Ohio State should beat Michigan State, but a blowout is unlikely
Chad Peltier via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Michigan State has struggled this year, but they're still an interesting matchup for Ohio State

It's been a rough year for Mark Dantonio and the Spartans. Michigan State won't go to a bowl game just a year after appearing in the playoff. They've lost seven games this season and rank 66th in the S&P+.

Avg team talent Turnover margin Net explosiveness (10+) Net explosiveness (20+) IsoPPP
Ohio State 91.43 +13 (4th) +67 +23 1.20
Michigan State 87.11 -3 (93rd) +32 +5 1.29


If you go purely by the S&P+, the Spartans are the second-worst team that Ohio State has faced since Rutgers. If you're looking purely at the number of blue chippers on each team, the Buckeyes have 58 on the roster to the Spartans' 23. But the roster still holds a high overall average team talent rating because of the percentage of high three-star recruits on the roster.

Further, Michigan State has one of the better net explosiveness scores that we've seen in Big Ten play. The Spartans may have lost a lot of games, but they don't really get blown out.

S&P+ margin Volatility Floor Ceiling
Ohio State 28 (3rd) 25.6(106th) 2.4 53.6
Michigan State -.6(66th) 19.1 (54th) -19.7 18.5



When Ohio State has the ball

S&P+ Rush S&P+ Rush SR Rush IsoPPP Pass S&P+ Pass SR Pass IsoPPP Avg FP Drives
Ohio State 8 2 55.5%(2) 75 42 41.7%(59) 59 34(8) 5.36(9)
Michigan St 55 63 41.8%(59) 62 105 43.9%(95) 30 29(72) 4.62(85)

• As Christopher said in his review of the Maryland game, the Ohio State offensive staff has worked tirelessly to improve the passing game, particularly for intermediate and deep routes. While that will certainly be needed for a potential Big Ten Championship and/or playoff run, it'll also help against the Spartans this week. Michigan State has a mediocre run defense, but its pass defense is pretty awful -- among the worst in the country. Unlike previous seasons, where the Spartans secondary had incredible efficiency but could give up big plays due to man coverage, they are mostly inefficient but much better at preventing explosive plays given the high number of successful passes they allow. Ohio State is still not great in passing efficiency, but Barrett has certainly improved since his relatively poor showings against Indiana and Wisconsin.
• Two big issues for the Spartans has been their pass rush, where they're sixth-worst in the country in adjusted sack rate despite having Malik McDowell on the line, and their passing downs defense. In particular, they allow a 36.3% passing downs success rate, which is 112th in the country.
• The best scenario for Michigan State, like for most defenses Ohio State faces, is to limit the Buckeyes' standard downs rushing, then hope Barrett has an off day throwing on third downs. But it's hard to see the Buckeye offense slowing down unless Barrett has an off day. The Spartan defense is 106th in third downs S&P+, so Ohio State may be able to compensate for early down inefficiencies with successful third down passing.
• As a result, it's fair to expect a good deal of standard downs passing, especially early on. The best part of the Spartans defense seems to be their performance against the run on standard downs (23rd in SD adjusted line yards per carry), their overall opportunity rate (25th), and their ability to create tackles for loss (27th in stuff rate). Given their mediocre overall opponent-adjusted run defense (63rd in rushing S&P+), the run defense seems to get tackles for loss or short gains most of the time, but the relatively infrequent efficient runs can be big. For instance, Michigan State is 23rd in opponent runs of 10+ yards, but 69th in 20+ yard runs. That suggests a lower-than-expected rushing efficiency rate, a few explosive runs, and an efficient passing day. Don't expect an absurd number of explosive plays regardless.

When Michigan State has the ball

S&P+ Rush S&P+ Rush SR Rush IsoPPP Pass S&P+ Pass SR Pass IsoPPP Avg FP Drives
Ohio State 6 13 33.6%(11) 79 5 34%(10) 80 26(5) 2.94(4)
Michigan St 77 61 41.1%(86) 68 36 41%(64) 41 29(72) 4.12(92)

