matched Army squad. While Urban Meyer definitely doesn’t hate the troops, this is one that the Buckeyes should go out of their way to make ugly after what happened last week. With that in mind, here are five things to watch for as Ohio State takes on Army:

The secondary won’t be doing much covering, but better tackling would be nice


I want you to grab a football and a friend, and go outside for a second. Stand 20 yards apart, and throw them the ball.

You have now thrown for more yards than Army has:


Surprise: a team with a less efficient passing game than Ohio State

As funny as it is to play a program that almost completely disregards the forward pass in 2017, playing Army’s triple option offense couldn’t come at a worse time.

As I’m sure you’re already aware, Ohio State’s secondary has been bad this season. They need all the work they can get before heading into conference play, and unfortunately they’ll probably get little-to-none this week, even if the Buckeyes are up big.

At least it’ll be a great chance for the secondary to work on their pursuit angles after whatever this was last week:


A breakout game from Jerome Baker


Lost in all the noise about the secondary has been the play of linebacker Jerome Baker. After a dominant redshirt freshman season, Baker has been quiet so far, notching only eight tackles in two games, none of which have been for a loss.

As we saw in the Oklahoma and Michigan games last season, Baker is the type of player that can change a game single-handedly, and with the new-look secondary struggling behind him, Ohio State is going to need Baker to re-up his game back to its 2016 level.

Against Army’s triple option, Baker should have the opportunity to shine, much like Darron Lee did against Navy in 2014. He’s way too good to keep producing quiet stat lines, so keep a close eye on him in what should be his best performance of the young season.

Someone please help J.T. Barrett


Do you notice anything about this catch from Austin Mack last week?



Aside from Mack landing on his head dragon suplex-style (we’re glad to hear that he’s OK), it was the rare occurrence of an Ohio State receiver making a play on the football. So rare, in fact, that my Hangout in the Holy Land co-host Patrick Mayhorn thinks it might be the first time an Ohio State receiver has high-pointed the football since Michael Thomas was posterizing defensive backs in 2015.

While that’s probably a bit of an exaggeration, he brings up a good point. Barrett’s accuracy is obviously an issue, but it’s not like he’s gotten a lot of help when he’s put the ball on the money, either:


Ohio State’s receivers have the catch radius of a T-Rex right now, so it’s worth watching players like Mack and Binjimen Victor tomorrow to see how much —if at all— they’re able to use their athleticism to give their quarterback some help. Barrett has his share of blame in the lackluster performance of the passing game, but at some point, #Zone6 needs to show up and make some plays.

Youngins’ everywhere


The best part about a game like this is the chance for young talent shine. Whether it’s Dwayne Haskins, Jeffery Okudah, Chase Young, Shaun Wade, Baron Browning, or someone else, Ohio State should be in a position where they can unload the bench early in the second half.

Haskins is the front-runner for the player that most are anxious to see on the field, and I’m already cringing at how awkward the loud ovation he’s going to get when it happens will be. Nonetheless, we’re finally going to see what he can do, and the eventual future of the Ohio State offense.

Defensively, Okudah, Young, Wade, and Browning are names to look out for that could see significant minutes. If Ohio State is able to establish a big lead early, there’s no reason for Tyquan Lewis, Sam Hubbard, Baker, etc. to have to take on Army’s physical style of offense for three quarters. It’s unfortunate that the secondary won’t get much work, but Okudah and Wade getting some meaningful game action will pay dividends down the road.

Appreciate how ridiculous J.K. Dobbins is


Seriously, look at these cuts. A freshman shouldn’t be capable of this.



Let’s just hope they don’t forget to give him the ball.

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Ohio State vs Army 2017: Game preview, prediction, and how to watch
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 Black Knights' chances of leaving Columbus with a win are slim.

Okay, you tell me: Should we really be trying to beat our men in uniform into submission on Saturday? Because that’s exactly what Urban Meyer wants to do.

I mean, that’s low, even for Ohio State.

Whatever, man. Fight the power. And before I write any serious words about this weekend’s matchup, let’s get hyped.


That was fun, wasn’t it? Now we can get started.

Coming off their first loss of the season, OSU (1-1) will play host to Army (2-0) in Columbus.

