21 game "loosing" streak ended by a four-touchdown victory. Ouch.

Akron beats Bowling Green 31-3

Beating Michigan is the main course. The Rose Bowl was the cookie and reward for the team. Fans today can’t understand that because they believe what ESPN and their shills pontificate.They say they hate them and slurp every bit of it.

chornii said:

I'm still seeding.

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Thanks!

Go Bucks!!

bukIpower said:

View attachment 27411

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Yup

NorthCoastKid said:

Still remember this as the game where William Gholston "got the wind knocked out of him."

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Yep. Kid was face down on the ground and clearly unconscious. Looked like WWE where they pick the guys hand up 3 times to see if he's still awake.

Then he comes back in the game later and no one in the media ever said a fucking word.

Login to view embedded media
Apparently Chemistry midterms haven't changed much over the years, I never found Chemistry midterms (or finals for that matter) a "piece of cake" either. Reminds me of a story about a couple of "dorm friend" living on the 9th floor of Smith Hall too (back in 1967). I posted this a few years ago in a different thread:

ScriptOhio said:

Kind of reminds me of my sophomore year at Ohio State living on the 9th floor of Smith Hall. Two freshman (Whitey and Burley) were roommates and both were in a freshman chemistry course. Whitey was actually bragging that he got 3 times the score that Burley got on a midterm. Whitey got a 6 and Burley got a 2. The maximum possible score was 100. Anyway maybe it would be funnier if you had lived on the 9th floor of Smith Hall in 1967/68 and knew the guys. I always wondered what became of Whitey and Burley, for whatever reason they never returned to school after their freshman year. Whitey and/or Burley if you read this, drop me a PM and let me know how you are doing.

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BUCKYLE said:

B looks like pajamas

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1. Michigan State was the last of the "original" members of the Big Ten to join the conference. The Spartans joined the Big Ten in 1949 but did not play a full conference football schedule until 1953.

2. Now for a brief aside on the history of the Big Ten. The conference was formed in 1896 with seven members: Chicago, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Northwestern, Purdue, and Wisconsin. Indiana and Iowa joined in 1899. Michigan withdrew from the conference in 1908, only to return in 1917. In the meantime, Ohio State joined in 1912. When Chicago permanently withdrew in 1946, Michigan State was recruited to become the new tenth member of the conference that for four decades had been informally known as The Big Ten. (The conference was originally incorporated as the Intercollegiate Conference Athletic Association, and did not officially obtain the name "Big Ten" until 1987.) Of course, subsequent expansion has seen the addition of Penn State (1993), Nebraska (2011), Maryland (2014), and Rutgers (2014).

3. Ohio State leads the series 33-15-0 (.688), with a 33-13-0 (.717) record in Big Ten play. Ohio State has outscored Michigan State 1,230 to 773, or 25.6 to 16.1 on a per game basis.

4. The teams first played on November 28, 1912, a game which Michigan State won by the score of 35 to 20. The teams would not play again until the 1951 season.

5. Michigan State has 9 Big Ten championships, the most recent being the 2015 season. After earning a national championship in 1966 (see below), the Spartans experienced an extended downturn, winning only four Big Ten titles in the next 44 years. The Spartans have been resurgent in recent years, winning a co-championship in 2010 and outright championships in 2013 and 2015.

6. Michigan State has one undisputed national championship, that being for their perfect 1952 season when the Spartans won both the AP and UP (coaches) titles. The NCAA also recognizes national championships for 1965 (coaches poll, which was awarded prior to Michigan State's loss in the Rose Bowl) and 1966 (NFF co-championship with Notre Dame). Michigan State also claims national championships for 1951 (9-0-0 record; #2 AP; #2 CP), 1955 (9-1-0 record; Rose Bowl victory; #2 AP; #2 CP), and 1957 (8-1-0; #3 AP; #3 CP). The 1957 claim is particularly laughable, as the Spartans did not even win the Big Ten title that year (Ohio State did, en route to a 9-1-0 record, a Rose Bowl victory, a coaches poll national championship, and a #2 finish in the AP poll).

7. Five times Michigan State has ruined a perfect season for Ohio State. The first time came on November 11, 1972, when #5 Ohio State (7-0-0) lost to unranked Michigan State (3-4-1) by a score of 19-12. Ohio State would rebound from the loss to win the Big Ten championship and finish the regular season at #3 in both major polls. The Buckeyes played #1 Southern Cal in the Rose Bowl in the de facto national title game and lost, 42-17.

8. The second came on November 9, 1974, when #1 Ohio State (8-0-0) lost to unranked Michigan State (4-3-1) by a score of 16-13. The game featured an 88-yard touchdown run by Michigan State tailback Levi Jackson, the 7th-longest play from scrimmage ever against Ohio State, and a controversial ending that saw the Buckeyes come up a foot short from the game-winning touchdown as time expired (replays showed that Ohio State got the play off in time and that Cornelius Greene crossed the goal line). The Buckeyes would again rebound from that loss and win the Big Ten championship and secure a berth in the Rose Bowl. In another national championship showdown with Southern Cal, the Buckeyes lost a heartbreaker, 18-17 on a last-minute touchdown and two-point conversion.

9. The third came on November 7, 1998, a date that will live in infamy. #1 Ohio State (8-0) lost to unranked Michigan State (4-4). Down 24-9 in the middle of the third quarter, Michigan State punted from its own end zone. The Spartan punter shanked the ball so badly that it hit the back of an Ohio State gunner (Nate Clements) and Michigan State recovered the muff near midfield. A quick Spartan touchdown cut the score to 24-15, but the Buckeyes still seemed to be firmly in control. In reality, the wheels were falling off one by one. The ensuing Buckeye possession lasted a grand total of two plays and 11 seconds before a fumble killed the drive; the Spartans kicked a field goal to cut the lead to 24-18. The next Ohio State drive ended with a punt followed by the go-ahead Michigan State touchdown. Then another punt, another fumble, and a turnover on downs. Even after that comedy of errors, Ohio State still had a chance to pull out a sloppy victory with a first-and-ten in the red zone, but Joe Germaine threw three straight incompletions and an interception as time expired. Michigan State had pulled off one of the greatest upsets of all time, 28-24. Ohio State recovered from the Spartan debacle by beating Iowa 45-14 and Michigan 31-16 to complete the regular reason at 10-1-0. Tennessee was the only major program to finish the regular season undefeated, and they secured one spot in the inaugural BCS Championship Game. Florida State, with a bad early loss, was selected over Ohio State, with a bad late loss, for the other spot. The Volunteers won that game to secure an undisputed national championship. Meanwhile, Ohio State beat Texas A+M in the Sugar Bowl by the score of 24-14 to finish #2 in both the AP and the coaches poll.

10. A little known fact about the 1998 contest: Michigan State had 15 tackles for loss (5th most allowed by Ohio State in one game) for 86 yards lost (most allowed by Ohio State in one game).

11. The fourth came on December 7, 2013, when #2 Ohio State (12-0) lost to #10 Michigan State (11-1) in the Big Ten Championship Game. The Spartans got off to a quick 17-0 start, but the Buckeyes scored 24 unanswered points to take a touchdown lead midway through the third quarter. Ohio State imploded soon thereafter, allowing Michigan State to score the final 17 points of the game to win 34-24. Buckeye quarterback Braxton Miller was particularly ineffective down the stretch, with 6 rushes for 18 yards (including a failure to convert a crucial fourth-and-2) and 1 completion in 7 pass attempts for 3 yards. As the winner of the Big Ten, Michigan State went to the Rose Bowl where they defeated Stanford, 24-20, to finish with a 13-1 record and #3 in both major polls. Ohio State went to the Orange Bowl where they lost to Clemson, 40-35, to finish with a 12-2 record, #12 in the AP poll, and #10 in the coaches poll.

12. The fifth Michigan State ruination of an Ohio State perfect season came in 2015, when the 9-1 Spartans defeated the 10-0 Buckeyes on a cold, windy, rainy November night in Columbus. Although Michigan State entered the game with just one loss, the Spartans had been living on the edge all season long with single-digit wins against Oregon (3 points); Purdue (3 points); Michigan (4 points); and Rutgers (7 points) on their résumé. The highlight of the Spartans' season, and the moment that pointed to Michigan State as a possible team of destiny, was the play now known as the Agony in Ann Arbor. But the undefeated Buckeyes also had their share of issues during the 2015 season, with a quarterback controversy, a tendency to play down to the competition, and generally lackluster performances not typically expected of a defending national champion having a roster loaded with future NFL stars. Michigan State played without their starting quarterback, fifth-year senior Connor Cook, but Ohio State played without any intensity, direction, or desire and the Buckeyes went down to defeat on a last-second field goal by the score of 17 to 14.

