CFP: Ohio State joins top 4 as Alabama, Michigan, Clemson stay - ESPN
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


CFP: Ohio State joins top 4 as Alabama, Michigan, Clemson stay
ESPN
A Saturday full of upsets led to a reshuffling of the College Football Playoff rankings, with Ohio State being the biggest beneficiary. The Buckeyes, runaway winners over Maryland, moved up from fifth to second in the latest CFP rankings, as they made ...
Ohio State Buckeyes No. 2 in playoff rankingfox8.com
College Football Playoff mock committee: Are the Ohio State Buckeyes a lock at No. 2?cleveland.com
Ohio State: Buckeyes move from 5th to 2nd in CFP rankingsChronicle Telegram
10TV -247Sports -Dayton Daily News
all 710 news articles »

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VIDEO: Buckeyes take Mannequin Challenge following win over ... - 10TV
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


VIDEO: Buckeyes take Mannequin Challenge following win over ...
10TV
What do you do as a team after winning your second consecutive game by 59 points? You take the Mannequin Challenge. But you don't do it just like anyone ...
What's Ohio State's new path to the playoff? Final observations from the Buckeyes' win vs. MarylandLandof10.com
Ohio State Buckeyes do 'Mannequin Challenge' on flight home from MarylandNBC4i.com
J.T. Barrett record confusion, more Ohio State interceptions: Buckeyes notes, quotes and nuggetscleveland.com
Columbus Dispatch -Chronicle Telegram -Mansfield News Journal
all 269 news articles »

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Twice-burned Ohio State Buckeyes wary of Michigan State - Lansing State Journal
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Twice-burned Ohio State Buckeyes wary of Michigan State
Lansing State Journal
EAST LANSING – There's no sneaking up on Ohio State. Not this time. Not with how Michigan State spoiled Urban Meyer's season a year ago. Not with how Mark Dantonio and Co. snatched a Big Ten title away from the heavily favored Buckeyes in 2013.
Ohio State: Buckeyes trying to keep focus on next gameChronicle Telegram
Buckeyes didn't root for rival Wolverines despite CFP scenariosESPN
Players believe Buckeyes should be in the Playoff247Sports
Columbus Dispatch -CBS Local -MyDaytonDailyNews
all 311 news articles »

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No. 1 offensive guard for 2018 plans to visit Ohio State on Nov. 26
Austin Kemp via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


If all holds up, another top recruit will see the Buckeyes in ‘The Game’.

“My team”


According to reports, 2018 offensive lineman Jamaree Salyer (Atlanta, GA / Pace Academy) will be in Columbus when the Buckeyes take on Michigan in just under two weeks. Salyer made some positive comments to 247Sports’ Bill Kurelic calling Ohio State, “my team.” However, though the comments are positive, there is likely still a long ways to go in this recruitment.


Salyer stands at 6-foot-4 and checks in at about 320 pounds. He is a five-star prospect and the No. 11 overall player in his class. Salyer holds over 20 total offers and though Ohio State is competing towards the top of his list, the Georgia Bulldogs should provide stiff competition in this recruitment. During Urban Meyer’s tenure at Ohio State, he and his staff has had success recruiting the Peach State. They will look for more of the same as coach Greg Studrawa has taken the lead position in this battle. This isn’t unfamiliar ground with Studrawa going into SEC territory, as he was on the coaching staff at LSU before coming to the Buckeyes.

If Salyer does indeed visit the weekend of Nov. 26, the Buckeyes can be considered serious contenders and will be in it all the way to the end. If not, it will be essential to get him on campus sometime over the spring or in the summer. Salyer picked up his Ohio State offer last July.

OSU in top 3 for a WR


Staying in the state of Georgia, 2019 wide receiver Jashawn Sheffield (Saint Simons Island, GA / Frederica Academy) made it public that Ohio State is in his top three. This news comes after he visited on Nov. 5 for the game against Nebraska. Though 2019 is way down the road, Sheffield is projected to be the top wide receiver in the class. Already standing at 6-foot-2, Sheffield has steady hands and the speed to pull away from defenders. Though we are still extremely early in this process, Florida State and Clemson appear to be the schools that will provide the most competition in landing the Frederica Academy standout.

The Decision


To the hardwood, class of 2017 prospect Nojel Eastern (Evanston, IL / Evanston Township) is set to announce his college decision today. The 6-foot-6 shooting guard from Illinois is a four-star prospect and holds 15 total offers. Though Michigan State and Purdue seem like the favorites, Eastern did visit Columbus at the end of October and that is the last visit he took. Landing Eastern would be big for Thad Matta and his staff as it would give the Buckeyes a lift in a position of need as well as blocking two other Big Ten rivals from his services.