On paper, this looks like a textbook bounce back game for Meyer’s squad. The hard-nosed Black Knights and their gimmicky wishbone offense can’t possibly challenge the Buckeyes.

Or can they?

Well, the truth is Army’s going to get blown out. It’s inevitable. I love what coach Jeff Monken has done with the football program, but it’s just not happening.

While Monken’s team opened as 30.5-point underdogs, according to sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark, he knows his guys will be ready to go come kickoff.


Although the odds are stacked against them, Army presents a unique test for OSU.

Indiana threw for 420 yards versus the Buckeyes. Oklahoma tallied 386 yards on the arm of Baker Mayfield. OSU’s defense is ranked 130th among the 130 FBS teams in passing yards allowed per game.

The Black Knights bread and butter is their ground game. They’re second in the nation in rushing offense and dead last in passing offense. Quarterback Ahmad Bradshaw has only attempted 10 passes on the season, completing two of them.

Despite having to face one of the best defensive fronts in the country, Monken believes running the ball is the key to pulling off an upset.


The Cadets are undefeated this year and it’s the first time they’ve ever squared off with the Buckeyes. Army downed Fordham 64-6 in their opener and rallied from a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter to stun Buffalo 21-17 last week.

It was a comeback win that wouldn’t have been possible without the improbable.


That punter might take home the Heisman, I tell ya.

In any case, Army is facing an incredibly steep uphill battle with OSU on the docket.

Summary


F/+ Projection: Ohio State 44, Army 11

Win Probability: Ohio State 96.9%

Monken and Co. are catching the Buckeyes in a bad mood, and they’ll be looking for somebody to beat up on. Regardless of OSU’s considerable advantage in the trenches, Army still can't even throw the ball.

If the triple option-running, fake-punting Black Knights struggle to air it out against the worst secondary in the FBS, a blowout loss will surely follow.

Chalk this one up as another ‘W’ for the team in Scarlet and Gray.

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


Game time: Saturday September 16th, 4:30 p.m. ET

TV: Fox

Streaming: FOX Sports Go

Radio: 97.1 WBNS-FM

Know your enemy: Underdog Dynasty

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Taking stock: The health of the Buckeyes' 2018 recruiting class - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Taking stock: The health of the Buckeyes' 2018 recruiting class
247Sports
But when it comes to the Buckeyes' 2018 commitments and their senior seasons, so far so good. Dinwiddie County (Va.) linebacker K'Vaughan Pope has missed the most time among the Buckeyes' 2018 commits. He sprained his ankle during the first quarter ...


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Ohio State looks to rebound against Army, and the rest of Week 3’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 are big favorites, while Wisconsin has a tough trip to Provo on tap

Last week ATS: 9-8-1 (4-1 National, 5-7-1 B1G)

Season ATS: 18-17-1 (6-4 National, 12-13-1 B1G)

If you weren’t paying attention and missed yesterday’s National picks, you can get them here.

B1G games (All games Saturday unless otherwise noted):


Illinois v. No. 22 South Florida (-17) - Friday 9/15 7:00 PM EST - ESPN

Don’t look now, but Illinois is 2-0! The rest of the Big Ten West should be on notice! Alright, maybe we are putting the cart before the horse here. Last week the Fighting Illini defense showed some improvement, holding Western Kentucky to just a touchdown in the 20-7 win.

If South Florida wants to be this year’s Group of Five darling, they desperately need this win against Illinois, the only Power Five school on their schedule. Quarterback Quinton Flowers has been a monster the past two years for the Bulls, and has started his senior season just as strong, throwing for four touchdowns and rushing for another.

South Florida has been prone to slow starts so far this year, and they actually tried San Jose State 16-0 early on in the season opener. Illinois will lose because Lovie Smith has plenty of experience losing in Tampa Bay as a head coach, but the Illinois defense is able to hold Flowers in check just enough to keep the score inside the number.

South Florida 34, Illinois 20

Air Force v. No. 7 Michigan (-24) - 12:00 PM EST - Big Ten Network

Michigan may have won last week, but they looked like they were just going through the motions for most of the game. Ty Issac has been a bright spot on offense for Michigan, rushing for 247 yards through two games, but there hasn’t been much else that has stood out for the Wolverines on that side of the football. The defense is another story, as it has been stout through two games.

