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Osu Women’s Volleyball Spilt Weekend
jcollingsworth via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The 12th ranked Buckeyes women’s volleyball team made a statement this past weekend in the Dr. Mary Jo Wynn Invitational in Springfield Missouri.

In their initial meet against IUPUI (3-6) The Ohio State University Women’s Volleyball Team in a 64-minute introduction outscored the Jaguars by almost 14 points per set. The Buckeyes built up a powerful recognition , statistically in kills (56 to 14) while hitting a hitting percentage of .361 to .011.

Taylor Sandbothe and Madison Smeathers were a force in the middle. Combination-wise they accounted for 24 kills at a .600 attacking rate. Sandbothe would stand notice for a team high 17.5 points while Smeathers ended off with seven kills and nine attempts in her 2nd career start.

Sophomore Audra Appold and Taylor Hughes each recorded double-doubles with 18 digs and 13 kills for Appold and Hughes 41 assists and 10 digs. Match number one was a lopsided, 64-minute affair versus IUPUI as Ohio State outscored the Jaguars by nearly 14 points per set. The Buckeyes also built massive statistical advantages in kills (56 to 14), hitting percentage (.361 to .011), Digs (65 to 32) and service aces (4 to 0). Sophomore teammates Audra Appold and Taylor Hughes each recorded double-doubles with 18 digs and 13 kills for Appold and Hughes’ 41 assists and 10 digs.

Against Missouri State the Buckeyes would drop a strong struggle 3-2

In the final against Wisconsin – Green Bay the # 12 Buckeyes travelled the distance for a 2nd match in a row, coming out on the winning end of a five-round bout with Green Bay (7-2) Saturday night. The Buckeyes (7-2) posted final tallies of 21-25, 26-24, 25-15, 14-25, 15-11 to pick up their second win of the weekend and seventh on the year.

The Buckeyes are now 7-2 and move on to Muncie, against Valparaiso.

Let’s root for our Buckeyes and keep an eye on them.

The post Osu Women’s Volleyball Spilt Weekend appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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Ohio State remains No. 4 in latest Coaches Poll
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


Nothing new here.

The Ohio State Buckeyes moved to 2-0 on the young college football season Saturday afternoon, after a 48-3 win over Tulsa that was delayed at halftime due to inclement weather. The win, combined with wins by the top three teams in the Coaches Poll had the Buckeyes keeping their spot at No. 4.

The Buckeyes started off the game slow, but the defense had a very strong second quarter, scoring two touchdowns in two and a half minutes to give them the breathing room heading into halftime. After the delay, the offense found life, and the Buckeyes won more than comfortably.

The Buckeyes will be facing the Oklahoma Sooners this upcoming week in their biggest non-conference game of the season. Hopefully the first two games have served as a good warmup until their trek to Norman.

Your complete Amway Coaches Poll:

RANK TEAM
1 Alabama
2 Florida State
3 Clemson
4 Ohio State
5 Michigan
6 Stanford
7 Houston
8 Michigan State
9 Washington
10 Louisville
11 Iowa
12 Wisconsin
13 Georgia
14 Oklahoma
15 Tennessee
16 Texas
17 Mississippi
18 Notre Dame
19 Baylor
20 Texas A&M
21 Oregon
22 Louisiana State
23 Florida
24 Arkansas
25 Miami

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4-star PG Nick Weatherspoon commits to Mississippi State over Buckeyes: Ohio State basketball recruiting - cleveland.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


4-star PG Nick Weatherspoon commits to Mississippi State over Buckeyes: Ohio State basketball recruiting
cleveland.com
The Buckeyes have one commitment for 2017, but would like to add a guard and a wing player to join four-star center Kaleb Wesson. Ohio State missed out on in-state small forward Kyle Young, who recently committed to Butler. Three players who are still ...

and more »

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How did we do? Week 2 Big Ten predictions revisited
Brent Yarina, BTN.com Senior Editor via Big Ten Network

Before we turn our attention to Week 3, it’s time to revisit how the BTN.com team and Big Ten fans did with their Week 2 Big Ten game predictions. Like Big Ten teams, Tom Dienhart, Sean Merriman and Big Ten fans all went 12-2, missing the same two games: Western Michigan at Northwestern and Wisconsin vs. LSU. See all of our Week 2 predictions below. Sean Merriman (@BTNSean) 2016 record: 24-3 Week 2 record: 12-1 Week 2 picks: Maryland 27, FIU 10; Cincinnati 31, Purdue 20; Rutgers 28, Howard 10; Michigan 31, UCF 7; Minnesota 27, Indiana State 14; Nebraska

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Big Ten Power Rankings: Ohio State remains on top after Week 2
Tom Dienhart, BTN.com Senior Writer via Big Ten Network

Save for one stunning upset—I’m looking at you, Northwestern—it was business as usual in the Big Ten in Week 2. As a result, there isn't much change in my latest Big Ten Power Rankings, presented by ArcelorMittal.

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Senior Spotlight – Dontre Wilson
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


Although injuries have plagued much of Donte Wilson’s Ohio State career he still entered his senior season as the most experienced player on the 2016 Buckeye roster. Wilson has played in 33 games in his career at Ohio State and is one of only six seniors on scholarship on this Buckeye team. Dontre was at one time committed to the Oregon Ducks, but a late push by Ohio State and Urban Meyer was enough to get him to flip his commitment two days before national signing day. Let’s take a look at the career of Dontre Wilson in this week’s senior spotlight.

