MOTSAG Sign Off: Thank You Guys
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

The season has come to a heartbreaking close and give props to these young men that made it happen. Making it to the title game in the manner in which this Buckeye team did is an achievement in its own—and they deserve the praise through the highs and the current low.

The Buckeyes were outmatched and it only took a half to see that. There are few silver linings in this story, but they are left with another question-filled offseason. Who will be leaving, who will be retuning, who will transfer in or out, which coaches will leave or come in—a lot can be said after this crushing defeat at the hands of Alabama.

Whether it was due to poor preparation or poor game planning, there is no reason to abandon ship just yet. Yes, the Buckeyes were whooped with everyone watching but what is another lesson for Coach Day? Or even Coach Coombs? I have no insight as to what will or won’t transpire in the future but this looks to be a turbulent offseason for the players, coaches and us fans.

I am not one for handing out trophies during situations like this but I think Fields deserves a huge pat on the back after fighting until the end. Yes, we had injuries and Covid issues but there is no excuse. We were hit hard with injuries right off the bat and it hurt this team and it only got worse as the depth along the defensive line was lacking, just like the pressure or the lack of tackling.

Regardless, great season, great players, great memories. Thank you for all you’ve done to make this missable year go by. Always behind you guys.

Go Bucks.




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Ohio State vs. Alabama national championship key player matchups: by Mike Scharf
Mike 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

We are officially one day away from the 2021 National Championship between Ohio State and Alabama. Both the Buckeyes and Crimson Tide are coming off dominant performances in the CFP semifinals and are prepared for the biggest game of the year.

Both teams are led by star players in key positions, and the outcome will come down to these players and the matchups that present themselves on both sides of the ball.

The four key matchups for Monday night are seen below:

Trey Sermon vs Dylan Moses

Trey Sermon has been rolling and making a name for himself this postseason dominating on the ground in the Big Ten championship and CFP semifinals rushing for a combined 524 yards and 3 touchdowns. The ground game has been near perfect for Sermon and this Buckeye offense but come Monday the biggest threat to the Tide may be Sermon in the pass game. Sermon had 61 receiving yards on 4 catches against Clemson and will look to be more of a factor in this aspect against this Alabama defense.

This is when the matchup with Alabama’s star linebacker Dylan Moses comes into play. Moses has been dominant stopping the run as he has 38 tackles this season but has struggled in pass coverage as of late.

Look for the Sermon-Moses matchup in open field — with Sermon taking full advantage of it. —

Devonta Smith vs OSU’s Secondary

Coming into the biggest game of the year, everyone knows how dominant Heisman winner Devonta Smith has been all year. Smith can beat you in more ways than one — catching, handoffs, punt returners — He’s the real deal.

The Buckeyes are known to have highly talented defensive backs. Their best this season is Shaun Wade. Wade flourished in the slot last year, while coming back this season to play on the outside to prove he’s capable of playing both positions. Although Wade has not been as solid on the outside this season, he’s still a Thorpe Award semifinalist and has all the tools to be a factor in this matchup.

The matchup will be an interesting one — I expect to see the Buckeye secondary to show more zone and focus more help containing Smith whereas leaving him on an island could lead to success for the Tides offensive game plan.

Chris Olave vs Patrick Surtain

SEC Defensive Player of the Year Patrick Surtain has been locked down all season, and not many quarterbacks throw his way.

The 6-foot-2 junior recorded 32 tackles, 10 pass breakups and one interception this season.

With that being said, Chris Olave is the real deal. Buckeye Nation saw how valuable Olave is as he missed the Big Ten championship against Northwestern, and the Buckeyes found struggles opening up the pass game in a 22-10 victory.

Olave was available in the CFP semifinal against Clemson and didn’t disappoint as he had 6 receptions for 132 yards and 2 touchdowns.

In a short season for the Buckeyes, Surtain will be Olave’s toughest matchup thus far and the two will be in a battle all game.

If Justin Fields finds trouble throwing Surtain’s way, look for Garrett Wilson to have a monster game on the other side for the Buckeyes.

Najee Harris vs OSU’s Defensive Line

Along with Devonta Smith, Najee Harris has been a working force for the Crimson Tide offense. Harris has 1,387 yards and 24 touchdowns while averaging 6.1 yards per carry.

With more COVID issues swirling around the Buckeyes program, we are not sure who is suiting up for game time.

But — Zach Harrison, Jonathan Cooper and Haskell Garrett are players we expect to see. Look for these three to control the line of scrimmage against the Tides front and contain Harris from making explosive plays.

If the Buckeyes defensive line can contain Harris and apply pressure on quarterback Mac Jones, look for this team to find success Monday night.

These are two of the best programs in the past century we’ve seen in College Football.

The stage is set. The matchups will be exciting. A champion will be crowned.

Ohio versus the world.




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MOTSAG X-Factors: Defense
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

With the national championship game approaching , as a fan you can’t help but be anxious for Monday. Despite the news that a few key players are out due to testing positive—the game is just four days away.

The story continues and this week the Buckeyes are potentially losing Togiai and Smith—two dogs the rushmen cannot afford to lose. Rumors that will remain on our minds until they release the names of the infected.

We all saw what a Olave-less offense looked like and the struggles that Fields had during that game. He had an awful outing but Sermon carried the burden of leading the offensive charge. Now the defense is in jeopardy of losing two of their cogs on defense and the depth takes a shot.

The odds of the Buckeyes losing starters is high, but they’ve done it with less all year. Against an elite Bama squad that boast the Heisman winner and after winning just about every offensive award, including the best offensive line—this should be a tough test for the defense. Nothing will change the fight but until we know who is in and who is out, let’s take a look at the defensive X-Factors of the defense for this game against Alabama.

The Rushmen

The biggest story out right now is this position group potentially not having enough depth to play the game. This depth issue might have pushed back the date on the championship game but the game looks like a go. Names like Togiai and Smith are huge ones and the Buckeyes need them on Monday, but until we know for sure, I will still write as if they will be playing.

The Rushmen need to control the line and wreak havoc on the best offensive line in America. Alex Leatherwood was quoted as saying “let’s see if they want to play” and Garrett responded with “I feed on that”. In order for the Buckeyes to contain a potent Alabama offense, they must be disruptive and they must play with a huge chip on their shoulder to stall this offense. It’ll be a team effort to stop them with or without Togiai or Smith.

BIA and LB’s

Shaun Wade wants Devonta Smith for the challenge and while some might see it as a slight, he is competitive and wants to gauge his skills against the heisman winner. Aside from Wade, Banks, Williamson, Ransom and Proctor must play disciplined and they must tackle well at all levels. Big hits are good to swing the momentum but the risk of targeting could derail any hopes of contain this offense.

The same can also be said for Browning, Borland and Werner—they too must play near perfect game to edge out Bama. Harris is a monster and don’t discount the Bama tight ends to get some work. Tackling is key and the coverage must be perfect to pull this off. The underdog role suits this team and another challenge is on the table.

MOTSAG Key Players

Haskell Garrett, DT

Tommy Togiai, DT

Jonathan Cooper, DE

Shaun Wade, CB

Sleepers: Lathan Ransom, S and Baron Browning, LB




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National Championship X-Factors: Offense by Mike Scharf
Mike 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

Over the past century, whether it’s been on the field or in recruiting, the Buckeyes and Crimson Tide have been two of the most dominant programs in the sport.

Ohio State has won 931 games to go along with 8 national championships. Alabama has won 928 games while claiming 15 national championships.

On. Jan 11. The two programs meet for only the fifth time in history — Ohio State has a record of 1-3 against Alabama — the last meeting coming in the first ever College Football playoffs in 2015, where the No. 4 Buckeyes defeated the No. 1 Crimson Tide 42-35 in the semifinals.

The Buckeyes were heavy underdogs against Clemson, but showed the world even though only six games were played, they indeed deserved a playoff spot after dominating the Tigers 49-28 in New Orleans.

The Buckeyes get another chance to prove the doubters wrong as they square off with the Crimson Tide.

In order to win, the Buckeyes need to execute the game plan and come in with that underdog mentality. Not many will choose the Buckeyes in this one as Alabama has been clicking on all cylinders this season, but as we saw in New Orleans, don’t count this talented Buckeye team out.

Here are a few x-factors offensively that could prevail the Buckeyes’ to victory:

Justin Fields

There’s not much needed to be said about QB1. Fields proved all the critics from previous weeks wrong as he BALLED out against the Tigers in the semifinals throwing for 385 yards and breaking the Sugar Bowl record with six touchdowns. Ball security and decision making will be key in this matchup for Fields — one turnover could be a substantial changing point in the game — After taking a huge hit to the ribs, one of the biggest things to keep an eye on is how the injury will affect Fields’ play. Everytime Fields followed through on his throws he was in pain and was limited in the run game. Fields will need to use his legs in this one. Keeping the Crimson Tides defense guessing will be key. When it’s said and done there’s no other quarterback Buckeye nation wants heading into this one. Fields is a baller, competitor and has all the swagger to win a big time game.