One thing is for sure in this game, Troy Calhoun will have the Falcons ready to play. In 2012 Air Force came to Michigan Stadium and gave the Wolverines a game, losing 31-25. While the Falcons won’t find their usual success on the ground, they’ll at least be able to chew up some clock and keep it somewhat close.

Michigan 33, Air Force 17

Northern Illinois v. Nebraska (-14) - 12:00 PM EST - FS1

At least Nebraska didn’t get mauled in Eugene last weekend like I thought they would. Despite falling behind early, the Cornhuskers showed some fight against a tough opponent in a hostile environment, which should help them when they step into Big Ten play.

Nebraska can’t start turning their attention to conference play just yet though, as they’ll host Northern Illinois on Saturday. Luckily for the Cornhuskers, this isn’t quite the Huskies squad of years past that might have Nebraska on upset alert. The Huskies did put a scare into Boston College earlier this year, but I can’t think of anything that doesn’t scare Boston College.

Nebraska’s defense has left a lot to be desired so far this year, but I feel like they’ll come out strong on Saturday. Tanner Lee will throw a few touchdowns, and Tre Bryant will rush for a couple more as the Cornhuskers put together four quarters of solid football.

Nebraska 38, Northern Illinois 20

No. 10 Wisconsin (-16.5) v. BYU - 3:30 PM EST - ABC

Wisconsin might have found their next star at running back just two games into the season. True freshman Jonathan Taylor took advantage of more playing time last week with Bradrick Shaw injured, and rushed for 223 yards and three touchdowns in the 31-14 win over Florida Atlantic. Taylor is just the fourth true freshman in Wisconsin history to rush for at least 200 yards in a game.

BYU has had a real tough start to the season. Not only did the Cougars struggled against Portland State in the season opener, and fail to cross midfield against LSU, but last week they not only lost to hated rival Utah, but they also lost quarterback Tanner Mangum to injury. I’m not sure there’s much left to go wrong in Provo.

I really hate giving this many points at LaVell Edwards Stadium, but these teams are just heading in opposite directions right now. If Mangum was available to play, I’d likely take the points, but I just think Wisconsin runs the ball right at BYU and eventually wears the Cougars down.

Wisconsin 35, BYU 17

Middle Tennessee State v. Minnesota (-9) - 3:30 PM EST - Big Ten Network

It wouldn’t be wise to sleep on Middle Tennessee State. The Blue Raiders just beat Syracuse last week, and last year actually went to Missouri and beat the Tigers. These two schools played in 2014, with Minnesota winning 35-24 in Minneapolis. Watch out for quarterback Brent Stockstill to make a few plays, as not only is he the son of head coach Rick Stockstill, but he has been the quarterback in Murfreesboro for about 14 years.

After a very uninspiring win in the season opener against Buffalo, Minnesota went out to Corvallis last week and took it to Oregon State. The Golden Gophers look to have found their next quarterback in Conor Rhoda, but he shouldn’t have to do much besides hand the football off to Rodney Smith and Shannon Brooks.

Middle Tennessee State has played some tough competition to start the year, so they’ll be tested. It just feels like too many points for Minnesota to be laying to a team experienced at pulling upsets.

Minnesota 30, Middle Tennessee State 23

North Texas v. Iowa (-21.5) - 3:30 PM EST - ESPN2

There’s always no question that a hefty hangover follows El Assico, but just how bad will it be for Iowa? Luckily the Hawkeyes don’t have too much heavy lifting to do on Saturday against North Texas. Quarterback Nathan Stanley has been one of the better quarterbacks in the country so far this year, throwing eight touchdowns through two games.

This has the feelings of a trap game for Iowa after last week’s game against their rival, and next week the Hawkeyes host Penn State under the lights in Iowa City. North Texas can move the football a bit, which will help the Mean Green stay within shouting distance of the Hawkeyes.

Iowa 38, North Texas 24

Purdue v. Missouri (-7) - 4:00 PM EST - SEC Network

Purdue is actually fun again! Who would’ve guessed it? Jeff Brohm already has this Purdue offense flying, which could lead to some interesting games for Purdue in Big Ten play. David Blough only misfired on two of his 13 passes against Ohio, and threw for three touchdowns in the easy win.

