SnG Weekly Re-Wind: tBBC Top Articles of the Week
WVaBuckeye via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Welcome to the weekly rewind of the this weeks top articles or tweets from the staff here on the Buckeye Battle Cry. I will include some commentary and links to the author’s twitter account!




Ben van Ooyen kick our Saturday off with this good view from him(a fan) and his thoughts around Indiana and the playoff/Heisman race.



Mike Meals brought us some great fact tid-bits prior to the Indiana game and here’s hoping he continues this week with Wisco.









Scott knocked it out of the park with this article that was spurred by a debate in our teams conversation center . . ,



And . . , Mike Meals retort to the discussion, great opinions by all . . ,



Ben van Ooyen had this awesome piece covering the ridiculous notion that Jabril Peppers should be a Heisman candidate.



WVa covers some good topics with the staff in this weeks the Good, the Bad and the Ugly . . ,



WVa brings together family Lynch to sit down with us at the round-table and discuss the Indiana game . . ,



Mike Meals had a little fun with this Beyond Buckeye Lines . . ,



Weekly Funny







The post SnG Weekly Re-Wind: tBBC Top Articles of the Week appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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Ohio State-Wisconsin is the marquee matchup of Week 7’s Big Ten 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 Buckeyes and Badgers clash in Camp Randall on Saturday night in a top 10 clash.

This week’s national slate isn’t the greatest, but if you missed this week’s pick you can find them here.

Last week ATS: 3-7-1 (2-2-1 National , 1-5 B1G)

Season ATS: 37-45-3 (15-19-1 National, 22-26-2 B1G)

B1G games:


Minnesota v. Maryland (-6.5) - 12:00 PM EST - ESPNU

Does anybody want to play quarterback in this one? We already know Mitch Leidner won’t be suiting up due to a concussion, while Perry Hills has been dealing with a shoulder injury. After injuring his shoulder against Central Florida earlier in the year, and re-injuring it last week, it sounds like Hills will play, but nobody knows how effective he will be.

Minnesota may have lost their last two games, but at least they have shown some fight while doing so, losing those games by a combined 10 points. Even with former walk-on Conor Rhoda at quarterback instead of Leidner, I still like Minnesota’s chances on moving the ball on a Maryland offense that just gave up nearly 400 yards on the ground to Penn State. This just feels like too many points in a game that I think will come down to the wire.

Maryland 27, Minnesota 24

Iowa (-12.5) v. Purdue - 12:00 PM EST - ESPN2

Purdue can win on the road in the Big Ten? What kind of world are we living in? Well that’s exactly what happened last week when the Boilermakers downed Illinois in overtime. I wouldn’t get too cozy with the idea of Purdue starting some kind of win streak though, since they’ll be welcoming Iowa to West Lafayette.

The Hawkeyes have won eight straight road games, and should make it nine in a row on Saturday. The question is will they be able to cover the number? Even though Iowa has been winning on the road, it has been pretty of late, as their two most recent wins have come by the same 14-7 scoreline.

The Hawkeyes have been awful against the run this year, but I’m not sure if the Boilermakers will be able to exploit that. I am looking for reasons to take Purdue here, but even though Iowa hasn’t looked very sharp of late, I still think they are at least two touchdowns better than Purdue.

Iowa 34, Purdue 17

Illinois (-6) v. Rutgers - 12:00 PM EST - ESPNews

No, just no. Do anything besides watch this game. Nothing good will come of it.

Illinois 17, Rutgers 7

No. 10 Nebraska (-3.5) v. Indiana - 3:30 PM EST - ABC/ESPN2

Is Nebraska back? Alright, we shouldn’t get ahead of ourselves, but the Cornhuskers have a shot to start 6-0 for the first time since 2001. The problem for Nebraska heading into this week is it feels like everybody is injured. Wide receiver Jordan Westerkamp, tight end Cethan Carter, and running back Devine Ozigbo are all expected to miss Saturday’s game, while Tommy Armstrong Jr. is dealing with an ankle injury.

Even though they lost by 21 points, Indiana still raised some eyebrows with their performance against Ohio State. The Hoosiers gave the Buckeyes all they could handle, and now they return home where they’ll look to win their second game over a ranked team in three weeks. Richard Lagow has played well at quarterback for the Hoosiers, but he is still turnover prone, and I could see Nebraska grabbing a couple passes.

Indiana might be the trendy pick in this one because of how they’ve performed in the last couple weeks, but you have to wonder how much is left in the tank after tough games against Michigan State and Ohio State. Even though they’re dealing with injuries, Nebraska did have last week off so they’ll come into this game somewhat fresh. Can’t say I’m the biggest fan of siding with a ranked road favorite against an unranked team, but I’ll take my chances.

Nebraska 30, Indiana 23

Northwestern v. Michigan State (-5) - 3:30 PM EST - Big Ten Network

Honestly though, what happened to Michigan State? I knew they might regress a bit due to some of their players graduating, but I don’t know if many people thought it’d be this bad. The Spartans have just been awful to watch the last few weeks. Even worse, it sounds like it might be musical quarterbacks in East Lansing, as Tyler O’Connor will start but who knows when Mark Dantonio will bring in Damion Terry.

Northwestern looked pretty good against Iowa a few weeks ago, but of course they’ll probably fall on their face now after having a bye last week. It probably won’t be that bad, but it seems like a good rule that whenever you are thinking a Northwestern game will go one way, the total opposite will end up happening. It’s scary that I trust Clayton Thorson and Justin Jackson more than anything that Michigan State will trot out there on Saturday.

Even if Michigan State does end their three-game losing streak, I’m not comfortable enough with seeing them win by more than five. If anything this feels like it’ll be a game that comes down to the end and is decided by a field goal. Give me Northwestern in this one to add on to Sparty’s woes.

Northwestern 23, Michigan State 20

No. 2 Ohio State (-10) v. No. 8 Wisconsin - 8:00 PM EST - ABC

It seems like every trip to Madison for Ohio State sees the Buckeyes ranked high in the polls with everything to lose. Saturday’s showdown is no different. The Buckeyes are coming off their worst performance of the season, but they still won by 21 points. If this doesn’t tell you that this team has the possibility to be special I don’t know what will.

At this point of the season not a lot of people expected Wisconsin to be where they are right now. I know I certainly did. This will be the fourth top 10 team that the Badgers have played this year, and they might have won all three of the previous games if they had anything resembling a quarterback. I’m probably being a little hard on Alex Hornibrook, but if his performance against Michigan is anything like how he plays on Saturday night, Wisconsin could be in trouble. Unlike the Wolverines, the Buckeyes likely won’t waste opportunities like Michigan did.

Last week marked the first time since Ohio State lost to Michigan State last year that the Buckeyes didn’t put up 40 points and 400 yards in a game. While against this strong Wisconsin defense I don’t think they’ll score 40, I do think their offense will look better than last week. Mike Weber has been great so far this year, and even though I think he could struggle against the Wisconsin rush defense, just his presence will open up the passing game for J.T. Barrett, who I expect to look better throwing the ball than he did against Indiana.

Wisconsin will give Ohio State quite a test on Saturday night, but I think turnovers and special teams will be the difference here. Cameron Johnston will be able to flip the field position and pin the Badgers back in their own territory, and the defense will bring the pressure to force Hornibrook into some turnovers. It may not look pretty in the first half, but eventually the Buckeyes wear the Badgers down and end up winning by two touchdowns.

Ohio State 31, Wisconsin 17

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BBC Pick’Em: Week 7 Badgers Going Down
Brandon Zimmerman via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Welcome to the newest addition to the Buckeye Battle Cry world. In this weekly article, we will be taking a look at how amazingly smart dumb each of us writers are. As with everything on this site, we are here to entertain you guys so please let us know how stupid we are or if you are silly enough to agree with us.

I recommend you take all of our picks every week and buy a ticket to Las Vegas to place bets immediately! Continue to this each week and donate to our happy little family. Do not even worry about the costs associated with these weekly trips, you are going to win ALL OF THE MONIES!!!

Each week, we will take a look at 10 games. It will always be every Big Ten game and then we will fill it in with other nationally ranked games. Once again, please point fingers and chastise us as much as possible.

