The case for an All-Ohio basketball tournament to begin the season
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Kareem Elgazzar/ Marion Star
As teams scramble to fill out their schedules, why not allow the top programs in Ohio to fight each other for bragging rights?

On November 4, Ohio State had a full schedule of 27 games, which was the maximum number of games allowed per NCAA rules, not counting the Big Ten Tournament. In addition to their 20 conference games (which still haven’t been announced), the Buckeyes were set to face Morehead State, Alabama A&M, Notre Dame, and North Carolina in their nonconference slate. They were also supposed to participate in the Bad Boy Mowers Battle 4 Atlantis, which was actually moved to Sioux Falls, South Dakota and renamed the Bad Boy Mowers Crossover Classic. This tournament would have given the Buckeyes up to three more games, which would round out their schedule.

However, on November 5, Head Coach Chris Holtmann sent out this tweet, informing everyone that Ohio State would no longer be participating in the Battle 4 Atlantis/ Crossover Classic.


Holtmann did not give an explanation why Ohio State bowed out, but a tweet from Governor Mike DeWine sent just one day earlier helped connect the dots. South Dakota was included with six other states as places where Ohioans need to quarantine for 14 days at home after returning from those destinations. Therefore, if Ohio State played in the Crossover Classic from November 25-30, they would not be able to do any basketball activities for 14 days upon returning. This explains Holtmann’s quick (and reasonable) decision to withdraw from the event.


Now, there was a second noteworthy Ohio team that had to pull out of Crossover Classic, one that many have been clamoring for the Buckeyes to play for several years. That team is the Dayton Flyers. Dayton, who went 29-2 last season and rose all the way to No. 3 in the AP Poll, were also the undefeated A-10 champions. Not to mention that they had Obi Toppin, the National Player of the Year, on their team.

No longer involved in the Crossover Classic, both the Buckeyes and Flyers suddenly have some flexibility on their schedules. Neither Chris Holtmann nor Dayton Head Coach Anthony Grant want to leave those slots open, so I expect both teams will move swiftly to schedule new games and fill out their schedules. But could we potentially see the two teams stay in-state and play each other for the first time since 2014?


The last time Ohio State and Dayton met up was the 2014 NCAA Tournament, where the 11-seeded Flyers shocked the 6-seed Buckeyes in the first round, knocking off the top basketball program in the state of Ohio. That win helped propel the Flyers all the way to the Elite 8 of the NCAA Tournament, which was their deepest NCAA tournament run since 1984.

Chris Holtmann and Athletic Director Gene Smith have publicly discussed the possibility of playing the other in-state schools, but noted how difficult it can be to fit in a game with someone like Dayton when (during a normal year) you’re also playing 20 conference games, a handful of nonconference games, and early-season tournaments.

“Chris and I haven’t specifically talked about Dayton or Xavier, but he and I share a similar philosophy that we ought to try and play Ohio schools if possible, which is why we’re doing that with the exhibition games as well,” Smith said in November of 2019, “So he and I haven’t talked about those two in particular, but I imagine down the road we probably will.” This comment was following the completion of a home-and-home series with Cincinnati, in which the Buckeyes took both games.

While nothing was ever ironed out schedule-wise, it seems there was some discourse between Ohio State and Dayton previously. In late 2019, University of Dayton Athletic Director Neil Sullivan told the Dayton Daily News that “There’s been some good conversation, but the stars just haven’t lined up the right way yet.”

He goes on: “We’ve got a ton of respect for Ohio State, a ton of respect for Gene Smith. We’ve had some dialogue, and I think there just has been tough, primarily on their side, just some tough logistics related to their conference, but you know we certainly would be interested in playing Ohio State, UC or Xavier. We’re interested in all of those. We’d do all of those for sure.”

AP/ Frank Franklin II
The Dayton Flyers celebrate their victory over Ohio State in the 2014 NCAA Tournament

So what are we waiting for? The circumstances surrounding it are unfortunate, but what we have here are two of the top programs in the country who happen to be from the same state, but rarely play each other. Two rabid fan bases who have not been able to hold bragging rights over each other in nearly a decade. With Dayton and Ohio State both withdrawing from the Crossover Classic, it provides a perfect opportunity for the two schools to play for the first time in six years.

I am not a coach or a director of basketball operations. I am certain that more goes into scheduling a game than just “Hey are you free over Thanksgiving weekend?”, but going strictly off availability and what’s best for the athletes health-wise, holding an all-Ohio tournament in Columbus seems like a doable and awesome idea. Here is what I propose:

The Battle for Ohio

• November 25-30
• Columbus, OH (Schottenstein Center)
• 4 participating teams, all from Ohio
• All participating teams play all other teams (each team gets 3 games)
• One day in between games, allowing for COVID testing on off days (games on the 26, 28, and 30th)
• If a team produces a positive test, they must withdraw from the tournament

At the surface, it seems simple. Get each of these teams three additional games on the schedule against schools they don’t get to play often. This also simplifies travel and allows teams to drive home at the conclusion of the tournament, rather than flying.

The four schools that most people would want to see are Xavier, Cincinnati, Ohio State, and Dayton, naturally. But I went ahead and double-checked the schedules of eight Ohio teams to make sure they all have fewer than 27 games, and therefore could participate in the Battle for Ohio. They are:

Priority Teams

• Ohio State - 24 games
• Dayton - 20 games
• Cincinnati - 22 games
• Xavier - 12 games (games still being added)

Alternates

• Wright State - 21 games
• Akron - 22 games
• Ohio University - 21 games
• Bowling Green - 22 games

All of the above schools could add three games and still be at or below the NCAA maximum of 27 games for this season. While the OSU/ Dayton/ Xavier/ Cincinnati group would probably bring the highest level of talent, any combination of the above schools would create a unique all-Ohio tournament that’s never been done before.

Akron has been very successful in the MAC lately, and could turn heads in a weekend-long tournament where they’re playing close to home. Ohio University’s basketball program is led by former Thad Matta-assistant Jeff Boals. Wright State appeared in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 11 years in 2018, and look to be on the upswing in the Horizon League. Any way you mix and match it, an all-Ohio tournament would be an awesome way to kick off the college basketball season.

As I said before, I am not a college basketball coach nor do I work in the athletic departments of any of the schools listed here. I’m simply a fan, just like you, who sees a window of opportunity for the best basketball programs in the state to duke it out and rightfully claim the title as the best college basketball team in Ohio. Who wouldn’t love to see that?

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Ohio State makes headway with a pair of 2022 linemen
Gene Ross 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 OT Zach Rice | Rivals.com
The Buckeyes made the shortlist for a duo of juniors of the weekend

Unfortunately, Ohio State did not take the field this past Saturday, as Maryland’s program was hit with a small COVID-19 outbreak, but that doesn’t mean the Buckeyes stayed out of the headlines. Ryan Day has been absolutely killing it on the recruiting trail ever since he stepped foot on campus in Columbus, and that hard work continued to pay off as OSU made the short list for a pair of 2022 prospects over the weekend.

The good news starting rolling in on Friday night, when four-star defensive end Isaac Haam announced that Ohio State has made his top four schools list. Holding around eight total offers, Hamm has cut his list in half, as the Buckeyes made the cut alongside a trio of other Midwest powers in Notre Dame, Penn State and Wisconsin.


Hamm, a native of Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, is the No. 14 SDE in the 2022 class, the No. 5 player in the Badger State, and the No. 231 player overall according to the 247Sports Composite. Interestingly enough, despite making Hamm’s final four, Ohio State has not yet sent an official offer to the 6-foot-5, 250-pound junior.

If the Buckeyes are serious about landing the four-star edge rusher, that offer would likely have to come sometime soon. As things currently stand, Wisconsin seems to have an edge being the in-state program. There are two Crystal Ball predictions already in for Hamm, and both of them are in favor of the Badgers. There is a ways left to go in this recruitment, but it is clear that Hamm has some interest in becoming the next Larry Johnson disciple.

The next bit of good news came on Saturday, when five-star offensive tackle Zach Rice included Ohio State in his top eight. With at least 31 offers thus far as one of the top prospects in the entire 2022 class, Rice has cut his list down to Florida, LSU, Miami, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, UNC and Virginia alongside the Buckeyes.


With tackle being a massive area of need for Ohio State moving forward, especially with some big recruiting misses in 2021, Day and position coach Greg Studrawa would certainly love to land a player of Rice’s caliber. The 6-foot-6, 282-pound blocker is the No. 2 OT in the cycle, the No. 3 player in Virginia, and the No. 29 player overall in the 2022 class.

There is clearly a solid level of mutual interest between the two parties, as Rice was one of a few guys that had put Ohio State football in his Instagram bio a short while back when it seemed like the Buckeyes were gaining significant steam in the junior class. The offer from the Buckeyes was a huge deal for Rice and his family back in April, with his mother getting especially emotional upon hearing the news.

“Coach Stud offered me, and I was really shocked,” Rice told Eleven Warriors. “But then my mom – she’s a counselor – she got off the phone with one of the ladies she works with. After she got off the phone, I finally got it on speaker phone (with Coach Stud), and my mom, as he told her he was offering me, her knees buckled. She almost fell. It was crazy.

He has also been seen chopping it up with 2021 Ohio State RB commit TreVeyon Henderson on Twitter in the past.