13. Michigan State almost ruined a perfect season for Ohio State in 2007. The #1 Buckeyes (7-0) jumped out to a 24-0 lead over the unranked Spartans (5-2). Then with 4:03 left in the third quarter, Michigan State's Otis Wiley picked off Ohio State quarterback Todd Boeckman and returned the interception 54 yards for a touchdown. Two plays later, Boeckman fumbled and Michigan State's SirDarean Adams scooped-and-scored from 25 yards out to cut the lead to 24-14. Michigan State added a fourth quarter field goal, but behind the running of Beanie Wells (31 carries, 221 yards, 7.1 average, TD) the Buckeyes were eventually able to Tresselball their way to a 24-17 victory.

14. In 1981, Ohio State beat Michigan State, 27-13. The most notable play in that game was a 63-yard field goal by the Spartans' Morten Andersen, one of the longest field goals in NCAA history and the longest ever against Ohio State.

15. In the 1997 contest, Buckeye defensive back Gary Berry scored on a 45-yard interception return and a 1-yard blocked punt return, one of the few times that a Buckeye defender has scored twice in the same game. Ohio State would go on to win by the score of 37 to 13.

16. In 2004, freshman Ted Ginn, Jr. had his coming out party against Michigan State in week nine. In his first eight games, Ginn had a total of 221 all-purpose yards (27.6 per game) and 2 touchdowns. In the Michigan State game, Ginn exploded for 169 all-purpose yards and 3 touchdowns (17-yard run, 58-yard reception, 60-yard punt return) and led the Buckeyes to a 32-19 victory.

17. In the 2005 game against Michigan State, Ashton Youboty did something that no other Ohio State player has ever done before or since (at least according to the official record book): he returned a blocked field goal attempt for a touchdown. With just seconds left in the first half, Michigan State was leading 17-7 and driving in the red zone. With no time outs and facing 3rd-and-12, the Spartans hurriedly rushed their field goal unit onto the field when they could have simply spiked the ball to stop the clock and attempt the kick on fourth down. The disorganized Spartans got the snap off in time (a bad move, as things turned out) but failed to pick up their blocking assignments. Several Buckeyes broke through the line and Nate Salley blocked the kick. Youboty scooped it up and raced 72 yards, scoring with no time left on the clock. Instead of leading 20-7, the Spartans were now up by only three points heading into the locker room, and that inspired an epic meltdown from Michigan State head coach John L. Smith: "The kids are playing their tails off, and the coaches are screwing it up!" Riding the momentum from the blocked field goal, Ohio State owned the second half and won the game 35-24. Just another example of Sparty being Sparty.

18. In that 2005 contest, Ohio State had a team-record 12 quarterback sacks, including four from linebacker Bobby Carpenter and three from defensive tackle David Patterson.

19. In the 2008 game, Ohio State won 45-7. The Buckeye offense gained only 332 yards, but the defense forced five turnovers (3 fumbles, 2 interceptions) including a pair of scoop sixes from Thaddeus Gibson (69 yards) and Jermale Hines (48 yards). It was (and remains) only the second time in Ohio State history that the team had two fumble recoveries for touchdowns in the same game (the other being against Fresno State in 2000). Gibson's return is the 3rd-longest in Ohio State history, while Hines's is the 7th-longest.

20. Speaking of long fumble recoveries, Michael Doss had the 2nd-longest scoop-and-score in Buckeye history with a 73-yard return against Michigan State in 2000.

21. Michigan State has never shut out Ohio State, but they came very close in 2011. The Spartans were leading the game 10-0 with ten seconds left in the fourth quarter when Buckeye quarterback Joe Bauserman hit Evan Spencer for a 33-yard touchdown pass to prevent the whitewashing. For the game, Michigan State's defense held the Buckeyes to 178 yards of total offense and recorded nine quarterback sacks, the most ever allowed by Ohio State.

22. In 2014, #14 Ohio State (7-1) faced off against #8 Michigan State (7-1) in a battle for supremacy in the Big Ten. With 4:37 left in the second quarter, the Spartans took a 21-14 lead and once again had the ball thanks to a fumbled kick-off by Ohio State's Dontre Wilson. The Spartans appeared to score on an 11-yard run from Jeremy Langford, but a holding call wiped the touchdown off the board. The Buckeye defense then stiffened and held the Spartans to a 39-yard field goal attempt, which was wide left. Ohio State took over at their own 21-yard line and on the very next play J.T. Barrett hit Michael Thomas for a 79-yard touchdown pass, which is tied for 9th-longest pass in Ohio State history. The Buckeyes never relinquished momentum and would go on to win by the score of 49-37, racking up 568 yards against one of the best defenses in the country.

23. Ohio State had another 79-yard touchdown pass against Michigan State in the 1987 contest. On the very first play from scrimmage, Buckeye quarterback Tom Tupa threw a 79-yard pass to Everett Ross to take a 7-0 lead just fifteen seconds into the game. However, the Buckeyes had only 68 total yards on their remaining 48 plays (1.42 yards per play) and ended up losing the game 13-7. The Spartans defense was led by Travis Davis, who had five sacks for 37 yards lost. Michigan State would finish the 1987 season with a record of 9-2-1, an outright Big Ten championship, a Rose Bowl victory against Southern Cal, and a #8 finish in both major polls. Ohio State would lose its next two games (26-24 to Wisconsin; 29-27 to Iowa); fire head coach Earle Bruce; rally to beat Michigan 23-20; and finish the season 6-4-1, unranked, with no bowl game.

24. Since the loss in 2015, Ohio State has beaten Michigan State four times in a row by a combined score of 115 to 35. #4 Ohio State (4-0) enters the 2020 contest as a 23.5-point favorite over unranked Michigan State (2-3), with an over/under of 59.5 points.

Buckeye Football Looking Ahead 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

Last Week

After nearly a consistent recording of a 0% positivity rate since August, chaos entered the Buckeye program as their game against Illinois was canceled when additional positive COVID-19 tests were discovered after a round of testing took place Friday afternoon. Head coach Ryan Day was amongst those positive. Ohio State did not disclose the identities of the others who tested positive for privacy reasons.

The Big Ten requires all programs to suspend organized football activities including practices and games for a minimum of seven days if both their positivity rate exceeds 5% and their population positivity rate surpasses 7.5%. The Buckeyes positivity rate crossed the 7.5% threshold, but had not gone above the 5% test positivity rate.

With the Buckeyes not going above the 5% threshold, Athletic director Gene Smith and head team physician Dr. Jim Borchers believed the best decision for the program going forward was to cancel, slowing down the spread of the virus.

Going Forward

Good news came as the Buckeyes resumed small group workouts on Monday at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center according to a Ohio State spokesman — Team meetings will maintain being held virtually.

The noon ABC kickoff against Michigan State this weekend is up in the air as we still don’t know the exact number of positive cases the program is dealing with, but this is an enormous step in the right direction going forward.




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Has the ship sailed for Ohio State to land a five-star 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


Tristan Leigh

The Buckeyes look to be out of the running for the top offensive tackle prospect left on the board.

In a season that feels nothing short of a roller coaster ride, it looks as if the Buckeyes will be back on the field in just over 24 hours — knock on wood. After last week’s unfortunate cancellation against Illinois, seeing Ohio State back in action against Michigan State is exactly what we all need. Without going into all of the details Buckeye Nation already knows, OSU could use all of the good fortune possible to still make the Big Ten Championship game and beyond, but tomorrow’s game will surely help in that regard.

One thing that has never taken a hiatus for Ohio State is its efforts in recruiting. With news popping up near daily, the Buckeyes are making incredible headway in their 2022 class as they also look to close up their 2021 class with only a few remaining spots. This weekend may have an ultimate affect on the 2021 class, as top targets plan to visit elsewhere. Though the team and staff will be on the road, recruiting never stops whether it’s on or off campus.

Consider this one all but over


On Sunday, five-star offensive tackle Tristan Leigh announced he would be committing to the school of his choice this coming Jan. 2. Down really to three schools of consideration between Ohio State, Oklahoma, and LSU, Leigh has long been a prospect that the Buckeyes have been recruiting and doing so with relentless effort. With offensive tackle being a position of serious need, Ohio State would love nothing more than to add the fourth-ranked tackle and the 11th-best player nationally to their already incredible 2021 class.

Unfortunately, over the last couple of months, Ohio State has lost a bunch of their momentum with Leigh. Yesterday seemed to be the final nail in the coffin in regards to their chances at landing the top target when he announced that he would be visiting Oklahoma yet again this coming weekend. Though he will not be able to speak with the Oklahoma staff due to the in-person recruiting restrictions, it is still another trip to Norman that shows where Leigh’s heart and mind are in terms of the leader for his pledge.