Minnesota @ Maryland

Records: Minnesota (3-2), Maryland (4-1)

Last Game: Minnesota lost to Iowa, 7-14; Maryland lost to Penn State, 14-38

Statistical Leaders:

Minn Passing – M. Leidner (1,006 yds) Mary Passing – P. Hillis (622 yds)

Minn Rushing – R. Smith (446 yds) Mary Rushing – L. Harrison (362 yds)

Minn Receiving – D. Wolitarsky (379 yds) Mary Receiving – D.J. Moore (239 yds)

BBC Staff Picks:

Minn @ Mary
Brandon Maryland
Mike Maryland
Joe Minnesota
Shannon Maryland
Ben Maryland
Scott Maryland
Chris Maryland
JC Maryland
Chip Maryland



BBC Predicted Winner: Maryland (8 votes to 1 vote)



Iowa @ Purdue

Records: Iowa (4-2), Purdue (3-2)

Last Game: Iowa beat Minnesota, 14-7; Purdue beat Illinois, 34-31

Statistical Leaders:

Iowa Passing – C. J. Beathard (1,087 yds) Purdue Passing – D. Blough (1,298 yds)

Iowa Rushing – L. Daniels (439 yds) Purdue Rushing – M. Jones (339 yds)

Iowa Receiving – M. VandeBerg (284 yds) Purdue Receiving – D. Young (338 yds)

BBC Staff Picks:

Iowa @ Purdue
Brandon Iowa
Mike Iowa
Joe Iowa
Shannon Iowa
Ben Iowa
Scott Iowa
Chris Iowa
JC Iowa
Chip Iowa



BBC Predicted Winner: Iowa (9-0)



Illinois @ Rutgers

Records: Illinois (1-4), Rutgers (2-4)

Last Game: Illinois lost to Purdue, 31-34; Rutgers lost to Michigan, 0-78

Statistical Leaders:

Illini Passing – W. Lunt (840 yds) RU Passing – C. Laviano (686 yds)

Illini Rushing – K. Foster (276 yds) RU Rushing – R. Martin (421 yds)

Illini Receiving – M. Turner (409 yds) RU Receiving – J. Grant (210 yds)

BBC Staff Picks:

Illini @ Rutgers
Brandon Rutgers
Mike Rutgers
Joe Rutgers
Shannon Illini
Ben Rutgers
Scott Illini
Chris Rutgers
JC Illinois
Chip Illinois



BBC Predicted Winner: Rutgers (5-4)



Nebraska @ Indiana

Records: Nebraska (5-0), Indiana (3-2)

Last Game: Nebraska beat Illinois, 31-16; Indiana lost to Ohio State, 17-38

Statistical Leaders:

Neb Passing – T. Armstrong (1,151 yds) IU Passing – R. Lagow (1,460 yds)

Neb Rushing – T. Newby (327 yds) IU Rushing – D. Redding (491 yds)

Neb Receiving – A. Moore (310 yds) IU Receiving – N. Westbrook (437 yds)

BBC Staff Picks:

Nebraska @ Indy
Brandon Indiana
Mike Nebraska
Joe Nebraska
Shannon Indiana
Ben Nebraska
Scott Nebraska
Chris Indiana
JC Nebraska
Chip Indiana



BBC Predicted Winner: Nebraska (5-4)



Northwestern @ Michigan State

Records: Northwestern (2-3), Michigan State (2-3)

Last Game: Northwestern beat Iowa, 38-31; MSU lost to BYU, 14-31

Statistical Leaders:

NU Passing – C. Thorson (1,120 yds) MSU Passing – T. O’Connor (976 yds)

NU Rushing – J. Jackson (510 yds) MSU Rushing – L.J. Scott (311 yds)

NU Receiving – A. Carr (465 yds) MSU Receiving – R.J. Shelton (262 yds)

BBC Staff Picks:

N’West @ MSU
Brandon MSU
Mike MSU
Joe MSU
Shannon NW
Ben MSU
Scott MSU
Chris MSU
JC MSU
Chip NW



BBC Predicted Winner: Michigan State (7-2)



Ohio State @ Wisconsin

Records: Ohio State (5-0), Wisconsin (4-1)

Last Game: Ohio State beat Indiana, 38-17; Wisconsin lost to Michigan, 7-14

Statistical Leaders:

OSU Passing – J.T. Barrett (981 yds) UW Passing – B. Houston (527 yds)

OSU Rushing – M. Weber (566 yds) UW Rushing – C. Clement (319 yds)

OSU Receiving – C. Samuel (345 yds) UW Receiving – J. Peavy (281 yds)

BBC Staff Picks:

OSU @ Wisky
Brandon OSU
Mike OSU
Joe OSU
Shannon tOSU
Ben Ohio State
Scott Duh
Chris THE
JC THE
Chip OSU



BBC Predicted Winner: Ohio State (9-0)



Alabama @ Tennessee

Records: Alabama (6-0), Tennessee (5-1)

Last Game: Alabama beat Arkansas, 39-20; Tennessee lost to Texas A&M, 38-45

Statistical Leaders:

Bama Passing – J. Hurts (1,242 yds) UT Passing – J. Dobbs (1,433 yds)

Bama Rushing – D. Harris (478 yds) UT Rushing – J. Hurd (407 yds)

Bama Receiving – C. Ridley (412 yds) UT Receiving – J. Malone (341 yds)

BBC Staff Picks:

Bama @ Tenn
Brandon Bama
Mike Bama
Joe Bamalamb
Shannon Tennessee
Ben Bama
Scott Tennessee
Chris Bama
JC Bama
Chip Bama



BBC Predicted Winner: Alabama (7-2)



North Carolina @ Miami

Records: UNC (4-2), Miami (4-1)

Last Game: UNC lost to Virginia Tech, 3-34; Miami lost to Florida State, 19-20

Statistical Leaders:

UNC Passing – M. Trubisky (1,769 yds) UM Passing – B. Kaya (1,149 yds)

UNC Rushing – E. Hood (338 yds) UM Rushing – M. Whalton (484 yds)

UNC Receiving – R. Switzer (589 yds) UM Receiving – A. Richards (304 yds)

BBC Staff Picks:

UNC @ Miami
Brandon Miami
Mike UNC
Joe Miami
Shannon Miami
Ben Miami
Scott UNC
Chris Miami
JC Miami
Chip Miami



BBC Predicted Winner: Miami (7-2)



Florida State @ Wake Forest

Records: FSU (4-2), Wake Forest (5-1)

Last Game: FSU beat Miami, 20-19; Wake Forest beat Syracuse, 28-9

Statistical Leaders:

FSU Passing – D. Francois (1,557 yds) WF Passing – J. Wolford (826 yds)

FSU Rushing – D. Cook (785 yds) WF Rushing – M. Colburn (361 yds)

FSU Receiving – J. Wilson (388 yds) WF Receiving – T. Hines (226 yds)

BBC Staff Picks:

FSU @ Wake
Brandon FSU
Mike FSU
Joe Wake
Shannon Wake
Ben FSU
Scott FSU
Chris FSU
JC FSU
Chip FSU



BBC Predicted Winner: Florida State (7-2)



West Virginia @ Texas Tech

Records: WVU (4-0), Texas Tech (3-2)

Last Game: WVU beat Kansas State, 17-16; Texas Tech lost to Kansas State, 38-44

Statistical Leaders:

WVU Passing – S. Howard (1,272 yds) TT Passing – P. Mahomes (2,274 yds)

WVU Rushing – J. Crawford (331 yds) TT Rushing – D. Felton (270 yds)

WVU Receiving – S. Gibson (458 yds) TT Receiving – J. Giles (614 yds)

BBC Staff Picks:

WVU @ TT
Brandon TT
Mike Tech
Joe TT
Shannon TT
Ben West Virginia
Scott TT
Chris TT
JC WVU
Chip WVU



BBC Predicted Winner: Texas Tech (6-3)



BBC LEADERBOARD

Brandon 0-0
Mike 0-0
Joe 0-0
Shannon 0-0
Ben 0-0
Scott 0-0
Chris 0-0
JC 0-0
Charles 0-0
Clair 0-0
Chip 0-0



The post BBC Pick’Em: Week 7 Badgers Going Down appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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Ohio State-Northwestern game time moved to 3:30 ET
Matt Brown via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


If you have plans that evening, you’re in luck.

Ohio State fans with early bedtimes, rejoice. At least one game over the next month should finish before the wee hours at night.

Ohio State’s battle against Northwestern on Oct.29 was previously scheduled to kick off at 5:30 ET. Now, per a university release, that game has been moved to 3:30. The exact network assignment for that game has yet to be announced.

This may be a positive development, since three of Ohio State’s next four games, at Wisconsin, at Penn State, and home for Nebraska, are scheduled to kick off at 8 PM ET. A slightly earlier kickoff gives fans a chance to do something else in the evening, should they so desire. And it’s not like Ohio State probably needs an electric, evening-ish crowd to beat Northwestern.

Northwestern is currently 2-3 on the year, with losses to Western Michigan and Illinois State, but with a win over Iowa. The Buckeyes have won their last five meetings agains the Wildcats, most recently with a 40-30 win in 2013.

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Surveying the field: Who is the Big Ten’s best RB right now?
Tom Dienhart, BTN.com Senior Writer via Big Ten Network

There are many good running backs in the Big Ten in 2016, but who is the best? Think about it for a moment, then read what a a handful of Big Ten writers said in our latest Big Ten survey.