Wilson was a highly rated recruit coming out of DeSoto, Texas in 2012. He was ranked as the #6 all-purpose back in the country and the 9th ranked player in the vastly talent rich recruiting state of Texas. Wilson originally had a top two of Texas and Oregon, and visited both before committing to the Ducks on May 25th of 2012. Chip Kelly then decided to try his hand at the NFL and left for the head coaching job of the Philadelphia Eagles in January causing Wilson to give his commitment pause. Urban Meyer and Tom Herman then flew to Texas and put the full court press on Wilson to try and get him to flip to the Buckeyes. Wilson then went on a mini campus tour, visiting Ohio State, Oklahoma State and Texas before making his final decision. On February 4th, Wilson publicly decommitted from Oregon and pledged his verbal to Ohio State. Wilson was poised for big things and immediate playing time as a true freshman.

Wilson is one of a very few players under Urban Meyer so far to not have redshirted at all during his career at Ohio State. He got on the field immediately and played in all 14 games for Ohio State in his freshman year. He carried the ball 31 times for 250 yards and a touchdown and had 22 receptions for 210 more yards and two touchdowns. He was a little buried on the depth chart with Carlos Hyde, Ezekiel Elliott, Rod Smith and others but still managed to have a decent freshman campaign.

His sophomore season was plagued by a nagging foot injury that sidelined him for six games during the regular season. He broke his foot at Michigan State, and has been hampered by it ever since. He continued to be the primary kick returner for the Buckeyes on kickoffs during the games he played. He racked up 100 yards rushing and 300 receiving yards and three touchdowns for the abbreviated season. He had his career high in receptions and yards with 6 catches and 71 yards in the win over Cincinnati along with two touchdowns. His touchdown at Michigan State happened after he broke his foot, and put the Buckeyes up 41-24 early in the 4th quarter. He did get to play three plays in the National Championship game, although he didn’t touch the ball.

His junior season was much the same as his sophomore season in that his foot injury kept him out of any extended action for the season. He managed to play nine games on the season, but only had seven catches all season and no rushing attempts. The Buckeyes were led by Ezekiel Elliott and Curtis Samuel during the season, so the loss of Wilson was not felt, but his big play capability was certainly missed on special teams and on offense. Maybe he could have been the difference against Michigan State?

He entered his senior season with high expectations, and a finally healthy foot. He remains on the kickoff team and is the primary punt returner this season. He is on the Paul Hornung Award watch list, which is awarded annually to the player who plays a significant role on special teams, multiple positions on offense, and has an impact in big games. Wilson is majoring in Criminology, and is a 3 year varsity letter winner for Ohio State.


Photo via Bleacher Report


While the career of Dontre Wilson has not been what most expected when he decided to attend Ohio State back in 2013, he still has a chance to go out with a bang. If his foot can stay healthy, he along with Curtis Samuel and Mike Weber will likely split a lot of carries out of the backfield. Wilson will also line up in the wildcat and take direct snaps as well due to his burst and vision. #2 will probably have a chance at the next level due to his speed and ability to catch the ball out of the backfield, so I expect him to be drafted next May to an NFL roster. Here’s hoping to a huge senior season for Dontre, and to a great career at the next level.

The post Senior Spotlight – Dontre Wilson appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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It was raining interceptions and chunks of yards from Curtis Samuel as Ohio State thumped Tulsa
Grant Freking via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The Baby Bucks surged in the second half in their final tune-up before their steel cage match with Oklahoma.

A week after thrashing Bowling Green 77-10, Ohio State powned Tulsa 48-3 on Saturday, switching on the afterburners following an extended halftime and outscoring the Golden Hurricane 28-0 in the final two quarters.

For whatever reason—looking ahead to next week’s showdown in Oklahoma, understandable regression following a record-setting performance vs. Bowling Green, or general bewilderment as to why the new iPhone fails to sport a headphone jack—the Buckeye offense was stuck in the mud for most of the first half, registering a pair of 3-and-outs and a lost fumble on three of its first four drives. But, order was restored in the second half and Ohio State cruised without hindrance in spite of a steady precipitation emanating from the heavens. Heading into its gargantuan matchup with Oklahoma, the Buckeyes have yet to surrender a touchdown on defense and are plus-7 in the turnover department. The kids are alright, I suppose?

It’s Week 2 of the Ohio State football power rankings. Leggo!

1. Hell yeah, it’s Oklahoma week


Ohio State. Oklahoma. In Norman. (Yours truly and a cadre of schlubs are taking possession of recreational vehicle and driving to Norman. No truth to the rumor that ‘The Boz’ will be at our tailgate on Saturday morning.)

These two storied programs have met twice before, with the last collision coming in 1983 when No. 6 (Associated Press) Ohio State beat No. 2 Oklahoma 24-14 in Norman. The New York Times’ recap of the game indicates that the temperature on the field on that September day reached was 135 degrees. The typewriter-based takes from the press box at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium must have been especially scorching.


One can only hope that Barry Layne Switzer will be in attendance on Saturday night.

In 1977, No. 3 Oklahoma and Barry Switzer edged No. 4 Ohio State and Woody Hayes in Columbus, 29-28.

2. You get an interception! And you get an interception! And you get an interception!


The Silver Bullets tallied four interceptions on Saturday, raising their season total to seven. The first-half pick-sixes by Ed Reed Malik Hooker (who has three picks to his name) and Marshon Lattimore were very timely, as the defense more than picked up the slack for a laggard Ohio State offense in the first half. For the game, the Buckeyes forced six Golden Hurricane turnovers. Better check yourself, Baker Mayfield.

3. Curtis Samuel


After averaging nearly 12 yards per touch on 22 carries/receptions in Week 1, Samuel was magnificent again in Week 2, accumulating almost 12 yards per touch on 13 carries/receptions opposite Tulsa. The Buckeyes went away from Samuel in the first half, but the junior notched four touches on Ohio State’s initial second half drive and caught a pair of passes for 48 yards when the Buckeyes scored two drives later.


Gonna go out on a limb and proclaim that Mr. Samuel will feature heavily vs. the Sooners.