There is still likely a long way to go in this recruitment, but the addition of Rice to the 2022 class would be an absolutely monumental get for Studrawa and the Bucks.

Quick Hits

• Ohio State offered five-star cornerback Jaheim Singletary on Nov. 5, and the elite DB prospect has had nothing but good things to say about the Buckeyes since. Speaking to Joseph Hastings of Buckeye Grove, Singletary says that he and the OSU staff are in constant contact, and he acknowledged Ohio State as ‘DBU’ for their ability to put guys in the league at his position. The Florida native is the No. 4 CB in the nation, and the No. 9 player overall in the 2022 class.

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Ohio State fans lose faith in Buckeyes according to SBN Reacts survey
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Ironically though, the rest of the country didn’t.



This isn’t a surprise to anyone who pays attention to Ohio State football, but us Buckeye fans can be a fickle bunch. So after back-to-back double-digit (but not perfect) wins, we apparently have collectively lost about six percent confidence in the direction of the team. Oddly, despite the hubbub following the Penn State victory the week before, no one in the LGHL portion of the SB Nation Reacts survey lost faith in OSU, as confidence was at 100%. But, only beating Rutgers 49-27 after being up 35-3 at half, and six percent jump ship.

Now, don’t get me wrong, there are certainly things to be concerned about when it comes to Ohio State’s execution in both games, but in the middle of the weirdest season in college football history, to be upset about a three-touchdown victory seems pretty shortsighted.


But, that’s how we roll here in Buckeye Nation. We are a people of extreme emotions. We can go from embracing Ohio Versus the World to complaining that networks who make a crap-ton of money from broadcasting our team’s games are actually involved in a vast, international criminal conspiracy to sabotage our program at the drop of the hat.

We have no chill. We don’t know how to moderate our emotions when it comes to college football. But, as I said before the season even started, it’s going to take some time for the team to get to fully operational. Now, I admit that at times, I forget this as well. I forget that this team had no spring practice; I forget that all of the players had to work out on their own for most of the summer; I forget that they were jerked around when it came to whether or not they were even going to have a season to play this fall.

But, when it comes down to it, they are still one of the three best teams in the country, and they’ve still got five games to get better before the selection committee determines who is in the College Football Playoffs.

If you want to vote every week in the SB Nation Reacts surveys, sign up here!


What’s funny about it is that while Ohio State fans are freaking out a bit over the last two games, most of the country is seeing them for what they are, all-important dubs in the weirdest of seasons. In the national portion of the SB Nation Reacts survey this week, Alabama took the No. 1 spot in playoff projections, but the Buckeyes came in second, ahead of No. 3 Clemson and No. 4 Notre Dame.

What this suggests is that most of the country expects the Tide and Buckeyes to win out and for Clemson — with Trevor Lawrence back at quarterback — to beat the Fighting Irish in the ACC Championship. From there, there is more than a 50 percent voting gap between No. 4 ND and the No. 5 Florida Gators.



Now, for anyone watching college football this season, it should be no surprise that the Big Ten’s already tenuous reputation has taken a bit of a hit with Penn State and Michigan looking like dog doodoo and Wisconsin having only been able to play a single game so far this season.

Ohio State is clearly the top team in the B1G and while they will play a top-10 Indiana a week from today, there is a significant gap between the Bucks and whomever is next in the conference, be it IU, Wisconsin, Northwestern, etc.

While the SEC has certainly been a bit of a dumpster fire this year, they still clearly have more top teams than any other conference, and the normally garbage ACC is aided by Notre Dame’s inclusion this season.

That obviously explains why the Big Ten received the least amount of votes when fans were asked which of the top three conferences in the country is currently the best, in fact, I would have been surprised if the results said something different.



To vote in the Reacts surveys and have your voice heard each week, sign up here.


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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CFB viewing guide for Ohio State fans this Saturday
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Marc Lebryk-USA TODAY Sports
With the Buckeyes out of commission, what other matchups are worth keeping an eye on this weekend?

We’ve seen it happen numerous times across the college football landscape this season as programs continue to try and play through a pandemic: game cancellations.

While it has seemed throughout the process that Ohio State has taken their COVID-19 protocols very seriously, there are two sides to every matchup. Unfortunately for the Buckeyes, this weeks opponent, Maryland, has run into an outbreak. As a result, this Saturday’s game against the Terrapins has been cancelled.

Now this is not to say that Maryland did not take their protocols seriously, as I'm sure they have. It is impossible to totally eliminate the risk of contracting a highly contagious virus. Even wearing a mask and practicing social distancing, it is as simple as going to the grocery store, touching something someone with the virus coughed on, and then forgetting to wash your hands before touching your face.

The Big Ten left itself no wiggle room with its new fall schedule, and so things like this were bound to happen. It is unfortunate, but we should be content with having any football at all this season. With that being said, what should fans of Ohio State direct their eyes to this weekend?

With the Buckeyes on the shelf, we’ve got you covered with a full slate of action for your viewing pleasure.

10 a.m. — The Masters (CBSSports.com/CBS Sports App)


Up early before the first kickoff of the day? Go out and get yourself a nice take-out breakfast sandwich from your local deli or family-owned restaurant (it’s important to support small business during these tough times) and plop yourself on the couch for some golf.

Now 19 months removed from his historic victory at Augusta in 2019, Tiger Woods returns to try and defend his crown among the field of 93 golfers. Originally scheduled to take place in April, the pandemic has moved the Masters to mid-November, where the azaleas have been replaced by the fall foliage and the patrons are nowhere to be seen — for obvious reasons.

Unfortunately with the way the coverage is set up this year, the only way to watch all of the early-morning action at the Masters is by streaming it through CBS’ website or app. If you aren’t interested in watching college football that doesn’t involve Ohio State on Saturday, the tournament will jump to the TV broadcast at 1 p.m. on CBS.

9 a.m. - Noon — College Gameday (ESPN)


If golf isn't your thing, then you can fill the time between the morning and the opening kickoff with College Gameday, which will broadcast for the first time ever live from Augusta National Golf Club.

Between the inability to host large crowds of fans with witty signs like the show usually does and the postponement of the original scheduled date of the Masters, the Gameday crew gets a rare opportunity to do their pre-game show from a historic golf course. The stage will be overlooking Ike’s Pond and the 9th green of the Par 3 course at Augusta. For fans of both sports, it is a rare opportunity to see the two very different worlds collide.

12 p.m. — No. 10 Indiana vs. Michigan State (ABC)


If I would have told you preseason that the Indiana-Michigan State game would be must-watch TV for Ohio State fans in mid-November, would you have believed me?

The Spartans are a very strange team in their first year under Mel Tucker. After losing their first game of the season to Rutgers — an improved Rutgers, but still RUTGERS — Michigan State defeated rival Michigan 27-24 in Ann Arbor. They came back the following week only to get dominated by an Iowa squad that began the year 0-2. Needless to say, I have no idea what to think about Michigan State.

Then there is everyones favorite Big Ten underdog Indiana. Many had pegged the Hoosiers to be a strong competitor in the East division this year, and here we are heading into the fourth week of B1G play with Indiana ranked in the AP Top 10. With Ohio State not playing, a win this week would give Tom Allen’s squad sole possession of first place in the division. It would certainly make for a very interesting matchup next weekend, when the Hoosiers head to Columbus to take on the Buckeyes with a spot in the Big Ten title game on the line.

3 p.m. — No. 2 Notre Dame vs. Boston College (ABC)


You don't even have to change the channel once that one is over, as you can stick with ABC for a big ACC matchup between the Fighting Irish and the Eagles.

Former Ohio State defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley is off to a very encouraging start in his first year as head coach at Boston College. At 5-3 on the season, his team nearly completed upsets against both UNC and Clemson before ultimately coming up short. He has been getting some excellent QB play this season from Phil Jurkovec, who has thrown for over 2,000 yards through eight games. The Notre Dame transfer will look to upset his former team in what will function as the Eagles’ Red Bandana Game.

Notre Dame is coming off perhaps the biggest win for any college football team so far this year with their OT victory over then-No. 1 Clemson last weekend. The absence of Trevor Lawrence was no excuse for the Tigers’ performance in that game, as the Fighting Irish totaled 518 yards of offense in South Bend. Notre Dame QB Ian Book as been very efficient on the year, completing 60% of his passes for over 1,500 yards with 13 total TDs to just one INT. Book and the Irish will have to avoid a let down, as an undefeated regular season would almost certainly cement their spot in the College Football Playoff.

7:30 p.m. — No. 13 Wisconsin vs. Michigan (ABC)


Man, ABC really lucked out with the ultimate parlay of intriguing games for Ohio State fans this weekend, didn’t they? You’ll likely have some time before this one kicks off to grab yourself some dinner and restock the beverage cooler as you settle in for the night slate.

Wisconsin is playing their first game since the season opener after missing the past two weeks with a COVID-19 outbreak. It still isn’t entirely clear whether or not Badgers starting QB Graham Mertz will be suiting up for this one, but at this time all signs point to that being the case. Wisconsin head coach Paul Chryst will be hoping to see a repeat performance from Mertz, after completing 20-of-21 passes for 248 yards and five TDs in his debut against Illinois. Against this Michigan secondary, any QB on their roster could probably have a field day.