Trey Sermon and the Slobs

The Buckeyes are averaging 545 yards per game this year, and poured 639-yards on the Tigers. Sermon and the front seven have a lot to do with that, especially the past two games (Northwestern/Clemson). Sermon has the most rushing yards in a 2-game span in Ohio State history with 524 yards. The front seven led by Josh Myers and Wyatt Davis are looking for blood, they have been dominating the line of scrimmage and look to continue that trend. Some big keys to the game are managing the penalties and controlling the line of scrimmage on both passing and running plays. Holding penalties can kill momentum and be a changing factor in this game. Every drive matters. As for controlling the line, pass protecting Fields and opening up holes for Sermon will lead to big plays as we saw in the past two games.

Garrett Wilson

The duo of Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave have been one of, if not the best duo in college football. Wilson and Olave have been causing havoc for secondaries all season, but Alabama’s SEC Defensive Player of the Year, Patrick Surtain II has been locked down all season long for the Tide. Surtain II has 20 tackles, 1 INT, and 11 PD (tied-3rd). It’s more than likely Surtain II will be assigned to Chris Olave which will open plenty of opportunities for Garrett Wilson to make a statement championship game for Zone 6. Alabama’s team defense has been dominant of late, but containing both Wilson and Olave is a task many teams find trouble doing. The Crimson Tide has one of the best in Surtain II, which may limit Olave in some aspects, but Wilson will be ready on the opposite side of the field.

The Tight Ends

As we saw in the semifinals against the Tigers, the play of the tight ends can be an enormous x-factor in how the Buckeyes play and attack the defense. The use of tight ends seemed to be limited all season for the Buckeye offense, but in this year’s Sugar Bowl, Luke Farrell and Jeremy Ruckert made game changing plays for the offense. In a 14-7 game led by the Tigers, 3rd and goal, Farrell caught a 8-yard bullet touchdown from Fields. While, Ruckert had himself a game with 3 receptions, 55 yards, and 2 touchdowns. These two will be a key in Fields’ passing game against a stout Crimson Tide defense.

This offense seems to have found it’s rhyme and If all these x-factors on the offensive side of the ball come to play and execute the game plan ahead we could see a similar result to the 2015 Sugar Bowl game — Ohio versus the world.




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Shaun Wade declares for NFL Draft, Urban Meyer won’t pillage Ohio State staff
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images

The biggest news stories surrounding the Buckeyes to take you into the weekend.

With Ohio State’s football season coming to an end earlier this week, the majority of our focus now shifts over to the basketball side of things. However, as you all know, Buckeye football is a year-round business, with recruiting, the NFL Draft, and all different kinds of miscellaneous offseason topics continuing to dominate the headlines even when the team isn't between the hashmarks.

This was a particularly busy week in Buckeye Nation, as both a former head coach and a highly-touted member of the 2020 roster are now off to next level to pursue careers in the NFL. Let’s get caught up with all the latest Ohio State happenings to kick off the weekend.

Jacksonville Jaguars hire Urban Meyer as head coach


The rumor mill had been circulating around this happening for quite some time now, but this week Urban Meyer officially took the job as head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars. Just two years after stepping down as Ohio State’s headman as a result of medical complications and other external issues, Meyer is back on the coaching scene with his first gig in the NFL as he returns to the state where he won a pair of national titles as the head coach of the Florida Gators.

In Matt’s column last night, he took a look at why it makes sense for Meyer to jump on this opportunity, and discussed what level of success we can expect from the storied college program builder. The biggest question on the minds of Ohio State fans, however, is what kind of impact this could have on the staff in Columbus. Upon hearing Meyer’s intentions to coach in the league, some began to speculate which of the Buckeyes’ assistants he would look to take with him to Jacksonville. Fortunately, we got a clear answer to this question on Friday, and it is one that will quell any fears of the Ohio State faithful.


In his introductory press conference with the Jaguars, Meyer said he will not do anything to hurt the infrastructure set up at Ohio State, which means guys like Mickey Marotti, Mark Pantoni, and Brian Hartline — the incredibly important trio some thought could potentially make the NFL leap with Meyer — will be staying put in Columbus. Meyer says he spoke with both Gene Smith and Ryan Day, and that his affection for the university would discourage him from taking anything away from the Buckeyes.

He did, however, say there “might be one,” staffer who could join him in Jacksonville, and later Friday afternoon it was announced that guy would be OSU director of player development Ryan Stamper. Stamper is a Jacksonville native, and played linebacker for Meyer at Florida. He spent the last eight seasons overseeing player development at Ohio State, and was promoted to assistant athletic director in 2018. His role was obviously important, but nothing that will derail the direction of the team.

Either way, the core of what Day has going for him in Columbus will not be seeing any sort of mass exodus to Meyer’s Jaguars. Behind the scenes, Marotti and Pantoni are the lifeblood of the Ohio State program, and it is good to know they will continue to fuel the Buckeyes’ success.

Shaun Wade declares for the NFL Draft


While some had speculated that Shaun Wade could return to Ohio State for one more season — a la Damon Arnette in 2019 — the former five-star cornerback has elected to enter the NFL Draft, for real this time. Wade had previously opted out before the year began when the Big Ten was dragging its feet on starting the season, but once fall football became official he quickly rejoined his teammates to prepare for the 2020 campaign.

It is no secret that Wade struggled mightily this past season as he transitioned from the slot corner position, where he had flourished in 2019, to the outside spot where you can really earn that NFL money. Whether it be the result of a weird start-and-stop offseason, a lack of consistency in the schedule with few games and multiple cancellations, or just a failure to adopt the necessary changes needed to play on the outside, Wade was nowhere near the shut down corner we saw when he played inside.

In turn, his draft stock has taken a hit, and he certainly didn’t help himself with a poor performance on the biggest stage in the national title game. After being looked at as a likely first-round pick at the end of last season had he left, Wade is now a late second to early third-rounder in most mock drafts. It will be interesting to see how NFL teams value the consensus All-American corner, as the talent is clearly there. Will they ask him to play inside where he looked his best, or will he continue to improve on the outside and eventually earn his place in the league?

Wade is the first of a number of guys who have to make a tough decision in the next few days, as the deadline for underclassmen to declare for the NFL Draft is Monday. Other big names yet to announce their intentions are Justin Fields and Chris Olave (although both will certainly be NFL-bound) as well as Wyatt Davis, Josh Myers, Tommy Togiai, Jeremy Ruckert, and others. With the weird eligibility rules resulting from the COVID-19 affected season, we could also see some of the seniors return, like Marcus Williamson has already decided to do.

Make your 2021 Ohio State predictions!


The 2020 season just came to an end, but it’s never too early to look ahead to next season. Be sure to cast your votes in our poll as we look to get the fans’ perspective on what will happen at Ohio State in 2021.

What are you most looking forward to? Who do you think will start at quarterback? Which exiting piece from the 2020 roster will the Buckeyes miss the most? Let us know!

This week’s top stories from around Land-Grant Holy Land


Catch up on anything you may have missed from all of your favorite LGHL writers.


Of course, for all of your Ohio State recruiting interests, you’ll want to head over to our State Secrets section, where we’ve got all the latest info on that front five times a week in addition to commitments and other breaking news stories.

Have a safe and happy weekend, Buckeye Nation!

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Buckeyes already a top school for 2023 offensive tackle
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Four-star 2023 OT Kadyn Proctor | 247Sports

Ohio State is looking to make an early impact on the current sophomore class

It almost feels like it’s still the year 2020 with Urban Meyer heading to Jacksonville to be the next head coach of the Jaguars, but it’s definitely proving that 2021 is off with a bang. This is relevant news, as it could have a direct impact on Ohio State’s recruiting efforts.

The main fear for Ohio State fans is the poaching of Urban’s top guys — mainly Mickey Marotti and Mark Pantoni. In this case, the real concern is Pantoni potentially being someone Meyer would want with him in Jacksonville. With Pantoni being one of the main keys to the Ohio State recruiting machine, it would be a big hit if he were to head back to his home state of Florida.

On one hand, it would be understandable because Urban is who gave him his start, but on the other Pantoni is really one of if not the best in the business at his job title. The concerns are definitely worth considering, but reports have already started to surface that the dynamic duo of Marotti and Pantoni are thought to be staying at Ohio State and continuing to lead the charge as two of the most integral pieces of Ryan Day’s staff.

That said, don’t worry about the Buckeyes and their recruiting efforts. The momentum is going to be hard to stop regardless.

Buckeyes making an early impact on 2023 blue-chipper


As it is in every recruiting cycle, offensive line will be a major priority for the Buckeyes in both the 2022 and 2023 classes. Everyone knows that games are won in the trenches, and Ohio State will have to continue bringing in elite talent on both sides of the ball to keep winning at the level they currently are.

Fortunately, Ohio State is standing out early to several top linemen. Whether it be in-state or nationally, the Buckeyes and position coach Greg Studrawa will be putting in overtime hoping to land their top targets early and often. After 2021’s little hiccups recruiting the position, the priority to land top-caliber players early in the process will be key.

Yesterday, Bill Kurelic of Bucknuts gave an update on 2023 offensive tackle prospect Kadyn Proctor, saying Ohio State is already a top school in his recruitment. Though it’s early, the Buckeyes love to build relationships with their top targets, allowing them to not only stand out from other top programs, but also help them win out in the end. Knowing Proctor’s talent, it’s not a surprise that the Buckeyes offered him back in December, and will be a player in his recruitment consistently since he’s in the footprint of the Big Ten and a player that is certainly of Ohio State caliber.