Missouri fell back to earth a bit last week in a 31-13 loss to South Carolina. In the season opener against Missouri State, the Tigers threw 72 points up on the board, and they might need another big output if they want to pull out the win in Columbia. Blough and Missouri quarterback Drew Lock have a fun shootout on Saturday, with the Boilermakers getting another solid win.

Purdue 41, Missouri 38

Georgia State v. No. 5 Penn State (-37.5) - 7:30 PM EST - Big Ten Network

Georgia State lost to Tennessee State at home in the first week of the season. If the Panthers can’t even win a game like that, how are they gonna keep things somewhat close in Happy Valley. The Trace McSorley, Saquon Barkley, and the rest of the Nittany Lions put forward a big performance ahead of next week’s trip to Iowa.

Penn State 55, Georgia State 10

Bowling Green v. Northwestern (-21.5) - 7:30 PM EST - Big Ten Network

Bowling Green will be trying to avoid their second loss of the year to a Big Ten team, while Northwestern is looking for anything to go right after getting destroyed by Duke last week. As bad as the Wildcats looked last week, at least they didn’t lose to South Dakota, like Bowling Green did.

I thought Bowling Green was going to be better this year than they have been, yet again proving I know nothing. I’m sure Pat Fitzgerald ripped into his team all week after the loss to Duke, and they come out ready to play on Saturday night.

Northwestern 45, Bowling Green 17

Army v. No. 8 Ohio State (-30) - 4:30 PM EST - FOX

If there was ever a game for the Ohio State offense to get back on track and gain some much needed confidence, this is that game. The Buckeye secondary should at least be able to improve on their stats, which currently have them last in the country after Richard Lagow and Baker Mayfield have dissected the Ohio State secondary. Army is averaging 8.5 yards passing per game through two games, so it’s safe to say the Buckeyes will have to focus their attention to the ground and Army’s wishbone offense.

While Ohio State’s secondary is looking for some confidence, so are J.T. Barrett and the Buckeye wide receivers. Criticism started of Barrett and his receivers during the loss to Oklahoma, and has only gotten worse since. What Ohio State needs to do in this game is use running back J.K. Dobbins to set up the pass and try and make things a little easier for the receivers. Against Oklahoma, Ohio State abandoned the run, which put even more pressure on Barrett and his wideouts to make plays, especially when the Buckeyes fell further and further behind.

I just can’t stop thinking about 2014 when it comes to this Ohio State team. The Buckeyes start the year on the road, lose their home opener under the lights, and then rebound after the loss by throttling a lesser opponent. So far the 2017 Buckeyes have two of those three steps down, and I think Ohio State really lays it to Army tomorrow. Now it still remains to be seen if the 2017 ends the same way as the 2014 season, but I wouldn’t put it past Urban Meyer and Kevin Wilson to make the correct adjustments.

Ohio State 48, Army 13

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Joey Galloway believes JT Barrett is trying to be too perfect - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Joey Galloway believes JT Barrett is trying to be too perfect
247Sports
The former Buckeye wide receiver played four years at Ohio State, recording 108 receptions for 1,894 and 19 touchdowns. He was then a first-round draft pick in 1995 and played 15 years in the NFL. As an analyst for ESPN, Galloway still pays close ...
Dienhart: Ohio State's passing game is in need of a fixBig Ten Network

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Dienhart: Ohio State’s passing game is in need of a fix
Tom Dienhart, BTN.com Senior Writer via Big Ten Network

Ask yourself this as you settle in to watch Ohio State on Saturday vs. Army: What is the offensive identity of this team? If you had a 15-second elevator ride with someone, how would you describe the Buckeye offense?

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Buckeyes to receive Capital One Cup & scholarship award Saturday - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Buckeyes to receive Capital One Cup & scholarship award Saturday
247Sports
The Buckeyes edged out Florida to finish first after winning a national championship in volleyball and earning top-10 finishes in football, gymnastics, wrestling, fencing, rifle, tennis and lacrosse. This marks the first time either the men's or women ...


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Ohio State-Army is one-sided on paper, but could be a war on the field.
Ian Hartitz via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Go Buckeyes, Beat Army.