Speaking of that Wolverines secondary, Jim Harbaugh will have to hope his defense can figure things out. After convincingly defeating Minnesota in their season opener — a team we now know is not very good — Michigan has lost two games in a row to Michigan State and Indiana. Hoosier QB Michael Penix absolute diced up the UM defense, passing for 342 yards and three TDs. On the offensive side of things, Joe Milton has not exactly been the revolutionary QB some had expected, and the run game will have to be better than the putrid 18 carries for 13 yards they contributed against Indiana.

I’ll throw an honorable mention here for the Northwestern-Purdue game at 7:30 p.m. on BTN. If this game gets out of hand, it will probably be worth flipping over to catch the battle for Big Ten West supremacy.

10:30 p.m. — Oregon State vs. Washington (FS1)


It is so good to get some West Coast football back in our lives. It doesn’t get much better than capping off a long day of college football with some weird and wild action over in #PAC12AfterDark. This spot was originally slated for the Utah vs. UCLA game, but alas...

Oregon State kicked off their season with a loss to Washington State in the opener, now finding themselves losers of four of their last five games dating back to last season. The Beavers offense actually looked pretty good against the Cougars, as junior QB Tristan Gebbia passed for 329 yards and a TD while RB Jermar Jefferson rushed for 120 yards and three scores. The defense was not spectacular, allowing 456 yards against Wazzu including 229 yards on the ground.

For Washington, this will be their first game of the 2020 campaign after the season opener against Cal was cancelled for COVID-19 problems in the Golden Bears program. The Huskies still have questions as to who will start at QB, but it is expected to be Sacramento State transfer Kevin Thomson. The 2019 Big Sky Offensive Player of the Year threw for over 3,200 yards with 39 total TDs last season. Washington has won the last eight meetings between the two programs dating back to 2012.

Look, I'm not going to try to sell you on this being a great game, but it is quite literally the last remaining late-night kickoff other than UNLV-San Jose State. The Utah-UCLA game would have been much more entertaining, but we’ve gotta work with what we have.

Thanks a lot, COVID.

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Very well written and you broke down everything that most OSU fans have been saying for years. But the media has done nothing but given Hairball a pass since day 1, which fed into their arrogance. I remember feeding into the hype in a miniscule manner at first, but actually being jealous of having Don Brown when we had Schiano. But Brown looks like a coach stuck in the past that would do better at a G5 school and now seems immensely over his head and overpaid(like his boss). I don't see scUM pulling themselves out of this hole for a VERY long time, and getting the wrong successor to Hairball will push that timeline back even further. And I can't wait to beat the brakes off of scUM to OSU getting the all time wins record and shutting those arrogant fucks up

Zander42 said:

Ok, wasn't on BP last night but did anyone notice that there was a surrender cobra cutout in the stands. I think they zoomed in on it after the 2nd interception in the 1st quarter.

Some magnificent SOB actually bought a surrender cobra cardboard cutout and paid to put in the pig house.

Tug Speedwell is that you??

Click to expand...

That was absolutely priceless. The instant we saw it, the entire room laughed out loud. In Africa.

Now if UK can get a Berry commit they will be in business

Division I five-year clock: If you play at a Division I school, you have five-calendar years in which to play four seasons of competition. Your five-year clock starts when you enroll as a full-time student at any college.

Click to expand...

Question: Does this automatically add a 6th year of eligibility for those already on their 5th year (i.e. or who have already taken a red shirt year), etc.?

Matt R said:

Will there be a Rutgers torrent?

Click to expand...

hope he's not sick

Buckeye Bits: Ryan Day talks schedule, Big Bob talks Togiai
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 Jamie Sabau/Getty Images
All of the latest Ohio State news from around the beat and beyond.

Look, there’s no Ohio State football game this weekend, but that doesn’t mean that there isn’t an incredibly important competition that you can follow. On today’s edition of our Stick to Sports podcast, the illustrious Tia Johnston and I released the finalists for the Tortilla Region in our 2020 Chip Championship Bracket.

Tia’s favorite, Tostitos with a Hint of Lime is (somehow) the No. 1 seed, and my favorite, Tostitos Cantina (Traditional Style) is No. 3. Only one will make it to the Chip Final Four, and it is all up to you. So, vote! And unlike in other recent votes, if you vote more than once, it isn’t a felony!

From around Land-Grant Holy Land...


Ohio State still going after five-star LB in 2022 class

Caleb Houser, LGHL

If Shawn Murphy does join Ohio State’s 2022 recruiting class, I look forward to seeing what he looks like after he sits behind Tuf Borland and Pete Werner for three years.

Stick to Sports podcast: Help us decide which tortilla chip is the best tortilla chip

Tia Johnston (and me), LGHL

Despite the obvious importance of the 2020 Chip Championship, Tia and I discuss many other vital topics on the show this week like TikTok, HBO’s “The Undoing,” and the “Masked Singer.” We aren’t your normal Ohio State podcast, we’re a cool Ohio State podcast.

But, if you are wondering how we settled on our final two chips in the Tortilla Region, here is the full regional bracket that we argued down to two on the show.


Indiana looks to stay undefeated, Wisconsin-Michigan clash in Week 4 Big Ten action

Brett Ludwiczak, LGHL

Well, my weekend just freed up, so it looks like I am going to have a lot more time to watch non-Ohio State football this Saturday.

Ohio State cornerback Shaun Wade emphasizing film to grow on the field

Also BLeez, LGHL

The transition from the slot to No. 1 outside corner hasn’t been as smooth as Shaun Wade and his coaching staff would have liked. But, I have full faith that if anyone can make adjustments to improve his game, it’s Wade.

From around the gridiron...


Despite there not being a game this weekend, Ohio State head football coach Ryan Day still held his weekly radio show and media availability on Thursday afternoon. He discussed his and his team’s disappointment with having Saturday’s game against Maryland canceled, but stressed that they would begin using the extra time to focus on No. 10 Indiana as early as Thursday’s practice. The rest of the week will be handled as normally as possible as they will transition into a bye week schedule, including a practice on Saturday.

Day also discussed IU and praised their passing attack and noted that OSU’s secondary was going to need to step up to the challenge. In terms of his own passing attack, Day said that both Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson “have great ball skills,” but added how important the tight ends have been to the passing game as well.

He noted that having the extra weapon of pass-catching tight ends puts additional stress on the defense. He added that while Jake Hausmann will miss the next couple of weeks, that he is expected to be back and a part of that rotation once healthy.

In addition to talking to the local media, Day spoke to Ohio native Dan Patrick on his show as well.


If “ifs” and “buts” were candy and nuts, we’d all have a Merry Christmas, Coach. But I like where your head’s at.

BuckIQ: Strength, technique allowing Tommy Togiai to run rampant

Lettermen Row Staff, Lettermen Row (obvi)

This video is worth a watch if for nothing other than the fact that the one, the only; the myth, the man, the legend; the cowboy hate-wearing, Fruit Roll-up-distributing heart-throb Robert “Big Bob” Landers breaks down his former teammate Tommy Togiai.

The massive Utahan has been an absolute monster in the middle of the OSU defensive line this season and his development has substantially sured up one of the least experienced spots on the Buckeyes’ team this season.

A day in the life of Justin Fields and why it’s so important to Ohio State football that he keeps to his routine

Stephen Means, cleveland.com

Not gonna lie, Justin Fields’ life sounds pretty great. I mean, I’m deathly allergic to dogs, so I’d skip the hanging out with Uno part, but going to practice, coming back home, hiding from the world, and casually being the best player in college football seems like it would be a pretty good life to me. Where do I sign up?

I’m not gonna lie, I’d take this in a heartbeat.


Buckeyes have enough talent, creativity to do anything on offense

Tim May, Lettermen Row

I understand what the great Tim May is saying here, and his points are valid that times have changed in college football since the days of Woody Hayes and that Day and Kevin Wilson are expert schemers and game-planners. But, until Justin Fields runs the ball at least a few times per quarter, this Buckeye team is never going to have a dynamic running game, imo.

I think that there are ways that the coaches can tinker around the edges by matching the right back with the right play and down-and-distance, but they don’t have a difference-making back on the roster this year, and the only way to make what they do have become an impactful part of the offense is to balance it with the threat of the uber-dynamic Fields in the run game.

Now, I don’t think that the Buckeyes will need to do this until they get to the playoffs, but I do hope that it is in the plans for later in the season. Maybe sprinkle it in a bit against TTUN to make Harbaugh’s head explode.

It feels like Jahan Dotson got all 10 of these against Shaun Wade a few weeks ago.

From around the hardwood...


Ohio State Hoops Notebook: Seth Towns and Musa Jallow remain limited, schedule nearing completion, “very few” coronavirus interruptions

Colin Hass-Hill, Eleven Warriors

Not gonna lie, the news that both Musa Jallow and Seth Towns will be unavailable to start the Buckeyes’ season was a major bummer for me. With all of the turmoil that this roster went through in the offseason, I was looking forward to having those guys provide some depth and experience.

However, with the news that Meechie Johnson will reclassify and join the team in January, perhaps aiming to have the roster fully intact for the start of the new year is a better plan. I don’t expect that Johnson will contribute more than depth right away, but it’s a smart move for him, given the free year of eligibility.

Either way, when you start watching Buckeye basketball later this month, expect lots of changes over the course of the season.

The Ohio State video team is whether it is for football or basketball!

From everywhere else...


Former Buckeye talking about the first time that he went up against the former Buckeye that he will be going up against this weekend.


