I don't play much these days. I was waiting for the real winter to set in before jumping back in, but it looks like we ain't getting winter this year so who the fuck knows

Buckeyes over Sparty? A Mountaineers party? Pac-12 title preview? - Chicago Sun-Times
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Buckeyes over Sparty? A Mountaineers party? Pac-12 title preview?
Chicago Sun-Times
Maybe Buckeyes-Spartans is just plain no contest. But that's what a lot of folks expected in 2013, when OSU — then 24-0 under Meyer — lost to the Spartans as a double-digit favorite in the Big Ten title game. That's what a lot of folks expected again ...
Should Ohio State make the CFP without winning B1G?ESPN
Ohio State's recruitment of Sam Johnson: Will Buckeyes next QB commit come from Michigan?cleveland.com
Ohio State Buckeyes football vs. Michigan State Spartans: What TV channel, time, how to watch live stream onlineOregonLive.com
Columbus Dispatch -Cincinnati.com -The Detroit News
all 615 news articles »

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Longtime Ohio State commitment Jake Moretti decommits, Buckeyes back to 16 verbals - Landof10.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Longtime Ohio State commitment Jake Moretti decommits, Buckeyes back to 16 verbals
Landof10.com
Moretti, the country's 13th-ranked offensive tackle, committed to Ohio State in July of 2015 and for more than a year was as solid as any commitment on the Buckeyes' impressive list. His official visit to Columbus, which he made the weekend of Nov. 5 ...
Ohio State basketball: JaQuan Lyle leads Buckeyes to 72-67 win over Providencecleveland.com
Women's basketball: Buckeyes dominate the paint, struggle defensively in win versus Cleveland StateOSU - The Lantern
Lyle comes alive as Buckeyes turn back Providence 72-67247Sports
Columbus Dispatch -BuckeyeGrove.com (subscription) -Big East Coast Bias (blog)
all 63 news articles »

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Lyle leads Ohio State past Providence, 72-67
BTN.com staff via Big Ten Network

JaQuan Lyle scored 21 points, grabbed eight rebounds and added seven assists as Ohio State edged Providence at home, 72-67 in the Gavitt Games.

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Ohio State basketball: JaQuan Lyle leads Buckeyes to 72-67 win over Providence - cleveland.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State basketball: JaQuan Lyle leads Buckeyes to 72-67 win over Providence
cleveland.com
It's not a coincidence that it came on a night when the Buckeyes got a nice win. Lyle flirted with a triple-double, posting 21 points, eight rebounds and seven assists in Ohio State's 72-67 win over Providence on Thursday night as part of the Gavitt ...
Longtime Ohio State commitment Jake Moretti decommits, Buckeyes back to 16 verbalsLandof10.com
Women's basketball: Buckeyes dominate the paint, struggle defensively in win versus Cleveland StateOSU - The Lantern
Buckeyes have first 2017 commit in state title game247Sports
Columbus Dispatch -Big East Coast Bias (blog) -The Providence Journal
all 56 news articles »

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Big time offensive tackle Jake Moretti flips from Ohio State to Colorado
Luke Zimmermann via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Bummer.

Churn happens in recruiting, even for the likes of the Alabamas and Ohio States of the college football landscape.

With chatter making the rounds that the Buckeyes were more prioritizing 2018 linemen, one time Ohio State commit Jake Moretti, a Arvada, CO native, decommitted from Urban Meyer and the Buckeyes on Thursday evening, instead pledging his college football playing future to the home-state Colorado Buffaloes.

Here’s Moretti’s statement from his Twitter account on the recruiting flip:


It’s a bummer, but here’s wishing Moretti all the best. Colorado, currently 10th in the College Football Playoff rankings, is having a bit of a renaissance on the field. If Ohio State had other plans, this potentially works out better for everyone involved.

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Ohio State basketball: Buckeyes forward Keita Bates-Diop day-to-day with sprained ankle - cleveland.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State basketball: Buckeyes forward Keita Bates-Diop day-to-day with sprained ankle
cleveland.com
Ohio State basketball: Buckeyes forward Keita Bates-Diop day-to-day with sprained ankle. Keita Bates-Diop. Ohio State forward Keita Bates-Diop left Thursday's game against Providence with an apparent leg injury. (Paul Vernon, Associated Press).