• The Spartans were able to upset Ohio State last year despite starting a backup quarterback. Tyler O'Connor is likely to face the Buckeyes again, and he's been inconsistent this season. He's had three games with more than 30 attempts and he's thrown for over 9 yards per carry four times this year, but he's also had three games averaging six yards per carry or worse. Two other quarterbacks have played at various points this season, so it's pretty impressive that the Spartans passing game isn't any worse than 36th in passing S&P+. R.J. Shelton is the clear top receiver, with a quarter of the pass targets and the best yards/catch average among starting receivers (15.1).
• But the Spartans offense seems to be too conservative and predictable, running on most standard downs (20th-most) and passing on most passing downs (95th in passing downs run rate). The rushing offense hasn't found its groove either, ranking 61st overall and 51st in adjusted line yards. Inconsistency is the big problem here as well: the offensive line allows tackles for loss on19.3% of runs (73rd), but gets running backs to 5+ yards on 42.1% of runs (35th). So that means nearly 40% of runs gain between 1-4 yards. Given that the Ohio State defense leads the country in stuff rate (at nearly 30% of opposing runs) and allows 5+ yard carries on only 30.4% of opposing runs (5th), there's not much evidence in the numbers that Sparty will be able to run effectively on the Buckeyes.
• That said, LJ Scott is the (much) more efficient back, with a 41% opportunity rate, and Gerald Holmes is much less efficient but more explosive (averaging roughly 2 highlight yards per carry more, but an average of 7% lower opportunity rate).
• Overall, Michigan State doesn't really do any single thing particularly well. R.J. Shelton gets credit as the clear top receiver, but no other part of the team is particularly good or bad. Without anything to hang their hat on, the Spartans have struggled on both sides of the ball.

The 3 most important stats to watch

• Offensive standard downs passing success rate. Like every week, Barrett's passing efficiency will go a long way in determining how close this one is. The Buckeyes seem to be trending up in recent games, and they'll likely pass early and often to take advantage of Spart's biggest defensive weakness. If standard downs rushing success rate trails off a little -- i.e., if Sparty sells out to stop Weber, Barrett, and Samuel -- then Barrett will need to compensate with efficient standard downs passing.
• Standard downs rushing success rate. The Spartans haven't been great at any one thing defensively -- except limiting efficiency on standard downs. They're ranked in the 20s in standard downs adjusted line yards and in overall stuff rate, so the Spartans will likely go all-in on that strength to put the Buckeyes behind the chains on early downs.
• Defensive passing IsoPPP. The key defensively for the Buckeyes will be containing big passing plays. R.J. Shelton is the clear top threat, and Tyler O'Connor has managed a few big performances this year.

Picks


S&P+: Ohio State 41, Michigan State 15, win probability 93.4%

F/+: Ohio State by 24

Power Rank: Ohio State by 12, win probability 81%

My Pick: Ohio State 38, Michigan State 17

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Women's basketball: Buckeyes dominate the paint, struggle defensively in win versus Cleveland State - OSU - The Lantern
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Women's basketball: Buckeyes dominate the paint, struggle defensively in win versus Cleveland State
OSU - The Lantern
The night was highlighted by the Buckeyes' interior play, rebounding and a strong night for Mitchell, but the underlying issue of OSU's defensive play was still evident. The Buckeyes were sluggish to start the game and allowed Cleveland State to get ...
Mitchell's 31 leads Ohio State over Cleveland StateWTOP
Ohio State women's basketball | Reserves play large role in rout of Cleveland StateColumbus Dispatch
Ohio State women's basketball cruises against Cleveland State, 96-78Land-Grant Holy Land

all 5 news articles »

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Oklahoma and West Virginia is the top matchup of Week 12’s college football bets, odds
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 Mountaineers will be looking to take down the Sooners for the first time since joining the Big 12.

While it’s hard to be upset with a week over .500, I’m kicking myself for missing so badly on Michigan and Washington. With just a few weeks of football left before the bowl matchups are announced, I can’t afford any down weeks if I want to set MC&J up in good position heading in bowl season.

Last week ATS: 6-5-1 (3-2 National, 3-3-1 B1G)

Season ATS: 65-74-4 (25-34-1 National, 40-40-3 B1G)

National games (All games Saturday unless otherwise noted):


No. 5 Louisville (-14) v. Houston - Thursday 8:00 PM EST - ESPN

Last week Louisville looked to be in trouble against Wake Forest before they unleashed a 34-point fourth quarter against the Demon Deacons. One of the reasons why that game might have been so close is Louisville looking ahead to Houston with the short week in front of them. The Cardinals are averaging 6.68 yards per carry this year, which is best among FBS teams, but they might have trouble finding some traction in the running game against a Houston defense that is allowing just 92.8 yards per game on the ground to opponents.

Had Houston not lost to Navy and SMU earlier in the year, this would’ve been a titanic showdown. Even though the Cougars have two losses this year it doesn’t make them any less dangerous. Defensive tackle Ed Oliver has been one of the best freshmen in the country this year, registering 16.5 tackles for loss. It should be fun to watch quarterback Greg Ward Jr. try to solve Louisville’s stout defense.

I don’t see Louisville losing this game, as they’ll stay in the hunt for the College Football Playoff, but I think Houston will make them work for it. The Cougars have a 14-game home winning streak, and even though that’ll end up getting snapped, Tom Herman will have his troops ready to test Louisville.