And if you can’t get jazzed up for last night’s #MACTION ending, then you don’t deserve to call yourself a legitimate college football fan.

And now for something completely different...


And here is an explainer on the best pro sports mascot in the world.


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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Ohio State cornerback Shaun Wade emphasizing film to grow on the field
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 Adam Lacy/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
It might be tough to watch film of your mistakes. Wade uses his game film to identify issues and get better as a player.


Shaun Wade is a bit of a perfectionist. Even when Wade has a great game, he says that there is always going to be a play that eats at him, even if the regular fan doesn’t notice the mistake he made. All Wade cares is about is getting better. Not only for himself, but also for his team.

Going over the Penn State game tape must have been tough for Wade, because the Nittany Lions picked on the future NFL cornerback. The toughest of the plays in the Penn State game to rewatch had to be the circus catches that Wade allowed to wide receiver Jahan Dotson on back-to-back plays.

Even though Wade knows that he has to be critical of his performance, he also doesn’t allow what happened to break his confidence. Wade knows that as a cornerback, mistakes are going to happen, he just can’t allow things to snowball when he does happen to give up some plays.

One of the reasons for Wade’s struggles so far this year has been because he has been working at a new position. Last year Wade had Jeff Okudah and Damon Arnette to take some of the pressure off at cornerback. Now Wade is the man at the position for the Buckeyes. With increased responsibility comes increased pressure, and he is working through the spotlight shining brighter on him.

One area that Wade has already identified as an issue this year is he is going for too many interceptions when he knows just as important would be to break up the pass. With so many eyes now on him, including NFL scouts, Wade is looking for the big play when in reality he just needs to make the smart play.

Defensive coordinator Kerry Coombs isn’t worried about some of Wade’s struggles this season. With the line of NFL first round picks that have come out of the school lately from the position, expectations are high for anyone who starts for the Buckeyes at corner. After recruiting Wade and coaching him for a bit before heading to the NFL the last two seasons, Coombs knows what Wade is made of and is why he has so much confidence that Wade will play at a high level the rest of the season.

What has helped Wade stomach some of his early season struggles is Ohio State’s 3-0 record. While winning doesn’t cure everything as he is reviewing his performances, it certainly does help take some of the sting away. The only time where Wade says he won’t be critical of his performance in a win is if the Buckeyes go on to win the national championship. With Wade constantly working on his game and striving to get better, the cornerback is a huge reason as to why Ohio State is one of the favorites to win the national title.

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Indiana looks to stay undefeated, Wisconsin-Michigan clash in Week 4 Big Ten action
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 Justin Casterline/Getty Images
Even though Ohio State is watching at home, there will still be some interesting Big Ten action on the slate this weekend

Last week ATS: 5-8 (2-4 B1G, 3-4 National)

Season ATS: 40-37-2 (7-10-2 B1G, 33-27 National)

Last week was a pretty rough week. It all started with Boise State coming nowhere close to upsetting BYU and it didn’t get much better from there.

The Big Ten games this week lost a little luster when Ohio State’s game was cancelled since Maryland is dealing with COVID-19 issues. Have no fear, there are still games left to pick this week.

B1G games (All games Saturday unless otherwise noted):


Iowa (-3.5) v. Minnesota - Friday 11/13 7:00 PM EST - FS1

The battle for the pig trophy kicks off the Big Ten action this weekend. The Hawkeyes and Golden Gophers will battle for Floyd of Rosedale on Friday night in Minneapolis. Iowa has dominated the rivalry lately, winning seven of the last eight meetings, including last year’s 23-19 victory over Minnesota in Iowa City.

After 0-2 starts to the season, both Iowa and Minnesota were able to secure their first wins of the season on Saturday. The Hawkeyes did so by dominating Michigan State. Iowa was able to find their running game in the 49-7 win, rushing for 226 yards against the Spartans. Tyler Goodson and Mekhi Sargent will now try and keep the momentum on the ground going against a Minnesota defense that is allowing nearly 240 rushing yards per game this year.

To beat the Golden Gophers, Iowa will need to slow down Mohamed Ibrahim. The running back has rushed for over 200 yards in each of the last two games, and scored eight touchdowns on the ground. If the Hawkeyes are able to bottle up Ibrahim, it will put pressure on quarterback Tanner Morgan, who hasn’t been as sharp this year.

I can’t say I’m in love with either team this season, but I can see the Hawkeyes building on last week’s victory over Michigan State. The defense of Iowa has been pretty good throughout the year, while the same definitely can’t be said about Minnesota. Iowa slows down the rushing attack of the Golden Gophers, allowing for the offense to wear down an already weak Minnesota defense.

Iowa 31, Minnesota 21


No. 10 Indiana (-7) v. Michigan State - 12:00 PM EST - ABC

Which Michigan State team is going to show up on Saturday? The Spartans that turned the ball over 10 times in losses to Rutgers and Iowa, or the Michigan State squad that upset Michigan a couple weeks ago? Michigan State has had a real tough time running the football this year, which has put even more pressure on quarterback Rocky Lombardi, who has been inconsistent in three starts this year.

After struggling to find offense in their first two games of the season, Indiana broke out last week against Michigan, racking up 460 total yards. Michael Penix Jr. put together the best start of his college football career, throwing for 342 yards and three touchdowns against the Wolverines.

It would be easy to peg this as a “look ahead” game for Indiana with a trip to Columbus on deck next weekend, but I think we see a strong effort from the Hoosiers, who know how close to greatness they are this year. Indiana’s offensive weapons overwhelm Michigan State, who have struggled to move the football against teams not named Michigan. The Hoosiers snap a three-game losing streak against the Spartans.

Indiana 34, Michigan State 20


Penn State (-3) v. Nebraska - 12:00 PM EST - FS1

Nobody would have thought heading into this season that both Penn State and Nebraska would be a combined 0-5 after three weeks of action. After seeing their game against Wisconsin cancelled two weeks ago, the Cornhuskers played Northwestern tight last week, but fell short against the Wildcats. If Nebraska is going to want to earn their first win of the year, they’ll have to get more consistent play out of their quarterback position.

Last week was supposed to be a game for Penn State to get well after losses to Indiana and Ohio State to start the season. So far the bright spot for the Nittany Lions this year has been Jahan Dotson, who has caught 21 passes for 361 yards and five touchdowns this year. Other than Dotson, there hasn’t been much of note for Penn State. Quarterback Sean Clifford has struggled this season, throwing five interceptions already. While Clifford will remain the starter, we could see more of Will Levis on the field for the Nittany Lions.

Nebraska is better than their record indicates, while I’m not sure if that’s the case for Penn State. The Nittany Lions have been decimated by opt-outs and injuries on both sides of the football. Losses of guys like Micah Parsons, Journey Brown, and Noah Cain have been a big reason for Penn State’s struggles this year. I’ll gladly take the home underdog here to add to Penn State’s woes this year by narrowly defeating the Nittany Lions.

Nebraska 30, Penn State 27


Illinois v. Rutgers (-6.5) - 12:00 PM EST - Big Ten Network

Even with everything that has gone on so far this year, I’m not convinced that Rutgers is at least a touchdown better than Illinois. The Scarlet Knights have gotten a lot of praise for their performance against Michigan State, as well as their second half effort against Ohio State. Can Rutgers move the football consistently without using trick plays? I’m skeptical.

It would be huge if either Brandon Peters or Isaiah Williams can return at quarterback for Illinois this week, but at least Coran Taylor has two starts under his belt if the Fighting Illini need to turn to him again. No matter who starts at quarterback, Illinois needs to get running back Mike Epstein involved early to try and open the offense up to hit Josh Imatorbhebhe through the air.

This game won’t be pretty to watch, which is why I am taking the points. I could really see this game decided by a late field goal. Rutgers pushes their record back to .500, while Illinois will still be searching for the first win of the season after this weekend is over.

Rutgers 24, Illinois 21


No. 23 Northwestern (-3) v. Purdue - 7:30 PM EST - Big Ten Network

Who could have seen this coming? Northwestern and Purdue battling for the lead in the Big Ten West halfway through the season. The Wildcats are getting steady quarterback player from Peyton Ramsey, while Paddy Fisher is leading a Northwestern defense that is one of the best in the Big Ten. The grit that this Northwestern team has shown has to get Pat Fitzgerald all hot and bothered on a regular basis.

We still aren’t sure what we have with this Purdue team. The Boilermakers are 2-0 but their wins have come against Iowa and a Illinois team that was short-handed. Purdue got an unexpected off week last week when Wisconsin wasn’t able to play because of their issues with COVID-19. The cancellation was a win in a way for Purdue, who not only didn’t have to play the Badgers, but it also gave Rondale Moore some extra time to heal up. It isn’t yet known if Moore will play this week.

I’m probably going to get burned for going against Purdue at home under the lights. Northwestern is the pick for this game since it isn’t yet known if the Boilermakers will have Moore available, but I’m going to assume that the wide receiver won’t be able to play. Even if he does, how long will it take Moore to get back into game shape? Northwestern will be too talented defensively even if a rusty Moore plays.