It’s been reported basically weekly that Ohio State is still in the race, but when you see multiple trips to Oklahoma coming to fruition, on top of the Buckeyes’ 2021 commits unable to get Leigh up to visit for their Buckeye Bash this past October due to a family issue, it really does seem like this recruitment has sailed away in favor of Oklahoma. With Ohio State being closer to Tristan’s home than Oklahoma, this should be pretty telling.

Sure, in recruiting anything can happen with a month still to go before he announces his final call, but the Sooners really do seem to have all of the positive energy here. Worth noting, another huge Ohio State target — five-star WR Emeka Egbuka — will also be in Norman this weekend for what will likely be the Washington native’s final visit before making his ultimate decision.

Quick Hits

• Per Bill Kurelic, current Ohio State five-star quarterback commit, Quinn Ewers has already been at work recruiting for the Buckeyes in the 2022 class. One target he has been in communication with is Kiyaunta Goodwin, a four-star offensive tackle who was mentioned in yesterday’s State Secrets. Ewers more than anyone would love Goodwin in the class to help protect the edge for him during his college career, and it looks to already be well in the works.
• Ohio State’s other commits continue to put in work on the trail as well. It has been no secret that the Buckeyes have been high on four-star RB Dallan Hayden, and the current pledges in the 2022 class are doing their due diligence to help try and sway the Tennessee legacy to Columbus. According to Bill Kurelic of Bucknuts, Ohio State is a major player for Hayden, alongside Notre Dame and obviously the Vols.

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Buckeye Bits: So it looks like we’re gonna have a football game this weekend after all
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Greg Bartram-USA TODAY Sports

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

As I said on the Tweeter Machine, when Ohio State canceled their game against Illinois, I just assumed that they would follow the pattern that every other Big Ten team that had canceled games had followed; canceling one game = canceling two games.

However, because Gene Smith and Ryan Day took a proactive approach when the team saw a spike in positive tests, they very well may have saved their B1G title hopes, which could be an important factor to saving their College Football Playoff hopes.

Anyway, judging by the hype video that they released today, it sure looks like they are planning to play against Michigan State on Saturday.

From around LGHL...

From Ryan Day’s Radio Show...


As he normally does on Thursdays, Ohio State head football coach Ryan Day took to the airwaves to discuss where his team was and how things will presumably work this weekend as they prepare to travel to East Lansing to take on Sparty... well, Day’s not traveling anywhere, since he is still in isolation following his own positive COVID test.

Day said that he has been frustrated to not be able to be with his team, and that the cancelation of the Illinois game was just another disappointment in a year full of them for the players. The coach notes that Saturday’s game will likely be one of the most difficult three hour periods of his life. But, he will not be texting in play ideas or calling Kevin Wilson on his cell phone to tell him when to #FreeDemario.


Though everything looks good for the Buckeyes — shorthanded though they might be — to make the trip to the state up north on Friday night, they will have one more hurdle to clear first as they will do another round of testing before they depart at 9 p.m. ET by charter plane.

Day said, however, that the team have exemplified incredible leadership despite all of the unfortunate starts and stops, “I don’t think they’re getting nearly enough credit for doing that,” he said.

In discussing his team’s next opponent, he noted that they were a team that was getting stronger as evidenced by their win over B1G West leading Northwestern. As always, MSU has technically solid defenders and now that they have adapted to Mel Tucker’s new system, they are going to be dangerous.

When you couple that with the fact that the Buckeyes will be short-handed, Day said, “If we don’t play really, really well and take care of the ball, we’ll be in a dog fight into the fourth quarter.”

Ohio State will not release an availability report until Saturday morning ahead of the game, meaning that we won’t be able to deduce what players tested positive until right before kickoff. OSU has been very coy about providing any substantive information on that front this week, even in social media images, but offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson — who will assume play-calling in Day’s absence — said that he will move down to field level from the coaches box for this game so that he can look into “Justin’s eyes” during the game. So, whether he meant to or not, it looks like Wilson confirmed what was widely rumored, that Justin Fields is healthy and ready to go on Saturday.

While there have been a number of players who have tested positive and exhibited symptoms, fortunately thus far, none have required significant medical attention.


Also, for the second season in a row, the Buckeyes will be wearing alternate jerseys against Sparty, as they will wear their all-white road unis, after not being able to agains tIllinois last week.

From elsewhere on the gridiron...


Johnson embracing role as OSU’s acting head coach for MSU game

Steve Helwagen, 247Sports

Status Check: Justin Fields = still good.


I think it is interesting that because of a “bad” game against Indiana, and then an extra week off following, people seem to be sleeping on Justin Fields. Can he still win the Heisman? Probably not. Can he still be the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft? Maybe. But one question that no one should be asking is whether or not he is actually an absolute stud at quarterback.

A fourth Buckeye will end his college career in the Senior Bowl.


Browning has probably maximized his draft potential so far this year, so this seems like a good more for him and his future. Good luck to you, Baron.

“Play the semifinals at the higher seed’s home stadium” Challenge! Pass it on!


Here is the father of a current Ohio State player (and not coincidentally the Executive Vice President of the NFL) announcing that four former Buckeyes (Joey Bosa, Ezekiel Elliott, Cameron Heyward, and Terry McLaurin) had been selected as their team’s nominees for the NFL’s Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award this season.

From around the sporting world...


Something called the Knight Commission which has literally zero power made some recommendations today. Let our good friend Matt Brown explain what they suggested:


The OSU women’s hockey team does not have enough players to field a team currently, so next weekend’s series has been postponed.


Well, this is a swift kick in the chestnuts roasting on an open fire. You know what would help me feel better? An incredibly weird college football message board conspiracy theory.


Oh look what we have here!

And now for something completely different...


How you watch movies is going to change next year.


A lot of people believe that this is going to be the death knell for movie theaters; I don’t agree with that. There will always be blockbusters that call out for the big screen, communal experience. Theaters will also need to adapt. They will either need to become super fancy and offer a high-quality experience (as many theaters already have begun doing), or they will need to make it cheaper and even more family friendly.

I have full confidence that there is room for both types of approaches in the entertainment space, but, today’s announcement certainly puts pressure on theaters, and gives consumers more affordable options.


After some unexpected start and stops, I am back to posting a column every single day from preseason camp until whenever Ohio State’s football season ends. Some days they will be longer and in depth, some days they will be short and sweet. Let me know what you think of this one, and what you’d like to see me discuss in the comments or on Twitter. Go Bucks!

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Stick to Sports podcast: Color and gender barriers in sports, help us crown our next chip champion
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 David Stephenson/Lexington Herald-Leader/Tribune News Service via Getty Images

The variety of topics on Stick to Sports is unrivaled

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:


Today’s show gets a tad more serious compared to our usual nonsense, all thanks to some of the responses Matt received on his article about Larry Johnson becoming Ohio State’s first black head coach (had Ohio State’s game against Illinois went ahead). We discussed why people feel the need to either downplay or flat out not accept this kind of milestone, which is how we then transitioned into discussing my new role model, Sarah Fuller, who became the first woman to play for a P5 team when she kicked off for Vanderbilt on Saturday.

But don’t you worry! The second half of the episode is lighthearted at best, as we discuss our favorite Christmas traditions, Christmas albums and a super famous celebrity who is a huge fan of Matt’s day job podcast, True Crime Obsessed. I won’t give the celeb away, but let’s just say the pressure is on for Matt.

And of course, last but certainly not least, we name the winner of the Flavored Chip Region of our infamous Chip Bracket, before arguing the Adjacent Chip Region down to two finalists. You know the drill, head to our Twitter account to vote for who you think should move onto the Final 4 — Bold Chex Mix or Bugles?!



Tia’s Recommendation: Kendahl Landreth on TikTok (the one’s where she pretends to be her mom on FaceTime)

Matt’s Recommendation: Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey

Matt’s Interview with “Jingle Jangle” star Marisha Wallace: https://broadwayradio.com/blog/2020...le-jangle-debut-album-planting-seeds-of-hope/


Contact Tia Johnston
Twitter: @TiaJohnston_

Contact Matt Tamanini
Twitter: @BWWMatt, @LandGrant33

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BYU-Coastal Carolina is a late addition to an interesting Week 14 national schedule
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images

The Cougars replaced Liberty as Coastal Carolina’s opponent this week after the Flames were unable to play due to COVID-19 issues.

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

Season ATS: 63-51-2 (44-36 National, 19-15-2 B1G)

Another positive week for MC&J, and we aren’t talking about COVID. The start to last week was a little rough with a 2-2 Friday record, but we did enough on Saturday to pickup a couple more games on .500. With just a few weeks left in the regular season, we need a strong finish so we don’t erase any the gains we have made this year.

National games (all games Saturday unless otherwise noted):


No. 5 Texas A&M (-7) v. Auburn - 12:00 PM EST - ESPN

Normally this would be a game where I would tab Texas A&M to fall on their faces. This year has a little different feel. Texas A&M keeps piling up wins as they work their way towards the playoff, while Auburn feels like they are just playing out the stretch.