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The last time Ohio State played Wisconsin, the Buckeyes' beatdown broke the 2014 season - SB Nation
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


The last time Ohio State played Wisconsin, the Buckeyes' beatdown broke the 2014 season
SB Nation
The Buckeyes had an outside chance at the College Football Playoff, but ranked behind TCU heading in, with Baylor close behind. The result was one of the most impressive, eye-opening, and ruthless destructions in recent memory. Ohio State absolutely ...
Ohio State vs. Wisconsin game picks: Can the Buckeyes get a top 10 road win?cleveland.com
Ohio State football | Buckeyes get back to work on passing gameColumbus Dispatch
Big, bad Buckeyes come to townThe Daily Cardinal
UPI.com -Waiting For Next Year
all 378 news articles »

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FPI projections for Week 7's best games - ESPN
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


FPI projections for Week 7's best games
ESPN
The playoff picture is beginning to take shape, but with the nation's top two teams facing tough road tests against AP top 10 opponents, things could get interesting after Week 7. With the help of ESPN's Football Power Index (FPI), we'll break down and ...


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Ohio State looks for another big time road win against Wisconsin
Colton Denning via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Special teams, and getting the damn ball to Curtis Samuel will be key.

This offseason, who would have thought that tomorrow’s game between Ohio State and Wisconsin would be one in which both were ranked in the top ten?

Sure, it makes sense that the Buckeyes are ranked 2nd nationally, even despite losing so much talent from last season. With the way they’ve recruited and developed, Ohio State seems to be a lock to be at the forefront of college football until Urban Meyer decides he wants to wash windows every weekend. But Wisconsin? That’s another story.

Coming into the season, the Badgers not only had to find a new quarterback, but also replace their star defensive coordinator, and navigate through a brutal schedule. It wasn’t inconceivable to picture Wisconsin 2-4, heading into Iowa City next week, fighting for the chance to just make a bowl. But, as things would have it, the Badgers are 4-1, with wins over LSU and Michigan State, and a 14-7 loss on the road at Michigan. So, are they primed for a big time upset this week, with College Gameday on hand?

They’re going to have to score more than 10 points, so probably not, but this should still be an excellent test for an Ohio State team that has looked great through five games, but also showed some real flaws for the first time last week against Indiana.

With that in mind, here are five things you should watch for in tomorrow night’s game:

Early and often


A major point of contention this week —including on our podcast— was Curtis Samuel’s lack of involvement against Indiana, especially early in the game. Samuel didn’t touch the ball until the 14:20 mark of the second quarter —Ohio State’s fourth possession— and for the first time all season, was held catchless.

While he did finish the day with 82 yards rushing, his nine touches were far under the 15-per game mark Meyer has mentioned all season. Against an even better defense this week, Ohio State would be wise to trust its best playmaker to open up the offense.

There’s a lot of blame to go around in regards to the Buckeye passing game last week, but one of the more baffling decisions was not making Samuel a focal point. Weather may be an issue again on Saturday, and finding creative ways to get Samuel the ball on short passes seems like a much more viable strategy then trying to launch downfield all day (again).

He’s is going to get his fair share of carries, but getting him easy touches in the pass game not only lets him do what he’s best at — I.E. DUSTING FOOLS — but could also be a nice way to get J.T. Barrett in rhythm.

Keep an eye on Samuel’s usage —especially early— and if he’s getting a chance to make plays in the open field via the short passes. If he is, it should open things up nicely for the Buckeye ground attack.

Stepping up


Also lost amid all the talk surrounding the passing game last week was the almost non-existent wide receiver play. Of J.T. Barrett’s 21 passes, only five were to true wide receivers, with those passes amounting to a pedestrian two catches for 16 yards. Needless to say, that probably won’t cut it against Wisconsin.

While the new receiving corps has had their moments this season, they’ve also been extremely inconsistent. After Noah Brown’s four touchdown day at Oklahoma, the redshirt sophomore has only two catches since. The story has been mostly the same for Terry McLaurin, Parris Campbell, and Johnnie Dixon. Each has flashed at times, but this game would be a good time to start turning their (very high) potential into production.

While it’s great that Dontre Wilson is healthy and a productive piece to the offense this season, color me skeptical that a successful passing offense includes him leading the non-Curtis Samuel division of Ohio State pass catchers in targets.

Wisconsin’s defense isn’t going to make it easy for them, (15th in Defensive Passing S&P+, 9th in Defensive back Havoc Rate) but with a crowded line of scrimmage once again likely, it’ll be up the the wideouts to make plays downfield. If they even make just a few, the offense will look less like the one dimensional version we saw against Indiana, and more like the complete version against Oklahoma.

Making noise up front


The good news is that if Ohio State’s offense struggles again, the defense should be more than capable of picking up the slack. That starts with the defensive line.

While the pass rush continues to be worrisome (101st in Adj. sack rate) the Buckeyes’ defensive line has been stellar against the run (4th in Adj. line yards) and have made a ton of plays at, or behind, the line scrimmage (4th in stuff rate, 13th in defensive line havoc rate). Doing so again on Saturday could lead to big things for the seven players behind them.

Leveraging Wisconsin into passing downs situations makes it unlikely that redshirt freshman quarterback Alex Hornibrook will have much success against this secondary. Hornibrook was forced into these situations against Michigan, and was a dismal 9 of 25, with three interceptions. If the Buckeyes control the line on first and second downs similarly, there may be a whole lot of this:


Except without the cut block, this time
3rd phase


After mostly up-and-down play through Meyer’s first four seasons, Ohio State’s special teams unit seems to have finally found their groove. The Buckeyes rank third in Special Teams S&P+, with punter Cameron Johnston being the obvious star (2nd in punt success rate). Against an equally strong Wisconsin group (6th in Special teams S&P+) hidden yards may be one of the biggest factors in the outcome of the game.

Ohio State’s special teams dominance has led to a huge field position advantage for both the offense (6th in average field position) and defense (5th). The Buckeyes have been the best in the country at finishing drives offensively, and another strong day from the return group — looking at you, Parris Campbell — will ease the tough task of scoring on the stout Badgers defense.

Wisconsin’s offense probably won’t score much anyway, but if they’re consistently put at a disadvantage by either Johnston’s punts, or strong kick coverage, it’s hard to see them moving the ball for long stretches. The Badgers aren’t explosive enough to make up for the lost yards in special teams, and dinking and dunking down the field isn’t a wise strategy against this defense.

If Ohio State is once again able to win the special teams battle, it will save the offense the trouble of having to drive the length of the field for points, and keep Wisconsin’s offense in their own end for much of the game.

The point


Top ten matchup. College Gameday on hand. Night game on the road.

You already know whose music that is:



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Week 7: What Tom Dienhart thinks he knows ahead of Saturday
Tom Dienhart, BTN.com Senior Writer via Big Ten Network

BTN.com's Tom Dienhart doesn't know it all, but he does know what he thinks. Here's his weekly look at what he believes heading into Week 7 of the Big Ten football season.

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https://finance.yahoo.com/news/well...ess-that-its-first-mess-caused-141756800.html

WFC announces plans to work with credit bureaus to restore credit histories for victims having a credit account opened in their name without their consent, as well as working with victims directly to adjust or refund money if its determined their credit was affected enough to change their interest rate on a financial product, even if financed with another lender.

Heard Around the ‘Shoe – 10/14/2016
Ben van Ooyen via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Welcome to your tri-weekly look at all things Ohio State recruiting. Let’s get started!

Ohio State West Pipeline Continues?


While many pundits have all but put Jeffrey Okudah in the Buckeyes 2017 recruiting class, it still isn’t official and the Buckeyes may actually be looking to take more than one safety in this class anyways. That second name would be Bubba Bolden, 4-star safety out of Bishop Gorman HS in Las Vegas, NV. That high school sounds familiar doesn’t it? It currently is the home to three Buckeye recruiting commitments in Tate Martell, Tyjon Lindsey and Haskell Garrett. Bolden himself earned a Buckeye offer back on September 6th, and immediately they shot to the top of his list because of the connections with his teammates.

Bolden has scheduled his official visit to the Buckeyes for November 5th when the Buckeyes host Nebraska which is shaping up to be one of the biggest recruiting weekends of the year along with the Michigan game on November 26th. Bolden talked with Scout’s ($) Greg Biggins about his visit plans going forward.

“I’m going to visit Ohio State (Nov. 5),” Bolden said. “I’ll also visit UCLA and USC after the season but don’t have any other dates locked in. I’m still looking at Arizona State, Colorado and Florida as well and I’ll figure out my other trip dates later in the year.”

Bolden is shooting up recruiting board rankings nationally, and his play on the field this season is a big reason why. He had a blocked field goal against St. Thomas Aquinas that led the game to overtime in which the Gaels prevailed. He is great in pass coverage as well as in run defense and likes to make big plays along with big hits.