Northwestern 27, Purdue 21


No. 13 Wisconsin (-4.5) v. Michigan - 7:30 PM EST - ABC

The Badgers and Wolverines played in Ann Arbor back in 2018, with Michigan easily handling Wisconsin 38-13. The same definitely won’t happen on Saturday night at Michigan Stadium. Wisconsin may be coming off a COVID-19 outbreak within their team, but they are still one of the toughest teams in the country. Graham Mertz completed all but one of his passes in the season opener against Illinois. If Mertz is able to play on Saturday, expect him to have a huge game against a Wolverine secondary that has been torched the last two weeks.

Right now there isn’t much going right with Michigan. Joe Milton doesn’t look like the answer at quarterback, while the Michigan defense is struggling on the line and in the secondary. Things could get ugly on Saturday night when the Badgers will try and control the clock, wearing out a defense that already has their backs against the wall.

It all depends on how Wisconsin comes out of the gates. There’s no doubt the Badgers will be fresher in this game. The big question is how much rust will Wisconsin have to shake off. If the Badgers come out firing to start Saturday’s game, it’ll be a very long night for Harbaugh and the Wolverines. Even though Wisconsin hasn’t played in a couple weeks, I think they easily handle a dejected Michigan team.

Wisconsin 28, Michigan 17

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Stick to Sports podcast: Help us decide which tortilla chip is the best tortilla chip
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: Jeffrey Greenberg/Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
Tia and Matt talk about their obsession with TikTok before getting into a heated debate about tortilla chips

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.

In this week’s episode, we discuss the ghost town that was Twitter.com during the Rutgers game last Saturday, and why Ohio State fans are the “Aaron Craft of fanbases.” We then get into our obsession with TikTok, our favorite TikTokers and— Chinese spies or not— why it’s the best, most addicting app on the internet.

Here’s a few of the TikToks we mention in the episode:


Download the app and report back when it’s 3 a.m. and you’re on hour 4 of watching dumb glorious videos like these.

We end the show with our debut of our Chip Bracket. Matt goes over the rules, guidelines and how it’s going to work before we kick things off with the tortilla chip region. We argue it down to two types of tortilla chips, but we need your help to crown a champion! Head to our Twitter (@LandGrant33) to vote for your choice between Tostitos Hint of Lime or Tostitos Cantina.



Contact Tia Johnston

Twitter: @TiaJohnston_

Contact Matt Tamanini

Twitter: @BWWMatt, @LandGrant33


Listen to the episode and subscribe:

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Ohio State still going after five-star LB in 2022 class
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Shawn Murphy | Bill Kurelic, 247Sports
Though the position is crowded, the Buckeyes still want more linebackers in the junior cycle

Yesterday’s news of the cancellation between Ohio State and Maryland just plain sucked. You can’t really say much more than that. All things considered, it’s probably wise to count the blessings that Ohio State has played any game in these trying times, but cancelling a game including the Buckeyes is unfortunate to say the least.

Ryan Day and his crew got their first real bout of bad news in this shortened season, and while nothing is promised moving forward, I think we can all agree that hopefully this is a one-and-done scenario with the Buckeyes back on the field next week as they take on an Indiana team who is playing with some boosted confidence.

With more time to look towards Indiana as their next opponent, there does seem to be a bit of time freed up this weekend. Knowing the hours spent and effort Ohio State puts into recruiting, odds are the staff pays a little extra attention to the 2022 class the rest of this week all while trying to secure up the couple remaining spots in 2021 as the early signing period quickly approaches.

Fortunately, the good news is aplenty in the realm of Buckeye football recruiting.

Could they really want more?


Ohio State’s 2022 class is currently ranked as the top group in the country. Of the many reasons this class is off to an incredible start, the incredible trove of linebackers already in the fold tell the bulk of the story. With three elite guys already committed to the Buckeyes thanks to the likes of C.J. Hicks, Gabe Powers, and Dasan McCullough, Ohio State has not only re-stocked their linebacker core, but re-loaded it with players that are some of the most sought after at their positions.

A tremendous feat for position coach Al Washington, you would think having these three players locked in would pretty much close the door on the potential to recruit anyone else at the same spot, but that’s not how Ohio State rolls.

Five-star inside-linebacker, Shawn Murphy (Manassas, Virginia/Unity Reed) has long been a player the Buckeyes have been after, and they will continue to be until he makes a final college decision. Ranked as the top player at his position in the class and the No. 17 player overall nationally, Murphy would give Ohio State arguably the greatest recruiting haul of linebackers anyone could ask for if he were to commit.

As recent as the last couple of weeks, rumors had been swirling around that Murphy may be ready to make a pledge, and many believe with the momentum Ohio State has in the 2022 class that a verbal to the Buckeyes could be in the cards.

It would be incredible, but Murphy’s recruitment is not quite over yet, as he has mentioned to multiple recruiting analysts that he intends to visit several schools before coming to a final call. Schools in the SEC, ACC, and even out West were all mentioned by Murphy, and that further proves that this recruitment could go on for a bit being that NCAA limitations make it impossible to get on campus to meet with any member of the staffs associated with the schools he’s interested in.

Still, this looks to be a four-team race, with Penn State, Alabama, Miami, and Ohio State rounding out the likely programs Murphy will be choosing from. Having said great things about each of them, these are the four programs to pay the closest attention to moving forward.

The Buckeyes do have an extra thing going for them in the race for Murphy, as current Ohio State class of 2021 commit Tyleik Williams is his teammate at Unity Reed. It bodes well for OSU to have a familiar face preaching first-hand the great things the Buckeyes have to offer. In addition, Al Washington is already a major piece in this recruitment.

In an interview with Brian Dohn of 247Sports, Murphy went into detail about his relationship with Washington, calling it a “spiritual and mental bond” as they speak over the phone weekly. Add this with Murphy’s cordial relationships with current commits such as Hicks, and you can see why Ohio State seems to be trending in the right direction in this recruitment.

Never too early to look towards the future


Thanks to Ryan Day, Ohio State is bringing in elite quarterbacks at a never before seen pace, and that in large part is why they are having the on-field success at this rate. When you have a top target caliber player at the most important position, it makes a lot of sense why things go as well as they have. For example — Justin Fields. Nothing else really needs to be said there.

In terms of what’s to come, in 2020 the Buckeyes landed two top quarterbacks in the class, a five-star in 2021, and of course now look to be the likely destination for the No. 1 quarterback in the country in 2022, Quinn Ewers. Truly incredible work and a testament to how good of a recruiter Day is, the Buckeyes are at the top of the mountain right now.

Coach Day has made it clear that they’re going to go after the best guys in each cycle and not just be content with what they have. Already, the class of 2023 is taking notice, as the second-best pro-style quarterback in the class, Cameron Edge. has told Bill Kurelic of Buckuts that he has “very high interest” in Ohio State.

It feels too early to mention, but if there’s one thing to take away from all this, it’s that the Buckeyes have put in the effort to create meaningful relationships this far in advance so they pay off in the end. A DeMatha Catholic product — the same school that produced Chase Young — Ohio State would love nothing more than to go get another top caliber player from an elite prep program.

Quick Hits

• A congratulations is in order for current five-star running back commit TreVeyon Henderson — the nation’s top back according to 247Sports. Proving that Ohio State recruits excel both on and off the field, Henderson finished his high school career with an academic performance as good as his athletic performances.

• 2021 defensive back commit Jakailin Johnson was awarded his All-American Game jersey yesterday. Though the game will not be played, unfortunately, it’s still an incredible honor only the nation’s best prep players are able to receive.

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Buckeye Bits: WELP
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 Ralph Freso/Getty Images
All of the latest Ohio State news from around the beat and beyond.

Let’s just get right to it eh?

Biggest news of the Day...


The inevitable (imo) happened. Ohio State’s game against Maryland has been canceled after eight Terps tested positive for COVID-19.


Hindsight is 20/20, however OSU athletic director Gene Smith said the Buckeyes will stay on schedule with their practices as the season is not over and the CFP is still on the horizon.

What does this mean for the Big Ten championship?


I’ll let the Bills explain...


Meanwhile, I’m over here like...


via GIPHY


Luckily, we have people who are much smarter than I am on our writing staff, so if you want a full rundown of some answers you’re probably seeking in light of this news, Matt has you covered in his latest column.


Okay, now, I feel the need to remind everyone that we’re talking about actual human beings (dare I say kids?) contracting a highly contagious, extremely serious (and sometimes deadly) virus. I think that sometimes this fact gets pushed aside in the midst of all of the disappointment that fans are experiencing because they don’t get to watch their favorite college football team play on Saturday. And quite frankly, our Saturday football-watching plans should be at the bottom of our priority list. Which brings me to...

The worst tweet of the day


Let me preface this by saying that the notion that college kids (college! kids!) are at fault here is as tone deaf as it gets. Firstly, you think every single Ohio State player or staff member is “handling their business” off the field? Every single freshman? Every single walk-on? Every single intern?

Secondly, who’s to say these players got it by being “careless”? All it takes is ONE player to contract the virus at the grocery store, at the bank, at the pharmacy, from a food delivery guy.


Thirdly, Maryland is 2-1 with a second year head coach coming off of victories over both Minnesota and Penn State, and saying that these players have nothing to play for in general — positive tests and winning record aside — is exactly why people hate Ohio State fans (and not in the fun “Ohio Against the World” kind of way) and I’d like to think that the vast majority of fans aren’t actually this out of touch. Now it’s time for...

The second worst tweet of the day


In all his glory, Sir Yacht has resurfaced.