This game is going to be decided on third down. We saw something similar earlier this year when the Aggies played Florida. The Gators weren’t able to stop Texas A&M on third down, which allowed the Aggies to hand Florida their only loss of the season. Auburn’s defense is the worst in the SEC on third down, allowing conversions on over 50% of third downs.

Auburn was thoroughly dominated by Alabama last week. How will the blowout carry over to this week? I think the Tigers will still be feeling some of the effects when they square off with the Aggies this week. Texas A&M will control the clock against Auburn on Saturday, wearing down the defense of the Tigers and allowing for Kellen Mond and Isaiah Spiller to find some holes in the defense as the game goes on.

Texas A&M 27, Auburn 17


West Virginia v. No. 9 Iowa State (-6.5) - 3:30 PM EST - ESPN

One of the biggest surprises in college football this year has been West Virginia. The Mountaineers are not only 5-3, but Neal Brown’s team has one of the best defenses in the country. West Virginia’s defense has been especially stingy lately, giving up a combined 29 points in their last three games.

The Mountaineers will have their work cut out for them on Saturday when they take on Brock Purdy, Breece Hall, and the rest of the Iowa State offense. Hall is working his way into being a contender for the Heisman Trophy, rushing for 1,260 yards and 16 touchdowns so far this season.

I’m going to go with a bit of a curveball here. West Virginia has a defense that is capable of bottling up the Iowa State offense. The offense of the Mountaineers isn’t too shabby either. Jarrett Doege has thrown for 13 touchdowns this year and running back Leddie Brown is working his way towards 1,000 yards rushing this year. The Mountaineers score their biggest win under Neal Brown.

West Virginia 24, Iowa State 21


No. 6 Florida (-17.5) v. Tennessee - 3:30 PM EST - CBS

Remember when this rivalry used to be one of the most entertaining in the country? Much like how Ohio State-Michigan is these days, now the rivalry is dominated by one side. Florida has won 14 of the last 15 meetings against Tennessee, with the only win by the Volunteers during that span coming in 2016.

Florida has been getting better as the season has progressed. Early on in the season, the Gators couldn’t stop anyone on defense. That hasn’t been the case lately, as Florida has allowed 17 points or less in three of their last five games. The improvement of the Gator defense has taken some of the pressure off the Florida offense, which has been outstanding this year.

I just don’t see how Tennessee is going to keep pace with Kyle Trask and the Florida offense. What really do the Volunteers have left to play for? I mean I guess they could play spoiler, but I don’t think they have the talent and coaching to pull the upset on Florida. Tennessee loses their third straight at home by at least 20 points.

Florida 41, Tennessee 17


No. 13 BYU (-10) v. No. 18 Coastal Carolina - 5:30 PM EST - ESPNU

This is one of the games that BYU needs to show they belong in the College Football Playoff race. While a win over Coastal Carolina won’t vault the Cougars into the top-4, it certainly should move them up at least a few spots with the win. Zach Wilson is primed for a big game against a defense that hasn’t seen anybody like him this year. Wilson has 34 total touchdowns this season.

Props to Coastal Carolina for scheduling BYU after Liberty wasn’t able to play this game because of COVID-19 issues. The decision will likely end the undefeated season of the Chanticleers, though. The BYU defense is nasty, which should allow them to hold Grayson McCall and the Coastal Carolina offense in check. The Chanticleers might hang around early because of the adrenaline from hosting such a big game, but the Cougars will eventually pull away.

BYU 38, Coastal Carolina 21


No. 23 Oregon (-10) v. California - 7:00 PM EST - ESPN

Remember when Oregon thought they had one of the best defenses in the country and were going to shutdown Ohio State? The Ducks couldn’t even slow down Oregon State, so it’s probably good Oregon didn’t play the Buckeyes this year or else the Ducks might have gotten embarrassed on their home turf. Oregon just gave up 226 yards to Oregon State running back Jermar Jefferson in the upset loss to the Beavers.

Cal has to be feeling like they should be 2-1 right now. After falling to UCLA 34-10 in their season opener, the Golden Bears have lost their last two games by a combined five points. The Golden Bears are coming off a loss in which it looked like they were going to at least take Stanford to overtime, but Cal’s kicker missed the extra point.

Both teams are coming off deflating losses last week. I think we see Oregon come out firing on Saturday night. The Ducks still control their own destiny in the Pac-12 North and would make the conference title game with wins over Cal this week and Washington next weekend. Oregon’s offense is a little too potent for the Golden Bears to keep up with.

Oregon 34, California 20


No. 3 Clemson (-22) v. Virginia Tech - 7:30 PM EST - ABC

Things have gotten ugly in Blacksburg. The Hokies have lost three straight games, including an embarrassing 47-14 loss to Pitt a couple weeks ago. While the future of head coach Justin Fuente hasn’t been announced, it is becoming more and more likely there will be a new head coach at Virginia Tech next year.

Clemson saw Trevor Lawrence return to the field last week, and the game against Pitt went as expected. The Tigers jumped out to a big lead and never was threatened by the Panthers in the 52-17 victory. Now Clemson has one last hurdle before the ACC Championship Game, which will likely see them square off with Notre Dame again.

The weather in Blacksburg on Saturday night is supposed to be less than ideal, which could help the Hokies at least stay in the same zip code as Clemson. While there is a worry that Virginia Tech could have already quit on the season, I think they show up enough to keep this within a three touchdown game. Clemson isn’t in any danger of an upset, but they do take their foot off the gas a little earlier in this one.

Clemson 45, Virginia Tech 27


No. 10 Miami (FL) (-14.5) v. Duke - 8:00 PM EST - ACC Network

Prior to sitting on the sidelines the last three weeks, Miami had been living on the edge, winning their last three games by a combined nine points. Since losing to Clemson earlier in the season, D’Eriq King has found some rhythm behind center for the Hurricanes, throwing 11 touchdowns and just two interceptions in the last four games.

Miami’s turnover chain might get passed around a lot on Saturday. Duke quarterback Chase Brice has thrown 13 interceptions this season. Turnovers are a big reason why the Blue Devils are just 2-7 this year. Duke has been especially bad of late, allowing 56 points to both North Carolina and Georgia Tech.

After playing so many close games, Miami is due to blowout an opponent. The Hurricanes have had a few weeks off to recharge their batteries and get refocused. Miami will have some added motivation since they’ll likely be left out of the ACC Championship. Even though the Hurricanes won’t have a chance at the conference crown, they still could find themselves in a New Year’s Six bowl. Miami states their case with an easy win.

Miami (FL) 44, Duke 20


Washington State v. No. 20 USC (-13) - Sunday 12/6 7:30 PM EST - FS1

Since we so rarely get a Sunday college football game, I figured we pretty much had to include this one. Both teams have been on the sidelines recently because of COVID-19 issues, but everything seems good to go for Sunday night’s contest in Los Angeles.

The Cougars are coming off a 43-29 loss to Oregon a few weeks ago. While Washington State lost by two touchdowns, the game was closer than the score would indicate. Oregon scored a couple of fourth quarter touchdowns to swing the cover away from the Cougars and to the Ducks. Freshman Jayden de Laura has been solid in his first couple starts, throwing four touchdowns and just one interception.

USC looked a lot better in their last game than they did in their first two contests, beating Utah 33-17. Even though it looks like the Trojans might have fixed some things, we have to remember Utah was playing their first game of the year, so they weren’t all that sharp. I think Washington State gives USC a tougher game, especially with the revamped running game the Cougars are featuring.

USC 34, Washington State 27

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Players to Watch: Michigan State
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports

The Buckeyes will look to make a statement against the Spartans this weekend

It has been a pretty crazy past few days in Columbus, but as of right now it looks like we are all systems go for Ohio State to take on Michigan State this weekend. Playing the game is important for a number of reasons, including not only the Buckeyes working toward that six-game minimum for the Big Ten title game — which looks more and more everyday like a rule that will be changed in OSU’s favor — but also getting additional game reps in for their guys so the team will be more prepared for the College Football Playoff.

The Spartans are a good matchup for Ryan Day’s Larry Johnson’s crew, as they are a unit that shouldn’t quite push the Buckeyes to the brink, but also aren’t a total pushover as we saw last week in their upset of Northwestern. They have a good enough passing game to allow the secondary to show any potential improvements they’ve made, and a decent defense that should allow for Justin Fields to have a bounce-back performance.

There are a number of players on both sides of the ball worth watching in this one, so let’s check out what former Ohio State assistant Mel Tucker has going on in East Lansing.