As the Wade Turns:


One of the reasons the Buckeyes have been going hard after Bolden might be because they don’t feel very confident where they stand with Shaun Wade. Can you really blame them? He has said he is committed, but done everything to make it look like he doesn’t want to be a part of the Buckeyes 2017 recruiting class. The most recent event was an impromptu trip to Tuscaloosa to see the campus of Alabama with his dad.



It has always seemed that Wade would end up at either Alabama or Ohio State, and the longer it goes the more I think he ends up with the Crimson Tide. His father spoke to Chris Kirchner at SEC Country and said he isn’t worried about the distance from home factor that his family would have to deal with if he chose Ohio State.

“It’s ultimately about the relationships he has with the coaches,” Randy Wade said. “It’s his decision at the end of the day, and people are going to believe what they want. I understand people are going to say (Alabama) is close, but I just think it’s crazy. His relationships with the Alabama staff is going to be what brings him over there and not just because he was born there.”

He also told Kirchner that he and his wife are closer to the Ohio State staff than the Alabama staff, but the decision is all Shaun’s.

“At the end of the day, it’s just about what he wants more,” Randy Wade said. “He knows the schools that give him the best chance for the NFL. He knows the places that have a better than average education. He just now has to pick which one he wants.

Wade will likely be back on Alabama’s campus for an official visit later on this fall and also plans to be at the Nebraska game on November 5th when the Buckeyes host the Cornhuskers for his official to Ohio State. His final decision will likely come soon after that, as Wade is going to be an early-enrollee.


Ohio Star on the Mend:


In the second game of his season, Westerville running back Jaelen Gill broke his leg, ending his junior season before it hardly started. He has since been letting the the healing process take over, and he spoke with Scout’s Bill Greene about his recovery process so far.

“Last Friday they took my cast off and the x-ray looked good, so I should be able to start my rehab in the next week or so,” Gill stated. “I broke my fibula and the back of my ankle when someone landed on me.”

“I should be fully recovered by late December or early January,” he added. “The injury was frustrating because I was so much better of a player than I was last year. I’m bigger, stronger and faster, so this really disappointing to me.”

Gill holds almost 30 offers to date, but the Buckeyes are the leader if judging by the crystal ball projections that have come in, as all favor Ohio State. Gill talked with Greene about his upcoming trip planning.

“The cast has limited me, but I was at Ohio State for a practice a few weeks ago, and I’m going to Notre Dame this weekend for their game with Stanford,” he explained. “I’m also going to go to Ohio State for their games with Nebraska and Michigan.”

“I’d also like to get to Michigan State or Penn State this year if possible, and maybe LSU or Alabama,” Gill said. “I’m still keeping my options open to see what schools might still offer. LSU is the latest offer, and I’m interested. Alabama has been talking to me and said if I visit, they will offer.”

Even with the injury Gill is still one of the highest ranked recruits for the class of 2018.


DPJ on the Road Again:


Fresh off his visit from Ohio State last week, Donovan Peoples-Jones, the #1 receiver in the country will be visiting Michigan State this weekend as they host the Northwestern Wildcats. While it is still likely that DPJ ends up with the Wolverines in the end, the Spartans still feel like they have a shot with the in-state prospect.



The Buckeyes have a few things working for them on the DPJ front, as he is former teammates with Mike Weber, Joshua Alabi and Damon Webb and the Buckeyes have recruited Michigan pretty well with Urban Meyer at the helm. The Spartans also have a few things going there way, as Peoples-Jones is close friends with Demetric Vance and Donnie Corley who will certainly try and sway the talented star to the Green and White.

In the end though, I think he ends up at Michigan giving them a huge target for whoever is playing quarterback there in the future.


Wyatt Davis Schedules Official Visit:


When the Buckeyes host Northwestern on October 29th they will have a big time visitor (and current commitment) on campus in Wyatt Davis. Davis is a 5-star offensive lineman out of Bellflower, California. He spoke with Landof10.com

“I’ll be there against Northwestern,” Davis told Landof10.com when asked about his official visit plans. “I’m going with my mom and dad.”

Emory Jones Hurt:


In last nights high school football game, Emory Jones the top dual-threat quarterback in the class of 2018 injured his throwing shoulder in the first quarter. While an immediate timetable is not known for his recovery or when he will get back on the field, he told Bill Kurlic that he thinks he will be back this season.



Even though he left the game injured it appears as though he has the leadership qualities that you want in a quarterback as he was back on the sidelines coaching his teammates.



We here at tBBC wish Emory a speedy recovery!

The post Heard Around the ‘Shoe – 10/14/2016 appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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Why Alabama should be looking over its shoulder at Ohio State - ESPN
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Why Alabama should be looking over its shoulder at Ohio State
ESPN
In the span of a little more than four years, Urban Meyer has taken over a program that had a losing record in the season before he arrived and built the Buckeyes into a behemoth capable of standing toe to toe with the Crimson Tide -- and potentially ...

and more »

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Richard Sherman sits down when he pees and nobody has more tranny fans than the Seahawks.

Atlanta 57
Seattle 3

Not sure if this should be posted here OR if this post in itself is a jinx. If so, please forgive me and understandably take it down.

As a Tampa Buckeye I looked into getting tickets to the National Championship game should the Buckeyes go & I figured I'd pass along what I found.

It's possible to purchase tickets at face value ($450 & $550) without being stuck with seats for a game in Tampa (ugh) featuring two teams you don't give a shit about. It seems reasonable option verses paying a scalper double the price in December.

1. Go here... https://collegefootballplayoff.teamtix.com/content/home

2. Click on whichever game you're looking to reserve for, then the team

3. As I understand it, you pay the premium (right now it looks like around $80) and if the Buckeyes go to the big game, your card is automatically charged for either $450 or $550. If they don't, you lose your $80.


I'm guessing the fees will go up every week depending on the rankings. Unfortunately, I don't have $1000 to spend on tickets but perhaps you do. And, I hate to see anyone pay scalpers for something they should be able to enjoy without breaking the bank.

Now, the fact that it's here in Tampa baffles me, but that's a whole other posting.

1. Ohio State scored 38 points and gained 383 yards against Indiana, which were far below the Buckeyes' averages in points per game (57.0) and yards per game (576.3). Indiana scored 17 points and 281 total yards, which caused the Buckeyes' defensive numbers to take a slight hit as well:

Category	OSU Statistic	-NCAA Rank-
Scoring Offense	53.2 ppg	3rd
Scoring Defense	10.8 ppg	2nd
Point Differential	42.4 ppg	1st
Total Offense	537.6 ypg	5th
Total Defense	246.4 ypg	4th
Yardage Differential	291.2 ypg	1st
Rushing Offense	323.6 ypg	3rd
Rushing Defense	97.8 ypg	9th
Passing Offense	214.0 ypg	86th
Passing Defense	148.6 ypg	5th
Pass Efficiency Offense	163.54	10th
Pass Efficiency Defense	82.64	2nd
3rd Down Offense	.529	5th
3rd Down Defense	.289	15th
Red Zone Offense	.897	38th
Red Zone Defense	.583	1st
Sacks	2.20 / game	60th
Sacks Allowed	0.60 / game	2nd
Net Punting	46.71 yds	2nd
Turnover Margin	1.60 / game	5th
Time of Possession	36:00	4th

2. Here's how Ohio State and Wisconsin stack up in the major offensive and defensive categories. The Buckeyes are top 5 in all categories, while the Badgers produce sound numbers on defense but are anemic on offense:

Team	Total Offense	NCAA Rank	Score Offense	NCAA Rank	Total Defense	NCAA Rank	Score Defense	NCAA Rank	Turnovers	NCAA Rank
Ohio State	537.6 ypg	5th	53.2 ppg	3rd	246.4 ypg	4th	10.8 ppg	2nd	+10	3rd
Wisconsin	360.2 ypg	106th	26.0 ppg	88th	291.4 ypg	11th	12.2 ppg	4th	0	56th

3. H-back Curtis Samuel is the Buckeyes' leading receiver (23 receptions, 345 yards, 3 touchdowns) and second-leading rusher (50 carries, 410 yards, 3 touchdowns). Samuel is averaging 151.0 all-purpose yards per game and 10.3 yards per touch. Samuel already has eleven plays from scrimmage of 20+ yards (5 rushes, 6 receptions).

4. Running back Mike Weber is the team's leading rusher, with 83 carries for 566 yards (6.8 average) and 4 touchdowns. At his current pace, Weber will rush for over 1,400 yards this season and easily break Ohio State's freshman rushing record (1,237 yards by Maurice Clarett in 2002).

5. In the two games after his breakout performance against Oklahoma (5 receptions, 72 yards, 4 touchdowns), wide receiver Noah Brown has only 3 catches for 31 yards and no touchdowns.