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Falcons win, Buckeyes move up in rankings - Toledo Blade
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Falcons win, Buckeyes move up in rankings
Toledo Blade
The newest rankings, released Tuesday night, featured the Buckeyes at No. 2 and the Wolverines at No. 3 — a setup sure to change because of the rivals' head-to-head meeting Nov. 26 at Ohio Stadium. Perhaps one but not both could finish in the top four.

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Ohio State Buckeyes No. 2 in playoff ranking - fox8.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State Buckeyes No. 2 in playoff ranking
fox8.com
COLLEGE PARK, MD - NOVEMBER 12: Dontre Wilson #2 of the Ohio State Buckeyes celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Maryland Terrapins during the second quarter at Capital One Field at Maryland Stadium on November 12, 2016 in College ...
College Football Playoff mock committee: Are the Ohio State Buckeyes a lock at No. 2?cleveland.com
CFP: Ohio State joins top 4 as Alabama, Michigan, Clemson stayESPN
Buckeyes vault to No. 2 in College Football Playoff rankings247Sports
Springfield News Sun -EndZoneScore -Comcast SportsNet Chicago
all 690 news articles »

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Thoughts in Bold: Eugene Melnyk’s Letter to the Ottawa Citizen
T6S via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

After doing so, so, so well these past few months avoiding microphones and newspaper headlines, Eugene Melnyk is back.

That’s right, Mr. Melnyk is fucking back!

For the first time in what feels like ages, the Euge has stepped back into the fray and lobbed some verbal jabs at the Ottawa Citizen for their editorial piece that endorsed the idea of the Senators playing an outdoor game at TD Place rather than play no game at all.

Keep in mind, the Citizen article came on the heels of an NHL.com report that cited the Senators as having little interest in hosting an outdoor game that wasn’t on Parliament Hill.

Having read the editorial, it seemed pretty innocuous, but Melnyk’s never really been the sort to take too kindly to criticism.

So what did he do?

He eloquently penned an editorial letter of his own to the Ottawa Citizen to throw his two cents in.

The letter in its original form can be read over at the Citizen’s website, so give it some clicks. For purpose of this article though, I’ve copy and pasted it below to include my thoughts in bold.

Here we go…

There has been plenty written and debated about bringing an NHL outdoor game to Ottawa. Some have rightly pointed out the grandeur and vision of what an outdoor game on Parliament Hill would have represented, not only for Ottawa, but the entire country.

Yeah, sure. I mean, the game on Parliament Hill would make for some awesome visuals, but in this day and age, the game would have captured the attention of the country for as long as it would have taken to tear the game’s temporary stands down.

An NHL outdoor game on Parliament Hill would have been historically significant on so many levels. It would have marked 100 years to the day when the Senators and Montreal Canadiens played one of the very first games in the storied history of National Hockey League. We would have played the game on Parliament Hill, in the very heart of the nation’s capital, to cap off 12 months of celebrations across the country to honour Canada’s 150th anniversary, the NHL’s centennial and the 125th anniversary of the Stanley Cup which was bequeathed by Lord Stanley – in Ottawa.

It’s true, it would have been historic and memorable to the fans in Ottawa. The disappointment in seeing this kind of opportunity fall by the wayside is palpable.

The stars could not have aligned any better even if hockey fans across the country tried to script it themselves.

Yeah, this is where it kind of gets lost on me. I get that this is a big deal for the Senators considering it would mark the anniversary of the Senators playing the Canadiens 100 years ago. And yeah, I get that it’s important for the City of Ottawa as a marquee event that it can use as a vehicle to champion the City’s 2017 celebration for Canada’s 150th anniversary. At the same time, for anyone who doesn’t have any rooting interest in this game, would they really care that much? I’m skeptical.

It would have been a worldwide event that would have put all eyes on Canada – and our capital. That is what I wanted for Ottawa and all Canadian hockey fans.

It probably wasn’t a worldwide event, but hey, you can’t blame Melnyk or the Senators for pushing this possibility as far as it could go.

So we rolled up our sleeves and worked hard to support an effort to bring this vision to reality and invested hundreds of hours of collective work over 18 long months with a singular focus to bring the grandest game of all time to Canadians.

Despite outlandish odds, the Senators worked really hard to bring an incredibly unlikely event outdoor game to Parliament Hill and failed. It’s akin to bragging that Bryan Murray called the Washington Capitals every day inquiring on Alex Ovechkin’s availability.

It’s great that they tried as hard as they did and sure, their efforts should be commended, but it fell through and predictably so. Let’s not act that there isn’t or wasn’t time to find an alternate site here.

Hell, the idea to play an outdoor game in Ottawa at Lansdowne was only first leaked in a report by the Ottawa Business Journal in December of 2012.

