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“ANY TIME YOU HAVE A SCAR LIKE THAT, IT'S REAL. AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT A LOT TO OUR STAFF, WE'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT IT TO OUR PLAYERS, WE'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT IT AS AN OFFENSIVE STAFF AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO TALK ABOUT IT.”– RYAN DAY

Why is this News? All the articles and tweets Buckeye fans need for October 19, 2022
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

All the Buckeye news thats fit to re-print.

Look, we get it. Your days are busy and you don’t have time to read all of the stories and tweets from the three dozen websites dedicated to covering Ohio State athletics, or the 237 Buckeye beat writers churning out hot takes and #content on a daily basis. But that’s ok, that’s what your friends at Land-Grant Holy Land are here for.

Monday through Friday, we’ll be collecting all of the articles, tweets, features, interviews, videos, podcasts, memes, photos, and whatever else we stumble across on the interwebz and putting them in our daily “Why is this News?” article. That way, you’ll have a one-stop shop for all of the most important Buckeye news, jokes, and analysis.

You’re welcome!

For your Earholes...


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Ask LGHL


Introducing ‘Ask LGHL,’ asking and answering questions throughout the football season
Matt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land

LGHL Asks: What did you learn from TTUN’s win over PSU? Will Iowa score on Saturday
Matt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land

On the Gridiron


Watch all of Day, Knowles, and Wilson’s comments:


Key Takeaways as Buckeyes ramp up for Iowa, B1G title push (paywall)
Austin Ward, Dotting the Eyes

Practice Report: Buckeyes back to work after idle week, focused on physical Iowa defense
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row

Presser Bullets: Ryan Day Says the Iowa Defense Is “Very Effective,” Ohio State “Got a Lot of Guys Rest” Over the Bye Week and Reflects on 2017 Loss to Iowa
Griffin Strom, Eleven Warriors

What we learned from Ohio State’s press conference previewing Iowa
Bill Rabinowitz, The Columbus Dispatch

Buckeyes remaining quiet, optimistic on status of Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row

Listen to all of Day, Knowles, and Wilson’s comments:


Ohio State’s offensive line named to Joe Moore Award midseason honor roll
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts

Johnson and Harrison Midseason All-Americans
Andy Anders, Buckeye Sports Bulletin

You’re Nuts: Which two players should join C.J. Stroud as Heisman Trophy finalists?
Brett Ludwiczak and Meredith Hein, Land-Grant Holy Land

Jim Knowles may already have Ohio State ready for a potential postseason matchup with Tennessee
Stephen Means, cleveland.com

The return of Jaxon Smith-Njigba would ‘take some stress off’ an already productive Ohio State receiver group
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts

Yep, that tracks:


Iowa defensive players for Ohio State football fans to worry about or maybe feel sorry for
Nathan Baird, cleveland.com

Ohio State must keep balance, versatility when Jaxon Smith-Njigba returns (paywall)
Bill Landis, Dotting the Eyes

Assessing the Carnell Tate situation and the continued pursuit by Tennessee
Caleb Houser, Land-Grant Holy Land


Ohio State football coach Ryan Day isn’t costing Kyle McCord as many reps as you think
Nathan Baird, cleveland.com

B1G Thoughts: Ten years of regret?
Jordan Williams, Land-Grant Holy Land

On the Hardwood


Ohio State women’s basketball ranked no. 14 in AP Preseason Poll
Thomas Costello, Land-Grant Holy Land

Women’s Basketball: Mikesell Makes Ann Meyers-Drysdale Preseason Watch List
Ohio State Athletics

Women’s Basketball: Mikesell Returning, Ready to Lead Buckeyes in Second Season with Program
Caleb Blake, The Lantern

Outside the Shoe and Schott


Ohio State wrestling lands commitment from Brock Herman, Top 20 145 lbs. prospect flips from NC State
Nick Kosko, 247Sports

Women’s Soccer: Fischer’s Big Week Leads to B1G Player of the Week Honor
Ohio State Athletics


Men’s Soccer: Trejo Brings Passion, Professional Experience to Ohio State
Gaurav Law, The Lantern

And now for something completely different...


Make sure you watch until the end:


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Hangout in the Holy Land Podcast: Ohio State opens the second half against Iowa
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Kyle Robertson/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Buckeyes take on the Hawkeyes for the first time since being upset in Iowa City in 2017.

The latest episode of Land-Grant Holy Land’s flagship podcast ‘Hangout in the Holy Land’ is here! Join LGHL’s co-managing editor Gene Ross alongside his co-host Josh Dooley as they cover everything from football to basketball to recruiting and more!

Listen to the episode and subscribe:

Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio


Gene and Josh are very excited to get back to their normally scheduled programming, as Ohio State is back in action this weekend when they host the Iowa Hawkeyes. Before getting into that, the duo recaps a crazy weekend of college football with Ryan Day’s group hopefully using the time to get healthy.

They then get into this year’s Iowa team, which comes to Columbus with one of the nation's worst offenses but also one of the nation’s best defenses. Can that elite defense hold down the Buckeyes' offense? And if so, will it even matter if the Hawkeyes can't put points on the board?

“Hangout in the Holy Land” will be posting two episodes per week during the regular season, with an episode before and after each Ohio State game to give you all the preview and recap content you may need. Be sure to download and listen in wherever you get your podcasts, and leave us a review on Apple to let us know your thoughts and how we can make things even better!

You can also follow us on Twitter @HolyLandPod, where we will want to hear from you guys even more! If there’s anything you’d like us to talk about on the show, @ us and let us know!

As always, Go Bucks.


Connect with the Podcast:
Twitter: @HolyLandPod

Connect with Gene:
Twitter: @Gene_Ross23

Connect with Josh
Twitter: @jdooleybuckeye

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Ohio State leaves positive impression on four-star DL target from Georgia
Bret Favachio via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Kayden McDonald | 247Sports

The Buckeyes continue to prioritize a top defensive line target as an upcoming decision looms.

As decision day inches closer for one of defensive line coach Larry Johnson’s top remaining targets, the Buckeyes made another big impression on the blue-chip standout with a recent visit to his school. Plus, a future Ohio State pass-catcher that has been committed to the program since June revealed his official visit date to Columbus on Tuesday.

Ohio State “checks another box” for McDonald


We are less than two weeks away from finding out the collegiate home for 2023 four-star defensive lineman Kayden McDonald of North Gwinnett (GA). The 6-foot-3, 310-pounder is currently set to announce his commitment on Oct. 31, and the Buckeyes are hoping to leave no stone unturned in their pursuit.

This past Friday, Ohio State head coach Ryan Day and cornerbacks coach Tim Walton made their way to Suwannee, Georgia to stop by the high school that McDonald attends to see the peach state prospect. The check-in from Day and Walton left a positive impression on McDonald, and he didn’t hold back when speaking about the visit.

“The head coach of the No. 2 team in the country came to see me,” McDonald told Garrick Hodge of Eleven Warriors. “It checks another box for Ohio State. It means a lot to me.”

As the Buckeyes look to outlast the other finalists in the recruitment of McDonald which includes Clemson, Florida, Michigan, and Oklahoma, this is definitely a positive development for Ohio State. But just how much it impacts the decision of McDonald is yet to be seen. For now, the 247Sports Crystal Ball has the Tigers as the prohibitive favorite to land the Georgia standout, but those predictions were made a couple of months ago.

Regardless, whichever of the five programs that is fortunate enough to land McDonald will be welcoming a massive talent to their respective defensive line room. McDonald is currently penciled in as a top 250 prospect in the class. The Suwannee native also ranks as the 33rd highest graded defensive lineman and the No. 22 overall player from the talented state of Georgia.

Rogers sets Buckeye official visit


Back in June of this year, Ohio State wide receiver coach Brian Hartline worked a little bit of his recruiting magic by securing a commitment from 2023 four-star wide receiver Noah Rogers of Rolesville (NC) less than a week after he stepped on campus.

Fast forward to Tuesday, and we learned that the blue-chip pass-catcher will be back in Columbus sooner rather than later. According to his 247Sports profile, Rogers will be back at Ohio State for an official visit with the program the weekend of Nov. 25 — Michigan week.

When the visit is happening should come as no surprise, as the weekend will be a major recruiting one for the Buckeyes which their arch-rivals in town. But the fact that Ohio State will have Rogers back on campus again, with attempts from NC State and North Carolina to flip his pledge, is the important aspect of the scheduled visit.

That is not to say that the commitment of the No. 47 overall player in the class was or should be in question. But sometimes prospects need to be reminded of why they initially made the decision that they did, and him being back in Columbus in front of what will surely be a tremendous atmosphere and around a host of future teammates might just be the reminder that Rogers, the seventh highest graded receiver, needs on why he wanted to be a Buckeye from the get go.

Quick Hits

• According to Kristian Dyer of Rutgers Wire, Ohio State will receive a visit this weekend from 2024 four-star safety Vaboue Toure of Irvington (NJ) for the contest against Iowa. The Buckeyes offered the 6-foot-1, 185-pounder just nine days ago.
• 2023 Ohio State four-star running back commit Mark Fletcher of American Heritage (FL) will be honored as an All-American later today. The No. 9 running back will take part in the contest that features “the nation’s top 100 high school football players,” according to the website.
• Buckeye target and 2024 four-star running back Stacy Gage of Wharton (FL) took to Twitter on Tuesday that his “recruitment is still 100% open.” With Alabama, Ohio State, Oklahoma, USC, and many more in pursuit, the Tampa native also noted that his top schools will be revealed soon.

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BB73 said:

Georgia went to South Bend in 2017 and won 20-19.

Click to expand...

and the Devil went down to Georgia.

LGHL Asks: What did you learn from TTUN’s win over PSU? Will Iowa score on Saturday?
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Set Number: X164186 TK1

You ask, we answer. Sometimes we ask, others answer. And then other times, we ask, we answer.

Every day for the entirety of the Ohio State football season, we will be asking and answering questions about the team, college football, and anything else on our collective minds of varying degrees of importance. If you have a question that you would like to ask, you can tweet us @LandGrant33 or if you need more than 280 characters, send an email HERE.