4. Tyler Durbin and Cameron Johnston


So much shade coming Durbin’s ways these days. First, Meyer admitted publicly that he basically didn’t have a clue that Durbin even existed. Then, the operations staff at Ohio Stadium referred to him as ‘Drew Durbin’ on Saturday. What’s a guy with a “Fight Club”-sounding name have to do to get some love? Acing Ohio State’s preferred coffin-corner kickoff and booting the pigskin consistently through the uproots (Durbin is 2-for-2 on field goals and 11-for-11 on PATs) is a massive step toward name recognition.

As for Johnston, he averaged 51 yards on his five punts, and he pinned Tulsa on the 1-yard line late in the fourth quarter despite having a defender crash into him. On that particular play, Johnston stood his ground and found the time to chirp at the dude who ran into him. You do you, Thunder from Down Under.

5. John Cooper


As Geoff Hammersley outlined earlier this week, former Ohio State head honcho John Cooper cut his teeth at Tulsa (and Arizona State) before landing in Columbus. (Francis Schmidt, another ex-head coach of the Buckeyes, coached at Tulsa nearly 100 years ago.)


John Cooper was Ohio State’s coach from 1988-2000.

Cooper won over 71 percent of his games in Columbus and turned Ohio State into an NFL talent factory, but of course, no mention of the former 13-year Buckeye coach (and college football Hall of Famer) is complete without mention of his 2-10-1 record against Michigan.

6. Mother Nature


A line of storms that stretched from southwestern Tennessee to southern Canada on Saturday afternoon left this writer without cable or internet for most of the second quarter and caused a delay of just over an hour at Ohio Stadium because of lightning in the area at halftime.

Another reminder of nature’s power, to be sure. It’s too bad it didn’t rain more at The Shoe, though—would’ve been awesome to see the Buckeyes arrive for the second half in fan boats, a la “The Waterboy.”

7. College GameDay


The GameDay crew is reportedly headed to Louisville for Louisville-Florida State instead of Ohio State-Oklahoma. The hell, guys?

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Watch: Biggest takeaways from Buckeyes' win over Tulsa - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Watch: Biggest takeaways from Buckeyes' win over Tulsa
247Sports
Buckeye cornerback commitment Shaun Wade did his share. Watch Wade make highlight real plays on both sides of the ball. Wade caught a quick slant but lost the ball, went behind the line of scrimmage to retrieve it, then as he headed back up field and a ...

and more »

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The Buckeye defense may be one of the best in the country
Chad Peltier via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Even with all of the personnel losses, the Ohio State defense is efficient and comes up with huge plays.

It was a messier game than expected, and not only because of the weather. Ohio State had a dominating victory on the scoreboard -- the Buckeye defense still hasn't allowed a touchdown this season -- so any critcism here is with that dominance in mind.

OSU Off OSU Def
Rushing success rate 43% 29%
Passing success rate 45% 41%
Rushing explosive plays 8 1
Passing explosive plays 2 0
Red zone TD efficiency 4/6 0/3
Drive efficiency 6/13 (4) 1/15 (3)


Explosive runs are runs over 12 yards and explosive passes include any throw over 20 yards. Just like last week, the OSU Defense column is from Tulsa's perspective -- so the Ohio State defense had a 71% rushing success rate. Finally, drive efficiency here is the ratio of scoring drives to total drives, with the number of three-and-outs in parentheses.

In an interview with Stephen Godfrey for Podcast Ain't Played Nobody this offseason, Tom Herman said that two stats are the most important and determine 98% of football games: winning the 1. explosive play battle and 2. the turnover margin.

So despite some pretty sub-par efficiency numbers (last week the Buckeyes ran at 73% efficiency) and far fewer explosive passes than expected (which was somewhat expected given the conditions), those two stats seem to explain the game: the Buckeyes had a 10:1 explosive play ratio and went 6:1 in turnover ratio. The Buckeyes lead the country in turnover margin after two games.

Finally, 48-3 could have been a lot worse. The key numbers are the 6/13 drive efficiency (8/10 last week) and 4 three-and-outs. Ohio State converted just 5 of 14 third downs, so the Buckeyes actually lost the three-and-out ratio battle.

The 3 most important stats


In my preview I noted three critical stats for a Buckeye win:

How about this defense?


I legitimately believed that Tulsa would score at least two touchdowns off explosive plays. Tulsa is no world-beater on offense yet, but they are a top-25 rushing IsoPPP team and D'Angelo Brewer averaged 8.3 highlight yards per opportunity in week one.

But the Buckeye defense completely shut down Brewer and any explosive offense Tulsa could attempt. Brewer had just one explosive run -- a 14-yard carry -- and was held to 3.9 yards per carry and the team had a 29% rushing success rate.

Oklahoma will offer a much more difficult test next week, but this new starting secondary clearly passed its early tests against two other Air Raid offenses. Besides the obvious -- four interceptions! -- this big-play-making defense was extremely efficient as well, holding Tulsa to a 25% third down conversion percentage and keeping Tulsa out of the end zone on three red zone trips.

It wasn't just big plays -- even on drives that didn't end in a turnover, the defense forced Tulsa to be inefficient, which suggests that the defense would have been successful even without the six takeaways.

Effective without as much havoc


Havoc rates can't totally see something intangible or subjective like merely pressuring the quarterback, but Ohio State was just 74th in total havoc rate after week one. But Tulsa allowed four sacks in week one and was particularly susceptible on passing downs, which makes it surprising that the defense only managed two sacks and six tackles for loss.

It's hard to call the lack of sacks a concern yet, given that the line is still forcing bad passes and playing a role in creating turnovers, but it's certainly something to keep an eye on nevertheless.

Still not many 20+ yard runs


It might not have felt like it during the game, but the Buckeyes actually had two more explosive runs than last week. They were just still mostly in the 12-19 yard range, with only three 20+ yard runs this week. Tulsa was 122nd in defensive rushing IsoPPP, so we might have expected more here.