Louisville 41, Houston 31

No. 11 Oklahoma State v. TCU (-4.5) - 12:00 PM EST - Fox Sports 1

Oklahoma State has rebounded nicely from an early season loss to Baylor, winning their last six games to stay in the thick of the Big 12 title race. Should the Cowboys beat TCU this week, the Cowboys will have a week off to prepare for Bedlam and what could be a de facto Big 12 title game. Mason Rudolph has been one of the best quarterbacks in the country this year, throwing for 24 touchdowns against just four interceptions. James Washington has been Rudolph’s primary target, hauling in 56 catches for 1,182 yards and nine touchdowns.

Which TCU team are we going to get in this one? After losing three of four games, last time out the Horned Frogs demolished Baylor 62-22. There are still concerns about quarterback Kenny Hill, who hasn’t thrown for more than 250 yards in his last four games. Running back Kyle Hicks had a huge game in the blowout of Baylor, rushing for 192 yards and five touchdowns.

When I first saw this point spread I did a double take. Oklahoma State has been playing great football, while I’m not convinced that all is fixed with TCU after just one big win. The spread feels a little too good to be true and I’ll bite. I guess that’s why they have all those big building and lights out in the desert, because of guys like me who think they can get one over on Vegas.

Oklahoma State 44, TCU 41

No. 22 Washington State v. No. 10 Colorado (-4.5) - 3:30 PM EST - FOX

Who saw this coming? A week before the end of the regular season in the Pac-12 both Washington State and Colorado are leading their divisions. Washington State has won eight straight after three-point losses to both Eastern Washington and Boise State to start the year. The Cougars will be shorthanded the rest of the year with the loss of wide receiver River Cracraft to a torn ACL. Washington State still has Gabe Marks, who set the Pac-12 record for career receptions with 295 catches last week.

I don’t see how anybody could vote for anyone other that Mike MacIntyre for coach of the year. The only losses the Buffaloes have suffered this year have come on the road to Michigan and USC earlier this year. Defense has been a big reason for Colorado’s success this year, with the Buffaloes allowing less than 17 points in six of their 10 games. Colorado also forced at least one turnover in 23 straight games, which is the longest active streak in the country.

I’m very tempted to take the points in this one, but I think Colorado ends up taking this one by 7-10 points. The Cougars will start slow in trying to adjust to life without Cracraft, and they have a tough time cracking Colorado’s stingy defense. The win by the Buffaloes will setup what will likely be a big showdown with Utah next week.

Colorado 30, Washington State 23

No. 9 Oklahoma (-3) v. No. 14 West Virginia - 8:00 PM EST - ABC

Even just a couple weeks ago it might have been crazy to think that this matchup could have College Football Playoff implications, but with the chaos of last weekend, who knows how things will shake out. The Sooners continue to roll along after they lost two of their first three games this year, having little trouble with Baylor last week. It’s hard to see anybody else aside from Dede Westbrook winning the Biletnikoff Award this year, as the wide receiver has 68 catches for 1,254 yards and 14 touchdowns.

West Virginia might not have quite the firepower that Oklahoma does on offense, but what the Mountaineers do have is the best defense in the Big 12. West Virginia has allowed 21 points or less in seven of their nine games this year, but slowing down this Oklahoma offense might be their toughest test of the season. Quarterback Skyler Howard is solid and can make some plays when called upon for the Mountaineers.

I know it’s tough to go into Morgantown and win, but Bob Stoops has already done it twice since West Virginia joined the Big 12. This has the potential to be one of those fun back-and-forth matchups, but I think the Sooners just have a little too much for the Mountaineers. Oklahoma keeps their slim College Football Playoff hopes alive with a hard-fought win.

Oklahoma 38, West Virginia 30

No. 13 USC (-13) v. UCLA - 10:30 PM EST - ESPN

USC has really turned their season around after making the move to Sam Darnold at quarterback. The freshman looked great last week in the upset win over Washington, and even more big things could be in store this week. It isn’t just the USC offense that is impress though, as their defense is playing at a very high level right now. UCLA will have to pick their poison in whether they want to try and stop running back Ronald Jones II or wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster.

Right now UCLA is a mess. The loss of quarterback Josh Rosen earlier this season to injury really hurt the Bruins. Backup quarterback Mike Fafaul obviously isn’t the same as having Rosen back there, and it certainly doesn’t help that UCLA has next to nothing when it comes to a running game. UCLA beat Oregon State to snap a five-game winning streak, but there’s not much momentum that can be gained from a win over a weak Oregon State team.

I’m a little bit concerned that USC could have a bit of a hangover following their upset of Washington, but even if they start off sluggish they have the tools to take down UCLA. It’s just hard to back the Bruins when they have so many injuries and have been playing so poorly.