Offensive Player to Watch: Jalen Nailor

The Register-USA TODAY NETWORK

Somewhat surprisingly, Michigan State actually has a pretty good passing attack this season relative to the rest of the country, checking in at No. 48 nationally through the air. The Spartans haven’t exactly been an offensive juggernaut, but most of what they’ve been able to accomplish has come via the pass. Tucker has a very solid group of wide receivers at his disposal, led by none other than Jalen Nailor.

The redshirt sophomore has already shattered his previous career-highs in East Lansing through just five games this season. After playing in only four contests a year ago and redshirting due to an injury, Nailor has hauled in 16 passes for a team-high 379 yards and a pair of touchdowns. The 6-foot track athlete is Michigan State’s primary deep threat, averaging 23.7 yards per reception. Nailor had one of his better games of the year last time out against the Wildcats, catching three balls for 99 yards and a TD.

Tossing the rocking to Nailor is junior QB Rocky Lombardi, who in his first year as a full-time starter has thrown for just over 1,000 yards with eight TDs and eight interceptions. Lombardi has a talented group of wide receivers around him outside of Nailor, including Jayden Reed and Ricky White. Reed is the team’s catch leader with 22 receptions for 252 yards and three TDs on the season, while White, similarly to Nailor, is averaging a ridiculous 22.3 yards per catch with 10 receptions for 223 yards and a TD.

Ohio State’s defense has been susceptible to big plays in the passing game this year, and Michigan State has picked up a large chunk of their offensive yardage doing just that. This will be a good indication of whether or not the Buckeyes have finally started to put a lid on their woes in the secondary.

Defensive Player to Watch: Antjuan Simmons

Photo by Nic Antaya/Getty Images

The Sparty defense is really where their bread as been buttered this season. Ranking No. 49 in the country overall in total defense, Michigan State has allowed over 40 points in a game just once this year — somewhat strangely coming against Iowa. Their run defense has been especially impressive, holding Northwestern last week to just 63 yards on the ground as a team. A bulk of their success has come from a sturdy group of linebackers, led by three-year letterwinner Antjuan Simmons.

After leading the Spartans as a junior in 2019 with a whopping 90 tackles, Simmons is back at it again in 2020 with a team-high 53 tackles to go along with 6.5 tackles for loss and a sack through five games. Named to the preseason watch list for the Bednarik Award and the Lott IMPACT Trophy, Simmons earned Big Ten Player of the Week for his efforts against Norhtwestern last weekend, wherein he recorded 13 tackles including two for loss. Ohio State will have to keep an eye on the versatile linebacker on Saturday, as we will no doubt see Michigan State dial up the blitz packages after the success Indiana had putting pressure on Justin Fields.

Simmons has some help around him when it comes to slowing down opposing offenses. Junior cornerback Shakur Brown is having a tremendous season, currently tallying all five of the team’s interceptions on the year. MSU has not exactly gotten to the quarterback a ton to this point, but when they have it has more often than not been senior defensive end Drew Beesley, who leads the Spartans with three sacks. Linebacker Noah Harvey is Sparty’s second-leading tackler, with 37 total tackles and 4.5 TFLs this season.

The Michigan State defense hasn’t been world beaters this year, but they aren’t going to just let the Buckeyes come in and steamroll them for four quarters. Ohio State knows they need to have a dominant performance to up their stock in the eyes of the committee, and they should be able to do enough on Saturday to make that a reality.

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Preston Spradlin
+ They had a really good first half and the game just got away from them. They did a lot of good things. It wasn’t a matter of competing, they did a great job with energy and effort. But they missed a lot of easy shots because Ohio State tightened things up defensively in the second half.

+ They improved as a team from playing Ohio State in this game.

+ Ohio State was good in transition in the second half. His team had no opportunities to attack big gaps in the second half. Ohio State had good ball pressure, they were collapsing the gaps on the drives, they tightened up, and played with a sense of urgency defensively.

+ It didn’t feel like a 30 point loss. Ohio State went on a run to end the game.

+ They played a lot more zone in the first half but they weren’t great in that. They needed to tighten up and get back to man to man defense in the second half.

+ They need to be physical. He appreciates that’s the look they gave on film. Ohio State is a physical team as well.

+ Justice Sueing was really special in the first few games. He’s a big, long, athletic multi-talented player. C.J. Walker is outstanding, he runs the team well, he can guard the ball. Their big guys were really good in this game. E.J. Liddell had a terrific game. Ohio State has good depth and size.

Buckeyes talking with top 2022 offensive tackle, pair of 2021 commits make all-state selections
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Kiyaunta Goodwin | Steve Wiltfong, 247Sports

Will Ohio State’s constant contact pay off with a top offensive lineman in the 2022 class?

With just about two weeks until the early signing period, Ohio State’s 2021 class is pretty close to being all but finished. Though the staff still wants to fill a couple remaining spots with the best available guys in the country, it will be a relief for Ryan Day and his crew to have all of their current commits guys locked in. As this class sits at No. 2 and still a real chance to be the top class when all is said and done, 2022 has taken over as the talk of the town.

Of all the fortunate areas of Ohio State’s incredible recruiting run each year, one aspect that has to be highlighted is the staff’s ability to build relationships early and often. As the Buckeyes did in 2021, a good chunk of their class was filled relatively early in the cycle. This allows Day and his guys to get head starts on building the foundations in the following years. What you are seeing right now is a trend. The ability to recruit ahead of yourselves is paying off for OSU, and it is clear when you see the 2022 class already atop of the nation’s rankings with nine players already committed.

OSU in contact literally everyday


Though it may not have been the original plan, Ohio State’s 2021 offensive line recruiting looks to be completed with plenty of talent to help reload the room. What didn’t go according to plan was the fact that the Buckeyes didn’t land their top targets at offensive tackle. Not a deal-breaker to the class by any means, it just would have been ideal for coach Greg Studrawa to land a five-star guy which would allow him to get a head start on future targets to keep the trenches in great shape.

With their experiences in 2021, Ohio State is looking at 2022 a bit differently and doing all they can to ensure the class has their top-rated guys along the offensive line early in the game. As mentioned, when you lock in those types of players it allows you to focus the attention to future classes and other areas of need, allowing greater time to build relationships — which are everything in recruiting. The plan in 2022 looks to be to land the top in-state guys first and continue trying to recruit nationally, bringing in the elite targets everyone is after from there.

One prospect the Buckeyes are clearly all in on is Indiana native Kiyaunta Goodwin. A name not new to Ohio State recruiting followers, Goodwin is the No. 24 offensive tackle in the class and the fourth-best player from his home state. With over 50 offers to his name, Goodwin’s stock speaks for itself, but perhaps his most impressive feature, especially in his own mind, is the incredible transformation he underwent in such a short time.

At 6-foot-7, 300 pounds, Goodwin may be one of the fiercest looking dudes on a football field. Not always as lean as he looks now, you can tell the OT has taken his training to heart and has been doing all he can to be the best player possible both currently and at the next level as well. At 425 pounds in eighth grade, Goodwin has put in an incredible amount of effort in the gym to reshape his body, now running a ridiculous 4.9 40-yard dash time at his size.

Ohio State came into the picture is from the very beginning. Having visited the Buckeyes twice unofficially both in 2018 and 2019, it wasn’t until this past August that Goodwin landed the OSU offer. Since then, he has clearly been one of the top targets for Studrawa, and Goodwin as well has made it pretty clear how highly he thinks of the Buckeye program.

In fact, Goodwin and Ohio State are in communication daily, and that has to make you feel pretty good about their chances at pulling this top-caliber lineman from Southern Indiana. There may only be three predictions on the 247Sports Crystal Ball for the nation’s No. 195 prospect, but with all three being in favor of the Buckeyes, this may be considered a job well done for Studrawa and company sooner than later.

All-State honors for the dynamic duo


Fresh off their third state championship run, touched on in yesterday’s State Secrets, once again Kyle McCord and Marvin Harrison Jr. are back in the headlines. The pair of 2021 Ohio State commits have had quite the successful run during their high school years being teammates, and while that is of course the plan for them again once in Columbus, yesterday there was one more prep career accolade to receive for the dynamic duo from Pennsylvania.


MaxPreps released their 2020 Pennsylvania All-State team selections, and of course both McCord and Harrison Jr. were on the list. As if being the nation’s third-best quarterback in the class and the 15th-best receiver in the country weren’t enough, both are also top 100 prospects per the 247Sports Composite Rankings, as well as top-five players in their home state.

Remarkably enough, the Buckeyes just continue to poach the best talent from their bordering neighbors to the east, and with elite talents like McCord and Harrison in the fold, that could spell harm for conference foe Penn State, which of course would’ve loved to keep these guys home.