The No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes will be theoretically returning to the field this Saturday as healthy as they have been since before the season began after taking last week off. The team will host the offensively (feel free to put the emphasis on whichever syllable you would like) challenged Iowa Hawkeyes on Saturday at 12 noon ET.

So, for this week’s LGHL and SB Nation Reacts survey, we wanted to ask some questions about OSU’s two biggest conference rivals, Saturday’s game, and what you did on the open week. So, go ahead and share your thoughts to the questions below.

Question 1: What was your biggest takeaway from Saturday’s Michigan win over Penn State?


After close (at least on the scoreboard) in the first half of their game last week, the Harboys blew out the Nits in the second half en route to a dominant 41-17 win to firmly distance the top two teams in the Big Ten East from the rest of their divisional foes.

But we want to know what you came away from the game most thinking. Did you learn more about the Skunk Bears or the Nittany Lions? Or, was that more or less what you already expected?

The Buckeyes will travel to Happy Valley a week from Saturday to take on Penn State and will obviously host the Weasels in the regular season finale.

Question 2: What did you do on Saturday during Ohio State’s off week?


On Saturday, I drove from my home in suburban Orlando out to St. Petersburg, Fla. to watch the world premiere of a new play written by Ruper Holmes — the guy who sings “The Pina Colada Song” — and then went to the Hard Rock Casino in Tampa for the evening to play poker and watch all of the late afternoon and primetime college football action.

What did you do while the Buckeyes were on the bye? Did you have some quality FFF (forced family fun)? Maybe rake some leaves or winterize the homestead? Or did you do what I assume most folks did and just binge 12 hours of some of the best college football in recent memory?

Question 3: How many points do you think that Ohio State will give up to Iowa this weekend?


On the season, Kirk Ferentz’s Hawkeyes are scoring just 14.7 points per game, the 127th-worst total out of the 131 FBS teams. So, since I assume that the vast majority of you would pick the Buckeyes to win, I wanted to ask a slightly different question.

Ohio State is currently 10th nationally in scoring defense, allowing only 15.7 points per game, so the question is whether or not Jim Knowles’ unit will hold Iowa’s anemic offense to under its season average or not, and if so, how far under.

As always, I will share my thoughts when we reveal your responses later in the week.


Have your voice heard and share your thoughts on the Buckeyes here:


Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NCAA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Ohio State Buckeyes fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate.

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LGHL Uncut Podcast: Day, Knowles, Wilson preview Iowa, second half of season
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Ohio State Athletics

Day is also asked (again) about injuries and whether JSN will be a starter when he returns.

Throughout the year, Land-Grant Holy Land will be bringing you uncut audio primarily from Ohio State press conferences, but also from individual interview sessions.

Listen to the episode and subscribe:

Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio


On this episode of “Land-Grant Holy Land Uncut,” we have press conference audio from the media availability on Tuesday, Oct. 18. Head coach Ryan Day, defensive coordinator Jim Knowles, and offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson spent approximately an hour answering questions about this Saturday’s game against the Iowa Hawkeyes, how the team is feeling following the off week, and what they still need to improve upon for the second half of the season.

The coaches discuss what they saw from the team in the off, how injured Buckeyes are progressing, and how they are handling the pressure of their lofty expectations.

You can watch the full press conference on the official Ohio State athletics website.


Contact Matt Tamanini
Twitter: @BWWMatt

Music by: www.bensound.com

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Assessing the Carnell Tate situation and the continued pursuit by Tennessee
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Carnell Tate | 247Sports

Ohio State looks to hang on to one of their top ranked commits in the 2023 class.

It wouldn’t be recruiting if there wasn’t some sort of drama. Dealing with teenagers is unpredicatable, and in the recruiting world that sometimes can be even more of the case as they make their way through one of the biggest decisions in their lives. Every school at some point has to deal with recruiting drama around their prospective players or even commits, and Ohio State isn’t removed from that list.

In the 2023 class, the Buckeyes have been pretty fortunate when it comes to drama. For the most part, their committed players have never waivered, making the staff’s life easier. Setting the expectations up front, Ohio State’s coaches do a remarkable job at recruiting their top targets. When a player is one of their more important priorities, Ryan Day and his crew want the individual to be sure Ohio State is the right place so commitments aren’t rushed, but more of a choice that will be made for the long haul without teetering.

If there’s been any drama in this current cycle though, the name linked to the most buzz is from receiver commit, Carnell Tate. In some ways, and maybe to no fault of his own, Tate has long been the one in the class that has seen his name in the gossip. On the other hand, his actions call for his name to be linked with drama, and that again is just recruiting when it comes to high profile players in today’s day and age.

Not a secret to anyone who has followed the sitatuon closely, it’s been Tennessee that has been the thorn in Ohio State’s side when it comes to Tate and his commitment to the Buckeyes. Always a background presence — mainly because of the NIL features — Tate and the Vols have been a theme that hasn’t gone away completely, and their pursuit likely won’t change as Tate is one of the top players in the country regardless of position and would be a huge addition to anyone’s class.

The fortunate aspect to this past weekend though for Ohio State, Tate was rumored to be visiting Tennessee for the Alabama game, and while that would have been a major cause for concern for Buckeye fans, the visit in fact didn’t happen, as Tate was not in attendance.


A major win for Ohio State, Tate not being on site in Knoxville bodes well for the Buckeyes and the continued efforts to keeping him in the class. With the atmosphere surrounding that specific game, Tennessee could not have had a better Saturday night in Neyland Stadium, and surely recruits on hand had to be feeling the momentum Tennessee is currently riding. The fact that Tate was not there to experience that game and environment definitely isn’t something Ohio State’s staff is bummed about by any means.

Brian Hartline has built another stellar crew of receivers for his current class, and losing any of the four would be a major blow to the group as a whole. Tate being one of the better players in the country is a loss that, while Ohio State has incredible depth, isn’t an aspect that anyone would take well.

Anything can happen until signing day in December, but Tate is scheduled to be back in Columbus this coming weekend for his official visit. With Iowa being the opponent and not as heavy of a recruiting weekend, the staff will likely continue to show Tate why his home needs to be in Columbus for the next three to four years.

At any rate, though Tennessee has been a constant background annoyance, the development from Hartline, his connection to the staff and players, and even saying the right things on social media lead to the idea that Tate isn’t going anywhere and will be a Buckeye when all is said and done.

The countdown to signing day is on.

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You’re Nuts: Which two players should join C.J. Stroud as Heisman Trophy finalists?
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports

Your (almost) daily dose of good-natured, Ohio State banter.

With every team in the country now having played at least half of their regular season games, the Heisman Trophy picture is starting to come into view. One finalist from last year looks like a lock to make the trip back to New York City in December, and it isn’t the player that raised the trophy last year.

Repeating as winner of the prestigious award is almost impossible to do, which is why Archie Griffin is the only player to accomplish the feat. Alabama quarterback Bryce Young has been good this year, but it’s difficult to make a case for Young to repeat, especially with the Crimson Tide coming off a loss to Tennessee on Saturday and Young having missed a game with an injury.

C.J. Stroud has picked up right where he left off last year, heading into this week’s game against Iowa with 24 touchdown passes. The Ohio State quarterback has been able to put up monster numbers this year without favorite target Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who was injured early against Notre Dame in the season opener, and has barely been on the field for the Buckeyes since.

Now the fun question the rest of the regular season is going to be who joins Stroud at the Heisman Trophy ceremony? With more undefeated teams starting to go down this season, the field is starting to thin out. Today we are going to each pick two other players around college football that we feel should also be finalists for this year’s Heisman Trophy.

Today’s question: Which two players should join C.J. Stroud as Heisman Trophy finalists?

We’d love to hear your choices. Either respond to us on Twitter at @Landgrant33 or leave your choice in the comments.

Brett’s answers: Hendon Hooker and Chase Brown


Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker has been nearly flawless this year, throwing 15 touchdowns and just one interception, while also adding three rushing touchdowns. The Virginia Tech transfer saved his best performance for the biggest game of the season in the biggest game in Knoxville in quite some time. On Saturday, Hooker threw for a season-high 385 yards and five touchdowns in the 52-49 win over Alabama.

With Hooker taking the snaps for then Volunteers, Tennessee is primed for their first 10-win season since 2007. Even though many might say that Hooker already had his “Heisman moment” with the win over Alabama, he’ll get another chance next month to further influence voters when the Volunteers square off with Georgia, with both teams likely to be ranked in the top-three if they stay undefeated.

Hendon Hooker is a favorite to be a Heisman Trophy finalist, but Illinois running back Chase Brown should also be in consideration to at least be invited to the event. Even though many will champion Tennessee as the most improved team in the country, Illinois might be more deserving of the praise. The Fighting Illini are 6-1 so far this season. The last time Illinois won more than six games in a season came back in 2011 when Ron Zook was the head coach.

Photo by Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Chase Brown has been a workhorse for Illinois this year, rushing for at least 100 yards in each of the first seven games. Head coach Bret Bielema has really leaned on Brown of late, calling on the running back to carry the football 31 times in a 9-6 win over Iowa, followed by giving Brown 41 carries in this weekend’s win over Minnesota.

With five regular season games left, Brown is within striking distance of setting the school record for most rushing yards in a season, currently held by Mikel Leshoure, who rushed for 1,697 yards in 2010. If the Fighting Illini are able to win the Big Ten West and earn a spot in the Big Ten Championship Game, there will be a lot more talk about Brown being deserving of a spot in New York City. Even though he has done it quietly, Brown is currently leading the country in rushing.

Meredith’s answers: Bryce Young and... surprise


In what’s fast becoming a dark horse pick, I feel like Bryce Young did himself a lot of favors against Tennessee Saturday. While we were all celebrating the downfall of Bama, Young did everything he needed to do to keep the Tide in a position to win throughout the game in ways that were increasingly frustrating for those of us cheering against Alabama.

Photo by Donald Page/Getty Images

With Young, he really didn’t wrap up the Heisman until a marvelous performance in the SEC Championship last year. In all likelihood, even with what we saw Saturday, Alabama remains the favorite in the SEC West (despite upcoming trips to Baton Rouge and Oxford) and we might see another such performance from Young in November.