According to the report:

The idea is to have the Senators face off against the Montreal Canadiens, according to Ottawa Marriott general manager Daniel Laliberté, a member of the committee helping plan the city’s offerings for 2017.

Even better, the report went on to state that the idea for such a game was formed by Jim Watson in 2010. In other words, it predated Ottawa’s vaunted 2011 rebuild.

Now maybe it’s just me and my firm belief in the benefits of risk management and alternative strategies when shit goes south, but maybe when you’re dealing with such an improbable event site, it’s a good idea to have a contingency plan.

It has been a week since the federal government rendered its decision to not support the outdoor game on Parliament Hill. It was a decision, that, while disappointing, involved no shortage of effort made by us to try to make it happen.

It didn’t succeed and in the sports realm in which you operate, no one celebrates failure. Naturally, fans are going to be disappointed that there won’t be a game on Parliament Hill, but with that said, fans would rather see a game be played at TD Place than have no game at all. Maybe it’s not the grandiose vision that you imagined, but it’s a historical anniversary that Ottawa and Senators fans can enjoy and celebrate.

And now, I read Tuesday’s editorial implying that, as the owner of the Ottawa Senators, I should have rushed to endorse a deal to bring the “cash cow” outdoor game to TD Place – and if I don’t, then I am not a “smart businessman.”

Well actually, the report indicated that the game would be a “cash cow” that the NHL and Eugene Melnyk would have preferred.

Technically, it the details of the report were correct, the league and the Senators owner preferred an event that would generate the most amount of revenue.

According to the Citizen:

As originally conceived, the game would have been played before about 6,000 fans, just like the first NHL game here. That would have been fun. However, it wouldn’t have been the 35,000-seat cash cow that the NHL and Senators owner Eugene Melnyk preferred.

Ultimately, the league preferred an even that could generate the most revenue and who could blame it? Considering it foots the cost of hosting the event and takes all the revenue from the game, you can’t blame the league for trying to maximize its revenue stream here.

And so it seems, rather than applaud our attempts to do something spectacular for Ottawa and our hockey-loving nation, your editors would rather point a finger of blame – squarely on the Senators and me.

What do you want? A participation ribbon?

Nobody’s blaming the Senators for trying to fulfill the dream of playing on Parliament Hill, but there’s inevitably going to be frustration when the organization reportedly shows a lack of interest in playing on an alternate site.

The blame and criticism are quite honestly difficult to endure as it unfairly suggests I don’t care about the city, nor do enough to support it. Really?

That’s not what it said at all.

So, for the editorial board of your paper and everyone else who wants to point blame at me, consider the following:

• As owner of an NHL franchise, my core responsibility is to ice a competitive hockey team and to try to not lose money in the process.

Your core responsibility is to win a championship, but carry on.

And yet, I have always committed to doing so much more, including bringing nationally and internationally broadcast events to Ottawa including the World Junior Hockey Championships, the Women’s World Hockey Championships, multiple JUNO Awards, the NHL All-Star Game, two NHL Entry Drafts, the Roar of the Rings – as well as important community initiatives such as multiple new Sensplex arenas, the Bell Capital Cup, refurbishing outdoor community rinks and supporting the city’s upcoming 2017 celebrations.

I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that Melnyk is figuratively pounding his chest here and believing that he’s responsible for marquee events like Roar of the Rings landing in Ottawa, but holy shit, it’s not like he’s the driving force behind these events. Irrespective of who the owner of the Ottawa Senators is, the city of Ottawa would eventually get these kinds of events.

• These events, including the fact Ottawa has an NHL team, bring billions in cumulative economic revenue to the city. Hotels, restaurants, small businesses and big businesses – all benefit from the Ottawa Senators. Quite frankly, one would be hard-pressed to find someone in Ottawa who hasn’t been touched in a positive way by the Senators.

If only there was some kind of research (here, here, here) into what kind of economic impact sports teams create for their local markets.

• On top of all this, we have also spent thousands of hours and millions of dollars working toward an incredible opportunity to bring the Senators to a new, multipurpose major event centre in downtown Ottawa.

But hey, if this major event centre falls through, at least you tried!

• And seriously, an outdoor game is not a “cash cow” for the Ottawa Senators.

No, it’s not. It’s a cash cow for the league who pays the cost of the game and takes all the revenues from it. Considering how hideous Ottawa’s current set of home and away jerseys are, they could probably market the shit out a new alternate jersey that pays homage to the team’s past.

I take all this on because I know how important this NHL team is to the economic and social fabric of the city.

I know how important the Senators are to this city. That’s why the organization hasn’t engaged in conversations about where to host a game should the Parliament Hill idea fall flat.