USC 34, UCLA 17

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Should Ohio State make the CFP without winning B1G? - ESPN
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Should Ohio State make the CFP without winning B1G?
ESPN
Simple as win and they're in, right? Not so fast. As Heather Dinich explains, even though the Buckeyes are No. 2 in the latest College Football Playoff rankings, they need help to make the final playoff field. (1:10). Facebook · Twitter; Pinterest ...
Buckeyes hope a possible playoff dilemma is avoidedThe-review
No. 2 Buckeyes now control own destinyMartins Ferry Times Leader
College Football Playoff mock committee: Are the Ohio State Buckeyes a lock at No. 2?cleveland.com
fox8.com -CBS sports.com (blog)
all 856 news articles »

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Tom Dienhart delivers this week’s Big Ten football thoughts
Tom Dienhart, BTN.com Senior Writer via Big Ten Network

Let's assess Ohio State's plaoff chances if the Buckeyes don't win the East. Michigan has real concerns down th stretch. Northwstern's Auston Carr should win the Biletnikoff Award as America’s top receiver. These thoughts and more from BTN.com's Tom Dienhart.

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Big Ten Week 12 game picks: Can Sparty stop Buckeyes? - ESPN (blog)
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Big Ten Week 12 game picks: Can Sparty stop Buckeyes?
ESPN (blog)
College Football Nation Blog · Notre Dame Fighting Irish · American Athletic Conference Blog · ACC Blog · FSU Seminoles · Big 12 Blog · Oklahoma Sooners · Texas Longhorns · Big Ten Blog · Michigan Wolverines · Nebraska Cornhuskers · OSU Buckeyes ...
Buckeyes hope a possible playoff dilemma is avoidedThe-review
No. 2 Buckeyes now control own destinyMartins Ferry Times Leader
College Football Playoff mock committee: Are the Ohio State Buckeyes a lock at No. 2?cleveland.com
fox8.com -CBS sports.com (blog)
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Geez. Terrible, but happy he is alive. Cars are dangerously scary things, people.

Ohio State women’s basketball cruises against Cleveland State, 96-78
Ben Martens via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The Buckeyes buried the Vikings on Wednesday night behind Kelsey Mitchell’s strong shooting night.

The Ohio State women’s basketball team rebounded from its first loss of the season in a big way on Wednesday night, defeating Cleveland State 96-78 at Value City Arena in Columbus. The win came on the heels of Monday’s 92-80 loss to 4th-ranked South Carolina.

All-American guard Kelsey Mitchell scored 31 points thanks to 7-for-14 shooting from three-point range to lead five Buckeyes in double figures. Stephanie Mavunga added a double-double, scoring 12 while grabbing 10 rebounds.

Freshman Ashanti Abshaw led the Vikings with 25 points in the losing effort.

Ohio State managed to win despite everyone on the team besides Mitchell shooting 1-for-13 from long range and losing the turnover battle.

Cleveland State kept things close through the game’s first seven minutes, but a 10-0 run by the Buckeyes in the final three minutes of the first quarter pushed the lead out to 28-17, and the scarlet and gray never looked back.

By halftime that lead was 51-34, as the interior presence of Mavunga, Shayla Cooper, and Tori McCoy wore out the undersized Vikings.

Mitchell and Abshaw put on a shooting clinic in the third quarter, each knocking down three three-pointers apiece, but again Ohio State’s size was superior, with Mavunga dominating the paint. The Buckeyes outscored CSU 60-24 down low in the ballgame, and had a 79-52 lead headed to the final 10 minutes.

Mitchell made another two shots from long range in the fourth quarter, and Sierra Calhoun connected on one as well, the first of Mitchell’s teammates to do so all game. The Vikings finished the game on an 11-0 run to make the score seem closer than it actually was.

Up next for Ohio State is LIU-Brooklyn, which comes to town Saturday for a noon tip-off at Value City Arena. The Buckeyes are then off until the following Friday, when they travel to Estero, Florida for the Gulf Coast Showcase.