Young completed 67% of his passes for 455 yards, two touchdowns and no picks. He proved slippery against a Tennessee defensive line, which was only able to sack him once, and made plays, especially down to the wire, that kept Alabama alive in what turned out to be a second half shootout. As much as we were cheering against him, we had to admit that he is really good. You know, if already having won a Heisman wasn’t enough of an indicator.

For my second pick, while I’m ecstatic that there are some running backs in the early Heisman mix, I’m frustrated that the watch list continues to penalize receivers who don’t touch the ball every down. So, I’m going to cheat and go with my composite receiver Marv(Ja)lin Hyatt-arrison Jr. This freakish wide out, of course, is the best of Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr. and Tennessee’s Jalin Hyatt.

The pair are Nos. 1 and 2 in the nation in receiving touchdowns with 10 for Hyatt and nine for Harrison. Both are also top-20 in receiving yards per game in the FBS. More importantly, both are just absurd athletes. Harrison has week after week hauled in acrobatic catches that are impossible to defend. Then, Saturday, Hyatt had five (count ‘em, five) touchdowns against Bama from his quarterback, fellow Heisman contender Hendon Hooker.

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Ohio State women’s basketball ranked no. 14 in AP Preseason Poll
1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


James Snook-USA TODAY Sports

The Buckeyes are part of a group of six Big Ten teams represented in the first Associated Press poll of the season

In the fall of 2021, the Ohio State Buckeyes entered the season with a surprise No. 17 rank in the AP poll, a weekly metric on how NCAA basketball teams are doing nationally. It was a surprise because the Scarlet and Gray lost multiple starters to the transfer portal and entered their first season back in postseason play after recruiting sanctions. Now, after a season where the Buckeyes shocked the conference with a regular season title, followed by a Sweet Sixteen run in the NCAA Tournament, Ohio State starts another season ranked, this time at No. 14.

Ohio State earned the honor for the third straight season, after a two-year hiatus from receiving AP recognition. After last year’s championship season, the Buckeyes won two NCAA Tournament games against Missouri State and LSU before losing to Big 12 Tournament Champions, the Texas Longhorns, in a close 66-63 defeat.

That run to the third round of March Madness ended the Buckeyes' season in polling at No. 14 with the Associated Press, Ohio State’s second-highest ranking of the season. For one week, the Buckeyes were No. 13 in a year where head coach Kevin McGuff’s side was up and down, at least in polling.

For three weeks during the 2021-22 season, the Buckeyes were outside of the top-25 ranking, after a weak non-conference schedule and early conference losses to the Indiana Hoosiers and Michigan Wolverines.

This season, with non-conference games against two of the teams included in this year’s poll like No. 5 Tennessee and No. 7 Louisville, the Buckeyes have the ability to show their success last season wasn’t a fluke.

Elsewhere in the Big Ten, the regulars are all there. Leading the way are the Iowa Hawkeyes, coming in at No. 4. They’re followed by the Hoosiers at 11, Maryland Terrapins at 17, Nebraska Cornhuskers at 22, and Wolverines at 25. The conference leads all conferences with six teams in the top 25.

There are no surprises at the top of the poll. The defending NCAA champions, the South Carolina Gamecocks, sit unanimously at No. 1., followed by Stanford, Texas, Iowa, and the Tennessee Volunteers.

Ultimately, the polls don’t matter once the games start on the court, outside of added motivation for underdogs or pressure for higher-ranked sides. How it can affect the Buckeyes is in NCAA Tournament seeding.

Last year, despite winning a co-share of the conference title with guard Caitlin Clark and the Hawkeyes, Ohio State was a six-seed, meaning they traveled to a hostile environment for their first two games. It didn’t impact Ohio State too much, as they beat the LSU Tigers in their home arena, but hosting a game brings the added benefits of less travel and a home-court advantage.

To see the full AP list, click here.

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cincibuck said:

…
In 1974 the conference finally allowed more than one team to go to a bowl game. While that may have made more fans happy, I wonder if it wasn't the moment that Ohio State and Michigan began to dominate. i.e. instead of helping keep the conference balanced, it allowed the big dogs to rule.

Click to expand...

Great post

as to the last paragraph…

The era of the greatest parity in the B1G that I can remember was the 80s and perhaps early 90s. Perhaps the effect took decades to be fully realized, but it seems to me that the same forces that made the conference the Big 2, Little 8 to begin with are the same forces that make it the Giant 1, Big 1, Little Dozen now. And I’m calling TTUN the big 1 out of courtesy. They’ve run into a rash of bad coaching hires and have been mediocre for the past 15 years. Judging programs, not teams, is how I put them on a tier below OSU but above the rest of the conference

B1G Thoughts: Ten years of regret?
JordanW330 via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Robert Goddin-USA TODAY Sports

Michigan State and Penn State are suffering some buyers remorse over signing 10-year contracts, plus Michigan and Illinois continue to dominate

Every Monday after the Big Ten slate of games, I will bring you some B1G thoughts on everything that happened! This will include analysis, stats, key players, moments, and maybe a joke or two. Check out the I-70 Football Show in the Land-Grant Holy Land podcast feed for more in-depth analysis and to preview the next week of B1G games.

State College, you have a Manny Diaz problem


State College, I regret to inform you that you have a Manny Diaz problem. I know there was a lot of hope when Franklin replaced longtime defensive coordinator Brent Pry with the former Miami head coach. It made sense; You could convince yourself that Franklin stole a great coach from a program that undervalued him. You may have even convinced yourself that with him at the helm he could make your already good defense a great defense.

After six games, that is not the case. Penn State may have the best claim of any school to be Linebacker University. Their most recent stud, Micah Parsons, may already be a top-10 defender in the NFL. Yet so far this season, the Nittany Lions linebacking corp has been abysmal. As has their defensive line. The only bright spot is a secondary led by Joey Porter Jr. and Ji’Ayir Brown.

Diaz’s defense allowed Michigan to run for 418 total yards, with the duo of Black Corum and Donovan Edwards running for 339 yards and four touchdowns. Against the only other team on the schedule with a pulse, Diaz’s unit gave up 31 points and needed some late-game heroics to win a game where they did not look like the better team. To make matters worse, they were bullied in all aspects of the game, and with games against Minnesota and Ohio State coming up this season, things could get out of hand.

Diaz is going to have to look at himself in the mirror and find a way to bring back LBU or Penn State is at risk of losing three-straight games and ending all thoughts of contending for the East.

The return of small-game James


Small game James has done it again, and no I don’t mean James Harden. James Franklin is an above-average coach, which can not be denied, but when it comes to big games — whether they be against rivals or in bowls — his teams typically come up small.

Under Franklin, Penn State has a record of 72-35, with a 44-29 mark in the Big Ten. That’s good for a 62% win percentage overall and 60% in the Big Ten. That’s solid. Very much above average, but not spectacular. The problem comes when the Nittany Lions play teams that are equal or better. Franklin is 10-22 against his East division rivals, Michigan, Michigan State, and Ohio State, and in bowl games. Franklin has won 11 games in a season three times but also has a trio of seven-win seasons as well.

Penn State has been close to the mountain top, but more times than not they suffer frustrating losses to teams they should be equal to or better than. Penn State has tied its future to Franklin, but unless he finds a way to come up big in big games, Penn State has a ceiling and I don’t see them busting through it anytime soon. That should be concerning with Ohio State and Michigan separating themselves from the pack, as well as the addition of UCLA and USC.

Penn State is in the awkward position of having a coach who is just good enough, but not great. If you fire him, you risk ruining your program. But if you keep him, you risk never being great. With the 12-team playoff looming and changes to the conference, Franklin won’t have much longer to prove he’s still the guy.

10 years of success or regret?


After an 11-2 season with a win over rival Michigan, the Michigan State brass signed Mel Tucker to a 10-year, $95 million extension to lock him up for the next decade, and supposedly keep away LSU and other schools from trying to poach him. All of this shortly after Penn State locked up James Franklin to a 10-year $85 million extension. This one made less sense, because no one was coming after Franklin, and he’d been mediocre at best in his last few seasons.

Well, immediately after that extension, the Spartans are 3-4 and look like one of the worst teams in the Big Ten. With games against Illinois, Michigan, and Penn State left on the schedule, Michigan State may be looking at a season without making a bowl game.

Under Tucker, Michigan State has had one exceptional season, but has one of the worst secondaries in the country and an inconsistent running game without Kenneth Walker III making up for a horrible offensive line. Penn State, on the other hand, is 5-1, but after a brutal beating by Michigan, they are looking at a potential three-game losing streak and a disappointing season.

Neither coach had done enough to deserve a ten-year extension, but their agents ran laps around the administration. It’s too soon to determine if these schools will regret their decision, but maybe they should consider letting coaches earn the money before throwing it around.

Michigan is good, why are you all shocked?


After dismantling Penn State, many national pundits are declaring that Michigan is a good football team — which is true. My problem is: why are they so shocked?

Under Harbaugh, Michigan is 68-24 overall and 46-17 in the Big Ten. In his seven seasons, Michigan has won more than 10 games four times, and has won eight and nine games in two other seasons. He is well on his way to another 10-plus win season. His Wolverines sit at 7-0 so far in his eighth year with the program. Harbaugh is far from perfect as a coach and especially as a person, but one thing is true: Michigan has always been a good team under him.

They have not been elite, which has led to some embarrassing losses to Ohio State, but they have been very good. So, yes you can choose to act surprised that Michigan is a good football team, but you just haven’t been paying attention. The only thing that matters for Michigan is whether they are good enough to compete with Ohio State, or was last year an aberration? We won’t know the answer until late November when it’s likely both teams will meet with undefeated records, with a trip to the College Football Playoff following a pit stop in Indianapolis on the line.

Blake Corum, I apologize for doubting you


I must apologize to Blake Corum. For way too long I did not view him as a top back in the Big Ten. I questioned if he could carry the load for the Wolverines in Hassan Haskins’ absence. I didn’t think he had it in him to be an every-down back and pick up the tough yards when Michigan needed them most.