Running the Ottawa Senators is not an easy business. Consider the fact that the team is currently eighth overall in the NHL and the second-best performing Canadian team, and yet we are far from sellouts at our home games.

All the sympathy in the world should go out to those billionaire and millionaire owners who spend unfathomable amounts of money on sport franchises. We know not their pain.

I don’t know how this letter went from criticizing the Citizen’s criticism of his stewardship to a passive aggressive crack on the Senators’ fan base for failing to support a winner with gate revenue, but well fucking done, Eugene.

Through my ownership of the Ottawa Senators, I do so much to support the city in ways that go far beyond hockey. In this instance, I ask everyone to understand and respect the fact that bringing an NHL outdoor game to any city is a monumental task requiring an enormous investment of time, money and people.

I can’t get over the fact that Melnyk keeps referring to the organization’s work as his own. I mean, if he sold the club, I’d still expect the organization to be as impactful in the community as it is. The organization does a ton for this city, but I feel like this would be the case irrespective of who the owner was.

There are countless considerations and requirements from multiple legal agreements, logistics, multi-event programming and venue contingencies that need to be fully addressed and planned for. As the owner of Senators, I have an inherent responsibility to ensure that all decisions made are in the best interests of not just hockey fans and people of Ottawa, but also in the short and long-term interests of the Senators organization.

Wish this attitude was applied when handling the Daniel Alfredsson UFA negotiations.

Inevitably, more stories will be written by this paper and other media outlets who would simply like to point blame and accuse me of shortchanging the city for not jumping immediately to commit to another venue for an NHL outdoor game.

It’s pretty ballsy for Melnyk to call out the media for pointing out how he and the organization should do everything within their power to secure a game at TD Place rather than miss out on the opportunity to host a game at all.

I mean, if we look back at Melnyk’s tenure, he has barely been criticized by the media at all.

When the Senators are the only major sports franchise in town, the newspapers are dying and the only real sports radio station pays for the broadcast rights to Senators games, it’s not like outlets have a carte blanche to throw shade Melnyk’s way without facing some kind of recourse.

It is unjust, unfair and misrepresents everything that my ownership and the Senators mean to this city.

No offence Eugene, but the Senators mean a hell of a lot more to this city than your ownership does or ever will.



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Ohio State moves up to No. 2 in latest College Football Playoff rankings
Harry Lyles Jr. via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The Bucks took a step forward.

The Ohio State Buckeyes have had a great past two weeks. They knocked off then No. 10 Nebraska by a score of 62-3, and then did the same this past weekend against Maryland.

Losses in front of them have the Buckeyes ranked No. 2 this week in the latest College Football Playoff rankings, and the race is now more interesting than it has been all season.

The Buckeyes have games against Michigan State and Michigan left, and will hope for similar performances to continue to make their case to be the in College Football Playoff. Ohio State would also greatly benefit from either a Rutgers or Michigan State victory over Penn State for Big Ten East tiebreak purposes.

We’ll see what the future holds, but until then, the Bucks are in good shape.

Here’s the complete College Football Playoff Top 25 rankings for Week 12:







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No. 2 Ohio State, No. 3 Michigan lead Big Ten in CFP rankings
BTN.com staff via Big Ten Network

The third installment of the College Football Playoff rankings was released Tuesday night, and the Big Ten continues to occupy 40 percent of the top 10.

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Ohio State notebook | Players pleased to see Michigan fall - Columbus Dispatch
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State notebook | Players pleased to see Michigan fall
Columbus Dispatch
There were no mixed feelings among the Ohio State Buckeyes on Saturday night, even as they saw their chance for a Big Ten championship possibly slip away. That alone reveals how much Ohio State dislikes Michigan. The Buckeyes were flying back from a ...
College Football Playoff mock committee: Are the Ohio State Buckeyes a lock at No. 2?cleveland.com
Buckeyes didn't root for rival Wolverines despite CFP scenariosESPN
Ohio State: Buckeyes trying to keep focus on next gameChronicle Telegram
MyDaytonDailyNews -CBS Local -Waiting For Next Year
all 321 news articles »

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Meyer challenges Buckeyes with UFC footage - MyDaytonDailyNews
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Meyer challenges Buckeyes with UFC footage
MyDaytonDailyNews
The Spartans made the most of their chance against Ohio State last year, pulling out an improbable 17-14 win over the second-ranked Buckeyes despite having to play without injured quarterback Connor Cook. The upset ultimately gave MSU a berth in the ...
Buckeyes rout Maryland: The Good, The Bad, and The UglyWaiting For Next Year
What's Ohio State's new path to the playoff? Final observations from the Buckeyes' win vs. MarylandLandof10.com
J.T. Barrett record confusion, more Ohio State interceptions: Buckeyes notes, quotes and nuggetscleveland.com
NBC4i.com -10TV -Columbus Dispatch
all 289 news articles »