6. Quarterback J.T. Barrett has 1,323 total yards (342 rushing, 981 passing), for an average of 264.6 yards per game. He also has 19 total touchdowns (4 rushing, 15 passing) on the season.

7. Barrett is currently 10th in career passing yards at Ohio State with 4,807. He needs 283 yards to pass Jim Karsatos (5,089 yards) for 9th place. Art Schlichter is Ohio State's career leader with 7,547 passing yards.

8. Barrett is in 5th place in career total yards at Ohio State with 6,769. He needs 120 yards to pass Troy Smith (6,888 yards) for 4th place. Art Schlichter is Ohio State's career leader with 8,850 total yards.

9. Barrett is in 2nd place at Ohio State in career total touchdowns with 86. He needs three touchdowns to pass Braxton Miller (88 TDs).

10. Barrett entered the 2016 season as Ohio State's career leader in completion percentage, at 64.2%. This season, Barrett has completed 79 of 123 passes (64.2%), which is exactly equal to his career average.

11. H-back Dontre Wilson has 2,696 all-purpose yards for his career, which places him 28th at Ohio State. Wilson needs 13 yards to pass Robert Smith for 27th place; 50 yards to pass Joey Galloway for 26th place; 51 yards to pass Cris Carter for 25th place; and 52 yards to pass Devin Smith for 24th place. Ohio State's career leader in all-purpose yards is Archie Griffin with 6,559.

12. Safety Malik Hooker leads FBS with four interceptions this season (tied with five others), and the team is fourth with ten interceptions (tied with three others). Wisconsin has thrown seven interceptions in just 137 pass attempts for an interception rate of 5.1%, which is the fourth-worst in FBS.

13. Despite limited opportunities, punter Cameron Johnston is having an All American season. Johnston has 17 punts for 852 yards, for an average of 50.1 yards per punt. Eleven of Johnston's punts have been inside the 20-yard line, only two punts have been returned for a total of just 18 yards, and two punts resulted in a touchback. When return yards and touchbacks are factored into the equation, Johnston has a net average of 46.7 yards per punt, which is second in FBS.

14. Ohio State has not had a kick-off return for a touchdown since November 27, 2010 (Jordan Hall, 85 yards, vs Michigan); has not had a punt return for a touchdown since November 22, 2014 (Jalin Marshall, 54 yards, vs Indiana); and has not had a punt block for a touchdown since October 5, 2013 (Bradley Roby, 0 yards, vs Northwestern).

15. Ohio State (5-0) enters the contest as the #2 team in the country (both AP and CP), while Wisconsin (4-1) is ranked #8 in the AP and #10 in the CP. Wisconsin has knocked off a couple of teams that began the season highly-ranked (LSU #5 AP; MSU #12 AP) but are currently struggling and unranked. Wisconsin's sole loss was to #4 Michigan by the score of 14-7.

16. This year's game will be played Saturday, October 15th, at Wisconsin's Camp Randall Stadium. Kick-off is scheduled for 8:00 PM, and the game will be televised on ABC. Ohio State enters the contest as a 10-point favorite with a 70.5% chance to win the game according to ESPN's Football Power Index Matchup Predictor.

Wisconsin Hopes To Make Ohio State Wince And Weep
Chip Minnich via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Embed from Getty Images​

October 13, 2003. Undefeated Ohio State, riding a nineteen game unbeaten streak, comes into Camp Randall to battle the Wisconsin Badgers, led by Barry Alvarez. Jim Tressel’s team battles valiantly, but fall to Ohio native and Wisconsin WR Lee Evans outracing Ohio State’s Chris Gamble to the end zone, 17-10.

October 17, 2010. Undefeated and top-ranked Ohio State come into Camp Randall, eager to demonstrate to the nation and the Wisconsin Badgers, led by Bret Bielema, that the Buckeyes are truly worthy of their status as the BCS frontrunner. Jim Tressel’s team again battles valiantly, but fall to one-time Ohio State recruit and Wisconsin RB John Clay’s two touchdowns, 31-18.

What did those games from the past have in common with this upcoming contest?

• Both games were in Camp Randall Stadium
• Both games were at night

Now that I have your attention, here are three critical areas I will be keeping an eye on when this contest kicks off at 8pm EST on ABC…

1. Can Ohio State Develop Offensive Balance Against Wisconsin? ~ Ohio State’s J.T. Barrett’s passing statistics from his game against Indiana were as follows – 9/21 for 93 yards, with 1 touchdown to Dontre Wilson, and 1 interception that glanced off the hands of Marcus Baugh. Barrett was tremendously successful running the ball against Indiana, leading the Buckeyes with 137 yards on the ground. Look for Wisconsin to do everything possible to bottle up Ohio State’s running game. Will Ohio State be able to counter effectively through the air against the Badgers? Something else to be seen – how the Ohio State wide receivers respond, after this story emerged on ESPN.com earlier this week.
2. Will Curtis Samuel Be Involved Earlier In The Offensive Gameplan Against Wisconsin? ~ Curtis Samuel had a solid game against Indiana, running for 82 yards and a touchdown. The larger point is that Samuel did not actually touch the ball until the second quarter began, and Ohio State was tied 3-3 with Indiana. Will the Ohio State offensive coaches involve Samuel sooner, regardless of whether it involves running or passing?
3. How Will Ohio State Respond To The Camp Randall Challenge? ~ As stated up above, Ohio State has lost to Wisconsin at night on previous occasions. It must also be noted that Ohio State has defeated Wisconsin in Camp Randall Stadium at night, in 2008, with a true freshman quarterback in Terrelle Pryor. The larger point is Wisconsin truly revels in the night game atmosphere of Camp Randall Stadium, especially when the Buckeyes come to town. Yes, Ohio State’s young team excelled against Oklahoma at night. This is another huge test of the maturity and poise of the 2016 Buckeyes.

Prediction: The player I will keep an eye on throughout is WR Noah Brown. A physical mismatch, look for Barrett to target Brown repeatedly in this game against Wisconsin. If Brown can be a consistent possession receiver, especially in the red zone, it will open up opportunities for other offensive weapons within Ohio State’s arsenal. Look for this game to be a typical Ohio State/Wisconsin slugfest, but I see the Buckeyes pulling away in the fourth quarter, with Ohio State 31, Wisconsin 21.







The post Wisconsin Hopes To Make Ohio State Wince And Weep appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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Ohio State vs. Wisconsin 2016: Game preview, prediction, and 6 things to know
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 and Wisconsin square off in a top 10 showdown under the lights at Camp Randall Stadium on Saturday night.

Ohio State travels to Madison for a showdown on Saturday against Wisconsin under the lights at Camp Randall Stadium, where the Badgers always seem to give the Buckeyes a stern test. Four of the last five games between Ohio State and Wisconsin at Camp Randall have seen the final result be decided by seven points or less. The most recent meeting between the two schools in Madison came back in 2012, where Ohio State squeaked out a 21-14 victory over the Badgers in overtime.

Ohio State is coming off a win last week over Indiana, in which the Buckeyes didn’t look great, but still ended up winning by 21 points. Ohio State didn’t lean as much on J.T. Barrett’s arm against the Hoosiers, but they did rely on the redshirt junior quarterback’s legs, giving Barrett a career-high 26 carries. For many, Ohio State’s offensive output left a lot to be desired, as the Buckeyes failed to score 40 points and amass at least 400 yards of total offense for the first time since last season’s loss to Michigan State.

A lot has changed since the last time these two schools played each other in the 2014 Big Ten Championship Game in Indianapolis, where Ohio State shutout Wisconsin 59-0. In that blowout victory, Cardale Jones was making his first-ever start, as J.T. Barrett was injured the previous week against Michigan. The lopsided victory over the Badgers helped propel Ohio State into the College Football Playoff, which they eventually won.

When Ohio State last took on Wisconsin, current Badgers head coach Paul Chryst was still coaching at Pittsburgh. But it isn’t like Chryst is unfamiliar with what it means to play Ohio State, since not only did Chryst play for the Badgers from 1986-1988, but he also served as Wisconsin’s tight ends coach in 2002, as well as Wisconsin’s offensive coordinator from 2005-2011. This marks Chryst’s second season as the head coach of the Badgers, and so far he has posted a 14-4 record while in charge at his alma mater.

So far this year Chryst has had a lot to deal with, but he has navigated the turbulent waters rather well. Not only has Wisconsin lost linebackers Chris Orr and Vince Biegel to injuries, but they’ve also had to deal with inconsistent quarterback play. Redshirt senior Bart Houston won the starting quarterback job before the season, but was replaced by redshirt freshman Alex Hornibrook after the Georgia State game. Add in the tough schedule Wisconsin has faced to start the season, and the fact that the Badgers are sporting a 4-1 record heading into this game speaks volumes of the job Chryst is doing in just his second season.