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Ohio State vs. Providence 2016 final score: OSU takes step forward with 72-67 win
Matt Brown via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


A strong performance from JaQuan Lyle paced the most impressive Buckeye performance yet.

After two throughly underwhelming wins to start the season against Navy and North Carolina Central, Ohio State fans could be forgiven for adjusting their expectations downward. The Buckeyes previously struggled to get any separation against middling opposition, failed to convert at the stripe, and made hasty fouls.

But against Providence, the best team the Buckeyes have faced so far, they took a major step in the right direction.

Paced by a resurgent performance by JaQuan Lyle, who had been benched in the second half against Navy and North Carolina Central, the Buckeyes attacked the basket early and often against Providence, en route to a big win in Ohio State’s first appearance in the Gavitt Games, 72-67.

Lyle was a major reason for Ohio State’s performance. After a somewhat shaky start, Lyle attacked the basket with abandon, utilizing his size advantage, to bully ahead for 15 first half points on 6-8 shooting. Jae’Sean Tate added 11, finding holes in the Friar zone, and Marc Loving, while scoreless in the first half, added seven rebounds. The Buckeyes lead for most of the first half, and went into the break up ten, 38-28. They held the Friars to 34.4% shooting. This happened even though Ohio State’s top two bigs, Micah Potter and Trevor Thompson, found themselves in early foul trouble.

A quick lead after halftime trimmed the Ohio State margin to four, and trimmed it again to a single point near the ten minute mark, as Ohio State’s offense began to drag. But a Trevor Thompson finish, a JaQuan Lyle drive and a Kam Williams splash helped push the margin again, and while the Friars threatened, the Buckeyes were eventually able to pull out the win.

A scary moment happened at the 14 minute mark, when Keita Bates-Diop went down after awkwardly landing on his leg after a hard screen, having to get helped off the court, leaving the game. Ohio State initially said he had an ankle injury, and was ruled out for the rest of the game. They later reported he had a hyper-extended right knee. His status is unknown at this time.

Another reason Providence was able to hang around? The stellar play of Rodney Bullock, who willed the Friars back into the game in the second half. He finished with a game high 27 points, including five threes, along with eight boards.

Jae’Sean Tate chiped in 14 points for the Buckeyes, while Marc Loving added eight points and ten rebounds. Trevor Thompson had 12 points and nine rebounds.

Here’s what we learned from the game:

1) Well actually, JaQuan Lyle is good at basketball. Ohio State has plenty of good basketball players, but perhaps nobody with the sheer upside and potential of Lyle, who certainly had not played like a star recruit at the start of the season.

Lyle’s probably never going to be a highly efficient distributor, but he has a huge size and strength advantage against most who will try to guard him, and he can use that to drive inside, get in transition, and either get to the basket, or set up his teammates. He did a great job of that tonight, and even hit a few tough threes for good measure.

His final line? 20 points, eight boards and seven dimes. Ohio State’s celling jumps up dramatically if Lyle is cooking, and that was enough to help them beat a team that should at least be in the NIT conversation tonight.

2) Ohio State has great defensive potential. Ohio State is still learning how to be a consistently good offensive team, but if there’s one place where they can hang their hat, it’ll be on defense.

Ohio State’s length across their lineup gave Providence problems all night, limiting their ability to get high percentage shots, while also jumping into passing lanes. The extent that Providence was able to hang around depended on their ability to hit really tough shots, as they shot under 40% for the game.

There is room to grow a bit on how well this team rotates, but there’s a lot of potential there, and if you can defend at a high level in the Big Ten, you’ll be able to stay in a lot of basketball games.