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Georgia stud has Ohio State in Top 3; watch his dynamic video - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Georgia stud has Ohio State in Top 3; watch his dynamic video
247Sports
He arrived having already been offered a scholarship by the Buckeyes. “Loved it,” Sheffield said. “Ohio State was a lot of fun. Got tons of love.” Right after that Sheffield said Ohio State had moved into his Top 3 along with Florida State and Clemson ...

and more »

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Unknown whether Malik McDowell will play for Spartans vs. Buckeyes - Comcast SportsNet Chicago
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Unknown whether Malik McDowell will play for Spartans vs. Buckeyes
Comcast SportsNet Chicago
As Dantonio mentioned, McDowell didn't play last weekend in Michigan State's throttling of Rutgers. That result has plenty thinking the Spartans, previously winless in Big Ten play, could cause some problems for the 9-1 Buckeyes this weekend. But ...
SpartanRocky MSU vs. OSU Preview Part I: Stats & Intro247Sports

all 13 news articles »

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My apologies for the first version of the game which was awfully stustustustuttery, I have posted a redo on the same post.

Helwagen Chat: Could two Big Ten teams make CFB Playoff? - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Helwagen Chat: Could two Big Ten teams make CFB Playoff?
247Sports
If tsun can run on the Buckeyes, that opens other options for the Wolverine offense that looked very anemic in the loss to Iowa. Who would you say has the edge in that particular battle of the trenches --- the Wolverine offensive line or the Buckeye ...

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Players believe Buckeyes should be in the Playoff - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Players believe Buckeyes should be in the Playoff
247Sports
We still have two weeks of games yet to be played, so a lot could change between now and then, but if you listen to the Ohio State players, the Buckeyes have done enough to make the Playoff. "I see it like, if we win out all of our games, Big Ten ...
Bowl projections: Michigan's loss hurts Ohio StateCBSSports.com
Buckeyes could be tough call for playoff committeeThe Newark Advocate
Ohio State releases trailer for Maryland, and this week's best games: Buckeye Breakfastcleveland.com

all 527 news articles »

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Ohio State’s Mike Weber continues dominating despite battling through pain
Ian Cuevas via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The freshman running back continues his success on the field.

“If it’s blocking, running, catching, anything I can do to help this team win. Coach Meyer did a good job of letting me know how Zeke played, and I watched him play a whole year and he set a good example for me this year. I do think about the things he did and try to [implement] that into my game.”

- Mike Weber via Austin Ward, ESPN


There were some inklings before the Maryland game that Ohio State running back Mike Weber may not play due to a shoulder injury he suffered in the game against Nebraska. Still, at the start of the game, Weber trotted out as the starting running back as he has in all of the other games and finished with 93 yards against the Terrapins. Now the freshman back is almost assuredly going to reach the 1,000-yard mark for the season by the time the regular season is over. Weber is currently sitting at 935 yards to date, needing only 65 more yards to hit that goal.

Remember when it was a big deal that Urban Meyer hadn’t had a 1,000-yard season from a running back before coming to Ohio State? That quickly changed, with the likes of Carlos Hyde, Ezekiel Elliott, and now seemingly Mike Weber. Dealing with pain from a lingering injury is a familiar feeling for the aforementioned backs, and now its been said that Weber has dealt with this shoulder pain for a handful of weeks at this point. With all that being said, Weber has had a great season up to this point and he’ll get his reward for it in these next two games against Michigan State and Michigan.

“If we win out all of our games, Big Ten championship game (participation) or not, you’re not going to put us in? You’re going to leave Ohio State out?”

- J.T. Barrett via Tim May, The Columbus Dispatch


The above quote has certainly made the rounds around the Ohio State message boards and the like, and for good reason. J.T. Barrett brings up a point that many have thought to themselves as soon as second-ranked Michigan fell to Iowa on the road last Saturday. Even if the Buckeyes don’t make the Big Ten championship game, if they win out against the Spartans and Wolverines, it would surely be difficult to leave them out of the College Football Playoff, conference championship trophy or not.

It’s a sort of odd situation to be in, though I’m sure the players and coaching staff don’t necessarily mind it. It’s worth being said too, that these things generally have a way of working themselves out. After all, Penn State still does have to play Rutgers and Michigan State before becoming the East division representative in the Big Ten championship game. Obviously Rutgers shouldn’t give the Nittany Lions much trouble but a Spartans team desperate for wins is just as dangerous to Penn State as it is Ohio State. With two weeks left in the regular season, it all comes down to the most exciting times of the year in college football.