A 6-foot-7, 300-pound monster of teenager, Proctor is currently only a high school sophomore. Of course with that size, he already has the frame to be the perfect offensive tackle with size and length. Still, with two full seasons of prep ball to continue his development, it’s pretty easy to see why he will be one of the more sought after players in his class.

Currently, Proctor checks in as the third-best tackle prospect in the country, the No. 31 player nationally, and the top player in Iowa for 2023. As stated, the Buckeyes have offered and Proctor clearly has interest as well in what Ohio State has to offer. This will be a name worth paying close attention to moving forward.

Murphy sheds light on top schools list


In yesterday’s edition of State Secrets, we touched on the top schools list of the nation’s top inside linebacker, Shawn Murphy. Coming as no surprise, Ohio State made the cut for Murphy as he trimmed his nearly 50 offers down to a final eight. With nothing but the best of the best in college football still under consideration for the Virginia native, Ohio State will really have to battle to land his services.

As we touched on Thursday, at one time it really did seem like the Buckeyes had serious momentum, and while things have certainly not cooled between the two parties, it does feel as if his name is not mentioned as much. That simply could be due to the fact that Ohio State does already have three players committed at the linebacker position for the 2022 class.

With his top schools announced, Murphy has given a taste as to what stands out about each program and what peaks his interest. In regards to the Buckeyes, it’s his close relationship with position coach Al Washington. In his own words, the two have “a very nice bond.” When Washington was brought to Ohio State, it was not only his coaching, but also his recruiting that had the Buckeyes excited for him to join the staff. His abilities have been seen everywhere he’s been, and in 2022 especially he’s proving his worth both on and off the field.

In addition to Murphy’s bond with Washington, he also believes he can fit into Ohio State’s defensive system right away. Simply put, the Buckeyes are definitely one of the eight that really stand out, but there’s also others. Even without a prediction on the 247Sports Crystal ball, it could very well be Ohio State, Alabama, Clemson, and likely Florida who lead the pack here, but all eight schools of course are in the running still for a reason.

As this recruitment continues, it will be key for the Buckeye staff to get Murphy back on campus when he’s allowed to do so. Continuing to build a strong relationship with him thanks to Washington looks to be the biggest factor and chance for Ohio State to win out in the end. Fortunately, the position coach knows exactly what he’s doing when it comes to both recruiting players and relationship building.

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Column: Urban Meyer is Jacksonville’s new coach, will that work out?
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images

Three questions that come to mind now that Urban’s in the NFL

After a month of flirtation, it is now official that former Ohio State football coach Urban Meyer is the next head coach of the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars.


So, with this move now a done deal, there are a few questions that spring to mind for me that I will endeavor to answer without benefit of insight, access, experience, or anything approaching intelligence. You’re welcome.

Why would Urban take this job after retiring from college coaching twice?


I think first and foremost, the fact that Meyer even began entertaining the idea of returning to coaching — at any level — must indicate that he feels that he is healthy enough to commit to any job that he might accept. While many people throughout the sporting world do not believe that the cyst at the bottom of Meyer’s brain stem is a legitimate explanation for his on-going health issues, based on the reporting of the most credible members of the Ohio State beat, I think that it is fair to say that his health situation — both cyst and stress — was serious enough to prematurely end at least his coaching tenure in Columbus.

So, if he is willing to leave the FOX pregame set and return to coaching — this time at the highest level — I have to believe that he is confident that his health is in a place where he can handle the stresses of the job. And probably more importantly, I have to assume that Shelley Meyer R.N. is confident that his health is in a place where he can handle the stresses of the job.

Therefore, if we accept that Meyer, his family, and his doctors are comfortable with him returning to the sidelines, we next have to ask why he would want to return, given the cushy job that he has as the de facto face of the only network TV college football pregame show on the air. Well, if you are reading this article, you know that Urban is nothing if not competitive.

I have long thought that he would eventually like to try his hand at the height of his profession, which means the NFL, and honestly, if you’re going to do that, the Jags in 2021 might be the best possible spot to try your hand.

While Meyer made his name as a college football coach at Utah, he made himself into a household name at Florida. So, even though Gator fans have not been the biggest Urban fans since his first retirement, coming home has a way of erasing a lot of ill will. Heck, I mean Meyer was practically Public Enemy No. 1 in Columbus before he became the Buckeyes’ head man before the 2012 season, and now many in Buckeye Nation revere him. So while they say that you can’t go home again, you can go 71 miles away from home.

Then there’s the job itself. Not only will Meyer be able to take Trevor Lawrence as the first overall pick, but he has 11 total picks in this year’s NFL Draft, including five in the first three rounds. Then there’s the fact that the Jags have anywhere from $75-$90 million in cap space, they’ve given Urban a promise that the organization will improve the team’s facilities, and he will be signing a contract for a reported $12 million salary. Who wouldn’t take that job?


Then, you have to factor in the fringe benefits; he can live on the beach in Jacksonville if he wants, there is no state taxes in Florida (as a FL resident, I can tell you, it’s nice), and perhaps most importantly, the life and hours of an NFL coach are far more desirable than those of a college coach. There’s no recruiting, there’s a legitimate offseason, you can get home every night at a respectable hour.

I don’t know much, but to me, that sounds like a pretty sweet gig.

Will anyone from Meyer’s Ohio State staffs join him in Jax?


This is interesting, because while there are obviously Urban holdovers on Ryan Day’s staff, there’s only a few that I would consider to be “Urban’s guys.” Obviously that list starts with strength and conditioning coach Mickey Marotti, but it was reported today by the Columbus Dispatch that he intends to remain at Ohio State.

Then there’s Player Development Director Mark Pantoni. While he is the man who oversees the Buckeyes’ recruiting efforts (amongst other things), I think that this could be an interesting opportunity for him to move into an NFL front office, if he would like. However, he isn’t going to jump from his current position straight to becoming the Jags’ GM, so the question is, does he want to stay at a place where he runs the show and he is literally one of the leaders in his field, or does he want to take a chance at tackling a new challenge where he would have to work under someone else and their vision? That’s something only Pantoni can decide. But can you imagine the BOOOOOOM tweets when the Jags land a high profile free agent?

On the coaching side, OSU’s quarterback coach Corey Dennis could head south, as Meyer is his father in law. Kevin Wilson is also an Urban guy, but when he eventually leaves Columbus, I would imagine that it would be to take another college head coaching job, not to jump to the NFL.

Then we have Kerry Coombs, who has become much maligned throughout his first season back in Columbus, now as a first-time defensive coordinator. He had a cup of coffee in the league working for Mike Vrabel in Tennessee, but I don’t see the Silver Fox leaving Columbus again — at least not voluntarily.

Urban also brought the already legendary Larry Johnson to Ohio State, and given the number of guys that he has helped turn into NFL All-Pros, he could most certainly coach at that level, but Johnson doesn’t strike me as an NFL guy. His entire career has been at either the high school or college level, and I think the connections that he develops with his players and their families are important to him. So, I think Larry Johnson retires a Buckeye.

Then there’s the one that worries me the most, Brian Hartline. Ohio State’s wide receiver coach spent seven seasons as an NFL pass catcher, and in his short time as a collegiate coach has become one of the best at recruiting and developing dynamic playmakers. Given his unique resume, Hartline could probably jump to an offensive coordinator position almost anywhere in college football, or garner interest from many NFL teams if he ever made his interest in coaching at the next level know.

So, the question is, is Hartline interested in opportunities outside of his alma mater at this point in his career? Or, is he content to work his way up the OSU food chain to eventually become the Buckeyes’ OC before taking a college head coaching job elsewhere?

I’m hoping that the latter is the case, because the WR legacy that Hartline is currently developing is the thing of legend, and I don’t want to see that end anytime soon.

So, with Coach Mick staying put, I’d put Pantoni at 60/40 that he stays, but Dennis at 25/75. Hartine spent the first six years of his NFL career with the Miami Dolphins, so he might be interested in making the leap and getting back down south, but I just feel like he knows what a great thing that he has going in Columbus, and hopefully he will be around at least for a few more years.

Will Urban be successful in the NFL?


There is a reason that there are very few coaches who move from college to the NFL and find success, especially when they don’t have prior pro experience. Pete Carroll was a two-time NFL head coach before winning two national titles at USC and then returning to the league with the Seahawks.

The demands and responsibilities and freedoms that come with coaching at each level are very different, and therefore the skillset that leads to conference and national titles in college is not the same as what leads to the playoffs and Super Bowls in the league. Now, of course that doesn’t mean that coaches can’t have both skillsets, but when you have spent your entire adult life honing one skillset, it requires a lot of adjustment, both personally and professionally, to make the changes necessary to succeed in a completely new environment.

And, to be honest, while I don’t know Urban Meyer as a person, I’ve watched enough of him as a coach to know that he has a tendency to be pretty stubborn. So, will he be willing to cede control of certain aspects of the organization over to others, or will he demand final say over personnel? Will he be able to make the cut-throat business decisions that are required in the NFL that he seemed incapable of doing at Ohio State? Will he be able to modify his motivational tactics to work with multi-millionaire grown men? I don’t know, but I think that he will have to in order to be successful.

Now, in his favor is the fact that even dating back to his days at UF, Meyer has always been good at allowing his coordinators to run their specific sides of the ball. So, to me, it seems like much of his success might be predicated on who he is able to bring in to be a part of his staff. Reports circulating on Thursday indicate that he is looking to bring in experienced NFL coaches — potentially even former head coaches — to serve as his coordinators.