Quick Hits

• Per Bill Kurelic of Bucknuts, four-star outside linebacker Malaki Hamrick has the Buckeyes not just in his final five schools of interest, but also a favorite of the schools still being considered. Odds are the home state Tar Heels of North Carolina are the other top contender to land the 13th best outside backer in the class.
• Class of 2022 IMG Academy prospect Dominick James says the top two programs recruiting him the hardest right now are Florida and Ohio State. Ranked as the nation’s 11th-best defensive tackle, James plans to come out with a top schools list relatively soon, and says the Buckeyes will definitely be in that top five or top 10 when released.

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Buckeye Bits: Michigan cancels Maryland, ‘The Game’ in jeopardy, 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


Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

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

As I write this at 4:30 p.m. ET on a Wednesday, the Ravens and Steelers are playing a live game of football and the Ohio State men’s basketball team is about to tip off at 5:00 p.m. in a volleyball arena. But honestly, nothing surprises me anymore. I have a whole lot to tell you today, so let’s jump in.

From around LGHL...

From around college football...


Pull up a chair and grab a drink, friend. We have a lot to go over today. Starting with a flaming hot take that Kirk Herbstreit made on Tuesday night after the College Football Playoff Top 25 was revealed on ESPN. (Ohio State remained at No. 4 behind Alabama, Notre Dame and Clemson, respectively).

“I still think Michigan waves the white flag, potentially avoids playing Ohio State next week, and then they’ll potentially get a game on the 19th,” Herbstreit said. “Is that fair, David (Pollack)? Michigan could opt out, basically, of that game, and keep Ohio State out of six games to qualify for the Big Ten Championship. That doesn’t make sense to me.”


Like I said, that is...quite the claim, especially when Michigan is dealing with increasing numbers of positive COVID-19 tests. As you can imagine, people were not happy, which led to Herbstreit issuing an apology on his Twitter account.

“I had no business at all saying that, I have no evidence of that. It was completely unfair to the University of Michigan, to Jim Harbaugh, to his players and coaches, and I just wanted to apologize,” Herbstreit said. “We all go through some ups and downs, many downs for a lot of people during this COVID crisis that we’re all in. And for me, in college football, I really struggle with where we are. Players opting out, teams canceling games, it just seems like it’s a downward spiral. I think, typically I try to remain positive and upbeat, and I think sometimes we all have our breaking points and I think right now, at Week 14 with so much negativity surrounding the sport, I think that’s sometime a pressure point for me.”


Fast-forward to Wednesday afternoon, and Michigan’s COVID situation has indeed escalated, causing them to cancel Saturday’s game against Maryland.


If Michigan’s positive tests continue to rise or, at the very least, don’t diminish by Monday, they will almost definitely cancel The Game. And if that happens, a lot of bozos are going to come out of the woodwork making very similar claims to Herbstreit’s. But let’s be real here...


In all seriousness, I hope everyone within the Michigan organization gets well ASAP. We like to poke fun and okay fine flat out harass Michigan fans here at LGHL, but we wouldn’t wish COVID-19 on our worst enemy (which happens to be Michigan).

So now that another game on Ohio State’s schedule is on the line, it’s time to seriously consider some scheduling alternatives. If the Michigan game is canceled, under the conference’s dumb preseason rules, Ohio State will not have played enough games to be eligible to play in the B1G championship. Not playing in a conference championship does not help the Buckeyes’ CFP case, and it is absolutely in the Big Ten’s best interest that Ohio State makes it to the playoff, and Wisconsin AD Barry Alvarez agrees.


Of course, Wisconsin would also benefit from the elimination of the minimum game requirement. If the Badgers win out and Northwestern loses again, they would find themselves in the conference championship as well.

I do really have a hard time imagining a world where Northwestern and a quarterback-less Indiana is playing for the conference title while Justin Freaking Fields sits at home.


Just in case you thought the cancelation of Ohio State/Michigan wouldn’t be a big deal...


And hey, if all else fails...


In the mean time...it’s Michigan State week people!! Time to zone in. Here’s what the Spartans had to say about their preparation for Saturday.

On this date...


A true legend.


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Ohio State men’s basketball vs Morehead State: Game preview and prediction
Connor Lemons 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 will look to improve on Sunday’s lackluster showing against an overmatched nonconference foe.

The AP Top 25 Poll came out Monday afternoon, with the Buckeyes holding steady at No. 23. They should feel lucky, because Sunday’s showing against UMass-Lowell (that everyone, including myself, thought would be an easy victory) ended up as just a 74-64 win.

It was not the effort of a top-25 team or an NCAA Tournament-caliber team, especially on the offensive end. Ohio State shot 34% from the floor in the first half, including 0-for-8 from beyond the arc. The Buckeyes hit four of their 10 threes in the second half, still finishing just 4-for-18 from deep for the game. Luckily, they’ll have an opportunity to clean things up this evening against Morehead State.

Preview


While Ohio State’s performance against the River Hawks left much to be desired, it did force them to face some adversity for the first time this season, which is good. Certainly, Chris Holtmann would have liked things to be less stressful against the No. 212 team in the country according to KenPom, but there will be many contests this year that come down to the final few possessions. Having the experience of grinding out close wins in November should help this group do the same in March.

The Buckeyes have some work to do, namely learning how to shoot a basketball through the net that hangs from the iron rim up there. They were completely inept at shooting the ball during the first half, missing every single three-point attempt and the majority of their jump shots. Ohio State was efficient in the paint, getting contributions from Kyle Young, Duane Washington Jr., and E.J. Liddell in the first half, helping them stay tied at halftime.

The Buckeyes went neck and neck with the River Hawks until the 1:08 mark of the second half, when Washington Jr.’s third three-pointer of the day gave Ohio State a 70-63 lead that put the game just out of reach. The Buckeyes stayed patient and eventually shot their way out of their funk at the end, but they won’t have that luxury against higher-level competition. The game will be too far gone at that point.

The positives? Ohio State is not turning the ball over, and their point guard is dishing out assists like candy to kids on a non-COVID Halloween. After registering six assists against Illinois State, CJ Walker recorded five more on Sunday against UMass-Lowell. He’s averaging 5.5 assists to two turnovers per game this season, and as a team, the Buckeyes are turning the ball over just 9.5 times per game. Last season, Ohio State turned the ball over just under 13 times per contest. Not giving your opponents extra opportunities matters in the best conference in college basketball.

Morehead State comes into the matchup with the Buckeyes on the heels of their first victory of the year, a 69-61 win over Arkansas State. Freshman Johni Broome recorded a double-double with 25 points and 12 rebounds in just his third collegiate game, and it’ll be interesting to see how the Buckeyes defend the Eagles’ talented wing. He scored 11 points in their season-opening loss to Kentucky, but struggled in the following contest against Richmond, recording just six points and six rebounds.

The Eagles are the 313th-best team in the country according to KenPom, placing them even lower than Ohio State’s first two opponents. A member of the Ohio Valley Conference, they have not won their conference since 2003. They did, however, win their conference tournament in 2011, advancing to the NCAA Tournament for the seventh time in program history. They upset fourth-seeded Louisville in the opening round as the 13-seed, which was just their second NCAA Tournament win in the past 27 years.

A win against the ranked Buckeyes this season would be a huge stamp for their tournament resume as they look to punch their ticket for the first time since that magical run almost a decade ago. Ohio State, on the other hand, will once again look to avoid a major blemish on their resume, as a loss against Morehead State is as disastrous as it gets. If Chris Holtmann’s squad ends up on the NCAA Tournament “bubble”, a loss to Morehead State is what will keep them out of the field of 68. They simply cannot lose this game.

Prediction


It seems like de ja vu, because it’s almost the exact same situation as Sunday. Ohio State is the bigger, stronger, and far talented team. Morehead State has one offensive weapon that the Buckeyes will surely plan for, and not much beyond that. As a team, the Eagles shoot 23.9% from three-point range — one of the worst marks in the country.

Ohio State can’t come out throwing bricks up the whole first half again, or else they’ll find themselves in panic mode, needing to be bailed out by the exact thing they’ve shown they cannot do — shoot. While I don’t think the Buckeyes are that bad shooting the basketball (they probably won’t shoot below 30% from three-point range many times this year), these are the games where they have some leeway to work out the kinks.

ESPN BPI: 93.8%
5:00 p.m. ET
TV: BTN

LGHL Score Prediction: 84-64 Ohio State

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McCord and Harrison Jr. show out in state championship game, Rivals250 gets update
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Four-star 2021 WR Marvin Harrison Jr. | Lettermen Row

All of the latest news surrounding Ohio State recruiting

The smoke has died down a little bit from what was a whirlwind couple of weeks surrounding Ohio State’s 2022 class, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t still a bunch of news and notes to discuss when it comes to the Buckeyes’ efforts on the recruiting trail. With the early signing period for the 2021 class just over two weeks away, expect things to begin to pick up here real soon.