“Nagurski-Woodson Defensive Player of the Year: Malik Hooker, Ohio State”

- Dan Murphy, ESPN


It’s not close to decided whether or not Ohio State safety Malik Hooker will end up winning the Thorpe Award (there’s tight competition), but it does seem as though he has a big lead for the Big Ten’s Nagurski-Woodson Defensive Player of the Year. All five possible votes on the ESPN staff went to Hooker over players such as Wisconsin’s T.J. Watt, Michigan’s Jabrill Peppers, and Michigan’s Jourdan Lewis. Hooker has had a monstrous season, with five interceptions to his name (a couple of those being pick sixes at that). He’s without question the most impactful player in the secondary for Ohio State and has been a godsend for a unit that at the start of the season was looking a little green sans Gareon Conley.

Hooker’s rise this season has been huge for Ohio State on the defensive side of the ball and has helped lock up an already tough secondary unit. Along with Marshon Lattimore and the aforementioned Conley (and Damon Webb), the Buckeyes have been a terror to throw the ball against all season long.

STICK TO SPORTS:

• A 98-foot-wide sinkhole in Japan was repaired in just one week.
• Intel is looking to join the development of self-driving car industry.
• Super Mario Run, the app, is launching Dec. 15 for $9.99.

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Players believe Buckeyes should be in the Playoff - CBS sports.com (blog)
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Players believe Buckeyes should be in the Playoff
CBS sports.com (blog)
We still have two weeks of games yet to be played, so a lot could change between now and then, but if you listen to the Ohio State players, the Buckeyes have done enough to make the Playoff. "I see it like, if we win out all of our games, Big Ten ...
Buckeyes could be tough call for playoff committeeMansfield News Journal
Bowl projections: Michigan's loss hurts Ohio StateCBSSports.com
Ohio State releases trailer for Maryland, and this week's best games: Buckeye Breakfastcleveland.com

all 518 news articles »

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Week 12 primer: Mismatches litter penultimate week of schedule
Tom Dienhart, BTN.com Senior Writer via Big Ten Network

Welcome to the penultimate week of the Big Ten schedule. And the stakes continue to get higher and higher, as the margin for error for division contenders decreases with the finish line in sight.

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Ohio State-Michigan State 2016 depth chart: No changes heading into final road game
Ian Cuevas via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The last road game of the season has no changes in the lineup for the Buckeyes.



As expected, Ohio State rolled over Maryland to a 62-3 win last Saturday following their blowout victory over Nebraska. Now the Buckeyes head to East Lansing in hopes to avenge last season’s stunning defeat against Michigan State. The next two games, the Spartans and Michigan, could potentially be the last games for the Buckeyes before the bowl game season is upon us if Penn State wins out and takes the Big Ten championship game spot from the East division. Let’s see how the depth chart is looking this week.

J.T. Barrett is the starting quarterback and will be for the entirety of the season, barring injury. Barrett was rocking and rolling against the Terrapins, throwing for 253 yards and two touchdowns on 18-of-27 passing. He also rushed for 47 yards and two more touchdowns on 11 carries. Joe Burrow remains the backup and added a passing touchdown of his own in mop up duty.

At running back, Mike Weber remains the starter with OR in between he and Samuel. Despite a lingering shoulder injury, Weber rushed for 93 yards on only 12 carries with an average of 7.8 yards per carry though was kept out of the endzone. Samuel added four carries on the ground and amassed 38 yards and two touchdowns to his name. These two are essential to Ohio State’s success over the next two weeks.

The starters are the same as in previous weeks, as the receiving core continues its growth. Noah Brown starts at X, K.J Hill OR Corey Smith OR Johnnie Dixon all slotted for the third wide receiver spot, and Terry McLaurin OR James Clark at Z. Austin Mack and Binjimen Victor are the third-string options. 10 different players caught passes on Saturday, with K.J. Hill having perhaps the biggest day, with five receptions for 62 yards. Victor was the only true receiver to catch a touchdown, the first of his young career.

The H-back spot remains with Curtis Samuel OR Dontre Wilson. Samuel continues to be one of the more electrifying players in the country, rushing for 38 yards and two touchdowns on four carries. He also hauled in five receptions for 74 yards and two touchdowns. Wilson again had another solid outing, accounting for three catches for 47 yards and a touchdown.

The tight end spot is firmly locked down by Marcus Baugh with A.J. Alexander listed as the backup. Baugh caught two passes on Saturday for 19 yards but was mostly quiet beyond that.

The offensive line starters are listed as Jamarco Jones, Michael Jordan, Pat Elflein, Billy Price, and Isaiah Prince (from left to right). The offensive line continues their improvement with several good games coming from them in a row. If there was ever a time to be at the top of their game, these next two games would be perfect timing.