The lack of balance, as well as an unwillingess to vary runs (potentially ahead of Oklahoma next week?) contributed to the disappointing explosive run totals. It was a slower day especially for Mike Weber, who had a 41% success rate and three explosive runs, but Curtis Samuel had explosive runs on half of his carries, with a 63% rushing success rate. Dontre Wilson also made the most of his carries, recording a touchdown run and one of the day's three 20+ yard runs.

What about the passing game and all of the three-and-outs?


With four three-and-outs and going just 5/14 on third down, something was clearly disjointed on offense.

Like usual, third down conversion issues started on first and second down, as the average third down distance was 4.9 yards even without any real outliers. The Buckeyes simply weren't as efficient on standard downs this week.

But the issue was bigger than that -- this week Barrett was just 1/8 throwing on third downs. Maybe that poor passing downs success rate was due to the weather, but that is a surprisingly low efficiency to keep drives going.

Finally, where were all of the explosive passes? Sure, the weather accounts for some of this, but it was also just an off night for Barrett and the play action passing game. Tulsa was 116th in Passing IsoPPP and the Buckeyes were 13th after an extremely explosive performance against Bowling Green, but they managed just two 20+ yard passes this week.

Moving forward, in addition to the defensive line's havoc rate, the number of 20+ yard explosive runs, and general passing efficiency, I'll definitely be on the watch for passing downs success rate and passing explosiveness.

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Ohio State’s lockdown secondary’s a buy after Saturday’s big win over Tulsa
Chuck McKeever via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The Buckeyes showed off some serious defensive firepower as they rolled the Golden Hurricane, 48-3

Pablo Neruda, titan of Spanish poetry, once wrote that “We the mortals touch the metals, the wind, the ocean shores, the stones, knowing they will go on, inert or burning.” So it is in Iberian romance; so it is with Ohio State football.

Fresh off a 77-10 smackdown of Bowling Green, the Buckeyes came out inert against a Tulsa team that wasn’t expected to stick around long. Despite forcing an early turnover, all Urban Meyer’s squad could muster in the game’s opening chapter was a field goal. It took 27 minutes for Ohio State to find the end zone, courtesy of a Malik Hooker pick-six; barely two minutes later, Marshon Lattimore repeated the feat to send the Buckeyes into halftime with a 20-3 lead.

The second half? That was a different story. Ohio State came out burning, abandoning their conservative offense despite a rain-soaked field and a long weather delay. Meyer’s dynamic stable of playmakers, including J.T. Barrett, Curtis Samuel, and Mike Weber, began to find an offensive rhythm, and it quickly became clear the Tulsa was hopelessly outgunned. The Buckeyes rolled, finishing to the tune of 48-3. Let’s take a look at who we have to think for a second straight decisive victory:

Blue chip stocks


Malik Hooker, S: Hooker has been indispensable on this Buckeye defense through two games. He’s racked up three interceptions, including one that he took to the house courtesy of Tulsa’s Dane Evans. Hooker added four tackles and a pass breakup to his total against the Golden Hurricane. Give him credit: his touchdown on Saturday—the result of a beautiful read and some serious lateral hustle to get to the ball—blew life into an Ohio State squad that looked poised to be dragged down to their opponent’s level.

Oh, and in case Hooker’s performance wasn’t impressive enough...


Marshon Lattimore, CB: If anyone on the Buckeye defense can claim to have impacted this game as much as Hooker, it’s Lattimore. Lattimore notched two interceptions against the Golden Hurricane, the first coming on the game’s opening possession. The second was an encore to Hooker’s performance, going back to the house for six after an ill-advised Dane Evans throw in first-half garbage time. Lattimore was in on three tackles for the Buckeye defense, which looks as sharp as ever under Luke Fickell and new co-DC Greg Schiano.

Raekwon McMillan, LB: The Buckeye captain didn’t rack up any highlight-reel plays, but he didn’t need to in this one. McMillan recorded eight tackles and forced a fumble, part of a five-turnover effort by the defense. That’s the most the Buckeyes have notched since 2014’s blowout against Maryland; given how much NFL talent was on that 2014 defense, there’s a lot to like about Saturday’s showing. The season’s still young, but Raekwon McMillan seems to be firing on all cylinders, ready to assume the leadership role (and ridiculous volume of tackles) that Joshua Perry left vacant.

Solid investments


Curtis Samuel, H-Back: After a down year in 2015, Brooklyn’s Finest certainly looks ready to step into the role of J.T. Barrett’s favorite weapon. Samuel didn’t find the end zone against Tulsa, but for a few series looked to be the only skill position player on the Buckeyes who’d actually planned to play on Saturday. He combined for 140 all-purpose yards, and showed off video game-worthy balance and speed as he found room to run at the second level. He and Barrett already look to have good rapport; it’s scary to think what that pairing might accomplish by season’s end.

Sam Hubbard, DE: The former Notre Dame lacrosse commit probably made the right choice, you guys. Hubbard showed that he could be a serious threat in Ohio State’s “Rushmen” package last season, and that’s translated to high-caliber play now that he’s on every-down duty. The Golden Hurricane couldn’t keep No. 6 out of the backfield on Saturday, and he finished the game with six total tackles, including two for a loss. Hubbard’s fast, physical, and has good hands—the Big Ten’s offensive lines are going to have problems with him.

Tyquan Lewis, DE: Across from Hubbard, Tyquan Lewis also had himself a day. Lewis racked up four tackles, including a sack, and forced a fumble with an absolutely punishing hit on Tulsa QB Dane Evans. He’s not as talked-about as Hubbard, and he doesn’t have the name value of Nick Bosa, but Lewis is an outstanding role player on this defense and probably doesn’t get enough shine from the public.