Friendly reminder that he’s like 0-47 in his rumors coming true. Here’s a credible reporter explaining why this one won’t either...


Speaking of Alabama...

Four SEC games will not be played this weekend

So...the college football playoff?


The total is now 8 games canceled or postponed across major college football this week and more than 50 since late August, according to AP News. As if the committee’s job wasn’t hard enough, it’s safe to say the College Football Playoff race just got a little more tricky.


Honestly though, it’s 2020 and nothing would surprise me anymore.


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Column: Ohio State-Maryland was canceled, so what does that mean?
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Matthew OHaren-USA TODAY Sports
Honestly, who knows? Up is down. Black is white. Dogs and cats living together. It’s 2020, baby. Just roll with it.

Well, poop nuggets. We all knew that this was a possibility, and perhaps even an eventuality, but it became real today as the Maryland Terrapins paused team activities following eight players testing positive for the coronavirus over the past seven days. That means that the game previously scheduled for this Saturday against the No. 3 Ohio State Buckeyes ain’t gonna happen.


Now, I’m not going to relitigate the Big Ten’s decision to cancel and then uncancel the season; I’m not going to get into whether or not they should have stuck with the original conference-only schedule; I’m not going to entertain if their protocols and thresholds are too stringent compared with those from other conferences, but since four of the seven games on the SEC’s schedule for this weekend have also been canceled, I’m going to go out on a limb and say that things aren’t exactly going great anywhere right now when it comes to COVID.

In a statement following the announcement, OSU head coach Ryan Day said, “We wish Maryland, their student-athletes and programs well as they battle through this issue.”

According to sources...


With the game canceled, the question becomes, what happens next and how does this impact Ohio State? Well, if we’re being honest, what almost certainly happens next is that Ohio State has an off week and is already turning its attention towards the No. 10 Indiana Hoosiers game that is currently scheduled to take place on Saturday, Nov. 21.

Of course, with No. 1 Alabama also having their game against LSU postponed this weekend, it would be a lot of fun to see these two highly rated teams have an impromptu meeting on Saturday.


That is of course, not going to happen (no matter what you saw on Twitter and/or TikTok), as we saw the B1G put the ixnay on Nebraska scheduling a game against FCS Chattanooga when Wisconsin first began canceling games due to COVID last month. So, playing a team outside of the Big Ten isn’t going to happen, due to concerns about having the same level of testing. Done, glad we got that out of the way.

So, what if another conference game gets canceled in the next 24 hours? Presumably, there would be one team who is dealing with an outbreak, and one team who is not. So, could the Buckeyes play the other non-break out team?

It certainly wouldn’t give Ohio State and this theoretical second team much time to prepare for what is awaiting them on the field, but it also wouldn’t give one of them much time to prepare to travel. Now, that might be okay in regular circumstances, but OSU rented out an entire hotel to be as safe as possible when the team traveled to Penn State a few weeks ago. Perhaps the visiting them in this hypothetical situation doesn’t need to spend the night anywhere, but that level of caution isn’t something that can be easily planned for in just a few hours.

As of now, there is no indication that any other B1G games are in danger of being canceled this weekend, but it’s 2020, so who the hell knows what’s going to happen. But, while it could be possible that OSU might play another league team this weekend if the opportunity presented itself, I wouldn’t think that it is all that likely, even if another game gets canceled.

All eyes on you, IU


So, with Ohio State losing one of its nine regular season games (I’m counting the B1G Champions Week — or whatever they’re calling it — since everyone in the conference is scheduled to play), what does that mean for the Buckeyes?

Well, first off, it does open the door for No. 9 Indiana to edge out No. 3 Ohio State in the race for the B1G East, even if they don’t end up playing on the 21st.


Now, I’m not going to begin to predict whether or not any other games might be canceled moving forward, because that is the opposite of something that I want to spend any of my time or very limited brainpower on. So, I’m just going to assume that all of the other scheduled B1G games will happen until I hear otherwise (I’m sure that I will hear otherwise).

But, since the Big Ten was already playing fewer games than most of the other Power Five conferences, it does mean that Ohio State has yet another data point removed from their resume should things get dicey with the College Football Playoff committee. What happens if due to some fluke of the schedule, the Buckeyes go undefeated on the season, but don’t play in the B1G Championship Game, like in the example above?

If the Hoosiers are also undefeated, will the committee give IU the berth since they have the advantage of being a conference champion? Who knows? But, I do feel fairly confident in saying that as long as Ohio State is undefeated and has played seven games before the committee convenes to determine the official final four, they are in.

There is no way that they can legitimately look at this offense, led by the best quarterback in program history, and ding them that severely for having games canceled by their opponents.

So, Ohio State, by the power of Scarlet and Greyskull, I hereby declare that if you win out and stay healthy, you’re in the CFP. So it shall be written. So it shall be done.

Strike a pose


But, remember that program-best quarterback I just mentioned? You know, this guy, the one who’s already posing like the Heisman Trophy:

Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images

How does losing a game impact Justin Fields’ chances of being the first Buckeye to win the Heisman since Troy Smith in 2006? I don’t know. I mean, it certainly doesn’t help, but Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence has missed two games because of a positive COVID test, and as I mentioned earlier, Alabama’s Mac Jones also had a game canceled this weekend because his team’s opponent had an outbreak.

The difference is, of course, that both of those candidates (as well as BYU’s Zach Wilson and Florida’s Kyle Trask) started out with more games on their schedule to prove themselves; therefore, Fields has been playing catchup from the jump.

Even though he has been near perfect so far this year, I would think that having another opportunity to show out pulled from the schedule is going to automatically hurt the guy with fewer games.

So, it’s not the end of Justin Fields’ Heisman chances — since having two more TDs than incompletions is still pretty impressive — but every time he’s not on the field, it takes away another chance for him to continue to be extraordinary.

Percentages and tiebreakers and averages, oh my!


Ok, the last piece of this puzzle relates back to a few of the previous ones.

First: I wouldn’t even begin to know how to predict whether or not Ohio State will have any other games canceled this season, let alone a team that I don’t follow or care all that much about. But, it does matter.

Second: Even in the Reddit scenario above, if Indiana cancels next week’s game against OSU, an eventual 7-0 Hoosiers wouldn’t automatically go to the B1GCG over a 6-0 Buckeyes. The first tiebreaker is “the best cumulative winning percentage of non-divisional opponents.” Kind of a stupid tie-breaker when you’re only playing two non-divisional team, but it’s the Big Ten in 2020, so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯.

That means that it’s the winning percentage of Nebraska and Illinois for the Buckeyes vs. the winning percentage of Wisconsin and Purdue for IU. Ok, so maybe the Hoosiers would automatically go to the title game after all, but it’s 2020, who knows what the hell might happen the rest of the way. Perhaps Wisky is so rusty from two weeks off dealing with COVID stuff that they forget how to play football and lose their next five games. It could happen... maybe.

But that’s not the only part of this situation that needs to be figured out. If things go sideways and more games are canceled for the Buckeyes, they might not even be eligible for the B1G title game.


This is all way too much math for me, and it’s making my head hurt, but just keep this in mind as events unfold, or as people erroneously tell you that OSU is automatically out of contention because those selfish, horrible, awful, Maryland players who are coming off of two of the biggest wins in recent program history got this game canceled because they don’t actually care about the season or what happens on the field.

Real talk


That last bit was a joke, folks. Don’t blame the players for this, especially without reporting on them being reckless. Odds are that they got a highly contagious disease, despite taking all precautions, because it’s a highly contagious disease, and as the past eight months have shown us, shit happens.

But, in his statement following the announcement, Day reminded everyone what is really important.

“The health, safety and well-being of our student-athletes is our main concern,” he said. “Obviously, we are disappointed at not being able to compete this week, but I am incredibly proud of our team and the way they have handled themselves throughout this entire pandemic.”

From the word go, the Buckeyes have been proud of their precautions to battle COVID. I have no reason to not believe that they are doing everything within their power to keep the team and staff healthy, and I hope it stays that way. But, if it doesn’t, don’t act like the players who tested positive purposely contracted a potentially deadly or devastating disease, just to mess up your weekend.

Ohio State football might be our entertainment, but it is their lives.

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Hetuck said:

That's just a statement of fact. The more Buckeye fans insist that PSU isn't a rival, the more it's a tacit admission that they are a rival. If you don't think they're a rival then you simply don't know how rivalries work. Or you're in denial. Or you're a liar.

Click to expand...

Still not a rival, despite how hard you want them to be

Buckeyes-Knights Clash
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 will be playing its first game under the lights this 2020 season at Ohio Stadium as the Buckeyes clash with the Rutgers Scarlet Knights Saturday at 7:30 p.m. on the Big Ten Network.

The environment in the Shoe won’t have the fiery, loud atmosphere it usually gets during past prime time games due to the no fan rule. With that being said, the Buckeyes are heavily favored in the matchup.

Since meeting in 2014. Ohio State has won 6 in a row, including all games being won by 35 plus averaging 46.5 points in those matchups.

The Scarlet Knights head coach, Greg Schiano returns to Columbus. Schiano has not faced a Ryan Day coached team, and so far, so good for this Buckeye group to start the 2020 season as it continues their quest for a championship.

This Rutgers team is different than years past. The Scarlet Knights head into Columbus already winning a road game which they haven’t done in years past, beating Michigan State 38-27. The Knights followed that up with a 37-21 loss to No. 17 Indiana but showed flashes of good plays throughout.