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Buckeyes hope a possible playoff dilemma is avoided - The-review
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Buckeyes hope a possible playoff dilemma is avoided
The-review
Michigan's loss to Iowa created a potential predicament for the selection committee with the Buckeyes. Because Ohio State lost at eighth-ranked Penn State, the Nittany Lions would win a tiebreaker for the Big Ten East if both finish 8-1 in the ...
No. 2 Buckeyes now control own destinyMartins Ferry Times Leader
College Football Playoff mock committee: Are the Ohio State Buckeyes a lock at No. 2?cleveland.com
Ohio State Buckeyes No. 2 in playoff rankingfox8.com
ESPN -CBS sports.com (blog)
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BTN to debut documentary honoring 10-year anniversary of historic ‘Game of the Century’
Ryan Sullivan via Big Ten Network

Monday night, BTN will honor the 10-year anniversary of the historic ‘Game of the Century’ by debuting a special documentary, The Game: 2006…Remembered, featuring the legendary matchup between unbeaten No. 1 ranked Ohio State and unbeaten No. 2 Michigan on Nov. 18, 2006. The documentary is set to air at 9 p.m. ET following the men’s basketball matchup between Western Carolina and Ohio State. Following the documentary at 10 p.m. ET, BTN will also air an enhanced replay of the game. The documentary, produced by BTN Originals, tells the behind-the-scenes story of the first-time Ohio State and Michigan played each

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Michigan State will use R.J. Shelton to test Ohio State deep
Christopher Jason via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Michigan State will test Ohio State off play-action.

This season hasn’t gone the way Michigan State expected, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have any dangerous weapons on offense.

Michigan State wide receiver R.J. Shelton possesses some of the best hands and elite awareness in the Big Ten. He has the ability to catch deflected balls and tap his toes inbounds — showing off his incredible concentration and instincts.

Down by four points on the road against Illinois, the Spartans faced a 4th-and-4 with 3:02 left in the game. They had to go for it.

Quarterback Damion Terry faked the handoff, evaded a rusher and threw off his back foot. At the time of the throw, it almost looked like Terry threw the ball out of the back of the end zone — but he somehow found his stud receiver hidden behind three Illinois defensive backs. Shelton jumped a little too early, which nearly cost him. Yet, he snatched the ball on his way down, before tapping both of his toes on the border of the orange-painted end zone. Touchdown.



Shelton leads Sparty with 47 receptions, which is fifth best in the Big Ten. In only nine games played, he’s already surpassed his 2015 reception and yardage total. As a true perimeter receiver, he shines in the intermediate and deep game. In fact, Shelton has two 86-yard touchdown receptions this season, both which came on 9-routes where he just toasted the opposing defensive back.

On this 86-yard bomb, it looks like Indiana was in Cover 3, but the safety bit on the play-action fake. Shelton saw the safety freeze, got inside leverage on the cornerback and turned on the jets. At the 15-yard mark, Shelton already had two steps on the corner. By the time he caught the ball at the Indiana 41, he was about 4-yards ahead of the nearest defensive back. Talk about speed.





As the previous two plays have showed, Michigan State gets a lot of their big pass plays off play-action. They lull defenses to sleep with their boring run game — hoping to make the safety bite on the run — then hit their speedster deep. 26 of his 47 receptions have gained first down yardage, while 14 of his receptions have gone 15-plus yards. Then, they’ve hit him deep (25-plus yards) five times, averaging 15.11 yards per reception.

In a play against Northwestern, Shelton once again showed off his ability to beat one-on-one coverage and beat his man deep for a score. They showed play-action (shocker) out of shotgun and Shelton did the rest. Quarterback Tyler O’Connor saw pressure and threw the ball up for grabs off of his back foot -- trusting that his wideout would come down with the ball. With no safety help, Shelton beat the defensive back, but the ball was a bit under thrown. The Northwestern defender tipped the ball not once but two times. The receiver kept his concentration on the football, caught the ball while in a back pedal and jogged into the end zone.


Luckily for the Buckeyes, they have three of the better corners in the nation on passes thrown 10-plus yards downfield. Per CFBFilmRoom, outside corners Gareon Conley and Marshon Lattimore have allowed only five receptions on 33 targets that have traveled 10-plus yards. It also helps to have a safety with elite NFL-type range in Malik Hooker, keeping everything in front of him. We mentioned that Lattimore — who has the ability to blanket opposing receivers — has a chance to essentially ice the game if he takes away Shelton.


If the Buckeyes stay away from peaking in the backfield when Michigan State runs play-action, they should be set, at least on defense. It’s fine to play a bend but don’t break defense against Michigan State. Let Tyler O’Connor make a mistake, while attempting to build a double-digit play touchdown drive against the Ohio State defense — just don’t let him hit R.J. Shelton deep.