Junk bonds


Vanilla: Look, vanilla is a perfectly fine flavor for a soft-serve cone, and it smells really good when you take a whiff of one of those little brown bottles. But it’s a terrible look for Ohio State. The Buckeyes played a nondescript, conservative offense in the first half of this game, and it bordered on unwatchable. What’s more, it only got them six points. Oklahoma looms large on the schedule next week, and if Urban Meyer runs nothing but basic read-option looks for an entire half, the Sooners are going to put a hurting on the Buckeyes. Open up that playbook, Urbs. There’s a reason you’ve recruited such a deep stable of wildly talented athletes these last few years.

Buy/Sell


BUY: Wet Urban. Coach Meyer faced down a Hurricane and a thunderstorm on Saturday, and ultimately got the better of both. College football’s Captain Ahab.

SELL: Dry Urban. The first half was u-g-l-y for Ohio State’s offense, as clouds gathered on the horizon and the air hummed in anticipation of the coming deluge. Meyer went conservative, and the Buckeye offense fizzled.

BUY: The Bosa family legacy staying intact.


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Defense owns day for Buckeyes - Toledo Blade
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Defense owns day for Buckeyes
Toledo Blade
The Ohio State offense found itself stuck in the figurative mud Saturday against Tulsa, so the Buckeyes' defense stopped waiting for help and found its way into the end zone by itself. OSU returned two interceptions for touchdowns in the second quarter ...
Ohio State football: Buckeyes defense scores twice in 48-3 win over Tulsa Golden Hurricanecleveland.com
Gameday+ | Ohio State vs. Tulsa: Buckeyes freshmen in the thick of actionColumbus Dispatch
Ohio State Buckeyes rout Tulsa to go 2-0Dayton Daily News
Akron Beacon Journal -Bleacher Report -OSU - The Lantern
all 146 news articles »

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Mike Weber not fumbling, better than a Mike Weber touchdown: Ohio State football notes, quotes and nuggets - cleveland.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Mike Weber not fumbling, better than a Mike Weber touchdown: Ohio State football notes, quotes and nuggets
cleveland.com
The last time the Buckeyes had two of those in one game was in 2010 against Penn State. • The Buckeyes had six takeaways in total. The last time they had at least five takeaways in one game was in 2010 against Northern Illinois. • Barrett said before ...

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Malik Hooker feels a 'shock': 4 reasons Ohio State football will beat the Tulsa Golden Hurricane - cleveland.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Malik Hooker feels a 'shock': 4 reasons Ohio State football will beat the Tulsa Golden Hurricane
cleveland.com
"It's a confidence booster just knowing he's back there, you got somebody back there who can play and you can trust," Buckeyes cornerback Gareon Conley said of Hooker. "He's one of the most athletic people I know." Both of Hooker's interceptions last ...
Tulsa vs. Ohio State 2016 odds: Buckeyes get home tune-up as big favoriteSB Nation
Preview: Tulsa at Ohio State BuckeyesMyDaytonDailyNews
Big Ten notebook: Buckeyes, Wolverines send dominating messagesQuad City Times
247Sports -Bleacher Report
all 399 news articles »

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ESPN's College GameDay not going to Norman for Ohio State-Oklahoma: Buckeye Breakfast - cleveland.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


ESPN's College GameDay not going to Norman for Ohio State-Oklahoma: Buckeye Breakfast
cleveland.com
After a 48-3 over Tulsa on Saturday night, Ohio State improved to 2-0, but the Buckeyes can prove they're a legitimate national title contender with a road win over the Sooners. It's officially Oklahoma week, but first, be sure to check out our ...

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College football: Defense sparks Buckeyes in rout - South Bend Tribune
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


College football: Defense sparks Buckeyes in rout
South Bend Tribune
The Buckeyes intercepted four passes, including pick-sixes by safety Malik Hooker and cornerback Marshon Lattimore late in the first half. • No. 10 Wisconsin 54, Akron 10: Corey Clement ran for two scores before leaving with an injury, Jazz Peavy had ...

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Sunday Morning Coffee: September 27, 1941
jcollingsworth via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The morning breeze was sporadic, more warmth then relief. The early morning hours served the same purpose as the day before, a promise of a heated and uncomfortable duration.

Paul Brown had just been hired by The Ohio State University. His legend was cemented by his tenure at Massillon High School – which between 1935 and 1940 he won six State Championships and four National High School Championships. He was guaranteed $6,500 for the year. Needless to say it was a huge increase.

The day before at Ohio Stadium Paul had his inaugural game as the head coach of The Ohio State University.

Missouri would be the team of focus – with a high powered offense that played a pass attack perfected by Quarterback Paul Christman.

Paul stepped onto the balcony of his university sanctioned house in Upper Arlington with a steaming cup of coffee. He was happy with the memories from the day before.

The Buckeyes would strike first against the Tigers when Les Horvath in his Junior year with the Buckeyes would score in the second from 37 yards out on a straight up the middle. The extra point would fail.

Paul had just implemented a single-wing offense for the Buckeyes that oddly was taking its toll. Offense back Tom Kincade was finding issues with the system – not speaking of it publicly, but clearly unhappy. Paul was seeing rewards with Horvath and decided this was the proper direction.

Missouri would take the lead before half with a quick pass by Christman to Tight- end Adam Mosley over their own forty two with Mosley taking care of the rest. The extra point would be good.

Paul recalled the other scores by Paul Sarringhaus’ foot from 23 yards & 18 yards out.

The morning was just progressing. Paul had no intention of celebrating his first Ohio State University Buckeye victory. Certainly not with a cup of coffee in Upper Arlington on his balcony overlooking the neighbors yard. He figured he’d stay fast momentarily, gather a few more wins, and then proudly present his accomplishments before suggesting a bottle of Champaign, or something dominating to that nature.