The Scarlet Knights are led by Nebraska-transfer dual threat quarterback Noah Vedral, who has 299 yards and 3 touchdowns on the season.

Justin Fields looks to continue his dominance this Saturday. Fields has an incredible QBR of 97.2 (1st in the nation) to go along with 594 yards, and 6 touchdowns. There’s no denying Fields will look to continue his Heisman campaign Saturday night. In company with Fields, wide receivers Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson set an all-time Ohio State record. For the second straight game, each of them accounted for 100+ yards receiving. Olave and Wilson look to keep it rolling come game time.

Since clashing with the Scarlet Knights in 2014, the Buckeyes have only not scored 50 plus points one time. (in 2015, when the score was 49-7). Schiano’s team has improved greatly from years past, look for the Buckeyes to continue their dominance this season.

KEYS:

Ohio State K Blake Haubeil and TE Jake Hausmann will not be active for the game.

PREDICTION:

58-10














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#MOTSAGRising: Conquering White Out-less Happy Valley
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

Credit: reportdoor.com

At The Men of the Scarlet and Gray, we were due to get into the Podcast scene and due to technical issues–we will hold off for about a week until we prepare for it. For now, I am doing it old-school and just bear with me.

As you know, our team has a ton of rising stars and I haven’t been writing that much, but I make it up by upping the tweeting to ensure you are all entertained. Today, it is a post game reaction and I am going to do my best to follow in the Stat Masters step (looking at you Jeremiah!). Here we go.

Saturday night, in the Prime Time TV slot #3 ranked Ohio State faced the #18 team in the land Penn State in a COVID styled White Out minus the mass amount of fans in the stands. Due to the state of the nation and how they are combating the global pandemic–the fans have been narrowed down to family members and cardboard cutouts were in the seats. An odd environment indeed in a collision between two teams with a ton of history.

The past three or four contests have been fire and this one went in the Buckeyes’ favor early and then the Nittany Lions offense showed up to make it interesting despite eventually losing by double-digits. This game always was exciting for both sides and they have been so close over the past couple of seasons. In a game that is not considered a real rivalry game–these games always have a lot on the line.

For perspective, Ohio State and Penn State, although deemed a “Rivalry Game” have played a total of 34 times. The inaugural game was played in 1913 and they began the rivalry by winning the first four meet with the Buckeyes with a margin of 81-13. The early years of this rivalry saw Penn State take win after win, but as of late–the Buckeyes overtook them for the overall lead in the series. Ohio State leads the series 20-14 and the Buckeyes just won their fourth straight. Fun fact: The Buckeyes have also tied Notre Dame’s 10 road game win streak against ranked teams. If Michigan State continues their upward trend–they could break that in East Lansing, but this season has been difficult to get a beat on.

Now back to the game itself, the Buckeyes started fast and with urgency as they quickly shot up to a 14-0. They looked calm and poised, but after a Penn State Field Goal–they kind of took their foot off of the pedal and went into the half with what looked like a 14-3 lead. Not so fast my friend (Lee Corso voice) on a fourth and short, Fields took a knee to drain the clock, but left a second that led to another kick for three. The Buckeyes were already in the locker room before being returned to the field and you could hear and see the frustration by a late start of the play clock.

In the second half, the Nittany Lions turned it up and Jahan Dotson had a game against Shaun Wade. He finished with 8 catches, 144 yards and 3 scores in what was a highlight reel type of performance for him against a likely 1st Round talent in Wade. The Buckeyes definitely attacked the secondary in the second half and they rattled off 24 more points in the second half.

Buckeye Stickers

Justin Fields continues to tear it up as he finished 28 for 34, for 318 yards and 4 scores. Although he took a huge hit from his blindside–he quickly popped up but we all took a collective exhale. In the Big 10, Fields is 3rd in passing yards and is tied for 1st with 6 TD’s. He will face a renewed Rutgers team with a familiar face, which would make things interesting to say the least.

Master Teague and Trey Sermon haven’t been playing well, but they are starting to put things together. Together, they combined for 166 total yards and a score, much improved from 89 from last week. They are finding holes and it is only up from here. Things obviously need to improve, but for now give them their sticker!

The Olave and Wilson connection is still going strong and they went off again in week 2. Both receivers went over 100 yards receiving and now they are 4th and 2nd in the Big 10. This connection between both of these studs and Fields is crazy and it is looking like Wilson is having his breakout season while teams focus on Olave. This duo is so valuable and they take the attention off of the other pass catchers so they could make plays. They deserve the recognition so far!

The Slobs also did well cutting their total sacks surrendered in half to two this game. A brutal blindside sack and a coverage sack is better than the four from two weeks ago. The O-Line showed up and contained the Parsons-less defense that usually gives teams fits. They looked strong and mauled the D-Line and pushed them back. They is more room for improvement, but the increase in yardage is a good sign of things to come.

Lastly, the Buckeye front seven showed you why they are one of the best groups of unheralded players in the nation. A bunch of forgotten players that were buried in the depth chart, the Rushmen were disruptive and played well racking up the sacks and spooking Clifford. 5 sacks with 3 going to Tommy Togiai. Cooper and Harrison combined for a sack and Jean-Baptiste gathered the last sack.

Room For Improvement

The Special Teams unit could improve. With two missed Field Goals inside of the 20, they need to be better. Haubeil and DiMaccio combined for 1 of 3 with Haubeil leaving with a groin injury on his only attempt. Punting was also an issue. Two punts with two touchbacks with one that should have been downed in the 5. Robinson bounced it off of his knee with Olave around and they gave up valuable field position. These things need to be cleaned up if they truly want to control every phase of the game.

The secondary looked bad and they were exposed by Jahan Dotson. He made them look some type of way with the cushion they gave them. Slants and streaks worked for a bit and they need to improve because that will be on film for other teams to try to do the same. They didn’t do terrible, but they didn’t do well either. The upside is Hooker (Malik’s little brother) had a key takeaway that swung the door closed on Penn State’s comeback hopes. That is encouraging to say the least.




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#MOTSAGRising #BuckeyesVNittanyLions: Studs & Duds
Chris 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 Buckeyes began the Non-White-Out in UnHappy Valley looking like they were going to maul the Lions and ended up needing their offense to continue being studs! “The best thing about being 2-0″

Justin, Fields, Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson continued their onslaught of the record books while the secondary continued to find out what needed fixed!

Offense


Stud(s) – After being #TongaTrains duds a week ago against Nebraska the slobs along with Master Teague III as well as Trey Sermon asserted their will early and often and the perfect misdirection to start the game with Garrett Wilson set it all up. At one point in the broadcast, bot commentators expressed their feelings on just how good the Buckeyes O-line is and will be.

Stud(s) – Once again the three headed monster of Fields, Olave and Wilson reared it’s beautifully ugly head and showed America they may have three viable Heisman candidates. Olave and Wilson both had 100 yard receiving nights (120 and 11 respectively) and its the first time in the history of the storied program that has happened. Could it be they have 8 straight with what the schedule looks like? Justin fields has definitely cemented himself atop the Heisman board after two games.

Dud – No real dud this week, as much as the offense can improve they put together a pretty good night altogether and play calling was superb

Defense


Stud(s) – In our preseason roundtable I mentioned Tommy Togiai as being the one defensive player that would shock everyone. I am not shocked at the night he had in Happy Valley and the future will only get better. As much credit as Jonathon Cooper deserves for the game he had, Tommy benefitted from the attention the Buckeye DE’s were recieving.

Stud(s) – This LB core(and back to Tonga’s duds a week ago) played it’s best game in the last two years. Having Browning and Werner tag team the PSU TE Pat Freiermuth kept him out of the game. Leaves me to ask the question, where has tis kind of work against a TE been?

Dud(s) – As much as it pains me, and we knew it was going to experience some growing pains, but the secondary might have had it’s worst half of the young season. Specifically against their best receiver and it could mean a move for Shaun Wade as the season goes. Coombs will continue to help this young group improve but it needs Wades leadership to shine!

Game


Stud – Ryan Day arrived awhile ago and sent a pretty clear message when he took over this offense. We will have the best QB play and there will not be a time the offense isn’t aggressive. With Urban Meyer still in the fold we did not see it all the time, but now that he is calling all of the shots? Well, you get what I am saying, he is as aggressive a coach on 4th and 1 as any that we have ever season. You do not know if you are getting a QB sneak under center or a wide open TE in the end zone that causes the entire secondary to shrug.

Dud(s) – I officiate HS football and basketball and nothing infuriates me more than inconsistent calls. I got a text from my best friend early on after the first penalty against the Buckeyes and it simply said, “oh no, not this crew!” I agreed with Gary and just sat back to watch the typical phantom calls they have against the Buckeyes. I needed to go back and look at it but they penalized the Buckeyes for 6 yards on a 5 yard penalty and the end of the half debacle will go down as a Halloween treat for ages.




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#MOTSAGRising #NewBlood Buckeyes Set For A Silent Night in Beaver Stadium by Mike Scharf
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

Penn State’s traditional prime time, “Whiteout” game against Ohio State is the most exciting game of the year and has an atmosphere like no other. Although, the 7:00 primetime game will NOT have that same electric feeling due to fans not being in attendance as a limited number of family members of players, coaches, along with the staff are the only ones permitted in the stadium.