What is carrying Wisconsin is their defense, which while not flashy, play solid, fundamental defense. What keeps Wisconsin in games is they don’t give up the big play. Through five games this year, the Badgers have only given up five plays of 20 yards or more. Something will have to give against an Ohio State team that has the ability on any given play to break off a huge gain with the athleticism they possess on offense.

Ohio State’s biggest advantages


Silver bullets reloaded. Ohio State’s defense should give redshirt freshman quarterback Alex Hornibrook plenty of problems on Saturday night. Hornibrook will be making just his third start for the Badgers, and had a pretty rough go of it last time out against Michigan, only completing nine of his 25 passes, and throwing three interceptions. The Buckeyes have intercepted 10 passes through five games this year, with four of those interceptions being made by Malik Hooker.

Ohio State was able to neutralize Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield and running backs Joe Mixon and Samaje Perine a few weeks ago in Norman, and Wisconsin doesn’t quite have the explosive talent that the Sooners do. Where Wisconsin has really been struggling of late has been with their running attack. Senior running back Corey Clement is averaging just 3.9 yards per carry this year on 82 carries. After averaging 8.2 yards per carry during his freshman year, Clement’s per carry average has gotten worse each year since. With Ohio State yielding just 97.8 yards per game on the ground to opponents, it’s hard to believe that Clement is going to find much room to run.

If Ohio State is able to bottle up the Wisconsin rushing attack, it’ll put added pressure on Hornibrook, something that he might not be ready for. If Ohio State is able to jump out to a lead, Wisconsin will be forced to do something they aren’t entirely comfortable with, and that’s throwing the football. If the Wisconsin defense isn’t able to slow down the Ohio State offense, the Badgers just aren’t dynamic enough on offense to be able to keep up with Ohio State on the scoreboard.

Keep ‘em on their heels. There’s no way to sugarcoat it, Ohio State’s performance on offense last week wasn’t all that fun to watch, yet the Buckeyes still ended up scoring 38 points. Wisconsin is by far the best defense that Ohio State has squared off against this year, but in the same respect, Ohio State has the best offense that Wisconsin has squared off against this season. The reason the Buckeye offense can have a down game and still scored 38 points is because of who they have taking the snaps for them.

J.T. Barrett commands the respect of his opponents because he can hurt them in multiple ways. Coming into last week’s game against Indiana, Barrett had thrown 14 touchdowns in the first four games of the season, so teams have to respect what he can do with his arm. If Barrett isn’t called on to pass as much, or is just ineffective throwing the football, he still has to be accounted for on the ground. Barrett is just 38 yards away from hitting 2,000 yards rushing for his Ohio State career, and with the way he has the ability to run the football, he could even get to 3,000 rushing yards by the time his career is over.

What makes this Ohio State offense so dangerous at times is that almost everybody is a threat to break a big play. Commit too many people to stopping the run and Barrett can find Noah Brown, Curtis Samuel, or a number of other receivers through the air. Try and take away the pass and the Buckeyes can run it with either the power that Mike Weber gives them, or the speed that Curtis Samuel brings to the table. Opposing defenses really have to pick their poison against the Buckeyes, and a lot of the time they end up picking wrong since Ohio State is routinely scoring at least 30 points a game.

Punt to win. In a game like this, where Wisconsin figures to get some stops on the Buckeyes, having a punter like Cameron Johnston could prove to be the difference in the game. Earlier this year when Ohio State was playing Oklahoma, Johnston proved just how valuable he is early in the game. The Sooners had just missed a field goal, and the Buckeyes had just gone three-and-out when Johnston uncorked a 68-yard punt to put Oklahoma at their own 11-yard line. Johnston flipped the field position and Ohio State responded by forcing Oklahoma to put, and the Buckeyes got the ball at Oklahoma’s 45-yard line and followed that up with a touchdown four plays later.

The punter from Australia is averaging 50.1 yards per punt so far this season, with 11 of his 17 punts coming to rest inside the 20-yard line. In a game where Wisconsin is going to be starting a young quarterback, the best offense for the Buckeyes might be to pin Wisconsin deep and try to force them into mistakes. The Badgers are going to want to keep the ball away from Ohio State in this contest, but if they can’t get any traction going because Ohio State is winning the field position battle, the outcome might just play right into Ohio State’s hands.

Wisconsin’s biggest advantages


Badger tested. In just their sixth game of the season, Wisconsin will already be playing their fourth opponent that will be ranked in the top 10. To start of the season, the Badgers played LSU at Lambeau Field, who was ranked fifth in the AP Poll at the time. The Tigers came into the game as a double-digit favorite, but the Badgers kicked a game-winning 47-yard field goal with just under four minutes to go in the game. While the Tigers hasn’t lived up to expectations this year, the win by Wisconsin still snapped LSU’s 52-game regular season winning streak against non-conference opponents.

After a win over Akron, along with a close win over Georgia State, Wisconsin again had their backs against the wall when they traveled to East Lansing to take on Michigan State, who was ranked eighth at the time. The Spartans were just coming off a big road win over Notre Dame and not many gave Wisconsin a chance to win, especially with Alex Hornibrook making his first start at quarterback. The Badgers dominated the game on their way to a 30-6 win.

Wisconsin’s luck finally ran out the next week when they lost to fourth ranked Michigan in Ann Arbor, but the Badgers gave the Wolverines all they could handle, only losing 14-7. There’s no doubt the Badgers have been tested this year, so having to go up against this Ohio State team won’t be something that scares them. If Wisconsin is able to play solid defense early on and get a couple bounces to go their way, they will give the Buckeyes all they can handle.

No swiss cheese defense here. If Wisconsin is going to win this game, there is no question it is going to be because of their defense. What jumps out the most about Wisconsin’s defense is how strong they are against the run. Eight of the last 12 opponents Wisconsin has played have failed to reach 100 yards rushing, and it’s no coincidence that Wisconsin has won all eight of those games.

The strength of the Wisconsin defense lies with their linebackers, and what makes how the Badger linebackers are playing even more impressive is knowing the unit already has lost Chris Orr and Vince Biegel for the season due to injury. Jack Cichy and T.J. Watt have really stepped up as the season has gone on, and the injuries have mounted for Wisconsin. Cichy leads Wisconsin with 35 tackles on the season, while Watt is tied for the Big Ten lead with 5.5 sacks so far this year.

If Wisconsin is going to have any chance in this game, they are going to need their run defense to set the tone early, and put the pressure on Barrett to try and beat the Badgers with his arm. The Badgers have an experienced secondary that is capable of making plays if needed. Whether it be through the air or on the ground, Wisconsin is going to make Ohio State work for every inch in this game.

Home sweet home. Ohio State may have not lost a true road game under Urban Meyer, but Camp Randall Stadium is one of the toughest venues to play at under the lights. Two of the last three times Ohio State has traveled to Wisconsin to play at night, the Buckeyes have left Madison with a loss. In 2010, Ohio State was the top ranked team in the country but Wisconsin dealt them a 31-18 loss. In 2008, Ohio State narrowly earned a 20-17 victory over the Badgers, and in 2003 Wisconsin halted Ohio State’s 19-game winning streak.

Even in Urban Meyer’s only trip to Wisconsin in 2012, the Badgers took Ohio State to the limit before the Buckeyes squeezed out a 21-14 victory in overtime. Since 2004, Wisconsin has posted a 75-9 record at Camp Randall Stadium, which is the second-best home record in the Big Ten, only trailing Ohio State’s 80-9 home record. Something about the Wisconsin crowd at night gives the Badgers a little extra energy on the field, and even though Ohio State has already traveled to Oklahoma this year, the crowd in Madison will be even more intense than what the Buckeyes saw in Norman.

Summary


F/+ Projection: Ohio State 30, Wisconsin 16

Win Probability: Ohio State 78%

Wisconsin’s defense will hold Ohio State to their lowest point output of the season, but with the inexperience of Alex Hornibrook, the Badgers just won’t be able to put enough points on the board to truly threaten the Buckeyes. Ohio State’s defense will likely bring a lot of pressure and try and force Hornibrook into interceptions like he threw against Michigan, and with how the Buckeyes are forcing turnovers so far this season, the interceptions might not stop at three.

This has the feeling like one of those games where Wisconsin comes out firing and the Ohio State offense looks pretty bad to start, but as the game goes on J.T. Barrett and company start to find their legs and eventually put a little distance on the Badgers. Turnovers and special teams will likely be the difference in this one, as it’s hard to imagine Ohio State going the length of the field very much on this stout Badger defense.