Paul Brown sipped his coffee as he looked into the neighbor’s yard, at nothing specifically, knowing the power of his newly anointed position. It was odd. He had already heard of and recognized a surge of a professional league in search of talent to lead within the midst. What to do ….what to do?
It was all a moment which generated a. smile, and worthily so. The Ohio State University and Paul’s first victory against a good Missouri team 12-7 had transpired with relatively slim notice. WWII was in full swing and America was staying put.

Coach Brown laughed. He was 1-0. Isn’t that perfect?

The post Sunday Morning Coffee: September 27, 1941 appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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Ohio State football: Buckeyes defense scores twice in 48-3 win over Tulsa Golden Hurricane - cleveland.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State football: Buckeyes defense scores twice in 48-3 win over Tulsa Golden Hurricane
cleveland.com
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- If Tulsa was truly a better test for Ohio State's defense, then give the Buckeyes a passing grade. Ohio State's defense scored two touchdowns and carried the Buckeyes through an otherwise sloppy first half. Ohio State's offense ...
Gameday+ | Ohio State vs. Tulsa: Buckeyes freshmen in the thick of actionColumbus Dispatch
Buckeyes slowly pull away, crush Tulsa - The BladeToledo Blade
Ohio State Buckeyes rout Tulsa to go 2-0Dayton Daily News
OSU - The Lantern -Akron Beacon Journal -Mansfield News Journal
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Marshon Lattimore's two INTs, including a pick-six, mark his arrival: Buckeyes Game Ball - cleveland.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Marshon Lattimore's two INTs, including a pick-six, mark his arrival: Buckeyes Game Ball
cleveland.com
While injured, Ohio State's coaches continued to talk about how special Lattimore was, but the Buckeyes couldn't fully unleash him because his hamstrings -- which needed surgery to heal -- have been an ongoing issue. In reality, it seemed very possible ...


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Two pick sixes kickstart Buckeyes en route to rout of Tulsa - Comcast SportsNet Chicago
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Two pick sixes kickstart Buckeyes en route to rout of Tulsa
Comcast SportsNet Chicago
Severe weather made for an extremely long weather delay during halftime, but after the teams retook the field, the Buckeyes' offense turned it on. J.T. Barrett rushed in for two touchdowns, Mike Weber scored the first touchdown of his college career ...

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Get Tom Dienhart’s best of Week 2 in the Big Ten
Tom Dienhart, BTN.com Senior Writer via Big Ten Network

Week 2 was all about the blowouts with five teams scored over 50 points as Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Rutgers and Wisconsin all hung at least half-a-hundred on opponents in easy wins.

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Ohio State football: Defense turns tide in Buckeyes' 48-3 victory over Tulsa - Akron Beacon Journal
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Ohio State football: Defense turns tide in Buckeyes' 48-3 victory over Tulsa
Akron Beacon Journal
That's all it took for Tulsa quarterback Dane Evans to turn a close contest just before halftime and make things decidedly in favor of the Buckeyes in a 48-3 Ohio State win. A week ago, the offense overshadowed a solid performance by the defense. Not ...


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Defense Shines through the Rain Clouds as Buckeyes Douse Tulsa 48-3
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


The Buckeyes entered today 1-0 coming off a record breaking performance last weekend against Bowling Green. The offense racked up 776 yards of total offense and score 77 points, the most since 1950. There was the threat of some severe weather at kickoff, however it held off until around halftime, but it didn’t help the Ohio State offense.

The game started well for Ohio State as they won the coin toss and deferred to the 2nd half. Then on the first play of the game, Dane Evans went back to pass and the ball was picked off by Marshon Lattimore. The Buckeye offense stalled after two short runs and an incomplete pass, so Tyler Durbin came in and connected on his first career field goal to make it 3-0.

The Buckeyes defense forced Tulsa to punt after a 9-play drive that ended when Sam Hubbard sacked Evans on 3rd and 10 for a loss of 11. Dontre Wilson called for a fair catch and then a personal foul penalty was enforced so the Buckeyes started from the 7-yard line. Two runs by Mike Weber got it out to the 25, then a completion to Wilson got it out to the 39. On the next play Barrett ran the read option with Mike Weber, but held onto the ball along with Weber and the ball came lose and was pouched on by Tulsa.

Tulsa took over and drove down to the 1-yard line and decided to go for it on 4th and goal. James Flanders was stuffed at the line of scrimmage by a group of Buckeyes led by Malik Hooker. Ohio State took over from there and went three and out after 2 yards of offense. Cam Johnston came out for his second punt of the season and his 49 yard punt netted 37 after a 12 yard return by Keidrien Wadley.

Tulsa took over and drove 20 yards on five plays, and settled for a field goal from 37 yards out as Redford Jones made his second of the season.

The stalling Buckeye offense came out again after a touchback on the kickoff. Another three and out with J.T. Barrett looking for Johnnie Dixon twice and not connecting. Again Cam Johnston came out to punt and again hit a good one 54 yards that was returned for six, but nullified by a block in the back.

Tulsa came out and ran four-straight times to open the drive and made two first downs. Evans hit a couple of passes to Keevan Lucas and Justin Hobbs who looked to have the first down on his 3rd down catch, but a booth review overturned the call and made it 4th and 1/2 yard. Tulsa punted and Dontre Wilson had an 18 yard return that set the Buckeyes up at the 36 yard line.

Barrett connected on a couple of quick passes to Terry McLaurin for a first down, and then Curtis Samuel made a nifty move for another first down run. The Buckeyes got down to 1st and goal and JT ran for five yards down to the 2. Samuel probably would have run into the endzone, but he got a head start and was flagged for a false start which again killed the drive. JT threw a bullet to Marcus Baugh on 3rd down but it was out of his reach, and the Buckeyes settled for another field goal to take a 6-3 lead.