It may have taken a few games too long, but Corum has changed my mind. Through seven games he has been the engine of Michigan’s offense, finding a way to wreck defensive game plans and break off big runs almost at will. Through seven games he has 146 carries — two more than he had in 12 games last year — for 901 yards and 13 touchdowns. He has turned himself into a top-five back in the Big Ten, which means he’s essentially a top-five back in the nation and a true NFL Draft prospect.

Michigan will go as far as he can carry them. His only job now is to stay healthy as he shoulders a heavy load.

Jim Leonhard can’t fix his defense, how can he fix Wisconsin?


Wisconsin fired Paul Chryst largely because he could not develop a consistent offense. Wisconsin was losing its identity, and the promise of Graham Mertz hasn’t shown any results so far despite Chryst assuming the mantel of quarterbacks coach for a season and Mertz getting more experienced in the offense. While the firing of Chryst was more than justified for multiple reasons, the hiring or potential hiring of Jim Leonhard may be a mistake they can’t recover from.

Leonhard is the native son, and for much of his career has led one of the best defenses in the country. That can not be said this year, as Wisconsin has lost four games this season, including giving up 52 points to Ohio State and 34 apiece to Illinois and Michigan State. The Badger’s offense is not great, but against the Spartans, they put up 27 points, and in previous years that would be more than enough to win as Wisconsin’s defense was not giving up 30-plus points to almost any offense. This is not to say that Jim Leonhard won’t be a good head coach, but if his defense is slipping, can you genuinely have faith that he can fix both sides of the ball and bring Wisconsin into the future?

A Big Ten Championship with the Illibuck on the line!


Illinois is the best team in the West. It’s as simple as that. They are on a crash course with Ohio State towards a Big Ten Championship game with the Illibuck on the line. Yes, the Illibuck. Not the championship trophy, not the playoffs. We have priorities here and that turtle trophy is at the top of the list!

Jacoby Windmon: Big Ten DPOY?


Michigan State has been a very bad team this season, but they have one bright spot. That is linebacker turned defensive end Jacoby Windmon. At the one-third mark of the season, Windmon led the Big Ten in just about every defensive category that mattered. After stepping up as a defensive end when his team needed him, he moved back to linebacker against Wisconsin and continued padding his stats.

He finished the game with 11 tackles, as well as one tackle for loss, an interception, a forced fumbles and pass breakup. He was all over the place for the Spartans, bringing his season total to 37 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, six forced fumbles, and an interception. He is a versatile weapon for Michigan State, and at this pace could very well end up the Big Ten’s Defensive Player of the Year in his first season in the conference after transferring over from UNLV.

Trey Palmer is HIM!


Scott Frost made many mistakes as a head coach, but one of his best decisions was hiring Mickey Joseph from LSU. Mickey Joseph came home to Nebraska and brought with him LSU transfer Trey Palmer. Palmer has arguably been Nebraska’s best player this season, and he continues to dazzle. Against Purdue, albeit in a loss, he racked up an outrageous line with seven catches for 237 yards and two touchdowns. For the season, he has 47 receptions for 781 yards and five touchdowns. Nebraska has not had many bright spots, but the play of their transfers — specifically Palmer — is one of them.

The Mockabee train is leaving the station


Purdue for the past few seasons has had a non-existent running game, putting immense pressure on Aidan O’Connell and his wide receivers to win them games. Throughout this season, that has still been the case, but that may soon be changing with the emergence of freshman running back Devin Mockabee.

Mockabee has been used very sparingly this season, but already has two games with over 100 yards rushing. Against Nebraska, Mockabee was a workhorse with 30 rushing attempts for 178 yards and a touchdown. Mockabee is averaging 5.7 yards per carry, and has already shown he can handle a larger workload. The job should be his for the rest of the season.

With the threat of Aidan O’Connell launching passes to Charlie Jones, adding a running threat could boost Purdue’s chances of capturing a West division title. Plus, did I mention he wears No. 45? What more could you ask for in a running back?

Continue reading...

Why is this News? All the articles and tweets Buckeye fans need for October 18, 2022
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Kyle Robertson/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

All the Buckeye news thats fit to re-print.

Look, we get it. Your days are busy and you don’t have time to read all of the stories and tweets from the three dozen websites dedicated to covering Ohio State athletics, or the 237 Buckeye beat writers churning out hot takes and #content on a daily basis. But that’s ok, that’s what your friends at Land-Grant Holy Land are here for.

Monday through Friday, we’ll be collecting all of the articles, tweets, features, interviews, videos, podcasts, memes, photos, and whatever else we stumble across on the interwebz and putting them in our daily “Why is this News?” article. That way, you’ll have a one-stop shop for all of the most important Buckeye news, jokes, and analysis.

You’re welcome!

For your Earholes...


Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio

Ask LGHL


Introducing ‘Ask LGHL,’ asking and answering questions throughout the football season
Matt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land

On the Gridiron


Four Buckeyes named to 2022 Lombardi Award midseason watch list
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts

Ryan Day Talks Ohio State’s Bye Week, Prep for Iowa and Says “None of Our Goals Have Been Met” on 97.1 The Fan
Griffin Strom, Eleven Warriors

Five Questions as recharged Buckeyes prepare for Iowa
Austin Ward, Dotting the Eyes

Iowa vs. Ohio State: An underrated rivalry with a big ’what if’ (paywall)
Scott Dochterman, The Athletic

Tell me again how the Skunk Bears are the best team in the B1G East:


Five Buckeyes who can step up, break out in second half of season
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row

C.J. Stroud, Marvin Harrison Jr. and Ohio State’s Offense on Pace for Record-Breaking 2022 Season
Dan Hope and Matt Gutridge, Eleven Warriors

Column: Ryan Day is getting the Top-10 defense he ordered this offseason
Chris Renne, Land-Grant Holy Land

Thoughts on Ohio State’s remaining schedule, Big Ten and national picture
Bill Landis, Dotting the Eyes

Big Ten stat leaders through Week 7
Gene Ross, Land-Grant Holy Land

You don’t see one player getting an interception and a fumble recovery on the same play.


You’re Nuts: Your College Football Playoff field if the season ended today
Josh Dooley and Gene Ross, Land-Grant Holy Land

Ohio State’s Emeka Egbuka, Marvin Harrison Jr. working hard to be best receiving duo in the nation
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts

We’ll talk about this later: A true underdog story
Meredith Hein, Land-Grant Holy Land

On the Hardwood


Ohio State to open the 2022-23 season unranked in AP poll
Adam Jardy, The Columbus Dispatch

The Buckeyes got a really great shooter on Sunday.


Men’s Basketball: ‘It’s the Best Feeling Ever’: Etzler Follows Uncle’s Footsteps at Ohio State
Reid Murray, The Lantern

Ohio State women’s basketball player preview: Cotie McMahon
Thomas Costello, Land-Grant Holy Land

Outside the Shoe and Schott


No. 15 Buckeyes Score Twice in Second Half to Beat Wildcats, 2-1
Ohio State Athletics

Women’s Ice Hockey: No. 1 Buckeyes Earn 5-2 Win Over Bemidji State
Ohio State Athletics

Women’s Ice Hockey: Jaques Earns WCHA Defender of the Week Nod
Ohio State Athletics

Paris Johnson Jr. Foundation Among Finalists for FWAA’s Armed Forces Merit Award
Dan Hope, Eleven Warriors

And now for something completely different...


How am I 100 years old?


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Silver Bullets Podcast: B1G Results and Iowa Preview
Michael Citro via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Kyle Robertson/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

A look back at the Big Ten games from Ohio State’s bye week and a look ahead to the Iowa’s visit to Ohio Stadium.


The Buckeyes took a week off, but we didn’t. We wouldn’t leave our listeners hanging like that.

Without an Ohio State game to break down, we opened with our weekly walk through the other Big Ten games. All eyes were on the top 10 match-up in Ann Arbor that turned out to be a terrible game. Meanwhile, some of the matchups few people outside of the specific fandoms wanted to see turned out to be some of the most entertaining battles of the weekend. Bret Bielema’s Illini gained bowl eligibility, some key injuries took place around the league, Wisconsin continued to be perplexing, and Nebraska is still struggling in one-score games.

Beyond the B1G, there were some incredible games all day long on Saturday. The Alabama-Tennessee game is one that had our attention, but there were also huge games between future Big Ten school USC and Utah, TCU and Oklahoma State, and elsewhere around the country. Even without an OSU game, Saturday was one of the best college football game days in years.

We welcomed Adam Jacobi to the show this week to give us the scoop on what has been a frustrating year so far for Iowa Hawkeyes fans. The editor-at-large for GoIowaAwesome.com was kind enough to get into Iowa’s offensive struggles and the issues that quarterback Spencer Petras and the Iowa offensive line have had this season. He also told us who to watch for on the Hawkeye defense when Ohio State has the ball. Big thanks to Adam for his time.

Finally, we put our suspect reputations on the line by selecting our Ohio State picks to click on offense and defense for this weekend’s game. We also gave our final score predictions for Saturday’s meeting between the Buckeyes and the Hawkeyes. We’re both expecting a surprise cover for Iowa in a game that we suspect might be lower scoring than the average fan might think. It all depends on how much trouble the Buckeyes have moving the ball against a top-notch Iowa defense.

We’ll be back next week to talk about Ohio State’s meeting in the Shoe with Iowa and look ahead to the Penn State Nittany Lions. In the meantime, feel free to reach out with your feedback and questions below in the comments section or send us an email. Be sure to subscribe, rate, review, and share!

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Ohio State offers 2024 running back
Dan Hessler via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports

Plus, the men’s basketball Buckeyes could earn their second commitment in the 2024 class this week.

After a much-needed bye week, Ohio State is now preparing to host Iowa this weekend. Entering the second half of the season, the Buckeyes’ schedule will see an increase in the level of play of their opponents. This will undoubtedly require more focus from both the players and the coaching staff. While the coaches will be busy closing out the season, they also know college football recruiting never stops.

Ohio State offers 2024 RB


Ohio State’s football staff took advantage of the free week, hitting the recruiting trail headfirst. The work resulted in the Buckeyes being the new favorites for 2023 four-star defensive end Damon Wilson (Venice, FL / Venice) and dozens of scholarship offers.