Not only would that be a wise decision in terms of acclimating to the professional level, but it also would give him an opportunity to judge potential hires based on a proven track record of success in the league, rather than bringing in experienced college coaches, or unproven NFL assistants.

Look, Urban Meyer has been successful at every stop in his career, Bowling Green, Utah, Florida, Ohio State, FOX, etc., so I think that it would be foolish to assume that he has no shot at being a good fit in Jacksonville. But, he is about to make a jump that requires a lot of self awareness, a willingness to relinquish certain controls that he has had for decades, and the humility to admit that there are things that you just don’t know about the new world in which you are working.

We know that Meyer is a good coach — and he is walking into a pretty good situation in Jacksonville — so if he can wrestle with his new reality in the NFL, I think it could work out.

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Stick to Sports podcast: What to watch or listen to if you’re still feeling the post-national championship blues
Tia Johnston via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by J. Countess/Getty Images

Tia and Matt discuss their go-to list of shows, music and hobbies that help them forget DaVonta Smith exists

Land-Grant Holy Land’s newest podcast series, Stick to Sports, will be unlike any podcast you’ve heard on the Ohio State beat. Your hosts, Tia Johnston and Matt Tamanini, will (of course) talk Ohio State football, but the primary focus of the show will be on what’s going on around the periphery, such as weird/funny happenings in college football and the sports world at large, as well as other things that keep us interested in between games, whether that’s pop culture, social media trends— you name it.

Listen and Subscribe Now:


For those of you who have had enough of national championship recaps, analyses and NFL Draft rumors, this podcast is for you. Tia and Matt obviously had to touch on the game for a hot second to start the show before they dive right into anything and everything that makes them feel good during these trying times. They discuss the shows, apps, and music that they turn to when...say...DaVonta Harris makes a meal out of Ohio State’s defense. Check out their ‘Feel Good’ list below, and feel free to name your favorite go-tos in the comments!

Matt’s ‘Feel Good’ List:


Ted Lasso

Billy Joel’s Greatest Hits

Chris Gaines’ Greatest Hits

Tigers Original Off Broadway Cast Recording

Heathers Musical World Premiere Recording

Baseketball

Sports Night

Buffy the Vampire Slayer “Once More, with Feeling— I’ve Got a Theory”

In Short

Tia’s ‘Feel Good’ List:


How To Get Away With Murder

Bridgerton

Bridgerton Soundtrack

Sex and the City Reboot

TIKTOK! (Hop on the TikTok train, people! You won’t regret it)


Contact Tia Johnston

Twitter: @TiaJohnston

Contact Tia’s dogs

Instagram: @buddyandbella_

Contact Matt Tamanini

Twitter: @BWWMatt, @LandGrant33

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He may be needed with Moss injured, but play or not, Antonio gets a nice little pay bump for this week:

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Freshman Ransom, a star in the making
Mike 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

Ohio State has found a gem with true freshman Lathan Ransom.

Ransom, a former 4 star out of Arizona quietly gained more snaps for the Buckeyes as the season progressed, but has been making a name for himself this postseason, delivering the biggest hits, and plays at key moments.

As a true freshman Ransom earned his first grade as a champion in the Sugar Bowl against Clemson.

Ransom saw a season high 28 snaps in the Sugar Bowl victory and made plays for the Buckeye defense. Most notably, Trevor Lawrence’s last throw in the end zone targeted for Amari Rodgers was contested and batted by Ransom right into Sevyn Banks’ hands leading to an interception.

Although Ransom has appeared in three games for the Buckeyes he has made his presence known these past two post season games (Northwestern, Clemson). In the Big Ten Championship, on 4th down Ransom made a huge hit on Northwestern’s John Raine causing an incompletion and icing the game leading to a Buckeyes fourth straight Big Ten Championship.

Meeting with the media ahead of the national championship, defensive coordinator Kerry Coombs and senior Shaun Wade had high praise for the freshman.

Coombs said Ransom has improved everyday this season. “He showed up and played big when we needed him to,” said Coombs. “He continues to improve and develop and we’re excited for his future.”

Wade told the media that Ransom is going to be a great player and he even reached out to Wade ahead of the Clemson game to go over things in the slot corner position where they both went over to the WHAC to work on techniques before game time.

Ransom has 4 tackles and 1 PD on the season.

The future is bright.

All the tools Ransom has shown dominating high school and translating it to the college game has future All American written all over it and is going to be a problem for offenses years to come.




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#11 Ohio State Buckeyes Silences #2 Clemson Tigers in the Big Easy
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

Yes, you read that right and it was intentional. With all the chatter and all the slights sent their way, the Buckeyes have finally defeated the Clemson Tigers. The risk of falling 0-5 to Clemson was possible, but with all the motivation in the world the Buckeyes trounced the Tigers and silenced the doubters for now—and oh, how sweet it is?!

The build up to this moment was heavy. Two elite teams with two distinct paths to the CFB Playoffs. Two budding rivals that always seem to meet. Two elite head coaches with loaded rosters that could compete to become the next dynasty in college football. Both sides had their motives and their wills tested up to this moment.

One team, Ohio State went through adversity to play this season. They fought for a chance to play and they defeated the odds to do so. They had a nine-game season that turned to six with Maryland and TTUN cancelling, and the Illinois game being cancelled due to COVID concerns.

Clemson looked good but suffered an early loss at the hands of Notre Dame without Trevor Lawrence. Lawrence returns and throttles Notre Dame and avenged the loss to set the table for another head-to-head with the Buckeyes.

The chatter was immense and extremely disrespectful toward the Buckeyes leading up to the game—no one gave them a shot to advance. Coaches, Clemson head coach Dabo Sweeney ranked the Buckeyes 11th (11th!) in his final coaches poll and the media was forecasting another Bama versus Clemson game.

With their demons on the field, the Buckeyes looked great in this game. They played with poise and balance—and they really dominated all phases of the game. Constant pressure by the defense stifled Lawrence while Fields’ grit shined through with the help of Trey Sermon in the ground game. The game was never really that close after the 14-14 tie but the job is not done with the #1 Crimson Tide on the horizon.

Yes, savor the win—do it! But we all know if you want to win a championship, you have to run through Alabama and Clemson. The Buckeyes demolished the latter and now they must be laser focused on the Crimson Tide and their arsenal of weapons at their disposal.

For what it’s worth: Even the Bama head coach, Nick Saban and their future opponent had them out at 5th overall behind Texas A&M and while the slight is less severe—we can all assume that it’ll be used again to sharpen their edge. Focus on the win and enjoy it, the Tide are not to be taken lightly especially with the issues we saw tonight with the secondary.

MOTSAG Heroes of the Game

Offense: Justin Fields, QB

Defense: Haskell Garrett, DT

Special Teams: Drue Chrisman, P

#GoBucks




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Battered Justin Fields out shines Lawrence, setting up clash with Crimson Tide
Mike 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

Some players use criticism and comparisons to fuel their performance. Justin Fields did just so in Ohio State’s dominant 49-28 victory over the Clemson Tigers in the Sugar Bowl.

The comparisons and competition between Fields and Trevor Lawrence has been on display since the two were the best prospects in the 2018 recruiting class.

Lawrence has been the consensus number one pick for this upcoming NFL draft after Fields showed some weaknesses against ranked Indiana and Northwestern as he threw a combined 5 interceptions which was more then he had all of last season.

This, last year’s Fiesta Bowl clash, and Dabo’s ranking of Ohio State was more than enough fuel Fields needed for this CFB semifinal Friday night.

If he wasn’t already for his 19-1 record as a Buckeye heading into this game, Fields officially locked himself as a Buckeye legend for this gutsy performance.

Fields took off scrambling and took a big hit to the ribs from linebacker James Skalski that left him in a lot of pain through the course of the game. Fields missed one play before coming back in continuing to dominate.

Fields ended the night throwing 22-for-28 with 385 yards and Sugar Bowl record-six touchdowns.

Fields-Lawrence Battle

The first competition between Fields and Lawrence took place in high school at the Elite 11, where Fields was crowned MVP.

Lawrence took advantage of the second round after beating Fields and the Buckeyes in last year’s Fiesta Bowl.

Fields broke the 1-1 tie breaker in dominating fashion between the two Friday night as the Buckeyes advanced to the national title game against the Alabama Crimson Tide.




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Olave’s anticipated Tiger rematch: By Mike Scharf
Mike 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

December 28, 2019… State Farm Stadium… 29-23. 29-23. 29-23:

That final score has been entrenched throughout Woody Hayes Athletic Center. On the walls in the locker room, in the weight room.

Everywhere.

This score hasn’t left the Buckeyes team’s eyes since a last-minute interception in last year’s Fiesta Bowl ended their national championship hopes.

This Buckeye team seeks redemption after having a bad taste in their mouth from last season’s clash with the Clemson Tigers, and none other than star wide receiver Chris Olave seeks it more than most.

Last season, Olave spoke up that he broke his route in last year’s Fiesta Bowl as he turned left instead of continuing his route thinking his quarterback took off to scramble which led to a Justin Fields’ interception right in the hands of Clemson’s defensive back Nolan Turner in the endzone securing a Tigers victory and national championship appearance.

As the NFL draft was looming, there was no denying in the mind of Olave what he was going to do—he came back to Ohio State to show everyone what he can do.