Tulsa took over after a touchback, and Dane Evans had a couple of nice completions for 15 yards for Lucas and Hobbs, and the Golden Hurricane looked like they were moving. Tulsa called a reverse on the next play and Ohio State’s defense stuffed it in the backfield for a nine yard loss. That killed the drive and Tulsa punted again with a fair catch made at the 14 by Dontre Wilson.

The Buckeye offense finally showed a little bit on the next drive, but were stuffed on a 4th down and four when J.T. Barrett rolled out to pass and then improvised to run and was stopped two yards short.

While the offense was not moving the ball and was settling for field goals, the defense decided enough was enough. Malik Hooker made another spectacular play coming across the field after reading Evans eyes and making the interception and taking it in for the touchdown.

Tulsa got the ball back late in the second quarter after a nice 52 yard return by Bishop Louie. However a rush from the Buckeye defensive line hit Evans as he was getting ready to throw and a fumble was caused. The Buckeye offense again stalled out and Johnston punted for a touchback.

It looked like Tulsa was going to run out the clock, so after a first down run Ohio State called a timeout and Tulsa decided that they would throw the ball. The rain started to come down in droves and throwing the ball was probably a bad idea. Marshon Lattimore made Evans pay when his wobbly duck was picked off and taken to the house again to give the Buckeyes the 20-3 halftime lead.

The storms finally arrived in Columbus, and the game went to halftime. The game was delayed coming out of halftime and didn’t resume until 6:34pm EST.



The second half got underway, and the Buckeye offense looked like a completely different team. The first drive out of the gate was a 6 play 84 yard drive that ended in another J.T. Barrett rushing touchdown. The drive included a lot of runs by Barrett, Weber, Wilson and Samuel.

The Buckeye defense picked up where it left off in the first half and made it difficult for Tulsa to do much of anything offensively. Their first two offensive drives ended in punts, and the Buckeyes punted in between.

The Buckeyes got the ball back after the second punt and again drove down the field 84 yards ending in Mike Weber’s first career rushing touchdown. The drive included two long passes from Barrett to Curtis Samuel who again proved to be Barrett’s favorite target on the day.

The Buckeyes then made their 4th interception on the day when Gareon Conley picked off Dane Evans on a long pass that was floated in front of his intended receiver. The Buckeyes were unable to capitalize on the interception and again Cam Johnston was forced to punt, and he nailed a beauty 61 yards that was downed at the 2 yard line.

Tulsa took over and again went 3 and out, and Dontre Wilson had a great punt return to set up the Buckeye offense on the 28 yard line. Three plays later Ohio State found the endzone again as J.T. Barrett scored his second of the night. The highlight reel play was the “Braxton-esque” spin move that Dontre Wilson made on the 1st down reception.



The Buckeyes then forced Tulsa to put yet again after another three and out, and Dontre Wilson found the endzone making it 48-3 and all but ending the game.

Nick Bosa again made an appearance late forcing a fumble from Dane Evans, marking his 5th turnover of the game. The fumble was recovered by Joshua Alabi. Joe Burrow and Demario McCall came in and a few handoffs and a run by Burrow later, the game was over and the rain soaked Buckeyes move on toward Norman next week 2-0 without having allowed an offensive touchdown this season.

After being dominated in the first half in time of possession, the Buckeyes ended up winning the clock battle 34:53 to 25:37. Ohio State ended the night with 417 yards of offense, nearly 350 less than last week. They held Tulsa to 189 yards of offense on 15-32 passing and 61 rushing yards on 37 attempts (1.6 ypc). JT Barret was 14/22 for 149 yards and 55 yards rushing on 16 carries with two touchdowns. Mike Weber had 17 carries for 92 yards and a touchdown and Curtis Samuel had 78 yards rushing on 8 carries and 62 yards receiving on 5 catches. Terry McLaurin was the leading wide receiver with three catches and 28 yards.

Check back with us all week as we take a look at the big matchup next Saturday in primetime as the Buckeyes travel to Oklahoma to take on the Sooners.

The post Defense Shines through the Rain Clouds as Buckeyes Douse Tulsa 48-3 appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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

Well, it was a warm, sunny day but the swirling winds had hindered the Buckeyes offensive attack for the majority of the afternoon. With thunderstorms looming and the weather becoming more and more of a factor this was definitely not what I or most of us Buckeye fans wanted to witness. Although that isn’t a great excuse, the Buckeyes have no real excuse and they need a resounding win to further amplify their confidence prior to the showdown with the Oklahoma Sooners. This game definitely did not go according to plan as the mighty Buckeyes showed their youth and struggled mightily against an experienced Tulsa offense and a defense filled with Juniors and Senior looking to upset the home team and shock the world.

First Half:



Marshon Lattimore, the oft-injured and forgotten man in the secondary came up huge for the Buckeyes. On the first offensive play for Tulsa he made an acrobatic catch for the early interception. The Buckeyes only managed to get a field goal, but a turnover was ideal due to the poor game conditions. For the life of me, I can’t figure out why the Tusla’s Head Coach decided to throw the ball, in the rain, prior to the first half ending, but I will take the end result as Marshon Lattimore was the recipient of another turnover and he returned it for 40 yards the pick-six. By the way, was I the only one who saw that nasty block by Malik Hooker? It is wonderful seeing the defense as a whole block downfield to ensure the maximum level of yardage is taken and with Hooker and Baker blocking downfield, accompanied by a caravan of Silver Bullets, he was bound to get into the end zone for the timely and sorely needed touchdown score.