Commits win state championship


On Saturday night, Buckeyes’ QB commit Kyle McCord and WR commit Marvin Harrison Jr. helped lead Philadelphia St. Joseph to a 62-13 victory over Central York to win the PIAA 6A state championship. For Harrison, McCord and the rest of their senior teammates, it was certainly nothing new, as it became the third-straight state title for the group. It was the final prep football game for the Philly duo, as the pair plan to graduate early and enroll at Ohio State in January.

McCord was awesome right from the get-go, as the five-star quarterback prospect completed 21 of his 28 pass attempts for 336 yards and four touchdowns. A connection that we will get to see in the coming years in Columbus, Harrison hauled in a three of these passes for 73 yards and a pair of touchdowns. On the backs of the two future Buckeyes, St. Joseph jumped out to a 38-7 lead by halftime and never looked back.

One of the highest-rated players in Ohio State’s 2021 class, McCord committed all the way back in April of 2019. The nation’s No. 3 QB and the No. 25 player in the cycle overall, McCord will immediately jump into a three-way QB battle next season between himself, Jack Miller, and CJ Stroud — both of whom were highly-regarded prospects in the 2020 class. With Stroud earning a fifth star in 247Sports’ rankings and a commitment from Quinn Ewers in 2022, the Buckeyes have pulled a five-star QB in three-straight classes.

Harrison, on the other hand, will be looking to become the next Brian Hartline disciple. The son of Indianapolis Colts legend and Hall of Fame wide receiver Marvin Harrison, the four-star pass-catcher is the No. 16 WR in the class and the No. 104 player in the country overall. Like his father, Harrison Jr. possesses an excellent combination of size and speed at 6-foot-4. Committing to Ohio State in August, Harrison is the second-highest rated WR in the Buckeyes’ class behind only Jayden Ballard.

Rivals rankings updated


While the 247Sports Composite is still the gold standard of recruiting rankings, it is always worth checking out where Rivals has guys slotted whenever they update their list. On Tuesday, the new (and improved?) Rivals250 came out, and a bunch of Ohio State’s commits saw their ranking change — mostly in the wrong direction.

The highest-rated Buckeye commit in the new Rivals250 remains defensive end Jack Sawyer, who dropped four spots to No. 12 despite maintaining his position as the No. 1 WDE in the class. The biggest positive movers for Ohio State were the aforementioned Harrison, who jumped up 36 spots to No. 84 overall as the No. 18 WR, and Jordan Hancock, who moved up nine spots to No. 108 overall as the No. 8 CB.

The most puzzling ranking continues to be TreVeyon Henderson, who despite being the No. 1 RB and the No. 22 overall player in the 247Sports Composite, slid down 10 spots to No. 79 overall and the No. 3 RB according to Rivals — even behind fellow OSU RB commit Evan Pryor, who comes in at No. 71 overall and the No. 2 all-purpose back.

As a whole, Ohio State has two five-star players in the Rivals250 in Sawyer and OG Donovan Jackson (No. 13 overall). Rounding out the Buckeyes’ other commitments that made the Top 250 includes McCord (No. 30), Jakailin Johnson (No. 44), Ben Christman (No. 88), Michael Hall (No. 89), Reid Carrico (No. 126), Ballard (No. 141), Denzel Burke (No. 146) and Andre Turrentine (No. 190).

Quick Hits

• According to Brandon Huffman of 247Sports, five-star 2021 WR Emeka Egbuka will finally make the trip to Oklahoma this upcoming weekend. The final step before the nation’s No. 1 wide receiver makes his college decision, Egbuka will meet up with Sooners QB commit Caleb Williams, whom he has a good relationship with, to take in the campus on his first ever trip to Norman.

The Buckeyes are still the favorite to land Egbuka, with eight of the 10 Crystal Balls currently favoring Ohio State as a result of the receiver’s relationships with both Brian Hartline and Ryan Day, but this visit marks a big step in the Washington native’s recruitment. Egbuka did not rule out having his decision before the early signing period — which begins Dec. 16 — but wanted to get to Oklahoma’s campus prior to making a commitment.

One way or another, we will now likely hear where Egbuka stands sometime shortly after this weekend. The Sooners are certainly a player in this recruitment, and could sway the elite receiver with a convincing visit, but Egbuka has been to Ohio State multiple times in the past, and the long-lasting relationship could be the deciding factor in him ending up in Columbus.

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Buckeye Bits: Ohio State resumes team activities, Chris Holtmann provides injury updates
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 Jason Mowry/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

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

It’s going to be a pretty hectic couple of weeks on the Ohio State beat. The football team is trying to work back from a COVID-19 outbreak and continue their CFP dreams, the basketball season is now in full swing, and the recruiting game is firing on all cylinders with the early signing period in just over two weeks. Luckily, we here at Land-Grant Holy Land are here to keep you up to date on all things Buckeyes.

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From around the gridiron...


We got some really good news from out of the Woody Hayes Athletic Center on Tuesday, as Ohio State announced it has returned to organized team activities this afternoon. While it is way too soon to consider the Buckeyes a lock to play Michigan State this upcoming weekend, it is clearly a good sign that the team feels comfortable enough from what it has seen in its testing numbers to return to practice.


Worth noting, every team in the Big Ten that has had to cancel a game thus far has had to do so for two-straight weeks. As things currently stand, Ohio State is on track to travel to East Lansing this weekend after just one week off, but obviously things can change in a moment’s notice with this unpredictable virus.

Meanwhile, more good news from across the street involving the Buckeyes’ only other remaining regular season matchup — one they also need to qualify for the B1G title game.


In a bit of a surprise to some, Tuf Borland has accepted an invitation to the 2021 Reese’s Senior Bowl. The event, which is mainly to provide an additional showcase for seniors looking to enter the NFL Draft, is scheduled to take place on Jan. 30. Despite getting a free year of eligibility this year and having the chance to return to Columbus for another season, it appears as though Borland will instead elect to test the NFL waters after what has been his most productive season in scarlet and gray.


Joining Borland in Mobile, AL will be Ohio State RB Trey Sermon. After rushing for over 2,000 yards over three seasons at Oklahoma, the senior has accumulated 232 yards on the ground working in tandem with Master Teague while averaging 5.2 yards per carry for the Buckeyes through four games.


Ohio State’s defensive line may not be putting up the stats we’ve grown accustomed to, but they are still having an impact on the game and have been graded the best unit in P5.

From around the hardwood...


Head coach Chris Holtmann stepped up to the virtual podium on Tuesday to preview his team’s upcoming game against Morehead State and to give some injury updates on guys like Seth Towns and Musa Jallow.

In regards to Towns, who is coming off a knee injury that has sidelined him for the last two years, Holtmann says he is still working to get back to game speed. He is progressing and getting closer to a return, but they don't want to rush anything and cause unnecessary added stress on the forward’s body.


Jallow, on the other hand, is nursing a lower-leg injury, and he will miss the team’s game on Wednesday night. He did not play in Sunday’s matchup against UMass-Lowell, and was seen walking around on the sideline in a boot.


Get to know Ohio State’s rising star Justice Sueing. As a fan of both sushi and chicken, that Hawaiian dish does sound pretty good.

From around the rink...


Ohio State mens hockey goalie Tommy Napier earned the Big Ten’s Second Star of the Week. Napier led the NCAA with 84 saves in the team’s two-game bout with Michigan State, finishing the series with a .944 save percentage including a 20-for-21 effort in the Buckeyes’ first win of the season on Sunday.


He wasn’t the only Ohio State player to earn Big Ten honors this week, as freshman forward Travis Treloar picked up the Third Star. Treloar posted a team-high three points this past weekend, scoring his first career goal to force overtime against MSU on Saturday and assisting on the game winner on Sunday.

From everywhere else...


The Army-Navy matchup is usually cool on its own, but the jerseys are pretty sick too.


The Maui Invitational looks just a tad bit different this season...


Ohio State’s campus is especially enticing this time of year.


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Podcast: Chris Holtmann on Jallow, Towns health, playing in the Covelli Center, more
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports

Holtmann provides updates through two games of the season.

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

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On Tuesday, Dec. 1, Ohio State head men’s basketball coach Chris Holtmann met with the media to provide an update on how he thinks that his team has played through the first two games of the season. In the press conference, Holtmann talked about the need to get more scoring out of his bench, the latest injury to junior forward Musa Jallow, and where Harvard transfer Seth Towns is in regards to his rehabilitation.

Holtmann said that Towns is getting closer to being able to play, but that he still has a ways to go in order to be able to get back to the place that he was before the knee injury that he suffered while playing for the Crimson.

He also discussed the move to playing games at the quaint Covelli Center and much more.