The newest recruit to receive a scholarship offer was rising 2024 running back James Peoples (San Antonio, TX / Veterans Memorial), who took to Twitter late this weekend to show off the news.


Peoples has not yet received a composite ranking from 247Sports, but holds an impressive offer sheet including programs such as Texas, Texas Tech, TCU, Kansas, Missouri, Houston and now Ohio State. Peoples is seeing his recruitment take off as he is in the middle of an incredible season. Midway through the year, he has 1,078 rushing Yards on 107 carries and has racked up 18 TD’s.

He has yet to take any visits to schools recruiting him, but he is certainly more familiar with the schools in his home-state of Texas. Ohio State coaches Ryan Day and Tony Allen certainly seem to be interested in Peoples and will need to get him on campus to have a chance of prying him out of Texas.

For a glimpse into Peoples’ impressive season, check out his highlights below:

Quick Hits

• The Ohio State men’s basketball team added the first member of its 2024 recruiting class over the weekend when four-star point guard John Mobley Jr. committed to the Buckeyes. Mobley was a huge first addition to a class that looks to be much smaller than the Buckeyes previous two classes.

However, the team may be adding to the class much sooner than expected. 2024 four-star small forward Darren Harris (Fairfax, VA / Paul VI Catholic) is high on the Buckeyes, and will be announcing his commitment Oct. 22. Harris is set to choose between Duke, Maryland, Miami and Ohio State, with Duke being the runaway favorites. Ohio State head coach Chris Holtmann has proven to be one of the sport’s best recruiters, but he might need to pull off a miracle if the Buckeyes are to get Harris.

Harris is the No. 14 SF in his class and is the No. 48 overall prospect in the 247Sports Composite Rankings. He is also the No. 1 recruit from the state of Virginia.

• The Ohio State men’s basketball team will be playing host to a different 2024 recruit this weekend when the football team plays host to Iowa. Ohio-native shooting guard Colin White (Ottawa, OH / Ottawa-glandorf) is set to visit with the Buckeyes this weekend.

Continue reading...

Big Ten stat leaders through Week 7
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Set Number: X164186 TK1

The Buckeyes were off this week, giving the rest of the conference some time to catch up.

As you would expect, Ohio State had a number of players at the top of their respective positions in the season stats columns at the midway point of the season. However, with the Buckeyes off this past weekend, it gave the rest of the conference some time to catch up.

Lets take a look at the statistical leaders in the B1G after Week 7.

Passing Yards

1. Taulia Tagovailoa, Maryland - 2,001
2. Aidan O’Connell, Purdue - 1,950
3. Connor Bazelak, Indiana - 1,889

(Ohio State’s leader: C.J. Stroud - 1,737 — 5th)

Passing Touchdowns

1. C.J. Stroud, Ohio State - 24
2. Graham Mertz, Wisconsin - 15
3. Aidan O’Connell, Purdue - 14

Passing Efficiency

1. C.J. Stroud, Ohio State - 207.6
2. J.J. McCarthy, Michigan - 170.6
3. Graham Mertz, Wisconsin - 157.7

Rushing Yards

1. Chase Brown, Illinois - 1,059
2. Blake Corum, Michigan - 901
3. Braelon Allen, Wisconsin - 757

(Ohio State’s leader: Miyan Williams - 497 — 7th)

Rushing Touchdowns

1. Blake Corum, Michigan - 13
2. Mohamed Ibrahim, Minnesota - 9
3. Miyan Williams, Ohio State // Braelon Allen, Wisconsin - 8

Yards Per Carry (min. 50 attempts)

1. Miyan Williams, Ohio State - 7.8
2. Nicholas Singleton, Penn State - 7.0
3. Mohamed Ibrahim, Minnesota - 6.7

Receiving Yards

1. Trey Palmer, Nebraska - 781
2. Charlie Jones, Purdue - 735
3. Emeka Egbuka, Ohio State - 655

Receiving Touchdowns

1. Marvin Harrison Jr., Ohio State - 9
2. Charlie Jones, Purdue - 9
3. Emeka Egbuka, Ohio State - 6

Receptions

1. Charlie Jones, Purdue - 62
2. Trey Palmer, Nebraska - 47
3. Isaiah Williams, Illinois - 47

(Ohio State’s leader: Emeka Egbuka - 35 — 6th)

Total Tackles

1. Jack Campbell, Iowa - 62
2. Cal Haladay, Michigan State - 58
3. Kendell Brooks, Michigan State - 57

(Ohio State’s leader: Tommy Eichenberg - 50 — 10th)

Tackles for Loss

1. Jacoby Windmon, Michigan State - 10.5
2. Nick Herbig, Wisconsin - 9.5
3. Aaron Casey, Indiana - 9.0

(Ohio State’s leader: Mike Hall Jr. - 7.5 — 7th)

Sacks

1. Nick Herbig, Wisconsin - 6.0
2. Jacoby Windmon, Michigan State - 5.5
3. Mike Morris, Michigan - 5.0

(Ohio State’s leader: Mike Hall Jr. - 4.5 — 4th)

Interceptions

1. Kendall Smith, Illinois - 4
2. Cam Allen, Purdue // Cooper DeJean, Iowa // John Torchio, Wisconsin - 3
3. 14 players tied with 2

(Ohio State’s leader: Chambers, Hickman, McAlister, Ransom - 1 each)

Team Stats - Scoring Offense

1. Ohio State - 48.8 PPG
2. Michigan - 42.7 PPG
3. Maryland - 34.6 PPG

Team Stats - Scoring Defense

1. Illinois - 8.9 PPG allowed
2. Iowa - 9.8 PPG allowed
3. Minnesota - 11.7 PPG allowed

(Ohio State - 15.7 PPG allowed — 5th)

Team Stats - Total Offense

1. Ohio State - 543.7 YPG
2. Michigan - 473.6 YPG
3. Maryland - 458.9 YPG

Team Stats - Total Defense

1. Illinois - 222.1 YPG allowed
2. Michigan - 250 YPG allowed
3. Ohio State - 253.5 YPG allowed

Continue reading...

AKAK said:

Its on the list.

Looks like we're back up.

@Abenaki - please stop working.

Click to expand...

I absolutely forgot and went to check in this morning...I didn't take it well.

You’re Nuts: Your College Football Playoff field if the season ended today.
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Donald Page/Getty Images

Time to overreact to the chaos of this past weekend.

Everybody knows that one of the best parts of being a sports fan is debating and dissecting the most (and least) important questions in the sporting world with your friends. So, we’re bringing that to the pages of LGHL with our favorite head-to-head column: You’re Nuts.

In You’re Nuts, two LGHL staff members will take differing sides of one question and argue their opinions passionately. Then, in the end, it’s up to you to determine who’s right and who’s nuts.

This week’s topic: Your College Football Playoff field if the season ended today.

Josh’s Take


Gene, the events of this past weekend felt like the first, true “break free from the pack” moment(s) of this 2022 college football season. Four losses by top-10 teams have suddenly created a little bit of separation between The Best and The Rest. And really, breaking free might be too aggressive of a term, but at least now I think we have a slightly better idea of who the true contenders are. As for the possible pretenders...

USC showed that they are probably a year – and a legit defensive coordinator – away, as their loss pushed them outside the current top-10. Same goes for Oklahoma State, who likely does not have the star power to contend with bluebloods this year. Penn State pulled a Penn State in a big game, and Alabama... Well, unless they suffer two losses, Nick Saban’s team will always receive the benefit of the doubt. So Bama is still very much in the conversation.

Said conversation will go on for the entirety of the season. There will continue to be highly-ranked matchups, upsets, injuries, and the whole nine (football pun) — meaning the College Football Playoff race is far from over. But this felt like a good tentpole moment for debate. So my co-host and I decided to rank our top four CFP contenders, in order, with a brief explanation as to why. I am sure we are the first to ever do this, and I cannot wait to see how deadly accurate I am in the end.

1) Tennessee


Oh yeah, I am going there! Call it an overreaction. Call me a prisoner of the moment. But I feel that Tennessee is deserving of the top spot right now. The Volunteers already have four wins over top-25 opponents, including roadies at Pitt and at LSU. They have a Heisman candidate in Hendon Hooker, an offensive mastermind of a head coach in Josh Heupel, and they just took down the vaunted Crimson Tide in an instant classic. I’m not overreacting, you’re underreacting!

The only reason Tennessee is not a consensus No. 1 or No. 2 is because they began the season unranked... That’s it. If they had been ranked inside the top-10 or top-15, I think Heupel’s team would be sitting atop the mountain – Ol’ Rocky Top – at this point. Will they stay at or near the top? No idea, because the SEC is tough. But the Vols currently have the most impressive résumé.

2) Ohio State


Homer pick, but the right pick. The Buckeyes opened their season with a victory over the fifth-ranked team in the country. That is fact. They have destroyed every team on their schedule without the services of Jaxon Smith-Njigba – the preseason favorite for CFB’s Biletnikoff Award – as well as a host of other players, at any given time. Also fact. And OSU’s defense seems to be legit after a few down years. You guessed it: fact.

Ryan Day’s team will face a few tests in the coming weeks, and that will tell us more about them. Notre Dame, Wisconsin, and Michigan State were not all they were cracked up to be, so the Buckeyes need to clear a few taller hurdles before some voters crown them as any sort of favorite. And that’s fine. It they take care of business, a battle awaits on Nov. 26. It should all come down to that.

3) Georgia


The Bulldogs are the defending champs, so I understand why they are considered one of the favorites. But outside of a Week 1 thrashing of Oregon – who was breaking in a new head coach and a transfer QB – their schedule was been garbage. And they haven’t exactly rolled over all of those opponents. A 17-point victory against Kent State and a four-point squeaker over Missouri do not scream “prohibitive favorite” to me. The defense is not as good as it was in 2021, nor is the running game — the two things that won UGA last year’s title. No offense to Stetson Bennett or Brock Bowers, but wake me up when they play a team with a pulse in the SEC.

4) Michigan


Fine, whatever. TTUN might be good. I can tell you more after Ohio State plays Penn State, but Captain Khaki does not get the benefit of the doubt after games against Colorado State, Hawai’i, and UConn.

Go Sparty.