Speaking of Malik Hooker, he reeled in his third interception of the season, but this time was different, seeing that the previous two were acrobatic and amazing interceptions. This time around he flat out read the opposing Quarterback and took it in for six points, successfully establishing the swing in momentum and giving “juice” to the Buckeyes defense who was getting gashed by Tulsa’s high-octane offense. Tulsa ran the same group of plays repeatedly because they were seeing great success with them early on in the game, but once that was identified the defense pinned their ears back and let loose. Hooker came in tonight tied for first place in the nation for interceptions, but with this, he is now in sole possession in first-place. He has proven in two games that he is the playmaker that the Buckeyes secondary needs for them to unleash blitzes by the front seven.

Sam Hubbard, Joey Bosa’s replacement came up huge with a sack on 3rd and long. He stopped the momentum dead in its tracks when the Buckeyes were reeling. With the first half over and the Buckeyes in the lead, the Buckeyes defense looks to carry over the momentum for a second half that will look different after the weather took a turn for the worse. Thunderstorms have the Buckeyes in a holding pattern and until they take the now wet and muddy field, we will have to see how the Buckeyes defense will adjust and react. I am thinking that they will turn up the heat a little bit to seal the game. The Buckeyes seem to be looking too far ahead to the game at Norman so hope they can take care of business and work out the kinks on both sides of the ball because the Sooners will be an early test in a young season.

J.T. Barrett struggled mightily during the first half, only being able to muster up 69 yards through the air and 8 rushes for 16 yards. The weather has negatively impacted his ability to air it out and with the weather taking a turn for the worst, I am not sure if the second half will be any different. I understand that the weather is bad and that you are trying to be conservative, but you need to play it smart for the rest of the game. If that is running the ball down the Tulsa defenses throat, then I hope that the Offensive Coordinator calls more running plays to get Barrett into a rhythm because he needs it prior to Oklahoma. He definitely is making the correct plays, but he needs to get better and there is always room for improvement. I look for the Buckeyes and Coach Meyer to run the ball in the second half.



While filling in for banged-up Sean Nuernberger, Tyler Durbin has been a pleasant surprise for the Buckeyes and during the first half of the game, nailing a field goal early on for the 3-0 lead, then another one to break the 3-3 tie late in the first quarter. Durnin also nailed two extra points for the two defensive touchdowns that have extended the Ohio State lead. With the constant weather delays and with the terrible field conditions, I am assuming that the Buckeyes will not be looking for long range field goals and that they will play Tressel-ball for the duration of the game. I hope I am dead wrong, but we will just have to wait and see if Coach Meyer and company will do once the lightning vacates Columbus.

Second Half:

The second half started almost like the end of the first, except that this interception wasn’t returned for a touchdown. To open up the second, Gareon Conley was credited with the takeaway, ripping it away from an opposing Wide Receiver. What a way to open up the second half after a lengthy break due to the thunderstorm delay. The Silver Bullets, namely the secondary have been all over the place and unless Tulsa flat out gives up throwing the rock, they could be waiting to make the next big play. Although the loss of Eli Apple hurts the team in regards to experience, they retained Gareon Conley who has the leadership capabilities to lead a young, inexperienced secondary. And if we were to gauge what he has provided, I think he has succeeded with showing them the ropes and nuances of playing defense in the secondary at Ohio State.



The second half offense was much more productive than the first half offense. J.T. Barrett started the half with a rushing touchdown and he received a monster block from Curtis Samuel. Later in the 4th, J.T. rushed for another score and the Buckeyes offense and defense started imposing their will on the hapless Tulsa Golden Hurricanes. Dontre Wilson has really come into his own in the second half. He began the second half with a 27 yard return and he got by a defender with the patented Brax Spin. Then he followed that up later in the second half when he blew past defenders for a 21 yard gain on the ground before he capped it off the drive with a 5 yard rushing touchdown. He showed us how elusive and quick he can be and I for one am happy that he finally found a place within the Buckeye offense. Coach Meyer has shown his ability to find players that fit his offensive scheme and with the many weapons at his disposal, he will look to build on this for a date with the Sooners.



Running Back Mike Weber showed the grit and determination when running the ball tonight, occasionally running full speed, light feet and power. He racked up 92 rushing yards on 17 carries and he is constantly finding ways to improve as he grows as a man and as the “cadillac back” at Ohio State. He replaced the great Ezekiel Elliot and he can only improve to surpass Zeke. Weber scored his first touchdown in the second half and his number through two games aren’t eye popping but he will continue to improve as the season progresses. With a hostile environment in Norman next week, we will see Weber tote the rock more often, unless Coach Meyer and his offensive staff wants to air it out to prove a point.



The Silver Bullets denied the Golden Hurricanes the entire second half with their stiffling defense. In the second half they had 2 more takeaways. A pick by Conley and a fumble recovery by Tyquan Lewis. Nick Bosa was destined to sack the Quarterback again, but the slippery ball slipped out of his grasp and it was all she wrote. The Buckeyes showed that their defense may be young, but they will be hungry and eager to prove that they belong in the National Championship conversation. They have a tough road game ahead of them and if this is any indication of things to come, they look to be scary good. Youth is a problem, but the talent is there and it shows. Let’s hope both units will hit on all cylinders. Onto the next one. Go Bucks!!!








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Ohio State football: Buckeyes defense scores twice in 48-3 win over Tulsa Golden Hurricane - cleveland.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State football: Buckeyes defense scores twice in 48-3 win over Tulsa Golden Hurricane
cleveland.com
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- If Tulsa was truly a better test for Ohio State's defense, then give the Buckeyes a passing grade. Ohio State scored two defensive touchdowns, and carried the Buckeyes through an otherwise sloppy first half. Ohio State's offense ...
Gameday+ | Ohio State vs. Tulsa: Buckeyes freshmen in the thick of actionColumbus Dispatch
Buckeyes claim first win of the seasonOSU - The Lantern
Ohio State Buckeyes rout Tulsa to go 2-0Dayton Daily News
ABC6OnYourSide.com -SB Nation -Tulsa World
all 108 news articles »

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