Contact Matt Tamanini
Twitter: @BWWMatt

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Buckeye Clips: NFL Week 12 highlights
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 Timothy T Ludwig/Getty Images

Bosa has career-high performance, Terry McLaurin and Chase Young showed out (again)

Sigh. We had yet another weekend sans Ohio State football. Luckily, there’s an army of Buckeye alum who make up for that on Sunday’s, especially when they perform the way they did over the weekend. Below are some of the standout performances from your favorite NFL Bucks.

The Rookies


The Washington Football Team can thank their lucky stars that they somehow landed both Terry McLaurin and Chase Young, who each had record-book performances in their blowout win over Dallas on Thanksgiving.

McLaurin finished the day with seven catches for 92 yards, earning him this impressive stat:


On top of that, he prevented a pick six that would have tied the game.


Which earned him this stat:


Here are some more for good measure:


Young also set a few career-bests on Sunday.


And the only reason you’re not seeing more of this from Young...


Is because the rookie is being double-teamed so often that only six edge rushers — J.J. Watt, Joey Bosa and Myles Garrett included — receive more double-teams.


Rams safety Jordan Fuller also had himself a day. After his game on Monday Night Football in Week 11 when he snagged his first two interceptions of his professional career, both at the hands of Tom Brady, he kept the momentum going on Sunday against the 49ers, when he intercepted Nick Mullens after Aaron Donald tipped the pass.


Other miscellaneous news and notes for Buckeye rookies

• J.K. Dobbins, Malik Harrison will play Wednesday at 3:40 p.m. ET when the Ravens take on the Steelers.
• Jeff Okudah was out for the Lions with a shoulder injury.
• DaVon Hamilton: One tackle for the Jaguars (was carted off the field with knee injury, which isn’t expected to be a long term injury)
• Jonah Jackson: Started at left guard for the Lions
• Damon Arnette: One tackle for the Raiders

The Veterans


Sunday was truly a big fat recruiting advertisement for the GOAT himself, Larry Johnson, as Joey Bosa had his best career performance against the Bills, racking up three sacks, five QB hits, a fumble recovery, and eight total tackles.

One.


Two.


And three.


Obviously, this performance set numerous personal, team and NFL records.


Bengals safety Vonn Bell— one of the few glimmers of hope for the team— finished his game against the Giants with a team-leading 10 tackles and one of the smoothest forced fumble and recovery I’ve ever seen.


Other miscellaneous news and notes for Buckeye veterans

• Jerome Baker: five tackles, including a team-high four solos, and half a sack for Miami
• Sam Hubbard: seven tackles and one tackle for loss for the Bengals
• Dre’Mont Jones: nine tackles and one tackle for loss for the Broncos
• Denzel Ward was out for the Browns with a calf injury.
• Ezekiel Elliott: ten carries for 32 yards, one catch for seven yards for the Cowboys
• Curtis Samuel: five catches for 72 yards, one rush for five yards for the Panthers
• Michael Thomas: four catches for 50 yards, one rush for one yard for the Saints
• Bradley Roby: one pass deflection and one fumble recovery for the Texans (However, he is now out for the remainder of the season as he has been suspended for six games for violating the league’s performance-enhancing substances policy.)
• Michael Jordan, Andrew Norwell, Taylor Decker started for their respective OLs.
• Packers offensive lineman Corey Linsley went down with a MCL sprain in their win against the Bears. He is expected to miss 3-6 weeks.

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Five-star CB has Ohio State in top four
Dan Hessler via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Five-star CB Jaheim Singletary | 247Sports

2022 five-star cornerback target Jaheim Singletary has the Buckeyes on his short list and will commit Jan. 2

Ohio State football is in a weird spot right now. The Buckeyes are one more missed game away from being ineligible for the Big Ten Championship, but there is still a chance of making the College Football Playoffs.

While nothing makes sense and the season’s future holds no certainties, there is still one aspect of college football that has remained intact — recruiting never stops and Ohio State is good at it.

Ryan Day and the Ohio State coaching staff have proven to be some of the very best at recruiting. This year’s class currently sits at No. 2 in the 247Sports Class Rankings and is atop the Big Ten conference. Additionally, the Buckeyes are still working to secure commitments from a few more of the nation’s top prospects and a chance of holding the honors for the top class is still in play.

On top of this, the Buckeyes also have the nation’s top class for 2022 and they may soon be adding to it.

Last week, five-star cornerback Jaheim Singletary (Jacksonville, FL/Robert E, Lee) announced a top five schools which included Ohio State. This week, the list has been cut down to four, and once again Ohio State made an appearance.


No longer is LSU a contender for the blue-chip CB, but he also confirmed his commitment date of Jan. 2. The timing of the announcement could mean good news for Ohio State.

Florida has long been the leader in Singletary’s recruitment, as the school is the closest in proximity and he has spoken on the school more than any other. However, after receiving a scholarship offer from Ohio State just last month, Singletary called the chance to go to Ohio State a dream.

Ohio State still has work to do if they are to steal Singletary from the Gators, but the fact that they are among his top schools while being involved the least says a lot in a recruitment that has been quiet up until this point. They will also hope to get some help from Randy Wade, who has some pull in the Jacksonville area where the Buckeyes pulled Shaun Wade from back in 2017.

Singletary would make for an excellent addition alongside four-star CB commit Jyaire Brown. The Buckeyes are also still in play to potentially secure commitments from fellow five-star CB’s Domani Jackson and Will Johnson.

Singletary is the No. 5 CB in the 247Sports Composite Rankings and is the No. 10 prospect in the nation overall.

Quick Hits

• Rivals announced their first of many updates to the 2021 recruiting class on Monday by releasing their five-star prospects. In total, Rivals has 26 five-star prospects. Among this group are Ohio State commits DE Jack Sawyer and OG Donovan Jackson. Additionally Ohio State targets DE J.T. Tuimoloau, WR Emeka Egbuka and OT Tristan Leigh.

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Buckeye Bits: Good news out of the Woody, Harbaugh is mad at fans for wanting Michigan to win, 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


Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images

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

The sports-being-played-during-COVID-19 saga continues as games have already been canceled for this weekend, teams are pausing team activities and others are changing their locations. On the bright side, we received some good news out of the Woody Hayes Athletic Facility earlier today, but even if that all goes to hell in a handbasket again, at least we have the return of Ohio State basketball.

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From around the gridiron...


While this doesn’t mean we’re 100% on for Saturday, the fact that Ohio State determined it was safe enough for players to resume workouts in the Woody just a few days after all team activities were paused is good news! As long as there’re no new positive cases in both the Buckeyes’ and the Spartans’ buildings, I can’t imagine Saturday’s matchup getting canceled.


Folks, it’s still too early to panic. Worry? Sure. But panic? Not yet.


Minnesota’s game against Northwestern on Saturday has been canceled.

On Monday, Minnesota reported that 47 people — 21 athletes and 26 staff members — tested positive for COVID-19 since Nov. 19. They also canceled last Saturday’s game at Wisconsin after pausing team activities Nov. 24.

This is the first cancellation for Northwestern, who was on its way to clinching the Big Ten West last Saturday before losing 29-20 to Michigan State. The Wildcats will still win the division as long as the average number of games for each team in the B1G does not drop below six. They also can clinch the division by beating Illinois on Dec. 12.

Can we also talk about Northwestern’s football facility??!!


More bad news (non-COVID related this time). Indiana quarterback Michael Penix is out for the remainder of the season with a torn ACL he suffered in the Hoosiers’ win over Maryland.


Michigan will be holding everything virtually as they await the results of “confirmatory tests.” Harbaugh would not predict whether or not they will play this Saturday against Maryland.


I am far too petty not to include this fabulous quote from Harbaugh in today’s Bits. He has had enough of people expecting results from his football team. Why can’t fans just appreciate the process that has been going on for six years and does not seem to have an end in sight?!


After Santa Clara County announced their strict COVID-19 guidelines, Stanford is expected to relocate somewhere outside California.


Ohio State is ranked No. 4 in ESPN’s final College Football Power Rankings for November, behind No. 1 Alabama, No. 2 Notre Dame and No. 3 Clemson.


Can’t lose any games if you don’t have any.


via GIPHY

From around the hardwood...


No. 23 feels right for the Basketball Bucks.


Define “very.”


After 10 seasons playing in the NBA, former Ohio State star Evan Turner has accepted an assistant coaching roll for the Boston Celtics, focusing on player development.

Turner played for the Celtics for the 2014-15 and 2015-16 seasons, starting 57 games his first year before becoming one of first players off the bench in his following season. He averaged a combined 10 points, 4.5 rebounds and five assists per game in his two years in Boston.

Worth noting...


Hey 2020, there was a line. And you have officially crossed it. I’ve been going to this movie theater since I could walk.


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Redbirds bounced back from their loss to the Bucks with a casual 177-108 win over D-III Greenville.

The Greenville Panthers are giving up 165.5 points per game in their first 4 contests (0-4).