On the defensive side of the ball, Sam Hubbard OR Jayln Holmes and Tyquan Lewis remain listed as the defensive end starters. The backups at defensive end are Nick Bosa OR Jonathon Cooper. In the middle, Michael Hill anchors the defensive line alongside Dre’Mont Jones who replaced Tracy Sprinkle and Davon Hamilton is listed as the co-starter with Jones.

The linebacking core continues to be a strong unit. Raekwon McMillan is still slotted in at middle linebacker. Surrounding him are outside linebackers Chris Worley and Dante Booker OR Jerome Baker. Booker suffered a slight MCL sprain early on against Bowling Green and a combination of Joe Burger and Jerome Baker have stepped in very well in his place. Rashod Berry, Joe Burger, and Craig Fada are your backups. Baker has been the one to fill in for Booker most of all season, and has played well.

At cornerback, Gareon Conley is the starter on one end and Marshon Lattimore OR Denzel Ward on the other for the second corner spot. For safeties, Damon Webb slides over this season with Malik Hooker getting the other safety spot. Erick Smith is listed as the backup to Hooker, while Jordan Fuller is the backup to Webb. The secondary had another good performance, with Marshon Lattimore stealing the day with his interception.

For special teams, sophomore walk-on Tyler Durbin continues to be the starter at kicker for both kickoffs and field goals as Sean Nuernberger recovers from a groin injury that forced him to miss most of camp. Durbin connected on all eight of his extra points against Maryland, and knocked in two field goals with a long of 45, the longest of his career thus far.

Senior Cameron Johnston remains as the punter, and that’s no surprise considering he’s been a mainstay since his freshman season and has done a tremendous job. Punting for the first time in November this year, Johnston had three punts for an average of 43.7 yards.

At punt return, Curtis Samuel OR K.J. Hill take over after Dontre Wilson’s struggles. Handling kickoff returns will be Parris Campbell OR Dontre Wilson. The long-snapping duties are given to Liam McCollough, and holding for kicks is Cameron Johnston.

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Buckeyes rout Maryland: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly - Waiting For Next Year
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Buckeyes rout Maryland: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
Waiting For Next Year
With the Ohio State Buckeyes dominating win over the Maryland Terrapins, 62-3, on Saturday, they were able to jump up to No. 2 in the polls after the craziness that took place around college football after the Buckeyes game. For the second consecutive ...
What's Ohio State's new path to the playoff? Final observations from the Buckeyes' win vs. MarylandLandof10.com
J.T. Barrett record confusion, more Ohio State interceptions: Buckeyes notes, quotes and nuggetscleveland.com
Ohio State Buckeyes do 'Mannequin Challenge' on flight home from MarylandNBC4i.com
ESPN (blog) -Columbus Dispatch -Dayton Daily News
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College Football Playoff mock committee: Are the Ohio State Buckeyes a lock at No. 2? - cleveland.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


College Football Playoff mock committee: Are the Ohio State Buckeyes a lock at No. 2?
cleveland.com
The Buckeyes are likely, and probably should be, No. 2. These are our College Football Playoff mock committee rankings, meant to give you a preview of what we think will happen tonight. As you'll see below, we're predicting a jump from No. 5 to No. 2 ...
Buckeyes didn't root for rival Wolverines despite CFP scenariosESPN
Ohio State: Buckeyes trying to keep focus on next gameChronicle Telegram
Ohio State football | Buckeyes' philosophy? Just winColumbus Dispatch
CBS Local -OSU - The Lantern -Landof10.com
all 291 news articles »

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Listen to your Big Ten coach’s Week 12 teleconference
BTN.com staff via Big Ten Network

Each Tuesday morning during the Big Ten football season, the 14 Big Ten football coaches hold a Big Ten teleconference with reporters from around the country. We post the audio for each segment of the call here.Filed under: Audio Tagged: Teleconferences

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Ohio State’s versatile Demario McCall is proving he’s capable of more than mop-up duty
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Assuming MSU doesn’t shock the world, the young back should be fun to watch on Saturday.

After showing impressive potential against Bowling Green and Rutgers early in the season, freshman running back Demario McCall was left on the sideline as the going got tough for the Buckeyes during the four-game stretch in October. However, with Ohio State’s back-to-back 62-3 victories over Nebraska and Maryland, the North Ridgeville grad has again struck the fancy of the Buckeye faithful. With H-back Curtis Samuel on pace to have a record-setting season, many have already penciled him into the 2017 NFL Draft. If that’s the case, McCall just might be the next explosive playmaker for OSU.