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Ohio State vs. Wisconsin game picks: Can the Buckeyes get a top 10 road win? - cleveland.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State vs. Wisconsin game picks: Can the Buckeyes get a top 10 road win?
cleveland.com
Ohio State 30, Wisconsin 17: A possible blowout for the Buckeyes is on the table, but I think the Badgers defense is too good to let this get out of hand. But don't anticipate the 14-7 Michigan win over the Wisconsin. Even if Ohio State can't throw ...
Ohio State football | Buckeyes get back to work on passing gameColumbus Dispatch
Ohio State vs. Wisconsin 2016 odds: Buckeyes face Week 7 test as big favorites at the BadgersSB Nation
Football: Bumbaca breaks down No. 8 Badgers' matchup with No. 2 BuckeyesThe Badger Herald
The Daily Cardinal -UPI.com
all 338 news articles »

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What Do You Want To See? Wisconsin
Scott via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


I have to admit, I’m having trouble focusing on the OSU-Wisconsin game because my Cubbies are opening the National League Championship Series Saturday at 8 p.m.
But it’s a huge game and by kickoff I’m sure I will be able to multi-task.
Hopefully Ohio State isn’t worried about anything but the Badgers.
I would love to see OSU end all doubt early so I don’t have to watch two things at once. I can barely do one thing at a time without screwing it up.
But aside from a quick ending, what else do I, and my fellow staffers at tBBC, want to see?

Scott
A win: How about settling things in the first quarter?
No false starts: Not gonna stop this one until it happens.
No running Badgers: Let’s keep them out of the end zone and keep the streak alive.
Whatever it takes: At this point in the season it’s all about the Ws. Whether it’s 300 yards on the ground or in the air, a combination of both, whatever the Buckeyes need to do to win is fine with me.

Joe
Jump around: Getting the W in prime time has not been an issue for the Buckeyes, who are 59-13 all-time in evening games. Ohio State has won 12 consecutive games under the lights and getting a major win in the evening has never been an issue in the Urban Meyer era. But Ohio State has won just one of their last three games against Wisconsin under the lights in Camp Randall though and the 2010 game still stings for Ohio State fans.
Weber time: Yes, the Badger defense has been known in the past for its stingy run-stopping ability. This year they are holding opposing rushers to just 2.69 yards per carry in the Badger Box. The only problem is Georgia State and Akron’s rushing attack and ability up front to stop scheme defenses doesn’t come close to matching the Buckeye offensive line and its coaching staff. Look for Weber to gain more than 150 yards for the first time in his career and continue his campaign as the best running back statistically in the B1G.
Houston, we have a problem. It’s Hornibrook: A Sconny quarterback is a problem? Nah, that’s creating drama for the sake of making fun of Sconny QB. Bart Houston? Turnover town. Alex Hornibrook? A last name more arousing than his play on the field. The Ohio State defense will exact a similar performance out of the young signal caller that we saw against Michigan two weeks ago. Less than 100 yards passing and completing just 36 percent or less of his passes.


Look for a big game out of Noah Brown.


Brown Town, USA: The Lord said, “Noah, build an unstoppable performance against those stinkin’ Badgers.” Wait, did Noah even allow Badgers on the Arc? How in the heck are they in existence today? Oh, that’s right — they’re the type of rodent that can survive 40 days and 40 nights of flooding. Noah Brown is about to make the Wisconsin defensive backfield wish they had life preservers while they search for some type of Island. Here comes a touchdown of epic proportion and more than 100 yards receiving.

Ben
A win: Can it really be as simple as wanting to see a win? No, probably not. The Buckeyes performance last week did not impress me even though we won by 21. The offense was out of sync and it has me concerned especially in games like Wisconsin on the road at night.
Better offense: I want to see a fully functional offense like we saw in the first four games of the season. J.T. Barrett needs to get his wide receivers involved more into the game, and they need to help him out by creating separation and making plays down field. Until that happens I expect teams to load the box and dare us to pass.
Sixty minutes of hell: I want to see the defense make life a living hell for Alex Hornibrook and force him into bad throws causing interceptions for this defense full of ball hawks. I think they will give up some big runs to Corey Clement, but they need to keep him in check and not let him go off.
Good, solid effort: All in all I want to see a nice, complete performance and getting out of Madison with a win, no matter what it looks like will be enough for me. The Buckeyes are in a stretch of potential tough games right now, and just need to continue to play a little better every week and keep winning.

Brandon
Noodle-arm dominance: Look, I’m not saying I can throw harder than Hornibrook, but on second thought … I am. Watching this guy play against Michigan had me salivating at the thought of what the Buckeye secondary could do to this kid. He will be a great quarterback some day, but at this point in time he makes Chad Pennington’s arm look like Brett Favre’s. With all this said, I want to see at least three interceptions on Saturday.
Front seven dominance: Wisconsin’s only hope of moving the ball on the Buckeyes defense will fall solely on the Badger offensive line and Clement. So far this season, this approach has not worked as Clement has only managed 319 yards and 3.89 yards-per-carry. This is even with inflated numbers against Akron. Against his three decent defenses (LSU/MSU/UM), Clement has combined for 208 yards on 61 carries which results in a paltry 3.4 yards-per-carry. I would like to see the Buckeyes sell out against the run and hold the Badgers team to under 100 rushing yards on Saturday. As I mentioned above, Hornibrook can’t beat them by himself … force him to try.
Assert offensive force: The Wisconsin defense has carried the Badgers so far in this young football season. So far, they have only given up 90.4 rushing yards per game and 201 passing yards per game. For you non-math people (Hi Chris!) that means they are only giving up 291.4 yards per game. Their dominance has been especially evident stopping the run as they are holding opponents to only 3.1 yards-per-carry. Enter Ohio State, which averages 6.37 yards-per-carry and an amazing 323.6 rushing yards per game. Something has to give and I think it will be the Badger defense. The Buckeye offense is way to versatile. If they focus on stopping Weber … in comes Curtis Samuel. If they focus on stopping Weber and Samuel, Barrett can take over. I want to see the Buckeyes establish the run early and utilize play-action on their way to rushing for more than 300 yards and throwing for more than 200 yards.

WVa
Turn it into Kriss Kross Jump: Leave no doubt as to who is the better team. Hit them hard (and see how they fall) early and often to where all they have left for the end of the third quarter is a different jump. This will be the second week in a row the Buckeyes will be in a slobber knocker.
B1G title game revisit: Show Paul Cryst why his predecessor left in a hurry after the championship game loss. Throw the ball down field because Whisky doesn’t have anyone that can keep up with the Buckeyes wide receivers corp.
Spread the wealth, evenly: After establishing a good aerial attack, spread the wealth as evenly as possible. With the weapons the Buckeyes have, there’s no reason for one player to have more than nine or 10 touches and that includes Barrett. I know he has a chance to set a record on Saturday in half the time the current record holder did it, but that cannot be the focus for a man who doesn’t care that he’s setting the records in passing.

The post What Do You Want To See? Wisconsin appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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2018 Ohio State QB commit injured
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Emory Jones went down with a shoulder injury Thursday night.

Ohio State is on the road this weekend as they head to Madison, Wis. to take on the Badgers in another huge test for the young Buckeyes squad. While Ohio State isn't set to host any prospects this weekend due to being the "away" team, Urban Meyer and staff received some great news as they will play host to one of their remaining top targets in a couple weeks. But, with the good news, there was also some bad news.

Jones injured in Thursday night game


Class of 2018 quarterback Emory Jones (Franklin, GA / Heard County) suffered an injury during a Thursday night contest against Hogansville (Ga.) Callaway. While an AC joint (shoulder) separation appears bad, Bill Kurelic of Bucknuts reported that Jones said he would be able to come back before the end of the season.

Here’s to a speedy recovery for the No. 1 dual QB of 2018.

Bolden sets OSU official visit


It seems every day that passes another connection is being made between Ohio State and the top high school program in the country, Bishop Gorman of Las Vegas, Nevada. Yesterday, the connection was made again as Ohio State looks to try and pull another Gorman star to Columbus as a part of the 2017 recruiting class.


It was announced on Twitter that Bubba Bolden, a four-star safety, would be taking his first official visit to Ohio State on Nov. 5, when the Buckeyes host the Nebraska Cornhuskers. Bolden, offered recently by Ohio State on Sept. 6, has thought to be a Buckeye lock due to the relationship Ohio State is building with Gorman. With stars Tyjon Lindsey, Tate Martell and Haskell Garrett already committed to the Buckeyes 2017 class, Bubba Bolden might just be the fourth.

As things currently stand, the Buckeyes are the run away favorite to land Bolden according to the 247sports crystal ball predictions. The one time USC commit looks to be nearly an Ohio State lock, but a successful official visit on Nov. 5, could be the final string needing to be pulled to make it official. Time will tell, but it certainly looks good for Ohio State.

Okudah's latest rumblings


Keeping with the trend of the nation's top defensive back products in the 2017 class, Jeffrey Okudah might just be one of the best. Yesterday, Ohio State landed another infamous 247sports crystal ball prediction for Jeffrey Okudah from Bill Kurelic of Bucknuts. Thought to be a heavy Ohio State lean for sometime now, Okudah has been to Ohio State on more than one occasion, but the last time he saw Ohio State was at Oklahoma in the Buckeyes first road test of the season.