This includes no gathering around the stadium. The Big Ten announced fan attendance and tailgating is prohibited this year because the health and safety concerns regarding the spread of COVID-19.

That being said, the primetime game will have an uncanny feeling of not seeing 110,000 in white screaming for all 3 hours and 24 minutes giving the Buckeyes an advantage come game time.

There’s no denying that Coach Franklin’s team uses their Whiteout game to bring them liveliness. No better example of this as last season Michigan was forced to call a timeout on the first play of the game due to the noise created by the fans in the stadium. When the Big Ten announced there was no season former Buckeye quarterback Kirk Herbstreit voiced his disappoint (on ESPN) with regards to a Penn State whiteout against the Buckeyes not taking place saying: “I always tell people that have never been to Penn State, or they ask ‘What’s your favorite venue to watch a game? You go to Penn State at night when it’s a White Out, it’s as good as a scene there is,” Herbstreit said. “When Ohio State comes in there it seems to be amped even a few more notches.”

Ohio State will take full advantage of the atmosphere this Saturday as play-calling will come much more relaxed in the sense of thousands not being there making noise. The Whiteout would have been many of the Buckeyes first, notably big-name players on the offense: Justin Fields, Master Teague, Trey Sermon, Garrett Wilson, Josh Myers, Jameson Williams, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, and Julian Fleming. True Freshman Julian Fleming, a Pennsylvania native also has some added incentive since earlier this week speaking about his home state team and how his recruitment went down. Looks for Fleming to do as much damage as he can against a Nittany Lion team that desperately wanted him on their team a year ago.




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Podcast: ‘Hangout in the Holy Land’ previews the Maryland game
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 Scott Taetsch/Getty Images
The Terrapins pose a bigger threat to the Buckeyes than we originally thought

Hangout in the Holy Land is back to give you their breakdown of all things Buckeyes. The hosts are new, the football season is new, but the sarcasm hasn’t changed a bit. Join George Eisner and myself all year long as we break down Ohio State’s opponents and recap the Buckeyes’ performance each weekend.

Listen to the episode and subscribe:


When Ohio State’s schedule originally dropped, pretty much everyone expected the Penn State game to be the Buckeyes’ biggest test, with a big lull in the schedule between the matchup against the Nittany Lions and the season finale against Michigan. That is no longer the case, as this weird COVID season has flipped the Big Ten on its head, and now Maryland is one of the toughest teams in the conference to figure out.

On one hand, they lost 43-3 to Northwestern in the season opener, but on the other, they’ve significantly improved in their last two games, defeating Penn State on the road their last time out. George and I discuss the enigma that is the Terrapins, talking about some of the strengths and weaknesses of this year’s team under second-year head coach Mike Locksley. We attempt to separate fact from the fiction in this two-game stretch for Maryland, as the program has had a tendency to pick up a big early win before a total collapse in the past.

We will be back on Sunday following the game. We hope you will tweet us @HolyLandPod with your postgame questions and hot takes, and we will try to read as many of them as possible on the show.

Looking forward to hearing feedback from you guys. As always, if you like what we’re doing, be sure to subscribe and drop a review on Apple Podcasts. We’ll see ya after the game!

Contact Gene Ross
Twitter: @Gene_Ross23 / @HolyLandPod

Contact George Eisner
Twitter: @EasyEis

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Buckeye Bits: Ryan Day and a host of players discuss Rutgers game, preview Maryland
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
All of the latest Ohio State news from around the beat and beyond.

Happy Tuesday, everybody! Hopefully this week brings you much less stress than the week we all just went through. Some of you may even have off tomorrow in observance of Veterans Day. Whatever the case may be, be sure to take some time for yourself once and a while. Especially during tough times like these, it is important to step back and focus on your mental health and all the good things in life — like the fall foliage!


Maybe instead you choose to fill your free time checking in with all the latest Ohio State news. For that, we’ve got you covered! Let’s hop right into today’s headlines.

From around Land-Grant Holy Land...


Column: Is Jim Harbaugh overrated?
(Matt Tamanini, LGHL)

Can you call a coach overrated when there don't seem to be all that many people out there that think said coach is all that good at his job in the first place?

Top recruits put Ohio State on short lists
(Dan Hessler, LGHL)

Ohio State’s recruiting has really been heating up over these past few weeks, both in football and basketball. Another five-star prospect on the gridiron has listed the Buckeyes among his top schools, while a four-star shooting guard trending toward Columbus appears set to make his decision this Friday.

Buckeye Clips: NFL Week 9 highlights
(Gene Ross, LGHL)

Seemingly every week a former Buckeye makes a huge splash in the NFL, and this week it was undrafted wide receiver Austin Mack for the New York Giants.

Podcast: Ben Koo discusses declining sports ratings, ESPN firings, more
(Matt Tamanini, LGHL)

Koo, owner and editor in chief for Awful Announcing and The Comeback, sits down with Matt to discuss some of the behind-the-scenes action going on in the sports media world.

From around the gridiron...


On Tuesday afternoon, we got to hear from head coach Ryan Day and a handful of Buckeyes. They talked about their performance in the Rutgers game this past weekend, and also gave a small look ahead to their upcoming matchup with Maryland. Day was up at the podium first.

When asked about the running game, Day doesn’t seem overly concerned. He says despite some of the struggles Ohio State has had 200 yards rushing in every game so far this season, and that is a good sign. They also expect Trey Sermon to be ready for Saturday’s contest after he left the Rutgers game late with an apparent injury.


Day says kicker Blake Haubeil is still day-to-day with his groin injury, and they're not sure if he will suit up against the Terrapins. He liked what he saw from Jake Seibert in his absence.


In terms of the most improved player thus far this season, Day named Nicholas Petit-Frere. On the flip side, he wants to see more out of Marcus Hooker, who needs to be the ‘eraser’ as the last line of defense.


Day says Ohio State is where they need to be since they’ve made it to 3-0, but the team is not yet playing at a high level. He is also a bit concerned that the backups have not gotten enough reps to this point, but says they need to practice better to earn that right.


Day is impressed by what he has seen from Maryland to start the year, and acknowledged that if the Terps play the way they did against Penn State last week, it could be the toughest team Ohio State has faced. He says that Taulia Tagovailoa has the same ‘it’ factor as his older brother Tua.


Next up to the mic was the aforementioned Petit-Frere. NPF says he has learned a lot from fellow tackle Thayer Munford and has watched film on the Ohio State tackles before him.


Petit-Frere is not concerned about the holding calls on Harry Miller in the Rutgers game. If anything, he thinks it will make him a better player in the long run as he learns from his mistakes.


The next in line for Tuesday’s press conference was Jonathon Cooper. The senior says he is typically focused on one game a time during the season, but doesn’t want to lose focus of the team’s ultimate goal to win a championship.


Cooper emphasized not taking a team like Maryland for granted, alluding to the 2018 game.


Garrett Wilson was the next man up at the podium, and began his time with praise for both Justin Fields and Chris Olave. He says that Olave is so good because he never has a bad practice, and Fields always puts them in a position to make plays as long as they execute.


Wilson is not yet satisfied with his play thus far, looking to “break some records” this year.


Shaun Wade was the last guy to speak on Tuesday, and he was critical of his own play. He says even the best corners get beat sometimes, but he has to make sure he is in good position and getting the ball down. He admits he has been too focused on getting interceptions, and instead has to look to break up the pass instead.


Wade cares more about winning a title than he does his own personal accomplishments. He says if he plays bad but Ohio State still wins the championship, he will still be happy. He is disappointed in how he’s started, but continues to try and improve.


And now for a little segment I like to call, “the analytics say that Ohio State is really good and you shouldn’t freak out about minor occurrences late in blowouts”

From around the hardwood...


The Ohio State women’s team will begin the year at No. 20 in the preseason AP Poll.


In case you missed it, the men’s team will begin the year at No. 23 in their preseason poll.

From everywhere else...


The SEC has been having some significant COVID-19 issues. Wear a mask.


Someone please explain to me how this is physically possible...


1) This is creepy and 2) you left out the ACTUAL top Heisman candidate.


Going to cap off Bits today by leaving this here for no reason in particular.


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Podcast: Ben Koo discusses declining sports ratings, ESPN firings, 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

Photo by Adam Lacy/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Editor of AwfulAnnouncing.com discusses the hottest topics in sports media.

On Land-Grant Holy Land In Conversation, we talk to people in and around Ohio State athletics, and the sporting world at large, to bring you a different insight and perspective to the teams, athletes, and university that you love.

Listen to the episode and subscribe:


On today’s episode, we are in conversation with the Owner and Editor in Chief for AwfulAnnouncing.com and TheComeback.com Ben Koo.

Not only is Ben one of the most plugged-in sports media analysts in the business, but he is also a die-hard Ohio State fan. In our conversation, we talk about last week’s layoffs at ESPN, how college football pregame shows have dealt with COVID-19, the odd experience of watching a game with no fans in the crowd, and of course, the bizarrely controversial topic of declining sports ratings.


Contact Ben Koo
Twitter: @BKoo

Awful Announcing: AwfulAnnouncing.com | @AwfulAnnouncing
The Comeback: TheComeback.com | @TheComeback

Contact Matt Tamanini
Twitter: @BWWMatt

Theme music provided by www.bensound.com

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