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Ohio State's recruitment of Sam Johnson: Will Buckeyes next QB commit come from Michigan? - cleveland.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State's recruitment of Sam Johnson: Will Buckeyes next QB commit come from Michigan?
cleveland.com
The Buckeyes are already battling for position in Johnson's recruitment. "They've been recruiting me pretty heavily," Johnson told cleveland.com during an in-person interview two weeks ago. Ohio State is not alone, which makes Johnson's recruitment ...
Michigan State's Ohio connections add to rivalry between Spartans and BuckeyesLandof10.com
Ohio State notebook | Players pleased to see Michigan fallColumbus Dispatch
Buckeyes seek payback against talented SpartansNBC4i.com
ESPN -Springfield News Sun -AthlonSports.com
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Gameday+ | Recruiting: Kerry Coombs key to Ohio State's success in Michigan - Columbus Dispatch
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Gameday+ | Recruiting: Kerry Coombs key to Ohio State's success in Michigan
Columbus Dispatch
If Ohio State gets lost in the state up north as the Buckeyes prepare to play Michigan State, Kerry Coombs probably can give directions. He knows the state well. The Buckeyes' safeties coach/special-teams coordinator is in charge of recruiting in Michigan.
Okudah visit confirmed, 5-star duo travelling to OSU together247Sports

all 2 news articles »

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Wesson signs with Buckeyes - ThisWeekNews
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Wesson signs with Buckeyes
ThisWeekNews
At Ohio State, Wesson will play alongside his brother and former South teammate Andre, who is a 6-6 freshman forward for the Buckeyes. Last season for South, Kaleb Wesson averaged 14.4 points and was first-team all-OCC-Cardinal Division and third-team ...


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Some late entries for consideration:

Grandma Mohawk



Green Bay Fats:



Bag Ladies:



Hulk Packer:



KISS Packer:

Ohio State basketball: Why the Buckeyes are already thinking NCAA Tournament in November - cleveland.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State basketball: Why the Buckeyes are already thinking NCAA Tournament in November
cleveland.com
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio State basketball hosts Providence on Thursday night. Remember the outcome of this game when dissecting the Buckeyes' NCAA Tournament resume in February. Yeah, it's probably too early to talk about the tournament now.
Ohio State football | Line's pressure key part of defensive dominanceColumbus Dispatch
Basketball Preview: Providence at Ohio StateEleven Warriors
How to watch Ohio State vs. Providence: Preview, game time, live streaming onlineLand-Grant Holy Land

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BM5: Buckeyes commitment to change plans? - 247Sports
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BM5: Buckeyes commitment to change plans?
247Sports
Who could get his spot in the class among the elite visitors coming for The Game? How does the WHAC compare to facilities at other high-profile programs? Can Michigan State pull off the upset - AGAIN - this weekend when the Buckeyes come calling?

and more »

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


Ohio State takes part in the Gavitt Tipoff Games for the first time when they host Providence tonight.

Ohio State will look to improve on Monday night’s lackluster effort when they take on Providence tonight at Value City Arena. The Buckeyes squeaked by North Carolina Central 69-63 on Monday, in a game marred by turnovers and fouls. While it wasn’t ideal that Ohio State turned the basketball over 13 times against the Eagles, it paled in comparison to the 20 turnovers North Carolina Central committed. This marked the 50th time Ohio State has forced an opponent to commit 20 turnovers in a game, and in those contests Ohio State has a 49-1 record.

This matchup between Ohio State and Providence is part of the Gavitt Tipoff Games, which is a tribute to the late Big East commissioner Dave Gavitt, who was also the first commissioner of the conference. Gavitt had strong ties to Providence, where he amassed a 209-84 record as head coach of the Friars from 1969-79. This is the second year of the Gavitt Tipoff Games, which features eight matchups between Big Ten and Big East schools each year. Last year Ohio State wasn’t involved in the Gavitt Tipoff Classic, but Providence was, as the Friars secured a 60-59 win over Illinois.

Tonight’s game will be just the second the Buckeyes have ever played against the Friars, with Ohio State earning a 84-83 win over Providence in the first round of the 1990 NCAA Tournament. Ohio State is 64-29 against current Big East teams. The last time the Buckeyes faced a Big East team was back in 2014, when Ohio State took down Marquette 74-63 in Columbus. Providence is 31-26 against Big Ten teams, with their last game against a Big Ten school resulting in a 77-64 loss to Michigan State last year in the Wooden Legacy.

One of the most concerning things about Ohio State’s season so far has been the ineffectiveness of JaQuan Lyle. After averaging nearly 30 minutes per game and 11.2 points per game as a freshman, Lyle is averaging just 17.5 minutes per game and 4.0 points per game in Ohio State’s first two contests. Luckily the Buckeyes have had junior college transfer C.J. Jackson to pick up the slack for Lyle. After registering nine assists in the season opener against Navy, Jackson dished out eight assists off the bench against North Carolina Central. The 17 assists Jackson is credited with this season is currently tied for most in the country.

This year Providence is trying to do something they have never done before. Make the NCAA Tournament in four consecutive seasons. Last year the Friars won their first NCAA Tournament game since 1997 when they topped USC 70-69 in the second round. Providence didn’t make it any farther, falling to North Carolina 85-66 in the next game.