Olave met with the media ahead of the 2020 season expressing his love for Ohio State and the chip he has from last season’s disheartening loss:

“I care so much about this team, this university,” Olave said, “I don’t think I’ve gotten over it still (Fiesta Bowl loss), and I still got that chip on my shoulder and I want to show the world”.

Olave explained he found himself working out 2-3 times a day, trying to take his mind off things.

This Buckeye team knows who the underdog is and relishes it. The odds have been stacked against this group all season and they are ready to prove the world wrong.

In the Sugar Bowl trailer, narrated by Chris Olave, he acknowledge the team embraces the underdog narrative.

“We know you don’t want to see us here, and we know you don’t give us a chance. That’s fine,” said Olave. “After all we fought through, we just need one chance. A second chance.”

CO2 is ready.




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Sugar Bowl X-Factor: Defense by Mike Scharf
Mike 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

There’s no denying Ohio State’s defense had a slow start to this 2020 season, which was predicted due to seven starters taking their talents to the NFL which included two of the top three picks in Chase Young, and Jeff Okudah.

Along with Okudah and Young, the Buckeyes lost Damon Arnette, Jordan Fuller, Malik Harrison, Jashon Cornell and Davon Hamilton to the 2020 NFL draft.

The loss of stars and slow start to the season didn’t stop the Silver Bullets from picking up rhythm and improving as a team through the abnormal 2020-COVID season.

The following is currently the Buckeyes’ defensive stats:

• Total Defense: 34
• Scoring Defense: 24 (Tied)
• Passing Defense: 104
• Rush Defense: 7
• 3rd Down Defense: 19
• Sacks Per Game: 26 (Tied)

In order for a Sugar Bowl victory and appearance in the 2020 National Championship, the Buckeyes defense needs to step up and execute the game plan for Trevor Lawrence’s high-powered Clemson Tiger offense.

Here are a few X-Factors defensively that could lead the Buckeyes’ to victory come Friday night.

Jonathan Cooper – Tommy Togiai – Haskell Garrett (Defensive Line)

Chase Young is dominating on Sunday’s for the Washington Football team and early on the Buckeyes faced problems replacing his 16.5 sacks from last season. That being said, the front seven has been dominate of late and the strong unit for the Buckeyes. (As noted above, they are 7th in the country in rush defense.) The experience and leadership of fifth-year senior Jonathan Cooper has been enormous all season long and will continue into championship season. Cooper has 20 tackles and 2.5 sacks on the season. The dominate-duo of the interior between Tommy Togiai and Haskell Garrett has been the biggest x-factor for the Buckeyes all season long and will cause disruption in the Tigers backfield. Togiai and Garrett have a combined 36 tackles and 5 sacks.

Pete Werner – Tuf Borland (Linebackers)

The Buckeye linebackers are a veteran group led by seniors Pete Werner and Tuf Borland. Werner leads the team with 37 tackles, 2.5 TFL, and one sack. Borland is second with 26 tackles, and 1.5 sacks. Both Werner and Borland are a big reason why the Buckeyes have played well against the run this season. These two, along with Baron Browning face their biggest test of the season Friday with the read option of Trevor Lawrence and Travis Etienne. Lawrence and Etienne have a combined rushing of 1,103 yards and 20 touchdowns.

The Buckeyes veteran group of linebackers are led by seniors Pete Warner and Tuf Borland. Warner leads the team with 37 tackles along with 2.5 TFL and one sack. Borland is second on the team with 26 tackles along with 1.5 sacks. These two, along with Baron Browning are a substantial reason why the team has played so well against the run this season. The biggest test will be this Friday as they look to contain the read option between Trevor Lawrence and Travis Etienne. Lawrence and Etienne have a combined rushing of 1,103 yards and 20 touchdowns this season for the Tigers.,,

Shaun Wade (Secondary)

This is a redemation game for Shaun Wade. Although, the talk of this year’s Buckeyes has been the secondary and the struggles they faced at times. The starting corners from last year’s defense were Jeff Okudah and Damon Arnette as they were both drafted in the first round last April. Along with those two the Buckeyes lost, Jordan Fuller, who was a dominate force at safety for last year’s secondary. The struggles have been apparent for the secondary, but the Buckeyes have picked it up led behind the fifth-year senior and future first-rounder Shaun Wade. Wade will be coming into this game LASER focused as he is looking for his redemption against the Tigers. Last year, during the Fiesta Bowl, Wade was called for a controversial targeting call on Trevor Lawrence which led to be the turning point of the game in favor for the Tigers. Wade has 20 tackles and 2 interceptions on the season.

Final Analysis

Wade won’t be the only one looking for redemption. This Buckeye defense, along with these X-Factors will come in determined to prove something. Not only have the media questioned the creditability of the Buckeyes due to the fact they only played six games.

Clemson Tigers’ head coach, Dabo Swinney added some fuel to the fire. Swinney ranked the Buckeyes 11th on the coaches’ poll ballot and stood by that decision saying “I didn’t rank anybody who didn’t play nine games or more in the top 10. That’s why they were 11. I have all the respect in the world for Ohio State.” — The Buckeyes will be ready.




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With the football season over, attention turns to Ohio State basketball
Brett Ludwiczak 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

With last night’s win over Northwestern, Ohio State is 10-3 on the season and 4-3 in the Big Ten, which has them currently sitting fifth in the conference.


Earlier this week, after the Ohio State football team fell to Alabama in the College Football Playoff Championship Game, Adam Jardy of the Columbus Dispatch put together five things to know for Buckeye fans who haven’t seen much of the Ohio State basketball team this year. If Jardy’s CliffsNotes weren’t enough for you, earlier today Stephen Means of Cleveland.com added four more things to know about the team that is currently ranked 21st in the country with a 10-3 record after last night’s 81-71 win over Northwestern.

Which Duane shows up

One thing that both writers mentioned about this year’s Ohio State team is the streakiness of Duane Washington Jr. When Washington is good, he’s really good. When Washington’s shot is off, he is one of the most frustrating players in the country to watch. Even head coach Chris Holtmann joked that Washington is “going to send him to an early death”.

Washington currently leads Ohio State, averaging 15.7 points per game. It’s just tough to know which Washington is going to show up on any given night. In the two wins over Rutgers, the junior scored a combined 39 points and went 8-of-19 from three-point range. But there are also games like the loss to Northwestern on Dec. 26, when Washington was just 1-of-9 from the field and missed what would have been the game-winning layup. If Washington’s shot is falling and he is displaying good shot selection, the Buckeyes are a hard team to beat. If it’s not, by the end of the game you might have pulled all your hair out.

One of the more recent developments with this year’s Ohio State team has been the testing of the depth at point guard. C.J. Walker has missed the last two games after he tore ligaments in his non-shooting hand, and backup Jimmy Sotos left late in the Rutgers game with a shoulder injury, missing last night’s victory over Northwestern.

A new face at point guard

The loss of Walker and Sotos has pushed Meechie Johnson Jr. into action. The guard from Cleveland wasn’t originally scheduled to be in Columbus until next year, but he graduated early and reclassified to the class of 2020. Not only did Johnson just join the team last month, he is also coming off a torn ACL, and was only cleared for full practice participation last week. Johnson played 11 minutes last night against the Wildcats, scoring his first points as a Buckeye as he finished the game with six points.

While Johnson won’t be fully unleashed on the court until next season, at least he is able to give Ohio State some minutes in its time of need right now. Sotos should at least be back on the court relatively soon, while it’s not known how long Walker will be out. Until the Buckeyes are at full strength, Johnson can at least give Ohio State some sparks, and have fans longing for next year when Johnson should be at full strength on the court.

Plenty of tests left

The Buckeyes have already played Rutgers and Northwestern twice this year, and the schedule is only getting to get tougher going forward. Ohio State still has to play Illinois, Michigan State, and Iowa twice this year. Add in a road game against Wisconsin, as well as a home contest against Michigan, and the Buckeyes will have their work cutout for them if they want to finish at .500 this year.

That’s not a knock on Ohio State, that just tells you how tough the Big Ten is this year. Currently Ohio State is one of just five Big Ten teams whose conference record is sitting above .500. While a number of the games still left ahead for the Buckeyes probably won’t go Ohio State’s way, it will at least ready them for the high-pressure situations that they’ll see in the NCAA Tournament. No better way to get yourself ready for the big dance than by competing in the toughest basketball conference in the country.

Depth will see them through

Even though Ohio State doesn’t have a “star”, what they do have working for them is that this is the deepest team Holtmann has had since he took over in Columbus. Currently eight players are averaging over 10 minutes per game, and that’s not even including Seth Towns, Sotos, and Eugene Brown III.

The X-factor for the Buckeyes this year is going to be Towns, who is working his way back into basketball shape after recovering from knee surgeries in 2018 and 2019. Prior to his injuries, Towns averaged 16 points per game and 5.7 rebounds per game in the 2017-18 season for Harvard, and was named the Ivy League Player of the Year. While we won’t see Towns playing 28 minutes per game like he did in his last season at Harvard, he could be a critical piece of the bench for the Buckeyes as the season goes on.

Even though teams want to be as healthy as possible throughout the season, the injuries Ohio State is dealing with right now are forcing players to step up when called on. Those guys who are playing more now than they might have thought they would be are gaining confidence, and everything could come together just in time for the Big Ten and NCAA Tournaments for the Buckeyes.