3) There’s still plenty of kinks to work out. Despite a decent amount of experience on this team, it’s clear this is not a finished product yet. Micah Potter has hinted at some impressive offensive potential, but he picked up his second foul before the second minute of the game, and was a total non-factor. Ohio State only shot 33% from downtown, and turned the ball over 11 times. Foul trouble across the team, even off the ball, was an issue, and they let a team that’s probably still worse than them hang around longer than they’d like.

There’s potential there, and Ohio State showed more flashes of it tonight than they did against Navy or North Carolina Central, but if they want to make a run in March, there’s still work to be done.

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I'm self-flogging for not having the Louisville-Houston game out there today. I got tied up re-financing my mortgage.

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.
Women's basketball: Buckeyes dominate the paint, struggle defensively in win versus Cleveland StateOSU - The Lantern
Ohio State football | Line's pressure key part of defensive dominanceColumbus Dispatch
What To Watch: Ohio State faces challenge from Providence247Sports
Eleven Warriors -WTOP
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Dotting the 'Eyes: What's going on with OL Jake Moretti and what could happen next for Ohio State - Landof10.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Dotting the 'Eyes: What's going on with OL Jake Moretti and what could happen next for Ohio State
Landof10.com
The Buckeyes wants to sign Moretti in February. Moretti has planned to enroll early as he continues to rehab his surgically repaired knee. As numbers tighten, and with a limited number of early-enrollee spots needingto be sorted out, it made less sense ...
BH: It's time to go | No sleep 'til ... Heisman?247Sports

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Ohio State’s official hype video for the Michigan State game is here to pump you up
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


Time for revenge.


The Ohio State Buckeyes have delivered back-to-back spankings to Nebraska and Maryland. Both teams fell 62-3 to the Bucks, who are looking like they might be hitting their stride at just the right time.

This is perfect, as they head to East Lansing to get revenge on Mark Dantonio’s Michigan State Spartans for last season’s only loss. The Buckeyes know what they have to do going in, and will have one last warm up before The Game.

If you aren’t already pumped for the game this weekend, Ohio State’s official hype video will have you more than prepared for retribution.

Go Bucks.

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Versatility of Ohio State’s Curtis Samuel keeps opposing defenses guessing
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


With seven touchdowns over the last four games, the junior keeps getting better as the season goes on.

“We have extreme confidence in him. He can run short routes very well. He has shown he can be adept at the deep routes and hit those. We’ve kind of mixed it up -- short, deep, and perimeter. And he had a nice touchdown run in there as well.”

Ohio State offensive coordinator Ed Warinner on Curtis Samuel via Steve Helwagen, Bucknuts.com


There’s no question that Curtis Samuel is the most dynamic player on offense for Ohio State, and he has shown why the last few weeks. Over the past four games, Samuel has accounted for seven touchdowns, and this season he has scored 13 touchdowns. Opposing defenses have such a hard time defending Samuel because he can hurt teams not only running the football, but in the passing game as well. All that and Samuel is also helping out when the football isn’t in his hands, as running backs coach Tony Alford said Samuel reminded him of Ezekiel Elliott for some of his blocking.

So far this year Samuel has rushed the football 80 times for 637 yards and seven touchdowns, while catching 57 passes for 750 yards and six touchdowns. Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer has said Samuel’s “sweet spot” for touches is 15 per game. Samuel didn’t have nearly that many against Maryland, but Ohio State didn’t need him to touch the football as much since they raced out to such a big lead. There could be a new wrinkle coming as well, since there hasn’t been many occurrences where Samuel and Mike Weber have been in the backfield at the same time. Packages like that could be something seen next week to try and trip Michigan up as the Buckeyes fight to make the College Football Playoff.

“Thinking back on last year we don’t want that to happen again. Providence is a different team than UT-Arlington or Louisiana Tech, but we don’t want to drop early non-conference games like we did last year ... Those two pretty much kept us out last year, and we didn’t like missing the tournament.”

Ohio State forward Keita Bates-Diop via Bill Landis, Cleveland.com


After watching how Ohio State played on Monday night, it’s hard to think they are a NCAA Tournament team, but that was just one game in a long college basketball season. Tonight Ohio State plays Providence, and while a win might not seem like much, it would definitely give them some confidence moving forward. A big reason why Ohio State missed the NCAA Tournament last year could be blamed on how they performed in the non-conference portion of their schedule, where they lost to UT-Arlington and Louisiana Tech, as well giving away a game again Memphis.