If the Friars want to make the NCAA Tournament this year they’ll have their work cut out for them, as they don’t have the services of Kris Dunn and Ben Bentil anymore. Dunn was taken fifth overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves in this year’s NBA Draft, while Bentil led Providence last year in scoring, averaging 21.1 points per game.

Ed Cooley’s team got off to a strong start this year, taking down Vermont 80-58 in their season opener on Monday. Providence was paced by junior college transfer Emmitt Holt, who scored 22 points in the victory. The leading returning scorer from last year’s squad is Rodney Bullock, who was third on the Friars last year with 11.4 points per game, scored 18 points against the Catamounts.

Numbers to know

13


For the 13th consecutive season under Thad Matta, Ohio State has started the season 2-0. More often than not the Buckeyes end up winning their third game of the year as well. There has only been two seasons in which Ohio State has not advanced to 3-0 under Matta. In the 2009-10 season, Ohio State lost to North Carolina, and last year the Buckeyes fell to UT-Arlington.

15


When Ohio State registers a 15-point lead during a game they are pretty much unbeatable, registering a 211-1 record. The only time Ohio State has lost when they had a 15-point lead during a game came in 2011, when the Buckeyes lost to Wisconsin 71-67 after holding a 47-32 lead. The Buckeyes are pretty good with a 10-point lead as well, as they have a 282-17 record when they lead their opponent by double-digits.

180-7


Under Thad Matta, Ohio State is 180-7 in Columbus against unranked opponents, with four of those losses coming to non-conference opponents. Overall, Ohio State is 268-42 against unranked opponents under Thad Matta. Ohio State teams have been especially strong under Matta in November, with the Buckeyes compiling a 58-9 record during his time in Columbus.

Cast of characters

Ohio State

Jae’Sean Tate


In the win against North Carolina Central, junior Jae’Sean Tate registered his sixth career double-double, scoring 21 points and pulling down 10 rebounds. The 21 points were the most Tate has scored since he put in 22 points in February against Rutgers before having his sophomore season shortened due to injury. Tate is currently second on Ohio State in scoring this year, with his 15.5 points per games sitting just behind Kam Williams’ team-leading 16 points per game.

Micah Potter


After becoming just the seventh freshman to start in his first game during Thad Matta’s time in Columbus, Potter was able to enter the scoring column for the first time on Monday night in his second start for the Buckeyes. Potter gave a little bit of life to the crowd early in the game, hitting three first half three-pointers against North Carolina Central. Potter finished the game with 13 points in the victory, which was only bested by Jae’Sean Tate’s 21 points.

Providence

Emmitt Holt


After averaging 11.4 minutes per game and 3.6 points per game during the 2014-15 season as a freshman at Indiana, Emmitt Holt spent last year in junior college. Holt made quite a name for himself in his Providence debut on Monday night, pacing the Friars with 22 points. This won’t be the first time Holt has gone up against the Buckeyes, as he played 20 combined minutes the two times Ohio State and Indiana squared off in the 2014-15 season.

Kyron Cartwright


Last year Cartwright had the luxury of backing up Kris Dunn, and it was apparent that even last season some of Dunn’s skills were rubbing off on Cartwright. The guard from California was second on the Friars in assists last season with 139 helpers, and his 2.8:1 assist-to-turnover ratio led the Big East. Cartwright was even better in Providence’s season opener this year, dishing out 12 assists in the lopsided win over Vermont.

How to watch


Game time: 7 p.m. ET

Radio: 97.1 WBNS-FM

TV: Big Ten Network

Streaming: BTN2Go

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BM5: Buckeyes commitment to change plans? - CBS sports.com (blog)
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


BM5: Buckeyes commitment to change plans?
CBS sports.com (blog)
Who could get his spot in the class among the elite visitors coming for The Game? How does the WHAC compare to facilities at other high-profile programs? Can Michigan State pull off the upset - AGAIN - this weekend when the Buckeyes come calling?


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Another Buckeye loses his black stripe - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Another Buckeye loses his black stripe
247Sports
The talk surrounding Ohio State this week is where the Buckeyes will end up come the end of the college football season. After Michigan's loss to Iowa on the road last weekend, the Buckeyes no longer have a clear path to the Big Ten Championship Game.


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Ohio State vs. Michigan preview podcast: Breaking down all things Buckeyes and Wolverines - cleveland.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State vs. Michigan preview podcast: Breaking down all things Buckeyes and Wolverines
cleveland.com
Michigan preview podcast: Breaking down all things Buckeyes and Wolverines. Jim Harbaugh, Urban Meyer. Urban Meyer and Jim Harbaugh will meet for the second time on Nov. 26 when Ohio State and Michigan play in Columbus. (Tony Ding, Associated ...
Michigan State's Ohio connections add to rivalry between Spartans and BuckeyesLandof10.com
Ohio State notebook | Players pleased to see Michigan fallColumbus Dispatch
No. 2 Buckeyes now control own destinyMartins Ferry Times Leader
ESPN -Lansing State Journal -247Sports
all 429 news articles »

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4-star TE Zack Kuntz includes Ohio State in top group
Bret Favachio via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The Buckeyes find themselves in the top 8 for the Pennsylvanian.