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Tier Talk 2.0: Risers, fallers, and COVID catchers
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

A clear top four seem to have separated themselves from the pile, while three programs are now on a temporary pause due to COVID-19 cases.

In baseball, the catcher wears a complete suit of armor to protect himself from everything that could hit, clip, or smack him. A catcher’s mask, chest protector, knee savers, shin guards, all of that. This equipment is affectionately known as “the tools of ignorance” because you’re willingly putting this stuff on to sit in the line of fire of a 90+ mph fastball. If playing catcher is so risky, why do so many athletes choose to don the tools of ignorance?

Because it’s fun, duh.

Similarly, trying to decide who the elite teams in the Big Ten are compared to the rest is a task of pure ignorance. Even worse: looking down the line and trying to decide which middle of the road teams stand out from the others.

One of those middling teams really made a statement this week and climbed into my top tier. Another tier two team from last week completely spilled the chili this week, and therefore will drop. And Nebraska is..... Nebraska.

Last week’s Tier Talk was a bit lengthy, so I’m going to try and cut it back a bit. Let’s get ignorant, shall we?

Tier 1: The Contenders


The clear best teams in the conference.

Iowa

Catalina Fragoso-USA TODAY Sports

Record: 11-2 (5-1)
KenPom Rank: 3
Big wins: No. 16 North Carolina, No. 19 Northwestern, at No. 14 Rutgers, No. 16 Minnesota
Bad losses: None
Last week: Tier 1

Iowa continues to blow the doors off their opponents. Since last week, they went on the road to Maryland and bludgeoned the Terrapins by 22, and then came home and beat a very talented Minnesota team by 15 points. Luka Garza will continue grabbing the headlines (deservedly so), as he averaged 28.5 points per game in those two wins, but the Hawkeyes are absolutely loaded with talent.

Jordan Bohannon, who returned to Iowa after missing his entire fourth year with a hip issue, was the unsung hero in Iowa’s win over Minnesota. He scored 19 points to go along with 14 assists and seven rebounds in 36 minutes, and has scored at least 13 points in each of the past four games. Iowa’s defense is bad, but it’s not horrendous. When you score 85 points per game, you don’t need to play a ton of defense anyways.

Michigan

Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

Record: 11-0 (6-0)
KenPom Rank: 4
Big wins: No. 19 Northwestern, No. 16 Minnesota, No. 9 Wisconsin
Bad losses: None
Last week: Tier 2 (⬆1)

The knock on Michigan before this week wasn’t that they weren’t good, it was their schedule. The Wolverines beat up Northwestern pretty nicely, but the Wildcats are sliding now. We were waiting for Michigan to step up to the plate and make a statement, and my goodness, did they.

Michigan blew out No. 16 Minnesota at home by 25, which was shocking at the time. The Gophers had already upset Iowa and had just embarrassed Ohio State, but the Wolverines’ balanced scoring attack and aggressive defense were too much too handle.

However, that was only the appetizer, as Michigan then pantsed No. 9 Wisconsin on Tuesday night, 77-54. This game was never close, and Michigan led by as many as 40 points before calling off the dogs with over six minutes to go. This game was so lopsided that Michigan could have dribbled the ball out every possession starting at the 15:07 mark of the second half, and still won. The Badgers scored 54 points on Tuesday. Michigan scored their 55th point with 15:07 to go.

Light. Work.

Illinois

Patrick Gorski-USA TODAY Sports

Record: 9-4 (5-2)
KenPom Rank: 8
Big wins: At No. 10 Duke
Bad losses: Maryland
Last week: Tier 1

During the preseason I picked Illinois to win the conference, but I’ve backed off that a bit. While Illinois is the most talented team in the B1G, they turn the ball over far too often for a team with their level of talent (13.5 TO per game, 2nd in B1G).

Kofi Cockburn (17.3 PTS, 10.1 AST) and Ayo Dosunmu (22.4 PTS, 6.9 REB, 4.8 AST) are superstars, but they’re combining for over five turnovers per game just between the two of them. The Illini don’t convert at the charity stripe either, knocking down less than 70% of their free throws.

Illinois could win the national championship, but they could also get bounced in the second round of the NCAA Tournament if they have a sloppy day like they’re prone to having.

Wisconsin

Mary Langenfeld-USA TODAY Sports

Record: 10-3 (4-2)
KenPom Rank: 9
Big wins: No. 23 Louisville (by 37), at No. 12 Michigan State, No. 21 Minnesota
Bad losses: At Marquette, Maryland
Last week: Tier 1

This week, Wisconsin edged out a pretty average Indiana team 80-73 in double overtime and then got absolutely pooped on by Michigan (see: Michigan).

The Badgers are the most experienced team in the Big Ten and one of the most well-rounded teams in the country. Their entire starting lineup can knock down shots inside and outside the three-point line, and they play the same blue-chip, hard-nosed defense that’s been played at Wisconsin all the way back to the Bo Ryan days.

But after what just happened in Ann Arbor....we have to pause. The Wolverines did it on all levels, driving to the basket and shooting from distance. Everything was working for them, and nothing was dropping for the Badgers. I think this team is still one of the best in the conference, but we need to keep and eye on them and make sure this loss doesn’t snowball into something worse.

Tier 2: The Troublemakers


Not top tier yet, but nobody wants to play these teams if they can avoid it. Could all slide up at some point.

Ohio State

Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

Record: 10-3 (4-3)
KenPom Rank: 16
Big wins: No. 11 Rutgers, No. 15 Rutgers
Bad losses: None
Last week: Tier 3 (⬆1)

I wanted to wait until after the Northwestern game to decide on Ohio State, and here we are. Without their starting point guard and their backup point guard, the Buckeyes withstood a furious Northwestern rally to exact revenge on the windy city kitties, 81-71. E.J. Liddell finished with six points and 10 rebounds, but did not make one basket. All of his points came off free throws, while other Buckeyes such as Justin Ahrens (12 points) and Duane Washington Jr. (23 points, six assists) stepped up.

This Ohio State team is extremely balanced and playing very well despite being down a few men. Their game against Illinois this weekend probably won’t be pretty, but the long-term picture is looking good for the Buckeyes.

Rutgers

Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

Record: 7-4 (3-4)
KenPom Rank: 40
Big wins: No. 13 Illinois
Bad losses: None
Last week: Tier 2

Since last week, Rutgers went on the road and got blasted by Michigan State 68-45 — their lowest point total of the year— and then came home and were promptly swept by Ohio State. Rutgers looked completely inept while playing Michigan State, hitting 30.5% of their shots and knocking down just six of their 17 free throws (35.3%).

Then, after talking up a big game against the Buckeyes, they went flat, losing at the RAC by 11 points in a game that wasn’t nearly as close as that final score would indicate.

Rutgers has lost three in a row and are dealing with lingering injuries to Ron Harper Jr. and Jacob Young, while starting center Cliff Omoruyi is still out with a knee issue. If Rutgers can get healthy, they’re a top-10 team in the country. But will that happen in time to turn this ship around?

Minnesota

Harrison Barden-USA TODAY Sports

Record: 10-4 (3-4)
KenPom Rank: 23
Big wins: St. Louis, No. 4 Iowa, No. 17 Michigan State, No. 25 Ohio State
Bad losses: None
Last week: Tier 2

It was a tough week for Minnesota, who went on the road twice to play top-10 teams and got abused by both Iowa and Michigan at their places. Minnesota kept it close into the second half in both games, but the Gophers’ inability to knock down the triple doomed them while playing two teams who excel at just that.

After starting the season on fire, Marcus Carr is struggling over his last three games (14 PTS, 27.7% FG), and Liam Robbins has not been able to replicate the same success he had against the Buckeyes (7.5 PTS, 5 REB per game since beating Ohio State). Minnesota is one of the better teams in the conference, but they’re clearly a notch below the big boys.

Tier 3: Purgatory


At one point seemed to have a high ceiling and still may, but they need to show us some sign of life to climb into Tier 2.

Northwestern

Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports

Record: 6-5 (3-4)
KenPom Rank: 58
Big wins: No. 4 Michigan State, No. 23 Ohio State
Bad losses: None
Last week: Tier 2 (⬇1)

The Wildcats’ depth is enticing, but too many of their major contributors have gone ice cold at the same time, and Northwestern is reeling. Boo Buie has been especially bad, scoring just seven points over the last four games. They’ve now lost four in a row after starting out 3-0, and have No. 5 Iowa coming up next.

KenPom has them all the way down at 58 and gives them less than a 50% chance to win each of their remaining 13 games, which includes six games against ranked teams. I don’t get into stocks, but this is one team you definitely want to sell now.

Michigan State

Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports

* This team has paused activities due to COVID-19 cases within the program. Their next game has been postponed. *

Record: 8-4 (2-4)
KenPom Rank: 43
Big wins: At No. 6 Duke, No. 15 Rutgers
Bad losses: None
Last week: Tier 3

The Spartans stuffed Rutgers into a locker defensively, holding them to just 45 points during their 23-point win last week. It seemed like Michigan State had finally woken up after playing opossum for the first month of the season, and now were ready to wreak havoc on the Big Ten, zombie Izzo-style.

Wrong.