That’s my four, Gene. I have a feeling we might differ on order, but at the midway point, I would be surprised if we did not have the same group.

Gene’s Take


Well, Josh. Call me a hater, but you will soon see where my four teams differ from yours. I will also be going in a different order, but the top three teams from your playoff field are still included in my current College Football Playoff.

1) Ohio State


It may be a homer pick, but we’ve spent most of the season talking about how Ohio State has been the most consistently good team in the country. Outside of the first half against Notre Dame, when the Buckeyes unexpected lost the best wide receiver in the country to injury and were forced to adapt, Ryan Day’s crew has taken care of business. Sure, the teams on the schedule haven’t exactly been world-beaters, but Ohio State has won all of those games by multiple scores. You can’t control who you play, you can only win the games that are in front of you, and the Buckeyes have done that week in and week out despite missing seemingly half the roster each time out.

2) Tennessee


While Ohio State has been the most consistent team in the country, Tennessee without a doubt now holds the best win of any team in the country with their 52-49 upset of Alabama this past weekend. The Volunteers have definitely been consistent in their own right, with “ranked” wins over Pitt, Florida and LSU, but none of those teams are still ranked in the current AP Top 25. I don’t subscribe to the notion of “ranked win at the time” as I find it silly to give credit for wins against teams that we found out later simply aren’t very good. Same goes for Ohio State’s win over Notre Dame. Still, Tennessee deserves the No. 2 spot in my mind right now. They’ve taken care of business in a major way, and that win against the Tide is massive for their resume.

3) Georgia


Like Josh alluded to, Georgia’s inclusion in this exercise has a lot to do with being the defending national champs. It looked earlier this year as if the Bulldogs were once again going to be untouchable, but the shine has long worn off that big win over Oregon. They struggled with the likes of Kent State and Missouri thus far, and they simply dont look as dominant as they did a year ago. That defense was other-worldly in 2021, but most of those players are now gone. Don’t get me wrong — this Georgia team is still very good. I just dont think they’re playing better football right now than either Ohio State or Tennessee. They’ll matchup up with the Volunteers in just a few weeks, and the winner of that game will almost certainly be a lock for the CFP regardless of what else happens.

4) Clemson


It doesn’t bring me any pleasure to do this, but Clemson is my No. 4 team right now. Sure, Michigan has been impressive, but against who? Their non-conference schedule was among the worst in all of college football, and they struggled for at least a half against the trio of Maryland, Iowa and Indiana. They put together their most significant win of the season by far this past weekend against Penn State, but James Franklin literally ALWAYS does this in his team’s biggest games. On the flip side, the Tigers have not always looked good doing it, but they’ve knocked off the likes of both Wake Forest and NC State, and now appear to be hitting their stride at the right time.

Does the presence of those maize and blue winged helmets in this discussion influence my decision a little bit? Sure! I mean, I dont really like J.J. McCarthy or D.J. Uiagalelei as QBs, but what Clemson is doing right now feels a bit more sustainable than Michigan’s all-Blake Corum offense. Either way, it’s MY College Football Playoff right now, so let me have my fun. At the end of the day, I think whatever team winds up earning that No. 4 spot is going to be another yearly sacrifice to the top seed. There is a lot of football still to be played, and somehow we all know Alabama will work their way back into the top four by year’s end, but at this current moment, this is my field. Take it or leave it.

Continue reading...

Ohio State women’s basketball player preview: Cotie McMahon
1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo from FIBA.basketball

The Team USA youth star and top-100 high school recruit could make a splash in year one.

When the 2022-23 season tips off for the Ohio State women’s basketball team, over half of the starting lineup feels predictable. The Buckeyes return four of five from their group who began all the games in their stretch run to the Sweet 16, including First Team All-B1G stars Jacy Sheldon and Taylor Mikesell.

That now open spot, formerly held by forward Braxtin Miller, is an area to watch with the regular season looming. A name with potential to challenge for that spot is next on Land-Grant Holy Land’s player preview series — Ohioan Cotie McMahon.


Name: Cotie McMahon
Position: Forward
Class: Freshman
High School: Centerville High School (Centerville, Ohio)

Last Year


In Feb. 2020, Ohio high school teams were battling in the state tournament. Not part of that excitement was McMahon, who was on campus with the Scarlet & Gray as Ohio State battled in their Big Ten schedule. McMahon graduated early to join the Buckeyes in preparation for her first year of eligibility, with games beginning Nov. 8.

That didn’t mean McMahon hasn’t been playing basketball.

This summer, McMahon swapped scarlet and gray for red, white and blue with Team USA’s U18 team. Alongside nationally known recruits like UCLA’s Kiki Rice and UConn’s Isuneh Brady, McMahon and Team USA did what America usually does in women’s basketball — win, and make it look easy.

McMahon was part of a small group of players leading the way. In six games, McMahon averaged 14.2 points, 7.5 rebounds and 3.2 assists. Those stats were good enough to land the forward third, sixth and seventh overall amongst all players in the tournament.

In the championship game, after Team USA won by an average of 52.4 points in the five matchups leading up to the title game, they faced a tough Team Canada. Up 10 entering halftime, Canada battled back, cutting USA’s lead to four with a quarter to play.

The final 10 minutes of the game saw McMahon take the game over. McMahon scored eight of her 22 points with an assist to hold off their neighbors to the north, winning gold for Team USA, leading the team in points in the game and being named to the tournament’s All-Star 5.

What to Expect


There’s a reason ESPN named McMahon the fourth best forward in their 2022 class. McMahon can do just about everything. The 5-foot-11 player can shoot, rebound and defend.

Head coach Kevin McGuff plays a high energy system, and tries to control the pace of games and force opponents to make mistakes. When those mistakes happen, like missed shots and poor passes, McMahon knows where to be to clean it up. While her size won’t stand up against the centers and fives within the Big Ten, McMahon’s energy and court knowledge gets her to the right places at the right time.

Offensively, McMahon won’t be shooting threes like the group of Buckeyes starting guards, but will be a force to be reckoned with when she charges at the basket. Each high school season McMahon improved offensively, going from 15.8 ppg as a freshman to 20.2 in her final full season.

ESPN recruiting experts said McMahon is, “among the elite prospects in the class of 2022.” McMahon’s addition to the Buckeyes is a sign that Ohio State’s firmly moved on from the issues of the past few years, and is reestablishing itself as the team for in-state talent.

Prediction


The old adage “the sky’s the limit” fits nicely for McMahon. McGuff isn’t going to show his cards this early in the offseason, but its hard to imagine McMahon not being on the court, and often.

McMahon should challenge for a spot in the starting five, and if not one of the first off the bench. The most likely competition for McMahon are forwards Eboni Walker and Taylor Thierry, a transfer and sophomore respectively. McMahon has the edge over both because of the international experience, knowledge of McGuff’s system over Walker and possessing a much more confident offensive game than surprise role-player Thierry from last season.

With that said, if Thierry improved in the offseason, like McGuff said she did in media availability, it’ll be a toss-up on who starts.

Either way, expect McMahon to make her presence known on this Buckeyes roster. In the upcoming years, when players like Mikesell and Sheldon leave, it’ll be McMahon stepping up as the leader of Ohio State.

Highlights


Here’s a double-dose of highlights. In the first video, McMahon’s (23) moments from her time at Centerville. The second features McMahon (9) hitting shots deep, assisting and cutting through defenses during this summer’s FIBA Americas U18 Championship.


Miss any other player previews? Here’s the list so far:

• Taylor Mikesell
• Eboni Walker
• Madison Greene
• Emma Shumate

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Column: Ryan Day is getting the Top-10 defense he ordered this offseason
Chris Renne via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Set Number: X164186 TK1

Statistically speaking the Ohio State Buckeyes are a top-10 defense in a few important metrics, and that is exactly what Jim Knowles was brought in to do.

The Ohio State Buckeyes brought in a new defensive coordinator in Jim Knowles this offseason, putting tremendous expectations on an improved defense. Coming from Oklahoma State, Knowles’ reputation was that of miracle worker who took dismal defenses and turned them into productive units.

Ryan Day did not mince words as to what he was looking for this year.

“In terms of expectations, we expect a top-10 defense. That’s what we want,” Day said in the lead to the season, adding, “When we’ve played our best football, it’s because we played really good defense, and we’ve been balanced and played complementary football.”

After two disappointing seasons on the defensive side of the ball, the criteria for a turnaround was set. Defining a top-10 defense starts statistically, and ends with how the defense has looked on the field. Through one half of the Buckeyes’ regular season schedule, Knowles has lived up to expectations.

Total Defense


Effectiveness starts in totality, and the Buckeyes have been slowing down every team they have played regardless of style. Looking into the stats, the Buckeyes are steady throughout, and dominating on a per-play basis as well. Ohio State has not played an offensive juggernaut so far, but all that means is they are taking care of business.

Opp. Yards/Play - 4.3 (No. 7)

Yards per play is a pace adjusted stat that takes pace of play out of the equation. On a per-play basis, Ohio State is giving up 4.3 yards, which is good for seventh in the country. The reason pace adjusted stats are important is because this takes out of account how slow teams like Wisconsin hold the ball, and how fast playing teams like Toledo put up yards in a hurry with them not amounting to much in total.

This season, the best statistical performances from the Buckeyes were against Arkansas State and Rutgers. This is not the best barometer, but the Buckeyes haven’t given up more than 5.5 yards per play in a single game all season, showing the level of consistency.

Opp. Yards/Game - 253.5 (No. 4)

Now in a non-pace adjusted format, the Buckeyes are even better defensively. For a team who ranked poorly in this area last season, the improvement has been noticeable. Knowles has set a goal of no more than five big plays per game – plays over 20 yards – which has limited the total yards gain. Teams have had trouble getting up and down the field consistently with the Buckeyes limiting long drives.

Outside of a few big plays, the defense has held their own for all four quarters of each game, which shows the new level of commitment to being a great defense.