Ohio State hasn’t exactly impressed in two games this year, but there are a number of reasons for optimism going forward. JaQuan Lyle has seen limited minutes in the second half, Marc Loving was ineffective against North Carolina Central, and Keita Bates-Diop was sick heading into Monday night’s game. Not only does Ohio State have their top six scorers from last year back, but they have also gotten strong contributions so far from junior college transfer C.J. Jackson and freshman Micah Potter. Even though it might be a little early to start thinking about the NCAA Tournament, now is when the Buckeyes want to build some confidence heading into a tough Big Ten schedule.

“It’s created a strong reaction. Quite honestly, this was not a financial consideration. What we’re trying to do is find a window for good games -- maybe not the best games -- and putting them on national platforms.”

Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany via John Ourand, Sports Business Daily


The Big Ten recently announced an expanded Friday night football schedule starting for the 2017 season, and the news has been met with pushback from not only fans, but also from many involved with high school football. Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh has already stated the Wolverines have no interest in playing on Friday nights, and there are other schools who said if they prefer to play they’d rather it be on the road and not at home. Northwestern head coach Pat Fitzgerald has stated he doesn’t like the idea, but the Big Ten doesn’t seem to care, as the Wildcats will play in two Friday games next year.

Who will be most impacted by the Big Ten Friday night games is high school football programs. Not only will the Big Ten games take away from some of the revenue that high school football creates for schools since some will choose to attend Friday night Big Ten games in their area over high school football games, but it also could hurt in terms of recruiting. Delany says the conference is aware of the concerns and will try to make up for it by being better partners in other areas. Even though Delany says holding Friday night games wasn’t a financial decision, it clearly is but since it won’t be hurting the Big Ten’s finances the conference is pushing ahead with the idea.

“We’ve really focused on having a warrior mentality. My team is extremely competitive and they’re highly motivated. (The mentality) is ‘I’m going to be respectful in everything that I do, but my job is to beat you’ and there’s no apologizing for that.”

Ohio State women’s soccer head coach Lori Walker via Aaron Tomich, The Lantern


On Friday Ohio State’s women’s soccer team will travel to Morgantown for a matchup against West Virginia in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Earlier this year the two teams squared off with West Virginia earning a 2-1 win over the Buckeyes. Following the win, West Virginia won 15 of their next 16 games while Ohio State failed to win in four of their next five games. Ohio State was able to earn a rematch with the Mountaineers by taking down Dayton in the first round.

While West Virginia has continued their winning ways since the teams first met, Ohio State feels like they are in a better place now than they were earlier in the season. The Buckeyes feel like a strong attack as well as an efficient midfield are reasons as to why they could pull the upset over West Virginia. Ohio State’s seniors are hoping that this won’t be the last game of their college career, but even if it is, they are just enjoying the ride while it last and are going to play hard until the final whistle.

STICK TO SPORTS

• Morgan Spurlock is opening a fast food restaurant in Westerville for four days over the weekend before it returns for good in January.
• A 6,500-seat sports and concert venue is in the works for the old Columbus Motor Speedway site.
• Urban Meyer should see if he can recruit this deer as a linebacker.
• This woman went to extreme lengths to try and get some nachos.
• Want to see a polar bear petting a dog? Of course you do.

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Okudah visit confirmed, 5-star duo travelling to OSU together - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Okudah visit confirmed, 5-star duo travelling to OSU together
247Sports
Ohio State only has a handful of spots left in their Class of 2017, which is currently ranked second overall in the country, just a few spots behind Alabama. One player the Buckeyes are chasing that could help them retake the top spot is Kennedale (TX ...

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I'm glad he's off Sirius/XM. He may have been the smartest person on the show, but I wouldn't know it. I couldn't stand to hear that doofy drawl he's got.

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 ...
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fox8.com -CBS sports.com (blog)
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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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