They followed up the win over Rutgers with a head-scratching loss at home versus Purdue in a game where they led by 15 points at halftime. The Spartans couldn’t figure out how to guard Trevion Williams, nor can they figure out who their own go-to scorer is. Their defense is stout, but the Spartans have some work to do on the offensive end.

Indiana

Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports

Record: 8-5 (3-3)
KenPom Rank: 24
Big wins: None
Bad losses: None
Last week: Tier 3

The Hoosiers nearly shocked Wisconsin in Madison last week, taking them to double overtime before ultimately falling, 80-73. Trayce Jackson-Davis (20.1 PTS, 9.3 REB) is one of the most talented bigs in the country, but without Armaan Franklin (ankle) Indiana doesn’t have enough support for their sophomore star. Al Durham (15.7 PPG over last four games) has been great the last two weeks, and he’ll need to continue at that pace if Indiana wants to tread water while Franklin is out.

Purdue

Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports

Record: 8-5 (3-3)
KenPom Rank: 38
Big wins: No. 20 Ohio State
Bad losses: At Miami
Last week: Tier 3

Purdue is still a really boring team that scores the fewest points in the Big Ten and also moves slower than molasses, but this buzzer-beater against Michigan State last week was fantastic.


The Boilermakers don’t have enough support for Williams, but that win at Michigan State brought them back to .500 in B1G play. They have winnable games against Indiana and Penn State coming up; if they win both, then maybe I’ll change my tune about them.

Tier 4: Bottom Feeders


Pretty much the worst of the conference, but not a gimme-win. Also not Nebraska.

Maryland

Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

Record: 7-6 (2-5)
KenPom Rank: 46
Big wins: At No. 6 Wisconsin, at No. 12 Illinois
Bad losses: None
Last week: Tier 4

To give Maryland credit, they have played an insanely tough schedule so far, with four of their last five games coming against top-20 teams. I think if you picked up Maryland and plopped them back into the ACC (where they belong), they would probably be a mid-level team and lock up an NCAA Tournament bid.

Unfortunately this isn’t the little leagues, and it’s unfortunate that their upcoming game against Nebraska is postponed, because the ‘Terps could’ve used that win. Maryland still has a ceiling of just 6-7 conference wins.

Penn State

Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports

* This team has paused activities due to COVID-19 cases within the program *

Record: 3-4 (0-3)
KenPom Rank: 47
Big wins: VCU, at No. 15 Virginia Tech
Bad losses: None
Last week: Tier 4

Penn State’s last four games have been postponed due to COVID-19 cases within the PSU program. They jumped from 48 to 47 in KenPom’s rankings, despite not playing last week. Their next scheduled game is Sunday at Purdue. Refer to last week’s Penn State analysis for a more in-depth breakdown of PSU up to this point.

Tier 5: Nebraska


Nebraska.

Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports

* This team has paused activities due to COVID-19 cases within the program *

Record: 4-8 (0-5)
KenPom Rank: 121
Big wins: None
Bad losses: Nevada
Last week: Tier 5

I’ve got nothing here.

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Buckeyes make the cut for top 2022 LB, five-star DB hints at possible commitment date
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Five-star 2022 LB Shawn Murphy | Bill Kurelic, 247Sports

With the season completed, Ohio State’s attention can now be focused on recruiting.

Now that the season is completed, though it didn’t end how Ohio State wanted, the time to finally unwind is here. After hearing Ryan Day in the championship post-game presser talk about how long of a road this season has been, you can really sense the exhaustion in he, the players and the rest of the coaching staff as well. Day mentioned it’s time for those in the program to get away and see their families, which they haven't been able to do much in the face of a pandemic. While the Buckeyes take some much deserved time away, the program will be looking to what is on the horizon in the near future.

Simply put, recruiting will once again take the first priority when this coaching staff starts to hit it again. Ryan Day and his crew are always focused on recruiting, but it’s obviously easier to give that area of the program your full attention when games aren’t being played. Doing their very best to hammer down the one or two remaining spots in 2021 and continuing their incredible hot-streak in 2022, the loss this past Monday night stings, but shouldn’t worry you too much. Considering the amount of elite talent continuing to choose Ohio State, there’s every reason to believe the Buckeyes will be back on the biggest stage in no time at all.

Buckeyes make the cut for Murphy


In Ohio State’s 2022 class, the linebacker position is a major priority. With the current veteran status of the position group and the fact that Ohio State only took one true linebacker in 2021, Al Washington knows this next cycle is a big one for the health of his crew. Fortunately, the Buckeyes and Washington have been able to get off to an incredible start already having three top caliber linebackers in the fold and committed.

Thanks to C.J. Hicks, Dasan McCullough, and Gabe Powers, the class is already pretty much set in terms of both quality and quantity. However, that doesn’t mean Ohio State won’t try their best to add even more elite talent to the fold.

One target the Buckeyes would love to make it four linebackers is the nation’s top inside linebacker and the 17th-best player nationally, Shawn Murphy. The five-star has been a recurring topic of discussion in regards to Ohio State recruiting because of the mutual interest between the two sides. Boasting nearly 50 offers from any and every top college program in the country, Murphy will be pursued relentlessly by everyone until he signs on the dotted line. Whether the Buckeyes were the thought to be leaders at one time and have since fizzled a bit or not, Murphy is a can’t miss prospect and would be another gem in an already loaded class.

Yesterday, the Virginia native updated his recruitment with the latest news that he’s come to a final list of eight schools still in the running to land his services. Making the cut for the top linebacker in the class included Alabama, Clemson, Penn State, Oregon, Georgia, Florida, Oklahoma, and Ohio State. Trimming the list down to a final eight from the nearly 50 offers he has is quite impressive, and for any program to make this list is a great feat considering how talented Murphy is.


As this recruitment moves on, the Buckeyes will do their very best to not only stay in the mix but separate themselves from the rest of the pack. Currently, there is not a single prediction forecasted on the 247Sports Crystal Ball, but it looks as if Alabama has become a serious player here. While Ohio State does have three guys already in the fold, they’ll still work tirelessly to bring in a fourth with the likes of Murphy.

A commitment date being set?


Much like the linebacker position, Ohio State will continue to recruit with relentless effort at defensive back even with top-10 national prospect Jaheim Singletary committed in the 2022 class as a cornerback. The Buckeyes are going to reload at the position of importance and as usual are off to a great start but want more. Fortunately, in the 2022 class the cornerback position is as loaded as it has ever been with five corners ranked within the top 10 overall players in the entire country. Ridiculous depth like this couldn’t come at a better time with the priority the staff has at adding elite talent in the secondary.

The top corner in the country and the No. 3 player overall, Domani Jackson isn’t a new name to Ohio State fans, and sent shockwaves just months ago when it seemed he was on the verge of committing to the Buckeyes after several social media posts of his hinted towards a pledge. Fast forward a bit and things have definitely slowed down. He has since visited rival Michigan, and USC is the nearby program that has also seemed to gain some serious momentum in the last few weeks. Still, Ohio State has more than a puncher’s chance at eventually landing Jackson and adding him to their stellar 2022 class.

Yesterday, Jackson took to his Twitter account to release something of importance coming on Jan. 23, which is of course now just over a week away. Whether it’s Jackson releasing an updated final schools list or him actually giving a program his commitment, no one yet knows, but certainly something worth paying attention to is coming down the pipeline. Until then, Ohio State will have to pick back up their momentum and stay in his ear.

Regardless of the nature of the announcement, a top caliber player like Jackson would be someone Ohio State will be in on until the very end. In the coming days we should know where they sit in regards to their chances with the five-star CB.

Quick Hits

• Five-star cornerback Will Johnson is slated to visit USC this coming weekend. Johnson has trimmed his list to a final five schools including Ohio State, Michigan, Arizona State, USC, and Oklahoma. Before committing, Johnson wanted to see his other finalists, and USC was one of the remaining schools he’s yet to visit. With this trip coming, look for Johnson to commit within the coming weeks. It will be tough to fend off Michigan here, but Ohio State does have a legitimate chance.
• 2022 four-star running back prospect Terrance Gibbs named a top 12 schools list yesterday. The Winter Park, Florida native included Ohio State, LSU, Auburn, Georgia, Florida, West Virginia, Miami, Texas A&M, Michigan, Penn State, Texas, and Alabama. Though the Buckeyes are in it for the 16th-best running back in the country, it doesn’t look as if Ohio State has a real shot here — at least right now. Other backs look to be more of a priority to the program at this point.

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What we saw in Ohio State’s 81-71 win over Northwestern
Gene Ross 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

The Buckeyes split the season series with the Wildcats on Wednesday night behind a career-high 23 points from Duane Washington Jr.

The No. 21 Ohio State Buckeyes hosted the Northwestern Wildcats on Wednesday night looking to win back-to-back Big Ten contests for the first time this season. Chris Holtmann’s team came up just short the last time these two teams met, with Duane Washington Jr.’s potential game-winning layup just barely missing as OSU fell 71-70 in Evanston less than a month ago. Ohio State was able to get the best of Chris Collin’s guys this time around, defeating the ‘Cats 81-71 in Columbus to move to 10-3 overall on the year and one game above .500 (4-3) in conference play.

The Buckeyes got a fantastic effort from Washington, scoring a career-high 23 points to go along with six assists and three boards while turning the ball over only once as the team’s primary ball-handler. Justice Sueing was strong with 13 points and seven rebounds, while Justin Ahrens added 12 points on a 4-of-5 effort from three-point land including some big shots down the stretch. Ohio State was able to survive a career game from Northwestern guard Chase Audige, as he led the Wildcats with 25 points.