Opp. Points/Game - 15.7 (No. 8)

The Buckeyes are limiting scoring at a top 10 level as well. They are giving up 15.7 points per game, which ranks 8th in the country. A big key to the success has been getting off the field and winning third downs. Once teams have gotten into the red zone, they have found some success, which raises some questions moving forward as the schedule toughens. That being said, through six games the defense has given up less than 21 points per game. With the No. 1 offense in the country averaging 48.8 points per game, this is the pairing Day was looking for in hiring Knowles.

Opp 3D Conv % - 27.16% (No. 5)

The reason the Buckeyes have been so successful is their ability to stop opponents on third down. Getting off the field was a major problem in 2021, as the Buckeyes ranked 91st in the country last season. The improvement in this area has been the biggest, and this has been vital to the success of the defense in its entirety.

Getting off the field on third down has limited points and yards allowed. They held Notre Dame to 3-of-13 on third down, Wisconsin to 6-of-13, and Michigan State to 3-of-11. In their biggest matchups, Ohio State has dominated on important downs, which has led the transformation into a top ten defense.

Run Defense


The emergence of Ohio State’s dominant defensive line and linebackers is a surprise, but they have been limiting opposing run games better than most. In stopping the run, the most effective run games against Ohio State were De’Quan Finn’s scrambling ability and Braelon Allen’s long run against the second-team defense. When the first team is in the game, there has not been a better unit in the Power-5 at stopping the run.

Opp Yards/Rush - 3.0 (No. 7)

On a per-play basis, Ohio State is giving up the seventh most yards per rush in the country. Teams have been unable to successfully run the ball, which has put Ohio State’s opponents into awkward down-and-distances. The success against the run has allowed Ohio State to win on early downs, which has led to success in the third down department. This also shows how Ohio State has been able remain solid in the red zone and limiting the touchdowns scored. It all starts with stopping the run, and the Buckeyes have been exceptional in that department.

Opp Rush Yards/Game - 93.2 (No. 5)

The Buckeyes have shut down opposing run games, with their best performance coming in their last game against Michigan State, where they only allowed seven total rushing yards. They have given up less than 100-yards on the ground three times so far, and the most they have given up is the 192 against Wisconsin. If you take out Allen’s 85-yard run, this total comes down to 79.03 yards per game, which would be good for No. 2 in the country.

Ryan Day wanted a tough defense against the run, especially after the embarrassing losses of last season — most notably the Michigan game — and so far, he has just that.

Pass Defense


The Buckeyes have not broken into the top-10 in most passing categories, but the overall performance of the group has been commendable. Ohio State hasn’t played any vaunted downfield passing attack, but the old adage goes you have to play who is in front of you. Even with the suspect corner play being on everybody’s minds, the secondary and the defense as a whole has held teams to the sixth-fewest yards per game through the air in the country.

Opp Pass Yards/Game - 160.3 (#6)

Opponents have been forced to pass against the Buckeyes, which makes this stat all that more impressive. On a per-play basis, the Buckeyes give up quite a few chunk plays, raising their yards per pass totals. Even with the occasional big plays, throughout the entirety of games Ohio State is limiting opposing passing attacks. With only one significant passing outfit remaining on the schedule in Maryland — who could be without QB Taulia Tagovailoa after an apparent serious knee injury in his last game against Indiana — the Buckeyes might never get fully tested in this area until the CFP, which is not problem.

With who they have played, they have taken care of business in the air traffic control department, even if it hasn’t always looked pretty.

FEI


The FEI is the Fremeau Efficiency Index, which measures unit effectiveness on an opponent adjusted basis. From Football Outsiders, “[The] Fremeau Efficiency Index ratings (FEI) are opponent-adjusted possession efficiency data representing the per-possession scoring advantage a team would be expected to have on a neutral field against an average opponent.”

This takes into account a wide range of advanced stats to churn out a number on how teams would perform in an environment with no external variables. The Buckeyes are No. 1 on Offensive FEI, and right on the cusp of their goals on defense.

DFEI

The defensive FEI for the Buckeyes according to Football Outsiders is 0.81, which is good for 12th in the country. FEI does not account for late-game substitutions, so the whole story is not being told for the Buckeyes’ starters. Still, Ohio State improved from 41st in the country last season and 46th in the country two years ago, all the way up to No. 12 this year.

Most people believed Ohio State could win a national championship with a top-25 defense, and that is where they stand. They are behind a few top teams, including Alabama and Georgia, but the 12th-rated defense still gives the Buckeyes the highest total efficiency ranking in the country. That says the Buckeyes are statistically good enough to win a national championship with their combination of offense and defense.


Evaluating defenses is mostly done with the eyes and how the defenses make you feel. Through six games, the Buckeyes have an identity that is easily defined, and they are playing productively in important moments. Ryan Day is getting his money’s worth in the hiring of Jim Knowles through six games this season, and the Buckeyes have met expectations so far.

Being a top-10 defense statistically sounded outrageous to some at the time, but through the midway point of the year the Buckeyes have met that lofty goal head on. Behind the emergence of Tommy Eichenberg, the defensive line and incredible safety play, Ohio State has been able to limit anything offenses have wanted to do. Outside of a few mishaps along the way, there aren’t many defensive units in the country playing at Ohio State’s level.

If the Buckeyes can continue at this pace, the team should continue to improve as they build on Jim Knowles’ already effective defense. Knowles was brought in for one thing and he knew he would have a short time to get there. With half a season to go, the Buckeyes are in a prime position to build on the top-10 foundation that has already been laid. If Ohio State can build on that foundation, they just might have a defense capable of winning a national championship.

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We’ll talk about this later: A true underdog story
Meredith Hein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Bryan Lynn/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Your dose of lighthearted takes from Saturday’s games.

Each week, we’ll break down something that happened during the Ohio State game (and occasionally other games) that we’ll be talking about for a while—you know, the silly sideline interactions, the awful announcing and the weird storylines that stick with us for years to come. We’ll also compare each of these happenings to memorable moments in pop culture, because who doesn’t love a good Office reference?

Ohio State may have been on a bye this week, but we can’t let slip the opportunity to highlight an underdog, especially when that underdog is actually a genuine Canis lupus familiaris doggo.

We are, of course, talking about Tennessee’s massive upset over Alabama Saturday. Alabama was favored by nine on the road in Knoxville. It helped that their Heisman-contender quarterback, Bryce Young, was back on the field after a brief hiatus. However, the storyline of an upset was simmering like a nice pumpkin chili during the crisp fall week preceding the matchup.


And of course, that’s what we got in super dramatic fashion Saturday evening. To close the afternoon slate of games, just as darkness fell in Knoxville and after a massive comeback on the part of the Crimson Tide, the sky lit up with fireworks as Chase McGrath knucklepucked a walk-off field goal to give the Vols a win in regulation. The Tennessee faithful stormed the field. We laughed at Nick Saban. We reveled in a rare loss from the perennial superpower.


But, we weren’t the real winners. The real victor in this magical moment was Smokey XI, the bluetick coonhound who so gracefully guards the Tennessee sideline. He’s been patiently waiting for his favorite program to beat the college football giant for the first time in his life.


He, and his predecessor, Smokey X, were probably so excited to see the kick fall through the goalposts and celebrate with their loving fans who came down from the stands to celebrate with them in that glorious scene.


Smokey probably got a lot of new fans this weekend. While I probably won’t be cheering for Tennessee from here on out (though we will all have some tough choices when choosing sides between Smokey and Uga in a few weeks), I do want Smokey to be happy. And it’s a better world we live in when the dogs are happy.


In the NFL realm, while I promise I’m not jumping ahead to Christmas and skipping Halloween, we must take a moment to revive the discussion that Joe Burrow is a well-adjusted Macaulay Culkin.


That way, we’ll be ready with all the memes when it comes time to break out Home Alone and Home Alone 2: Lost in New York.


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I-70 Football Podcast: We know who is good, we’ll soon know who is bad!
JordanW330 via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Ron Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

With Ohio State at home for their bye week, Michigan and Illinois showcase their dominance while Penn State and Wisconsin leave with more questions than answers

Welcome to a new episode of Land-Grant Holy Land’s I-70 Football Podcast. On this show, we talk all things Big Ten football and basketball. After every week of action, we will get you caught up on all the conference’s games and look ahead at the matchups, storylines, and players that you should be paying attention to in the next week. My name is Jordan Williams, and I am joined by my co-host Dante Morgan.

Listen to the episode and subscribe:


Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio

After defeating Minnesota, Illinois is officially in the driver’s seat for the B1G West title. All that is standing in their way is a showdown with Purdue, but after beating Wisconsin, Iowa, and Minnesota in back-to-back-to-back games, it’s unlikely they will lose again until a showdown with Michigan.

Speaking of Michigan, the Wolverines dominated Penn State with a punishing run game on the backs of another big game from Blake Corum and a career-best 173 rushing yards for Donovan Edwards. Michigan has looked dominant, and should be undefeated going into The Game against the Buckeyes. On the flip side, following an expected victory against Northwestern, Wisconsin showed their flaws extend past their offense as the defense allowed 34 points to a struggling Michigan State team in another losing effort.

After a weekend that solidified what teams are good, we will soon find out what teams are bad this upcoming week as Minnesota faces Penn State and Purdue faces Wisconsin. Penn State’s run defense will be put to the test again against Mo Ibrahim. A loss here and they are looking at three-straight defeats with Ohio State looming the following week. If Wisconsin loses to Purdue their season may be over, as they may struggle to reach six wins even with the coaching change.

The Buckeyes are back in action this week against a floundering Iowa team. Iowa’s defense will have a major challenge with the Buckeye’s offense, but even a great defensive performance may be not enough with their lackluster offense.

In their weekly pitstop, the guys are on separate sides of the Yankees and Guardians American League Divisional Series. Dante celebrates the Guardians showing promise in two come-from-behind victories against the favored Yankees. Jordan laments the Yankees’ decision not to have a legitimate closer and the lack of aggressiveness in the trade market and free agency.


Connect with us on Twitter:

Jordan: @JordanW330

Dante: @DanteM10216

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Road Test At East Lansing
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



Road Less Traveled

In the last five weeks, the Buckeyes handled their business at home. With their non-conference schedule, they beat a top five Notre Dame team and they throttled Arkansas State and Toledo. They also went 2-0 in conference play after handling both, Wisconsin and Rutgers.