Okudah has done an excellent job at keeping his mouth quiet and not tipping his hat to where he will land, but Ohio State is once again at least at the top for another five-star prospect in the 2017 class. Okudah's recruitment could end tomorrow or very well play out towards national signing day, but Urban Meyer and his staff will certainly be near or at the top of it until the pen hits the paper.

Gill healing up just fine


The top athlete in Ohio for 2018 and the second best in the entire country is none other than Jaelen Gill. Gill, from Westerville South (OH), unfortunately had a season ending injury this fall that derailed what was sure to be another fantastic season for the Wildcats stud. While Jaelen has been recovering and thankfully recovering just fine, his visits are now the focal point of his season.

In an article with scout.com, Gill talks about his latest visits and his upcoming plans. Included in the article, Gill let the readers know that he was at an Ohio State practice just last week and plans to visit Ohio State for their games against not only Nebraska, but the season finale against Michigan.

The Buckeye State five-star currently has every 247sports crystal ball prediction in favor of the home-team Buckeyes – and that has to leave Ohio State recruiting followers excited. There's a long way to go in this recruitment, but things certainly are sitting well for Urban Meyer and his potential for keeping this athlete at home.

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Ohio State football | Buckeyes get back to work on passing game - Columbus Dispatch
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State football | Buckeyes get back to work on passing game
Columbus Dispatch
When analyzing what goes wrong with a college football team's passing game, it is natural to start with the quarterback — in the case of Ohio State's J.T. Barrett, “the distributor.” Receivers can run poor routes, tight ends can see passes slip ...
Ohio State vs. Wisconsin 2016 odds: Buckeyes face Week 7 test as big favorites at the BadgersSB Nation
Wisconsin vs. Ohio State 2016: Preview, prediction, pick to win - Big Ten footballUPI.com
Buckeyes eyeing National ChampionshipThe Daily Cardinal
The Badger Herald -ESPN
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Ohio State vs. Wisconsin | Wheelwright in good place with Badgers after being spurned by Buckeyes - Columbus Dispatch
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State vs. Wisconsin | Wheelwright in good place with Badgers after being spurned by Buckeyes
Columbus Dispatch
2 Buckeyes (5-0) in a Big Ten showdown. The 6-foot-3, 211-pound senior from Walnut Ridge is the leading receiver for eighth-ranked Wisconsin (4-1). As one might imagine, Wheelwright has looked forward to this game for some time. “I'm pretty sure I have ...


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Huskers look to avenge loss to Buckeyes - Fremont Tribune
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Huskers look to avenge loss to Buckeyes
Fremont Tribune
Ohio State defeated the Huskers in four sets on Oct. 1, and Nebraska will be playing the Buckeyes for the second time in four matches. Second-ranked Nebraska will need to limit its losses against teams in the bottom half of the league standings to have ...
Win helps Huskers prep for rematch with BuckeyesKearney Hub

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Ohio State football | Redshirt freshman Dre'Mont Jones steps into starting role - Columbus Dispatch
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State football | Redshirt freshman Dre'Mont Jones steps into starting role
Columbus Dispatch
The three-technique is a key position for the Buckeyes because that player is expected to provide an inside pass rush as well as hold up against the run. Adolphus Washington and Michael Bennett were standouts at that position the last two years. Jones ...


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Raekwon McMillan isn’t worried about stats as long as Ohio State keeps winning
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 Buckeye defense has been playing so well they haven’t needed the linebacker to rack up as many tackles this year

“As long as we’re at the top of the Big Ten and top of the nation in run defense and not giving up any rushing touchdowns and playing great defense overall, I have no complaints.”

Ohio State linebacker Raekwon McMillan via Bill Rabinowitz, The Columbus Dispatch


Last year it felt like on almost every play Raekwon McMillan made a tackle. There were six games in 2015 in which McMillan made at least nine tackles in a game. So far in 2016 the most tackles McMillan has recorded in a game has been eight, which he did against both Tulsa and Oklahoma. So why the dip in production? The Buckeye defense hasn’t needed him to do nearly as much since the unit as a whole is playing at such a high level. The 33 tackles McMillan has made so far this year leads the Buckeyes, but the junior linebacker isn’t sweating the drop in his numbers.

What matters most to McMillan is how the Ohio State defense is playing, and right now they are one of the best defenses in the country. McMillan was called upon more last year to make plays since teams were trying to run up the middle on the Buckeyes. This year, teams haven’t had as much success doing so, as evidenced by Ohio State having yet to give up a rushing touchdown. While some of the other players on the defense are getting their names called more this year for the turnovers they are forcing, McMillan is still the captain of the defense. What the linebacker does might not be showing up in the stat sheet as much this year, but he is still what makes the defense tick.

“Guys who succeed at this level do it because their first passion is just being a part of the program, as opposed to guys who get here and then become obsessed with ‘OK, I have to get a scholarship’. Joe didn’t do that. Instead he took joy in the process.”

Ohio State co-defensive coordinator Luke Fickell on Joe Burger via Lindsay Schnell, Campus Rush


When three of his brothers had previously attended Notre Dame, there were many who had thought that Joe Burger would be next up to attend the prestigious Catholic university. After all, Joe did grow up rooting for the Fighting Irish, so it seemed like a given that he would follow in the footsteps of his brothers. That’s why it came as such a surprise to Joe’s father when Joe told him that he would be attending Ohio State. At least if Joe was going to be breaking one family tradition of attending Notre Dame, he would still be keeping alive another. All three of his brothers, as well as his father, all walked on at college but eventually earned a scholarship.

It’s not like Burger had much of a choice in walking on at Ohio State though, as there were already plenty of talented players ahead of him who were deserving of scholarships. Still, Joe caught the eye of the coaches with his toughness. Then again, you don’t grow up having three older brothers without having your skin thicken a little bit. The decision to attend Ohio State eventually paid off, as Burger was a key part of the special teams unit during the 2014 championship season. Now, as he is in the middle of his senior season, Burger continued the family tradition by being awarded a scholarship by Ohio State before the season, as well as being named one of the team captains. While his path may have been a little different from what his father and brothers did, in many ways it was exactly the same.

“I’ve been ready for this. It took me a couple games to get my feet under me, but I think I’m getting better every week. I’m ready to go.”

Ohio State defensive lineman Nick Bosa via Austin Ward, ESPN


No matter who was going to follow Joey Bosa on Ohio State’s defensive line, they were going to have big shoes to fill, but expectations were even higher for Bosa’s younger brother. With the pressure of being expected to come into Ohio State and contribute immediately, as well as coming off the knee injury he suffered during his senior year of high school, it would have been understandable if the younger Bosa’s numbers didn’t quite match up to his brother’s. That hasn’t been the case so far, as Nick has posted better numbers through five games than Joey did his freshman year.

After recording four tackles for loss and two sacks through his first five games, the scary thing is Nick Bosa is only going to get better as the season moves along. A big reason for Bosa’s early success has been defensive line coach Larry Johnson, who has been instrumental in bringing along Bosa at a pace that not only helps him grow, but also takes into account the ACL surgery Bosa underwent last year. It also helps that Ohio State has players like Sam Hubbard and Tyquan Lewis playing on the edge, so they don’t have to overwork Bosa early during his freshman season. Now the biggest question after seeing how Joey and Nick have played, are there any Bosa defensive linemen left for Ohio State to recruit?

“I (visited Ohio State) knowing that it was my favorite school out of any school I was talking to. It seemed like a great opportunity before I even went there, but when I went there it sealed the deal.”

Ohio State basketball commit Braxton Beverly via Bill Landis, Cleveland.com


Ohio State basketball received their latest commitment on Monday night, as Braxton Beverly became part of the 2017 recruiting class. The three-star point guard from Kentucky might be a bit of a surprise to Ohio State fans, but head coach Thad Matta really likes what he sees in terms of the leadership Beverly could bring to the Buckeyes. The point guard took his official visit to Ohio State over the weekend and saw enough to decide that Ohio State was the place for him.

Originally Beverly had signed with Miami (Ohio) in the 2016 recruiting class, but decided that Oxford wasn’t right for him, so he asked for his release before the beginning of his freshman season. After the RedHawks granted Beverly his release, he spent the year at Hargrave Military Academy. Ohio State was already recruiting 2016 recruit Derek Funderburke at Hargrave, and while doing so they became familiar with what Beverly had to offer. Once Beverly was officially released from Miami, Ohio State was free to recruit the point guard. Last year Beverly even dropped 70 points in a game, breaking Terry Rozier’s school record. While Ohio State might not need Beverly to score that much, he’ll certainly be a welcome addition next year.

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