Ohio State had one of its best shooting performances of the season, hitting 50% from the field and 40% from beyond the arc. They won the battle on the boards 39-35, led by E.J. Liddell’s 10 rebounds and Kyle Young’s nine. It was an impressive effort all around from a Buckeyes unit that was playing without a few key guys.

Beat up backcourt


Before things tipped off on Wednesday night, Ohio State knew it would be down a pair of guards. The Buckeyes were already without starting point guard C.J. Walker last time out in the win against Rutgers, as the senior remains out indefinitely with torn ligaments in his right hand. On top of that, Chris Holtmann’s team has now lost Walker’s replacement in the starting lineup, as Jimmy Sotos missed tonight’s matchup against Northwestern with a shoulder injury he sustained in the final minutes against the Scarlet Knights.

The Bucknell transfer played well last game in Walker’s absence, playing a season-high 28 minutes with six points and four assists. In addition to Sotos and Walker, Ohio State was already without grad transfer Abel Porter, whose basketball playing days came to a halt after the discovery of a career-ending heart condition this offseason. This leaves the Buckeyes incredibly thin at guard, but especially so when it comes to running the point.

Holtmann’s starting five against Northwestern saw Duane Washington Jr. lined up at point guard, with Justin Ahrens joining him in the backcourt and the usual trio of Justice Sueing, E.J. Liddell and Kyle Young as the forwards. The lack of guard depth will likely lead to more playing time for guys like Ahrens, Musa Jallow and Eugene Brown. Reclassified freshman Meechie Johnson Jr. could also see increased minutes moving forward.

An Audige-ous start


It was the Chase Audige show for Northwestern to open things up. The sophomore guard scored the Wildcats’ first 11 points of the game, and scored 15 of the team’s first 17 points overall on an impressive 7-of-8 from the field over the first 10 minutes of action. It quickly turned into a one-on-one battle between Audige and Washington, as the Ohio State guard had 11 of the Buckeyes’ first 19 points at the other end over that same stretch.

Having seen Ohio State’s previous shooting woes, the ‘Cats were giving up a bit of space at the three-point line early on, but this time around the Buckeyes were knocking it down. The home team drilled five of their first eight attempts from beyond the arc, including Washington’s 3-of-4 start from deep. With guard depth an issue, Ohio State looked to Sueing and Washington to run the offense, and the pair were facilitating things well despite the unusual assignment.

Audige had a field day in the first half, heading into the locker room with 21 points on 9-of-15 shooting to go along with four rebounds and an assist.

Meechie for three!


The 6-foot-2 freshman guard from Cleveland is supposed to be a senior in high school. Instead, he elected to reclassify to the 2020 class, knowing that he was ready and could make an impact right away in Columbus. With so many guys down for Ohio State in the backcourt, Johnson got his first real chance to show his stuff on Wednesday night, and he made the most of it as he knocked down his very first career shot in a Buckeye uniform on a corner three in the opening period of action.

Speaking of three-point shooting, Northwestern looked like they had taken a page out of the Ohio State playbook with how poorly they shot the rock from downtown in the first period. As a team, the Wildcats managed to hit just one of their first 11 shots from beyond the arc. Conversely, the Buckeyes — who ranked 12th in the Big Ten hitting at a 32.1% clip from range coming into the game — managed to hit at a higher than average 8-of-18 (44.4%) from three-point land through the opening 20 minutes. Led by Washington’s 17 points, Ohio State was able to take a 42-33 lead into halftime.

Johnson finished the first period with six points on a pair of three-balls with one rebound and one assist as the young man was clearly building confidence with every additional minute he saw the floor.

Getting sloppy with it


Ohio State was outplaying Northwestern in almost all facets of the game, but the one area they really started to struggle — especially in the second half — was in the turnover department. The Buckeyes came into the night with the second-least turnovers per game in the Big Ten at 9.8 per contest, but on the other end the Wildcats rank in the upper half of the conference averaging 5.9 steals per game. Something had to give, and Ohio State gave indeed to the tune of 11 turnovers.

These giveaways seemed to come in bunches in the second half, and after leading by as much as 13 points, the Buckeyes allowed Northwestern to get back within six points less than midway through the second period. What was especially troubling were the points off turnovers, where the Wildcats had 16 points off Ohio State’s giveaways. On the flip side, the ‘Cats turned the ball over just four times all game, helping to offset some of their poor shooting and allowing them to hang around for longer than they should've.

There was, however, this key Northwestern turnover:

Deja vú — or not!


In almost a mirror image of the last time these two teams met, Ohio State went cold down the stretch and allowed Northwestern right back into a game that the Buckeyes had largely dominated for the first 30 minutes. After Young’s layup made it 64-52 Ohio State with 9:32 remaining, Holtmann’s team proceeded to miss seven of their next eight shots as the Wildcats opened up an 8-0 run. With 4:05 to go, all of the sudden Northwestern trailed just 67-66 as the Buckeyes continued to sputter on the offensive end.

Luckily for Ohio State, this time around they got a massive bucket from Justin Ahrens. The forward drilled a three — his fourth of the game — to break the Northwestern run and put the Buckeyes back up by four. A few possessions later, Justice Sueing drove down the court and converted a layup through contact for an and-one. Shortly thereafter, Ohio State got yet another and-one by Kyle Young. The trio of highlight plays really sparked the home team, and momentum seemed to swing back in the Buckeyes’ favor as they opened up a nine-point lead with a little over two minutes remaining.


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Buckeye Bits: Jimmy Sotos out for tonight’s game, ESPN’s Mel Kiper, Todd McShay think Justin Fields should stay at Ohio State, more
Tia Johnston 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

All of the latest Ohio State news from around the beat and beyond.

How we feeling Buckeye fans? Still mourning? Over it? Glad the season’s over? At least we beat Clemson? A little of everything? Look, this college football season was pure insanity, and the fact that the Buckeyes played football at all, let alone made it to the national championship, is pretty amazing.

Moving on. There isn’t a lot happening across the Ohio State beat (for once), so today’s round up is pretty short and sweet! So check out today’s headlines below, and then turn on Big Ten Network to catch the Ohio State men’s basketball team take on the Northwestern Wildcats at 7 p.m. ET!

From around Land-Grant Holy Land...

From around the gridiron...


Heading into the national championship game, Thayer Munford had 224 pass-block snaps, two QB pressures allowed and zero sacks allowed, earning him the fourth-highest grade in PFF’s rankings of Big Ten OT seasons.


Let’s not dwell on the past and, instead, direct our gaze to the future. Because friends, the future is oh so bright in Columbus. Keep an eye on some of the Buckeyes’ rising stars, including an extremely talented group of freshmen wide receivers, linebacker Cody Simon, kicker Jake Seibert, safety Lathan Ransom, and many more who are expected to have much bigger roles come September.


Why does it feel like the 2020 NFL Draft was two days ago? It’s somehow time to reenter the world of mock drafts, and what better way to begin than with the ESPN draft expert himself, Todd McShay. In his latest mock draft, released on Jan. 7 before the national championship game, McShay has Shaun Wade going No. 13 to the Chargers, Justin Fields going No. 15 to the Patriots and Chris Olave with the No. 25 pick to the Jets. However, after the Buckeyes’ loss to Alabama, McShay adjusted his predictions. During his First Draft Podcast with Mel Kiper, McShay said Wade’s draft stock decreased:


Olave’s draft stock increased:


and Kiper said that Fields would benefit from staying another year:


Dabo: Not Over It.

From around the hardwood...


Both of Ohio State’s top point guards will be out in Wednesday’s game against Northwestern. It was announced Wednesday afternoon that senior guard Jimmy Sotos has been ruled out due to a shoulder injury, joining senior guard CJ Walker, who is out due to torn ligaments in his right hand.

From around the mat?...


Apparently we should keep our eyes and ears on Ohio State’s wrestling team, as the head coach just teased us all via Twitter on Wednesday afternoon.


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malibuspeedrace said:

Has a coach ever called a game from a stationary bike?

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Only if just kicking field goals?

Damn, didn't get to watch this one. I watched the highlights and it seemed like we were lighting it up from the 3 point line, I like that. And saw Meechie hit a couple real smooth 3s, I think there is more where that came from. Nice win Bucks.

Crump's brother said:

Only in bowl games.

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Please explain.

@ScriptOhio I do not know if you can do this or not but your thread title needs to be changed because this game was played at Northwestern. Historical purposes.

I guess this makes me feel a little better...

OHSportsFan said:

I wasn’t exactly impressed with this side of the ball either.

I thought Bama had a suspect backfield and yet everything seemed like hard work for the Bucks. I thought Olave and Wilson would be more open. Curious if Fields felt pressure and missed guys open or what.

More poor redzone conversions in big moments too. Fields has to hit Wilson on that out-fade. Not on coaching there, but still had 2 or 3 more shots from the 8 yard line.

Not sure how much Sermon makes a difference. I want to think a decent amount in moving the ball and chunk plays. But I also feel like Day and co. get way out of sorts after one punch to the mouth. That 2nd quarter really got away when Bama dialed up some pressure.

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Good point. The offensive coaches really didn't have much of a response to the blitz throughout the season. The logical approach was likely some quick slants or screens.