In week 6 will feature their first trip outside the confines of Columbus against a struggling 2-3 Spartan squad. This could be especially dangerous considering that these very Spartans are winless in conference play.

This could be another upset in the making with all of that considered. Topped off with the ever-increasing amount of injuries sustained by the Buckeyes. This should be another easy week, but let’s not overlook a team that has defeated Ohio State within the last 10 years.

I still have flashbacks of 2015’s walk-off FG and a kicker running around playing air guitar. As much as I am confident in the eventual win, I will not overlook this team. For context, the last successful home defense against Ohio State was in 1999.

Will this cocktail of the cold and injuries derail another promising season for the Buckeyes? Or will they live to fight another day, to inch closer to their season goals? We will find out and I will anxiously wait for it.

Weather-proof?

Have the Buckeyes played in less-than-ideal weather conditions this season? The projected 53-degree might not be bad, but it’s the cloudy, and potentially windy afternoon might be an issue. Additionally, with the fall in the Midwest, cold weather could also be a factor—especially in Big 10 country.

We all know that Coach Day wants a balanced attack, but with the mounting injuries, who will step up? Who is actually healthy and who will be missing? A lot of questions that will be answered soon enough.

We all know the talent on either side is never lacking, but it will be interesting to see who is out, who steps in, and more importantly—who will step up when their number is called.

Injury Bug Blues

We all know that injuries are a part of the game, but they keep coming this year. JSN with his hammy, Brown and Burke with their issues, and now Williams after such a gutsy performance?

Coach speak or not, there are concerns about the players and their health. Whether legitimate or not, I believe they are working hard with one goal in mind—to win it all.

Will health eventually be an issue? Yes, but I think it doesn’t apply to this years team. Will certain players sit to keep healthy for big games? Possibly. It’s all up to the coaching staff to identify and treat things on a case-by-case basis. We shouldn’t worry just yet.

Predictions

With all things considered, I think this will be fine, but the injures and weather will play a factor in a possible slow start. Not to mention, the way the Spartans lost in Columbus last year, I can see them coming out the gates on fire.

• Stroud goes for 250 and 5 scores
• Rushing attack goes for 150 and 2 scores
• Defense has 3 sacks, 1 INT
• Eichenberg/Chambers 20+ combined tackles

Final 49-20

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Four-star PG from Nevada decides on the Buckeyes
Bret Favachio via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Juni Mobley | 247Sports

Ohio State got their 2024 hoops class kicked off on Sunday when they reeled in a Top 50 prospect from Las Vegas.

Despite an off week for the Buckeyes on the gridiron, there was still a few noteworthy happenings on the recruiting trail for the program. The most notable was on the hardwood, where hoops head coach Chris Holtmann landed the first pledge of the 2024 recruiting class on Sunday. Plus, football head coach Ryan Day began his pursuit of a Notre Dame pledge with hopes of flipping him to the Buckeyes.

Mobley becomes the first hoops pledge in 2024


After initially beginning their pursuit for 2024 point guard Juni Mobley of Bishop Gorman (NV) in June, the Buckeyes have done enough to make the blue-chipper from Las Vegas comfortable enough to end his recruitment and choose the scarlet and gray.


The 6-foot, 150-pounder decided on Sunday that he was ready to pick Ohio State over Arizona State, Creighton, LSU, USC, and Xavier. Mobley now becomes the leader of the 2024 recruiting class which will have the tall task of following up last years haul that finished as the No. 5 class in the country.

While that is the least of Holtmann and the coaching staffs concern for the time being, they were able to get off to an impressive start, as Mobley currently slots in as a Top-50 prospect overall. Not to be forgotten, Mobley also comes in ranked as the sixth highest graded point guard next year and he also is penciled in as the second best player from the state of Nevada.

Buckeyes chasing Notre Dame safety commit


As the Buckeyes look to put a few of the finishing touches on their 2023 recruiting class, a new name emerged on Sunday when safeties coach Perry Eliano extended an offer to four-star athlete Adon Shuler, a safety prospect, of Irvington (NJ).


The Garden State standout is currently committed to Notre Dame and has been since August of last year. That likely will make this a tough ask for the Buckeyes to ultimately flip the 6-foot, 197-pounder, but one would think that the convince is there for the coaching staff if they decided to extend the offer this late in the cycle.

Combine that will some early season struggles for first year head coach Marcus Freeman and the Irish and it makes sense why the Buckeyes would try it. Especially with the clear idea of bringing yet another safety into the fold to join Jayden Bonsu, Malik Hartford, and Cedric Hawkins.

We will have to monitor what happens in the coming weeks between both Ohio State and the Shuler, with the obvious hope for the Buckeyes being to get the Irvington native on campus. If that is something that comes to fruition, all bets are off and Ohio State becomes an intriguing option for No. 18 safety in the class and the second best player from the state of New Jersey.

Quick Hits

• Aside from Shuler, Ohio State also dished out an offer to 2025 running back Ousmane Kromah of Lee County (GA) on Friday morning. The Buckeyes joined Alabama, Florida State, Georgia, Kentucky, Michigan State, and Tennessee, among others as the early programs to extend an offer to the Leesburg standout.
• 247Sports’ Bill Kurelic casted a Crystal Ball prediction on Saturday morning in favor of Ohio State landing 2024 four-star cornerback Aaron Scott of Springfield (OH). The 6-foot-1, 170-pounder, who was offered by the Buckeyes in June, is currently graded as the No. 8 player in Ohio for next year’s cycle.
• According to Garrick Hodge of Eleven Warriors, Ohio State offensive line coach Justin Frye stopped at Findlay High School on Friday night to check out 2023 Ohio State four-star offensive tackle commit Luke Montgomery and his younger brother Ryan Montgomery — a 2025 QB with a Buckeye offer. The Trojans were able to keep it close, but ultimately fell short against St. John’s Jesuit (OH) by a final of 18-10.

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Ohio State opens as 28.5-point favorites over Iowa
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Set Number: X164186 TK1

The Buckeyes come out of their off week as big favorites once again.

DraftKings Sportsbook odds: Ohio State -28.5

With no Ohio State football to watch this weekend, we got to soak in the rest of the nation’s chaos unfolding while we kicked back stress-free with no fear of a potential upset loss. It was a pretty great week for Ryan Day’s crew to have their off week, as it allowed us to enjoy Tennessee’s 52-49 win over Alabama in an offensive shootout at Neyland Stadium, as well as thrilling comebacks by Utah and TCU as they both took down higher-ranked opponents. With a chance to sit idle and hopefully get most of their guys healthy for the second half, Ohio State now begins the tougher portion of its Big Ten schedule when they host Iowa in Week 8.

Ohio State has owned the all-time series between this two programs 46-15-3, but this is the first time these teams will meet on the field since that 55-24 win by Iowa at Kinnick Stadium in a stunning upset back in 2017. While likely none of the players on either of the current rosters were in attendance that day, it is surely a game that Buckeye Nation remembers not too fondly, and will hope for some revenge when the Hawkeyes come to Columbus. Luckily, Ohio State has a much better quarterback at the helm this time around, and Vegas certainly doesn’t think the Buckeyes are on upset alert as the home team is currently favored by over four touchdowns.

The last time we saw the now No. 2-ranked Buckeyes was over a week ago at Spartan Stadium, when Ohio State was handing Michigan State a 49-20 loss on their home turf. It was more of the same for this year’s Scarlet and Gray, as C.J. Stroud carved up Mel Tucker’s boys through the air to the tune of 361 yards and six touchdowns with one pick. Marvin Harrison Jr. was the flavor of the day at wide receiver, catching seven passes for 131 yards and three TDs. TreVeyon Henderson paced the Buckeyes on the ground with 118 yards and a score of his own. The offense was efficient, and the defense more than did its job, holding Michigan State to 202 total yards, including just seven total rushing yards.

Iowa was also off this weekend, and they likely used that extra time to try and forget their latest game. The Hawkeyes lost a dreadful 9-6 game to Illinois in their last matchup, and it was more of the same for what we’ve seen from Iowa for really the last year and a half now — all defense, no offense. Albeit against a seemingly good Illini squad, Kirk Ferentz’s team managed just two field goals, putting up only 221 yards of total offense with a mere 13 first downs in a game that featured no touchdowns on either side. The defense was fine, and forced a trio of turnovers in the game, but ultimately the inability to put up points cost Iowa the game.

Statistically, Iowa has one of the worst offenses in all of college football. At 14.7 points per game, the Hawkeyes rank 127th out of 131 teams in scoring offense. A big reason for that has been the incredibly lackluster play of quarterback Spencer Petras. Through six games, the 18th-year QB has thrown for under 1,000 yards with just two TD passes with three interceptions. For all their struggles through the air, they aren't much better on the ground. Iowa does not have a single rusher on their team averaging more than 4.6 yards per carry, and they have only five total touchdowns on the ground thus far. If it weren't for some good old fashioned college football nepotism, offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz would’ve likely been canned a long time ago.

On the flip side, the Iowa defense is excellent. Allowing just 9.8 points per game, that ranks them 3rd overall in the country. Star linebacker Jack Campbell has already registered a whopping 63 tackles on the year, and the Hawkeyes have racked up six interceptions (led by three by defensive back Cooper DeJean) as well as five forced fumbles (led by Riley Moss’ two). The Hawkeyes dont allow much yardage through the air or on the ground, and as they were last year, have been really good at taking the ball away. They have allowed more than 10 points in a game just one time this season — in a 27-14 loss to Michigan — but haven’t exactly played an offense at the caliber of Ohio State’s just yet.

While I respect the Iowa defense, I dont think any defense in the country right now could hold the Buckeyes to under 40 points. C.J. Stroud and his treasure trove of wide receivers — especially if Jaxon Smith-Njigba is back and healthy — are simply too good, and add to the mix a dynamic ground game between Henderson and Miyan Williams, and it just feels like too much to stop. Even if they hold Ohio State to 35 or so, I dont think Iowa’s offense is capable of scoring 20-plus points in a game, let alone 30-plus. It could be an uglier game than usual, but the Buckeyes should have no trouble moving to 7-0.

Odds/lines subject to change. T&Cs apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for details.

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