Last season Army:

• Won its first bowl game since 2010
• Beat Navy for the first time since 2001
• Won eight games for the first time since 1996

So far, their idea of an encore consists of continuing to run the ball straight down the throat of whoever happens to line up across from them. Army doesn’t change their style of football for anyone, and why should they? They currently lead the country in rushing yards per game (minimum two games played) and have had the 12th-, fifth-, and third-best rushing attack in the nation over the past three seasons, respectively. Feel free to bet your friends that Ohio State’s last-ranked pass defense will manage to hold at least one offense to fewer than 200 passing yards, as the Black Knights have cleared that threshold just once in their last 27 games.

This Saturday’s matchup between the Buckeyes and Black Knights will be decided in the trenches. This would seem to benefit Ohio State’s bevy of monsters on the defensive line, but as LGHL’s own Christopher Jason pointed out in his excellent preview of Army’s triple-option flexbone offense: Discipline is everything. The Buckeyes need to literally treat Army’s football team like a bunch of nameless Black Knights. Ohio State doesn’t sacrifice talent or size at any position on the field, so maintaining proper leverage and responsibility on a play-by-play basis is more important that containing any one player.

With that said, let’s take a look at which Buckeyes could have a prominent role in stopping the Black Knights’ option attack.

MLB Chris Worley/DE Sam Hubbard/DE Tyquan Lewis


Historically, Ohio State has asked its defensive ends to crash to the fullback on a triple option read. Two main reasons behind this are:

1. The fullback give is the easiest way for a triple-option offense to pick up yards. Barring an incredible effort from the middle linebacker on a down-by-down basis, failing to commit to taking away the fullback is a death sentence for any defense.
2. Keeping the ball forces the quarterback to make another decision on the pitch, and also forces the signal caller to expose himself to big hits. The best way to stop an option offense is to create negative plays and force them into passing options, and allowing the quarterback to make the easiest read in the book isn’t a great way to make those plays happen.

When Ohio State’s defensive ends are unblocked, expect them to crash down on Army fullback Darnell Woolfolk, a 5’9” 235 pound cannonball that has averaged 6.0 yards per carry on his 31 attempts this season. In an ideal world, the ends will be able to stifle the first piece of the triple option, allowing Worley to fly sideline-to-sideline to make plays all over the field.

In a normal week, Worley is just as responsible for taking care of the A-gaps as the defensive line. Still, if the Buckeyes play the option in a similar fashion as they did in 2014, Worley will likely line up deeper than normal to give him a chance to scrape over the mess at the line of scrimmage to make plays on the edge:



We’ve seen Worley make physical plays at the line of scrimmage, but he’s best when allowed to fly around the field and make plays with his game-changing speed. A big night from Worley will likely mean the defensive line also did their jobs.

OLBs Jerome Baker/Dante Booker


Outside linebackers probably have the best chance of any position to create turnovers against the triple option. Luckily for Ohio State, they have two of the best in the business at doing just that in Baker and Booker. Army won’t be used to facing a defense with linebackers as fast as their running backs, and there are plays to be made against the quarterback and pitchman on the edge.

Army doesn’t run the exact same version of the triple option every play, and will attempt to confuse the Buckeyes’ linebackers with motion and counters. Baker and Booker have the speed and ability to track down any player on Army’s roster, but first they need to properly decipher each given play and not run themselves out of position. Otherwise, we’ll be seeing a lot of uncontested 10-yard runs ending with Buckeye defenders pointing fingers at each other.

CBs Denzel Ward/Kendall Sheffield


The Buckeyes won’t face the spread concepts that have given their entire secondary fits over the past two weeks, but they still need to prove they’re in fact capable of slowing down the opponent’s pass offense. Both corners will also be responsible for helping handle the pitchman and not letting the Black Knights get to the edge.

Sheffield is a cornerback in a safety’s body, and his physical mentality should be perfect for this game. Ward is the Buckeyes’ No. 1 cornerback and needs to eliminate any potential passes thrown his way on third-and-long. It will take Ohio State’s full defensive attention to stop this rushing attack throughout the game, and cheap first downs through the air are something they can’t afford to give up.


The Buckeyes are 30.5-point favorites, but a 53-point total indicates Vegas doesn’t see the Silver Bullets blanking the Black Knights. Ohio State has waited a long week to take out their frustration, but it could make for an even longer week if that frustration isn’t channeled at the correct player come Saturday afternoon.

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twister55 said:

just in case someone needs it,someone helped me so i'm returning the favor

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i'm still seeding this game if anyone is interested