While recent memory is more than enough to remind Buckeye fans of Michigan State’s ability to spoil the Scarlet and Grey’s postseason hopes, S&P+ rankings forecast a comfortable 30-point victory for Ohio State. While fans shouldn’t count their victories before their hatched, if that is in fact what happens, this could be an opportunity to see what McCall is able to do against a tough-nosed defense that head coach Urban Meyer says on film still looks as tough as ever.

With their season almost certainly over after their game against Penn State a week from Saturday, there should be no underestimating the motivation of a proud team looking to play spoiler after figuring out how to win, beating Rutgers 49-0 last weekend. So, just keep in mind that whether is was 1998 or 2015, the Spartans have a knack for upending the Buckeyes’ postseason plans.

So, for the curiosity and entertainment value of seeing how the young back does against the Spartans, McCall is the offensive player to watching against Michigan State this weekend.

The stats


Name: Demario McCall
Number: 30
Position: Running Back
Year: Freshman
Height: 5’9
Weight: 182 lbs.
Rushing: 273 yards, 3 TDs
Receiving: 84 yards, 1 TD



In his limited playing time this season, most long after the game has been decided, McCall has proven that he has the speed and elusiveness to be a difference-maker at the collegiate level.

Coming out of high school, he is a little undersized for the pounding of a full Big Ten schedule, but strength coach Mickey Marotti will certainly work to improve that, and as a recruit, McCall was clocked in the 40-yard dash at 4.54 seconds. Needless to say, this back has the makings of a special player.

As evidenced in the above highlight, he has both the speed to run away from defenders, the fast-twitch muscles to move laterally, and the vision and decision-making to find holes.

Opposition research

Mike Granse-USA TODAY Sports

There is no doubt that since former OSU defensive coordinator Mark Dantonio took over as the head coach in East Lansing in 2007, the Michigan State Spartans have been one of college football’s best defensive units, finishing in the Top-10 nationally in Total Defense in four of the last five years. However, this season has not been nearly as positive, having given up 30 points or more in five games, the most since 2009.

The decline in productivity is especially startling when comparing the 2015 team to this year’s. Last year, MSU ranked 12th in Defensive Passing S&P+ and 15th in Rushing. Through 10 games in 2016, they currently rank 105th and 63rd.

On both sides of the ball, Dantonio has been forced to rely on unproven players more than he has with his traditionally veteran-laden teams of the past, and that has led to an uncharacteristically high number of penalties; 67 flags accounting for 641 yards in 10 games, which ranks as 106th in the country out of 128 teams. While the inexperienced squad has caused both penalty and productivity issues for the Spartans this season, it could set them up nicely to rebound next year.

This season, junior linebacker Chris Fry leads the team in tackles with 57, and senior LB Riley Bullough, who missed time with injury earlier this season, has turned in double-digit tackles in three of the five Big Ten games that he’s played in, Northwestern (12), Michigan (14), and Illinois (11). With the Spartans all but eliminated from bowl consideration, certainly the All-Big Ten performer would like to make his mark in one of his last high-profile games.

What to watch for


If this Saturday’s game is anything like the last two (which there is no guarantee that it will be), McCall should start seeing playing time at some point late in the second quarter or early in the third. After the Nebraska game, Meyer said that in addition to a lack of physical strength and experience, the one thing keeping the freshman from the field more often is a lack of ball security in practice.

However, the coach noted that he is already seeing improvements on that front. “He's a very want-to guy,” Meyer said. “He's not defiant. So he will play. He's earning the right to play around here.”



On the first offensive play after halftime against Maryland, McCall took a swing pass from quarterback J.T. Barrett, and turned it into a 32-yard gain. While he was racing past defenders on the sideline, it is noticeable that he was keeping the ball high and tight, but in his exposed right arm. While the technique was sound, switching the ball to his outside arm might have prevented a turnover had the tackle knocked the ball loose. Correcting small things like this could get McCall more touches in the season’s home-stretch.



If McCall continues to work on taking care of the ball, there’s no doubt that he has the potential to contribute to future Buckeye squads, but also to this one as a possible playoff berth unfolds. With senior Dontre Wilson leaving the Maryland game due to injury, and still struggling to figure out how to be most productive, McCall’s speed and escapability could prove to be valuable against teams who haven’t yet considered him one of the team’s major weapons.

Ohio State will take on the Michigan State Spartans this Saturday at 12 p.m. from East Lansing. The game will air on ESPN, and Land-Grant Holy Land will have all of your coverage before, during, and after the game.

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‘The Game’ looms, but Ohio State focused on Michigan State
Brent Yarina, BTN.com Senior Editor via Big Ten Network

The giant video screen in Ohio State's indoor practice facility ran a loop of MMA fighters beating each other senseless, coach Urban Meyer's way of reminding players that they have one swing to knock out Michigan State this week and keep their championship dreams alive.

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