Kuntz releases top schools


Back in May of this year, Ohio State extended an offer to 2018 tight end Zack Kuntz of Camp Hill (PA). After a visit from OSU defensive coach Larry Johnson, and an eventual unofficial visit from the four-star prospect to Columbus in July, dividends are beginning to pay off for the Buckeyes.

On Wednesday, Kuntz revealed his top eight schools and Ohio State, as expected, was included. As for the programs OSU will battle for the services of the Pennsylvanian, Kuntz also had Alabama, Florida State, Michigan, Notre Dame, Penn State, Stanford and Tennessee on his list.


Obviously, for now, Ohio State has placed themselves in a good position for the 50th best prospect in the 2018 class. However, PSU,ND, and Stanford are the programs currently running as favorites for Kuntz. The Buckeyes likely have some catching up to do here, but they also have plenty of time before the 6-foot-7, 218-pounder has to make anything official.

Wesson inks with OSU


Switching gears to the basketball Buckeyes, Head Coach Thad Matta officially welcomed 2017 center Kaleb Wesson from Westerville South (OH) on Wednesday. The 6-foot-8, 280-pounder signed and faxed in his letter of intent to Ohio State and he will now join his older brother Andre Wesson for the Scarlet and Gray.

During his press conference on Wednesday. Matta stated that he was "elated" to have "big-time post player" Wesson at Ohio State. Matta didn't halt his praise for the four-star prospect when he stated that Wesson is as skilled as anyone that he has seen in a while and that the newest Buckeye is a winner.

Matta made an interesting comparison for Wesson when he spoke on his ability to use his body as an advantage against the opposition much like former Buckeye and current Toronto Raptor Jared Sullinger. That's a tall task if Wesson wants to play at the level of Sully but the talent is undoubtedly there. Wesson is graded as the 78th best player in the class, seventh at the C position, and second in the state of Ohio.

With the official addition of Wesson, Ohio State likely put the finishing touches on their 2017 class on Wednesday. The Buckeyes, unless something wild occurs, will finish with Wesson and Braxton Beverly, who signed with the program last Wednesday.

Akers cancels UM visit


Ohio State already has a commitment from '17 running back J.K. Dobbins of La Grange (TX) but they have showed an interest in adding another back to the fold. One of those that the Buckeyes have constantly pursued is '17 RB Cam Akers, a five-star from Mississippi.

As of today, Akers is scheduled to make his official visit to Columbus next weekend when Ohio State squares off against Michigan for "The Game." However, the interesting news regarding Akers on Wednesday was him cancelling a planned official visit to Ann Arbor, Mich. to see what the Wolverines had to offer.


What does it mean? Well, likely not too much in the grand scheme of things. Akers, will obviously being somewhat interested in Michigan, was never expected to land with them. It does give Ohio State one less team to be overly concerned about in this recruitment unless a rescheduled visit occurs. But realistically, unless Akers has an exceptional visit to Columbus — which could certainly happen — the current expectation is that Akers will play his collegiate ball down south. According to the 247Sports Crystal Ball, the most recent trend for the 5-foot-11, 213-pounder is in Baton Rouge, La. with the LSU Tigers.

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'Ohio State Buckeyes vs. Providence Friars - 11/17/16 College Basketball Pick, Odds, and Prediction' - Sports Chat Place (blog)
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


'Ohio State Buckeyes vs. Providence Friars - 11/17/16 College Basketball Pick, Odds, and Prediction'
Sports Chat Place (blog)
The Providence Friars will be looking for a signature road win when they head to Value City Arena to take on the Ohio State Buckeyes on Thursday night. The Providence Friars kicked off their season the right way with an 80-58 win over the Vermont ...

and more »

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Ohio State football | Line's pressure key part of defensive dominance - Columbus Dispatch
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State football | Line's pressure key part of defensive dominance
Columbus Dispatch
It's kind of hard to compete with six touchdowns off interceptions, which is what Buckeyes defensive backs have produced. But it's a maxim in football that a defense is only as good as its front four. The development of the line has been one of the ...

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bukIpower said:

Boom.... I agree

They won't be penalized for losing to the wrong team

Click to expand...

Closing out the regular season defeating the #3 team in the nation will seal the deal. Plus, Wisky will beat PSU in the championship game.